Mercy closed her open mouth with a snap. “Pastor had kids before he adopted DJ?”

Gideon’s brows rose. “Pastor adopted DJ after Waylon died? Interesting. I mean, Pastor had always spoiled DJ, but DJ was Waylon’s son. That’s what DJ stood for, he told me once. He was Waylon Jr.”

Sasha tilted her head, puzzled. “How do you get ‘DJ’ from ‘Waylon Jr.’?”

Gideon waved a hand impatiently. “Double-you-jay was too hard to say, so they called him DJ.”

Sasha shook her head. “Okay.”

Gideon reached around Daisy to tug on Sasha’s ponytail fondly. “Don’t think too much. Most of the names in Eden were strange. Point is, DJ was not Pastor’s biological son.”

“Yeah,” Mercy said, “but after Waylon died, Pastor adopted him. He moved in with Pastor and everything.”

“What was Pastor’s name?” Tom asked.

Mercy and Gideon stared at each other. “I have no idea,” Mercy said. “He was always just Pastor.”

Gideon dropped his gaze to Brutus, petting her batlike ears. “I don’t remember, but I heard it. DJ might even have told me. He was four years older than me, but he’d play with me sometimes. Teach me stuff.” His expression shifted, then paled. “Oh,” he breathed. “Until I was nine. After that, he’d shove me away and bully me. Gave me a black eye once. I thought it was because I was a little kid and he was finally a teenager, but . . . he changed. He got . . . mean.”

Mercy immediately understood. “When he turned thirteen.”

Rafe slumped in his chair. “Maybe he was also abused.”

“He was Edward’s apprentice,” Gideon murmured. “Same as me. So yes. It’s likely.”

“But no excuse,” Irina said harshly. “We can pity the boy who was abused, but we cannot excuse the man that boy became.”

“No. We can’t.” Mercy suddenly felt so tired she thought she’d fall over. “I hope we’re done, Tom. I can’t think anymore and Farrah’s already asleep.”

It was true. Farrah had fallen asleep, her head on André’s shoulder.

Tom checked the time and winced. “I’m sure I’ll have more questions for you later, but this is enough for me to get started. Thank you both. I know this wasn’t easy for either of you.”

She and Gideon just nodded, both of them having hit the wall.

“I’ll take you back to our place,” Rafe said. “Daisy, can Farrah and André have the top floor?” At Daisy’s nod, he turned to Mercy, looking as exhausted as she felt. “You can bunk with Sasha.”

Irina sprang to her feet, pulling Karl up to his. “We will pack up this food. You will all take some.” She pointed to Tom. “Even you.”

He smiled up at her. “Thank you, Irina. I’d love that.”

Mercy stood, then groaned. “Dammit.”

Farrah blinked up at her sleepily. “What?” She looked around, abruptly alert, then socked André in the shoulder. “You let me fall asleep?”

“You needed it,” André said affectionately. “And no, you didn’t snore. This time.”