The Ranger Brigade: Family Secrets

Because that tough, don’t-touch-me attitude of yours is sexy as all get-out. But he thought better of saying that. He was already in enough trouble here. “From what I’ve seen and heard, the Prophet likes pretty much all young, attractive women—at least, the ones who follow him around and hang on his every word. If you’re working undercover in his camp, I assume you’re playing the part of devoted disciple.”

She pressed her lips together but didn’t comment.

“Maybe I can help you out,” he said.

“I don’t need your help.”

“I might be able to find out things you can’t. I could talk to the men in camp, let you know what I hear.”

She shook her head. “Talk to your mother, but leave me out of it.” She turned and walked away.

He watched her leave, her back straight and her confident stride quickly lengthening the distance between them. Should he follow her? He was going to have to go to Metwater’s camp sooner or later to confront his mother. He would have liked to have had the pretty cop on his side. The meeting with Phoenix wasn’t going to be an easy one, and it would have been good to have an ally. But, if he had to, he’d do the job alone. He was used to working solo—he’d been on his own since he was a teenager. And he knew how to tackle tough jobs. He had already let his sister down once. He wouldn’t let that happen again.

He waited a moment to let Carmen get ahead of him, then started to follow. He would see what she did when she got to camp, then make his decision about when to approach his mother.

Before they reached camp, however, Carmen caught up with the other women. He was too far away to hear what was said, but it appeared that a couple of the women greeted her. Then a figure broke from the group and ran up to Carmen. Though Jake couldn’t hear what the girl was saying, he recognized Sophie, and she was clearly agitated. Carmen put a hand on the girl’s shoulder, listening, then she and Sophie turned and headed back toward Jake.

He walked out to meet them. Sophie stared at him, eyes wide. “Jake? Is that really you?”

“It’s me, sis.” He held out his arms, and she ran to him and buried her head against his shoulder. The feel of her—bigger than the last time he had seen her, but still so slight and vulnerable—sent a tremor through him. He loved her so much. Why had he stayed away so long?

“Thank God you’re here,” she said.

He pulled her away a little, so that he could see her face. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “Why are you so upset?”

“It’s Mama. Something’s really wrong with her.” She grabbed his hand and started leading him forward. “We have to hurry, before it’s too late.”

* * *

CARMEN FOLLOWED BEHIND Jake and his sister. If she had had any doubts about telling Sophie of her brother’s arrival, she knew now she had made the right decision. Sophie walked with one arm wrapped around Jake’s waist and looked up at him as if she couldn’t believe he was here. For his part, Jake studied his sister as if he couldn’t get enough of looking at her.

“Tell me exactly what happened,” he said as they headed toward Metwater’s camp at the foot of Mystic Mesa.

“We were walking back to camp, and Mama just collapsed,” Sophie said. “I mean, one minute she was fine, and the next she just—fell over.” The girl looked back at Carmen. “Starfall and Sarah got a couple of the men to carry her to the Prophet. They said he would know what to do for her.”

“Has Phoenix complained of feeling bad lately?” Carmen asked.

“No. She’s just acted, you know, normal.” Sophie turned back to Jake. “I still can’t believe you’re here. What are you doing?”

“I came to see you.” He tried to smile, but the expression didn’t reach his eyes. “You’re growing up fast.”

Sophie hugged him tighter. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“I’ve missed you, too.” His eyes met Carmen’s over Sophie’s shoulder, as if challenging her to deny that his sister loved him and was glad to see him.

“Mom’s going to be so happy to see you, too,” Sophie said.

“Is she? She wasn’t very happy with me last time we spoke.”

“She was just worried about you joining the military. But she’s in a different place now. A better place.” Sophie frowned. “Or she was, until this.”

“Maybe the heat got to her,” Carmen said. “I’m sure she’ll be fine.” She touched Jake’s arm. “You need to hide your gun before we get to camp. Walking in with it visible like that will only cause trouble.” She had already tucked hers back into the holster on her thigh.

She expected him to argue, but he nodded. “Okay.” He unstrapped the holster from around his waist and stuffed it into his pack. Sophie watched, wide-eyed and silent.

The US Forest Service allowed dispersed camping for up to two weeks outside of designated campgrounds. Through mysterious political connections, Daniel Metwater had wrangled a permit for his group to settle for an extended period in this remote area, near a natural spring at the base of a rocky mesa in the high desert landscape of Curecanti National Recreation Area. This was the third such camp the group had occupied in as many months. Like the others, it consisted of a motley collection of trucks, campers, tents and makeshift shelters, grouped in a rough oval around a central campfire.

A large, late-model motor home was parked at one end of the oval, solar panels winking from the roof. “That’s where the Prophet lives,” Sophie whispered to Jake.

“Starfall.” Carmen called to a woman with dark, curly hair who was wiping the face of a naked toddler outside a large, white tent. “Where is Phoenix?”

“She’s with the Prophet,” the woman said. She stared openly at Jake. “Who is he?”

“This is my big brother, Jake,” Sophie said. “He wants to see Mom. Is she okay?”

“She’ll be fine,” Starfall said. “She’s resting now and shouldn’t be disturbed.”

“Is your Prophet a doctor?” Jake asked.

Though Starfall was at least a foot shorter than Jake, she managed to look down her nose at him. “He is a spiritual healer.”

Jake started toward the motor home, but Sophie held him back. “We’re not supposed to go into the Prophet’s home without an invitation,” she said.

“I’m not one of his followers,” Jake said. “I don’t have to play by his rules.” He gently uncurled her fingers from around his arm and started for the motor home again, Carmen close behind him.

Sophie caught up with them as they climbed the steps to the RV. Jake pounded on the door.

He had raised his fist to knock again when the door eased open, and a pale blonde peered out. Andi Mattheson—who now went by the single moniker Asteria—was one of the reasons Carmen had joined Metwater’s Family. The daughter of a former US senator was eight months pregnant and, as far as Carmen could determine, hadn’t seen a doctor in months. So many of the Prophet’s followers were young women who were either pregnant or mothers to small children that Carmen wanted to determine if they were receiving the necessary care. Andi frowned at the tall, imposing man leaning over her, then looked past him to Carmen. “What do you want?” she asked.

“We’re here to see Phoenix,” Jake said.

“This is Phoenix’s son, Jake Lohmiller.” Carmen stepped up beside him. “Sophie told us her mother had fainted and, naturally, he’s concerned.”

“She’s fine,” Andi said. “She just needs to rest.” She started to close the door, but Jake flattened his hand against it, holding it open.

“I want to see her,” he said.

“The Prophet—” Andi began.

Jake didn’t let her finish. He shoved past her into the motor home. Carmen and Sophie followed. “Phoenix?” he called.

“Mama?” Sophie echoed.

Daniel Metwater, dressed in his usual outfit of loose, white shirt and trousers, his dark, curly hair framing the intensely handsome face of a male model, appeared in the doorway that led to the back of the RV. “What is the meaning of this disturbance?” he asked.

“I’m here to see Phoenix.” Jake started to move past Metwater, but the Prophet blocked him.

“Phoenix is resting,” he said.

“I’m going to see her anyway.” He took Metwater by the shoulders and shoved him aside. One of the muscular young men Metwater kept near him as bodyguards rushed forward, but Jake ignored him and charged into the bedroom. Carmen followed, one hand hovering over the weapon under her skirt. She didn’t want to blow her cover by drawing the gun, but Jake might not leave her any choice.

Phoenix lay on Metwater’s bed and, with her whitish hair and her face so pale, she almost blended with the sheets. As Jake reached her, the bodyguard grabbed his arm. “No!” Phoenix sat up, one arm outstretched. “Don’t hurt him, please!”

Jake’s thunderous expression softened. He sat on the edge of the bed and took Phoenix’s hand. “Hello, Mom.”

Her smile transformed her face. “Jake. What a wonderful surprise!” She cupped his face in her hands, as if needing to reassure herself he was real. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to see you. How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine.” She managed a wavering smile. “I just got too hot out there or I didn’t drink enough water or something.” She wrapped both of her hands around his. “It’s so good to see you. How did you ever find me?”

“It wasn’t easy,” he said. “I talked to a lot of people. One of your old friends from Denver mentioned you’d taken up with some millionaire turned preacher. I did some more digging and heard about this group and came out here to see if you were with them.”

“I kept meaning to write and let you know Sophie and I were okay and that you shouldn’t worry. You always were such a worrier.”

“You shouldn’t disappear that way,” Jake said. “What were you thinking?”

Phoenix licked her pale lips. “Do your grandparents know I’m here?” she asked.

“No. Not yet.”

She lay back on the pillows and closed her eyes. “Don’t tell them, please. There’s really no need for them to know.”

He looked as if he wanted to argue that point but pressed his lips together and said nothing.

Metwater moved to the other side of the bed and took Phoenix’s hand. “What are you doing here?” he asked Jake.

“I came to see my mother.”

“This is my son.” Opening her eyes, Phoenix struggled to a sitting position once more. “Jake, this is the Prophet. The man who saved my life.” She beamed at Metwater, the adoration making Carmen a little sick to her stomach. Frankly, the Prophet, for all his good looks and charm—or possibly because of them—gave her the creeps.

“You need to leave now,” Metwater said. “You’re obviously upsetting your mother.”

“Oh, no!” Phoenix protested. “We haven’t even had a chance to talk. And I’m feeling much better, I promise.” She started to get out of bed, but Metwater pushed her back against the pillows once more.

“I can feel your pulse racing,” he said. “All this excitement isn’t good for you.” He turned to Jake. “You can see your mother later. Tomorrow, after she’s had a chance to rest.”

“Or I could take her with me now,” he said. “To a doctor who can check her out. Someplace safe.”

“Jake, I don’t need a doctor,” Phoenix protested. “And why wouldn’t I be safe here? The Prophet has given me his own bed. I don’t deserve such an honor.”

“Mother, I came to take you away from here. You and Sophie.”

Carmen winced. Not the way to approach this.

Phoenix laughed. “Don’t be silly, Jake. This is my home. Our home. We’re not going anywhere.”

“That’s right,” Metwater said. He smiled and beckoned toward Sophie. “Come here, child. Don’t be shy.”

Sophie flushed and walked very slowly, head down, to the side of the bed where Metwater sat. He put his arm around her and pulled her close. “You’re happy here, aren’t you?” he asked, his lips practically brushing the girl’s cheek.

She stood frozen, avoiding his eyes.

“Of course she’s happy.” Phoenix stroked her daughter’s hand. “You love it here, don’t you, dear?”

Sophie nodded, though she still didn’t look up. Carmen swallowed the sour taste in her mouth. She had to fight to keep from ordering Metwater to take his hands off the girl. The muscles bunched along Jake’s jaw as he glared at the Prophet.

Metwater met the glare with a challenging look of his own. “Your mother and sister are well cared for here,” he said. “You don’t have anything to worry about.”

Carmen wasn’t so sure about that. She couldn’t decide whether Daniel Metwater or Jake Lohmiller was likely to cause the most trouble.

Jake glared at Metwater. “Get your hands off my sister,” he said, and there was no mistaking the menace behind his words.

“Sophie doesn’t mind, does she?” Metwater snuggled the girl closer.

“Get your hands off her, or I’ll break them off!”

“Jake!” Phoenix grabbed his arm. “That’s no way to talk to a holy man.”

“There’s nothing holy about the way he’s holding Sophie.”

Phoenix sent her daughter a worried look. “Maybe Sophie should leave us now,” she said.

Metwater unwrapped his arms from around the girl. “You may go now, daughter,” he said.

Sophie ran from the room without looking at any of them. A moment later, the door to the motor home slammed behind her.

Phoenix turned to Jake. “Now look what you’ve done,” she said.

“What I’ve done?” Jake stood. “This charlatan has pulled the wool over everyone’s eyes. Can’t you see this is no place for a child? This is no place for you.”

“Enough.” Metwater clapped his hands together. “You may not come into my home and insult me this way.”

Jake took a step toward the Prophet, fists clenched. Carmen had seen enough. She moved forward and took his arm. “Come with me,” she said softly. “We’ll figure something out.”

“You’re not welcome in my home or my Family’s home,” Metwater said. “Leave, and don’t come back.”

The guard stepped forward and took Jake’s other arm. His muscles tensed beneath Carmen’s hand, but she held on, even as he shook off the guard. “I’m leaving,” he said. “But this isn’t the last you’ve seen of me.”

Chapter Three

Jake wrenched from Carmen’s grasp and stalked out of the room. She started after him, but Metwater’s voice stopped her. “How do you know this man?” he asked.

“I don’t,” she said. “He approached me while we were out gathering fruit. He told me he was Phoenix’s son and that he wanted to see her. Then Sophie ran up and told us her mother had collapsed.”

“It was just too much sun,” Phoenix protested. “I’m fine.” She looked to Metwater. “Jake always did have a hot temper, but he doesn’t mean anything by it. He’s a good boy. He was just worried about me, that’s all.”

Metwater kept his gaze fixed on Carmen. He had dark, piercing eyes that dared you to blink first. “I don’t want you associating with him,” he said. “He strikes me as dangerous.”

Carmen nodded. Not that she was agreeing with Metwater, but she was anxious to get out of the motor home and find Jake before he caused any more trouble.

“You may go now,” Metwater said.

She ground her teeth together. Reminding him she didn’t need his permission to walk away wouldn’t fit with her cover of the new, meek disciple. She kept her head down until she was out of the RV, then looked around for Jake.

She spotted him with Starfall and another woman, Sarah, outside a lean-to that served as the camp’s communal kitchen. “We were just telling Soldier Boy here that we could use a man like him around,” Starfall said. She gave Jake an appreciative once-over.

“Your Prophet doesn’t agree,” Jake said.

“He doesn’t like people who disagree with him,” Sarah said. When the others looked at her, she flushed. “But it’s his camp, so I guess he gets to make the rules.”

“Phoenix never let on she had a good-looking son like you,” Starfall said, looking Jake up and down.

“She doesn’t talk about her past,” Sarah said. “Most people here don’t.”

“They don’t,” Starfall agreed. She turned to Carmen. “For instance, we don’t know anything about Carmen here, except that she heard the Prophet at a rally in Grand Junction and fell in love with his teachings.”

“There’s nothing to know,” Carmen said. She touched Jake’s arm. “Where is Sophie?”

“I don’t know.” He frowned. “I need to find her.”

“She’s probably at Phoenix’s trailer,” Starfall said. “You know teenagers. They’re always in a snit about something.”

“I’ll take you there,” Carmen said.

Jake followed her away from the two women. When they were out of earshot, Carmen said, “We have to hurry. Metwater will send someone to make sure you left camp, and Starfall will probably tell them where you went.”

“Does everyone here do what Metwater tells them to do?” he asked.

“That’s part of the deal when you join up with his Family,” she said. “You turn over all your worldly goods to him and agree to live by his rules.”

“You did that?” he asked.

“No. I’m still on probation. I get to hang around for a couple of weeks and decide if this is what I really want.”

Jake looked around them. Women and children were everywhere, along with a handful of men. Everyone was young and attractive. “I don’t get it,” he said. “What do people see in this kind of life?”

“They’re unhappy and looking for something,” she said. “Some meaning or purpose. They want to be part of a special group and feel special themselves. Metwater promises that.”

His eyes, as intense as the Prophet’s, met hers, but with a warmth she had never found in Metwater’s gaze. “What does he get out of it?” he asked.

“All their property, for one thing, though for most of them that’s just a little cash and maybe a vehicle. A lot of adoration and ego strokes. Power.”

“And nothing he’s doing is against the law?”

She shrugged. “As long as the people involved are competent adults and they hand over everything willingly, there’s not a lot we can do.”

“Which brings me back to my original question,” he said. “Why are you here?”

She glanced around, as much to buy time to formulate her answer as to make sure they couldn’t be overheard. “There are a lot of women and children here. We want to make sure there’s no abuse involved.”

He stiffened. “Have there been reports of abuse? Rumors?”

“No.” She pressed her lips together. “It just seems the potential is there. We wanted to be sure.”

“We being what organization? Child Protective Services?”

“No. The CPS is satisfied that everything is fine here.” He had already pegged her as a cop—her refusal to acknowledge that hadn’t changed his mind. Maybe it was better to let him know she had real authority behind her. “I work for the Ranger Brigade.”

He considered this. “That’s a federal group, right? Multi-agency take force working on public lands? I think I read something in the paper about you. But there can’t be many people out here. Is there much crime?”

“You might be surprised. People think they can get away with a lot when there aren’t many people around to watch.”

“But you’re watching,” he said. “What crimes do you think Daniel Metwater and his bunch are committing?”

“Why should I tell you? I don’t know anything about you.”

“You know my name. You know I’m a veteran.”

“What have you been doing since you were discharged from the Army?” she asked.

“I’ve been looking for my mother and my sister. And I just want to protect them. If you know something about Daniel Metwater that bears on that, please tell me.”

The man was either an Emmy-worthy actor, or he was being straight with her. He had already had the chance to blow her cover and hadn’t done so, and his concern for his mother and sister was genuine. Maybe he could even help her in some way, if she gave him a little more information.

“He hasn’t done anything that we can link directly to him,” she said. “But he attracts the kind of people who bring trouble. A couple of weeks ago, we arrested a serial killer who was one of his hangers-on. Not a follower, exactly, but someone who visited the camp often and was close to Metwater. There have been other incidents around the camp.” She shook her head. “I shouldn’t even be talking about this. I’m on really thin legal ground here. The local DA has asked us to back off. Metwater’s lawyers have accused us of targeting the group and harassing Metwater and his followers.”

“But you’re federal, right? You don’t have to comply with the DA’s orders?”

“Right. But we’re trying to keep things low-key. I’m here to compile a census of the group and to make sure everything is above-board.” Not exactly a dangerous undercover mission.

“And he was really harboring a serial killer?” He shook his head. “All the more reason to get Sophie and my mother out of here.”

They had reached the turquoise and white vintage travel trailer Sophie shared with her mother. “I don’t think your mother and sister are in any danger,” Carmen said.

“You saw the way Metwater held Sophie. The guy’s a creep.”

“Yes. It was...unsettling. But as free as he is with the women in camp, I’ve never seen him make any kind of unhealthy gesture toward the children. And that includes Sophie. He refers to all the children as his own. And I’m watching him very closely.”

Jake looked over the trailer. “So this is where they live?”

“It’s really very comfortable inside,” Carmen said. “I’m sure Sophie will be happy you came after her.”

She started to turn away, but he touched her arm. “Will you come with me?”

The request surprised her. “I would have thought you wanted to see your sister alone.”

He grimaced. “Until a few moments ago, we hadn’t seen each other in four years. The last time I saw her she was just a little kid. Now...” He shrugged. “I’m not sure I know what to say to her. It might be less awkward with you along.”

This was the first chink in his armor he had shown, and it touched her. “All right.” Maybe hearing what he had to say to his sister would help her figure him out.

Jake knocked on the door, but there was no answer. “Sophie, it’s me, Jake,” he called. “Can I come in?”

The door opened, and Sophie peered out at them, her expression wary. “What do you want?” she asked.

“I just want to see you,” he said. “It’s been a long time.”

She looked past him to Carmen. “All right,” she said and held the door open wider.

The little trailer was crowded but neat, despite Sophie’s schoolbooks scattered across the dinette table and the kitchen counter covered with jars of dried herbs, a bowl of the wild raspberries they had picked that morning and a tin can filled with purple and yellow wildflowers. “Are you okay?” Jake sat on a small sofa next to his sister.

“Sure.” She shrugged. “I’m just worried about Mom.”

“Has she fainted like this before?” Carmen asked.

“A couple of times—” Sophie worried her lower lip between her teeth “—that I know about. And she’s been tired a lot lately.”

“When was the last time she saw a doctor?” Carmen asked.

“She doesn’t believe in doctors,” Sophie said.

“I’ll talk to her and see what I can find out,” Carmen said.

Sophie brightened. “That would be great. She won’t say anything to me ’cause, you know, I’m just a kid.”

“Did that guy, Metwater, upset you?” Jake asked.

Her expression clouded once more. “You upset me. Going all caveman and arguing over me like I was, I don’t know, a dog or something. It was embarrassing.”

Jake looked at Carmen, desperation in his eyes. “I wasn’t trying to embarrass you,” he said. “I didn’t like the way he was holding you. I didn’t think you liked it, either.”

“I don’t like him because he keeps saying he’s my father now and stuff like that.”

“He hasn’t ever, like, touched you, um, inappropriately, has he?” The tips of Jake’s ears were red, but he marshaled on. “You know what I’m talking about, right?”

“Yes, I know.” Sophie looked miserable. “And he hasn’t done anything like that. I’d call him on it if he did. I’m not afraid of him like some of the people around here.”