An hour latter:
"HelloMr. Fisher." Patrick smiled as he sathimself down in a high back leather chair.
"Ihope you have more information than you did last time," the black haired, greyeyed man said coldly.
"AboutDr. Gavin's finances?"
"Yes...that is what I am paying you for."
"Ido have more information."
"Well...tell me," Mr. Fisher pressed.
"It'squite simple really... he gives it all away." Patrick grinned, eager to see his client's response.
"Givesit away? You mean every month he tossedtens of thousands of dollars off the roof of some building?"
"Notliterally. He gives it to charity...anonymously of course."
"Thatis something he would do. What about hisliving arrangements? I don't reallybelieve that he's actually living like some hermit."
"I'vephotos this time to prove it." Patricksaid as he handed Mr. Fisher a computer disk.
"Andwhat would you have me do with this?" the man asked with distaste.
"Uhmmm...put it in a computer and load up the images."
"Wearen't permitted to use computers. Itgoes against our religion."
"Isee..." Patrick said as he made a clickingsound with his tongue. I will just haveto give you printouts then."
"Nevermind... just tell me what the photos show."
"AsI said before... a whole lot of nothing. The house is still practically empty, except there's now a couple ofmetal chairs, a microwave, and a half finished table."
"Thisdoes not make me happy," Mr. Fisher said as if that were a crime. "Do you have a copies of his bills?"
"Yes,"Patrick replied, happy that he had taken the time to photocopy them instead ofscanning them onto the disk.
"Theseare much lower than I expected them to be." The man said with greater displeasure.
"Whenmy man arrived, the thermostat was set at 85. With no refrigerator and the lights off most of the time he's not reallyusing much juice," Patrick explained.
"Ishould have never let him go," Mr. Fisher grunted, crumpling the papers into atiny ball.
"Excuseme?" Patrick asked, hoping his clientwould finally tell him what this was all about. He was at least sure of one thing...this was not an issue ofembezzlement."
"Myname is not Mr. Fisher... its Rev. Gano... Brian Gano."
"Thatchurch up in Montana?"Patrick said, controlling himself enough to limit his comments.
"Yes...Daryl is our lost sheep. Even though hehas left our flock, we have tried our best to take care of him. The house, the money, his education, all ofit was provided by us even though he abandoned his church."
"Sothe deposit entries marked Father' are from you? You're the Father?" Patrick asked,remembering what he knew of the cult'.
"Yes...after the old Father died, I took his place. He was my real father by the way."
"Isee..." Patrick said nervously, waitingfor a pamphlet, bible, or whatever tool of conversion Brian's church used.
"Don'tworry Mr. Nash... membership into the Blessed is only allowed through birth,marriage, or a five year purification processes."
"Andhow did Daryl become a member... by birth?"
"Yes...not like that was a hard guess," Brian chuckled. "His ancestors were the original family whowelcomed us onto their land when our people were caught in a blizzard. He is the last surviving member of thatfamily and is therefore very special to us."
"Isee..." Patrick said, clicking his tongueas the pieces started falling into place. "So I take it he is an only child?"
"No...he had a brother, a twin actually. Hedied under unfortunate circumstances," Brian said as he moved uncomfortably inhis chair.
"Oh?"
"Suicide."
"Howtragic."
"Youhave no idea how it devastated our community, especially when Daryl left ussoon after. He was supposed to marry mysister."
"Isee."
"Noyou don't see." Brian said angrily. "You have no idea how important that marriagewas to me, my sister, and all my people."
Patrickarched an eyebrow, funny that Brian listed himself first among sufferers.
"Isthere anything else you need of me?"
"Yes...I do. I've done a little investigatingmyself... into you."
"Oh?" Patrick said. This time it was he who was sitting uncomfortably.
"I know about your`alternative' life style but don't worry; in this case it's an asset." Brian chuckled.
"Howso?" Patrick asked, not yet ready torelax.
"BecauseDaryl's gay... everyone in town knew it but looked the other way because of thefamily he belonged to. Still, I'm afraidto say it is one of the things that led him away from us."
"Sowhat do you want from me?"
"I'veread all your reports but in none of them have I heard mention of any loveinterests in Daryl's life. In truth thatconcerns me more than how he spends the money I have given him. We Blessed believe that one has to have lovein one's life if a person is to be considered whole."
"Whatis it you are asking of me?"
"Wouldit be asking too much of I paid you to seduce him?"
"What?" Patrick laughed.
"WhenDaryl left us he had just lost his brother, the person who meant more to himthan life itself, causing him not tojust turn his back on his church but from opening his heart to anyone else aswell if your reports are accurate. Ifyou could help Daryl to love again he might come to forgive us for whathappened to his brother David."
"I'llthink about it but first I need to know exactly what happened to his brother...the detective in me doesn't believe it was a simple suicide."
"Do you know ofany suicide that was simple?" Brianreplied.
"True... still the more you tell me the better I will be able to get Dr. Gavin to forgive you."
Letting out a deep sigh Rev. Gano nodded before beginning.
"Well?" Steven shouted from his exercise room when heheard the front door slam closed.
"Youwould not believe the conversation I just had." Patrick said as he sat himself down at the weight machine.
"Doesyour client want you to now hire a bunch of snipers and ambush Dare?"
"Ambushyes... shoot no, at least not with real bullets."
"Oh?" Steven asked, slowing down the treadmill to afast walk.
"Thebest way I can describe it is that he wants me to give Dare sex therapy...literally."
"Wow...may I ask why?"
"Yes...but unless you are up to doing a marathon I suggest you get off thattreadmill," Patrick said.
"Along story I take it?" Steven asked, hopping off.
"Overa hundred years long," Patrick warned.
"Giveme the Cliff Notes version then."
"Ican sum it up in just four words... Church of the Blessed."
"Iknew it... I knew he had to belong to some way out religion," Steven grinned.
"He'snot just a member of the Blessed... his family was one of the founding members."
"Well,considering that the church owns the land of the largest natural gas reserve inthe country that must mean he's really rich."
"Youhave no idea..." Patrick said, his eyesstill wide from the meeting with Brian.
"Educateme then."
"Ok...I'll tell you, but this is sort of a church secret so you can't be going aroundtelling anyone."
"Iunderstand," Steven nodded.
"Thechurch doesn't own the land... they only signed a 120 year lease on it, whichexpires very soon."
"Whathappens after it expires?"
"Itgoes back to the original title holders... or in this case `holder'."
"Youdon't mean..." Steven said, his own eyesnow wide as well.
"Yes...our very own archangel is about to become a very rich angel."
"DoesDare know anything about this?"
"Accordingto Rev. Gano, the great and mighty Father' himself, Dare does know. The twenty five grand he receives a monthfrom the Father' is just a small fraction of the gas royalties owed to him. The rest is in a gigantic trust account thatRev. Gano has control over until the lease expires."
"IfDare is so rich... why in hell is he living as if her were destitute?"
"Youknow why. You told me yourself... topunish himself over the death of his brother."
"Didyou learn anything about that?" Stevenasked hopefully.
"Yes...but I need a stiff drink first. Hearingabout it was hard enough. It's anothermatter for me to say the words myself."
Threeshots of brandy latter Patrick began. "Like most things that motivate people, the tragedy around Dare's life centers aroundmoney; in this case a whole shit load of money.
"Thegas fields?" Steven guessed.
"Yes...when Dare and his twin David were only four their parents died. Their car slid off the road during a snowstorm and their bodies were found until the spring thaw. That's the official version, and what Darewas made to believe at least."
"Andthe unofficial one?"
"Accordingto Brian they were murdered, executed... by the unanimous vote of the churchleadership...the Father, the sheriff, the mayor, the judge, and the CEO of NMMining Industries, which practically employs half the people in the community."
"But why and how did theyget away with it?"
"Theydid it because Dare's parents didn't want to renew the lease for another 120years. They felt they would have betterluck convincing the children when they came of age. They got away with it because the town wentalong with it."
"Soeveryone in town knows?"
"Theolder folk do." Patrick nodded.
"Whathappened to Dare and David after their parents died?"
"Theywere adopted by the Father himself. Whoelse would the church have mold the two Gavin brothers into compliantfollowers."
"Butsomething tells me that it didn't work out that way." Steven chuckled.
"You'reright, it didn't. First off David neverreally adjusted to living in the minister's family. According to Brian, David was a constantlyinvolved in fights at home and school. It got so bad that the Gano's had to eventually home school him. That made matters worse until they decided tohome school Dare with his brother, as Dare was the only one who could calm hisbrother down."
"AndDare?"
"Hetook his parents death badly as well, but remained a fairly sweet boy. This of course is coming from a man who'sstill in love with Dare."
"What?"
"Rev.Brian Gano, the Father."
"Howold is this man?"
"Justtwo years older than Dare."
"Sothe leader of one of the most conservative religious groups in the country isreally a closet queer?"
"Yep...which you can guess made his father real proud."
"Whathappened?" Steven asked.
"Theygot caught of course. Brian's fathershowed a great deal of restraint in regard to Daryl. He had to, considering that he didn't believeDavid would ever agree to sign a new lease. As a result, everyone in that highly conservative community gave Daryland Brian's affections for one another a blind eye. That was, of course, until Brian turnedeighteen, the age when he was required by church law to marry."
"Itake it his wife was not in a sharing mood?"
"That,added to the fact that after the first year no child had been born, infuriatedBrian's father no end. He didn't darepunish Daryl however."
"Sohe punished Dare indirectly, through... David?"
"Yes... on the day they refer to as Pardoner'sSunday, the members of the church are allowed to declare their crimes for theyear and receive absolution from them. That's what its original purpose was at least. These days the so called blessed use it tolist the sins they believe others have committed against them. On Dare andDavid's seventeenth Pardoner's Sundaythe only person the congregation accused was David... the hammer blow being when Brianaccused Dare's brother of leading him into the sin of sodomy."
"ButBrian was sleeping with Dare and the whole town knew it!" Steven said, his anger rising.
"Yes...but it was David who was accused. SinceBrian made the accusation and had been the first to ask forgiveness, he wasdeclared innocent and clean in the eyes of the church."
"Butnot David."
"No...not David. There was a trial where Davidwas found guilty. As punishment he wasto be shunned for five years. He nevermade it through the first."
"Whathappened?"
"Hekilled himself." Patrick said as tearsstarted running down his face. "You seethey blackmailed Dare... threatened to have him shunned as well if he didn't obeythe church order not to talk to his twin. For a while they believed Dare wasobedient... that was until they discovered the stacks of letters the two brothershad found some way of passing to each other. Brian's father then took a different approach... he had Dare locked up inthe house, his son forced to shun him. It did not take long before the flow of letters stopped. Two months of no word from his brother wasall it took before David committed suicide."
Afterthe funeral Dare changed... much of the rebelliousness that had been hisbrother's trait started showing up in him until shame, guilt, whatever, madehim leave Montana."
"Sothe Father's plans were ruined regardless of what he did." Steven chuckled without humor.
"Ifonly it had ended there..." Patricksighed.
"There'smore?"
"Notinvolving Daryl but Brian. When Darylleft and refused to come back, Brian turned his grief into rage. For the past six years the Church of theBlessed has been in a state of civil war with the members of the old guardbeing removed one by one."
"Atleast without bloodshed I hope."
"Offive men who ordered Dare's parent's murdered, only one of them is still alive,and he's in a mental institution. Briandid not admit to killing the others, but he didn't deny it either, when Iasked."
"Whatdid he say then?"
"Heonly laughed," Patrick said, as a coldshiver ran down his back.
"I see... I think we can both assume that hehad some part in their demise. Is his father the one who is still alive?"
"Yes...he had his father shunned three years ago, had the same effect on him as it didDavid, only that Brian was prepared when his father tried to kill himself. There's a isolated mental hospital somewherein Montanawhere Brian's father spends his days locked up in a padded room."
"AndBrian is the man who you've been working for?" Steven asked accusingly.
"Hey...don't get mad at me... I just found out about this shit myself. I read up on the Blessed years ago... I justdidn't know how crazy they really were until now," Patrick said with raisedhands. "What do you think?"
"Tobe honest I don't know what to think... Right now I just want to know who I amsupposed to be mad at."
"Brian'sfather... he's the one who started all this."
"Yes...but he couldn't have done it without the help of others. A small part of me is even mad a Dare for notspeaking up when Brian falsely accused his brother."
"Ifyou have any understanding of the kind of community Dare grew up in youwouldn't blame him. He has blamed andpunished himself more than enough, or have you not yet realized that the way helives is his way of experiencing what his brother went through?" Patrick said.
"Butno one is shunning him."
"No...what he does is worse. He shunshimself. He ignores his emotional andphysical needs. He refuses to listen tohimself. He does not give himself love."
"Whendid you become the shrink?" Steven said,impressed.
"Itook notes watching you," Patrick chuckled. "Now that we know the truth ... what are we going to do?"
"We'renot going to tell Dare that we know... I learned that lesson at least."
"AndBrian?"
"Doyou trust him? I sure don't. Regardless of what his father did, no manshould act so cold towards one's family."
"Whenwas the last time you talked to mom?" Patrick asked.
"Six...maybe seven months ago," Steven said guiltily.
"See...so don't be so quick to judge."
"Ok...want to explain why you are defending a man you just described as a monster?" Stevenasked confused.
"Brianmight be many things... even a killer but I believed him when he told me howashamed he still feels over what happened."
"Andhe should."
"Yes...but he doesn't know what to do now that his need for revenge has burned itself out. He's lost and lonely and needs help."
"Yousound like you are describing a homeless puppy," Steven smirked.
"Ina way he is... this is his first time away from his church let alone the state ofMontana. He tries to act cold and stoic but behind allthat is a man I believe who is genuinely frightened by the outside world."
"Thenwhy did he leave his little commune in the first place?"
"Twelvethousand people is not a small group, not in Montana at least." Patrick replied. "He's here because he wants Dare to come backhome with him."
"Sohe can sign a new lease?" Steven saidsuspiciously.
"No...not entirely at least. According toBrian the church feels ashamed over what they did to Dare's family... the onethat gave their ancestors their homes over a hundred years ago. Dare's refusal to come back to them is beingcalled the `great exile' believe it or not. They believe they have lost God's blessing and won't get it back untilDare returns and forgives them."
"Itake it Rev. Gano has been promoting this mythological belief?"
"Yes...but because he believes it. He's readthe news articles and is well aware that Dare's been christened thearchangel. He's been able to use thatand the stories of how Dare's has brought back people from the brink ofdeath. Hearing Brian talk about it, Dareis the second coming, third coming, or whatever number they are on. I don't know."
"Andwhat do you believe... am I going to have to worry about you running away to Montana to join somecrazy cult?"
"Don'tworry Steve. I'm not going off the deepend... yet. I'm just telling you what hischurch believes."
"Allthe more reason to keep those nut cases away from him."
"Thatis what I am trying to get you to see." Patrick said, clearly flustered. "Brian and his followers are desperate... they want Dare back and from myprofessional perspective one of three things will happen. One... we both do what we're good at with meprotecting him while you do your psychiatry thing and help Dare reach someresolution with his past. Two... we coulddo nothing and have the best thing that has come into our lives get stolen awayfrom us."
"Andthree?"
"Wedo our best to keep these nut cases away from him only for them to get desperateenough to resort to violence."
"Idon't want these kind of people near Dare. You know what I would pick but you're the security expert."
"Idon't like our choices either Steve but there is only so much I can do. I can only protect Dare against rationalthreats. Religious fanatics, by theirnature, do not always act rationally. The best we can do is try to minimize the damage."
"Youwant Dare to go back to Montana?" Steven asked accusingly.
"No...I want him to move in with us where I know I can keep him safe!" Patrick said angrily.
"I'msorry... this is just too much for me to take in."
"Thinkabout how I feel. You know how bad I amat multitasking." Patrick said as hepoured himself another drink. "At leastI was able to buy us some time. For somereason Brian believes that Dare will be more open to going back if he lets`love' back into his life."
"Andhe picked you to achieve that?" Stevensmirked as he poured himself a bourbon.
"Heopenly admitted that he's having me watched. He might be even watching you for all I know. He has the resources."
"Thisis starting to get dangerous Patrick. Are we sure we want to get involved in this?"
"Idon't know why but I feel as if some invisible force is guiding me towardDare. I can't abandon him Steve, not now, not when Iknow what's at stake."
"Would you be surprised if I felt the sameway?"
"Mustbe my fault... Brian must have a contagious form of irrationality." Patrick laughed.