“Sheriff Akins.” Henson smiled. “I heard you’d come to pay us a visit. And I see Mr. Logan is with you. I assume this pertains to our sister Callie.”
“Mr. Logan wanted to see for himself that the women living here are doing so of their own free will. We spoke to several. Hopefully his concerns have been laid to rest.”
The reverend fixed his gaze on Edge. His eyes were a warm golden brown, but a shard of anger burned in their depths. Edge wondered if the sheriff could see it.
“Are your concerns resolved, Mr. Logan?” the reverend asked. “Or do I need to bring half a dozen more women forward to convince you?”
More women who would say whatever Henson wanted them to. From what he’d heard from Dolores Delgado, the threat was understood. “I think I’ve seen enough.”
The sheriff spoke to Henson. “I’m sorry for the inconvenience, Reverend.”
Henson’s smile looked forced. “I’m sure you are. I’m sorry you felt you had to make the trip out here to see for yourself.”
There was a note of disapproval, perhaps even warning in the reverend’s words. Akins’s frown said he’d noticed.
Henson turned and walked back the way he had come, the sun gleaming on his thick, sandy hair as if the heavens themselves were bestowing their blessing.
Edge didn’t buy it for a moment.
Henson had almost reached the top step when he was approached by one of his men, big, broad-shouldered, in a red-check flannel shirt. They conversed for several seconds, and the man shook his head. One of Henson’s hands fisted. He said something and spun to continue up the steps.
Edge figured maybe the man had been ordered to search for Molly Lockhart and failed to find her. If so, Henson was bound to be in a temper.
Edge and Sheriff Akins climbed back into the SUV, and Akins drove through the gate toward town.
“I guess the reverend wasn’t too pleased to see you,” Edge said as the vehicle rolled over the bumpy dirt road.
“I have a job to do, same as he does. I’m sure he understands.”
“Or maybe he doesn’t. Maybe he’ll pull his support the next time you run for office.”
Akins frowned as if the thought had never occurred to him. Maybe he wasn’t on Henson’s payroll after all. If so, perhaps once the sheriff got his head out of his ass and saw what was happening in the compound, he’d be willing to do his job.
So far, Edge hadn’t mentioned the murder Molly had witnessed. Until he had some kind of proof, it would only make matters worse. For now, getting Callie Delaney out of the compound and away from Henson was his top priority. He needed more information in order to make that happen.
Edge couldn’t wait for Skye to get back with the drone.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“THERE’S SOMETHINGIHAVEN’T TOLD YOU.”
As the Nissan rolled toward Denver, Skye looked across the center console to the young woman in the passenger seat. Molly Lockhart was her maiden name, she’d revealed. She would no longer answer to Mrs. Harley Purcell.
From Molly’s description of the man, Skye didn’t blame her. Six-foot-three, barrel-chested, with dark brown hair and a long scraggly, pointed beard, he had a tat of a snake on the back of his hand and a coiled snake on his shoulder.
He’s mean and he’s tough.Those were Molly’s words. At least he’d be easy to recognize.
Skye cast her a sideways glance. “What haven’t you told me?”
Molly bit her lip, then took a deep breath. “Before Reverend Henson marries us to the man he has chosen, he . . . umm . . .” Molly made a sound in her throat. “He initiates us into the sisterhood.”
Unease slipped through her. “What do meaninitiates? What does he do?”
Molly gripped her hands together in her lap, her nervousness clear. “The first week a new disciple is there, Daniel is very solicitous. He has private meetings with the woman. He talks to her about the wonderful life she can have as a sister in the church. He invites her for dinner at his home.”
“Dinner? That’s how he initiates a new member?”
Molly glanced over. “Daniel can be extremely charming. Most of the woman come to the church because of him. He flatters them, makes promises to them, and then he . . . he seduces them.”
