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‘I don’t know whether you saw,’ he said, reluctant to introduce the subject but feeling it necessary, ‘but the UHC have been putting in more hours on Wikipedia. You’ve, ah, got your own page now.’
‘I know,’ said Robin. She’d found it the previous afternoon. It alleged she went to bed with any man from whom she wanted to elicit information, and that her husband had divorced her on account of these multiple infidelities. She hadn’t mentioned the existence of the Wikipedia page to Murphy. It might be irrational, but the baseless allegations had still made Robin feel grubby.
‘But I’m on it,’ said Strike. ‘Honbold’s been very helpful. He put me in touch with a lawyer who’s going to fire off some letters. I checked again this morning and Wikipedia’s already flagged both pages as unreliable. Just as well, because the UHC keeps adding more. Did you see the bit that went live last night, saying we team up with grifters and fantasists who’re after pay-offs?’
‘No,’ said Robin. This had evidently been added after Murphy arrived at her flat.
‘There are links to a couple of websites listing all the scumbags who’re helping to attack noble charitable enterprises. Kevin Pirbright, the Graves family, Sheila Kennett and all three Doherty siblings are listed. They say the Graves family neglected and mistreated Alexander, Sheila bullied her husband and that the Dohertys are drunks and layabouts. They also say Kevin Pirbright sexually abused his sisters.’
‘Why would they attack Kevin, now?’
‘Must be worried we talked to him before he died. They haven’t bothered smearing Jordan Reaney; s’pose he’s done a good enough job himself, and they haven’t gone after Abigail Glover, either. Presumably Wace would rather not draw the press’s attention to the fact his own daughter ran away from the church at sixteen – but the odds of press interest in all these ex-members just got a lot higher, so I thought I’d better call and warn them.’
‘How did they take it?’
‘Sheila was upset and I think Niamh’s regretting talking to us now.’
‘Oh, no,’ said Robin sadly.
‘She’s worried about the effect on her brother and sister. Colonel Graves told me he wanted to “let the damned UHC have it with both barrels”, but I told him retaliating through the press will just draw more attention to the online bullshit and that I’m on it, legally. He’s pleased we’re about to interview Cherie-slash-Carrie. And I don’t know how Abigail’s feeling, because she didn’t pick up.’
Strike’s mobile now rang. Pulling it out of his pocket, he saw an unknown number.
‘Hello?’
‘Nicholas Delaunay here,’ said a cool, upper-class voice.
‘Hi,’ said Strike, switching to speakerphone and mouthing ‘Graves’ son-in-law’ at Robin. ‘Apologies for the noise, we’re—’
‘On your way to interview Cherie Gittins,’ said Delaunay. ‘Yes. M’father-in-law told me. Evidently you didn’t listen to a damn word my wife said, at the Hall.’
‘I listened to all your wife’s words.’
‘But you’re still determined to wreak havoc?’
‘No, just determined to do my job.’
‘And bugger the consequences, is that it?’
‘As I can’t predict the consequences—’
‘The consequences, which were entirely predictable, are already on the bloody internet! You think I want my children to see what’s been written about their mother’s family, their family—?’
‘Do your children regularly Google my agency, or the UHC?’
‘You’ve already admitted that, entirely due to you, the press are likely to be on the prowl—’
‘It’s a possibility, not a likelihood.’
‘Every moment those defamatory bloody lies are up, there’s a risk journalists will see them!’
‘Mr Delaunay—’
‘It’s Lieutenant-Colonel Delaunay!’
‘Ah, my apologies, Lieutenant-Colonel, but your parents-in-law—’
‘They might’ve bloody well agreed to all this, but Phillipa and I didn’t!’
