Page 68 of Lethal Danger

She leaned forward as she stared at the image. “A death threat? More sabotage?”

“Seems like it.”

A flash sparked in her eyes. “Over my dead body.”

Hawthorne hid a grin. There was the ferocity of his heroine.

“Where did he find the note, specifically?”

“He said it was tucked into the base of the control panel stand. But that was in the east Skyride building. Far away from the midway where the explosion took place.”

“So the police lab techs wouldn’t have done a thorough search of that building.”

“Exactly. They’re doing that tonight, now that the note was found.”

“Do you think it really is from the cult?”

Hawthorne paused before answering. He wanted to believe it. He’d jumped to that conclusion right away, fueled by his desire for Patch to be stopped, once and for all. But his reason and logic had caught up with him after his emotions calmed. “Hard to say for sure. On the one hand, it seems pretty dumb for anyone from the cult to use their own stationary if they’re behind the sabotage and your aunt’s death. But…”

“They’re radical enough that they might be that bold?” Jazz’s eyes scanned his face as if she was looking for answers there. “Maybe thinking they can’t be caught or prosecuted for some reason?”

Hawthorne lifted his fork, catching more fettucine in the tines. “I could see that. Desmond Patch has an ego like you wouldn’t believe. That can make some people think they’re invincible.”

Jazz’s lips formed a thoughtful pucker. “I suppose it could also be some member of the cult, wanting to point the finger at Desmond.” She lowered her eyebrows. “Though I don’t know why they wouldn’t just leave instead of doing something so drastic to get at him.”

“You’d be surprised. People can get pretty messed up inside that place.” And never leave. Even though they should.

Jazz gave him a look that suggested she’d read too much of the thoughts he hadn’t spoken. Did she understand somehow? “Let’s find out.”

“What?”

“Let’s go inside.” She stabbed some spinach and arugula from her salad with her fork. “I don’t know about you, but sitting around waiting for another sabotage attempt doesn’t sound like fun. I want to find out if the cult is really behind this. Then we can do something about it.”

A grin stretched Hawthorne’s mouth. She was really something. “I like the way you think.”

“Thank you.” She flashed a big smile that sent a jolt through his chest. Like it would do to any healthy male, interested or not. She was a stunning woman. With an amazing personality to match.

Back on task, Emerson. Right. She wanted to go inside the cult. “Unfortunately, I’m not allowed at the commune.”

“The commune? Is that what they call Best Life?”

“Yes. That’s the community where all the members live together.”

“Why aren’t you allowed?” She took a bite of the greens.

“It’s the regulation for anyone who leaves the cult after living there. They’re banned from returning or having communication with any members.”

Her eyebrows drew together as she quickly munched her mouthful of salad. She swallowed in a hurry. “You mean you can’t communicate with your family there? With your parents and your sister?”

She’d paid attention to what he’d shared with her. Didn’t know why that pleased him. Probably because she was the only person he’d shared that part of his background with. Well, the only person since Terry Prentice, the Marine chaplain who’d led him to Christ. “That’s right. And they aren’t allowed to communicate with me.”

“That’s awful.” The sadness reflected in her emerald eyes showed she meant the words.

“Pretty much.” Even more awful was the fact that his parents probably didn’t want to communicate with him. Not when Desmond Patch commanded them not to. And not when he’d rejected the rules and community they’d chosen over everything else.

“I’ll go in alone then.” She took another sip of wine.

“What? I can’t ask you to do that.”

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