Page 49 of Thunder Pass

“He’s outside,” Ruth responded, then turned pink as she realized she’d automatically begun thinking of Gunnar that way, with no discussion between them. Was she repeating the same mistake she’d made before? “And he’s not my boyfriend.”

Naomi shrugged one shoulder, as if it didn’t matter to her one way or the other. It occurred to Ruth in that moment that there was something wrong with her mother. Shouldn’t she be more interested in what her daughter was doing and feeling and thinking? Why was she so removed, so indifferent? Was she really that selfish? Now that Gunnar had a smartphone, maybe she could Google psychological disorders.

“What connection do we have to Norway?” she asked abruptly, hoping to surprise her.

A quick flash of something crossed her mother’s face, but it was gone too quickly for Ruth to identify it. “I can’t answer any more of your questions. You should go back to Firelight Ridge and mind your sheep.”

Sheep. Had she told Naomi about staying at Martha’s? No, she hadn’t.

“Did someone tell you not to talk to me anymore?”

That question got no more of an answer than her first one. But she didn’t need an explicit answer; clearly someone had. Luke? Soraya? Soraya was being held in this same facility. Should she try to talk to her sister? Soraya had always hated her, so she doubted there was much point to that.

“Maybe I’ll see what Soraya says.”

Naomi made a face. “Good luck with that.” She glanced at the guard, apparently ready to end the visit, even though Ruth had just sat down. Her whole demeanor was so different from the last visit. Something had definitely happened between then and now.

She thought about Luke’s recent behavior at the compound, the way he was clamping down, and the fact that he hadn’t come after her and Sarah. As if he was purging the place of anyone he suspected of being less than completely loyal. Now he was trying to shut up Naomi, his wife of thirty years. Was he just being paranoid? What secret was he protecting? How many people were helping him, and how high up were they?

Gunnar’s truck. Someone had tried to tamper with it. It could have exploded. What was so important that they needed to be scared off?

A cold trickle of fear slid down her spine. She leaned forward, earning a sharp glance from the nearest guard. “Listen, Naomi. I don’t know what is going on at the compound, and I don’t really care, except for the children. Noah, Jeb, Sammie, Miller, Lilith, Seth, Mercy, Annie, Kirk, they’re all still there.” She carefully pronounced each child’s name in the hopes that the memory would soften her mother’s heart. “Do I need to be worried for them? Are they going to be in any danger?”

Naomi’s lips tightened to a line of white. “If you want to know more, you’ll have to talk to Soraya. But she won’t see you, I can guarantee that.”

“So something dangerous is going on, and Soraya knows about it?”

“Maybe,” was Naomi’s grudging answer. “But I’m speculating, because like I said, I’m on the outside now.”

“You said he’s working with someone else. Do you have any idea who? Any tiny little bit of information would help. For the kids, Naomi. I know you’re not heartless.”

Naomi snorted. “You have a soft heart. I always wondered where you got that from. But you have to be strong, Ruth. I tried to teach you that.”

“I am strong.” The words themselves filled her with conviction. “That’s why I’m here. Tell me. Who is Luke working with?”

“You think I know?” After a long pause, Naomi slid a sidelong glance at the guard, making sure she was occupied with someone else. “Follow the money. That’s all I can say,” she whispered.

“What money?” Ruth whispered back. “We never had any money. How did Luke buy the land? Where did that money come from?”

“Good questions. Better question…why that land?”

“Yes! Why?”

The guard appeared at their table. “Time’s up.”

“Wait!” Ruth dug in her pocket for the repurposed Post-It note. “This is Gunnar’s smartphone number. If you think of anything else, call it.”

Naomi took the Post-It, and a moment later she was gone, her straight back disappearing out the door.

In a last-ditch effort to get something more out of this visit, Ruth asked the guard at the front desk if she could visit Soraya Chilkoot, too.

As Naomi had predicted, Soraya refused to see her.

24

Gunnar didn’t like feeling defeated. They’d come to Anchorage, but all they had was more questions. His father was apparently close by, but hadn’t bothered to show up himself. Someone had tried to mess with his truck. Someone had messed with official state databases. He and Ruth were running into dead ends everywhere they turned. It felt like they were rats in a maze, with someone watching their every move.

Someone had even gotten to Naomi. Overnight.

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