Page 243 of Troubled Blood

“Cormoran, we didn’t want to tell you this, but Dad’s got cancer.”

Oh, for fuck’s sake.

Strike leaned forwards momentarily and rested his forehead on the steering wheel of his car, before he sat up again.

“Prostate,” Al continued. “They reckon they’ve caught it early. But we thought you should know, because this party isn’t just about celebrating the band’s anniversary, and the new album. It’s about giving him something to look forward to.”

There was a silence.

“We thought you should know,” Al repeated.

Why should I fucking know? thought Strike, eyes on the closed door of Elinor Dean’s house. He had no relationship with Rokeby. Did Al expect him to weep, to rush to Rokeby’s side, to express compassion or pity? Rokeby was a multimillionaire. Doubtless he’d enjoy the very best treatment. The memory of Joan’s lily urn bobbing away on the sea recurred as Strike said,

“OK, well, I don’t really know how to respond to that. I’m sure it’s a bugger for everyone who cares about him.”

Another long silence followed.

“We thought this might make a difference,” said Al quietly.

“To what?”

“To your attitude.”

“As long as they’ve caught it early, he’ll be fine,” said Strike bracingly. “Probably live to father another couple of kids he never sees.”

“Jesus Christ!” said Al, really angry now. “You might not give a shit, but he happens to be my dad—”

“I give a shit about people who’ve ever given a shit about me,” said Strike, “and keep your fucking voice down, those are my employees you’re airing my private business in front of.”

“That’s your priority?”

Strike thought of Charlotte who, according to the papers, remained in hospital, and of Lucy, who was agitating to know whether Strike would be able to take the weekend off, to join Ted at her house in Bromley for the weekend. He thought of the clients in the Shifty case, who were hinting they’d terminate payment in a week’s time unless the agency found out what hold Shifty had on his boss. He thought of Margot Bamborough, and the rapidly vanishing year they’d been allotted to find out what had happened to her. Inexplicably, he thought of Robin, and the fact that he’d forgotten that today was her mediation session with Matthew.

“I’ve got a life,” said Strike, keeping a curb on his temper only by exercising maximum self-control, “which is hard and complicated, just like everyone else’s. Rokeby’s got a wife and half a dozen kids and I’m at maximum capacity for people who need me. I’m not coming to his fucking party, I’m not interested in hearing from him, I don’t want a relationship with him. I don’t know how much clearer I can make this, Al, but I’m—”

The line went dead. Without regretting anything he’d said, but nevertheless breathing heavily, Strike threw his mobile onto the passenger seat, lit a cigarette and watched Elinor Dean’s front door for another fifteen minutes until, on a sudden whim, he snatched up the phone from beside him again, and called Barclay.

“What are you doing right now?”

“Filin’ my expenses,” said the Scot laconically. “That casino cost ye a fortune.”

“Is my brother still there?”

“No, he left.”

“Good. I need you to come and take over in Stoke Newington.”

“I havenae got my car wi’ me.”

“OK, well, fuck it, then,” said Strike angrily.

“I’m sorry, Strike,” said Barclay, “but I’m s’posed tae have this afternoon off—”

“No, I’m sorry,” said Strike, closing his eyes. He had the same sensation of a wire tightening around his forehead that he’d experienced in St. Mawes. “Getting frustrated. Enjoy your afternoon off. Seriously,” he added, in case Barclay thought he was being sarcastic.

Having hung up on Barclay, Strike rang Robin.

“How did mediation go?”

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