Page 25 of Savage Throne
“Lei,” TT broke the silence. “I’ve been thinking about something weird.”
“Yeah?” I adjusted my grip on her, listening, even though my mind kept drifting back to Moni.
“There’s this pastor, R.C. Richards. He’s old now and retired but he’s always been real vocal about the Crownsville treasure stuff.”
“Okay?” I blinked. “What about him?”
“Every time someone gets close to finding some new clue to the treasure or talks about it; he comes out of retirement and does these viral sermons at his family mega church. He always paints this picture of how Crownsville was no good place and that it was more like Babylon.”
“He was alive then?”
“He said he was a kid during that time. He’s in his mid-seventies now.”
“And he seems very interested in keeping the view negative on Crownsville?”
“Yes. Says it was full of sinners and he acts like it’s his personal crusade to get the record straight.”
“How did you find out about him?”
“I’m always searching out everything that deals with Crownsville and he always came up.”
I frowned. “But what made you think about him now?”
“His son and family are big on White Christian Nationalism in Paradise City. But the thing is. . .the Bandit used Bible verses on the map. I don’t know. . .It just feels like that’s important.”
I considered it for a second, my mind torn between this strange map puzzle and my desperation to get Moni back.
TT spoke, “Maybe, it’s nothing.”
“You’re smart. If you think it could be something, then you’re probably right.”
She went silent.
“Anyway. . .I was taught that any little odd coincidence tends to be the biggest clue of all.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. And. . .” I got us to the stairs and we began to descend. “If you want to look into that possible pastor connection with Crownsville, I’ll make it happen.”
“Yeah?”
“Plus, I can get you a team of researchers or even go with you to talk to this pastor. Whatever you need, we’ll do it. Moni will just need to approve everything.”
Pure joy hit her tone. “Thanks, Lei.”
“Thanks for helping me not completely lose it upstairs.”
At this, TT squeezed me tighter giving me this reassuring warmth that I didn’t even know I needed. And for the briefest of moments, I felt a lot of tension ease up within me.
Then, she whispered. “Moni says that family takes care of each other.”
“Always,” I replied. But the stark reality of Moni's absence gnawed at the edges of my fragile peace.
Regardless, a lot of fucked up things had happened tonight, but at least a strange, sweet partnership was forming between TT and me.
More and more, I was starting to understand that TT was so much like Moni—strong, smarter than anyone gave her credit for and capable of seeing things most would miss.
I wanted to protect her, to protect them all, but I wasn’t sure how I could protect anyone if I couldn’t even keep Moni safe.
