Say Goodbye (Romantic Suspense #25) - Karen Rose Page 0,73

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?”

Pastor struggled to open his eyes. “Specifically my will that states you are my heir.”

Yes. He bowed his head so that Pastor couldn’t see his glee. “I see.”

Pastor huffed, a weary, sick little sound. “I’m sure you think you do, but you’d be mistaken. If I don’t show up at a hospital by morning, my banker is instructed to mail all of the sealed envelopes in his possession. I send him a new one every year detailing everyone’s personal sins. Including yours. He also knows to place my money in a series of trusts if I’m declared missing or dead. One trust is for the people of Eden. One is for you. You will get a stipend once a year.”

Motherfucker. “I see,” DJ said levelly. Because he did. The old man was ever cagey. “You said a series of trusts. Are there more?”

“Yes. One goes to my wives. One to my banker.”

“Your banker gets a trust?”

“He’s served me well.” Pastor coughed, moaning at the resulting pain. “The point is, I better show up at a hospital. If I don’t, you’d better hope it was an accident and we all died, otherwise your face will be on an FBI wanted poster.”

Too late, asshole. The FBI already had his prints. If there was camera surveillance in the office building he’d used Wednesday morning, his face was now known to the Feds as well.

Then a detail popped up, distracting him. “Wait. How does your banker know all of this?”

“I told Coleen to call him. Gave her a onetime code.”

“Where are the other codes?”

A crooked smile. “In my head. Better hope I wake up from surgery, or they die with me.”

And then the money would be divided and put into trust. He had killed Ephraim in part to keep from having to share that money with anyone. Unless he could find another way, he’d still be sharing it. Despite being bruised and bloody and frail from his fall, Pastor looked smug.

It took every ounce of DJ’s self-control not to ball his hands into fists and beat the fucker into a bloody pulp. Instead DJ breathed until he could be sure his voice was steady. “Is that why you want Coleen to come with us? To make sure I don’t do anything—”

“Evil?” Pastor interrupted with a laugh that sounded more like a geriatric bark. “I don’t need to give you any reason, but if you must have one, then yes, that is why. When do we leave?”

DJ gritted his teeth. “As soon as you’re ready. I’ll ask some of the men to