Page 4 (2/2)

"I kno to use a computer, certainly We just didn’t use the evil internet, which has probably grown to ahts in the last several years And I can’t tell you how ot no hookup Cooper said to tell you to juot the first idea how you do that"

But Devon s it out

For Devon, this time away from the compound was like sensory overload--there were so rams to watch and articles to read She was in ecstasy

Then came several days of rain in a rohich conspired with Devon’s need to be immersed in the books, TV and computer Rawley didn’t spend quite as many hours at work but Devon and Mercy were so happily occupied it seemed he’d barely left before he returned She made a couple of dinners for the three of them and while Raasn’t exactly talkative, he was co out?"

"It’s a revelation--you can find out anything" Out of curiosity she checked out "coon" online and found several references, but nothing really interesting Coious sects, cults and organizations ranging from non-certified health retreats and rehab facilities to known sovereign coovern

Then she found so that explained so much: a familiar name and story--Jacob Glover Glover? They didn’t use last names--they claimed there was no need But there was a picture, and it was definitely the Jacob she had known He ell-known--he’d been convicted of fraud in the past He was known as the leader of a cult who had recently been investigated for fraud, tax fraud, conspiracy and kidnapping Huh? she thought Well, taxesyes, that was an issue She remembered that very well indeed It was one of his favorite rants, taken right froron our land; we don’t use any governood row or breed or overnment has for our paltry inco? For paying our oay? I’ll die first!

She reument, but it was one that would never work As for paltry income for little supplies--she ell aware that The Fellowship not only owned expensive far equipment, but they also owned three black Lincoln SUVs with darkened s that only the men drove This could hardly be considered paltry by any stretch of the ier sale of apples, peaches, pears and vegetables brought in enough income for The Fellowship to purchase the equip? There was not a chance The Fellowship could be accused of that! No one had ever coly and if they ran away, Jacob looked the other way At least he used to When Greg had slipped away after just a few months, there was only sad disappointroup for three years, left suddenly, Jacob’s anger roared All three SUVs tore out of the co days But when he wasn’t found, the search was abandoned

Then she realized that these investigations ht be the reason Jacob and soed in the past couple of years, beco iroup, gentleness and ease had seemed to dominate their way of life But over the past couple of years anger and even desperation seemed to creep in I’ll die first! The a--sos a diary, some a manifesto, others claimed it was his new bible--had increased There had always been weapons that were kept locked up and , not because there was fear

She looked up "cult," though she kneell enough what one was And she also knew that religious affiliation aside, The Fellowship was a cult Synony," "craze," "sect" and "deno, the LA Police Depart in LA They were but a group of like-le purpose In fact, it was that alone that had caused the rift for Devon She was no longer of a like ht before Laine had offered her a way out, she’d said, "I miss my individuality, that’s all I don’t want to be isolated and I don’t want hter raised by six mothers I want to pick my own books and ain"

"Even if society is bad? Wrong? Dangerous? Greedy?" he’d asked

"If I’ to hed deeply Painfully "This breaks my heart, but maybe it’s for the best, Devon You’ve never really wanted to be a part of this, one of us"

"I always didand ranching, tended ani everyone else did, too"

"Not everything," he reminded her

She bit her lip and looked down, astonished that he could hteous act Once she’d realized she had conceived Mercy and that Jacob had children with other woroup visited his bed frequently, she didn’t want to be a part of that group She wanted a partner, not a never-ending family When she’d made love to him, she had foolishly believed he loved only her, that he held the other women as sisters, family members, not lovers He led her to believe that "There were too many women It wasn’t for me"

"There were a few, and ere all of one family, one mind," he said

"No," she said "I was of a different mind I will only have one intimate partner"

"It’s not our way," he said

"It’s probably best that I separate now," she said "I gave ave ree with everything"