Gabby got it now. There wasn’t an argument she could make to convince Faith. This wasn’t about reasoning with her or showing her logic inconsistencies or problems in her thinking. The system had failed, and Faith had given up on it. She’d created a new way where she could bend it to her satisfaction.

“What happens now?” Gabby asked.

“That’s up to you. Are you done with your crusade? Are you willing to go back to your precious little life with your boyfriend or brother-in-law or whatever he is to you these days and keep your mouth shut?”

Gabby refused to take the bait about Liam. Refused to respond at all.

Faith smiled. “And here’s a hint—there’s only one right answer.”

Chapter Seventy-Nine
The Foundation

The women agreed to meet on an emergency basis. Again. The rule about being careful and spreading out visits had been abandoned in favor of triage. The downward spiral of blame and fighting between the founders had the group careening toward chaos. Here, chaos looked more like practiced control, but the result was the same—something had to change.

Retta scheduled the discussion but asked Faith to arrive early. Their personal issues had spilled over into the group and threatened its existence. Both believed they were in the right. Neither would concede. They had to compromise before they lost control.

Faith walked into Retta’s home office through a flurry of household activity. A woman delivered a tray of tea to the corner of Retta’s desk before rushing out of the room again. Music played but shut off when the door closed, plunging the room into silence.

Faith being Faith, she stayed singularly focused on the woman who had been her protector and ally for more than three years. “We have a problem.”

Retta had her own agenda for this private meeting. “Do you have any remorse for Jessa?”

The comment made Faith stop in midmarch and lift her head. “Excuse me?”

“The love and friendship didn’t only run one way. I know how much she meant to you, so explain why you gave the order to have her eliminated after the group voted to give her another chance.” Retta’s anger at being boxed in and not advised still burned white-hot, but the grief would hit. The loss, the waste, the betrayal. Retta packaged it all up and ignored it for now, but the sadness would break through, and waiting for the rush of unwanted emotion made her furious with Faith.

Not one to be brushed off or yelled into submission, Faith pulled out the chair across from Retta and sat down. “How do you think I feel?”

Retta didn’t care. “I’m not convinced you feel anything at all.”

“She was my best friend. I loved her more than anyone.”

Retta snorted. “You had an odd way of showing it.”