1 The Cuckoo's Calling

Part Five
Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas.
Lucky is he who has been able to understand the causes of things
Virgil, Georgics, Book 2
1
“I’D HAVE THOUGHT,” SAID ERIC Wardle slowly, looking down at the will in its
plastic pocket, “you’d have wanted to show this to your client first.”
“I would, but he’s in Rye,” said Strike, “and this is urgent. I’ve told you, I’m
trying to prevent two more murders. We’re dealing with a maniac here, Wardle.”
He was sweating with pain. Even as he sat here, in the sunlit window of the
Feathers, urging the policeman to action, Strike was wondering whether he might
have dislocated his knee or fractured the small amount of tibia left to him in the
fall down Yvette Bristow’s stairwell. He had not wanted to start fiddling with his
leg in the taxi, which was now waiting for him at the curb outside. The meter was
eating steadily away at the advance Bristow had paid him, of which he would
never receive another installment, for today would see an arrest, if only Wardle
would rouse himself.
“I grant you, this might show motive…”
“Might?” repeated Strike. “Might? Ten million might constitute a motive? For
fuck’s—”
“…but I need evidence that’ll stand up in court, and you haven’t brought me
any of that.”
“I’ve just told you where you can find it! Have I been wrong yet? I told you it
was a fucking will, and there,” Strike jabbed the plastic sleeve, “it fucking is. Get
a warrant!”
Wardle rubbed the side of his handsome face as though he had toothache,
frowning at the will.
“Jesus Christ,” said Strike, “how many more times? Tansy Bestigui was on the
balcony, she heard Landry say ‘I’ve already done it’…”
“You put yourself on very thin ice there, mate,” said Wardle. “Defense makes
mincemeat of lying to suspects. When Bestigui finds out there aren’t any photos,
he’s going to deny everything.”
“Let him. She won’t. She’s ripe to tell anyway. But if you’re too much of a
pussy to do anything about this, Wardle,” said Strike, who could feel cold sweat
on his back and a fiery pain in what remained of his right leg, “and anyone else
who was close to Landry turns up dead, I’m gonna go straight to the fucking