Ben was still for a minute, then a half smile formed on his lips. “That’s all? Well, I’m certainly glad to hear it wasn’t of any consequence. Deidre, what am I going to do to keep you safe? Sit on you?” He came over to the tub, got on his knees, and began to massage her neck. He bent over and kissed the top of her head. “I worry about you every day you’re on the job.” He took a deep breath. “By the way, who treated you?”
Deidre relaxed, knowing things were all right. “We carry first aid supplies in our squads, and one of the deputies bound my arm. I stopped at the ER on the way home and they put these butterfly strips on. Just told me to watch for infection.”
Ben helped her from the tub, even though by now the effect of her two drinks had worn off, and dried her back for her. Together, they went to bed.
Chapter Thirty-One
The alarm went off far too early the next morning. Ben and Deidre almost had to pry their eyes open, and after two cups of strong coffee they still were suffering the effects of having drunk too much and staying up far too late the night before. They did make it out the door on time, and after kissing goodbye, went their separate ways to work.
Deidre spent most of the morning in her office finishing paperwork from yesterday’s raid. The women and girls had been taken to the women’s shelter, Superior Escape, and the numbers had swamped their capacity. Some were housed in the facility downtown and others were taken into homes by the women who volunteered at Superior Escape. Deidre didn’t think the victims were in imminent danger, and she was quite sure none wanted to flee. They would be well taken care of. Today, Social Services would begin processing their status. In some cases they would try to track down family, in others seek referrals for county assistance.
One arrest had been made, Sarah, the one who claimed to be Reverend Isaiah’s wife. She would be charged that afternoon with several counts: resisting arrest, assault with a deadly weapon, assault with intent to do great bodily harm, and contributing to the exploitation of a minor. Actually, that charge was multiple, one for each underage girl who had a child. As she interviewed more of the girls in the days to come, Deidre expected the number who had been molested by the good reverend to grow.
She was wrapping up the paperwork when her phone rang. It was Gary Rose calling.
“Hey, Deidre. How you doin’?” He didn’t give her time to answer but jumped into the reason he called. “Ben told me about what you discovered yesterday, and he asked me to call you with this news. Joshua Blood was arrested early this morning in Libby, Montana. That’s a small town just across the border from Idaho and not too many miles northeast from where he was spotted last week. I was notified because Blood’s name was on the FBI’s wanted list, and I was listed as the contact. I asked the authorities to question him about your Reverend Isaiah. Blood said he didn’t know anybody like that. Then he asked, ‘If I know anything about the northern Minnesota group, can we work some kind of deal?’ Right then, we knew he had information you can use with your case.”
Deidre breathed a sigh, not of relief but of exasperation. “Listen Gary, would it be possible for me to visit with you this afternoon? I’ve got some questions about this Blood guy and his group, and I need to pick your brain about a couple of other things related to my case. I guess this could be considered our cases, because if the story one of the girls told me yesterday can be corroborated, Joshua Blood will be charged with criminal behavior against her. Let the authorities know. Maybe we can work a deal on one of the charges if he gives up Reverend Isaiah.”
Gary told her he had about an hour free at two o’clock, which was fine with Deidre. By one fifteen she was on the road to Duluth. At two, she walked into his office, not even having taken time to stop at Ben’s to say hi. Gary was busy at his desk, his head down and concentrating on something that was evidently important. He looked up, startled, when Deidre knocked on the doorframe.
“Hi Gary, sorry to disturb you, but there are a couple of questions I need answers to.” Gary chuckled and invited her in.
“No problem. Blood has waived his right to an extradition hearing and is on his way back to Minnesota as we speak. I was just preparing papers for his reception into our custody. By the way, the Montana authorities are beginning their own investigation of him, and when we’re done, he may be headed back to them so they can pursue their own charges. Hopefully, he’ll never breathe another breath of free air again.”
Deidre took a chair kitty-corner from Gary’s desk so she wouldn’t be talking across the expanse of its cluttered surface. “Gary, I sure could use some help. I think you know, Two Harbors has been hit with an epidemic of crime, some serious and some more like vandalism. I think at least some, if not most of it, is related to Reverend Isaiah’s group. But now that we’ve discovered a connection between him and Joshua Blood, I wonder if they’re responsible for everything that’s been happening. Right now, I’m at a loss for what to do except to wait and see if the crime wave stops now that the men have taken off. What’s your take on it, Gary?”
He shrugged. “I can’t answer that, but I know that just waiting around isn’t the thing to do. I’m sure that’s not what you came all this way to hear. Specifically, what information are you looking for?”
Deidre knew her time with Gary was ticking away, so she got right to the point. “Was there any indication that Blood and his outfit were involved in any violent crimes?”
Gary cleared his throat and hesitated before speaking. “This was never reported to the papers, and what I’m going to tell you is in the strictest of confidence. If word leaks to the media, you and I will be in deep shit. But I know you, and I know Ben. I trust you completely. When we raided the compound down south, we found a cache of some very serious weapons. Not just a few hunting rifles and handguns. I mean serious arms: fifty-caliber sniper rifles, assault weapons, grenades, fifty-caliber Brownings, weapons an army would need. We’re working on the possibility that Joshua Blood was connected to a militia group, but we’ve got nothing so far except theories.”
Deidre let the breath she had been holding escape. “That’s what I needed to know. I suspected The Sanctuary was more than a religious colony, but now, it seems to be more than a suspicion. The reverend preached such a violent and hate-filled message, I thought he would be capable of serious crimes. Now I’m more certain of it. I know you work mostly with the interstate pedophile issue, and I wonder if I could talk to the agent in charge of the militia investigation unit. Any chance?”
Gary reached for his desk phone and dialed a number. “Jackie? Gary here. Any chance you can spare a minute or two? The sheriff of Lake County has something she’d like to run past you. Good. We’ll be right over.”
Jackie’s office was at the end of the hall. “Ben seems really happy these days,” Gary said as they walked. “I think you two getting together was a lifesaver for him. For awhile there, I didn’t know if he was going to make it.” Deidre smiled, but before she could comment, they were at Jackie’s door. Gary rapped but didn’t wait for an invitation. He walked in and plunked his frame down in a chair. Deidre remained standing until Jackie stood, shook her hand, and then sat down.
“Gary tells me you have a possible link between a group north of Two Harbors and our cult led by Joshua Blood. Why do you think that?” Jackie didn’t waste time with chitchat.
Deidre felt as though she had been put on the spot, but she responded without a hitch. “A witness told me that Reverend Isaiah, the leader of the Two Harbors group, used to visit Blood’s compound, and they preached from the same pulpit, preached the same message.”
Jackie cut her off. “How do you know this witness is reliable?”
Deidre’s hackles were rising, and the characteristic flush that she hated was beginning to redden her face. Pointedly, she answered. “Because four years ago she was a member of Blood’s group. The reverend and Blood singled out her a
nd two other girls who they called God’s Maidens. The girls were taken to Toimi and became a part of the group at The Sanctuary. That girl’s name is Anna. She has a child fathered by Reverend Isaiah and suspects she’s pregnant again. She was twelve when she was taken and she’s sixteen now.” Deidre paused for a second, then added, “What do you think, Jackie? Do you think she might be a reliable witness? If not, I won’t waste any more of your time.”
Gary shifted uneasily in his chair, wondering if he was going to have to break up a fight. Jackie blinked, and Deidre continued to stare at her, her jaw set and blue eyes seemingly turned the color of steel.
Finally, Jackie, coughed and settled back in her chair. “I guess I’d say you’re right. This Anna would be a reliable witness.” In an effort to gain the advantage, she asked, “What did you want to ask me? I have a meeting in ten minutes so we’d better finish our conversation.”
Deidre doubted the reality of a meeting, but she swallowed her pride. “I want to know if you have any evidence of a militia group operating in Lake County, my county?” she added to make her point. Jackie squinted at her.
“No, I can unequivocally tell you that we haven’t heard of anything happening in your county.” She emphasized “your” to let Deidre know her thoughts. “If anything comes to my attention, I’ll tell Gary, and he can get a hold of you.” Jackie looked at her watch and stood up. “Sorry I have to rush off, but I have a meeting to attend.” She walked out without so much as a thank you for coming in. Deidre and Gary were left standing in her office, looking at each other.
“What’s wrong with her?” Deidre wanted to know. “Does she treat everyone so rudely, or is it just me?”
Gary gave her a crooked, embarrassed smile. “I should have warned you. She can be a real . . . you know. Jackie’s interested in one thing, advancement, and evidently, she sees you as a threat. Maybe afraid you’re going to siphon off some credit she wants. Anyway, did you get the answer you wanted?”
Deidre was still fuming. “No. I wanted to ask her opinion about what I should do next, if she thought the threat in Lake County is over now that the men of The Sanctuary are gone, and if I can count on the FBI in the case I find out a militia is involved. No, I didn’t get my answers.” All Gary could do was offer his apologies.
On the way out of the building, Deidre stopped at Ben’s office. Fortunately, he was in, and she plopped down in one of his chairs. Before he could even say hi, she unburdened herself. “I just met one of your colleagues, Jackie.” Before she could continue, Ben raised his hands to cut her off.
“Say no more. I think everyone in the department has had a run-in with her. I don’t think she has a friend in the unit. I’m guessing she’s treading on thin ice, because I overheard her superior on the phone the other day asking someone what it would take to get her transferred out of here. Try to avoid her if you can, because whatever is eating at her probably will end up devouring her.” They spent a few minutes talking, and soon Deidre began to cool down.
She looked at her watch and stood to leave. “I’d like to go up to The Sanctuary before I go home. Any chance you and the girls could fix supper tonight?” She put her arms around Ben’s waist and placed her head on his chest. It was an automatic sort of move, one she made without thinking it might not be appropriate in FBI headquarters. Ben used his free arm to swing his door shut, and it latched.
“Deidre, I love you,” he said and kissed the top of her head. “Of course I’ll fix something. We can eat a little late so you can sit down with us. But tell me, are you going up there alone, or will a deputy or two be with you? I’ll worry if you go alone.”
Deidre squeezed him even harder. “I won’t go alone, promise.” They stood like that for a moment, and then Deidre looked up at him. “I’m so lucky to have you in my life. I love you.” She gave him one more squeeze and headed for her car.
Chapter Thirty-Two
The gravel crunched under the wheels of her SUV when Deidre turned off the paved road onto the dirt driveway. She was relieved to see a deputy’s squad already parked near the chapel of The Sanctuary, and he stepped out of his vehicle when she turned off hers.
“Hi Jake, how’s the day been for you?”
“Slow,” he answered.
“That’s good news. We’ve had enough excitement for a while. Got anything planned for your four days off?” The two carried on a friendly conversation as they walked to the first building. Deidre was relieved to find the door was still locked, and she tried several of the keys that had been confiscated during their intervention. The fourth key on the ring opened the door. It took several seconds for their eyes to adjust to the dimly lit interior, and when they did, Deidre was struck by the stark bareness of the room.
A homemade trestle table with a bench on either side sat near one wall. Two other six-foot-long benches were pushed up against the empty walls, and a fuel-oil space heater connected to a cement block chimney filled one corner. The unfinished wooden floor didn’t even have a throw rug covering it. The only word Deidre could think of to describe it was austere.
The two officers moved from room to room. There were five of them, all small. The last three were bedrooms. Two had double beds, but the third had four sets of bunk beds crowded into the space. All were made up with a single army surplus woolen blanket for a covering.
The kitchen was primitive. One drawer held a couple of butcher knives, and another, forks, spoons, and table knives. Deidre had seen better accommodations at rustic camps. There was no electricity in the building, and a slight shudder went up her back when she thought of what life must have been like for the women and children.
She and Jake moved from building to building, coming to the reverend’s last. His was the only one with electric lights, and Deidre turned them on with a flip of the switch. The floor was carpeted with a large, patterned rug. The dining table had chairs set around it, and the kitchen, while not a gourmet kitchen, was well-stocked. She opened a cabinet and discovered an assortment of brandies and wines.
His bedroom had a larger bed than any of the others she had seen, and it had a bureau with several drawers. Most of them were almost empty, but in the bottom-most, she found a case of condoms. She looked at them in disgust, and hoped someday she could get her hands on the hypocrite.
After an hour of searching the property, Deidre gave up. Nothing was evident that would in any way connect the group to a militia. She sighed, disappointed that she couldn’t call in the FBI’s subversive division.
On the ride home, she pulled out her cell phone. She knew this was distracted driving, but she wanted an answer to a question. She dialed the number of a place run by the Salvation Army , the place where Jeremiah Rude had been given shelter. A person with a cigarette-raspy voice picked up.
“Yeah, what can I do for you?” Deidre was a little unnerved by the gruff greeting, but she recovered quickly.
“I’m looking for Jeremiah Rude. Is he there?”
The person with the gravely voice coughed and then said, “Naw, he took off yesterday.”
Deidre was silent from the shock of the message. She rather stammered, “Can I speak to the person in charge of the shelter, please?”
Gravel Voice didn’t answer her, but Deidre heard someone shout, “Hey, Marge, some woman wants to talk to you about that Rude guy.” Deidre could hear noise in the background and then the sound of the phone being transferred from one person to another.
“Hello, this is Marge speaking. Can I help you?” Deidre thought she sounded as if she were expecting the caller to be asking for shelter.
“Hi, Marge. This is Acting Sheriff Deidre Johnson. I wanted to talk to Jeremiah Rude, but I’ve been told he left the shelter yesterday. It’s important that I know the circumstances of his leaving. Can you help me?”
There was a pause. “We try to be careful about
the information we give out concerning our clients.” Marge hesitated. “But I think in this case it will be okay. Jeremiah spoke so highly of you, Sheriff. He said you were his personal messenger from God. We provide shelter to those in need, but we also talk to the clients about their future. Our captain is really quite well-educated and competent at holding these discussions. He was able to convince Jeremiah that he was in need of professional help. Captain Williams arranged for Jeremiah to be seen at the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in St. Cloud. They have a wonderful psychiatric unit there and have helped several of our previous clients. Captain Williams arranged transportation for him, and Jeremiah should be in their hands by now.”
Deidre didn’t quite know how to respond. All she could think of to say was, “Thank you for your help. I hope things work out for Jeremiah.” She disconnected the call and pulled over to the side of the road. Her next call would be more complicated, she assumed. After finding the number of the VA hospital, she punched in the digits, listened while the phone rang, and was rewarded by being connected to an automated answering system. Deidre listened impatiently while the menu was being read.
Preying in Two Harbors Page 18
