Page 49 of Shadow of Death
“I thought that, well, I know Mateus was killed. I had thought that meant it would be all over. But you don’t think it’s over, do you?” Violet asked worriedly. “Whoever talked to him that day is really the head of this—or the true great prophet, or an archangel, or God himself?” she whispered.
“Violet, we really don’t know,” Hunter told her. “But—”
“You know, I was already afraid for me. Peggy was so brainwashed and into that guy, I was afraid she’d say something about me. That when theirArmageddonarrived, I’d be high on the list of enemies to be fought, but...”
She looked downward and winced.
Then she looked at the two of them, squaring her shoulders. “I dated a cop for a while. We’re still good friends. He used to take me to the shooting range. I can shoot. And I do have a darned good alarm on my house with a darned good alarm company. I willnotlet anything happen to Brian.”
“I’m glad your house is protected, but please—”
“Oh! I didn’t mean I was going to go around shooting people. I just meant if someone did break into my house, I wouldn’t be a wilting flower.”
“We’ll also see to it officers and agents are watching over the two of you,” Hunter promised. “And if you don’t mind, I’ll give you a call now and then, too.”
“Not at all—I’d be grateful. And I’m also grateful for any protection that’s offered to me,” she assured them.
Hunter stood, glancing at Amy. “I’m going to find Belinda and Brian,” he said. He looked back at Violet. “This woman is wonderful. I think she’s made him feel a little better already. But I believe you and your sister and her family were close and loving before all this, so I’m sure being with you is going to mean a lot to Brian.”
“Thank you!” Violet said softly.
Hunter didn’t have to find Belinda. A soft rap at the door sounded, and he quickly opened it; Belinda was there with Brian.
“Brian!” Violet whispered.
The boy ran to her sobbing. She engulfed him in her arms, and he hugged her tightly in return.
It was touching to witness. The boy truly loved his aunt Violet.
“We’ll leave you all,” Amy murmured, glancing at Hunter, who smiled and led the way out. But when they were in the hall, she asked him, “Did you speak with Andy about Hayden?”
“I did. An agent is at the security center at the hospital going over the security tapes, and another agent is on his way to her home. And we have another stop to make—”
“Right. We’re going to see Mr. Johnston—”
“Another stop. Conference room eight,” he told her.
“Who are we speaking with?”
“Well, according to Andy in nonprofessional terms, a total wacko. Most of those picked up were terrified. They had heard they needed toeatthe sins of others to save them, but they hadn’t been part of murder before. They hadn’t believed or realized until they were there that Mateus really intended to murder a girl, cut her heart out, drink her blood, and so on. I think they must have been told what the Johnstons had been told.”
“And they’re all murdering liars?” Amy asked, wincing.
“No. What happens is this—there will always be someone who realizes no matter what they’re being fed, there’s something seriously wrong with murder. Several dangerous cults through the years have been broken up because a member managed to get out, and get to the authorities, and tell them aboutsacrifices, torture, and murder. But they were all careful. They knew they might be the next sacrifice if they didn’t make it to the authorities with their information. I think many of those who were there were simply terrified they might be deemed sinners and would be sacrificed or, perhaps in this case,purifiedthemselves if they didn’t obey their prophet. But this fellow—his name is Riley Franklin—told the arresting agents they were damned, because they had condemned the girl to the fires of Hell for eternity by saving her life in this world. He didn’t know who had fired the shot, but we would all burn forever for having killed the greatest warrior, God’s own prophet, who would face Armageddon. I don’t know if it will lead us anywhere, but... “
“Maybe he knows the power behind the cell phone call,” Amy said. “Do we know anything about his background?”
“Andy said it was what we might expect. His father abandoned the family when Riley was four. Mother was an addict. He was shifted from foster home to foster home after his mother died of an overdose. He might have made it. He grew up, married a girl he’d fallen in love with when they were just twenty, and then she was shot at the jewelry store where she was working. Nothing in his life was going right, so... Well, he was easy prey. He just took a job about six months ago at a Denver gas station. I’m thinking he might have followed Mateus here from wherever, or someone might have suggested he could find a true spiritual path here with Mateus. Anyway, let’s find out.”
He opened the door to the room where Riley Franklin waited. Riley was sitting at a conference table and stared at his thumbs as he twirled them. Amy thought he was young, early twenties, a thin man with unruly dark hair and a narrow face.
He looked up at them. “Again,” he said.
“We need to—”
“You need to speak with me. Yeah, right,” Riley said, not looking at either of them.
“All right,” Hunter said. “I’m Special Agent Forrest and this—”
