Chapter 24

‘During the course of your investigation you're going to come up against a group called the Children of Job,' Oldwater said. His pronunciation of Job rhymed with globe. He gestured towards the file that Bradshaw was scanning. ‘This is everything we know about them, and everything we know about their founding member, Cornelius Green – your victim.'

‘Job? The man whose family were killed after God made a bet with Satan?' Poe said.

‘That's right. God was demonstrating that true believers hold fast whatever their personal hardships. You've read the Book of Job?'

‘I hunt serial killers, Nicholas. I'm up to date with all religious dogma.'

‘Of course,' he said. ‘Anyway, wiser men than me have tried to understand the lessons we were meant to learn from Job's suffering. Some believe it's meant to demonstrate that suffering isn't a punishment; others believe mortal men are not meant to understand God's motivations.'

‘And what do you think?'

‘I think we need to stop looking for easy answers to hard questions. Life isn't a meritocracy – we don't always get what we deserve,' Oldwater replied. ‘And like I said: the Old Testament isn't meant to be taken literally.'

Poe patted the thick file. ‘Would it be fair to say the Children of Job are of interest to the Church?'

‘They are,' Oldwater agreed. ‘As was Cornelius.'

‘Why?'

‘Initially it was because my office was asked to provide background information on their first application to become registered with the Charity Commission.'

‘Their first application?'

‘They've applied several times. And each time they fall down at the final hurdle.'

‘Which is?' Poe asked.

‘For a religious organisation to be recognised and registered as a charity, there are four characteristics the Charity Commission must consider. Belief in a supreme being, a relationship between the believer and the supreme being, and a degree of cogency, seriousness and importance.'

‘And the Children of Job were able to demonstrate this?'

‘They were. Technically they're a Christian organisation, so the first two characteristics were easy boxes to tick. And they're certainly serious in what they believe so they were able to demonstrate adherence to the third characteristic.'

‘But not the fourth? What is it?'

‘An identifiable positive framework. In other words, to obtain charitable status, a religious organisation must demonstrate they are working from a moral and ethical framework.'

‘And they weren't?'

‘Not by today's standards.'

‘Anything illegal?'

‘Not that I uncovered.'

‘But you did uncover something?'

Oldwater leaned across and grabbed the pages Bradshaw had finished scanning. He flicked through them until he found what he wanted.

‘The Children of Job describe their mission as providing theological training, seminaries and biblical study groups to equip the Christian leaders of tomorrow.' Oldwater handed Poe a flyer. ‘As you can gather, their ultimate goal is to see the cross of Christ reigning over these green and pleasant lands again.'

‘They're advocating the UK becomes a theocracy?'

‘Officially, yes, that is what they want.'

‘Never gonna happen,' Poe said. ‘When it comes to religion, the UK is near the bottom when it comes to believing in God and near the top when it comes to atheism. And that's now – the future's even bleaker for you guys. Only one per cent of people between the age of eighteen and twenty-four say they identify as Christian.'

‘I agree, the Church has to redefine its role in the twenty-first century, but you're missing the point.'

‘I am?'

‘The Children of Job state the UK must become a theocracy because of declining religious beliefs, not in spite of it.'

‘This is how people think, how can we change them; rather than this is how people think, how can we change?'

‘Exactly. They believe it's the only way that the soul of the nation can be reclaimed. And they're playing the long game.'

‘How?' Poe asked.

Oldwater searched through the file again. He found two documents and passed one of them to Poe. It was a residential study group schedule. Poe ran his eyes down the list. It was packed with religious-sounding subjects like ‘An Introduction to the Old Testament', ‘Dynamics of Spiritual Growth', ‘The Christian Role Model' and ‘Scripture in the Contemporary World'. The rest of the sheet was filled with dates, fees and joining instructions.

‘The Children of Job work from the Chapel Wood Institute. It's a converted boarding school on the southern slopes of Sale Fell, near Bassenthwaite Lake. Do you know the area?'

‘Sort of,' Poe said. ‘It's near the Pheasant Inn.'

‘That's right,' Oldwater said. ‘The institute is only accessible via a single-track dirt road, and they've been there for years. They don't bother anyone and they rarely venture into the community. The paper in your hand is the children and youth curriculum for last year. It's for kids who haven't had any formal theological training. They get the occasional self-referral, but usually it's their families who send them.'

‘And would these kids be at risk of straying from the flock?' Poe said.

Oldwater nodded. ‘Not necessarily the kind of behavioural problems that might bring them to your attention but, in the context of deeply religious families, behaviour that is at odds with the Bible. Tell me, Washington, what do you notice about the children and youth curriculum?'

‘There's no context,' Poe said. ‘There are fancy-sounding topics, but no details. Take this one,' – he pointed at one of the residential courses – ‘"The Christian Role Model"; it could mean absolutely anything. It might be two weeks of singing hymns, it might be lance and shield training ahead of the next Crusade.'

Oldwater handed Poe the second sheet. It was a companion piece to the one in Poe's hands, but instead of administrative details next to each of the study groups, there was something else.

Something bad.

‘Ah,' Poe said.