White Heat by Brenda Novak

Author:Brenda Novak [Novak, Brenda]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: General, Fiction, Romance, Suspense
ISBN: 9781426864049
Google: EPyWKXN8RI0C
Amazon: 1469230550
Barnesnoble: 1469230550
Goodreads: 7811455
Publisher: MIRA
Published: 2009-12-31T18:30:00+00:00

These people knew something about the missing girl. Nate would bet his life on it. From the moment Rachel mentioned that a girl who’d attended one of their meetings had gone missing, and that her parents were frantically searching for her, the room grew quiet.

“We’re aware of the situation, of course. It’s a real tragedy,” Ethan said, but he didn’t seem particularly sincere.

Bartholomew spoke up immediately afterward. “Courtney’s a nice young girl. She wanted to make her home here with us.”

Nate swallowed the food in his mouth. “She said that?”

“Yes. She came to a meeting and asked to stay for the Preparatory, or initiation,” he said, “but she wasn’t old enough. She needed her parents’ approval. She asked if I’d intercede for her, but that isn’t my place. We welcome all who would be happy here, but we don’t want trouble. I sent her home with a release form and—” he raised his bony shoulders “—she never came back.”

“That she’s gone missing is unfortunate, but not altogether surprising,” Ethan added. “Her parents probably said no, just as she expected, and she’s on her way to New York City or somewhere equally exciting to a young woman who’s an adventurer at heart.”

“How would she get there?” Nate asked. “Travel costs money.”

“Believe me, she’s very resourceful,” Bart said.

“She was willing to do almost anything to get away from her parents. And since she left, I can see why. They’re like other repressed Christians—afraid to experience the world for fear they’ll fall into the hands of the ‘devil,’ so afraid of him they actually become just like him.”

Nate found it ironic that Ethan, of all people, would say that. If his religion was like other religions, he, too, used the fear of hell to motivate his members. “So you think she’s still alive?”

“I have no reason to believe otherwise.” He closed his eyes and chewed with greater relish. “We must remember to thank Sister Maxine for this delicious meal. She has outdone herself, has she not?”

Just about every man there nodded and mumbled agreement. But Rachel ignored the change of topic and drew Ethan right back to Courtney.

“Her parents are claiming you’ve kidnapped her.”

The enjoyment instantly fled Ethan’s face. “I’m aware of that, too, but I have no idea why anyone would make such an unfounded accusation.”

Once again, the “Guides” began to study their food as if they’d never seen steak and rice before.

“I talked to her mother a few hours ago,” Rachel said. “I was looking at the flyer they have at the grocery store, when she came up and asked if I’d ever seen her daughter.” She took a sip of wine. “When I told her I hadn’t, she said, ‘The Covenanters have her.’”

The encounter had never taken place. Nate knew that because Rachel hadn’t had a car until he’d returned, and they hadn’t gone to the grocery store before coming to Paradise. But she was selling the incident, making it believable—and making everyone uncomfortable.

“Did you tell her you were here for an Introductory?” Ethan asked.

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