Say Goodbye (Romantic Suspense #25) by Karen Rose

            DJ wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing, but it was certainly something he’d use for his own benefit if he could.

            “Water, Coleen.” The old man still managed to sound like a pompous king.

            “Of course. I’m sorry, Pastor.”

            “As you should be,” the old man muttered, closing his eyes. “Hurry up, boy. Get us there.”

            “Absolutely,” DJ promised. And he’d make sure he hit every damn pothole along the way.





TEN



EDEN, CALIFORNIA

            THURSDAY, MAY 25, 3:05 A.M.





Hayley missed indoor plumbing. At least at the last Eden site they’d had outhouses. Here in the caves, the toilet was basically a bench with a hole cut into it. They literally peed in the pot that was stuck beneath the hole.

            The smell . . . She had to fight not to gag, because if she gagged, she puked. Which just made it all worse. Plus, she didn’t know if throwing up might start up her labor.

            She didn’t think so, but she didn’t know. She didn’t know because she didn’t have access to a damn doctor. Even the healer was gone, having accompanied Pastor to the hospital in the city.

            Because, of course, Pastor got to go to the hospital. She had to stay here, in a fucking cave.

            She was having this baby in a fucking cave. Cameron wasn’t coming. Nobody was coming. Nobody could help. She’d considered an escape attempt, but Graham had told her that there was a guard at the entrance—with a rifle. Graham might be able to slip out, but she wouldn’t be able to, not as big as she’d become.

            I’m going to have this baby and she’s going to be taken away from me. To give to Sister Rebecca, the vile whore. She thinks she’s gonna steal my baby? No. Not gonna happen.

            Except that she might not have a choice. She needed to think. But all she seemed able to do was sleep, cry, and pee. She caressed her belly. “I’m so sorry, Jellybean,” she whispered. “This isn’t your fault.”

            It’s not mine, either. She laid the blame of this nightmare directly on her mother’s shoulders. If they ever got back to civilization, Hayley was going to have her charged. Because this was kidnapping. This was a crime.

            Her ire fizzled, exhaustion retaking her. This is my new life. Sniffling back tears, she stepped away from the toilet, pulled the curtain closed, then lifted the lantern to find her way back.

            A lantern, goddammit. A real one, not battery powered. It had actual fire inside it. At least most of the caves were wide and had decent airflow throughout. Otherwise, between the fumes from the toilet and the smoke from the lanterns, they’d all suffocate.

            “Psst.”

            Hayley jumped, spinning around, barely holding on to the lantern. “Graham,” she hissed. “You scared me to death. What are you doing here?”

            He grinned, the flickering light giving him a devilish appearance. “Came to empty the pot. I’m on duty today.”

            Her stomach roiled. “You did it yesterday.” She frowned. “And the day before. Why?” The disgusting jobs were rotated among the younger boys, unless someone was being punished.

            “Gets me outside. I can breathe fresh air.” Graham leaned closer and whispered, “And search for stuff. And hide other stuff.”

            Stuff. Like the computer. And the drugs he’d found the day before. Her heart clenched. “You’re doing this for me?”

            Graham shrugged. “More for Jellybean. Gonna be her favorite uncle.”

            Hayley’s eyes stung. “I love you, Cookie.”

            His lips curved up. “I know.” He hesitated. “You know.”

            She smiled at him. She did know that he loved her, too. “You need to go back to bed.”

            “After I dump the pot.”

            “Gra—,” a shrill voice said before cutting away. “Achan,” their mother whispered. “Why are you whispering to Magdalena?”

            The thief and the whore, Hayley thought, having to close her eyes. She couldn’t look at her mother anymore. The bubbling rage was just too much.