Initiations (Carpenter/Harding Book 5)

by Barbara Winkes

  Maybe Kathryn had similar hopes at some point, even though the only way she could realize them was to leave her own child with complete strangers, better equipped to give her a home.

  Maybe the CPS employee was right, and they needed to leave it here for today. With no news about Strickland, the workday was far from over.

  * * * *

  Ariel gave the woman from CPS a doubtful look, turning back to Jordan and Ellie.

  “You’re sure I don’t have to go back to him?”

  “Your Dad is facing some serious charges,” Jordan reminded her. “Ms. Lang here will make sure you’re okay. She has arranged somewhere for you to stay for now. We’ll have an officer in front of your house. I promise you it’s safe.”

  “Are you sure? Dad is going to be so pissed…mad at me.”

  “He can’t do anything to you.”

  “I can come with you,” Ellie said. “I’ll stay for a while, and I can call someone to take over for the night. How does that sound?”

  The girl didn’t quite manage a smile, but the corners of her mouth twitched with the surprise. “You would do that?”

  “Of course. I’ll be back later,” she said to Jordan. “Can you keep one of those bagels for me?”

  This time, she was rewarded with a small smile from Ariel before they left the department with Ms. Lang.

  Jordan went back into the room to gather the remnants of their impromptu dinner, realizing the agent was still outside.

  “Would you like one?” she asked, holding up the bag.

  “Oh God, thank you so much.” The woman helped herself to a donut, before Jordan locked the door. There were at least a dozen members of the cult still being interrogated, others waiting. The FBI would want their hands on the weapons dealers first, find out what they were planning with that arsenal, and who else was involved, but there where individuals with a long list of accusations against them that they would have to deal with.

  Furthermore, they had to check the ID of the women and children against the Missing Persons database, since not all of them had been born into the cult.

  She had talked to a couple of women, then joined the interrogation of a man and his second wife who, according to Deborah, had both been complicit in “gifting” their daughter to Daniel Deane. Several times during those interviews Jordan wished she hadn’t eaten anything, her stomach lurching. Then, bit by bit, the conversations came to a halt. They could tell who was relevant to the Prophets by the priorities their lawyers set. Just their presence seemed to upset the women who were here not because they were accused of anything, but as possible witnesses.

  Jordan hated that they felt intimidated even here. They were doing their best to keep them away from their husbands’ lawyers, but of course they couldn’t stop the attorneys from talking to them, as only one of the women admitted she felt threatened.

  “I hear you’re giving out food, which is nice, but I’m still here too.”

  Bethany sat on the edge of her desk. “You’re willing to share what’s in that bag, I hope?”

  Jordan leaned back in her chair, thinking she could probably get Ellie something else later.

  “I hope you have good news,” she said.

  “We claimed all of our whackos, and gladly leave you the rest.”

  “I figured.”

  “I see it looks less like a kindergarten and more like a police department again. I assume eveyone is accounted for.”

  Jordan nodded. “It’s…complicated,” she said. “They were either born into the family, or cut ties with their own a long time ago. They are so used to the men taking care of everything, they are completely overwhelmed. I had a couple of social workers talk to them.”

  “That’s good. You’re doing okay.”

  For some reason, Jordan thought the soft tone was inappropriate for work. Bethany had accepted the status quo, but that didn’t mean they had the friendship-with-the-ex down pat yet.

  “What about Strickland?”

  “Oh God, this is a disaster. I have some colleagues on the case full time, and I’d be looking for her too if it wasn’t for the other million things I need to do, and explain to my boss whom I’m currently hiding from. We have one dead body, and we’re missing an agent and a founding brother. Jeremiah Deane wasn’t here or at the Iowa compound. This is going to cost me.”

  “It wasn’t you fault.”

  Bethany shrugged. “Nobody cares, and frankly, if Lilah’s okay, I can postpone my plans, no problem. Where’s Harding?”

  “Ariel wanted her to come with her. She’ll get her settled in, and have another officer replace her later.”

  “Hm. Okay.”

  Jordan didn’t quite know what to make out of that comment, and it worried her.

  “What does that mean?”

  “Nothing. You should go home and sleep for a few hours—at least you have the luxury while those lawyers keep stalling. I’ll see you tomorrow if I still have a job by then.”

  “Okay. Good luck.”

  Jordan checked her phone, but there was no news from Ellie. She texted her to meet at the D&T in a couple of hours. Tonight, she wasn’t going to sleep in the haunted house.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The woman who took in Ariel was in her fifties, an experienced and trusted foster mother. Ellie breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the house, the kitchen/dining/living area a light and open space. Mrs. Milner’s bedroom was on the first floor, Ariel’s upstairs.

  As they walked up the stairs, Ellie could tell that Ariel was losing energy rapidly. The dreams she and her mother had shared had vanished into thin air. All of a sudden she was by herself—which was probably the preferable alternative to being with her father, but still.

  “The bathroom is stacked with everything you need, but if there’s anything else, please, just ask,” Mrs. Milner explained. “You might not be here for long, but I want you to be comfortable and know you’re welcome.”

  Ariel mustered a small smile. “Thanks,” she whispered.

  The room, like the others, was light and welcoming, fairly gender neutral in décor. Ellie stepped into the adjacent bathroom and took a quick look around. Ariel was motivated. She wanted the people responsible for her mother’s death be held accountable. She wanted to see that happen, so why would she harm herself? Better to be safe than sorry. Finding nothing that could be turned into a weapon without much creative use, she turned, seeing Mrs. Milner’s thoughtful gaze.

  “We have to think of everything, I know,” the older woman said.

  Ellie nodded. She went back to Ariel who stood in the middle of the room, looking lost.

  “They didn’t tell me if you had eaten, so I made dinner. It’s ready whenever you are, and later I can show you the rest of the house. You can watch TV if you like…just take your time. There’s no hurry.”

  “Sounds okay, right? We’ll check in with you tomorrow, I promise.”

  There was a flash of panic on the girl’s face. “What if they come here?”

  “I don’t think that’s going to happen, but there’ll be a cop outside the house all night.”

  “What if that’s not enough?”

  “You’ll be safe here,” Mrs. Milner said, and to Ellie, “I have experience with groups like this. I agree with you, I don’t think they’ll try anything tonight. If they did, we can handle them.”

  “Um…can I talk to Ellie for a moment?”

  “Sure. I’ll be downstairs if you need me.”

  When the two of them were alone, Ellie said, “Suddenly I think it was a bad idea to have bagels and donuts. I didn’t know there would be dinner.”

  Ariel didn’t react, just slumped on the bed.

  “I know this is hard. I understand, but you’re not alone.”

  “Because of the other girls? Most of them will want nothing to do with me, and the rest…they are just too far gone.”

  Ellie suppressed a shudder. “This will make a difference for all of you. You can live your lives and
be free now.”

  “But Mom won’t.”

  Ellie hadn’t seen it coming at all. The next moment, Ariel wrapped her arms around her, holding on tight, and the floodgates finally opened. Ellie embraced her in return, her own throat tight, her eyes prickling with tears she couldn’t cry right now.

  “I know. I know it’s not fair. I’m so sorry.”

  “She didn’t want to leave me behind. If she had gone to meet the agents, she might still be alive.”

  “We don’t know that.” Ellie didn’t say that in that case, the killer might have gotten to Ariel instead. It was a no win situation, and they still had to build on that and make as many arrests as possible stick. Those men, once free, would continue the same way, start over somewhere else, because they believed it was their God-given right to have multiple teenage wives. The women and girls who had been living on the compound had a chance now—all of that would be gone if their husbands couldn’t be convicted.

  They needed Ariel to tell the truth and maybe encourage others to do so. Ellie hated to place that kind of burden on a child, but she couldn’t think of any alternative.

  “I wish I could just hide somewhere. I don’t want to talk anymore, have them feel sorry for me, but…I’m scared.”

  “You and your mom were with some pretty scary people, but you never have to go back.”

  “But where will I go?”

  “With someone nice like Mrs. Milner. For sure.”

  Ellie wanted to kick herself for making what might be a premature promise—but she’d do whatever it took to help Ariel through this first, worse moments.

  Ariel wasn’t ready to let go yet. Neither was Ellie.

  “I know it’s hard to see right now, but you will get through this.”

  “How do you know that?”

  Ellie took a deep breath. And another. The words that had come together in her head easily, wouldn’t come out now. She felt a tear tickling her face.

  “My parents died in a car accident,” she finally said. “I was older than you. It hurt. I still miss them, but I don’t want to hide anymore. You’ll get there too.”

  She wiped a hand across her face and slowly pulled back, reaching for the tissue box on the nightstand. She took one and held the box out to Ariel.

  “You’ll come back here tomorrow?”

  “Yes. We’ll have to talk to the Assistant District Attorney. I can’t promise that you won’t have to go to court…but maybe she’ll just need your statement.”

  Ellie was aware that she might have promised too much already. Ariel seemed calmer now. If that’s what it took, she was all right with it.

  “That’s okay,” Ariel said with a sigh. “I’ll be dead to them now that they know I talked to the police, which is…It doesn’t matter. I just want them to pay for what they did to Mom.”

  “And they will. Would you like to come down and get some dinner after all? If I remember correctly, my colleagues ate most of those donuts.”

  “Sure. She seems okay.”

  Ariel got up from the bed, then hesitated.

  “Is there anything else, sweetie?”

  The girl was shifting from one foot to the other before she asked, “Were you in the car? With your parents?”

  “No. It took me some time, but eventually I was able to be grateful. I was given a second chance.”

  It was a lot to process for both of them. Ellie thought it was best for now to leave Ariel in Mrs. Milner’s capable hands, hoping she had said the right things.

  * * * *

  Bethany didn’t go home, and neither did Jordan when she was asked to sit in on the interrogation of Ariel’s father, Nathan, who owned the leather store.

  “We might have a lead on Lilah,” Bethany said. “Russo and another agent are on it, but I still want to have a chat with Nathan tonight. And I want another woman in there, because I know it pisses them off.”

  “Wow, thanks. That makes me sound really qualified.”

  “Don’t expect flattery at this time of day,” Bethany returned. “I hear everything is settled for Ariel over at Mrs. Milner’s.”

  Jordan hadn’t spoken to Ellie since she’d left with Ariel.

  “That’s great to know.”

  “Yeah. Milner is a retired agent. There won’t be any surprises.”

  With some vehemence, Bethany yanked the door to the room that held Nathan Deane, open. This particular family was at the heart of the case: Deborah Deane had apparently helped Jennifer Beaumont hide a copy of the book, then she befriended Lilah Strickland, meanwhile planning her escape from the Prophets for her and her daughter. Somebody found out and murdered her, and here was her husband Nathan, father to Ariel and husband to at least two “wives” besides Deborah which put him higher in the hierarchy than most. The youngest was sixteen now, mother to a one-year-old.

  Jordan vowed to do whatever she could so that this man wouldn’t go near his teenage daughter or any of the women he’d abused, ever again.

  He frowned when they entered the room, but didn’t comment.

  Bethany gave Jordan a triumphant look.

  “It’s funny how those things work in your family,” she said to him. “If you don’t piss of the brothers, you can be out on bail in a few hours. They could probably pay the lawyers for all of you, but they want to cut their losses. Which means…It’s your right not to talk to us. You’ll also get your ass thrown in jail.”

  “Watch that foul mouth of yours,” he muttered.

  “Oh, I don’t know why I should. You like to tell women how to dress and when to talk, but we’re not in your house anymore. This is my house. You don’t have a say anymore. It’s not fun, is it?”

  “I’ll be out of here sooner than you think. We’ll sue all of you, the department, the FBI. You had no right to come in and tear our families apart.”

  “Wrong. The fact that you abuse young girls in that house of horrors gives me the right. And I haven’t even started about buying guns from the black market. You might not want to go into details, but the guys who sold them to you will, I promise you that. You were preparing for Armageddon?”

  “You don’t understand a thing,” he spat. “I wouldn’t expect you to.”

  “What about your daughter, Ariel?” Jordan asked. “Do you really want this to be the memory she keeps of you?”

  She didn’t actually hope to appeal to his conscience. He had as little as her own biological father—but they needed to be clear on the facts and where to go from here.

  “I don’t care what the little bitch thinks,” he said.

  Jordan kept her expression careful neutral. Both she and Bethany had seen too much to be surprised, but it was still a blow.

  “What? She’s betraying every one of us, like her mother. They’re the spawn of the devil. I only regret that it took me so long to realize that. I don’t want to see her lying face ever again.”

  “Is that why you killed Deborah? You found out she’d been lying to you?”

  “I didn’t kill her, even though she surely wasn’t worth much to me. She couldn’t even give me a son, just that good-for-nothing girl. Then I realized she was hiding that filthy book Jennifer wrote. I wanted to discipline her, try to teach her, but not kill her. She still had to do her part in raising the children.”

  Yes, four children from three different “wives,” one of them still underage.

  The red tape would be a nightmare, Jordan thought. Illegal marriages, missing birth certificates. They needed the help of the other women. There was no way they could solely rely on a traumatized thirteen-year-old. Jordan felt relieved that Nathan seemed to have no intention of claiming his parental rights, but at the same time, his attitude was draining.

  She wasn’t sure whether he’d actually killed Deborah, but he certainly didn’t mind harm coming to her or Ariel. It was hitting too close to home.

  “Again, without your father’s and uncles’ lawyers, you might not get that far.”

  “I have the right to a public
defender,” he said, sounding unsure for the first time. “I want one now.”

  * * * *

  When Jordan finally made it out of the precinct, she had only minutes to spare until meeting Ellie. She considered meeting her at the apartment instead, when Bethany caught up with her in the parking lot.

  “Hey, would you mind giving me a ride? I feel like drinking tonight.”

  “That’s not a good idea. Tomorrow will be early.”

  “You’re going, aren’t you?”

  “Just one—” Jordan stopped, reminding herself that she didn’t need to share this kind of detail with Bethany. “All right.”

  “Thanks. I’ll catch a cab later.”

  “Any news on Strickland?” Jordan asked after they’d sat in the car.

  Bethany shrugged, leaning back in her seat with a sigh. “We are working with someone who might have seen her. Russo is still following up on that. We still don’t know why she wasn’t at the compound today, or who she’s with now. Some people are starting to raise questions, and either way, it doesn’t look good for me. I’m saying that because it’s true, not because I’m a selfish bitch. Either something happened to her, or she did something…I know I didn’t make a bad judgment call. She’s capable, and she didn’t turn on us.”

  “It’s not your fault. These things can get out of control pretty quickly.”

  “You don’t have to tell me that.”

  They drove the rest of the way in silence. When they arrived, Bethany asked, “Do you want me to wait?”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. Come on.”

  Ellie sat at a table with Kate and Derek, waving to her. Bethany didn’t follow her, but stayed at the bar instead. When Jordan got to the table, Ellie stood and embraced her, and a bit of the day’s exhaustion fell away.

  “Hey. That’s a nice greeting.”

  “Yeah.” Ellie sighed. “I needed nice. Since you’re almost on time, I forgive you for bringing your ex. No, that didn’t come out right. I don’t care. Wow. What a day.”

  “It was.” Jordan pulled herself a chair, and, when the waitress came by, ordered a Corona.

  “What’s this?” Derek asked. “You’re driving her around now?”