Soldier's Promise. Cindi Myers
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arm. “You need to hide your gun before we get to camp. Walking in with it visible like that will only cause trouble.” She had already tucked hers back into the holster on her thigh.
She expected him to argue, but he nodded. “Okay.” He unstrapped the holster from around his waist and stuffed it into his pack. Sophie watched, wide-eyed and silent.
The US Forest Service allowed dispersed camping for up to two weeks outside of designated campgrounds. Through mysterious political connections, Daniel Metwater had wrangled a permit for his group to settle for an extended period in this remote area, near a natural spring at the base of a rocky mesa in the high desert landscape of Curecanti National Recreation Area. This was the third such camp the group had occupied in as many months. Like the others, it consisted of a motley collection of trucks, campers, tents and makeshift shelters, grouped in a rough oval around a central campfire.
A large, late-model motor home was parked at one end of the oval, solar panels winking from the roof. “That’s where the Prophet lives,” Sophie whispered to Jake.
“Starfall.” Carmen called to a woman with dark, curly hair who was wiping the face of a naked toddler outside a large, white tent. “Where is Phoenix?”
“She’s with the Prophet,” the woman said. She stared openly at Jake. “Who is he?”
“This is my big brother, Jake,” Sophie said. “He wants to see Mom. Is she okay?”
“She’ll be fine,” Starfall said. “She’s resting now and shouldn’t be disturbed.”
“Is your Prophet a doctor?” Jake asked.
Though Starfall was at least a foot shorter than Jake, she managed to look down her nose at him. “He is a spiritual healer.”
Jake started toward the motor home, but Sophie held him back. “We’re not supposed to go into the Prophet’s home without an invitation,” she said.
“I’m not one of his followers,” Jake said. “I don’t have to play by his rules.” He gently uncurled her fingers from around his arm and started for the motor home again, Carmen close behind him.
Sophie caught up with them as they climbed the steps to the RV. Jake pounded on the door.
He had raised his fist to knock again when the door eased open, and a pale blonde peered out. Andi Mattheson—who now went by the single moniker Asteria—was one of the reasons Carmen had joined Metwater’s Family. The daughter of a former US senator was eight months pregnant and, as far as Carmen could determine, hadn’t seen a doctor in months. So many of the Prophet’s followers were young women who were either pregnant or mothers to small children that Carmen wanted to determine if they were receiving the necessary care. Andi frowned at the tall, imposing man leaning over her, then looked past him to Carmen. “What do you want?” she asked.
“We’re here to see Phoenix,” Jake said.
“This is Phoenix’s son, Jake Lohmiller.” Carmen stepped up beside him. “Sophie told us her mother had fainted and, naturally, he’s concerned.”
“She’s fine,” Andi said. “She just needs to rest.” She started to close the door, but Jake flattened his hand against it, holding it open.
“I want to see her,” he said.
“The Prophet—” Andi began.
Jake didn’t let her finish. He shoved past her into the motor home. Carmen and Sophie followed. “Phoenix?” he called.
“Mama?” Sophie echoed.
Daniel Metwater, dressed in his usual outfit of loose, white shirt and trousers, his dark, curly hair framing the intensely handsome face of a male model, appeared in the doorway that led to the back of the RV. “What is the meaning of this disturbance?” he asked.
“I’m here to see Phoenix.” Jake started to move past Metwater, but the Prophet blocked him.
“Phoenix is resting,” he said.
“I’m going to see her anyway.” He took Metwater by the shoulders and shoved him aside. One of the muscular young men Metwater kept near him as bodyguards rushed forward, but Jake ignored him and charged into the bedroom. Carmen followed, one hand hovering over the weapon under her skirt. She didn’t want to blow her cover by drawing the gun, but Jake might not leave her any choice.
Phoenix lay on Metwater’s bed and, with her whitish hair and her face so pale, she almost blended with the sheets. As Jake reached her, the bodyguard grabbed his arm. “No!” Phoenix sat up, one arm outstretched. “Don’t hurt him, please!”
Jake’s thunderous expression softened. He sat on the edge of the bed and took Phoenix’s hand. “Hello, Mom.”
Her smile transformed her face. “Jake. What a wonderful surprise!” She cupped his face in her hands, as if needing to reassure herself he was real. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to see you. How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine.” She managed a wavering smile. “I just got too hot out there or I didn’t drink enough water or something.” She wrapped both of her hands around his. “It’s so good to see you. How did you ever find me?”
“It wasn’t easy,” he said. “I talked to a lot of people. One of your old friends from Denver mentioned you’d taken up with some millionaire turned preacher. I did some more digging and heard about this group and came out here to see if you were with them.”
“I kept meaning to write and let you know Sophie and I were okay and that you shouldn’t worry. You always were such a worrier.”
“You shouldn’t disappear that way,” Jake said. “What were you thinking?”
Phoenix licked her pale lips. “Do your grandparents know I’m here?” she asked.
“No. Not yet.”
She lay back on the pillows and closed her eyes. “Don’t tell them, please. There’s really no need for them to know.”
He looked as if he wanted to argue that point but pressed his lips together and said nothing.
Metwater moved to the other side of the bed and took Phoenix’s hand. “What are you doing here?” he asked Jake.
“I came to see my mother.”
“This is my son.” Opening her eyes, Phoenix struggled to a sitting position once more. “Jake, this is the Prophet. The man who saved my life.” She beamed at Metwater, the adoration making Carmen a little sick to her stomach. Frankly, the Prophet, for all his good looks and charm—or possibly because of them—gave her the creeps.
“You need to leave now,” Metwater said. “You’re obviously upsetting your mother.”
“Oh, no!” Phoenix protested. “We haven’t even had a chance to talk. And I’m feeling much better, I promise.” She started to get out of bed, but Metwater pushed her back against the pillows once more.
“I can feel your pulse racing,” he said. “All this excitement isn’t good for you.” He turned to Jake. “You can see your mother later. Tomorrow, after she’s had a chance to rest.”
“Or I could take her with me now,” he said. “To a doctor who can check her out. Someplace safe.”
“Jake, I don’t need a doctor,” Phoenix protested. “And why wouldn’t I be safe here? The Prophet has given me his own bed. I don’t deserve such an honor.”
“Mother, I came to take you away from here. You and Sophie.”
Carmen winced. Not the way to approach this.
Phoenix laughed. “Don’t be silly, Jake. This is my home. Our home. We’re not going anywhere.”
“That’s right,” Metwater said. He smiled