Chapter 37

‘We aren't completely self-sustained yet,' Joshua explained, ‘but we're not far off.'

He had started their tour of the Children of Job by taking them around the working farm. They grew crops and raised livestock, most of which Poe had already seen. At the back of the main building was a walled kitchen garden, lush and bountiful underneath the warm summer sun. It looked like Mr McGregor's garden, the one Peter Rabbit raided for lettuce, French beans and radishes. There were raised beds packed full of vegetables, fruit and herbs. Rhubarb forcers lined the north-facing wall and fruit trees were trained against the south-facing one. Half-a-dozen men and women tended the crops. Some had trowels, others held watering cans. All of them worked in silence.

‘I thought you said all your staff were in Keswick,' Poe said.

‘No, I said around half of them were,' Joshua said. ‘The rest are teaching or helping set up the graduation ceremony.'

Poe gestured to the people tending the walled garden. ‘So who are they?'

‘Volunteers.'

‘Singing for their supper?'

‘We do farm therapy here, Sergeant Poe. Some of our members struggle in the outside world. They can't understand why politicians mock their faith and why atheism is at an all-time high.'

‘I didn't realise politicians did mock their faith.'

‘Really?' Joshua said. He seemed genuinely surprised. ‘You don't think same-sex marriage laws mock our faith? You don't think teaching our children about evolution mocks our faith? You think undermining the fundamental right to life isn't mocking our faith?'

‘No, no and I don't know what that last one is,' Poe said.

‘He means abortion,' Linus said.

‘Ah. Then that's another no from me, I'm afraid.'

‘Are you married, Sergeant Poe?' Joshua asked.

‘I'm not.'

‘And why is that?'

‘Guess I haven't found the right man yet.'

‘Yes, very funny,' Joshua said. ‘But the more you liberals sneer, the more determined we are to become authentically Christian. And I asked if you were married because this is exactly the kind of thing our members struggle with.'

‘And what's that?'

‘Family is a biblical and fundamental institution. Being looked down on, even pitied, by people with . . . different, sometimes morally repugnant values is confusing. The farm and the garden allow our members to reconnect with their faith through nature. It acts like the reset button on those smartphones of yours.'

‘Poe's engaged to be married to Estelle Doyle,' Bradshaw said. ‘She's a woman. Also, he doesn't know how to use the reset button on his smartphone. I have to do all the updates for him.'

‘Thanks for that, Tilly,' Poe said.

‘You're very welcome, Poe.'

‘You say you're opposed to same-sex marriage, Joshua,' Poe said.

‘We opposed the Same Sex Couples Act in 2013. I know it's not fashionable, but our consciences couldn't allow us to adopt any other position.'

‘And what about gay people in general? Do you oppose them too?'

Joshua's spine stiffened. He pushed his neck into the back of his collar. ‘The Bible says it's an abomination.'

‘And what do you say?'

‘It's divine law, Sergeant Poe,' he said with cold superiority. ‘Who am I to go against the will of God?'

‘What would you do if a member approached you about a child who was . . . how can I put this without sounding ridiculous . . . at risk of breaking divine law?'

‘I would pray with them.'

‘That's all?'

‘What else is there?'

‘You don't have a course you can put them on? One that might cure them?' Poe wrapped ‘cure' in air quotes. ‘Nothing like that here?'

‘Of course not.'

‘Are you positive?'

Joshua avoided eye contact. ‘I am.'

Poe let his answer hang for a few moments. ‘OK,' he said eventually. ‘Where to next?'