“Or what?”

“Or they’re terminated,” she replied without a heartbeat of hesitation.

DJ wasn’t sure if that meant fired or killed, but he didn’t really care if it was the latter. “I see. Thank you for letting me know. What’s he talking about?”

“His children mostly.” A sad note entered her tone. “The ones who died. That’s not uncommon, though. Painkillers can fog the patient’s brain and make old memories resurface.”

DJ remembered Pastor’s twins. They’d been a few years older than him and real assholes. They’d been the prince and princess of the community and had never let anyone forget it. They’d also believed they were invincible and ignored the warnings to stay out of the forest. Their mother had gone hiking with them and nobody had seen any of them alive again.

It might have been the only case where Edenites truly had been killed by wolves.

Pastor had disappeared for two weeks, searching and then mourning. When Pastor had returned, he’d immediately adopted DJ and declared him his new heir.

Fat lot of good it’s done me.

“He’s a real sweetheart,” the nurse continued. “All of his nurses love him already.”

A sweetheart? Pastor? “I’m glad,” DJ managed, and she smiled.

“They’re often nicer here than they are at home. Don’t take it personally.”

They walked the rest of the way in silence, for which DJ was grateful. He was still trying to wrap his mind around Pastor being a “sweetheart.” He was loved by his congregation, but that was more of an awed worship. Not affection.

DJ felt no affection for the old bastard. Especially after the stunt he’d pulled that morning with the access code. He wondered if Coleen loved Pastor. She might. She’d been sufficiently brainwashed over thirty years, despite knowing the deep, dark truth.

He was momentarily stunned when the nurse showed him into Pastor’s room, which wasn’t a room at all. It was a suite with several rooms—a master bedroom with an en suite bath, a second bedroom also with an en suite, a third bathroom, a living room, a kitchen, and a dining room.

Holy fucking shit. “How much does this run us a day?”

“It’s all part of the prepaid package,” the nurse said, not answering his question. “Your father is in the master bedroom, through there. If he’s asleep, let him sleep. Your mother is sleeping in the other bedroom.”

She is not my mother. But DJ smiled tightly. “That’s good. She must have been tired.”

“She was, poor thing. The bedrooms are soundproofed, so if you want to watch TV out here, you won’t disturb them. His private nurse will stay in there with him. Her name is Nurse Gaynor and she’s one of our best. She’s been with us for almost ten years. I’m Nurse Innes, the charge nurse, by the way. Contact me with any concerns. Speed dial one on the house phone goes right to my cell.” She held up a smartphone. “Cell coverage is very good here and there is Wi-Fi. Password is changed daily. Your father’s nurse will have it for you. Nurse Gaynor just came on shift, so she’s probably checking his vitals. I’ll leave you to your visit. Call me when you’re ready to leave and I’ll escort you out.”