Remembering their theological discussion back in Spain, Ben knew that Wolf took these things literally and was hanging on every word. Personally, he was prepared to take some of what Shelton was telling them with a pinch of salt. The guy might even be a total and utter crackpot.

‘I can’t promise to destroy them all,’ Ben said. ‘That’s someone else’s fight. But we have our plans for the Pandemonium Club.’

Shelton asked, ‘What are those plans, if I may ask?’

‘Two words,’ Ben said. ‘Scorched earth. By the time we’re done, not one stone of their house will be left standing. But nothing can happen until we have some names.’

‘You have one name already. Anthony Abbott claimed to be one of them and I see no reason to doubt it.’

‘It’s the live ones we’re interested in,’ Wolf said. ‘Who are they?’

Shelton sighed and shrugged his shoulders. ‘Frankly, I don’t know who they are.’

Chapter 47

Ben and Wolf had come all the way to the Isle of Man to meet the expert who professed to have cracked open the secrets of the Pandemonium Club. Now he was saying he didn’t have the facts. It felt as though another door had slammed in their faces.

Ben asked, ‘What about your quest to discover everything there was to be known about these people? What about the “great deal of information” you promised us?’

‘Give me a break. They don’t exactly post their membership list on a website,’ Shelton answered testily. ‘I’d say I’ve given you a heap of information. But I’m a researcher, not a detective. Collating the details of known historical facts is one thing. Penetrating the inner core of an ultra-secret cabal of murderers is another.’

‘Hold on a minute. The reason we’re here is Abbott’s book. He blew the whistle on them and your sister Georgie passed you on a copy of the manuscript sample. You said you’d read it.’

‘I have. All hundred pages of it.’

‘And you also told us it makes interesting reading. Sounded like you were hinting that you actually might know something.’

‘I meant what I said. Abbott’s account is like hearing Dave Dobbs’ story all over again. He describes how, as a young politician, he was approached by shadowy men who invited him to be inducted into a venerable order that had been around for over a century. How they promised him the earth in return for his undying loyalty. He talks about the ceremonies. The blood rites. The sacrificial murder of prostitutes and children. It’s pretty hair-raising stuff, and it confirms everything I’ve just told you. There’s just one problem. None of the names of any of the characters he describes in the book are real.’

‘Bollocks,’ Wolf said.