Page 63 of The Cult

“Lara, we have to go. We need to get away before he sends those people after us. Every second we stay here puts us in danger. I don’t want to leave you, but I can’t wait any more. What’s it going to be?”

Second after second passes as I try to decide what to do. I owe Nash my life. He got me away from that farm. He saved me. Not Micah and his messiah posing. Not the women I was bunking with.

Nash.

But Rina’s my sister. I can’t just leave her here with these people. I have to try to get through to her.

“I’m sorry. I can’t just abandon her,” I say, hating the disappointment I see in his expression.

“I’m sorry too, but I can’t stay here.”

I watch him run away down the street into the darkness and feel a crushing sadness. I may not have known Nash for long, but after what we went through, it feels like we’ve been friends forever.

Now, though, I have to help my sister.

29

Nash

I run as fastas my feet will take me, searching each building in this small town for any sign of the police. If I can find someone to help me, I can get Lara to safety. I can’t do it without the cops, though.

Two streets over from where I left her, I see a light on in what looks like an office. Since it’s nighttime, I can only hope it’s someone in authority and not just some workaholic lawyer who just happens to have an office in this backwater.

Bursting through the front door, I try to catch my breath before I explain what’s happening. A man dressed in a blue policeman’s uniform with a nametag on his chest that says B. Jameson stares at me in horror, like he can’t believe anyone is actually bothering him at this time of night.

An inch or two shorter than me with big eyes and a baby face, the policeman looks like he’s barely old enough to get into a bar. I hope that doesn’t mean he can’t handle what I’m about to tell him.

“Can I help you?” he asks in a thin voice that seems to fit his small frame.

Still huffing and puffing from running here at top speed, I take a deep breath before letting it out in a rush. “I need help. A friend of mine is in trouble a few streets away.”

The officer sits down behind his desk, the exact opposite of what I need him to do, and takes out a pen and notepad from one of the drawers. Looking up at me, he nods. “Okay. Tell me all you can about what’s going on.”

My heart beats wildly as I shake my head. “We don’t have time for this. I told you my friend is in trouble. There are people trying to take her away.”

Officer Babyface narrows his eyes like he doesn’t believe me. “What do you mean trying to take her away? Do you mean a kidnapping?”

It’s not exactly that, but I don’t have time to parse meanings with this guy. “Yes! There are people trying to kidnap her. I just ran here from two streets over. Do you know anything about The Golden Light?”

His expression morphs into something close to disgust. “Oh, yeah. I know all about them. We’ve had three calls this week about their goings-on.”

“Then you know they’re no good. I need you to help me save her. You can’t let them take her back with them.”

The man leans back in his chair and studies me for a long moment. “Back? Is she one of them? Because if she is, I can’t help you. The chief says they’re considered a religion, so if she wants to believe in that stuff, she’s more than welcome to. It’s a free country.”

Jesus, this guy and his freedom bullshit is going to get Lara taken by the time we get back there to help her. I know all too well how Micah and Nadine manipulate local officials to let them get away with practically anything they want under the guise of being a religion.

“She’s not one of them! She’s being taken away because she doesn’t know any better,” I lie, hoping that lights a fire under his ass.

He stands up and smiles. “Then I can help you with that. Two streets over, you said? I bet it’s that new information center they just opened up last month. They say it’s all about being positive, but we’ve had a number of people say they think there’s something bad going on there. The only problem is you’re the first person to say exactly what that is.”

As he comes around the desk, I scan his body for any sign of a weapon but see nothing. Is this town that safe that the cops here don’t even need guns? They better get smart quickly because with The Golden Light around, they’re going to want some protection.

“You have a gun, right?” I ask as he heads toward the door.

The officer nods but looks over in the direction of his desk. “Yeah. Why?”

“Because you need one. These Golden Light people don’t play around. They have weapons, so you better have one too.”

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