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Chapter 5

Wardle's office was loud, crowded and not really suited to someone Strike's size on crutches.

"Oi, watch it." Someone had banged into him, Eric had jumped to his defence.

"It's fine." He just wanted to get to the side office. Start looking for Robin. As they got closer to the door, Strike saw Robins' parents in the room. He suddenly felt nervous. Eric held the door for him, her parents turned as one, eyes starting at his face then snapping down to his leg. Or lack of. He said nothing, moving past them to sit at the table.

"What we got?" Wardle had stood at the table, looking at the colleague Strike didn't know.

"Quick word first." The officer nodded towards the door. Wardle looked at Strike, leaving and standing outside for a moment, before coming back in.

"Cormoron? Come here..." He didn't usually call him by his first name. He looked at the Ellacotts before hauling himself up. They didn't look at him. Wardle shut the door behind him.

"Look mate... the parents don't want you involved. They want you gone."

"Shit."

"Sorry, but you gotta go. I'll take you..."

"No. Stay here. I take it..."

"She's officially a missing person."

oOo

The tube had been crowded. Everyone trying to stay out his way, staring at him. Talking about him. He just kept his head down. The walk back from the station was short, but still took twenty minutes. By the time he reached the office door, he was tired and out of breath. He fumbled his keys, dropping them.

"Fuck!" He sounded to the sky, making the people on the other side of the road look over. He got out his phone. "Pat?"

"Is everything-"

"I'm outside... dropped my keys. I can't..." She hung up. He heard her on the other side of the door.

"Are you ok?" She bent down to pick up the keys. She stood back to let him in, glaring at the people across the street. "See they didn't help you."

"Doubt they know what day it is. You first." He didn't want her behind him as he unsteadily made his way up the narrow stairs. She went ahead without question. After painstakingly making it to the office – panting slightly – he once again threw himself on the couch. Pat had made him a cup of tea.

"What did they say? Are you ok?" He smiled at her, noting her concern.

"I'm fine. She's officially a missing person."

"Shit."

"But... her parents don't want me involved. I was only at the station ten minutes. Took me an hour to get back."

"Double shit," he laughed at her, "They don't want you involved?"

"Nope. Probably think I had something..."

"Don't say that."

"Well at least think it's because of the job. And they're probably right."

"I looked over her recent cases. She didn't report anything weird."

"I need to call Barclay. Get him back here. Better safe than sorry."

"How did you get back?"

"Tube."

"Wardle made you get the tube?"

"No. I told him to stay. He might be able to keep us in the loop." He went to pull himself up, but the pain throughout his body stopped him. As he groaned, he lay back on the couch.

"You stay there. I'll call Barcley, get him back. Rest, I'll wake you when he gets here."

"Pat, I need to..."

"Do what? What are you going to do from here? The best thing you can do is rest."

oOo

"Cormoron? Cormoron?" He felt something on his arm and he jumped as he snapped his eyes open. Pat was standing, her hand stretched out to him. Barclay was in the small kitchen.

"Fuck. You look like shite."

"Thanks."

"Pat told me whit's goin on. Whit do we know?"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing."

"Then why are we here? We should be at the met."

"I'm not invited."

"By Wardle?"

"Her parents."

"Huh. Ok. What do want me to do?"

"Nothing. But we can't rule out an angry client. So, for now, we stay here. The three of us." He saw Barclay and Pat share a look. "I know, but Robin is... she's officially a missing person. When Wardle said that, it had been three hours. That means he had concrete evidence that she's genuinely missing. Means he knows someone took her."