Page 30 of Now Until Forever
Eliana waved toward the front counter. “Would you like some coffee? I’ll buy you a cup, and maybe we could sit and chat. We’d like to hear about the group.”
Faith shook her head. “I don’t need coffee, but some water would be good.”
Carlos went to the counter, paid for a bottle of water, and brought it back to Faith. When he sat, Eliana held her coffee in her hands on the table, her demeanor as if they were having a secret conversation or trying to draw the woman into her confidence.
“Thank you so much for coming to talk to us, Faith.” Eliana paused. “It was very brave of you to even step inside this coffee shop.”
“You have no idea.” Faith twisted the cap off her bottle, displaying toned arm muscles.
Carlos didn’t think the strength she’d built was for aesthetics, though he could be wrong. “Do you believe you’re in danger from these people?”
Faith took a tiny sip. “Maybe at one point. But it’s been years, and nobody has come around asking about me. I’ve been starting to let my guard down.” She looked at Carlos. “Your call was a reminder that I shouldneverstop looking over my shoulder.”
He didn’t want that to be the case, but said, “Smart.”
Eliana leaned forward. “What can you tell us about the Reverence Sisters?”
Faith shuddered just hearing the name. “It was three years ago. I started going to a Bible study on campus. At least, I thought that’s what it was on the surface. The women who ran it were… Well, I should’ve probably seen some red flags. My friend went with me once and never came again. I kept going. There was something about them, and what they were saying. They were good.”
Eliana said, “Good at drawing you in, and connecting with you?”
Faith nodded. “Until it’s too late and you realize the whole thing was a trap.”
Carlos managed to get a question in. “How long were you there?”
“Two months.” She took a breath. “I ran track in high school. State championship, fastest time of the women’s division.” She shuddered, and her voice broke.
Eliana said, “Running is your superpower.”
Carlos looked at her, blinking at the sudden shift in the conversation.
“I’ve always thought that being tall is mine,” Eliana continued. “I mean, I can reach things shorter people can’t. I stand out. So if I decide it’s what makes me unique and it’s something to be proud of…” She shrugged.
And wouldn’t you know, Faith softened enough to smile very slightly. “Running is my superpower. It’s been a while. Actually, I haven’t run since I ran away from the community. I should do it again.”
Eliana smiled, and the two shared a moment.
Carlos had to ask, “Did they try to stop you?”
Faith took another sip of water. “They shot at me. They chased me. Thank God they didn’t have dogs.” She shook her head, fear in her movements. Even just the memory of fear. “I just ran. I kept running. I don’t even know how far it was. Mylegs were burning. My lungs. Tears dried on my face. The heat drenched me in sweat so that the dress I wore was soaked by the time I stumbled onto the highway, and this couple picked me up. They were terrified. Thought I was a ghost or something. They took me to the hospital, then came back and checked on me, and eventually they offered me a room in their house.”
“It’s amazing that you got out,” Eliana told her.
Carlos figured she needed as many people as she could get to tell her that. “You’re rebuilding your life.”
“I sell mattresses. I’m not curing cancer.”
“Doesn’t matter,” Carlos said. “You know I’m a cop. So believe me when I say that many people don’t get out of whatever terrible situation they end up in. They’re stuck and they stay stuck. For whatever reason they can’t fight or don’t believe they even have a chance if they did. But you took a chance and you got out.”
Eliana stared at him, a sheen of tears in her eyes.
“Thank you.” Faith hugged her purse on her lap but didn’t make any move to get up. Maybe she was reluctant to leave the conversation for some reason. “Sorry I can’t help you find your sister.”
Eliana said, “While you were there, how many others lived in the community?”
“Six or seven, I think. It fluctuated. We weren’t allowed much contact at first. Until we had passed the first two levels, we were kept alone. I saw them out my window sometimes, walking to the meeting hall. But I didn’t get far enough to speak to them.”
Carlos didn’t like the idea of Luci being in that situation any more than anyone else. These people needed to be shut down—which meant, hopefully, they hadn’t destroyed themselves already. But if they had, where were the bodies? “Did you ever meet the leaders?”
