“So you took them to civilization, let them think they were getting their freedom, and then you killed them. Or tried to.”

“I thought Mercy was dead. I didn’t know until last month that she wasn’t. Gideon either.”

“I see.”

He smiled tightly. “Good. Glad we had this chat.”

“Well, maybe.”

Coleen was playing him somehow. “Are you going to tell Pastor?” he asked.

She shook her head. “If I were going to tell him, I’d have done it already.”

She was lying. He could see it in her eyes. He moved faster than she’d been expecting, trapping her against the door, pressing his forearm into her throat.

“What are you doing, Sister Coleen?” he asked in a low hiss.

“Nothing,” Coleen rasped. “Just filling in the blanks. You’re hurting me, DJ.”

He used his free hand to pat her down, chuckling when he found the tablet concealed down the back of her shirt. It was Sunnyside’s tablet and she’d figured out how to make it record audio. He hit the end button and dropped the tablet, crushing it with his boot.

Her eyes widening, she clawed at his arm as she fought to breathe.

“You were getting me to confess so that you could play it for Pastor.” He smiled down at her, energized by her fear. “You thought you were smarter than me? You’re just a woman.”

He grabbed the chain around her throat and twisted hard, cutting off her air supply as he dragged her to the bed. He shoved her down and grabbed a pillow. Leaning close, he whispered, “This is how Waylon died. Just so you know.”

He pressed the pillow to her face, putting all of his weight on it. She struggled. And then she was quiet. He remained another few minutes. Just to be sure.

Then he took her pulse, just to be very sure. She was dead. He took off her shoes and set them aside, then tucked her into bed, like she’d taken a nap.

He needed to get Pastor out of this place and back to Eden. Or at least partway to Eden. As far as it took to get him to cough up the codes. He’d have to steal a car to get out of the lot. And then he’d return to the Explorer he’d set aside. That would get him back up into the mountains.

Putting on the surgical mask, he slipped from the suite carrying his duffel. He met Nurse Innes on his way to the employee entrance.

“I’m glad you’re leaving. I didn’t want to have you escorted out.”

Bitch. “My mother has everything covered. I’ll call for an Uber,” he lied, “but I want to stop and say goodbye to the old man on my way out.”

“I’ll walk with you.”

He gritted his teeth. “You really want me out of here, don’t you?”

Her smile was thin. “You’ve created quite a mess for yourself, Mr. Belmont. You are a security risk. If the authorities find you here, you’ll put this facility in a very bad spot.” They stopped at a door marked SOLARIUM. “Your father is inside. There, chatting with the nursing assistant.”