HOLY SMOKE II: BABA'S REVENGE
PART ONE
"Thank goodness it's Quantas!" Ruth muttered to herself as she slid into her seat on the plane. When she closed her eyes, she couldn't stop the image of her mother's body in the center of a blood mandala from filling her mind. Her eyes welled up with tears. She was grateful that the Australian embassy had gottten her out of India so quickly. Even so, she didn't feel safe until the plane was in the air.
When she arrived at the ranch in Australia, she joined her siblings in a group hug. "If only I hadn't talked her into going back there with me. . " she sobbed against Robbie's shoulder.
"Don't blame yourself, Ruthie," Timmy said. "You're safe now."
She couldn't bring herself to believe that. Over the next few days, she felt increasingly uneasy. Finally, Yvonne confronted her. "Ruth, I'm really worried about you. You've hardly eaten or slept since you got here."
"I'm just frightened. I never imagined they'd do something like this."
"Well, just be grateful you got away from them when you did. Maybe the police have caught them by now."
Timmy walked in at that moment. "What's going on?"
"Can't you ever mind your own business?"
"Sorry, Ruth."
"Ruthie's just a little upset about Mum."
"We all are."
"I want to send for Mr. Waters."
"Why, Ruthie? After what he did to you?"
"It wasn't all his fault, and besides, he may have seen something like this before. He'll know what to do."
"There you go again, blaming yourself."
"Timmy, I begged him to sleep with me."
"That's what he wanted you to remember, the bloody yank! He brainwashed you, too!"
"No, he didn't! I can think for myself, you know?"
"Timmy, this is no time to argue about such things. It might make Ruth feel better to just talk to him."
* * *
PJ Waters hadn't slept a full night since the accident. A thousand "what ifs" ran through his mind. What if he'd been with them that day? What if Carole had taken a different route home? Even if one little thing had happened differently, his family might still be alive. The phone rang. He groaned, wondering who would be calling at this hour.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Mr. Waters, do you remember me?"
"Ruth? Oh, God, Ruthie! How could I forget your voice? It's so wonderful to hear from you! How are you?"
"I need your help." Her voice cracked.
"What's wrong?"
"They've killed Mum! The Australian embassy sent me home but I'm so scared, PJ! What am I going to do?"
"Who, the cult? Baba?"
"Yes! What if they find me?"
"I'm so sorry, sweetie. If there's anything I can do--?"
"Will you come, please? I don't know how I'll pay you, but I need you here!"
"Of course, I'll come right away. I'm not going to let anything happen to you!"
"What if I'm dead before you get here?"
"That's highly unlikely. I'll contact Mr. Jackson immediately, and I'll be on the first flight to Sydney I can get. Just lay low until I get there."
"All right. Who's Mr. Jackson?"
"He's my man in Australia. You didn't meet him when I deprogrammed you because he had a family emergency. You should be hearing from him soon."
Ruth lost her composure and could only sob in reply.
"You'll be OK. Hang in there, Ruthie." He hung up, relieved to have something to take his mind off his own problems. He'd already lost Carole and their baby girls. He was not about to lose Ruth Barron, too.
PART ONE
"Thank goodness it's Quantas!" Ruth muttered to herself as she slid into her seat on the plane. When she closed her eyes, she couldn't stop the image of her mother's body in the center of a blood mandala from filling her mind. Her eyes welled up with tears. She was grateful that the Australian embassy had gottten her out of India so quickly. Even so, she didn't feel safe until the plane was in the air.
When she arrived at the ranch in Australia, she joined her siblings in a group hug. "If only I hadn't talked her into going back there with me. . " she sobbed against Robbie's shoulder.
"Don't blame yourself, Ruthie," Timmy said. "You're safe now."
She couldn't bring herself to believe that. Over the next few days, she felt increasingly uneasy. Finally, Yvonne confronted her. "Ruth, I'm really worried about you. You've hardly eaten or slept since you got here."
"I'm just frightened. I never imagined they'd do something like this."
"Well, just be grateful you got away from them when you did. Maybe the police have caught them by now."
Timmy walked in at that moment. "What's going on?"
"Can't you ever mind your own business?"
"Sorry, Ruth."
"Ruthie's just a little upset about Mum."
"We all are."
"I want to send for Mr. Waters."
"Why, Ruthie? After what he did to you?"
"It wasn't all his fault, and besides, he may have seen something like this before. He'll know what to do."
"There you go again, blaming yourself."
"Timmy, I begged him to sleep with me."
"That's what he wanted you to remember, the bloody yank! He brainwashed you, too!"
"No, he didn't! I can think for myself, you know?"
"Timmy, this is no time to argue about such things. It might make Ruth feel better to just talk to him."
* * *
PJ Waters hadn't slept a full night since the accident. A thousand "what ifs" ran through his mind. What if he'd been with them that day? What if Carole had taken a different route home? Even if one little thing had happened differently, his family might still be alive. The phone rang. He groaned, wondering who would be calling at this hour.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Mr. Waters, do you remember me?"
"Ruth? Oh, God, Ruthie! How could I forget your voice? It's so wonderful to hear from you! How are you?"
"I need your help." Her voice cracked.
"What's wrong?"
"They've killed Mum! The Australian embassy sent me home but I'm so scared, PJ! What am I going to do?"
"Who, the cult? Baba?"
"Yes! What if they find me?"
"I'm so sorry, sweetie. If there's anything I can do--?"
"Will you come, please? I don't know how I'll pay you, but I need you here!"
"Of course, I'll come right away. I'm not going to let anything happen to you!"
"What if I'm dead before you get here?"
"That's highly unlikely. I'll contact Mr. Jackson immediately, and I'll be on the first flight to Sydney I can get. Just lay low until I get there."
"All right. Who's Mr. Jackson?"
"He's my man in Australia. You didn't meet him when I deprogrammed you because he had a family emergency. You should be hearing from him soon."
Ruth lost her composure and could only sob in reply.
"You'll be OK. Hang in there, Ruthie." He hung up, relieved to have something to take his mind off his own problems. He'd already lost Carole and their baby girls. He was not about to lose Ruth Barron, too.