Paradise Ranch (Jack and Ashley detective series Book 2) Page 4

  “But …”

  “Car. Eye out,” Jack shot back. “Is that so hard to understand?”

  “But …”

  “Car. Eye out,” Jack said, lifting his hand to end the conversation.

  Ashley opened her mouth as if to say something again but was interrupted by Jack’s sign language as he pointed to the car and then to his eyes, telling her to look around.

  Ashley didn’t speak but instead mouthed the word “jerk” as Jack turned and walked up the steps toward the two armed men, leaving her alone by the patrol unit.

  “Agent Jack Looper?” one of the men asked expectantly.

  “That’s Special Agent in Charge Jack Looper,” he corrected the man.

  “Sorry about that, sir. I wasn’t given your formal title. Elijah said to show you in,” the man replied as he opened the door for the agent.

  “Take me to your leader,” Jack said in a light tone as the two men accompanied him inside.

  Ashley stood alone, leaning against the patrol car with her arms crossed as Jack and the men disappeared inside. She mumbled several more unflattering terms for Jack under her breath, irritated she was again being left out. That irritation was joined by concern of being split up from her partner inside what was in essence an armed camp – an armed camp where police were not welcome.

  Ashley stuffed the badge that hung on a lanyard around her neck under the top of her shirt. Given the looks they had gotten when they paraded into town minutes before in their borrowed sheriff’s vehicle, she wasn’t so sure being an officer of the law, especially a federal agent, was any protection at all.

  Minutes passed as she stood leaning against the car. A few passersby glared at her as she stood there. She gave them a pleasant nod; however her gesture was met with looks of distrust – or was it apprehension? Maybe it was time to look around. Jack had suggested she nose around, so she would do just that. Anything was better than standing there and being glared at like an exhibit at the zoo.

  She casually began walking down the dusty main street. It quickly became apparent why the streets were not paved; there was no reason for it. There were only a handful of other vehicles in sight and those were either transport trucks parked a few doors down at a large factory-style building or four-wheelers that were parked around the office where Jack had entered. If someone was going to leave Paradise Ranch they would have to do it on foot or call a cab because personal vehicles were few and far between.

  Something else hit Ashley as she continued on at a leisurely pace. There were no sounds of engines or ma-chines, no sounds of radios or even a television blaring through an open window.

  A couple of blocks from the main building, Ashley came upon a little girl playing by herself in a yard. The girl stopped playing momentarily to take a look at the stranger. Unlike the rest of the residents of Paradise Ranch, the little girl greeted Ashley with a smile.

  “Hi,” Ashley said sweetly to the little girl, stepping over toward the edge of the lawn. “My name is Ashley. What’s your name?”

  “I’m Jana,” the little girl replied.

  “That’s a nice name, Jana,” Ashley said as she stepped closer and got down on one knee. “I had a friend named Jana once. We were very close.”

  “You’re new around here,” the girl, who appeared to be around seven years old, declared.

  “Yes I am,” Ashley replied, the girl’s statement telling her that everyone must know everyone else in the small commune. “I just got here today.”

  “You’ll like it here,” the girl volunteered. “It’s nice.”

  “Really? So, you like living here?” Ashley asked. Her conversation was cut short as the girl’s mother, who had just noticed her daughter talking to the stranger, snapped at the little girl. “Jana!” she yelled. “You get in here this instant.”

  The woman stood on the front porch, glaring at Ash-ley as she beckoned her daughter.

  “I’ve got to go,” the girl said. “My mommy is calling.”

  “I said right now!” the mother shouted as she took another step out the door.

  “Nice meeting you, Jana,” Ashley said as she gave the girl a wave and then called out to the worried moth-er, “I didn’t mean to bother your daughter, ma’am.”

  The girl was whisked inside by her mother who rudely slammed the door behind them without acknowledging Ashley’s apology.

  “That wasn’t very friendly,” Ashley muttered as she saw the mother pull the curtains to the front window closed. “Talk about paranoid.”

  Ashley would find out Jana’s mother wasn’t the only resident of Paradise Ranch who acted strangely toward her. It was as if she was an alien walking the streets of the quaint commune. Her waves to the various people she encountered during her short walk were not re-turned. Instead, her presence was met with stares, al-most like no one had seen anyone from the outside be-fore. At one point Ashley tried to approach a woman who was working on a plant bed in her front yard. The woman, who saw Ashley coming, bolted from her chores and went inside like she was being approached by an armed marauder. It was as if the people of Paradise Ranch were scared. But what were they scared of? It couldn’t be Ashley’s non-threatening, small frame. Perhaps they just didn’t trust outsiders. Ashley didn’t look like a cop and didn’t look like the type an average person would tag as a federal agent.

  Convinced her walkabout was doing no good and was only making matters worse, Ashley headed back toward the patrol vehicle. Something wasn’t right about Paradise Ranch. Perhaps Jack had concluded his inter-view of the mysterious Elijah and was already looking for her. She was ready to go.

  Ashley walked at a faster pace as she retraced her path back to the center of the village. Her short walk had given her an uneasy feeling. She would spend the rest of their visit leaning against the vehicle, dutifully waiting for her partner to emerge from his interview. That is, if he did emerge. The idea of there being trouble had crossed her mind during her walk. What if they had walked into a trap? What if Jack didn’t come back from his meeting? What would she do then? Would she go in with guns blazing or try to make her escape and come back with help? She immediately dismissed the second option as she recalled Jack took the keys to the vehicle with him. She patted the gun that was stuck in her back waistband, hidden by her shirt which she had pulled down over it.

  She was within a few steps of the vehicle when she froze in her tracks.

  “Stop right there, ma’am,” a voice called out from behind.

  Ashley turned to see a man standing behind her, his hand on his holstered weapon as if he were ready to draw.

  “Whoa there, partner,” Ashley said as she raised her hands. “I’m a federal agent.”

  Still with his hand nervously on his holstered gun, the man looked Ashley up and down.

  “You don’t look like any federal agent I’ve ever seen,” the man said. “Even if you were one, you’re a trespasser.”

  “I’m not trespassing,” Ashley replied with her hands still in the air. “We were invited here by Elijah.”

  “Sure you were,” the man said with narrowed eyes.

  “I tell you, I’m a federal agent,” Ashley repeated as she reached to pull her badge from under her shirt. Her move pushed the nervous man into action as he drew his gun and pointed it at her head.

  “Keep your hands in the air, ma’am,” the man commanded as his gun shook in his hands. “I’m not going to tell you again.”

  Ashley put her hands back up as she looked down the pistol barrel.

  “You don’t want to do this,” Ashley warned as she glanced nervously over her shoulder, hoping Jack would come out soon.

  “I’m going to need you to turn around and put your hands on that vehicle,” the man said as he motioned toward the patrol car with his gun.

  “You want me to do what?” Ashley said, resisting the man’s command.

  “I said put your hands on that vehicle,” he said. “I’m going to search you.”

  “You’re making
a big mistake, buddy,” Ashley said, glaring at the man.

  “We’ll see about that,” he retorted. “Now, hands on the vehicle.”

  Given the fact the stranger had the drop on her, Ash-ley relented to his demand. She turned and put her hands on the car.

  “We were invited here,” Ashley protested as the man began to frisk her. He quickly found her gun and pulled it from her waistband.

  “Yeah, well most guests here don’t come packing heat,” the man noted as he eyed the forty caliber.

  “I am a federal agent,” Ashley repeated. “If you’ll just let me show you my identification …”

  “You just hold it right there, peaches,” the man ordered as he continued frisking her.

  “What did you call me?” Ashley asked as she felt the man’s hand slip deep inside her pocket.

  CAPTIVE AUDIENCE

  Jack expected to be brought to some grand throne room or perhaps an intimidating executive office for his meeting with Elijah. It was neither. The men, after leading him through a labyrinth of hallways delivered him to their leader. He was speaking to a class of what appeared to be middle-school-aged children, all ten of them hanging on his every word.

  “No matter the trials that may come against us, together we are strong. Together we will persevere; while as individuals we fall,” Elijah explained as he glanced over to see Jack standing at the door of his classroom. He gave his visitor a smile and nod.

  “Students, this is Agent Jack Looper of the FBI,” Elijah told his class. “Say hello to Agent Looper.”

  “Hello, Agent Looper,” the children said in unison, prompting Jack to give them a wave.

  “He is our guest today,” Elijah continued. “Our honored guest.”

  With that, Elijah dismissed his class for the day, re-minding them of their homework for the evening. The children all politely smiled at Jack as they left the room.

  The bearded teacher walked over to Jack and ex-tended his hand. He was nothing like Jack had anticipated. Perhaps he was expecting a David Koresh or a Jim Jones. Instead, the man before him could easily be mistaken for a middle-age college professor. A slightly graying, bushy beard and disheveled hair matched his modest wardrobe - a pair of khaki pants and a pullover shirt with Paradise Ranch embossed on its front. He appeared harmless behind his warm smile.

  The men exchanged a firm handshake, neither willing to let the other dominate the first contact.

  “We are five points above the state average in math and science,” Elijah said, nodding his head toward the students who had just left. “And the English scores are even better. Plus, it’s all taught in a Christian environment, far away from the evils that go on in our public schools where they don’t even allow prayer anymore.”

  “Impressive,” Jack agreed as he continued holding the handshake.

  “Actually, Paradise Ranch offers the best education-al opportunity in the state,” Elijah continued. “I know it sounds like bragging but I’m very proud of our school here. It prepares our students for the next step.”

  “What is that next step?” Jack politely asked, letting go of the awkwardly long handshake.

  “Why, life, Agent Looper,” Elijah smiled. “Whether it’s here at Paradise Ranch or out there in the big, bad world, we want our children to be prepared.”

  “I see,” Jack said. “Do you suppose there’s some-where we can go and talk?”

  “My office is right down the hall,” Elijah said, motioning Jack ahead while at the same time silently dis-missing the two armed men who had stayed by their leader’s side the whole time. “We can sit down and have a pleasant chat.”

  Elijah accompanied Jack into his modest office. His window overlooked the downtown portion of Paradise Ranch.

  “Can I offer you something to drink?” Elijah asked as he motioned for Jack to have a seat. “I’m sorry, but we don’t have alcohol here. It isn’t allowed, as you might expect. Strong drink is a mocker. Many of our residents here have battled with the alcohol demon so, even though I’ve been known to enjoy a glass of wine from time to time, we find it better that we don’t allow it at all here. It takes away the temptation to the weaker members of the flock. I’m sure you understand.”

  “Definitely,” Jack agreed as he sat down. “I’m a beer man myself.”

  “I knew you’d understand, being the son of a Baptist minister and all,” Elijah said as he took his seat across the desk from Jack and looked him in the eye.

  “Yeah, the old man was pretty strict around the house,” Jack shot back, not giving his host any credit for the background work done prior to his arrival. Jack reckoned Elijah thought having knowledge of his personal life would either impress or intimidate. It did neither. All it served to do was convince Jack that his host had something to hide.

  “He could smell beer on a breath a mile away back when I was growing up,” Jack laughed. “It’s hard to go to a kegger on Saturday night when your old man is preaching a sermon on demon rum the next morning.”

  “I’m sure,” Elijah smiled politely. “But I’m sure you didn’t come out here to discuss the evils of alcohol. By the way, where is your partner, Agent Ashley Reynolds? I thought she would accompany you on your trip out here.”

  “She’s around somewhere,” Jack replied. “She must have wandered off. Don’t worry, though. I’ve got the keys so she won’t go far.”

  “You know, you’re the first law enforcement officer ever to step foot on these premises,” Elijah volunteered as he sat back in his chair. “You can understand there’s some distrust between neighborhoods like ours and the government.”

  “Neighborhoods?” Jack repeated.

  “Yes, Agent Looper, this is one big neighborhood where everyone is like family,” Elijah explained. “It’s the way things used to be in small towns, where every-body knew everyone else and they cared deeply about their neighbor.

  “That’s why Paradise Ranch is laid out like it is, with houses and storefronts. A commune with barracks, dormitories and cold cubicles is no way to live. Here at Paradise Ranch our goal is a good quality of life, away from the influences of the outside world.”

  “I guess that explains all the green,” Jack spoke up, referring to the oasis in the middle of the wilderness.

  “That, Agent Looper, is thanks to a network of irrigation systems that is second to none in the world,” Elijah smiled. “Water is brought here to make the desert bloom from fifty miles away. That’s our nearest water source.”

  “Not a cheap venture, I’d guess,” Jack replied.

  “Not cheap at all,” Elijah said. “But, thanks to our income here, we were not only able to afford the system but we can afford to maintain it and even improve it, providing our residents with a more-than-ample supply of fresh water.”

  “I suppose that’s part of the initiation fee here, isn’t it,” Jack queried. “I mean, a generous donation to the ranch before moving here. How much is that?”

  “Sell all you have and follow me,” Elijah responded. “That’s the command we are to follow. Sometimes that’s hard to understand. The material world is the only world most people will ever know. The rich man went away sad because he wasn’t ready to commit his all.”

  “Actually, the rich man was told to sell all he had, give it to the poor, and follow Him,” Jack corrected. “Are you the poor? If you don’t mind me saying so, it doesn’t look like it.”

  Elijah cleared his throat, obviously not appreciating Jack’s correcting him on scripture.

  “So your residents are expected to give you every-thing they have for the privilege of joining your gated community?” Jack shot back.

  “They need nothing else,” Elijah calmly replied. “We provide everything they need. No one goes wanting at Paradise Ranch.”

  “What if they want to leave your quaint little village?” Jack wondered. “What then? Do you give re-funds?”

  “I see where this is going, Agent Looper,” Elijah said as he leaned forward and rested his chin on his palm,
obviously somewhat amused at his guest’s suspicious tone. “Trust me, if a follower comes here penniless, we will take them in. There isn’t a joiner’s fee here. All are welcome if they wish to join. We have room for expansion.”

  Jack rubbed his chin, taking in his host’s sales pitch.

  “We do have other revenue streams, rather lucrative ones, as a matter of fact,” Elijah continued. “We are one of the nation’s leading manufacturers of dining room furniture. Tables, chairs and complete dining room sets. I’m sure you saw the trucks on your drive in. We make several shipments every day to everywhere in the continental United States. The Paradise label is one of the most highly respected furniture brands anywhere.”

  “I’ll remember that next time I’m in the market for a dining room set,” Jack retorted. “Think you can hook me up with a discount?”

  Elijah obviously didn’t care much for Jack’s flippant remark as the smile left his face for the first time.

  “And, we also provide a good living for the people down the road in New Hope,” Elijah continued. “We buy a lot of our supplies from them, all tax free of course since we are a church. We try to be good neighbors.”

  “I’m sure they appreciate that,” Jack noted. “So, with all the great things about Paradise Ranch, suppose you tell me why one of your flock decided to stray earlier this week and ended up dead in the middle of the desert.”

  The lack of segue didn’t shake the host. He was waiting for the conversation to turn after he delivered his talking points. He realized Agent Looper wasn’t paying a social call.

  “I wish I knew,” Elijah said, shaking his head. “She was one of our newer members but never the less, a member of our family here. Her loss is felt by all. It is like losing a part of the body. We are all one here at Paradise Ranch.”

  “Do you have any idea why she would just up and leave?” Jack asked as he watched his host for any signs of deception.

  “None,” Elijah soberly replied. “She seemed happy. She was making friends and becoming an important part of our neighborhood.”

  “So you can’t think of any reason for her escape?” Jack asked. His choice of words brought a sharp look from Elijah.