Always Watching

fire and motioned for me to sit. The burst of warmth was nice after the cold. While he stoked the embers, I stared out at the lake through a big picture window as a thick layer of fog rolled across the dark surface.
    Finished with the fire, he settled in the chair across from me and leaned forward, his elbows on his legs. His voice was gruff, almost angry, when he spoke.
    “I was the one who found the boy’s body. His parents kept saying that he was in a better place now.” He paused, his lips tightening. “There was something wrong with them—Aaron especially. I thought he might’ve had more to do with the boy going missing than he was letting on, but we couldn’t pinpoint anything. And some of the members vouched for his whereabouts.”
    “Do you remember which ones?”
    He sat back, stared up at the ceiling. “No names coming to mind. We had one witness who’d seen a woman dancing with the little boy in her arms, then walking off with the child. Later, the witness said he’d been high and had just been confused about the timing.”
    “Do you think someone told him to take it back?”
    “That’s a pretty good bet.”
    “What was his name?”
    “Levi.”
    I had been praying he wouldn’t say Robbie’s name, but I was just as jarred by his answer.
    He caught my expression. “Something I should know?”
    “No … it’s just.” I strained my memory, thought back. “I can’t really recall much from around the time Finn died, but Levi and my brother were good friends. I’m surprised I don’t remember that.”
    “He recanted fast.”
    “You think they were covering up something about Finn’s death? Do you…” I cleared my throat, suddenly tight with emotion. “Was he murdered?”
    “No, there were no signs of trauma. He died of exposure. His parents had another child—social workers took the baby away … always wondered what happened to him.” We were both silent. Then he said, “We were sure they were growing marijuana, but we couldn’t find anything to bust them on.”
    “They were growing drugs. That’s why they didn’t go to the police right away. They were afraid you’d search the barn.”
    He shook his head. “We figured they’d gotten rid of it, but there was no sign of burning, nothing. We could never figure out what they did with it all.”
    I paused, trying to think. “That’s strange. I don’t know what they did with it, either. They made all the kids go to bed. I was scared for Finn, thinking of him out there alone. Aaron kept saying our positive energy would bring him home.”
    “The parents were stupid, but their main crime was listening to anything Aaron had to say.”
    “He was very convincing, and manipulative. That’s why I’m concerned now about what’s happening at the center and that there could be more victims.”
    “Pursuing sexual abuse cases isn’t easy, especially when someone is well known, like him. That center is a big deal now. Brings in a lot of money, and he has lots of supporters.”
    “I realize that.”
    He held my gaze, like he was testing my resolve. I didn’t look away, but he was right. Again, I asked myself how far I wanted go with this.
    He continued. “I’ve kept tabs on the group since they left. Two young girls, sisters, back in the nineties, claimed Aaron had made them do some things, sexual things. One of my buddies worked the case.”
    So there had been more. My breath caught in my throat as I thought of another young girl with Aaron, knowing all too well things he’d probably made them do with him, all in the name of spiritual awareness. “What happened?”
    “They had a good case, looked like they might even be able to arrest Aaron. Then the girls got scared and recanted. File’s closed now, but it’s always bugged the hell out of Mark—he had a bad feeling about Aaron. I could get their names.”
    “Do you think they’d talk to me?”
    “Hard to say, but I can ask. They’re older now. Sometimes knowing there are other victims can change their minds. There’s safety in numbers.”
    I nodded and said, “It’s worth a try.” I didn’t want to get too hopeful, but if the sisters realized there were more victims, they might be inspired to reopen their case. Then the police might finally be able to nail Aaron.
    I wasn’t sure how much to tell him about Willow, and I didn’t want to lose the ground I’d gained by having him dismiss me as paranoid, but I casually said, “There was a girl, Willow, who