by Faith Gibson
“You’re not leaving me, Kerrigan!”
The woman balled her hands into fists and turned on the man. “I am not Kerrigan! No matter how many times you call me by her name, I’ll never be her. Wouldn’t want to be her!”
“Tasha, wait. I’m sorry. Please.” Dalton rushed through the door, but when he noticed the two large males standing there, he froze. “What the hell do you want?”
Tasha had also stopped when she caught sight of Warryck and Maveryck.
“Are you okay?” Warryck took a step closer when he noticed the bruise forming on her cheek. “Did you hit her?” He turned his attention to Dalton who was backing into the house. Before he could close the door in their faces, Maveryck stuck a large boot in the way and shoved, knocking Dalton backwards.
War left his twin to tend with the human while he remained with the female. “Did he do this to you?”
“Yes, but it’s the last time. I can’t help that I’m not his precious Kerrigan. The man is obsessed. I should have listened to my gut.”
“What can you tell me about Kerrigan?”
The woman rolled her eyes. “Other than she was prettier than me? Taller, smarter, a better cook? When I met Dalton, he was nice. Charming. The first time he called me by the wrong name, I chalked it up to an honest mistake, but when he continued to do so, I got pissed. At first, he apologized, explaining how I reminded him of his dead wife. Then he’d get drunk and tell me all the ways I was lacking compared to her. I hated this woman I’d never met. Earlier today, I went into the spare bedroom. I was going to move his wife’s clothes out of the closet in the master so I’d have more room for mine. I mean, it’s not like I was giving them to charity. I was just trying to find somewhere else to put them. That’s when I found a shrine hidden away in the spare bedroom closet. I confronted Dalton, and he told me how she was his high school sweetheart, and he’d been devastated when she passed. He assured me I wasn’t a replacement for her, but I knew better. We’re too similar.”
“Is that when he hit you?”
Tasha nodded, wrapping her arms around her middle. “I told him I couldn’t live in her shadow any longer.”
“Did he tell you how Kerrigan died? Or how long ago?” Red flags were going up all over the place, but if Tasha knew what happened to the other woman, they might be able to bring closure to her parents.
“He said it was a car accident several years ago.” Tasha narrowed her eyes. “Who are you exactly?”
“I’m a private investigator. Kerrigan’s parents hired my brother and me to find their daughter. Tasha, Kerrigan wasn’t Dalton’s wife. They lived together up until she disappeared a couple months ago.”
“What? No. He was with me then. We’ve been dating for close to five months. I mean, we’d only see each other a couple nights a week and always at my apartment. Then out of the blue, he was begging me to move in with him. That bastard. Do you think he had something to do with her disappearance?”
“That’s what we’re trying to find out. He took all Kerrigan’s money the night she disappeared, so I’d say you dodged a bullet. You might want to go to the police and file charges. Stop him from hurting anyone else.”
“All my things are in that house. I need to get them back and find somewhere else to live.” Tasha’s eyes welled up, but she blinked the tears away.
“Do you have anyone you can call?”
“My sister. She’s going to give me hell, because she thought I moved in with him too quickly. I guess she was right.”
“Why don’t you give her a call and have her go with you to the police station? Give them your statement and ask them to escort you back here to get your things. My brother and I will make sure Dalton doesn’t leave before you get back.”
“Yeah, okay.” Tasha narrowed her eyes. “Are you going to hurt him?”
“We only want answers.” War didn’t expound on how they would get those answers, and he couldn’t promise they wouldn’t rough the bastard up a bit. Give him a taste of his own medicine. He waited outside with Tasha while she called her sister. Only when she got in her car and drove away did he head inside.
When War walked into the house, Dalton was duct-taped to a chair. Mav was leaning against the sofa, arms crossed over his chest. “Is she okay?”
“She will be. Tasha is headed to the police precinct to press charges.” War walked over to Dalton. If looks could kill, War would be incinerated on the spot. Too bad Dalton Watkins had no idea who – and what – he was dealing with.
Chapter Ten
Kerrigan
KERRIGAN followed Gideon out of the building and into the sunlight. She slowed her steps and basked in the warmth for a few seconds. When he realized she wasn’t right behind him, he stopped and turned. The look he gave her was odd. He didn’t look mad, more like he was... curious. She didn’t apologize, but she did catch up to him. When they stopped in front of her sleeping quarters, she was confused.
“What are we doing here?”
“This is your cabin, and I assumed you would want to freshen up.”
Kerrigan wanted to scoff. Cabin was a generous term for the block building. “I’m going to continue living here?” Kerrigan thumbed over her shoulder at the small structure.
“No, but I need to make certain arrangements. I will have someone transfer your things to my quarters. You have thirty minutes to take a shower and change.” Gideon fisted his hands before shoving them in his pockets. Was the conversation upsetting him? If so, why? He was the one who wanted her to live with him.
Kerrigan could carry all her belongings in her arms, so him making arrangements didn’t make much sense, but she wasn’t going to argue. She was going to appreciate the next half hour of solitude. Nodding, Kerrigan slid past her captor so she could get busy with a shower and brushing her teeth.
Once inside, she grabbed a fresh set of clothes and took them with her into the small bathroom, closing the door behind her. There was no lock on the door, but Agnes had assured Kerrigan everyone who lived at The Sanctuary was honorable. Kerrigan thought they were all naïve if they believed that. Stripping out of her dirty uniform, she stepped into the small cubicle and closed her eyes, letting the spray rinse away the soreness from sleeping on the floor. The water pressure wasn’t what she was used to, but it did the job in washing away the grit. She bathed and washed her hair quickly, not wanting to get caught naked by whomever Gideon was sending for her things.
After she was dressed, Kerrigan brushed the tangles out of her wet hair. Gideon had stated if she chose option one, she would have to abide by the rules. He didn’t mention any rules for option two, but she wasn’t willing to rock the boat. Not yet. She had a plan, and for it to work, she had to gain his trust. So instead of leaving her locks loose to dry, Kerrigan plaited her hair and covered it with the plain beige scarf. She hadn’t noticed any of the other women dressed differently, so she figured the chosen had to wear the same drab uniform everyone else did.
Kerrigan removed her handful of garments and her purse from the chest of drawers. She clutched them to her chest as she waited for someone to come take her to Gideon’s quarters. Her plan was risky, and it went against everything she was, but it was the only way she saw of getting out of her predicament. She’d had to do things she didn’t want living with Dalton, and while she’d chosen to live with him, those things hadn’t been her choice. This was. She prayed she could go through with it.
When the door opened, Kerrigan expected to see one of the guards. Instead, a pretty woman stormed in, her arms full of her own things. “Which drawers were yours?” She didn’t make eye contact while she waited for Kerrigan to answer.
Kerrigan stood and pointed at the bottom two drawers with her foot. “Those two.” The woman shoved her clothes into the drawers and slammed them shut before holding her arms out for Kerrigan’s clothes.
“I can carry my stuff.” The woman reached out, snatching the items, and turned around without speaking. Kerrigan picked her purse off the fl
oor where it had fallen when the rude ass had grabbed her things. As she followed along, Kerrigan got the feeling she was being watched. Since the living quarters didn’t have windows, she knew that wasn’t the case. They were headed toward the woods and the trail which led back to the square. Kerrigan’s legs were longer, but she still had to walk quickly to keep up. Once they made it to the other end of the trail, the woman slowed, and her demeanor changed.
As soon as they took a step out of the woods, Kerrigan understood why. Gideon was walking across the compound toward the building which housed the library, accompanied by two guards and two women. When he looked their way, Gideon ignored the other woman, but he inclined his head to Kerrigan. She nodded once in return. When they arrived at their destination, Kerrigan was led around the back of a square building just like all the others they’d passed. The other woman didn’t bother stopping when they entered a warm kitchen. She didn’t stop when they walked through a large living area filled with comfortable-looking furniture. She continued until they came to the last door on the right at the end of the hall. The woman flung the door open but didn’t step inside. “I hope you’re happy.” She thrust Kerrigan’s clothes at her chest before stomping back down the hallway and disappearing around the corner.
“Don’t mind Sister Margaret.” Kerrigan turned toward a soft voice. A pretty girl was peeking out the door across from her own. “She hasn’t been here very long, and she felt Brother Gideon didn’t give her enough of a chance. I’m Sparrow.” She held out her hands to help with Kerrigan’s belongings. “Here. Let’s get you settled.” Sparrow was a tiny slip of a young woman. Her blonde hair was longer than Kerrigan’s, and her smile reached pale green eyes.
“She hasn’t been at The Sanctuary long?” Kerrigan took in her new bedroom – yes, it was a bedroom all to herself – while Sparrow stored the clothes in an antique armoire.
“No, she hasn’t been here at Brother Gideon’s long. But it doesn’t matter. He wasn’t happy with her, and now here you are.”
“So, this was her room? No wonder she was pissed at me.”
Sparrow giggled. The woman couldn’t be more than nineteen or twenty. She had a youthful look about her as well as a smile that lit up the room. “We’ve heard about you and your language.”
“Who’s we?” Kerrigan sat down on her bed, bouncing a few times. Oh yes. It was going to be heaven compared to sleeping on the top bunk.
“The other chosen. There are usually four of us living here. When Brother Gideon decides one of us isn’t to his liking any longer, we are replaced with someone new.” Sparrow looked away, but Kerrigan didn’t miss the blush.
“How long have you been here?”
“Eleven months. I think Brother Gideon keeps me because he likes the way I cook. I figure if he hasn’t asked me to marry him by now, he never will.”
“Is that something you want?” Kerrigan had so many questions, like when did Sparrow cook for the man? Didn’t they eat in the dining hall with everyone else?
“It would be an honor to be asked, but if I am not what he’s looking for, I will be happy for him to find someone compatible.” Sparrow reached up and removed the scarf from around Kerrigan’s hair. “You don’t have to wear this as long as you’re in the house.”
“What else is different? You said you cooked for Gid... Brother Gideon. Is that only for him, or do we eat here as well?”
“We take our meals here with Brother Gideon. If he asks us to accompany him outside the house, he will tell us how he wants us to present ourselves. We are expected to cover our hair when we attend Bible study, but other than that, we just do what he asks and stay as quiet as possible when he’s here.”
“You keep saying we. Who are the others?”
“That’s the strange thing. He came in earlier and told Margaret to take her things to your cabin and escort you here. As soon as she was gone, he gathered Emily and Muriel and told them he had suitors in mind for both of them.”
“Why is that strange?” Kerrigan felt like she had hit the jackpot with Sparrow. The girl was friendly, warm, and chatty. If she could befriend the young woman, she might get useful information from her.
Sparrow leaned in closer. “Brother Gideon took them and not Margaret. Whenever he tires of the chosen, he usually finds them a husband. He didn’t with Margaret. He—” A door slammed, and Sparrow jumped away from Kerrigan. “Come on. I will show you the rest of the house.”
Kerrigan followed Sparrow through the small space. Four bedrooms and a shared bathroom were on one end, with Gideon’s bedroom and office at the other. In between were the kitchen and living area. A laundry room was hidden by the back door, which surprised Kerrigan, since everyone had to wash their clothes by hand. There was no garage, so Kerrigan had to wonder where his car was. She had no doubt he had a vehicle somewhere on the compound. They had to have a way to get to the nearest town for things like kidnapping their next flock member.
Gideon stood at the kitchen counter, pouring a cup of coffee. What the hell? “Sparrow, I’ll expect lunch as usual, but it will just be the three of us. Without Emily and Muriel, I’ll need you to help Kerrigan with their duties. I have a meeting after we eat, so I will leave the two of you to sort out who does what.”
“Yes, Brother Gideon. Kerrigan and I can handle everything.”
“I have no doubts.” After draining his coffee, Gideon rinsed his cup and put it in the dish drainer. Kerrigan had expected him to leave it for them to take care of. “I’ll see you back here at noon.” Gideon didn’t look at either one of them before striding out the back door.
“He drinks coffee?”
Sparrow laughed. “At least a pot a day. We can have it with our breakfast if we want. Things are a lot more relaxed here in his house. Come on. I’ll show you where all the cleaning supplies are. Since there were four of us, there wasn’t that much for any one of us to handle. I usually only cooked and took care of the kitchen with the others doing the cleaning and laundry. I’ll help you with everything since I can only clean the oven so many times.”
“Can I ask you a question?”
Sparrow stopped in front of a closet and pulled the door open. “Of course. Depending on what it is, I may not answer.”
“How long have you been here? Not at Brother Gideon’s but at The Sanctuary.”
“I came with my parents when I was about ten, so nine years ago? We lost our house when my daddy got laid off from his job, and Brother Gideon offered us a place to stay until my parents could get back on their feet. We never left.”
“Your parents liked it here that much?”
“Sure. At least I guess they did. I didn’t have a choice, but it wasn’t so bad. It was nice not having to worry if there was going to be enough water or if the lights were going to be turned off.”
“That’s part of all this that confuses me.” Kerrigan reached in the closet and pulled out a broom and dust pan. “I understand being self-sustaining, but the things like water and electricity. Those have to be paid for somehow.”
“The water comes from a system hooked up to a couple of deep wells. The whole town is set up on some large generators or something. That’s how my daddy explained it. I never questioned it, because everything always works.”
“But the generators need fuel. The items that aren’t produced here, like paper products, have to be bought. Where does the money come from?”
“Like I said, I never questioned anything, because everything I need, I have.”
“If you came here as a child, were you around other children? And if so, are there kids here now? Where are they? Agnes told me there’s a separate area for them, but I haven’t seen any.”
Sparrow grabbed a dust rag and an unmarked bottle. “Yes, there are children. Brother Gideon thinks they should all be raised in the same manner. If a child has parents, they remain with them until they are old enough to go to school, then they move to their side of the community.”
“What do you mean, if they have
parents?”
“Some children are brought here when they need somewhere to stay. Like a big foster family.”
“And when they are no longer school age? What happens then?”
“They are given a job and a place to sleep.”
“So, the kids are raised by someone who isn’t their parents? Why?”
“Well, I didn’t understand it until I was older. The way Brother Gideon explained it, he is the only one who has a clear understanding of the Word. If he allowed someone else to share the message, their interpretation might not be as exact as Gideon’s. The women who teach the children have to adhere to strict guidelines and never talk about the Bible. While the adults work, the kids go to school during the day. They have their own Bible study mixed in with their school lessons, but it’s Gideon who leads those classes. It’s no different than a regular city, really.”
“Except you have Brother Gideon deciding every facet of your lives as opposed to having a democracy.”
“And how well does your democracy work? Aren’t all the people in political offices corrupt on some level? Gideon only wants what’s best for The Sanctuary. He isn’t out lying to people for his own gain.”
“No, but for those who don’t choose to live here, isn’t that his own form of corruption?”
“I don’t see it that way. Living here under his protection, I never worried about being hungry or if one of the kids at school was going to turn a gun on me. I’m sure for someone like you who came from the city where you had all the bright lights and cars and clubs, things probably seem so boring, but when you grow up this way, it’s sort of comforting knowing there’s no crime.”
“I miss my home, Sparrow. I miss having the choice to work in a bar or date whomever I want. I miss the busyness of downtown. I miss my parents. I would gladly take the threat of being mugged just for the chance to see them again.” Kerrigan wanted to take Sparrow by the shoulders and shake some sense into her. The young girl had been raised among the sheep, so she wouldn’t see how Gideon’s form of ruling his little kingdom was the definition of a cult. Instead of trying to reason with her, Kerrigan changed the subject. “Okay, tell me what needs to be done so you can get to making lunch.”