Always Watching

worry for herself—it was a mother’s worry. Now I saw it. Yes, Daniel looked like his father, but he had his mother’s green eyes. She must’ve been the one who warned them Robbie was going to the police.
    I spoke to Daniel, confused. “Did Heather know?”
    Daniel shook his head. “No one knew. I was overseas working at one of the communes. I didn’t want special treatment.” His gaze slid to his father. Special treatment or not, he’d still wanted his father’s approval. I noticed that Joseph’s gaze also flicked to his brother, but then he stared slightly off to the side, his face attentive, like he was hearing or seeing something that no one else did.
    I had to keep a conversation going with Daniel, in hopes of distracting Joseph, who was now starting to look agitated. His gaze moved all over the room and even up to the ceiling.
    “Why did you marry Heather? For her money?”
    He looked shocked. “No, of course not. I loved her.”
    “But Aaron encouraged you, he matched you up. He wanted you to marry her because she was wealthy—he knew, Daniel.” I threw out another quick thought. “Did he pressure you to convince her to move back after her parents died?”
    He hesitated, a look crossing his face that told me I might not be far off.
    Then Joseph, speaking to the side again as though answering someone else, said, “The Light said they had to die, and I was the one chosen to release them.” His voice had an odd, fervent tone, a terrifying intensity that signaled someone no longer in check with reality.
    Daniel stared at the back of his father’s head, shock in his eyes as he said, “You killed them?”
    Aaron glanced behind him. “It was their time.”
    Daniel was stunned—I could see the horror in his face, and the anger. I didn’t know how much longer they’d be content to talk, but I had to keep them distracted.
    I spoke to Aaron. “You killed Heather’s parents when she was still vulnerable from the miscarriage—you pushed her over the edge.”
    Daniel’s knuckles were white on the gun, a slight shake making the barrel tremble against his leg. He looked back and forth between me and his father. He was furious, no doubt about it, but would he do anything about it?
    Aaron said, “They weren’t committed to a spiritual path. Her father was a lawyer—he worked for the logging companies.” Aaron sounded disgusted, and I remembered his long-standing hatred of logging. He added, “Heather was weak.”
    Daniel jerked back, his mouth open, and in his eyes, an expression of pain. He walked around the front of the table, to face his father. “You did this? I told you Heather was still having a hard time and you kill her parents? That’s murder. ”
    Aaron said, “I did it because I love you. She was hurting you. I could see your struggle—you were weakening, losing faith in our beliefs.”
    Daniel looked conflicted, wanting, needing, to believe his father had good intentions and that he had cared for him.
    I said, “He doesn’t love you, Daniel. If he loved you, he wouldn’t have kept you a secret all these years. He’s using you.”
    Joseph shoved the gun in my side as he said, “Just shut up—shut up.”
    I held my hands out. Aaron stood up, took the gun from Daniel’s hand before he had a chance to react, and headed toward me. My blood flooded with adrenaline. I backed up a step and shouted at Mary and Daniel. “Are you just going to sit there and let them hurt me?”
    Mary flinched, her face terrified, but didn’t say anything.
    Daniel said, “What are you going to do with her? Can’t we let her go?”
    Aaron said, “Her fear is blocking her from seeing the truth. She’ll ruin everything we’ve worked for, all the good we’ve done. Joseph. It’s time. ”
    Joseph reached for me. I kicked out, but he spun me around and pinned both my arms behind my back. I twisted and turned, rearing against him, slamming my head back, hoping to fracture his nose, but he dodged at the last moment. I struggled to break his hold, but nothing was working.
    My breath came out in hard gasps.
    I tried to calm down. If I broke free now, I’d get trapped in the house in minutes. If he was going to take me outside, I had a better chance of making a run for it. There was thick forest behind Mary’s place, and I’d have cover if they started firing. But first, I had to get away.
    Joseph began to drag me to the door. I struggled, but I was biding my time. Aaron followed behind with the