The Chosen

by Patricia Bell

  I will never forget you, my friend.

  Emotion swirled as Luna changed into her night clothes and crawled under her covers. Tabitha sat on the side of her bed and stared into the ensuing darkness.

  “I cannot believe it,” Tabitha whispered once more. The moonlight shone brightly on her face, exposing a tear as it tumbled down her cheek. “I cannot believe it.”

  Luna rolled over. If she couldn’t believe that, wait until she found out the plans being made for the near future. A smile crept onto Luna’s face. The Chosen were about to be a few less in numbers. And Jonathan had kissed her. And almost confessed his love for . . . Something.

  Chapter 27 - Chief Collins

  “Anything on those car fires?” Erika asked Officer Tanner as she sat at her desk for her morning brief.

  “Not exactly. I called Gilbert PD this morning. The oncoming section said they got a vague description of three suspects. White guys, wearing jeans and tees . . .”

  “Well, that narrows it down to seventy percent of the population.” Erika shook her head. “What about the warrant?”

  “Denied. The judge said to get proof the Ferris girl is there, and he will let us in. As of now, he says they’re a peaceful bunch, and we are not to get involved.”

  That answer was inevitable. After the Waco incident back in the eighties, the police were hesitant to go into any type of religious sect without probable cause. And they had zero evidence that Luna was even there. For all she knew, the man who she’d been seen with could have been Santa Claus getting his tan before the Christmas season started back up. And even if someone from that group had given her a meal, it didn’t mean they had abducted her. Could have just been a charitable man, feeding a homeless girl a meal. But then, where was she?

  That gave her an idea. She got on her computer and did a couple of searches. When she found the information she was looking for, she called out, “Tanner!”

  “Yeah, boss?” He peeked his head in the door.

  “What you got going on?”

  “I was just going to head out on patrol and see if I can’t get a beat on our car arsons.”

  “Send Davis. I want you to ride along with me out to Phoenix.” She grabbed her purse and her cell phone and stood.

  “Sure thing, boss. Did you find something out on the Ferris case?”

  “Get your civvies on. I’ll tell you on the way.” She passed around him and headed for the door.

  “SO, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?” Tanner asked as Erika headed onto the Westbound I60.

  “Well, this whole thing got me thinking. When Rick and I went out there, we saw cornfields, gardens, as well as plenty of livestock. But one other thing we saw out there that I didn’t think much about until today is the cotton fields. For miles and miles ― cotton.”

  Tanner gave her a questioning stare. “Okay? There are a lot of cotton growers out in this area. What does that—”

  “Think about it. What would a community like them do for money? I mean, they wouldn’t need funds for food or basic necessities, but how do they get their shoes? Vehicles? Building materials?”

  “I’m still not sure what you’re getting at, Chief.”

  Erika sighed. “Cotton, Tanner. They are making goods from the cotton and selling them in the open market. I found them online. They call themselves The Chosen. They have a brand name and everything. Blankets, rugs, baskets. They have their own website as well as a stand at the Phoenix Swap and Shop.”

  “Oh. But you don’t think they would bring the Ferris girl there, would they?”

  “No.” Erika picked up her speed. “I just want to get a look at some of them. Feel them out. Maybe ask some questions,” she said, then realized she would need to be a little more specific. “Not an interrogation, mind you. Just a few friendly questions.”

  “I’ll let you do the talking,” Tanner said.

  “Good idea.”

  “THIS PLACE IS BIG,” Tanner said as they searched the booths for any sign of an Amish-looking group. “Hey, look. You want a hot dog? My treat.”

  Erika sighed. They’d been walking for what seemed like hours, and she was getting hungry. “Sure, Tanner. You grab some food and drinks, and I’ll find us a seat.”

  As Erika strode through the tables full of shoppers, she spotted an empty table in the back. “I’ll be over there.” She waved at Tanner and headed for the only empty table available.

  As she came closer, she got a good look at a group of men who sat just a few tables over. There were five of them. Two older men sported long beards, button-down shirts with suspenders and the same hat she’d seen on her trip with Rick. The other three looked much younger, maybe teenagers, and though the attire was the same, their faces were clean-shaven. She turned her head so as not to stare and proceeded to the nearby table to wait for Tanner.

  “Over here.” She waved as Tanner came into view.

  It wasn’t often she saw him wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Especially one that said, if you don’t like tacos, I’m Nacho type.

  He headed her way, and as he got a look at the men at the nearby table, he almost dropped their lunch. She gave him an intense don’t-make-a-scene stare, and he nodded and set the food down at the table before it landed on the floor.

  “Hope you like chili dogs,” he said overly loud, trying too hard to sound casual. Handing her a drink, he glanced back at the table. He would not make a good undercover cop.

  “Love them.”

  He handed her a paper bowl with a chili dog and fries.

  “Is that them?” Tanner whispered, nodding his head slightly toward the men.

  “I think so.” She took a bite of her dog. “Let’s eat quickly so we can follow them when they leave.” As it was, it looked like they were about done with their meal.

  Tanner nodded and ate half of his chili dog in one bite. “No problem, boss,” he mumbled through a mouth full.

  A couple of bites later, the men got up and headed in the opposite direction. Tanner started to rise.

  “Let’s wait a minute or so. We don’t want to look obvious.”

  “What if we lose them?” he asked.

  “We won’t. We saw which direction they went.”

  Tanner shrugged and sat back down to take a long gulp of his fountain drink.

  Erika took a couple more bites of her food before she decided it was time to go. She got up.

  “You gonna finish that?” Tanner asked, staring at the other half of her hotdog.

  “Go ahead.” She nodded. “Make it quick.”

  Before she could get the words out, he had shoved the entire thing into his mouth. Erika shook her head. What it must be like to have the metabolism of a two-year-old. “Come on. Let’s go.”

  Tanner dumped their trash into a nearby bin, and they headed off into the direction the men had gone. It didn’t take long at all for them to find them. They were in a booth at the back, selling all kinds of goods to local customers. Erika took inventory. There was a huge assortment of colorful blankets as well as several rows of rope baskets of all shapes and sizes and a section containing braided rugs.

  “Okay. Lemme do all the talking,” Erika said as she strolled off toward the booth.

  A bearded man held a colorful blanket in his hands as he spoke to a local woman.

  “No, ma’am. We are not Amish. We are just a local community of believers.” The man smiled courteously.

  Erika picked up a quilted blanket and inspected it. It was soft. Very well made. “How much?” she asked.

  One of the younger men stood and came toward her. “Blessed afternoon, ma’am. That is a nice one, is it not?”

  “Yes. It sure is. My daughter would love the colors. Do you all make these?”

  “Our womenfolk make these. The material is made from cotton grown in our own fields.” He nodded to the blanket still in her hand. “Each is dyed and crafted by hand.”

  “They are beautiful,” she smoothed her hand over the soft blanket again. “My daughter, she�
�s sixteen, she wants to be a seamstress. I bet she would love to see how it’s all done.”

  The man looked at her curiously and then back to the older man behind him.

  The older man stood. “Ma’am, I am sorry, but outsiders are not allowed.” He nodded, tipping his hat. “It is the rule of our community.”

  “Oh, darn. I know she would love to see the process. You couldn’t make an exception?”

  “No, ma’am. I am sorry. We do not allow the Eng— the outside world in. It is a rule. No exceptions are made.”

  “Never?” She was pushing it, but she had to know.

  The older man looked at the younger and then back to her. “No ma’am, not ever.”

  Something about the way they seemed to communicate silently with each other bothered her, but she didn’t let it show.

  “Well, okay, then. How much?” She held up the quilt.

  “Two hundred dollars, ma’am.”

  Erika about fell over. They were making a quick dime off of their wares. What were they doing with all of that money? Still, she pulled out her wallet and handed the man her debit card.

  “You do take debit?” she asked, hoping to get out of buying the overpriced item.

  “Yes.” The man nodded, took her card, and ran it through a card reader attached to the top of a tablet. Seemed pretty high-tech for the plain-living people.

  He handed her back her card, and bagged her quilt.

  There goes two hundred dollars. She sighed, taking the quilt and her card back from the man.

  As soon as they were out of range, she said, “She’s there.”

  Tanner stopped and stared at her. She turned around.

  “How do you know, Chief?”

  “Didn’t you see the look on his face when I asked if they’d ever made exceptions? That twitch in his eye and then the sideways glance at the man next to him. These people are probably not used to lying. They’re not good at it at all.” She turned and continued to walk.

  “So, what now?” he said, running to catch up to her. “We still got no proof.”

  Chapter 28 - Rachel

  As Rachel sat on the couch and stared at the random scenes that played across the television screen, Shelly and Hannah drank coffee and chatted at the kitchen table. Lenny and Timmy laid casually on the floor alternating between watching the insanely stupid cartoons and building a “tall tower” out of Duplo blocks.

  “She’s been gone for almost four months now,” Hannah said, taking a sip of her coffee.

  “I know, but Luna was a wild one. She’s probably off hanging out with her friends, not even caring that her mother is worried sick about her.”

  Rachel’s ears perked at the mention of the name. She turned to listen more closely to the conversation. She’d never in her life met a girl named Luna. Of course, all Chosen girls were given Biblical names. Boys were as well. There was not a name in the community that was not Biblical on some level. But Luna . . . That was a unique name. And she had heard it only one time before.

  “I don’t know. Todd told me the other night that they spoke to a witness who confirmed she saw Luna or at least a girl who looked like her, eating a meal with an Amish-looking man.”

  “Amish? There are no—” Shelly stopped abruptly. Her mouth opened wide, and her eyes even wider as her head swiveled to Rachel. Hannah’s head followed, her face bearing a resemblance to Shelly’s.

  Rachel was conflicted. She turned away and stared at the television. Her people may have banished her but could she bring herself to tell these English women that the girl they were looking for was staying within the confines of The Chosen? After all, Rachel had dug her own hole. She’d sinned. She deserved whatever punishment she received. She would not resort to . . .

  “Rachel?” Hannah called.

  Rachel feigned interest in the television.

  “Rachel, honey,” Shelly called again not willing to give up. “Could you come here for a moment?”

  Rachel sighed. She would not sell out her people. “Yes, ma’am?” she asked as she sauntered toward the two women.

  “You don’t have to call me ma’am. You know that” Shelly said with a smile. “You make me feel old.”

  Rachel nodded.

  “Rachel, do you know anything about the girl we were speaking of? Luna?”

  “I know no one by that name.”

  It hadn’t taken long for the rumors to spread about the girl with the familiar strange name, who was taken in by Brother Naaman. The girl whose name was changed to Rebecca.

  “Are you sure?” Hannah's eyes said she didn’t quite believe her.

  “Yes, I am sure. The English are not welcome within The Chosen.” And until that girl came along, no other outsider had ever set foot in their community. Rachel didn’t quite understand why she was there herself.

  “Okay, then.” Shelly didn’t press. “Are you ready for your doctor’s appointment?”

  Rachel nodded. She’d tried to convince the woman that she didn’t need to see a doctor, but Shelly wasn’t hearing it. She’d insisted that Rachel see one to be sure the baby was growing properly. It didn’t seem to matter to Shelly that it was against their beliefs to see doctors. Why it mattered to her anymore, she was unsure.

  “Yes. If I must.”

  “You don’t have to, Rachel. We talked about this, remember? I won’t force you to do anything you don’t want to do.”

  “It is just that, my people, they do not. . . Jesus is the Great Healer . . . if it is His will, I will have a healthy baby.” And after the way the child was conceived, she was sure it was not in God’s will. She could no longer count on God. She would have to resort to the ways of the world.

  She relented. “It is fine. I will see a doctor.”

  “Come on, honey. Let’s go. We have to drop Lenny off on our way.” Shelly called for her son to turn off the television and get his shoes on.

  Lenny groaned, yet grudgingly, he complied. It still hadn’t ceased to amaze Rachel that English children were allowed to sass their parents on a routine basis. Even a grumble was a forbidden act. Do all things without murmurings and disputings. Philippians 2:14 Another verse that had been drilled into her head.

  AS SHE LAY ON THE COLD, elevated bed in the doctor’s office, Rachel felt dirty. There was nothing unclean about the place. In fact, the smell alone was sanitary. No, it was the idea of another person viewing her body that made her tremble.

  “How are you doing today?” a smiling man who wore a white overcoat said as he entered the room.

  Rachel took in a deep breath and turned to Shelly. Even with his kind, brown eyes and generous smile, there was no way she would allow a man to look at her nakedness.

  “It’s okay. He’s the doctor,” Shelly explained as if that made all the sense in the world.

  “But I . . . I thought . . .” The midwives in her community were always women.

  “Rachel, is it?” the man asked.

  Terror took hold and froze her as solid as the dry desert floor. The man looked at Shelly for answers.

  “I’m afraid she’s not accustomed to male doctors,” Shelly said then turned to Rachel. “Honey, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize a male doctor would bother you. Doctor Coleman was my obstetrician when I was pregnant with Lenny.”

  “Oh, that’s not a problem,” the doctor interrupted. “I’ll get my PA in here. She’ll do an excellent exam. Would that be okay with you?”

  The man proved to be very kind. There was nothing to fear from him. Still, she was grateful he would not see her bare flesh.

  Rachel nodded her agreement.

  “Great. Then it’s settled. Ginny will be right in. You just sit tight,” he said and left the room.

  “I’m sorry, Rachel. I wasn’t thinking. I should have realized—”

  “It is well,” she whispered. “You did not know.”

  Several minutes later, the door opened again, and a middle-aged woman entered the room. She was dressed in a similar white jacket as the male
doctor, only it was much bigger to cover her ample hips and plump stomach.

  “Hi, Rachel? I’m Dr. Robinson, but you can call me Ginny. How are you doing today?”

  Rachel nodded. “I am well.”

  “How old are you, honey?”

  Hadn’t Shelly filled all of that out in the several pages of information they had given her? At least she thought she had. Rachel felt foolish being thirteen and not knowing how to read. Back home, it was normal, but here, reading seemed to be a necessity.

  “I am thirteen,” she said, barely above a whisper.

  “Thirteen, huh. Quite young to have a baby. Are you and the father together? Was this consensual?”

  Rachel turned to Shelly. She had no idea what the lady was asking.

  Shelly came to her rescue. “The father is not here, but yes, it was consensual. She was not forced.”

  The woman placed a cold hand on Rachel’s abdomen. Rachel shrunk back as a chill ran through her.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. My hands are cold, aren’t they?” Ginny rubbed her hands together to warm them. “I’m gonna order you an ultrasound so we can see just how far along you are. When was your last cycle?”

  “Three or four months ago.” She looked away, not wanting to make eye contact.

  “Okay.” The doctor finished her exam and then sent Rachel to the ultrasound room, which was even scarier than the previous room she was in.

  “It’s okay.” Shelly took Rachel’s trembling hand as she lay on the bed surrounded by monitors and all kinds of mechanisms she had no name for. “The tech is just going to measure the baby, and if we’re lucky, we’ll get to hear the heartbeat. It won’t hurt at all.”

  A young dark-skinned girl who looked as if she weren’t more than a few years older than Rachel walked into the room. She smiled at Rachel and proceeded to the stool next to the bed. Rachel stared at the girl in awe. Her skin was so warm, her blue-black hair so shiny and beautiful. Realizing how rude she was to stare, she pulled her eyes away. She’d never seen a person of any color than her own pasty white.