Page 53 of Bitter Falls

“You’re not here for Lanny?”

She smiles. It’s not quite right, that smile. Makes me tense up. “Nope,” she says. “Well, I like Lanta all right. She’s a cutie pie. But there’s something I wanted to tell Ms. Proctor.”

“Okay. What is it?”

“You ain’t Ms. Proctor,” she says.

“Vee, I have had a shitty day, I’m really tired, and I’ve got no patience for bullshit right now. Just spit it out.”

She sizes me up, then nods. “It’s about Vernon Carr. The man what owned that compound outside Wolfhunter? Owned the garage too?”

Cult leader. All-around asshole too. “What about him?”

“I know where he’s at.”

I don’t honestly know whether to believe her. She looks smug enough. But I shake my head. “Tell the FBI; they’re the ones looking for him.”

“I figure there could be a reward. But they won’t give it to me. I ain’t old enough. But you could get it and give it to me.”

I’m way too tired for this. Too worried about Gwen and Lanny and Connor. “We’re not cops, we’re not agents, and I’m not lying to the FBI for you. Okay, Vee? You can stay here until Gwen gets back, and then we’ll have a conversation about what comes next. That’s the best offer you’re getting. How’s that?”

“Sucks,” she says crisply. “And you’re kind of an asshole, Sam.”

“When I need to be. But mostly I’m just too tired to sugarcoat things right now.” I expect her to leave. She doesn’t. She spins the chair again, but more slowly. “Vee. Go. I need to make some calls.”

“In a minute.” She faces me again. “What if I told you ol’ Vern ran off to join up with Father Tom?”

“I don’t know who that is, either, so—”

“You don’t know a hell of a lot, do you?Everybodyup in Wolfhunter knew about Father Tom.”

“Because...”

“Because he started there. He’s the one started the Assembly.”

“A church?”

“Some might say.” She nods. “It’s what Carr was heading up when everybody out there got shot. Assembly’s short for Assembly of Saints, which is Father Tom’s place. Stands to reason that’s where you ought to be looking for Carr. Where Father Tom is.”

Not a church. A cult. I’d never found out the name of the group living out on Carr’s land, or even if it had one. And...Gwen’s looking for a cult now too. I lean forward, suddenly very interested. “Wait,” I say. “Carr didn’t start that cult living in his compound?”

“Nope, just ran it. Father Tom started it, but then he left. Got a bigger place, more followers. He didn’t want to stay in Wolfhunter. Who would?”

Legitimate question. “Do you know where Father Tom moved his cult, then?”

She shrugs, and for the first time she looks away. Picks at the material of her pants. She’s nervous, and Vee Crockett doesn’tgetnervous.

“Vee? You can tell me.”

She whips her head back toward me, and I see her consciously armor herself up again. “I don’t know nothing aboutthat.”

“You told me you knew where Carr was.”

“Yeah, I justtoldyou, he’s up with Father Tom! I don’t know where it is on a map!”

“Are you sure you’re telling me the truth?”

“Because I’m a liar, right?” she says, and is instantly on her feet. She’s got unnerving eyes, but never more so than when she’s angry, and right now, she’s burning with it. “Fine, I’m a liar. Fuck you, I’m out.”