‘I can’t say he spoke about Charlie with much fondness before you arrived, and he doesn’t seem to have had much time for Lula, either.’

‘Didn’t he give you his views on heredity?’

‘By implication.’

‘No, well, he’s not usually shy about them. It made an extra bond between Lula and me, the fact that Uncle Tony considered us a pair of sow’s ears. It was worse for Lula; at least my biological parents must have been white. Tony’s not what you’d call unprejudiced. We had a Pakistani trainee last year; she was one of the best we’ve ever had, but Tony drove her out.’

‘What made you go and work with him?’

‘They made me a good offer. It’s the family firm; my grandfather started it, not that that was an inducement. No one wants to be accused of nepotism. But it’s one of the top family law firms in London, and it made my mother happy to think I was following in her father’s footsteps. Did he have a go at my father?’

‘Not really. He hinted that Sir Alec might have greased some palms to get Lula.’

‘Really?’ Bristow sounded surprised. ‘I don’t think that’s true. Lula was in care. I’m sure the usual procedures were followed.’

There was a short silence, after which Bristow said, a little timidly:

‘You, ah, don’t look very much like your father.’

It was the first time that he had acknowledged openly that he might have been sidetracked on to Wikipedia while researching private detectives.

‘No,’ agreed Strike. ‘I’m the spitting image of my Uncle Ted.’

‘I gather that you and your father aren’t – ah – I mean, you don’t use his name?’

Strike did not resent the curiosity from a man whose family background was almost as unconventional and casualty-strewn as his own.

‘I’ve never used it,’ he said. ‘I’m the extramarital accident that cost Jonny a wife and several million pounds in alimony. We’re not close.’

‘I admire you,’ said Bristow, ‘for making your own way. For not relying on him.’ And when Strike did not answer, he added anxiously, ‘I hope you didn’t mind me telling Tansy who your father is? It – it helped get her to talk to you. She’s impressed by famous people.’

‘All’s fair in securing a witness statement,’ said Strike. ‘You say that Lula didn’t like Tony, and yet she took his name professionally?’

‘Oh no, she chose Landry because it was Mum’s maiden name; nothing to do with Tony. Mum was thrilled. I think there was another model called Bristow. Lula liked to stand out.’

They wove their way through passing cyclists, bench-picnickers, dog walkers and roller-skaters, Strike trying to disguise the increasing unevenness in his step.