Longwood Ranch reminded Cassidy of a resort her parents had taken her to when she was younger. Every detail of the log-cabin-type structures screamed farmhouse chic—from the exposed wooden beams of the dining hall, carefully wrapped in tiny white lights, to the early-American artifacts and artwork on every surface and wall of each building.

It was beautiful here, with a warm safe feeling she knew was ironic. She’d yet to find any clue as to Julianne’s whereabouts, or even confirmation that her friend had been in this place. If Cassidy revealed she was looking for her, she would be in danger herself.

It was important she be discreet.

Her eyes swept from one end of the dining hall to the other, scanning the faces of the people who were slowly becoming her friends as they chatted with each other and enjoyed their meal. Steely eyes connected with hers across the room, stopping her perusal and freezing her thoughts.

Thomas.

A shiver went down her spine as she dropped her gaze. Something about that man unnerved her. He always seemed to be questioning, as if he could see through her facade and knew she wasn’t here simply because she longed to live in harmony with others. Given that he was David’s right-hand man, he could be a serious problem.

She longed to stare Thomas down or put him in his place with an icy, “Can I help you?” but she bit her tongue. She picked up her wineglass and took a sip of strawberry wine, the overly sweet liquid making her stomach clench.

“Are you enjoying your meal?” asked David.

“It’s delicious.” She forced a small smile in his direction. He’d insisted she eat beside him yesterday and today, claiming he wanted to get to know her. While she initially thought she’d roused his suspicion, she’d since become certain she’d roused something else entirely. David Kelleher was interested in her, and he was making a point of demonstrating it in front of the whole community.

He of all people knew what happened to Julianne, and Cassidy planned to take full advantage of his interest in her to find out what he knew. She just needed to keep a safe distance between them.

And if you can’t?

He was looking at her like the Big Bad Wolf come to eat her up, and her stomach seemed to cave in, her shoulders rounding as if she’d been punched. She took another sip of wine.

Back in her real life, she could take care of herself with her sharp wit and—if it came to it— with her self-defense skills. But this was a different situation entirely. She was living in a commune of people who believed the man beside her talked to God, who came far too close to worshipping the ground he walked on.

How could she defend herself from that?

A wave of fatigue crested over her. Her back hurt from bending over in the field all day, her hands sore from working without gloves, and her soul already tired of pretending.

David refilled her wine.

She couldn’t help the sardonic tone to her voice. “You seem to think alcohol improves the quality of my company.”

“It needs no improvement.”

That’s because I’m pretending to be a doormat, you asshole.

She stifled any opinions that were not in agreement with his and nodded enthusiastically when he spoke to the group. In the time she’d been here, she’d already decided he was an egotistical sociopath who needed to be stroked and coddled.

“I like you as you are, Sister Cassidy.”

He touched her leg beneath the table and she jerked away, instantly regretting the automatic reaction. She needed him to believe she liked him. “I don’t really know you,” she said.

“You know everything that matters. You know I love this community and my country, and I’ll defend them both until the day I die.”

“That isn’t what I mean.” She looked at her hands in her best imitation of a demure woman.

“Ask me anything, then.”

“Have you ever been married?”

“No.”

“Why did you start The Community?”

“I was called to in a dream. The archangel Raphael appeared to me and told me what I should do.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Do you talk to angels a lot?”

“Yes.”

“And you talk to God?”

“Only on Fridays and Wednesday afternoons.”

“Seriously?”

He laughed. “No, not seriously. You ask too many questions. Walk with me after dinner.”

“Sure. Do people ever leave The Community?”

The shift in his demeanor was so subtle, she might have missed it. “No. Everyone here has taken a vow to remain part of the group for the rest of their lives. If you choose to stay with us more than a few more days, you’ll need to make your vow as well.”

Over my dead body.

“What if someone who’s taken their vow wants to leave?”

“That doesn’t happen.”

“But what if—”

He held up his hand. “No buts.”

“Does that mean everyone who’s ever been to The Community is still here now?”

He cocked his head to the side. “Why do you ask these things?”

Cassidy wished she could backpedal. She’d pushed him too much and roused his suspicions. She shrugged. “I’m just curious.”

“Are you finished with your meal, Sister Cassidy?” She turned to find Lucas, David’s personal helper, standing behind her. He’d been kind to her since she first arrived and she smiled warmly.

“Yes, thank you. Everything was wonderful.” She turned back around to find David looking at her intently.

“I have a few questions for you, too,” he said.

Crap. “Okay.”

“What do you do for a living?”

She’d invented a completely fake persona to rely on when questioned. “I’m a schoolteacher. Fourth grade.”

“Where do you live?”

“Virginia, outside D.C.”

“Ever been married?”

“No.”

“Have you been with a man?”

Her mouth dropped open, blood instantly rushing to her cheeks. “Excuse me?”

“The answer to that question says a lot about a woman’s character. Have you let a man lie with you out of wedlock?”

She’d never wanted to tell anyone off so badly in her life, but the sweet little schoolteacher she’d invented for this occasion probably wouldn’t do that. She forced her mouth closed but didn’t trust herself to answer him.

He stroked up and down her thigh. “Now I’ve upset you.”

She yanked her leg away. “I don’t think I’d like to walk this evening, after all.”

“Be very careful, Sister Cassidy.”

The hair on her arms stood up on end. Was this what had happened to Julianne? Had she made David angry? Had he hurt her?

She stood abruptly and pushed her chair in.

“I’ll call on you around eight,” he said.

She didn’t trust herself not to stay in control, so she turned on her heel and left, weaving her way in and out of the others who were leaving the dining hall.

She was suddenly certain this place wasn’t what it seemed. It couldn’t just be people living together and working in harmony.

The Community had lured Julianne in and closed around her like a Venus flytrap, her disappearing just as surely as a fly in that same predicament. Was the same thing going to happen to her?

You’ve been lazy, waiting for answers to come to you. You must explore the compound. See for yourself where Julianne might be.

It would be dangerous, but she saw now it was something she must do. David wasn’t just going to tell her what happened to her friend. She would have to find out for herself.