Gabe rubbed his neck as he studied the woman. Long skirt, hair in a bun, blouse buttoned up all the way. She might be kicked out, but her heart was still in the PZs. Even as urgency stampeded over his nerves, pity grew inside him. She hadn’t been allowed to think. Had been indoctrinated into the PZ’s belief system.

That couldn’t matter. Although Baumer undoubtedly made the decisions in the family, MaryEllen had heard enough to know what was going on and that laws were being broken. Now she’d have to make some decisions of her own—and would hear some truths she’d rather not know.

In his head, he cursed Baumer again. Not only for Audrey and Lillian, but also for not caring enough for his family to keep them out of harm’s way.

Sitting down at the table to keep from looming, Gabe softened his voice. “MaryEllen, kidnapping is a federal crime, I’m afraid, and you will be considered an accomplice. If you help us stop this, I might be able to keep you out of prison.” He dropped his gaze to her children.

“Dear sweet Jesus,” she whispered, pulling her toddler closer.

“Tell me.”

She shook her head. “No, no, no. A woman must obey her man. Mustn’t—”

Caz said very quietly, “Does a loving mother abandon her children? Who will guard your babies?”

Her arm tightened around the infant she held, and her gaze turned to the toddler. “Oh, God, what should I do?”

She swallowed then started talking, her voice still never louder than a whisper. “Late last night, Earl got an email from someone who said he would pay ten thousand dollars if Earl arranged for Ms. Hamilton to be somewhere isolated today. There wasn’t supposed to be…violence.”

Gabe stared at her. An email? Ten thousand dollars?

Spyros.

Gabe saw the dawning horror on his brother’s face. Baumer hadn’t done this for revenge—or not solely for revenge—but because Spyros had hired him.

Not understanding their silence, MaryEllen jumped into excuses. “After you showed that video last night, the Reverend threw us out. Earl is…is very angry with you.”

“I see.”

MaryEllen flushed. “It’s wrong to live in sin without the bond of matrimony. Earl said the woman is your lover.”

“She is.” And the very air he needed to breathe. “Earl has Audrey in his car. Where is he taking her?”

“I don’t know.”

At their disbelieving looks, she raised her voice. “I don’t. A man called this morning and told Earl to pick him up. He wanted to be in the car to facil…facil…the delivery.”

“Facilitate the delivery?”

“Yes. Once she…when she was in the car, they’d meet someone and hike to a zone.” She rubbed her cheek against her baby’s head. “I didn’t hear everything.”

She’d probably been hearing only Earl’s side of the conversation.