Chapter Twenty-four

In the end, Robin couldn't bring herself to leave her parents out of the loop, so they're the only two people not shocked to receive an invitation to a wedding celebration at The Victory Inn—previously billed as a birthday party—accompanied by a photo of Strike in his best suit and Robin in her favourite dress, each holding a corner of a marriage certificate; Strike with his eyes crossed and poking out his tongue.

Ilsa squeals so loud that Nick drops his dinner on the floor, where their cats immediately pounce. Lucy starts laughing, but quickly dissolves into happy weeping, interspersed with more laughter. Their contractors exclaim "Fuck me" in various accents, and Pat merely smiles before showing her husband, who acknowledges that he owes her another sit-down dinner.

Two people receive the photo without the invitation, and Dominic Culpepper's driver at first assumes that the bellowed "You fucking arsehole! Some notice would have been fucking nice," is directed at him, before realising that his boss is shouting at his phone.

The other is an aging ex-rockstar, who doesn't even notice that he's weeping until a tear falls onto his phone, and Al asks, "Y'alright, Pops?"

By virtue of turning off their phones, leaving London right after the wedding ceremony, and booking accommodation in Cornwall but not St. Mawes, the newlyweds manage to shut out the world for an entire night. The next morning, they're lingering in bed and Robin chuckles at Strike's muttered "Fucking hell," when he turns on his phone and is greeted by a symphony of alerts.

"Well, we knew it would be bad."

Scrolling through his many messages, wearing only an apparently permanent scowl, Strike complains, "How the fuck do I even know this many people?"

Turning on her side in bed, so she can comfortably study him, Robin says, "I'm sure a lot of them are just birthday wishes, but you have to admit, Cormoran Strike getting married is pretty big news."

"Yeah, I guess. But, even so, how can the news have spread so quickly?"

Enjoying his petulance and his nakedness, Robin suggests, "You'll just have to accept that a hell of a lot of people care about you."

Finally able to smile, Strike puts his phone aside and insists, "I don't have to accept anything of the sort."

When he then breathes into a cupped hand, Robin smiles and says, "I don't mind your breath since you stopped smoking."

Momentarily confused, Strike remembers, "I didn't kiss you when I smoked."

Robin laughs and says, "No, but I could still smell your breath, especially in the car."

Strike prides himself on his cleanliness, so he genuinely feels bad that Robin might have found his odour objectionable, and pouts, "You never complained."

"Because it wasn't too bad. Besides, my car smelled worse."

Strike turns over to face her and says, "Reminds me, it doesn't pong as bad now. Did you have it cleaned?"

"No, because I suspect the mud and grime is all that's holding the old girl together. I just threw out the mouldy dog blanket that was lurking in the back." Smiling, Robin adds, "Now, are you going to kiss me or not?"

Clearly fighting the urge to smile, Strike says, "I dunno. Wouldn't want you to start taking me for granted now we're married." Still, he cooperates when Robin pulls him closer for a kiss. When they finally come up for air, his next breath catches, and then he asks, "Change your mind about working through our honeymoon?"

Robin releases him, saying, "Not quite, but you're very tempting. Should we phone ahead or surprise them? They're farmers, so they'll probably be home."

Rolling away from her with reluctance, Strike says, "Surprise. And I don't want their daughter tipped off that we're sniffing around the area, so we'll be newlyweds who are into rambling." Which reminds Robin of a subject that she's been avoiding, and she slips out of bed before her thoughts become visible on her face. "What is it?"

She smiles, that he knows her so well, and looks at her husband to say, "I was thinking, now that we're making a bit of money..." Strike's prosthetic leg is leaning up against the wall beside the bed, and she gestures to it, concluding, "It would make life easier for you."

As feared, this topic has brought the familiar shutter down over his features, concealing his feelings on the subject as he asks, "You think I should upgrade?"

Wary of offending him, Robin says, "There's no should about it. But I'm sure you're aware that there are much better models available."

"And when did you become an expert on prostheses?"

He doesn't sound angry, but he's easily the most private person she's ever met. She didn't even know he was an amputee until she'd been working for him quite a while. So Robin can't look at him to say, "I'm not. But Stevie was telling me about...about your half-brother's prosthetic foot and ankle; it sounds like science fiction compared to yours."

"Yeah, well, Sir Randolph is only reasonably well off, but I imagine his guilt made him fork out for the best." And then Strike sighs and says, "I'm not upset. It's just not easy for me to talk about this."

Grateful for his understanding, Robin smiles at him and says, "I know. Thank you. Of course, it's your decision. I just want you to know that, if it were up to me, I'd make your comfort a priority."

He offers a shy smile and says, "Okay, I'll think about it. Have you looked at the prices though?"

"No. I wouldn't do that without first discussing it."

"Rob, I could upgrade my car cheaper than I could upgrade my leg."

Her eyes widen with shock, and Robin says, "Oh. No wonder you haven't done anything about it. I thought maybe...you don't like to make a fuss, so..."

Strike smiles and asks, "You thought I was relying on the NHS because I'm stubborn?"

Relieved to have apparently sailed through a difficult conversation, Robin grins and says, "Not just because you're stubborn."

Strike now starts attaching the limb in question as he counters, "Hey, don't knock stubborn; it's one of the reasons we solve cases that no one else can."

That familiar ache in her chest, from loving him, Robin says, "I love that you say 'we', like you couldn't do it without me."

Strike flashes a smile at her and simply says, "I couldn't."

Only half joking, Robin says, "Okay, now I've changed my mind about working."

Without even looking up, Strike chuckles and says, "No, you haven't, but thank you for pretending. Very good for my ego."

That reminds Robin of a conversation with Ilsa, that seems a lifetime ago, but was only a few years. "It's funny how some people think you're hubristic when it comes to woman. Even Ilsa thinks you're a bit full of yourself in that regard."

"I told you, the women in my life were always too busy trying to change me to really understand me," says Strike, with a warm smile. And follows up with, "Except you. I love you, Wife."

Robin smiles and reveals, "So far, I like being your wife."

"Good, because I like being your husband." Again picking up his phone, Strike suggests, "Why don't you grab the bathroom while I check if there's anything important in this mess."

Standing and heading towards the en suite, Robin says, "Thank you, Husband."

His tone rich with promise, Strike says, "Yes, I like that very much," and returns the favour when Robin blows him a kiss.

Later that morning, Strike emerges from the en suite to see that breakfast has arrived while he was taking a shower, and that his bride looks upset. "What's wrong?"

"Apart from offering her congratulations, Stevie wanted me to know that Stephen has been to Cornwall."

He doesn't enjoy any mention of Leda's other son, but points out, "Just about everyone has."

"Yes, but he visited, supposedly for the first time, since he started going out with Stevie."

Finally understanding her unease, he says, "Oh, you think he was nosing around St. Mawes?"

"Maybe. Stevie said he was really vague about where he went while here, and he borrowed her car, because he said he didn't have one back then."

"Concealing his tracks?"

"I don't know. Maybe. I don't like it. That would have been just after I found the listening device in my bedroom."

Robin is sitting on the bed, and Strike sits beside her, asking, "You okay?"

She leans on his shoulder—comforted by that slight contact—and says, "Yeah, I'm fine. It feels like a long time ago."

Strike places a hand on hers and says, "It does. How about we get Dave on the job, find out if Whitehall was asking around? And, if you brought the scanner, we can sweep Ted's cottage for bugs before Lucy's brood arrives on Saturday."

"You think he'd go that far?" And then Robin laughs a little, saying, "Stupid question. That sounds good, thanks."

Observing that the signs of strain around her eyes are gone, Strike asks, "All better?"

Robin sits up enough to kiss him and confirm, "All better." And then she leaves the bed, asking, "Oh, did you bring the drone?"

Smiling at this reminder of the birthday gift she'd given him, he says, "I knew it; you got that for the agency, not for me. You know, most women wouldn't buy their husband a surveillance tool."

Robin offers a smug grin and reminds him, "I'm not most women, and you weren't my husband when you opened it. But, if you'd prefer aftershave, I can still exchange it."

Ridiculously happy, Strike confirms, "No, that's okay." Joining Robin at the breakfast table, he says, "Not sure how much use it will be though; I've searched the area on Maps, and didn't see anything that might be good for dumping a body." Then remembering, he continues, "Oh, but I do know a guy in Hayle who adopted a retired sniffer dog, trained to find human remains."

That brings a light to Robin's eyes, and she says, "Seriously? That'd be fantastic. Do you think he'd lend us the dog?"

"I'm sure we could use him, but Colin and Bojangles are a package deal. They both retired around the same time."

Robin laughs a little and guesses, "Don't tell me the dog is black with a white face?"

Strike grins and confirms, "I'm afraid so. Col isn't exactly PC, but he's a good guy. Bo is pretty damn old though, so we'll have to put in the legwork. I'll call him if, hopefully when, we find a likely site."

Robin is spreading jam on her toast as she says, "About that. I presume we don't need to worry about the touristy areas, like the Holy Well and the cairns?"

Pleased but unsurprised that Robin has also researched the area, Strike says, "I wouldn't think so. And I don't think they had time to bury a body, so we're looking for an isolated lake or old quarry, maybe even a deep spot in a creek or river, so long as it's secluded."

He knows why Robin won't meet his eyes when she points out, "That could be a lot of walking."

She won't nag him, and that somehow makes him more amenable. "I packed that collapsible cane; I'll use it if I'm in pain, and the drone should cut down our walking time." Robin makes it worthwhile with one of her shining smiles that make him want to lay the world at her feet. And he eats breakfast wondering how he could be so lucky that this woman who feels both new and familiar found her way to his door.