Strike

You look lovely, Lula.

Lula, over here. Lula, just turn around!

Look, I don't want to see you, OK?

Doors will open on the left-hand side.

Change for the Northern Line.

Why are you doing this?

Because I can't live with you any more!

For a chance of being happy without some psycho making my life a misery.

Oh, a psycho now, as well as a liar.

Yeah, among other things.

And where are you going to sleep next?

I don't know, but anywhere will be better than...

Argh! You mad bitch!

You need me, you just watch!

Walk away!

You'll come running back. You always do!

Charlotte!

Sit down.

- You OK? - Yeah, sorry.

Sorry about that.

Oh, it's fine. Um...

Um...

How can I help you?

Oh, um... er... I'm the new temp.

I'm here for the week.

No, I cancelled that.

- Um... - Definitely.

They're pretty strict on refunds.

OK.

I'll just, er, clear this.

So do you want me to...?

Yeah, just, you know...

I'll be in my office.

OK.

Hello, can I help you?

Oh, hi. Um, my name's John Bristow.

I'd like to speak to Mr Strike, if possible.

Do you have an appointment?

Ah, er, no. Um...

We know each other.

- Well, take a seat, Mr Bristow. - Thank you.

Yeah?

There's a...

new client. Mr John Bristow.

Doesn't have an appointment, but he says he knows you.

I don't know a John Bristow.

Right.

Well, he says he does.

Two minutes.

- Could you shut the door, please? - Mm-hm.

Would you like anything to drink?

Oh, er, yeah. White coffee, no sugar, please.

OK.

Um... shall we go through?

Agh!

Remember me?

Charlie's brother. Your friend, Charlie Bristow, from...

John. It's been...

Take a seat.

How's your mother? After Charlie's accident, I never really...

Not so good, I'm afraid.

She has stage four cancer, which has spread to the lymph nodes.

I'm sorry to hear that.

She was always very kind to me.

I remembered that when I saw your name.

There aren't so many Cormoran Strikes around!

Yeah.

- How can I help you, John? - It's about my sister.

Oh. Er, of course, you wouldn't have met.

Mum and Dad adopted again about a year after Charlie's death.

My sister used our mother's maiden name for her professional career.

The world knew her as Lula Landry.

Thanks, Sandra.

THE Lula Landry?

I was with her earlier that day to discuss contracts.

She had an upcoming shoot in Morocco, she was excited about it,

she was happy.

Now, the inquest verdict said suicide...

..but I think she was murdered.

Hello, Cormoran Strike's office.

Er, I'm afraid he's with a client at the moment.

Yes, of course. Who shall I say called?

Now, a chap they picked up on CCTV

they never traced him.

He was outside, watching the flat.

Looks like a black chap.

Not that... you know... just...

We haven't got the actual footage?

No, just those stills.

But it is my priority to find out who he is.

It's all set out in there.

My own analysis, plus a lot of the police evidence

which I obtained during the inquest.

The inquest that returned a verdict of suicide?

Because the coroner couldn't see past a girl

- with a poor history of mental health. - Mm.

Look...

..review the information in the file. Ask some questions.

Then we can discuss any further involvement.

There's £1,000, just to do that.

Look, even if it's just to put our minds at rest

while Mum's still alive,

and stop this horrible anxiety that justice has not been done.

Charlie never wanted to let me play football with you guys.

Do you remember?

And you always said, "Oh, let him tag along, he can be ball boy."

As a friend of our family...

..you're exactly the right person.

Please don't say no.

I can only promise to review the file at this stage.

Of course.

We'll, er, speak later, then.

See you, John.

Thanks for sorting the coffee, Sandra.

That's all right. A Mr Gillespie called. He said it was important.

Why do you keep calling me Sandra?

- That isn't your name. - No.

- The last girl was called Sandra. - Ah.

I accept that isn't a brilliant reason for me

calling you by her name.

I'm Robin. Robin Ellacott.

Cormoran.

Just popping out.

Where shall I say you are if anyone important calls?

Down the boozer.

Don't worry, they won't.

So is there anything in particular you'd like me to do

while you're gone?

Er, could you look up Landry, May and Patterson?

They're a law firm. Print out their partner biogs.

And, er, anything you can get on Lula Landry's family background.

Mm-hm.

Er, computer password's Hatherill123. Two Ls.

Sorry about nearly killing you earlier.

It's OK.

Hiya, Corm.

Is that a new girl in your office?

She came down to borrow some coffee stuff.

Roger was all over her like a cheap suit.

Tell Roger she has a massive engagement ring.

Yeah, like that'll stop him from trying.

Ha!

What happened to your...?

Got smacked with an ashtray.

- Ouch! - Yeah.

Pint.

Yeah, the Lula Landry case.

Who was the investigating officer?

Can I help you?

You the concierge?

What do you want?

My name is Cormoran Strike.

Wondered if we could have a quick chat.

Even when she's dead, you lot don't give up.

I'm not a journalist.

Yeah? So what are you, then? You're not a cop.

I was. Royal Military Police. Now a private investigator.

Right! Hacking phones for a living?

Dishonourable discharge, was it?

Medical. My leg.

Want to see it?

No.

Lula's family have hired me

to investigate the efficiency of the police investigation.

Were you working the night she died?

First to the body.

What happened?

Mrs Bestigui... she's on the first floor... she runs down screaming.

Somebody had just fallen past their window. I run out, and...

- Horrible. - You called the police?

- I went straight up to Lula's flat. - Why did you do that?

Cos of what Mrs Bestigui was saying.

She thought there was somebody there, so....

You'd know if anybody had gone up, presumably?

Yeah.

Ah. Excuse me.

Ah, Dennis, I need to show you that lift door, come in.

Derrick.

Derrick, sorry.

Certainly, Mr Bestigui.

Actually, you should talk to Nico. He was Lula's favourite driver.

I got a pick up in Greek Street.

Well, I'm going that way.

Half a fare?

Yeah, OK. Hop in.

Delivery from Charlotte Campbell.

Oh! Careful!

I'm on a double yellow, love.

It's sad.

Lula, she was all right, you know? She had a big heart.

She lived in a world that's really fucking hard.

- We had a lot in common. - Such as?

Both mixed race, for one thing.

My dad's a Cypriot from Swansea, and my mum's a West Indian Scouser.

Must have been a nice, quiet wedding.

Whoa, whoa.

You've still got to follow the rules of the road,

even if you are on a bike, love.

Where did you take her that day?

Er, OK. So first off, we went to Vashti.