Diana Racine 02 - Goddess of the Moon

cupboards. He’d already seen the slaughter, but his stomach lurched again. “Bigger mess here . ”
    Stallings made a hissing sound at the sight of the woman lying with a gaping slice across her t hroat. “Jesus. “ You never get used to carnage like this. Poor woman worked for the wrong people.”
    “Maybe she was a threat because she knew too much.” Craven poked through the papers on the kitchen desk. “We’re not going to find anything incriminating here, but we’ll sift through them anyway.”
    After a visual sweep of the room, Stallings asked, “Where’s the Missus?”
    “Good question. One of the neighbors said she left with luggage early this morning. Neighbor didn’t think much of it. The Easleys were always going somewhere, she said.” Craven ran a hand across the back of his neck . “Wish I knew where.”
    “May be able to help you out.” Stallings wrinkled his nose. “Let’s get out of this room. I just had lunch.” They walked outside into what seemed like frigid air after the house’s sweltering interior . They leaned against Craven’s car. “My investigators untangled a large tract of land from a land trust about five hundred miles from here in Oklahoma. It’s remote , not too far from a national park. Might be what we’re looking for.” Stallings loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top of his shirt. “Crane’s father bought the property way back when , and his lawyers shifted ownership from one shell company to another. Phillip Crane’s geniuses did the same.”
    “Reckon ed it was something like that.”
    “I guarantee when you find Mrs. Easley, she’ll deny knowing anythin g about these murders .”
    “ I f we find her. Either Anastasia Easley killed her husband, or she called someone else in to do it, then she ca lmly packed her bags and left.”
    Stallings nodded in agreement. “I’ve already contacted our office in Oklahoma City. They’re sending a chopper to scope out the area.”
    “I hope it’s what we’re looking for. After this scene I’m more worried about Ernie and the Racine woman . These people crossed the line too many times . There’s no turning back. Crane and Compton tie up loose ends, and Ernie and Diana are loose ends .” Craven related Cash’s theory about the kidnapped babies. “Ernie was working on the idea, but frankly, it sounded too weird yesterday . Doesn’t sound weird now.”
    “A genetically mastered race, huh?” Stallings said. “Somewhere in Oklahoma? I agree with you. S ounds far-fetched. Even if you’re right, they have corporations, employees, houses . Christ, their famil ies are in Louisiana .”
    “They wouldn’t be giving up anything. Both the Crane and Compton corporations are intertwined and run by family members . They’ve probably funneled funds into emergency accounts all over the place, as well as property. I f they felt it was time to pull out, they’ve protected their assets.” Craven pushed himself off the car and paced a few steps . “From what Ernie said, Compton is an arrogant megalomaniac . He thinks we couldn’t find our own dicks with both hands, let alone their private Hades.”
    “Maybe he’s right,” Stallings said. “The Oklahoma City boys might not find a thing. And even we find them , owning property isn’t a federal offense as long as they pay their taxes.”
    Fire roared in Craven’s gut. “But kidnapping and murder are .”

Chapter Fifty
    W elcome to Paradise

    L ucier waited a long minute for his eyes to adjust to the dark. He took some more time to scan the perimeter. Satisfied they were safe, he hopped inside the golf cart Mountain Man used to travel around the compound. Anna sli d in beside him, issuing directions. H e didn’t move. T urn ing to the girl , he asked , “ Are you with me, Anna?”
    The young girl paused before she answered . “I came here when I was very young , so I don’t remember much of the outside world. When new people came―not our people but surrogates and guards―they mentioned things. My friends and I talked about what we heard . We weren’t supposed to, but we did. W e’re not allowed TV, and computers are loaded with studies the leaders choose, no Internet. Speak out and you disappear into these cabins or you’re put in isolation, like Anat and Master Cal. We accepted the rules, but now… ” s he steadied her childlike blue eyes on him , “ I guess it’s time for me to be brave.”
    He let out a breath. Anna appeared to be processing