Page 80 of The Hallmarked Man

‘But Shanker’s not a conspiracy theorist.’

‘You say that,’ said Strike slowly, ‘but get Shanker on to the subject of what powerful people in the law-abiding world get up to and things get fantastical, fast. You’ll never convince him that people who’ve achieved wealth and power legally aren’t really crooks, and he’s a firm believer in secret associations and hidden influence that people like him can’t access – and I know,’ said Strike, guessing what Robin was about to say, ‘unfair advantages and old boys’ networks exist, of course they do, but what Shanker believes goes way beyond that. If you told him the Prime Minister siphons off half the nation’s taxes and puts them in his own bank account, Shanker would tell you you’re a mug for not thinking he takes three quarters. At bottom, he thinks everyone’s as bent as he is, and world leaders and billionaires just conspire with each other to get away with it.’

‘He can’t thinkeveryone’sbent,’ said Robin reasonably. ‘He knows you.’

‘He accepts that freaks of nature like me crop up from time to time,but he’s more credulous than you might think once outside his area of expertise.’

‘So you think Shanker’s got hold of the wrong end of the stick? It’s all rubbish?’

‘He claims to know the actual killer. He says the guy’s been mouthing off, pleased he got away with it. We’ve got to take that seriously. And there was that call to the office, too. It could’ve been a random nutter – but it might not’ve been.’

‘D’you want to drop the case?’ Robin asked, and she was surprised how unhappy she felt at the thought of doing so.

‘No,’ said Strike. ‘I’m getting more and more interested – but it’s not just up to me. That’s why I called.’

‘Well, if Shanker’s right, the risk was there already, wasn’t it?’ said Robin. ‘Whoever killed Wright was never going to be happy we’re investigating, were they? I can’t honestly see that we’d be in any less danger if we give up. It’s not as if we can let them know we’re backing off. In fact, it’s far better to know they’re on to us. We’re forearmed.’

‘That’s exactly my thinking,’ said Strike. ‘What’s Plug Junior up to now?’

‘He’s inside the shed.’

The pain in Robin’s lower right side was still extremely sharp. For the first time, she thought she might make that appointment with her GP. Previous neglect of symptoms had led her directly into the mess she’d recently found herself in; the responsible thing was to get herself checked. Wanting distraction, she said,

‘Have you been following Patterson’s case?’

‘Yeah,’ said Strike. ‘Not exactly riveting so far, is it? I was hoping they’d just call him a cunt and give him ten years.’

‘Maybe it’ll hot up once he’s on the stand. Are you going to get back inside Liberty’s and buy some presents?’

‘Fine,’ Strike sighed, and he returned inside the shop, to be met with a blast of hot air and ‘Jingle Bell Rock’.‘How’m I supposed to know what scarves to buy?’

‘Well,’ said Robin, her eyes still on the distant shed, ‘Prudence likes classic colours. Cream, navy blue, black… nothing multicoloured or, you know, hippy. And Lucy looks good in pastels, so go light, and nothing too dramatic or splashy.’

‘How d’you know these things?’ said Strike, in honest amazement.

‘How do I know what looks nice on people?’

‘All of it,’ said Strike, who was now standing in a bewildering array of scarves of different sizes and patterns. ‘Remembering what colours Prudence wears.’

‘The same reason you remember the legend of Hiram Abiff. Listen, I know you’re not going to like this, but I think we ought to get the staff Christmas presents, too.’

‘Fuck’s sake,’ groaned Strike.

‘It’s good for morale,’ said Robin, ‘and we’ve got a really great team for once. We ought to be showing our appreciation.’

‘I’m not buying more scarves,’ said Strike firmly.

‘You don’t have to,’ said Robin. ‘I was thinking bottles of booze, or gift tokens. And,’ she added, because she didn’t doubt Strike was as clueless about what to buy her as he was about his sisters, ‘if you’re getting me a scarf, I like blue and green.’

‘Too late, I’ve already chosen your present,’ said Strike. ‘I’m going to have to go, I can’t hear a bloody thing. Speak to you later.’

He hung up, leaving Robin in a state of mild surprise.

23

Then evils gather together,

There wants not one of them all –