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But if he was sleeping . . . then he might not wake up for any of this.
However, Gibson should be on his way.
Hesitantly, everyone placed their phones on the floor.
Duke wouldn’t put it past Tommy to do exactly what he was threatening right now. The man had come here for a reason—to burn this place down.
“Do you know what happened when I was growing up?” Tommy’s voice tightened.
No one said anything.
He continued. “My mom gave me lashings. You can still see the scars on my back. After my mom disciplined me, she’d go to the church. Play the piano. Play songs about death and blood. And it all made sense. There was no faith without pain and suffering.”
Duke didn’t like the sound of that.
“Those lashings taught me to do better,” Tommy said. “It seems as if I need to teach all of you sinners to do better.”
“But wait . . . we haven’t sinned,” Mariella said. “I mean, not really . . .”
His face suddenly turned red as if he were about to explode. “You haven’t sinned?That means you’re the worst kind of sinner! The one who doesn’t even realize what you have done.”
“But . . .” Mariella’s voice trailed.
Matthew nudged her, and she quieted.
Tommy shook his head and glowered at them as he said, “You all have sinned badly. So, so bad. Now you need to be punished.”
chaptersixty-four
Andi watchedas Tommy practically fell apart in front of them.
It sounded like he had a tragic childhood and that he’d compensated for that by developing a strict set of rules for himself and others.
Henrietta had threatened his plan, and he’d acted out in order to save himself.
He’d justified it through twisted religion.
He still held that button in his hands.
Andi had no doubt he would press it. He’d probably try to get out of the situation himself first. He would go out that door and leave the rest of them to burn.
Somehow it would all look like an accident, especially considering the explosion earlier in the week. People would simply think it was a tragic coincidence.
Tommy knew that. He had a way with people, a talent for convincing them to believe what he wanted them to believe. That much had been obvious when they met him in Coldfoot.
Andi stepped closer. “This is going to end now. What do you hope to prove by killing everybody in this room?”
“No one gets to know my secrets.” More sweat ran down his face.
Andi knew a thing or two about secrets also. But this wasn’t the way to hide them.
“It sounds like if you can’t get your way then you just kill anyone who gets in your way,” she continued.
“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose,” Tommy said. “He’s working good out of our mistakes—out of our evil.”
“You’re twisting the Scriptures to make them mean what you want them to mean,” Duke said.
“No, I’m not! You’re just too strong-willed to see the truth.”
