Last Writes (34 page)

“I talked to Jesse Oziel, too,” Jovanic added.

“You’ve been very busy, Columbo. Is that where you went today? To the office?”

He grinned. “Hey, babe, I’m done eating bonbons and watching soap operas. The doc’s releasing me.” The grin faded. “Now I just have to get past the review board.” Firing his weapon while on leave meant facing a board of inquiry to justify his action.

“They should give you a commendation for what you did.”

“I’ll be lucky if I get to keep my job.”

“You saved Kylie’s life, which ought to be worth a lot.” She scooted closer and Jovanic folded her in his arms, his cheek resting against hers. “What did Oziel say?”

“You already know that his team got to the Colorado temple just in time to prevent another mass suicide. They’ve started processing the kids they found there. Oziel admitted they were all well cared for. I think he was actually regretting having to return them to the welfare system.”

“A system that’s already failed them once.”

“It’s the law, babe. He’s sworn to uphold it, just like I am.”

A great wave of sadness washed over Claudia as she remembered the young members of the Temple of Brighter Light—Esther. Magdalena; her sister, Rachel. She remembered all the others, too—Rita, the Treadwells, the Diehls, and all the rest. Good, decent people, she was certain of it, but lemmings who had followed their leaders off a cliff. Well, maybe the lemming thing was a myth.

She sighed and he kissed the top of her head, held her a little tighter.

“Are you thinking of Erin again?” he murmured into her hair.

“She was so young, so completely taken in by Stedman. They all were. Why? Why were they so gullible?”

“You’re the psych major, babe. You tell me.”

“I suppose most of them were missing something from their lives. Maybe they were like Erin and didn’t have good parenting when they were growing up. Or they lost something along the way and were looking for guidance—for authority figures, so they were willing to do whatever they were told. They were so desperate for a better world that they went along with Stedman’s bullshit, and now they’re dead. Nearly two hundred people, wiped out in a few minutes.”

“At least it was fast and supposedly easy.”

“The bastards gave it to Kylie in a lollipop. Thank God she survived.”

They’d Googled fentanyl together and discovered that the drug was a painkiller a hundred times more addictive than heroin. It had been pumped in gas form into the air vents at the church. The elders had a supply in the cavern ready to use on themselves after Kylie’s sacrifice. The mass suicides had long been planned.

“How’s Kelly doing?” Jovanic asked.

“It’ll take a while for her to get over it all. She blames herself for Erin’s death, though she couldn’t have changed anything.”

Rodney and Kylie were staying at Kelly’s condo until he could figure out what to do with the rest of his life. He had begun to question the TBL teachings, but as indoctrinated as he was, it would likely take a long time for him to let it all go, assuming he ever could. But before he was able to move forward in any way, constructive or not, he had some grieving to do.

“I think we need a vacation,” Claudia said after they had discussed it all over again.

Jovanic laughed and stretched to kiss the tip of her nose. “I think it’s about time I went back to work and got some rest. Chasing criminals is a lot less exciting than hanging out with you, Grapho Lady.”