Page 29 of Vows of Murder

“It’s mine,” I said. “But I’ll share. You get showered and I’ll go down and get the pie. Do you want a bottle of water or anything?”

“Water would be great. I don’t think I’m even going to be able to finish the pie. I’m tired. I drove into Bakerstown to talk to the parent group that swarmed the station. Everyone wants to know if their daughter or son is atthe compound.”

I’d checked out the information Beth had given me earlier. New Hope Lies was an active Facebook group, and I’d seen the notification that the group was meeting in Bakerstown. One of the members had live-streamed it for others who couldn’t get away or weren’t located in California. “It must behard on them.”

“Some of them haven’t seen their kids in years. One woman said it had been three years for her ex-husband. New Hope isolates the new members and has them cut all ties with their families. New Hope is their new family.” He leaned on the wall and stretchedout his shoulders as he talked. “Wait, you’re too calm about this. Howdid you know?”

“Beth did her dissertation on cults. She studied New Hope and had mentioned on the ride home that there was a family Facebook group. I found it. They have lots of information about the new compound. And a lot of angry parents saying crazy things.” Greg couldn’t be mad at me. I didn’t go anywhere or put myself in danger. And Beth had been the one to tell me in the first place. He should blame her.

But all I got was a sigh. “Of all the people Jim could have fallen in love with, we get a cult expert just as a cult leader is killed on my watch. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she was a plant.”

“Jim wouldn’t lie about dating someone. Besides, she stayed with your mom during treatment. I think it’s kismet. She’s nice and smart.”

“Did you have fun with Mom and Beth today? Jim called and said youmissed dinner.”

“He ratted me out? Wow. I wanted some time alone,” I admitted. My need for a night to myself shouldn’t have been hard to accept, but Jim thought he knew what was best for everyone.

“Well, they missed you.” He turned and headed to the adjoining bathroom. “Don’t eat all my pie and don’t forget thewhipped cream.”

I used a bookmark and set my book down on the bed. The book was an older one I hadn’t read when it was first released.Pack Up the Moonby Kristan Higgins probably wasn’t the best book to read just before pledging your life to another. The main characters had only been married three years before the wife died of a rare lung disease. It went back and forth between her past POV and his current one. The story’s emotions were heavy, but also light. And there were letters. Handwritten letters from the wife to the husband, one a month for a year. To help him cope. I’d laughed and cried while reading it. It was a great book. I just hoped I had time to finish before Saturday. I didn’t want to think about anything during our special time on Saturday. Not even theinvestigation.

Man, I mustlove this guy.

I ran downstairs and got out the pie, cutting it in half and putting it on plates. Glancing at the box, I saw the New Hope label. I guess they’d found at least one restaurant to supply. I hoped the pie wasn’t as good as it looked. I grabbed forks, a bottle of water, and a can ofwhipped cream. Then I picked up the plates. Emma had followed me downstairs and licked her lips.

“No way. You know you can’t dosugar, right?”

The look on my dog’s face seemed to deny that fact even existed. We went upstairs and I set the plates on the dresser with the whipped creamand the water.

Then I went back to reading.

“That must be a good book,” Greg said. He stood in front of me, dressed in sweats and holding the plates of pie. “I’ve been talking to you since I got out of the shower, and you’ve been lost in the book. And you’re crying.What’s wrong?”

“I just hit another sad part of the book. It’s so good.” I put the bookmark back inside and closed the book, putting it onmy nightstand.

He held out the plates. “And that’s why I love you.”

“You better. We’re getting married in two days.” The thought gave me chills. But I couldn’t tell if they were good chills or warning ones. Either way, the deed was going to happen. Come hellor high water.

I sat up on the bed, curling my legs underneath me. I took one of the plates. “My wedding dress is in the guest room closet, so don’t go digging in there for anything before Saturday.”

“I need a suitcase. I guess I need two. One for Friday night and one for Saturday night.” He took a bite of the pie. “This is tasty.”

“Yeah, I was afraid of that.” At Greg’s puzzled look, I shrugged. “It’s from the New Hope bakery at the compound. I hope they don’t put Sadie’s bakery out of business. It’s hard to compete with free labor. And just leave your Saturday clothes on the dresser. I’ll pack them with mine in a suitcase. It’s just one night. But don’t forget your suit. I’m swimming in that pool on Sunday before we leave. They heat itin the winter.”

“Good to know.” He finished his pie. “Yeah, I think Sadie might be in trouble if the rest of their products are that tasty. And speaking of our friend, I had to have a chat with her boyfriend about the fight he had with Kane last Sunday at the diner. The guy goaded Bill into taking a swing. I didn’t think thatwas possible.”

“From what I heard, Kane made a crack about Sadie. Got to love a man who stands up for the woman he loves.”

“Unless he also kills the guy who trash-talked his girlfriend.” Greg held up a hand. “Don’t kill the messenger. Bill might have an alibi for time of death if he gets permission for me to talk to the man he was counseling at the time.”

“And if he doesn’t?” Bill felt a strong duty to his parishioners. If the guy didn’t want anyone to know he was being counseled, maybe Bill wouldn’thave an alibi.

“We’ll find another way to verify. Bill didn’t do this. We both know that.” He stood and reached for my plate. “I’ll run these dishes and the cream back down to the kitchen. Do you need anything before I lock up and come to bed?”

I glanced at the book. I could get a few more pages read before he got back.

He chuckled. “Don’t worry about it. You can leave the light on so you can read. I don’t think a freight train rushing by the house could keep me from falling and staying asleep.”

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