Say Goodbye (Romantic Suspense #25) by Karen Rose

            She took one last look at the photo of the twelve smiling faces. They deserved permanent remembrance. She was going to find Sergio Iglesias. For Mercy. And for myself.

            Because she was considering a new tattoo.




EDEN, CALIFORNIA

            THURSDAY, MAY 25, 12:45 A.M.

            DJ parked the truck close to the cave entrance. There was a rocky path that many of their members had found difficult to climb, but they were all inside the network of caves now with no need to leave.

            Unless they got hurt. Way to go, Pastor, DJ thought with a sneer.

            He found Coleen waiting at the entrance. “I’m so glad you’re back,” she said in relief.

            “How is he?” DJ asked, because he didn’t want the old man dead just yet.

            “Conscious,” Coleen replied. “He’s talking, but he’s in a lot of pain.” She winced. “He’s babbled a little, but nothing I couldn’t explain away.”

            “Good. Is he ready to go?” It was then that DJ spied the small bag leaning against the cave wall. “Is that his bag?”

            “No, it’s mine.” Coleen met his gaze directly. “I’m going with you.”

            DJ laughed and it wasn’t a nice sound. “No, you’re not.”

            “I am. Pastor wants me there. The community wants me to go with him.”

            DJ stopped laughing. “You’re staying. I outrank you.”

            “Pastor outranks us all. The members will be displeased if he’s not getting the best care.”

            Oh, you fucking little bitch. “Are you threatening me?” he asked softly. Menacingly.

            She paled. “No. I’m letting you know that the community knows Pastor has asked me to come with him. He hasn’t left the confines of the compound for nearly ten years, except when we move. This last move was especially hard on him.”

            Because the old man had needed to pull his own weight for a change. Ephraim was dead, and DJ had been unconscious when they’d arrived in the caves the month before.

            “He’s in pain and frightened, DJ. Let him have his way in this.”

            DJ seethed. When he killed Pastor, he’d have to kill her, too. He’d make sure it was a car accident, so that their deaths could be explained away.

            The community might miss their healer, but Coleen was just a woman. Utterly replaceable. She was not meant to tell him what to do. None of the women were.

            None of the men, either. Between Pastor and Kowalski, he’d about had it with people telling him what to do.

            “Fine,” he snapped. “Be ready to leave in five minutes.” He stalked to Pastor’s quarters, opening the makeshift door without knocking. Pastor got a piece of plywood to give him privacy. Most of the members had only a curtain. Some didn’t have that much.

            “Close the door,” Pastor said weakly.

            DJ obeyed, startled at the old man’s appearance. He was . . . old. Frail, even. “How did you fall?” he asked, suddenly suspicious. “Did someone push you?”

            “No. I was coming down the mountain. I had to climb to get a signal for my cell phone. I had to call my banker. You wouldn’t set the dish up for me to e-mail him, so I had no choice.”

            DJ scowled. “So did you talk to your banker?”

            Pastor nodded absently. “I’ll call him again to make a financial transfer to whatever hospital you’re taking me to.”

            And then DJ would learn the access code. He kept his voice calm, even though he wanted to shout with excitement. “All right.”

            “Where are you taking me?”

            Straight to hell, motherfucker. “I’m not sure yet. I need to find a doctor who’ll take cash.”

            “My banker has my personal papers.”

            DJ blinked. “What?”