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Bartholomew gripped his shoulder. “Holy One, please. You must think of Martha and the trouble she’s caused.”
Ethan was still dwelling on the brief glimpse he’d gotten of Rachel standing in the beam of her husband’s headlights wearing next to nothing. There was something different about her, something that stirred his blood in a very primal way. But it wasn’t lust. It was challenge. The confidence in her bearing needed to be broken. Who was she, a mere woman, to think she could withhold anything, even her approval, from God’s anointed? Before long, she’d be begging to spread her legs for him and would let him take her in the most degrading manner possible—him and all his Guides. The proud must be toppled from their worldly perch. They must be brought low, and women today needed to learn their place.
“Holy One?” Bart repeated, waiting for a response.
With effort, Ethan returned his focus to the conversation. “As long as Todd’s heart remains true, Martha will be powerless. The police have already done all they can. It’s over.”
“It’s not over. She’s still in Willcox, filing papers for custody of her son.” He used only the light of the moon to lead Ethan through the desert to their vehicle. Despite his bad eye, Bart was as sure-footed as a cat, even in the dark.
“If she takes it to court, we’ll fight and we’ll win,” Ethan told him. “You’ve got pictures of her having sex with nearly every man in the compound. You also have pictures of her taking drugs.” They had files on everyone. Such cheap and easy insurance made it possible to discredit any member of the group, if and when that was necessary. “Considering her background—all the times she ran away from home, the lack of even a high school diploma—she doesn’t stand a chance.”
“Todd’s taken his share of drugs and had his share of lovers, too,” Bart pointed out. “I’ve got as many pictures of him. One of them actually shows that he likes men almost as much as women.”
Ethan suspected Bart liked men more than women but knew he’d never act on his homosexuality. That would get him expelled from the group. The scriptures were very clear on the issue. It was unnatural, an abomination before God. But Bart was impotent, so it didn’t seem to matter what his preference might be. “Back when the church was still a secret group meeting out in the woods during the middle of the night, Cliff Winney came forward to say that Todd tried to have sex with him during an orgy,” he said.
Bart stopped walking. “And you’ve forgiven him?”
Was his security adviser fishing, trying to see if Ethan had softened his stance? Maybe, but that kind of change was out of the question. He’d lose too many church members. Most of them came from a background of traditional Judeo-Christian beliefs, which preached against homosexuality. Reversing that would be too radical. Besides, mating with another man had nothing to do with procreation, so it couldn’t be used in worship. “He came to me of his own accord and confessed. Unless he acts again, I will remember his sins no more.” His robe snagged on a cactus and he waited while Bart jerked it free. “Besides, Martha doesn’t have proof of what Todd’s done the way we have proof of what she’s done. Not only do we have pictures, we have witnesses. Anyone in Paradise would be willing to testify on Todd’s behalf. They’ll say she was an unfit mother while he’s a devoted father.”
“But these people—” Bart motioned toward the trailer, indicating the Motts “—they could be reporters or undercover police. If we let them in, we risk their interpretation of what we do. And we know the world’s interpretation is not God’s.”
“The Motts could also be a married couple looking for the sexual freedom and spiritual fulfillment we offer,” Ethan argued. “We live a better life. How can we not share what we’ve found with the rest of God’s children?”
Stubborn to a fault, Bartholomew wouldn’t give up. “They have no family or friends in this area. No history of ever having been here before. No previous association with Portal at all. How do you know they haven’t been hired by Courtney’s parents? The Sinclairs are looking for their daughter. They’re not going to drop it.”
Ethan remembered the tears on Rachel’s face when he prayed for her. Part of him wanted to believe he’d reached her in that moment, but the other part wasn’t so sure. There was that pride, that unwillingness to submit, which had flashed in her eyes immediately afterward…. “The Motts haven’t been hired by Courtney’s parents. Portal is the birding capital of the world. That draws tourists and nature lovers, as well as photographers. Didn’t you tell me Nathan is a wildlife photographer?”
“He claims to be a wildlife photographer. But I have no proof. They came out of nowhere. First they were caught snooping outside our gates. Then Rachel showed up at the meeting. They have too much interest in us too soon for it to have developed naturally. I think they’re looking for Courtney.”
Ethan wasn’t pleased to be reminded of the grave outside his window. “You took care of Courtney. You said no one would ever find her.”
“No one will.”
“Then there’s nothing to worry about.” He paused to remove a rock from his sandal, which prompted Bartholomew to finally turn on the flashlight he carried. “I personally think their interest has developed naturally enough. Rachel’s husband didn’t even come to the meeting. He refused to attend.”
Using his body to block any view of his light from the trailer, Bartholomew angled it at the ground ahead. “Something isn’t right, Holy One.”
“Didn’t a guard check her ID at the gate?”
“Of course.”
“And?”
“It’s either real or a very good fake. But if she’s with the police—”
“She could ruin everything,” he admitted with a frustrated sigh. Why was he fighting Bart? Bart was only trying to protect him, to protect them all. Wanting to bring Rachel to her knees, to make her acknowledge his power, wasn’t reason enough to risk destroying everything he’d created. He had to have patience, couldn’t make the same mistake he’d made with Courtney. “Fine.”
“Fine, what?” Bart bent close to get a glimpse of his face. “You’ll shun them?”
“No, not until you bring me proof that I should. Just do whatever it takes to make sure they are who they say they are.”
