‘That’s not all. They’ve got two adult witnesses saying I was rough with the children at the farm and kept trying to take them off on my own. The police wouldn’t tell me who they are, but I said, if it was Taio or Becca, they had good reason to want me incriminated on a child abuse charge. I explained I was there to investigate the church. I had the feeling Harding – that’s the man – thought I was cocky or something, coming from our agency.’
‘There’s a bit of that about,’ said Strike. ‘Patterson’s an old mate of Carver’s, as I found out from Littlejohn. Were the police recording the interview?’
‘Yes.’
‘How did it end?’
‘They told me they’ve got no further questions at the moment,’ said Robin. ‘I think the female officer believed me, but I’m not sure about Harding. He kept going back over the same ground, trying to make me change my story, and he got quite forceful at one point. I asked them whether anyone was going to go back to the farm and find the real Jacob, but obviously, as I’m now a person of suspicion, they weren’t going to tell me that. What the
‘You’ve already done as much for Jacob as you can,’ said Strike. ‘With luck, you’ve worried the police enough to make them do another search. Eat your crisps.’
Robin ripped open one of the packets and did as she was told.
‘I already knew the church must’ve identified us,’ said Strike. ‘Fergus Robertson just called me. Apparently my Wikipedia page has been given a UHC makeover.’
‘Oh no,’ said Robin.
‘It was inevitable. Someone found that plastic rock, and Taio got a good look at me at the perimeter fence before I hit him. Now we’ve just got to try and limit the damage.’
‘Have you read the Wikipedia stuff about you?’
‘Not yet, I haven’t had time, but Robertson gave me a good idea of what’s on there. I might need a legal letter to get it taken down. Matter of fact, I know just the bloke I can ask for advice.’
‘Who?’
‘Andrew Honbold. He’s a QC. Bijou’s partner.’
‘I thought you and Bijou were—?’
‘Christ, no, she’s a fucking nutter,’ said Strike, forgetting he’d pretended he was still seeing Bijou when he and Robin had been at Felbrigg Lodge. ‘Honbold’s fairly well disposed to me at the moment and as defamation’s his speciality—’
‘He’s well disposed to you?’ said Robin, thoroughly confused. ‘Even though—?’
‘He thinks Bijou and I had nothing more than a couple of drinks and she’s not going to tell him different, not when she’s pregnant with his kid.’
‘Right,’ said Robin, who was finding this onslaught of information dizzying.
‘Murphy booked an early flight yet?’ said Strike, who hoped not.
‘No, he hasn’t managed to get one,’ said Robin. ‘So it’ll be Sunday.’
‘And he’ll be all right with you heading to Thornbury on Monday, will he?’
‘Yes, of course,’ said Robin, ripping open a second pack of crisps. ‘He’s back at work himself Monday morning. Mind you, he might ditch me once he finds out I’m facing child abuse charges.’
‘You’re not going to be charged,’ said Strike firmly.
‘Well, I hope not, because I found out this afternoon I’m soon going to have another two nieces or nephews. I’d rather not be barred from ever seeing them…’
To Robin’s enormous relief, her parents left for Yorkshire at midday on Sunday. This enabled her to finally complete the report about Chapman Farm she’d prepared for Strike. He’d now sent her a similar document, giving her all the information he’d found out while she’d been away. Robin was still reading this when Murphy arrived, straight from the airport.
She’d forgotten not only how good looking he was, but how kind. Though Robin had attempted to push her considerable worries aside in an effort to make the reunion a happy one, Ryan’s questions, which were mercifully posed without her mother’s hectoring undertone of accusation and outrage, elicited far more information than Linda had received about her daughter’s long stay at Chapman Farm. Robin also told Murphy what had happened when she was interviewed by PCs Khan and Harding.
‘I’ll find out what’s going on there,’ said Murphy. ‘Don’t worry about that.’
