Chapter sixteen
Sheriff's station
Carthage, IL

Hotch

At the same time there was Leah. She was the youngest and the most confused, and they hoped that in her confusion she might give up something that would help. They decided to send in Hotch, an older male that her patriarchal background would compel her to obey, and Blake, in the chance that she might respond to an older woman. "When did you first find out that Henry was coming to live with you?"

"Henry?"

"Joshua." Blake told her.

"Oh. I found out when Father and Michael brought him into the house."

"And what did they tell you?" Hotch asked.

"They said that he was one of the lost boys, and that God had told Pastor Goodwin that he was supposed to be ours."

"And you accepted this?"

Leah smiled nervously. "Mother lost a baby once, a boy. I figured Pastor Goodwin finally found him."

"Did Joshua tell you that he had been taken from his parents?"

"Yes, when he first arrived."

"Why didn't you call the police?"

"Why? He was just making up tales."

"Why would you assume that?"

"All children do. Children are born wicked. 'For affliction comes not forth from the dust, neither does trouble spring out of the ground; yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward'. Job, chapter five, versus six and seven. Children have to be trained to walk in the light of the Word. Joshua had been taken by the enemy before he was born, no one had trained him up right yet. So he was lying. Father took him to his office and chastised him for lying. We figured he must be a child of God for after that we heard no more about it."

"Chastised?" Blake asked. "What is that exactly?"

"Well, you go into Father's office and he has you list your sins. If you don't get them all he tells you what you missed. Then you have to drop your pants and lift your skirts and lean over the arm of his couch. He wallops you with the strap; one chastisement equals one whack for each year of your life, and then one whack each for every sin you missed. You have to take them all with fortitude, without crying, or else he repeats it." She smiled nervously. "Joshua was up there a while, but after that he was perfect."

"Would he still chastise you?"

"Oh yes. A father is responsible for his children until his sons become men and until his daughters are given unto their husband's authority."

"What's the youngest age for being chastised?"

"Two. Before that babies just get sharp taps with a wooden spoon."

"What do babies do that's sinful?"

"Touch things they aren't supposed to, leave their blankets…"

"Leave their blankets?"

"Yes. You put a blanket on the floor with a few toys, and then tap the spoon all around the edges so the baby will know what happens if he goes off the blanket. Then if he even reaches a hand off you give that part a good rap with the spoon. It doesn't take long for the baby to learn not to go off the blanket. Then you can take your baby anywhere with just a blanket and he'll sit and behave. And sometimes you do it when they're crying just to be manipulative. I can never tell though, I let Momma figure that out."

"How young does that start? When they can start manipulating others?"

"Two months."

Blake's lips twitched, "Right."

"What happened after he was chastised?" Hotch asked.

"We sent him to bed with the rest of the children. The next day he was good as gold. We started training him to first-time obedience and he obeyed from the get-go. He did so well Father felt comfortable taking him on the road with us on our next mission trip."

"To…Hammond, Louisiana?"

"Yes, that's right."

"And no one questioned his presence?"

Leah frowned. "Why would they? He's our brother."

"Where did you stay in Hammond?"

"With the Munks. Alan and Marjorie."

"Had you stayed with them before?'

"Yes."

"And they didn't question a new child in the family?"

"No. Pastor Goodwin found one of their lost boys too."

Hello. "Have any other families you know of found lost boys recently?"

"Um, the Browns in Omaha, and Hetty Munk said that the Nestors had as well."

"Where are they from?"

"Holly Springs, in Mississippi."

Blake immediately left the room, sending the female officer outside in.

"How did Pastor Goodwin find these boys?"

Leah shrugged. "I have no idea."

"According to the medical reports we have all of the children are underweight. Why weren't your parents feeding you?"

"Momma always said we were getting enough. She said there was no point in fattening us up like cattle."

"What are the Black Knights?"

"I don't know; something my brothers are involved in."

"They never discussed it with you?"

"No. That's boy stuff."

"When did they become involved, do you remember?"

"Oh, it's been four or five years now, the first year Daniel went to summer camp."

"Are other boys involved?"

"Oh yes, every family we know has at least a couple of boys involved; probably every family in the church now."

Hotch took all the notes he could. "Thank you. We may have more questions later."

"All right. Um, when can I make a phone call?"

"Soon."

"Are we going home after this?"

Hotch wanted to be honest. "I don't know."