Sorrel swallowed. “The man they turned away was a gentle soul. He wasn’t the type to steal. He was pure and always had a good word for everyone. There’s always a first time.”
“First time for what?”
“To hit a woman.” Again she couldn’t maintain eye contact.
His hand shot out, and she flinched, half expecting a blow. Instead, he gripped her chin and lifted her face. She stared, swallowing while a host of butterflies stampeded inside her stomach, charging around like a herd of crazed cattle.
“I’m here to help. No one will hurt you while I’m here, but you’ll have to assist me in return. I need to know the ins and outs. What the hell did Brother Rick’s announcement mean? I get it’s some sort of celebration, but other than that I’m clueless. Fill me in on the details. Help me understand the inner workings of the place so I can decide how to attack this mission.”
Her shocked mind fastened on his last word. “Mission?”
His lips kicked up into a crooked grin. It echoed in his eyes and turned his expression into one of boyish charm. It made her wonder how he’d look without the beard. “See, I’ve slipped into soldier talk already. I need you to help me to prevent other mistakes.”
“You’re a soldier?”
“Yes.”
“I won’t tell anyone,” she promised.
“Good. Now we’d better get working on these things you need to make. What’s next?”
Her mind full of hope, she started him on peeling fruit to make the face masks. She chopped and measured and dreamed of freedom.
“This celebration,” he reminded her. “What’s it for?”
The fear returned and she concentrated on measuring one scant cup of Fuller’s earth. She leveled it precisely, even as heat crawled up her neck and into her face. From experience she knew the patches of color would be ugly and startling against her blotchy skin.
“Sorrel?” His voice held curiosity, a silent demand for answers.
“The purpose of Children of Nature has always been to encourage the growth of children in a natural environment. We’re against birth control, which means there are a lot of children.” Somehow, the heat in her cheeks intensified. She measured another cup of Fuller’s earth and tapped it into her mixing bowl.
“And?” he prompted, his stillness unnerving.
“Brother Rick wants Children of Nature to prosper. He arranges gatherings where couples—people—come together for the purpose of procreation.” She chose her words with care and managed to get them out before she choked on them.
She shot him a swift glance, noted the furrow between his eyebrows and his eyes. Those eyes would feature in her dreams tonight. They were a deep, dark brown and intense. When he looked at her it felt as if he saw every secret. His gaze stripped her of pretense yet made her feel safe too—secure in a way she hadn’t felt for months. The inky-black lashes surrounding his eyes were lush, the kind women desired but were often bestowed on the male of the species. A tremor shook her, a spear of heat darted through her lower belly. She swallowed, alarmed by the unusual sensation.
“Let me get this straight. Brother Rick arranges gatherings to encourage sex between the adult members of the cult.”
“We’re not a cult,” she said automatically.
“Brother Rick is organizing an evening of sex complete with drugs and alcohol to lower the inhibitions of those who are less welcoming of the idea. He’s organizing an orgy.”
Sorrel pressed her lips together, gave one swift nod.
“And everyone over the age of twenty-five is expected to participate.”
Another nod.
“Jesus,” he ground out. “How old are you?”
“Twenty-four. I turn twenty-five this year.”
“Jesus,” he muttered again. “They can’t even get him on underage sex. Has it always been like this?”
“No. Brother Samuel died without warning, but it was well known he was grooming Brother Rick as his successor. No one disagreed when Brother Rick took over running of Children of Nature.”
He blew out a sigh. “Okay, what do you want me to do next?”
She gave him instructions, and they worked together as if they’d always shared the workspace. He never balked at her instructions, and she enjoyed having someone else around.
“How did you develop your products?” he asked without warning.
Her embarrassment had settled, but his words had the heat building to dangerous levels again. “My mother used to run the workshop and taught me everything she knew. I experiment and make my own variations. I guess a lot of it is instinct.”
He glanced at the closed door and, reassured they were still alone, leaned closer. “The product Alice mentioned—how do you know it works?”
“I tested it,” she snapped, irked with him now. She glanced at him and caught the faint quirk of his lips, the unholy gleam of laughter in his eyes. “If I told anyone else about my product, I’d lose any hope I have of freedom. If Brother Rick learns this, I won’t stand a chance of leaving.”
“We’d better make sure he doesn’t hear then.” He paused. “You can use me as a test subject.”
“What?” Her gaze flew to his, consternation battering her over the head, tugging the tips of her breasts and pooling in a flood of heat between her legs. The sensation came close to the one she experienced while testing her cream.
“I’ll look after you, Sorrel. I’ll make sure no one stops you from leaving. Even if your product doesn’t work, I’ll help you.”
“It works.” Sorrel gripped the wooden spoon in her hands so hard the healthy color fled from her knuckles. The compassion in him, the truth shimmering behind his words brought buried emotions to the fore. She wasn’t used to people offering help and support. “You know nothing about me,” she whispered, and at the reminder, fear slithered through her mind again, stealthy and slinking through the shadows.
He reached over and squeezed her forearm. “I know you.”
Sorrel forced a smile, a nod. Somehow, she didn’t think leaving would be as easy as she wished, as easy as Jake made it sound. Brother Rick was clever and cunning. His disapproval of her was no secret to the others, and they took their signals from him. No, now that she’d set her plan into action she needed to take extra care. The one person she could count on and trust was herself.
Chapter Three
A fuckin’ orgy. Man, he hadn’t seen that one coming. Wasn’t sure how to handle it. He was over twenty-five and sure as hell didn’t want to get anyone pregnant.
“These gatherings. What does Brother Rick do to the people who refuse to attend?”
She shot him a quick look with those big blue eyes. The woman wasn’t much to look at with her short, dumpy stature. The robe hid a multitude of sins but couldn’t hide the small breasts that went with her rounded stomach. Her hair was mouse brown and hung down her back in a thick braid. Her features weren’t plain but she suffered from acne or some sort of unfortunate rash. Most of the compound inhabitants avoided looking at her if they spoke to her. Not that it would have helped because her timid disposition and the way she focused on her feet instead of her surroundings made her even rounder and more unattractive.
“No one refuses.”
He tried again, searching for an out. “Surely not everyone agrees or wants to have sex.”
“The first gathering was successful, by all accounts. Many of the women are with child.”
“I see.” Fuck no! He didn’t see at all. Drugs and alcohol added to the recipe weren’t such a far stretch from date rape. There were a few days until the gathering. Maybe he could wrap up this case before then. “Do you want these loaded on the cart too?”
“No, these ones need refrigeration until the morning. I’m not tired yet. I’ll have time to make a batch of soap as well. Why don’t you go to your quarters and get some sleep?”
“What time are you making the delivery?”
“Early. Maybe the women who work in the store will hel
p me carry the extra stock that won’t fit in the handcart.” Her words lacked conviction.
“Do you have a van to transport your products?”
“We have a truck. Brother Rick doesn’t allow us to use it.” The lack of inflection told him this was a sore point.
The way he saw it Children of Nature was a cult, pure and simple. Brother Rick was a despot ruler treating his subjects as he saw fit. The more Jake learned, the more he loathed the man. Damn it. Sorrel might be the one everyone bullied, but if she left, Brother Rick would pick on someone else. That was the nature of the beast.
“You have two handcarts. I could load that one and go with you.”
Her blue eyes widened. “No, Brother Rick will—”
He cut in with a curse. “I don’t give a flying fuck what Brother Rick thinks. He’s not going to be here. He left an hour ago with his buddies.” Jake had heard a vehicle depart while he was loading the handcart. “If he has problems, he can come to me. Besides, I need to make contact with Luke.”
“What about your limp?”
“It’s not too bad. I’ll survive.”
“Oh.” She licked her bottom lip, a slow stroke of her pink tongue.
He stared, captivated by the sight. Hell. He shook himself. He should have had a woman before he entered the cult. Things were bad if even plain Sorrel Thyme made him hot.
“All right,” she whispered.
Jake pulled out the second handcart and loaded more stock. One of the carts was almost full. He entered the workshop again, pausing to savor the scent of the flowers she was crumbling into the pot she’d placed over the burner. The lavender reminded him of hugs from his granny during his childhood. “Are you sure you don’t want me to do anything else for you?”
She jumped and dropped her spoon into her pot. She made a sound of disgust and shot a belligerent scowl over her shoulder. “Will you please stomp your feet as you enter my workshop. The way you prowl everywhere makes me nervous.”
A grin formed before he even thought about it. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Sorrel.”
His grin widened. “Yes, Sorrel.”
“Go,” she ordered. “I leave at seven thirty. Make sure you break your fast first.”
Still smiling, Jake left Sorrel to her witchy potions. Once he reached the open space of the compound, he emphasized his limp. Easy, now. Harmless and incapacitated.
Now that darkness had set, most people retreated indoors. Masculine laughter drifted from the male quarters, but he turned in the opposite direction. He wanted to check out security during Brother Rick’s absence.
Two men on the gates. They were both older, and one was sound asleep, on the verge of snoring. The second peered into the darkness, a fraction more alert.
Jake added weight to his steps, spied a stick and stamped on it. The sharp crack jerked the snoring man awake.
“Hello there. I’m out for a walk before I turn in.” Jake allowed a heavy sigh to escape. “I’m afraid I’ve overdone it today. Do you mind if I sit a while to catch my breath?”
“You’re the new guy,” one of the men said. “Where are you from again?”
Jake went through his ashram tale. They’d have difficulty checking his story since the ashram Luke had selected rejected phones and other methods of modern communication. Once someone entered the ashram they were cut off from public contact. Part of the treatment, according to the literature Luke located from somewhere.
“What happened to your leg?”
“Accident. Tangled with a motor vehicle while crossing the road. The doctors say it will improve but I’ll always have a limp.” Also the truth—the part about the doctors and the severity of his injury, anyway. The thought brought a wave of depression. Deep down he suspected he’d never make it back to active service. Soldiering was all he knew. His future lurked as unsubstantial as mist, and the loss of purpose ate at him.
“That’s too bad,” the security man said. “Still, fresh air and good food will put you right.”
Jake nodded. The food was good. He’d soon put on the weight he’d dropped after his injury and subsequent hospitalization. Hopefully he could work on his fitness too. The doctors had instructed him to walk as much as possible. There wasn’t any other option here.
“Why the gates and guards? I wouldn’t have thought your compound would require tight security.” Jake scanned the gates and the fences as far as he could see through the gloom, assessing the compound security.
“New measures,” the snoring man explained. “We have valuable stores of food plus stock and equipment here. Times are tough and some people might look on us as a soft touch.”
“That’s true,” Jake said. “I hear it’s not uncommon for companies to close down and put everyone out of work.”
The more alert of the two men gave a decisive nod. “That’s what Brother Rick told us.”
“It helps that those men who volunteer to undertake security duties are in the first group to choose women at the gatherings.” The other man gave a sly wink, his smirk smacking of crafty.
They both chuckled, the sound rife with sexual hunger. Jake’s hands balled to fists, luckily hidden in the folds of his robe. These two old coots should know better. The gathering was an orgy. Jake wouldn’t have minded if the coupling was between consenting adults, but Brother Rick was making attendance compulsory. Add in the so-called bliss cakes plus booze and attendees had little to no control of their actions.
“Sounds interesting. I’m looking forward to my first gathering.” Somehow Jake managed to get the words out without choking. “Well, I think my legs might make it to the men’s quarters now. How long are you on duty?”
“Another couple of hours. It’s not so bad.”
Jake raised a hand in farewell and limped away. He’d spent part of a day here, and already he wanted to punch some of these men. He hoped he’d discover proof for Luke soon because he wanted to see some of these bozos behind locked bars.
* * * * *
The next morning Jake helped Sorrel with the handcarts, pushing the largest one down the rutted track. Used to lugging a heavy pack for hours on end through difficult terrain he shouldn’t have experienced difficulty. To his chagrin, by the time they reached the town sweat dripped off him. The little lady glowed, her face covered with red splotches, but she’d kept up without difficulty.
“I’ll help you unload.” His tone was brisk, despite his exhaustion. Nightmares of Greg’s death had replayed in his mind through the early hours of the morning. Over and over, and no matter what he’d tried, the result had been the same. His friend bled out because he hadn’t done enough.
“Why don’t you wander through the town and explore?” she said in an undertone. “No one will think anything of it. They know you’re thinking about joining Children of Nature. It makes sense you’d explore the town and speak with the locals.”
“I’ll help you unload,” he repeated.
“The women at the shop will help me.”
“How long will it take you?”
“An hour at least.”
Finally, he gave her a clipped nod and limped away. He turned toward the river and prayed he’d bump into Luke.
His aimless amble took him past a flower shop, a women’s wear shop and a cafe. He spotted Luke sitting at one of the outside tables with his father, Richard. They had a coffee in front of them and both wore their cop uniforms. Hell, the contact part had always been the iffy part of the plan. He could hardly wander over to chat with them.
He continued with his slow limping progress along the road, turning down the path that ran along the riverbank. When he came to a bench, he took a seat, stretching his legs out and closing his eyes.
How the hell had he found himself in this mess? It was gonna look bloody odd if he refused to take part in the gathering.
“Mind if I share this bench with you?”
Jake’s eyes popped open, chagrined because he hadn’t even heard the woman walk up to him. “Free wor
ld,” he barked.
Her violet eyes twinkled in her pretty face while her blonde hair bounced in a flirty ponytail. “My, my, I’m certain that’s not suitable cult behavior.” Her lips curled upward while she took in his appearance, her teasing voice making his eyes narrow.
“Who are you?”
“Janaya.” She glanced around the vicinity, and once she confirmed they were alone, she spoke rapidly. “I’m Luke’s wife. He thought it would be better if you met with women rather than men. He recruited me to meet with you to avoid raising suspicion. Maybe Hinekiri if I can’t make it. Hinekiri is married to Luke’s father, Richard. Do you have anything for Luke?”
“Nothing much. They’ve allowed me free rein to wander the grounds. It was too late to explore much last night. I hope to see more this afternoon. I’ve talked to Sorrel Thyme.”
A smirk formed on Janaya’s lips.
“What?” Jake demanded.
“The cream she invented does everything she says and more.”
He felt an instant of surprise then nodded as a sense of pride took hold. “I’m pleased for her. She works hard, and they give her slave status.”
“Alice wants to do a few more tests before she gives her the good news.”
“Can I tell her the initial tests are favorable?” Jake didn’t understand why it was so important to him for Sorrel to gain the freedom she wanted.
“Sure, no problem. Anything else I should tell Luke?”
“Things have changed a lot since Brother Rick took over from his father.”
“Hmm.” Janaya appeared thoughtful. “Any whispers of Rick hastening Samuel’s death?”
“No, but I’d love him to find him guilty. He makes the hair at the back of my neck stand on end. He’s a bully, and I wouldn’t be surprised to learn he’s using cult funds to enjoy himself. He left the cult and drove to Auckland with some of his fellow brothers. Indicated he intended to recruit new blood.”
“Do you know where he went?”
“No, but I have the number plate for his truck.” Jake rattled off the number, and Janaya scribbled it on a piece of paper then slid it inside her bra for safekeeping. “There’s something else.” He informed her of the coming gathering.
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