by Elaine Meece
Mrs. Craven had informed her of a group who helped women escape from these communes. Many of them had been convinced they were doing the Lord’s work and thrived in this environment.
Edna approached. “Talking won’t get these beans picked.”
Megan had been warned not to speak about Libby’s upcoming marriage. She turned from her daughter and continued to pick beans.
An hour after they had returned from the field, Joseph Hawkins summoned her to his chambers.
She had just enough time to feed the two dogs, shower, and change into a clean dress. They all wore simple cotton dresses, and despite the intense heat, they wore garments beneath them.
In the room where Hawkins waited, twelve elders sat to the side. They symbolized the disciples of Christ. Basically, these were the men running the commune and given the best women from the herd. Most of the younger men on the commune were excluded from the marrying pool and worked long hours daily. They all hoped to someday be one of the chosen ones.
A door behind his desk opened, and Edna entered with Libby following.
Joseph Hawkins walked over to Libby and smiled down on her. “God has chosen you to be one of my brides. You are blessed among women.”
Libby’s innocent face lit with delight.
Megan didn’t miss the words used in the Bible to describe Mary, the mother of Jesus.
“Tell the others what you told Edna,” he requested.
All the men focused their attention on her daughter.
Libby glared at her, her eyes filled with hate. “My mother told me you were a creepy old pervert that used young girls. And you should be arrested. She said what you do to me will hurt.”
“Pain is a way of redemption. Christ endured pain.”
Megan shook her head. “How dare you compare the crucifixion of Christ to having sex with a twelve-year old girl.”
Edna gasped.
Dan shook his head. “I’m sorry, Joseph. I thought Megan and I had come to an understanding. Apparently, she needs to be cleansed with the Holy Spirit.”
The men nodded in agreement.
“It is my ruling that her sins be purged by three of you. We can’t have a goat in our flock. Goats spread contempt.”
Megan’s stomach inched up her throat.
Her daughter smiled over his judgement, knowing very well what would happen to Megan.
“I’m with child,” she said, bravely. “A child this commune needs to continue.”
“It will be taken into consideration,” Hawkins said.
Megan nodded.
“We’ll do it tonight.” Hawkins’ dark brows bunched in the center, and he stared with a wild look in his eyes. “Until then, she’s not allowed to eat or drink.”
Before, Hawkins had let Dan oversee her punishment, and he had left her black and blue.
Her atonement of sins would be brutal. Three of the twelve would be selected to beat the devil out of her.
Chapter Four
That night she was led to a room where all the elders stood in a circle. Each wore a black robe, and three of them held belts or leather straps.
The sight of them made her tremble. Breathing became difficult. She pulled back, but the men held her firmly.
It reminded her of a Salem witch trial.
Two men dragged her to the middle where several iron poles stemmed from the concrete floor. A bar ran atop the poles. They secured her arms over her head and stretched her up between the poles.
“Please, don’t do this. You’ll hurt my baby. I won’t say anything else to Libby. Satan tempted me, but I’ll be stronger.”
One of the men walked up and ripped the dress from her body. She stood in only the body garment everyone in the commune wore. Humiliation and shame engulfed her.
Each of the three elders would take a turn. Once that was done they would baptize her, holding her under water to the point of almost drowning her until she confessed her sins.
The first elder, with a stern expression, stepped forward with a belt clenched in his fist. As he pulled his arm back, Megan closed her eyes and tried to mentally prepare for the strike.
Pop.
Pop.
Pop.
Her back burned. The thin garment didn’t stop the pain. It brought tears to her eyes. She fought them, not wanting these bastards to see her cry. The others who watched mumbled religious phrases asking God to remove Satan from her.
The second man stepped forward and struck her three times.
She bit her lip so hard she broke the skin. Blood ran down her chin. Finally, she couldn’t remain quiet. She screamed and cried, begging for mercy, but none was given. After finishing with three lashes, the last man jabbed her face with his fist, then spit on her. “You’re a Jezebel.”
Once they finished, someone lowered her to the ground.
Somehow, she had survived, but was her baby all right?
Now she had to undergo the baptism.
Only Joseph Hawkins entered the rectangular pool they used as a baptismal. He lowered her in the water and pushed her head under, then shouted bizarre words of repentance.
Megan gasped for breath each time Hawkins allowed her to surface. Fortunately, she’d always been a good swimmer and had strong lungs.
During the fifth dunk, she ran out of air and gasped taking in water and choking.
He brought her up. “Do you repent?”
“Yes. I do,” she managed to say after catching her breath. He helped her from the water, and someone slipped a long white gown over her.
That night while unable to sleep from the pain, she dwelled on the day she’d married Dan. She’d met him at a farm equipment show in Atlanta where she’d been hired to pass out flyers. He’d been staying at his brother’s house in Alabama right across the state line.
She thought moving to his Arizona ranch and starting a new life would be the most exciting thing she’d ever done. Plus, it meant getting away from Renee and her parents. It wasn’t until she arrived that she learned about the other wives and kids.
When she tried to leave, they stopped her.
Megan contemplated her escape. There had to be a way to leave. Others had done it. If she took Libby, it’d be by force. Her own daughter had been responsible for this. Megan didn’t have a shred of doubt Libby would let it happen again. A terrible thought came to her.
I may have to leave without her.
It’d be like leaving her heart behind. She recalled Libby’s sneering face.
Oh, God, how will I ever change her back to my precious daughter.
She didn’t want to involve Mrs. Craven. Megan would start by trying to find where they kept her personal information. Driver license. Birth certificate. Passport. Dan had taken them from her. Without any form of ID, it’d be difficult to leave the state.
Before falling asleep, she prayed to the real God for deliverance from these deranged people.
♦♦♦
Tuesday, the older Asian man saw Annie coming and hid behind a rack of clothes hanging behind the counter. She dinged the bell at the counter over and over.
He remained hidden.
“I can see you. Don’t make me come back there. I will.”
He peeked around the clothes. “Oh, I didn’t see you. I have pants.”
“That’s great.” She wondered why he’d been hiding. As he hung them up beside her, she recognized the slack pants. “That certainly looks like them.”
He nodded. “Free⸻for all your trouble. You take and go.”
She didn’t have to be Nancy Drew to know this man was up to something.
Annie raised the thin sheer plastic. The pants looked fine. She removed them from the hanger and held them up, searching for where the coffee stain had been.
Holy crap.
A hole her thumb could fit through was where the stain had been.
“Stain gone,” the man pointed out.
“That’s not the only thing that’s gone. What the blue blazes happened?”
&
nbsp; “Small accident.”
She glared at him. “You’ll be receiving a bill.”
Annie snatched the pants and left.
In the car, she shook her head. How would she explain this to Brice? Maybe he wouldn’t need to know. She’d go online and price the pants, print it out, and present it to the dry cleaners for reimbursement.
While driving, she thought of Megan. An intense feeling of sadness overwhelmed her. She missed her sister. It’d always been the two of them against Renee.
Annie spent the rest of the day packing for Utah. They would arrive on Wednesday and return on Saturday to Atlanta, giving her three full days.
Her flight would leave Salt Lake City at six p.m. and arrive in Phoenix at eight. From there she’d rent a car and drive to Garland, the closest city to Cactus Point. Being so small, it didn’t show up on the map. It had one motel, one diner, and a service station.
She wrapped the small gun in bubble paper and packed it in Styrofoam peanuts so it wouldn’t move around in the box. She addressed it to the motel where she would be staying, then dropped it off at FedEx. She’d only take two carry-ons and a purse.
On the drive home, she called the motel to inform them she’d be receiving a package the day of her arrival.
She’d pick up bullets at the first Walmart she came to.
♦♦♦
Brice drove toward Zurtel in the heavy I-85 Atlanta rush hour traffic. He hadn’t heard any more from Annie about his pants. Would she bring them tomorrow? Just in case she didn’t, he packed an extra pair.
He’d texted Shea that he’d pick the boys up around nine.
He looked forward to the trip especially since Tristen had asked him to help pilot the flight. It was the one thing he missed about his old job⸻the freedom to fly the company jet.
Something in his peripheral vision zipped by his SUV. He quickly glanced out the windshield but didn’t see anything. He wasn’t sure what he had seen. It had disappeared in the blink of an eye.
What the hell?
He pulled into the garage, parked, grabbed his computer bag, and headed to the elevator. His hand slipped inside the closing doors, causing them to open.
Brice gasped. Mr. Garner, one of the stockholders and board members, lay crumpled on the floor. His face ash white. Brice called 911, then while on the phone with the operator, he started CPR on the older man.
The paramedics arrived and relieved him. They worked on Garner until they had him breathing. More people gathered to watch. Once they had him stabilized, they loaded him in the ambulance and left.
Brice called Cynthia concerning Garner. “Paramedics took him to Northside.”
“Was he alive?”
“Yes. Should we call his family?”
“His wife died last year. He only has a daughter in Texas. I’ll give her a call.”
“Should I follow the ambulance,” Brice asked.
“No, go to the office. I’ll run down there.”
An hour later, Cynthia called. “He’s doing fine. I reached his daughter. She’ll fly in tomorrow. She mentioned he’d had a slight heart problem for years.”
“How old was he?”
“He’s sixty-eight. But he’s active for his age.” She paused. “He’s a nice man. I’m glad he’s going to make it. Not to sound ruthless, but if he had died, a lot of Zurtel stock would be up for grabs. I know a certain redhaired Piranha who’d buy them up.”
“The one who sent me enough Grade A beef to feed a small country?”
“Yep. That’s the one.”
“Is the trip to Utah still on?” Brice asked.
“Yes. I’ll check on him before we leave in the morning.”
After disconnecting, he studied the financial reports. Zurtel had been at the top of the Dow for months. Highest stock on the market. If Kayla Miller planned to buy it, she’d need a lot of money. He picked up the paper and turned to the stock reports. Novik remained near the bottom. If Kayla wanted it to be larger and more successful than Zurtel, she had her work cut out for her.
But something about Kayla Miller seemed off. The lady might not be completely glued together. The way she glared at Cynthia was unnerving. But so were the seductive smiles she gave him. Had he become a game piece in her plan to destroy Zurtel?
Brice stood and stretched. He’d been cooped up in the office all morning. He needed to speak with someone in payroll. Rather than call or email, he decided to ride the elevator down and speak to them in person. It would give him a chance to meet the people who’d be working under him.
On the fifth floor as he walked by human resources, he heard his name mentioned. He paused outside the door and listened.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Brower, but Mr. Jordan doesn’t interview applicants. We do that here.”
“I was hoping to speak directly to him,” replied a female voice. “I thought by my sister working here, he might be willing to see me.”
“Who’s your sister?”
“Annie Spencer.”
Brice recalled one of her sisters lived in Phoenix, so this had to be the sister who’d cost Annie her last job. He stepped inside the office. “I’m Brice Jordan. And you are?”
“Renee Brower. Annie’s sister.”
Renee had bleached blonde hair and a very tanned face. She had the washed-out party girl look. Some of the fine lines might’ve been from meth use. She wore a very short skirt and a low-neck top that one might expect a Vegas cocktail waitress to wear.
“So what kind of position are you seeking?”
“Flight attendant. She mentioned the company would be hiring someone when Heather retires.”
“What qualifications do you have for the position?”
“Qualifications?”
“Education. Work references.”
An aha look crossed her face. “Oh, that. Well, I never finished school, but I have waited tables.”
“And that qualifies you how?” he asked.
“Well, that’s all my sister does. She passes out drinks and peanuts. You don’t need to know much to do her job. Any ten-year old could do it.”
Brice frowned. “You’ve underestimated her job. Annie has had extensive emergency medical training and knows a lot of flight aerodynamics, knowledge of engines, and how to evaluate a plane. It’s not just about serving refreshments.”
“I could learn all of that. I catch on fast.”
“Do you have any other attributes for this position?”
“I’m a trained massage therapist.” She smiled slyly. “You’d be amazed what I can do to a hard, tight muscle.”
Brice didn’t like the tone of her voice. It’d taken on a seductive tone. The human resource clerk’s eyes widened.
He thought of a way to send her packing. “So, you said, Annie sent you?”
She smiled. “Yes, she did. And she told me to ask for you.”
Brice knew better. He thought of a little white lie that would get him off the hook. “I guess Annie doesn’t know about our company policy.”
Renee appeared concerned. “What policy?”
“We don’t hire relatives of our employees, so there’s no reason for you to waste your time filling out applications or being interviewed.”
She appeared stunned. “Well, there’s nothing that says we can’t have a drink together.”
“There’s many reasons why we can’t, and I’m afraid now I’m late for an appointment. I’ll walk you to the elevator.”
While waiting for the elevator, Renee tapped her foot impatiently. Her scent of cigarettes and a cheap perfume made him queasy.
Brice had pushed the up button to return to his office. The elevator dinged and the one going up opened first. He shot Renee a professional smile. “Have a nice day, Mrs. Brower.”
Once back at his desk, he called the receptionist in the lobby and made sure Renee had left the building.
By lunch, Brice had gone through all the reports from both the Atlanta and Jacksonville offices. The company functioned like a w
ell-oiled machine. He didn’t want to be left with this much time on his hands each day.
He stood and headed downstairs. Normally, he would’ve driven home for lunch, but now, driving to his condo didn’t appeal to him. He didn’t like eating alone.
When the elevator opened, Annie stood in the corner. It had taken a moment to recognize her with her hair down. She wore a long clinging sleeveless dress with sandals. The dress revealed the curve of her hips. “Annie?”
Wearing her thick, brown glasses, she glanced up. “Mr. Jordan.”
“It’s Brice. What brought you here today?”
Not that it was any of his business but he thought it might be related to her sister’s visit.
“I’m changing my beneficiary information.”
If she’d been an hour sooner, she might’ve bumped into her sister.
“There’s something I need to speak with you about. Have lunch with me.”
“I have errands to do.”
“Surely, they can wait. Do you like Chinese?”
“Yes, especially the noodles.” Her owlish glasses slipped down her nose, and she pushed them back up. “I suppose I have time.”
He drove them to the Fortune Cookie on Briarcliff. Annie smelled nice. Fresh and clean like roses in springtime. He talked about his boys on the drive, and she mainly listened.
He pulled in front of the restaurant. The parking lot didn’t have a vacant space. “Go in and grab us a booth. I’ll park.”
He ended up parking on a side street and walking back. Hearing a buzzing sound, he stopped and glanced around him but didn’t see anything and kept walking.
After their food was served, he opened the chopsticks and stared eating. The food dropped every time. He grabbed his fork instead. “I was trying to impress you with my chopstick skills.”
Annie laughed softly. “You get an A for effort.”
“There’s something I need to tell you that won’t make you happy.”
Annie lapped up a noodle. “If this is about your pants, I’ll bring them tomorrow. They’re at my house. Actually, my dry cleaners is in this shopping center. Well, I should say my ex-dry cleaners.”
