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Chapter 3

He woke up sore. His face, chest, leg. It all ached with the feeling of a fight. He lay in bed, looking at the ceiling, thinking about the previous night. If he closed his eyes, he could still hear Linda Ellacott. Hear what she said about him. He understood it, many people found the mere look of him intimidating. But to hear Robin's mum say she thought he was a threat. To Robin. His chest ran cold with the thought.

The sun was streaming in through the window, he didn't know the time. Didn't know where his phone was. He had come home – after taking ten minutes to walk to the street beside Robins, after taking twenty minutes to climb the stairs – treated his red, puffy leg and fell asleep with his clothes on.

His phone was on the floor, he managed to reach a long arm to grab it.

"Shit."

oOo

He had managed to shower, but only just, put on clean clothes and get out the door for 9.18. But still he was late. He couldn't get the leg on, even if he had wanted to try. His trouser pinned, he sat on the stair ready to go down. After a few steps, his humiliation intensified. Pat had heard him and started walking up, standing three steps below.

"Hello..." She looked at him, as though seeing him clearly for the first time. He hated it.

"Hey. I'm sorry... I'll be down..."

"What happened to your face?" He smiled, forgetting the state of his face. "Do you... do you want me to help you?" He stopped smiling. She was being genuine. He raised the crutches beside him.

"Can you take these, please?"

"Of course. Do you have your keys?"

"Why... where's Robin?"

"Not here... all I know." She took to keys from him, putting the crutches under her arm, and opened the door behind her. It took a few minutes for him to get to the bottom. As he went to grab the banister, she appeared beside him, crutches at hand, holding one out to him.

"Here."

"Thanks." He pulled himself up, feeling her hand steady him as he arranged the crutches. She smiled when he looked at her. "Thanks, really." They walked into the outer office, Strike making a beeline for the couch, throwing himself on it.

"Tea?"

"That would be great, thanks."

"So... are you going to tell me?"

"That thing I helped Wardle with yesterday... didn't quite go to plan. They kicked my knee. It's knackered. Couldn't... couldn't get the leg on. Sorry." He added the last word without thinking.

"You're sorry? For what? Here," she handed him a cup, smiling as she sat behind her desk.

"Thanks."

"No problem. How did it go last night?" She looked up to see the dark look on his face. "That good hu?"

"It was..." he struggled to describe it, "It was."

"Wow. What a review." He laughed, silently agreeing that the review summed up the night. "So, what did you do to make her not come in?"

"Nothing. Honest..." she had raised her eyebrows at him, "We left of good terms. It wasn't... it wasn't me. This time."

"Why, what happened?"

"Her parents... don't approve."

"Of the job?"

"Of me." They just looked at each other.

oOo

It was after ten. She'd never been this late before. Not without calling him. Even if something had happened with her parents, she still would've called. Or text. He manoeuvred his crutches to the outer office.

"Have you..."

"She hasn't called."

"Right." He took his phone out his pocket, balancing with one crutch. Voicemail. "I'll try her house." He didn't want to panic, but something told him he should. He was deep in thought when the call was answered. It was Linda. It caught him off guard. "Mrs Ellacott? It's Cormoron." He waited a beat.

"Oh. Hello." The answer was cold, he could tell she didn't really want to talk to him. He tried to ignore it.

"I was wondering... is Robin..."

"Is Robin working in a dangerous job? Yes, she is. But you know that already."

Strike knew Robin wasn't there. Linda wouldn't say this if she was.

"Look Mrs Ellacott, Robin hasn't turned up at the office. When did she leave home?" He felt Pat look at him. His tone was harsh, but he had more pressing matters than making her like him.

"She... she left 90 minutes ago. What do you mean...?"

"Listen to me Mrs Ellacott, I need you to call her. Keep calling her. I'm going to call my contact at the met..."

"Oh my god." The line went dead.