Cover Story - 7

‘Are you sure Erin won’t speak to me? She and I could also have a completely off-the-record, no-obligations chat before we decide whether she wants to proceed,’ Bel said.

‘If there was any chance of that, whatsoever, you’d not be talking to her considerably less photogenic uncle right now. She’s beyond mortified. Her firm belief is that if she goes public, it ends up defining the rest of her life and making her unemployable. Glenn said he’d, and I quote, “ salt the earth ” for her, here . Even if he was forced to cop to the infidelity, he’d likely tough it out as a moment of madness. If his wife stood by him, he could survive one indiscretion. And there’s no way his intimidation about nudes could be repeated, without proof he’d said it. If she reported him for that and the police checked his phone, as said, it’s possible he has none. After which she’s made a powerful enemy. As you said, he’s popular. Everyone loves Glenn, everyone knows him. His network is vast.’

Ian sighed.

‘That’s why I worry I shouldn’t be sticking my head above the parapet either, or persuading Erin it’s worth reaching out. What’s that line, you come at the king, you best not miss ? I am loathe to call the scummy, duplicitous fucker a “king” but the fact remains, he can do anyone a lot of damage. He can make sure you mysteriously never get an interview, a call back, an invite to the event.’

‘I understand the stakes for you, entirely. Without your niece’s testimony, how do you suggest I research the story?’

‘I was hoping if I let you know it was happening, you might have some pointers. Sorry, I’m well aware this is frustrating. I’ve been awake at four in the morning taking heartburn medication with the fury of it so many times – I needed to feel I’d done something. Now I worry I’ve made you victim of that something and nothing.’

He pulled an apologetic face.

Bel decided she liked him. She’d turn the puzzle over and over later, like a Rubik’s Cube. Right now she couldn’t see why even any disaffected enemy of this elected official would tell such a story if it wasn’t true. The fact it was his relative, and that she wouldn’t go on record, made Bel feel near certain this was authentic.

‘Don’t worry about not being able to give me the story on a plate,’ Bel said. ‘You’ve got the tip, I’ve got the journalism. We collaborate.’

‘If it helps, Erin has said she’d do the interview if she was going to be believed. You know how there was a tipping point with Weinstein, where it was no longer a question of if, but how many and who?’

He saw Bel’s expression: ‘I’m not suggesting anything non-consensual has taken place with Glenn,’ he said, hastily. ‘I feel sure, apart from anything else, their willingness when infatuated is key to the buzz. I mean the pattern of behaviour.’

‘I get it,’ Bel said. ‘We would need to prove it’s habitual. We ideally need evidence of his activities that can surpass He Said She Said. Do you think he knows you know?’

‘No, I don’t think so. You can imagine I wanted to slam him against a filing cabinet by his throat at first, but that was against Erin’s wishes. I took a weekend to calm down and talked it through with her, realised, it’s a better play for him to have no idea. If you’re going to plant a knife in someone’s back, don’t warn them with loud footsteps.’

‘Do you think his wife knows he’s unfaithful? Or suspects?’

‘Jemima? Hmm. Tricky. They met at a club in their twenties when he already had a rep as a hell-raiser, she’s told me she liked that he wasn’t “safe and boring”. That doesn’t mean she’d think this is exciting. He’s on a long leash, given the number of times he stays in “town”. Maybe even if it’s a “turn a blind eye” deal she wants him at the price of that blind eye. I should say Erin feels terrible she was involved with a married man. Terrible, and very silly.’

Bel nodded. ‘No explanations or apology needed.’ She could’ve added: to me.

‘I could send you a list of other women I think he might’ve had dalliances with. But obviously, if you made contact, I’d need you to not say who’d put you on to them,’ Ian continued.

‘Unfortunately, I think that’s a non-starter. If I start cold calling his former flings, someone alerts Glenn very fast. They’d not even need to care about him to do it: they’ll panic, ask him what he knows about it, and what to do.’

‘Ugh, yes, I see that. Shit. There’s me falling at the first hurdle of moving undetected.’ Ian looked queasy again. ‘Also, it occurs to me that if he realises a journalist is on to him, he might well put the pieces together. Right now he doesn’t think Erin’s told me, but that would change quickly if he was looking for a newly made nemesis.’

‘He’s not untouchable,’ Bel said. ‘It only feels like he is. That’s what he wants you to think and why he went full Mob Boss on your niece. He’s the one who’s vulnerable to a huge takedown, not her.’

In the quiet moment that followed, a large crow alighted on a headstone nearby and commenced a creepy, plaintive cawing, as if admonishing them, startling them both.

‘This must be the soul of someone one of us knows, any suggestions?’ Ian said.

‘I’m going with my Aunt Tamara,’ she said. ‘I’m surprised it isn’t smoking an Embassy Regal.’

Ian smiled broadly.

‘I’m glad I pulled myself together and met you.’

The crow looked at them and took flight, and Bel felt quite strongly at that second that there might be a God. She didn’t know if He or She had passed judgement on her, but they were definitely, in the parlance of Aaron Parry, fucking with her a little.

They swapped numbers and Ian agreed to download Signal. ‘Safer than WhatsApp,’ Bel said. ‘I’m going to come up with a place we can meet with seating.’

He glanced back at the headstones.

‘Detective Caminada used to use a pew at the Hidden Gem church to meet informers. You could whisper while looking like you were praying.’

‘That’s brilliant! But we might get bollocked for iPhone sounds and disturbing the reverential atmosphere. I was thinking more an out-of-the-way greasy spoon where we could meet early, before work?’

‘Your plan involves sausages, so you win.’

Bel beamed, encouragingly.

‘Is this how it usually works?’ Ian said, sheepishly. ‘Trek out to be told I might have a story for you, but you can’t tell it?’

‘Every story is different, it’s why I love my job,’ Bel said.

‘Diplomatic, I like it,’ Ian said, with a bark of laughter, and Bel sensed he’d started trusting her. ‘Apologies, everyone,’ Ian said, glancing around at the headstones.

‘Where does Glenn think you are now?’ Bel said.

‘Oh, I’m on long-booked annual leave! What better way to spend it? I’ve tried very hard to stay positive and normal.’

‘Keep that up. I’ll be in touch,’ Bel said to Ian, extending her hand to shake, with the uncanny sense of their having witnesses.