Page 220 of The Hallmarked Man

‘What if it wasmeantto be overkill, to look like somebody trying to frame the masons, and Truman fell right into the trap, and rushed to deny any connection, egged on by Branfoot?’

‘So Truman risked his entire career to keep Branfoot happy?’

‘Listen to what I’m saying– it doesn’t have to have been done for Branfoot specifically! Truman might’ve risked his career because masonry is his big thing, the centre of his emotional and social life! It means that, to some men! But if you’re going to look me in the eye and tell me there aren’t men who’re flattered by association with the aristocracy, and wouldn’t get an ego thrill from chumming around with Lord Oliver Branfoot off the telly—’

‘I’m not saying that, but—’

‘—then you’ll concede that Truman might’ve been easily influenced by Branfoot pushing the idea that someone was trying to frame the masons, in which case, the Knowles thing would’ve been manna from heaven to Truman. He paid a professional price for getting it wrong, but he’s still trotting along to Freemasons’ Hall every month, which should tell you something about his priorities in life!’

‘We’ve pieced together a story about Branfoot and we haven’t got ashredof proof it’s true,’ said Robin hotly. ‘The cipher note and Branfoot’s friend shopping in Ramsay Silver and Branfoot bashingprivate detectives and Dick de Lion – they could all be completely unconnected!’

‘This, from the person who’s been urging me to make enquiries about a Belgian woman whose name vaguely resembles Rita Linda,’ said Strike, and instantly regretted it, as Robin’s face flooded with colour.

‘I said from the start she might not be relevant, and for the record, she was Swedish, not Belgian—’

‘My point—’

‘I understand your point, thanks, weak leak though I am, and if we’re talking about missing the point: has it occurred to you that both times I’ve been threatened, I’ve been trying to talk to people about Rupert Fleetwood?’

‘Both times you were threatened, it was in places it was easy to get to you without getting caught,’ said Strike. ‘How would the men following you have known who you were off to speak to? You’ve just told me gorilla mask guy tailed you from your flat!’

‘OK,’ said Robin, returning to the offensive, ‘explain this: why would a porn star go and work in a masonic silver shop?’

‘Set up,’ said Strike.

‘Set up, how? By who?’

‘What if what was meant to have happened to Knowles genuinely happened to de Lion? What if he thought he was going to help nick a load of silver? Just because Branfoot’s a shit doesn’t mean de Lion was an angel. We know nothing about him, he could be a crook himself. What if Oz and Medina lured de Lion to Ramsay Silver, telling him he’d be able to make a hundred grand off the back of it? Then the taking of the Murdoch silver makes sense – it was to make this look like a burglary and incidental murder, when in fact it was a murder and incidental robbery.’

‘And where’s the silver now?’

‘I don’t bloody know, anywhere! Buried in the woods. Some anonymous lock up. Branfoot’s minted, he doesn’t need it.’

‘I can’t help noticing,’ said Robin, her tone now steely, ‘that your attitude to the Met and your attitude to the SAS are somewhat different.’

‘What?’ said Strike, thrown.

‘Freemason Niall Semple couldn’t possibly be involved in a theft of masonic silver, because he’s the best of the best, speaks fluent Arabic and navigates by the stars, whereas Freemason Malcolm Truman—’

‘Truman and Branfoot are in the same fucking lodge! Why’s Branfoot after us? Why the sudden interest in the private detective business?’

‘Maybe his wife’s having him tailed and he found out! Maybe the papers are sniffing around him, because of all the rumours about his sex life!’

‘You told me, at the beginning of this case, it didn’t matter if Murphy—’

‘This isn’t about Ryan!’ Robin said, her anger fuelled by the knowledge that she was at least partly lying. ‘What’s it going to do to our Met contacts, if we start trying to discredit policemen?’

‘The Met’ve already put Truman on gardening leave, they’d probably be delighted to have a reason to bloody sack him! If you think Wardle, Layborn and Ekwensi would stop talking to us because we helped the force get rid of a proper wrong ’un, you’ve got a lower opinion of them than I have!’

‘It’s yourattitudeI’m talking about – totally prepared to believe the worst of the police, whereas—’

‘There are plenty of cunts in the army, as I should know, because I was bloody in it—’

‘You said you were going to “go in hard” on Branfoot – you think he’ll keep his mouth shut, if you start insinuating—?’

‘Murphy know we’ve got pictures of the body, by any chance?’ asked Strike. ‘Hacked off about it, is he?’

Robin felt the blood rush to her face again.