Page 112 of Forever Dark

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“You have any idea who might be responsible?”

“Yes.”

That sharpened everything.

Connor kept his voice even.“Who?”

“Someone the Lord will deal with.”

“I want to deal with him first.The Lord can have him later.”

Ruth Ann’s pale eyes met his.Unblinking.The kind that made silence feel deliberate.

“You arrested Preacher Croft today,” she said.“That was a sin.”

Connor ignored it.“Did you know Brenda Colter?”

“No.”

“Lauren Gimble?”

“No.”

“Tara Brennan?”

“No.”

“Did anyone in the traveling group take special interest in women at the revival?”

“I don’t concern myself with the weak places in others.”

Connor took a step closer.“Then concern yourself with this.Three women are dead.If Croft or somebody around him is dangerous, now would be a fine time to stop protecting them.”

Ruth Ann did not move.

“You think we need protecting from you,” she said.“That’s pride.”

“No,” Connor said.“I think someone in your crowd has blood on their hands.And he’s going to keep killing until he’s stopped.”

At that, the faintest smile crept in.It felt almost vindictive.

“If Elias Croft asked it,” she said, “I’d die for him.That’s all you need to know, Sheriff.”

This was sounding like much more than a simple revival.

Arnold spoke before Connor could.“What?”

Ruth Ann looked at the deputy as if he were a child interrupting adult.

“I said I’d die for him.”

Connor held her eyes.“That’s a strange thing to admit.”

“No.It’s only strange to people who don’t understand devotion.”

“You think everybody in that revival feels that way?”

Ruth Ann folded her hands.“All of his flock would.”

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