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“I thought we weren’t doing Christmas gifts,” Strike said, looking at the gaily wrapped and beribboned box in front of him. “It’s not really a Christmas present,” Robin protested. “I asked Mum to get us a box of the Betty’s Blend tea bags for the office. I didn’t know she was going to wrap it.”
Strike looked at the wrapping paper again, all red and green and gold with matching ribbons. “Should I open it now?” “Sure, go ahead. I’ll be back in a minute. Need the loo before I go out again.” Robin had a full morning of surveillance before she and Matthew caught the train back home for the holidays. Strike carefully removed the wrapping paper to reveal a tin packed full of the fragrant tea that he and Robin so enjoyed. He didn’t think anyone could make a weak cup of tea with this stuff. “Thank you,“ he told Robin who smiled as she put on her coat and grabbed her purse. “Will you have time for a cup with me before you catch the train?”
“Should do. I don’t think Repeat Offender will be out and about much the Friday before Christmas. I’ll text you when I’m on the way back and you can put the kettle on.” And with that Robin was out the door and down the stairs to watch the husband who might be cheating on his third wife. Strike was glad she hadn’t noticed the missing words on the office’s front door. He had carefully scraped the lettering away with a safety razor the previous evening, then cleaned the glass so it was sparkling and ready for the sign painter who was schedule to arrive any minute now. He gathered up the discarded Christmas paper and ribbons and went into his office where a long rectangular box was hidden away in one of his desk drawers under spare socks and a clean shirt.
Robin was back a few hours later, eager to report back on a sneaky visit to a fancy jeweler’s emporium. “I bet he has bought something for Wife #4!” Well, Wife #4 To Be.” Strike was busy pouring tea for them both from the new stash of the good stuff with his back to Robin, but he was listening for her to drape her coat and purse on the hook by the door, turn toward her desk, and notice the not very impressively wrapped box sitting there. “It’s not proof, Robin. It might be a gift for #3 or his mother. Still, you got a very good shot of him coming out of the jeweler’s with that distinctive box in hand. If #3 doesn’t get jewelry for Christmas and there’s no other woman he could legitimately gift jewelry to, well, that’s good collaboration. I’ll keep an eye on him while you are in Masham, just in case he meets with the potential fourth wife over the holidays.”
“What’s this? I thought we weren’t doing Christmas gifts!” Robin eyed the long box, clumsily tied shut with ribbons that she was sure she recognized from earlier this morning. It sat on her desk next to her keyboard. “Open it.” She untied the ribbons and lifted off the lid after slitting the cellophane tape that kept the lid secure. Inside were several hundred business cards, plain black lettering on good cream stock. “Business cards? Were we low?”
“Not exactly,” Strike smiled. “I wanted them to match the lettering on the new sign.” “New sign!” Robin exclaimed. “Since when are you fixing up the office without telling me?”
“Look at the cards.” Puzzled, Robin took the front one out of the box and looked at it carefully for the first time. “WHAT?” She ran to the office door and yanked it open. The letters on the glass in the door used to read:
C.B. Strike
Private Detective
They now read:
Strike and Ellacott
Private Detectives
The same words were on the business card she had in her left hand. She looked at it again, carefully this time. The card also had the office phone number and address but at the bottom left corner it read C. B. Strike and at the bottom right it read R. V. Ellacott.
“Really?” She looked at Strike as if he’d just handed her the keys to heaven. “Really. I’ll have a partnership contract ready for you to sign after the new year. Now drink your tea before it gets cold.” Robin beamed.
Later on the train Robin couldn’t stop smiling. Matthew noticed and asked her why she was in such a good mood. “It’s Christmas. And we are going home for the holidays. I am looking forward to seeing everyone.” She surreptitiously fingered the new business card she had pocketed before leaving the office for the train station. She'd wait to reveal her new status until after the contract was signed. For now, this was a secret to hug to herself.
Later in the office Strike took some of the new business cards out of the box and put them in his wallet. He was smiling to himself as he did it. He’d gotten a terrific present this year—the best partner anyone could want.