by John Bowers
Victoria’s eyebrows shot up.
“Wow.”
“I know. It was impetuous and immature, but I really meant it. I knew he was already married—well, I thought he was—but I wanted to be his second wife.”
Victoria scribbled notes on her pad. Brian Godney sat staring at the girl in stark disbelief, and Nancy Swift looked both surprised and faintly amused. Victoria looked up again.
“So, the meeting with Marshal Walker was the catalyst for what happened later?”
“Yes.” Drusilla nodded. “Dorcas can tell you what happened next. Better than I can.”
Dorcas Downing took a deep breath, as if facing a bad memory.
“I grounded Maggie, but a few days later she slipped out of the house at night. They had a concert in Center Park and she wanted to go to it. It was forbidden, of course—it was the devil’s music—but she snuck out after I went to bed.”
“She went to the park?”
“Yes. After about an hour, the music woke me up. They had put up force fields to keep the noise down, but there was this throbbing sound that seemed to carry through the ground, if that makes any sense. I couldn’t sleep. I went to check on Maggie, and she was gone. I was pretty sure where she went. She and that girl next door had been talking about the concert for days.”
“The girl next door…Patsy Morehead?”
“Yes. I didn’t approve of Patsy, but she was about the only friend Maggie had, and I couldn’t bring myself to deny her at least that much.”
“We felt that Patsy was a bad influence,” Drusilla said. “She was completely worldly, with her makeup and her miniskirts and her godless attitude.”
“You were living with Maggie and her mother?”
“Yes. I moved in after the war. With my husband and both my boys dead, I didn’t want to live alone, and I figured Dorcas needed help with Maggie. Nicodemus lived with us, too.”
Victoria turned back to Dorcas.
“So, when you found that Maggie had slipped out, you went looking for her?”
The woman nodded.
“I headed toward the park. That seemed like the only place she would go. And I found her there, with Patsy and Marshal Walker. I called out to her, and just a few seconds later, Nicodemus shot the marshal.”
“Did you know that Nicodemus was also out of the house?”
“No. Nicodemus was a good boy, never caused any trouble. We never had to keep track of him. We didn’t know he was the one who had killed the deputy, and we didn’t know he was trying to kill Marshal Walker.”
“What happened next?”
“I saw the marshal fall, and then I heard the shot. Maggie and Patsy started screaming, and the only thing I could think was that whoever was shooting might hit one of them. I started running toward them, but I was too late. There was another shot, and Patsy fell. I got to Maggie and threw her to the ground.”
“That must have been terrifying.”
“It was. I thought we might all die. But that woman, Suzanne—she was also there, and she started shooting back with the marshal’s gun. And the police came a few minutes later.”
Victoria scribbled more notes. She turned to Maggie.
“You were talking to the marshal when Nicodemus shot him?”
Maggie wiped her eyes and nodded. Her composure had returned.
“Patsy and I were talking to him and Suzanne. I was trying to convince him that I was serious about marrying him.”
“How did he respond? Just out of curiosity.”
“He gave me several reasons why it wouldn’t work. But we never settled anything, because Nicodemus shot him while we were still talking.”
“But he was wearing a bullet-proof vest.”
“Yes, thank the Lord. But I thought he was dead.”
“How did all this lead to you being stoned?”
“Antiochus heard about the shooting,” Drusilla said. “I don’t know who told him, but he showed up at the house a day or two later. He somehow knew that Maggie had been there, and he was angry.”
“He came to the house,” Dorcas added. “He accused Maggie of being incorrigible and said he would have to convene the Council of Elders.”
“To do what?”
“To pass judgment on Maggie. He took her away and we didn’t see her again until the next day when he condemned her.”
Victoria turned to Maggie.
“What happened when Groening took you away?”
Maggie stared at the table a moment, a wrinkle across her brow. Victoria saw pain in her eyes.
“Take your time.”
Maggie nodded.
“They wouldn’t talk to me. Titus was driving—”
“Who is Titus?”
“Father Groening’s son. He was next in line after Father.”
Victoria nodded. She remembered from Nick’s report that Titus Groening had tried to upstage the old man and get control of the cult for himself. He had died in the attempt.
“Got it. Go ahead.”
“Titus was driving and I was in the backseat. I kept begging them, telling them that I wasn’t evil. They were accusing me of fornication, but I hadn’t done anything. When we got to the village, they locked me in the church basement. I was down there until the next morning, when they pulled me in front of the congregation and condemned me.”
“You were in the church basement all night? Did anyone give you food? Water? Bathroom?”
“There was a toilet in the room, but it was gross. I didn’t get any food until late that night. Lila brought me a sandwich and some tea.”
“Lila…?”
“One of Titus’s wives.”
“Lila is a good woman,” Drusilla said. “She was much too good for Titus. She never should have married him.”
“What happened next?” Victoria asked Maggie.
“On Sunday morning they took me upstairs and stood me in front of the congregation. That’s when Father Groening passed judgment on me.”
Brian Godney spoke up for the first time since the interview began.
“And the judgment was?”
Maggie looked at him.
“Death by stoning.”
Godney sat back, looking pale. His breathing sounded ragged.
Victoria made a few more notes and Godney did the same.
“Mrs. Downing—” She looked at Drusilla. “—I need to hear what happened to you. You tried to stop the stoning, is that right?”
“Yes. I couldn’t just stand there and watch it happen, no matter what the Bible says. I told the entire congregation that my son Ezekiel—Maggie’s father—was conceived out of wedlock, and that Antiochus was his father.”
“That must have caused quite a shock.”
“It did. He called me a liar and a few other things, then told them to shut me up. That’s when the rocks started flying. If Nicodemus hadn’t stepped up, I would have been killed.”
“What did Nicodemus do?”
“He had a gun and fired it in the air. Then he threatened to shoot anyone who was still holding a rock. About a minute after that, Marshal Walker and that lady police officer arrived. I don’t know if Nicodemus could have held them off forever, but once the marshal arrived, it was over.”
“But you had been injured?”
“Yes. One of the stones broke my collarbone.”
The interview continued for another hour. When Victoria finished her questions, Godney took over with his own. He asked detailed questions about the cult, the lifestyle, church organization, and rules of conduct. He needed to fully understand the power that Groening held over his congregations. The women freely answered all his questions. Finally, he glanced at his watch.
“Okay, I think that’s mainly what we need. I’ll need you all here on Monday morning for the trial. Marshal Walker will be the first witness, then I’ll call Maggie and each of you in turn. Dorcas, I may not need you, but I won’t know for sure until Monday.”
He glanced at Victoria.
“You need
anything else?”
She flipped her legal pad backward to consult notes she had made earlier.
“Before we wrap this up, I need to know if you knew a woman named Leah Casper.”
Drusilla’s eyes expanded. Dorcas glanced at her in alarm, and Maggie simply looked blank.
“Yes, I knew her. Why do you ask?”
“I have information that indicates she was also stoned on Groening’s orders. Is that accurate?”
“Yes. It was ten or twelve years ago.”
“And she died?”
“Yes.”
Victoria felt a surge of adrenaline and fought back the urge to smile.
“Tell us about Leah Casper,” she said.
Chapter 10
Godney wrapped it up. He told the witnesses he would meet with them again on Friday for trial prep, to prepare their testimony and harden them against cross-examination. That done, he thanked them for coming in. He and Victoria shook hands all around, then Victoria pulled Nancy to one side.
“Do they have accommodations yet?” she asked.
“I…haven’t asked them.”
“Okay. The trial isn’t until Monday, but I see no reason for them to travel all the way home to Trimmer Springs and then have to come back. Let’s put them up in the Cachet Hotel for a few days. Advance them a couple hundred terros for room service.”
Nancy’s eyebrows rose.
“That’s the most expensive hotel in Lucaston,” she pointed out.
“I know. But let them experience a little luxury. I doubt they’ve ever had any.”
Nancy smiled.
“I’ll take care of it.”
As soon as Victoria stepped into the corridor from the conference room, James Dillon was waiting for her. He sported a grin of satisfaction, the closest she had ever seen him come to an actual smile.
“Don’t go in your office alone,” he said. “It’s full of predatory creatures.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The Council of Elders. All five of them.”
“Good work. Give me five minutes.”
She visited the restroom and met Godney when she came out. His eyes were bright with excitement.
“Did you see Dillon?”
“Yes. He told me. Are you ready?”
“Uh…I was going to head over to DOC to talk to the Downing boy. I think he’ll be a powerful witness against Groening.”
“He will. Can you push that back? We need to interview these clowns before they decide to fuck the subpoena and bolt.”
“Yeah, okay. I can probably still get there today.”
“Good. If you’re ready, let’s go get ‘em.”
***
When she reached her office, Victoria stared in shock at the five men who sat in a row like so many primates. They all wore black suits, white shirts, and black hats that were several centuries out of style. They wore long beards, most of them grey, and ranged in age from mid-forties to mid-sixties.
“Meet the Council of Elders,” Dillon told her. “From left to right, that’s Elder Keyser, Elder Hofer, Elder Billings, Elder Jennings, and Elder Harris.”
Victoria stared at them. They glared back, hostility dripping from every pore. She turned to Dillon.
“How did you persuade them to come in?”
“I just told ‘em that if they didn’t come with me, they’d have to come with Marshal Walker.”
“But—”
He held up a hand to stop her, then lowered his voice.
“I never had to call Walker. Soon as they heard his name, they decided the resistance wasn’t worth it.”
“He must have put the fear of God into them.”
“Or the fear of Walker.”
Victoria pulled a chair out from her desk and placed it facing the five men. Godney placed another next to hers and they both sat. Dillon remained standing by the door.
Godney stared at the five religious leaders as if they were inmates in a zoo. Victoria asked Dillon to introduce them again, since she hadn’t yet matched their names to their faces. When he was done, she made her own introductions.
“I want to thank you gentlemen for coming in. My name is Victoria Cross and this is my associate, Brian Godney. We are U.F. Attorneys prosecuting the conspiracy and attempted murder case against Antiochus Groening.”
The oldest of them cleared his throat with a rumble.
“Father Groening is our spiritual leader. Our prophet. Why should we help you send him to prison?”
The others nodded and muttered as if he’d just made a profound statement.
“Your prophet broke the law. And I have evidence that he’s done it before, with far more serious consequences. In the case of Magdalene Downing, you were all complicit in sentencing her to death, so if you refuse to cooperate, I can charge each of you with conspiracy to commit murder. It’s a charge I can prove easily enough, and with the five of you in prison, what will happen to your congregation?”
The five elders glared at her in surprise. A couple of them turned pale. The oldest one, who apparently outranked the others, did not.
“You have no idea what kind of power you’re dealing with. Father Groening was appointed by God to lead His congregation. The five of us were also appointed by divine authority. The fact that you dare to confront us in this manner is no surprise, since you are clearly a wanton woman who has given herself over to Satan!”
Victoria fought back an urge to laugh. Instead, she leaned forward and added steel to her voice.
“Let’s get one thing straight, Mister…”
“Elder! Elder Billings.”
“Let’s get one thing straight, Elder Billings—I’m not a member of your church. I’m not under your authority and I don’t recognize your authority. I think you all look ridiculous in your prehistoric outfits, so don’t think you can intimidate me in any way. Don’t even try to make me feel ashamed or embarrassed that I don’t meet with your approval. The truth is that if I did meet your approval, I would be very upset about it.
“What you need to understand is that, in this office, I hold the power of prison in my satanic hands, and if you want to avoid being locked up for the rest of your miserable lives, you had better pay attention! Are we abundantly clear on all of that?”
Some of the younger men looked alarmed, but Billings merely glared back.
“Whatever authority you think you have pales in comparison to that of Almighty God!” he thundered. “In Father Groening’s absence I am the senior pastor in the congregation, and I recognize no authority but God’s. I certainly do not fear a harlot such as you! Get thee behind me, Satan!”
Victoria relaxed a fraction and sat back in her chair.
“Your name came up recently, Elder Billings. In addition to the case at hand, I’m also looking into the death of Jonathon Hawkins, who died because you denied him medical care. That alone will get you twenty years, and at your age, it could amount to a life sentence. If you hope to avoid prosecution on that, you had better change your attitude, or maybe sacrifice a virgin to take your place. Oh, wait—you already tried that, didn’t you? That’s why you’re here.”
Billings shot to his feet.
“I do NOT have to sit here and listen to this!” He pointed directly at her face. “In the name of Jesus Christ, I REBUKE you! Get thee behind me, Satan!”
He glared at her as if expecting her to fall into a seizure and die. She didn’t. Instead, she also got to her feet. Without taking her eyes off Billings, she spoke to James Dillon.
“Detective, place this man under arrest and find him a room at the Department of Corrections.”
“Yes, Ma’am. What shall I charge him with?”
“Let’s start with obstruction of justice. I’ll draw up a list of charges later that should get him a permanent berth at Syracuse Island.”
Dillon stepped forward with a pair of E-cuffs and spun Billings around. The old man grumbled and sputtered as Dillon cuffed him and advised him of his Miranda right
s. The other four elders watched in confusion, greatly disturbed but unsure what to do. Victoria anticipated them and pointed a finger at each of them.
“You four remain where you are, unless you also want to be arrested. Just remember—once you go into lockup, you could be there for months, maybe years. Who is going to oversee your congregation then?”
They shifted uneasily, exchanging glances. Apparently none of them was willing to step forward with the same defiance Billings had shown.
Victoria tossed them an olive branch.
“Gentlemen, all I want from you is information. I’m not asking you to betray your faith or tell any lies about your leader. I merely want to find out what happened, so just tell me the truth and you can all go home.”
A cold silence followed for ten or fifteen seconds. Finally, one of the men spoke up.
“What do you want to know?”
“You were all present when Father Groening convened the council to judge Maggie Downing, is that correct?”
“Yes.”
“Okay… Excuse me, I’m sorry, but I don’t have all your names straight yet. Which one are you?”
“I’m Elder Keyser.”
“Thank you. Elder Keyser, just tell me what happened at that gathering. What kind of procedure is used in a case like that?”
Keyser cleared his throat, but before he could answer, another elder hissed at him.
“Joshua! What are you doing!”
Keyser glanced at him with a look of resignation.
“I’m doing what I have to do. I have a family and I can’t do them any good from prison.”
“Are you insane! She is the devil’s advocate! We have no communion with the likes of her! The scripture is clear! Remember Paul and Silas—they suffered prison for His sake and rejoiced at the opportunity.”
“Paul and Silas aren’t here,” Victoria said, “but if they were, I think they would cooperate with me. I’m not trying to stamp out your religion or persecute you because of it. I’m only trying to get justice for a sixteen year-old girl who almost lost her life because your leader carried his religion too far.”
“What do you know about scripture?” the antagonist demanded.
Victoria laughed.
