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“So what about the people who aren't at this highest level? How do they live their lives?" she asked.
“There are many people who serve the foundation willingly at lower levels, and who work on the farm and earn a salary during the day, who help with our outreach programs, who organize or cater for our events – also paid work – and who have ordinary lives and families. They are proud of their role. They seek to rise in the levels, but they don’t seek to turn their back on the outside world. Only a very select few do that, and they are the spiritual backbone of our foundation.”
“Including Heidi?”
“Like I said, she chose to renounce her family. She was a highly spiritual person.” He drew in a deep breath. “I am the second generation leader. My father started this. We have been in the area, farming and doing good work for more than fifty years. Do you really think the authorities, the police, would let us operate out in the open, holding public events, if we were not legitimate? The police are investigating this! But they have gotten nowhere as yet.”
Cora didn’t know if she was convinced. She had a strong feeling that there were still nefarious intentions hiding away in this foundation. But it wasn’t her problem.
"Unless you can figure out who's doing this, then you've got a disaster on your hands. Right now," Cora said. She didn't have to sugarcoat it. He could see it for himself. She had her answers, and now he would be left with the fallout.
She was about to turn away when he surprised her again.
“Listen here,” he said. “You are an investigator. You got in here; you bluffed your way in somehow. You are clearly good at what you do. But perhaps not good enough to face what might come your way.”
“What do you mean by that?”
"Just now, my security team will be here. I bluffed when I said it was a candle that burned out. That was just to buy some time until I found out more about who you were and what your intentions were. We are taking more precautions than usual because of these deaths. I have a senior-level foundation member waiting outside in the group, and she would immediately have known something was wrong when you went in. If you listen, you will notice the voices have stopped?"
Cora listened. He was right. They had stopped.
"I have a team of four guards on site. They will be waiting. With what has happened, I'd be within my rights to hand you to the police. I might also start asking questions like where you got that outfit from." He stared at her consideringly. "The name of the acolyte will be on that cloak. Perhaps you would have to explain how you stole it and where she is now."
Cora felt a creepy sensation as he spoke the words. It was as if he was reading her mind. She wasn’t an expressive person; she didn't give much away with her body language. But he was picking something up from her right now.
"She's fine," she said. "I just borrowed it. Your acolyte is waiting outside with my partner, and she's unharmed."
“I don’t want trouble. I would rather work together,” he said. “I’d like for us to walk out, and for my guards to stand down, and for you to agree to help me.”
“Help you?” Cora asked, surprised.
“Why not? We will pay. It will be a business transaction. We have a problem; you can help us solve it. That way, you can help your client and also help us. Nobody wants to be dealing with murders. Nobody.”
He sounded intense. For an instant, his veneer cracked, and she saw the levels of stress beneath. And then, that handsome, inscrutable expression was back.
"I don't want your money. No matter that you’ve tried to whitewash this, I believe it's tainted."
The leader shook his head. "Please," he said. "We need your help. I can see it in your eyes. You want to know what's happening here. You want to get to the truth. That’s who you are. Help us, and we'll help you in turn." He looked at her more closely. “I could ask you why you took on this job. Did you just hear about it? Why did this family contact you? Perhaps they have other reasons for asking you to do this. Or you have other reasons for accepting it.”
Cora sighed.
He was right. He’d read her. He’d gotten to the heart of who she was. He’d seen the fire that blazed within her when she heard about injustices. And he’d sensed there was more. Ultimately, she needed to find out what had happened to Rose, but she also deserved to give this family full closure.
Having learned that Heidi was one of two members who’d been murdered, how could she go back to them and say she had no idea who the killer was? That wasn’t closure.
“Okay,” she agreed. “I’ll take on the job and see if I can find this killer. I’ll come and see you tomorrow. Eight a.m.?"
“Confirmed,” he said.
But Cora still didn’t trust him. Not when he’d tried to keep the police out, and the harmony of his foundation was the most important priority for him.
She was sure there were still more secrets to uncover and that he'd do whatever it took to keep them hidden.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Cora walked over to Gabe, feeling thoroughly conflicted about what had played out in that church hall. She didn't want to find out the whole truth, and she didn't want to help the foundation leader, but it seemed that right now, she had no choice.
People were offering her money, practically throwing it at her, for jobs she didn’t want to do. Was that ironic or what?
