Author's Note: A reminder that Stevie Barlow (introduced in the fic Herensuge) is a police constable who runs a small self-defence class for a handful of women, including Robin.

Chapter Four

The next day, Robin is on a stakeout, watching the apartment of a woman who claimed she permanently injured her back at work. If it's a large claim like this one, and the insurance company suspects the claimant, they'll pay for at least a few days' surveillance. But this is day three, and the woman has barely been outside. When she did, it was only to hobble downstairs, leaning heavily on a walking cane, to toss a small bag of rubbish in someone else's bin, presumably so she won't have to worry about dragging hers to the kerb. Robin is trying to remember that her job isn't always so onerous, when she receives a text from Strike:

Tom aka Switch, currently known as Stanton Whittaker.

Robin scrolls down to the picture, and immediately recognises the man from his eyes alone, so it's a surprise when his beard comes into view, because he's clean-shaven in her memory. She's pleased to note that her hands are barely trembling when she calls Strike and greets him, "That's Stevie's boyfriend."

"Who is?"

"Switch...Stanton, whatever. That's Stevie Barlow's boyfriend, Steve. Only he doesn't have a beard anymore...at least not when I met him, which was last Tuesday."

"You're sure?"

"Ninety-eight percent. I didn't recognise him as Tom, but those eyes are quite striking."

After a moment, Strike asks, "When's your next class?"

"Tomorrow. It's afternoons this week because Stevie is working nights."

"Right. Send me the details, and skip it this week."

Rolling her eyes at the fact that he still doesn't completely trust her, Robin says, "I'm not cancelling. It's the last class before we fly out, and the first two confirmed how much I need them. If this is your half-brother, he did nothing more aggressive than a firm handshake, and he's clearly devoted to Stevie."

"And possibly got Shanker stabbed."

"We don't know that." When he's again quiet, probably wondering how to persuade her, Robin continues, "I only met him the once. And I don't expect him to turn up tomorrow. Stevie says they don't see as much of each other as they'd like, what with her being a cop and him being a paramedic."

"Robin, my half-brother graduated from Oxford with a first in Paramedic Science."

"And?"

"It pretty much guaranteed him a job anywhere. Why do you think he chose here?"

"Probably for the same reason we're working in London, plus he has family here...you know, other than you. I admit it's odd that our paths crossed at all, but it was a fleeting and friendly encounter. Even if he's Tom, we have nothing to suggest that he's a danger to either of us. Unless Wardle found something?"

"No, nothing. Said there's not enough even to pull him in for an interview about whether he bugged your apartment. Rob, I don't like this, not even a little bit."

"He's not the first person we've met who is fascinated by Cormoran Strike. At least in his case, it sort of makes sense."

"And, if you're right, he tipped off Littlejohn and Navabi."

"Okay, that is of concern. But, again, we don't know it was him. That was just a thought I had."

"Your thoughts about people are usually pretty fucking spot-on."

That makes her smile, and she says, "Thank you, kind sir. How about this: we add this information to the agenda at the staff meeting on Wednesday morning, and then leave the country and not worry about him for a while? Even if he's Tom, there's no way he knows about Rose and, in forty-eight hours, we'll be on our way to Australia. Imagine how frustrated you'd be if someone you were keeping an eye on suddenly vanished?"

Strike manages a hint of a laugh at that, and says, "That has happened, and can confirm it's fucking infuriating. Okay, partner, we'll proceed as scheduled. Oh, what's his last name, this Steve?"

"Why?"

"I just agreed to not fuck with him, but I still want to check him out, at least determine if he's merely using an alias or changed his name again."

Deciding to trust him, Robin replies, "Whitehall, though I don't know how he spells his first name. Do you think..."

When she doesn't complete the sentence, a Strike nervously prompts, "What?"

"Nothing. Just had the horrible thought that maybe Stevie is aware of his past, and kept that from me, but I really don't think so. Every move she makes rings true, if that makes sense?"

"Total sense. And what about the boyfriend? What did your instincts tell you? You said something about him startling you?"

"That only puts him on a par with every man who's innocently walked up behind me since I was nineteen. There was something, though; he inexplicably reminded me of Shanker. And I just remembered, the first time I met Shanker, at the agency, he scared me half to death because he...well, he has a violence vibe going on, though I now understand that I'm safe with him. Still, at the time...I've never been so grateful as when you whisked him into your office."

"I remember, you looked terrified. Rob, would you please consider having nothing more to do with Stevie? Midge could help you with training, though she'd probably charge more than Stevie does."

"And do you remember what I said about letting any man determine my future?"

His sigh is audible, and he says, "Yeah. Then, please, if you love me, would you avoid putting yourself in a position where my half-brother has power over you? At least until we have some idea what he'd do with that much power."

Robin has no intention of letting any man have the upper hand, let alone someone who might be dangerous. "Don't worry; I can easily promise that without fingers crossed behind my back."

Strike sounds a little more relaxed when he jokes, "Promise they're not crossed?"

From relief most of all, Robin laughs and says, "Promise. Hey, I've been staring at floral print curtains for three days in a row. How about I close this one and meet you at your place? Looks like I finished my period early; we can have sex and then fall asleep in each other's arms before our shift tonight."

Robin again hears him sigh, and then Strike says, "Literally the best idea I've heard all day."

Most of her fighting friends have left, and Robin asks Stevie, "Got a minute?"

Stevie of course looks confused, but replies, "Only a minute. Steve's meeting me for a late lunch." She smiles, adding, "Though it's probably second lunch for him. He runs when he's got any spare time, so he eats like a horse."

Forcing a smile, Robin says, "Yeah, Cormoran eats twice as much as me, and he's still losing weight." Motioning to an isolated bench nearby, they're seated before she continues, "You said you've been with Steve a few weeks. Do you remember if you met him before or after we met?"

Stevie blinks and recoils a fraction before asking, "Why?"

"Do you remember?"

"Of course I remember. What the fuck is going on?"

So Robin tells her, that a Stephen Whitehall was formerly Stanton Whittaker, and before that, Switch LaVey Bloom Strike. She sees Stevie recognise the last name, and concludes, "Cormoran's half-brother, who was adopted by his great-grandparents, and lost his left foot in a shooting accident before his second birthday." Stevie now appears to be in mild shock, staring at the opposite wall, her expression as blank as the plaster. "Does that sound like your Steve?"

Stevie tries to answer, but it comes out as a croak, and she clears her throat before confirming, "Yeah, he's an amputee, but you wouldn't know it. One of the things I love about him is that he never uses it...I mean, for sympathy or whatever, you know?"

Feeling ashamed of causing her friend any pain, even though she felt this conversation was necessary, Robin says, "Yeah, I know. Strike is the same." And then she remembers that Steve Whitehall is probably the same man who recorded her having sex with her "crippled war hero". And she gets angry enough to insist, "Did you meet him after someone sent me a gorilla mask?"

Stevie's gaze hardens, and she says, "Yeah, I did. And, fuck, I'm sorry...I might have told him something of that day, but without your name or address or anything like that."

Robin nods, saying, "I thought as much. And he probably already had my name and address. It seems that he's been tracking Cormoran's life for about a decade, and mine for a couple of years, maybe longer."

Stevie slowly shakes her head, and says, "Fuck, so...what, he's been conning me all this time?"

"I don't know. I don't think so. I saw him with you, and that looked like a man in love. Plus, I'm betting you're like me, and don't easily trust men nowadays?"

Stevie nods, saying, "And being a copper. Fuck. I'm sorry I'm swearing so much, but fuck."

"Yeah. I'm so sorry, Stevie. I've debated for twenty-four hours whether to tell you, but ultimately figured, in your place, I'd want to know."

"No, I'm sure I'll appreciate it, once I've recovered. Wait...you think he's the guy who bugged your flat?"

"Maybe. Because of something that will probably leak to the media by the end of the week, Eric Wardle investigated Sw...Steve's past. And, apart from studying to be a paramedic at Oxford, he was into drama, helping with electrical equipment and doing some acting, where he also learned about makeup and costumes."

"Fuck, you think he's been tailing you?"

Wary of making unsubstantiated accusations, especially to a police officer, Robin says, "Again, I don't know. I haven't noticed anyone, but I often get the feeling of being watched, even after the surveillance equipment was removed from my place. But you know that hyper-awareness isn't unusual for survivors."

"Yeah. Fuck, I was looking forward to a nice lunch and maybe some afternoon delight before my shift, and now I have to dump the best boyfriend I've ever had."

She sounds resigned to it, but Robin points out, "You don't."

There is iron-clad certainty in her eyes when Stevie looks at her, to say, "I do."

When Stevie then looks past her, Robin turns to see Stephen watching them. They stand as he approaches, and there's an embarrassing moment where both women try to edge in front of the other, so he smiles, and says, "That's sweet, but I'm no threat to either of you." Then looking only at Stevie, he asks, "Do I get a chance to explain?"

Robin knows she's holding her breath, but can't seem to make her body comply, as Stevie asks, "Did you go out with me to get information on Robin and your brother?"

"Half-brother. And that might be why I initially approached you. But, if you think about it for a second, it wasn't enough reason to keep going out with you. Care to discuss it, without Ms. Ellacott silently promising me grievous bodily harm?"

Unaware that her anger was so obvious, Robin blinks it away and finally takes a breath, to say, "Well, I'm gonna go. Want to walk me out, Stevie?"

It looks like Stephen is about to make a joke—his eyes twinkling with mirth—probably along the lines of "Which one?" but he wisely closes his mouth on noting his soon-to-be-ex girlfriend's expression.

"Nah, I'm good. See you Thursday."

Robin already told Stevie that she'll be out of the country, and she wonders if this is a deliberate ruse. Keeping an eye on Stephen, she lies, "Absolutely." And then she kisses her friend's cheek, begging, "Call me."