Funny / Career of Evil

• While Strike is in the office talking to an old colleague and friend of his named Shanker, Robin tells him that "I've done the most important e-mails. I'll head off and do Platinum now," in reference to a girl who they've been tailing on behalf of her over-suspicious boyfriend, who thinks she might be cheating on him.
  Shanker: "'Ead off and do Platinum?"
  Strike: It's not as good as it sounds.
• One of Strike's clients is a mother whose ex-husband is violating their custody agreement, terrorizing and intimidating their kids and caretakers. Strike finally presents the woman's lawyer with his evidence against the man, designated "Mad Dad."
  The solicitor was delighted with the copious evidence that Strike had laid in front of him, which vividly documented Mad Dad's constant violations of the custody agreements. "Oh, excellent," he beamed over an enlarged picture of the youngest son cowering tearfully behind his nanny as his father snarled and pointed, almost nose to nose with the defiant woman. "Excellent, excellent..." And then, catching sight of his client's expression, he had hurried to conceal his glee at this vision of her child's distress and offered tea.
• Another of these clients is known to Strike and Robin by the nickname "Two-Times," due to his continuous belief that his girlfriends are "two-timing" him and the perverse pleasure he seems to get out of confronting these girlfriends with evidence of this. When Strike and Robin are unable to find any evidence that his latest girlfriend is unfaithful, however, he ditches them after she breaks up with him, apparently because she is simply tired of him and his possessive behavior. However, he later shows up again, wanting them to investigate a new lap-dancer. Robin, who was out of the office when he showed up, asks Strike when he tells her about it how he could possibly have another girlfriend this soon. Strike explains that he doesn't, that he's just considering dating her and wants to know if she's already in a relationship.
  Robin: Why doesn't he just ask her?
  Strike: He has. She says she isn't seeing anyone, but women are devious, cheating scum, Robin, you know that.
  Robin: Oh, yes, of course. I forgot.
• Strike is forced to treat a couple of interview subjects to an expensive lunch in order to ensure their cooperation. He despairs at what is clearly an upscale choice of restaurant as the bank account balance is depleted due to a complete lack of cases due to the recent negative press of Robin having been sent a severed leg by a crazed killer with a grudge against him. Then they get there and get the menus...
  ''"I've told him not to mind what he orders." Tempest told Strike comfortably. "He didn't realize how much you'll made from solving those cases. I've told him: the press will have paid you loads just for your story. I suppose that's what you do now, try and solve the really high-profile ones?" Strike thought of his plummeting bank balance, his glorified bedsit over the office and the shattering effect the severed leg had had on his business.