period of darkness — those who stay the course are few, but their strength is great.”
“How does that make Father September a martyr?” Kosh asked.
“He sacrifices his pride, his good name, and the respect and love of his people. As it is written, ‘Any man can give his life, but to give up the love of one’s own people is the one true sacrifice.’”
Kosh shook his head. “I can’t believe that Adrian, crazy as he is, would kill Tucker. Anyway, it didn’t happen. Tucker and Lia went into that maggot thing.”
“A boy was sacrificed.”
“Yeah, I read that. But it wasn’t Tucker.”
“You cannot know that. Master Gheen’s plan was to have Father September perform the sacrifice, then send the boy into the maggot. According to the scriptures, Tuckerfeye returns from the dead to continue his father’s work.”
“Then the scriptures are wrong.”
“Perhaps.” Emma looked down at her plate of cold pasta. “Perhaps not.”
K OSH GOT THE T RIUMPH RUNNING THE NEXT MORNING
. He celebrated by going for a quick ride, just a few miles, to see how it rolled. When he got back ten minutes later, there was a Hopewell County Sheriff squad car in the driveway.
The cop was still sitting in the car. Kosh got off his bike and hung his helmet on the handlebar. The cop shouldered open the car door and climbed out.
“Morning, Jeff,” Kosh said, keeping his voice casual.
Sheriff’s Deputy Jeff Wahlberg, a hefty, red-faced man about Kosh’s age, hitched up his implement-laden belt and nodded. “Hey, Kosh.” He looked around. “Nice spread.”
“It’s got a ways to go, but I’m working on it. What’s up?”
The deputy puffed out his cheeks, then let out the air with a soft
phtt
. “Understand you had a little accident a few days back.”
Kosh had gone to high school with Jeff Wahlberg, but they’d never really been friends. He chose his words carefully. “Well, my bike got sort of bunged up. Totaled, actually.”
Wahlberg looked at the Triumph. “New bike?”
“Refurbished.”
“How many you got now?”
“Just a few. Mostly in pieces.”
“I heard you had your nephew living with you.”
“I did, but he’s gone. You haven’t seen him, have you?”
“Nope. You the only one here now?”
Kosh considered how he might answer that. If he said yes, would the deputy leave? Probably not. He decided to counter with a question of his own.
“Can I ask you what you’re doing here? Kind of out of your jurisdiction.”
Wahlberg shrugged and held up his palms. “Seems there’s a missing woman. Thought you might know her whereabouts.”
“You think I kidnapped somebody?”
“Nah, don’t figure you for a kidnapper. But if you run off with a fellow’s wife,
that
I wouldn’t put past you.”
“And what if
she
ran off with
me
?”
Wahlberg shrugged. “Is that what happened?”
Kosh said, “Is there something I should know? Outstanding charges? Am I in trouble?”
“You tell me. We found the husband tied to a tree in front of your old house. He says you assaulted him.” He looked pointedly at the scabs on Kosh’s knuckles. “Can’t say I’d blame you. The guy’s a piece of work. One a them Lambs.”
“He rammed me with his truck and wrecked my bike. Nearly killed me.”
“I figured something like that. He says you stole his SUV, too.”
“I don’t know anything about that,” Kosh said, hoping Wahlberg wouldn’t look behind the barn. “You here to arrest me?”
Wahlberg laughed. “You see a SWAT team? Nah, the guy declined to press charges on the assault. I figure he’s got something to hide. I’m just here to find the woman, make sure she’s safe.”
“She’s safe,” Kosh said.
“Mind if I talk to her?”
Kosh couldn’t see any way around it. He looked up at the third-floor window. Emma was standing there, watching. He waved for her to come down. A minute later, Emma emerged from the barn, walking as if she were headed for her own execution. She stopped
“How does that make Father September a martyr?” Kosh asked.
“He sacrifices his pride, his good name, and the respect and love of his people. As it is written, ‘Any man can give his life, but to give up the love of one’s own people is the one true sacrifice.’”
Kosh shook his head. “I can’t believe that Adrian, crazy as he is, would kill Tucker. Anyway, it didn’t happen. Tucker and Lia went into that maggot thing.”
“A boy was sacrificed.”
“Yeah, I read that. But it wasn’t Tucker.”
“You cannot know that. Master Gheen’s plan was to have Father September perform the sacrifice, then send the boy into the maggot. According to the scriptures, Tuckerfeye returns from the dead to continue his father’s work.”
“Then the scriptures are wrong.”
“Perhaps.” Emma looked down at her plate of cold pasta. “Perhaps not.”
K OSH GOT THE T RIUMPH RUNNING THE NEXT MORNING
. He celebrated by going for a quick ride, just a few miles, to see how it rolled. When he got back ten minutes later, there was a Hopewell County Sheriff squad car in the driveway.
The cop was still sitting in the car. Kosh got off his bike and hung his helmet on the handlebar. The cop shouldered open the car door and climbed out.
“Morning, Jeff,” Kosh said, keeping his voice casual.
Sheriff’s Deputy Jeff Wahlberg, a hefty, red-faced man about Kosh’s age, hitched up his implement-laden belt and nodded. “Hey, Kosh.” He looked around. “Nice spread.”
“It’s got a ways to go, but I’m working on it. What’s up?”
The deputy puffed out his cheeks, then let out the air with a soft
phtt
. “Understand you had a little accident a few days back.”
Kosh had gone to high school with Jeff Wahlberg, but they’d never really been friends. He chose his words carefully. “Well, my bike got sort of bunged up. Totaled, actually.”
Wahlberg looked at the Triumph. “New bike?”
“Refurbished.”
“How many you got now?”
“Just a few. Mostly in pieces.”
“I heard you had your nephew living with you.”
“I did, but he’s gone. You haven’t seen him, have you?”
“Nope. You the only one here now?”
Kosh considered how he might answer that. If he said yes, would the deputy leave? Probably not. He decided to counter with a question of his own.
“Can I ask you what you’re doing here? Kind of out of your jurisdiction.”
Wahlberg shrugged and held up his palms. “Seems there’s a missing woman. Thought you might know her whereabouts.”
“You think I kidnapped somebody?”
“Nah, don’t figure you for a kidnapper. But if you run off with a fellow’s wife,
that
I wouldn’t put past you.”
“And what if
she
ran off with
me
?”
Wahlberg shrugged. “Is that what happened?”
Kosh said, “Is there something I should know? Outstanding charges? Am I in trouble?”
“You tell me. We found the husband tied to a tree in front of your old house. He says you assaulted him.” He looked pointedly at the scabs on Kosh’s knuckles. “Can’t say I’d blame you. The guy’s a piece of work. One a them Lambs.”
“He rammed me with his truck and wrecked my bike. Nearly killed me.”
“I figured something like that. He says you stole his SUV, too.”
“I don’t know anything about that,” Kosh said, hoping Wahlberg wouldn’t look behind the barn. “You here to arrest me?”
Wahlberg laughed. “You see a SWAT team? Nah, the guy declined to press charges on the assault. I figure he’s got something to hide. I’m just here to find the woman, make sure she’s safe.”
“She’s safe,” Kosh said.
“Mind if I talk to her?”
Kosh couldn’t see any way around it. He looked up at the third-floor window. Emma was standing there, watching. He waved for her to come down. A minute later, Emma emerged from the barn, walking as if she were headed for her own execution. She stopped
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