“Now, these gentlemen and I are about to leave you for a while. Some of us, for one reason or another, may not ever be back here. So tonight we’re giving you our final regards, just in case. We’ll be leaving at first light to go take care of our business. While we’re gone, the fate of the rest of you will be in your own hands. The truth is, it always was, and you’ve done very well for the past few years, both in Oklahoma and here. Continue to be vigilant. I don’t think that anybody the six of us might offend or frighten will be able to trace us back here and blame you, but be prepared for it anyway. That’s the end of my little talk. Good night, friends. I hope I see you soon.”

The next morning, when the sky was just light enough to begin imparting color to the world and the first chirping of birds in the trees began, two engines turned over and started, and two vehicles advanced out of the flat compound and moved onto the narrow dirt road through the woods. The highway was just over three miles away, and following its winding, slow descent out of the hills would take time, but it was serviceable, and the destination was set and clear. They had all been there before.

26

Leah Hawkins woke as the sunlight began finding its way into her room through the very narrow spaces between the slats of her shutters. The stimuli that had broken through into her sleep were the sounds of the familiar birds in the city of Weldonville—first the cooing of the mourning doves and then the warbling of mockingbirds. When the squawking of the jays and magpies began, a person had to admit it was morning.

When she moved, she felt the smooth, firm surface of the California king mattress she had bought five years ago for a sale price that was still too high, but which had been a good investment. She and Mark Ballard had both been tall and long-limbed, so the extra space had been good. And Leah had never spent much money on anything, so she could afford the luxury.

She stretched on the bed to limber up her back, and then swung her legs off the bed to the floor and walked to the adjoining bathroom. As her eyes got used to the light, she stared hard at everything. She had hired Mrs. Creeden from across the street to keep an eye on the house while she was gone, to clean it once a week, water the indoor plants, and change a few things arbitrarily when she did—pull a shade up or down, move a plant to a different window.