7:26 p.m. Passion Ministry

Within seconds of John’s head hitting the floor, Oscar appeared. Immediately, hustled Rachel and Harry out.

As they stood in the moonlight, Harry sought emotional equilibrium. If the Big D had swooped down. Demanded he identify the Chosen One, Harry would have been impotent. He needed time to balance and separate the overwhelming explosion of energies he had just experienced. Perhaps Rachel could help? She had spent more time with Jacobs.

“What the hell were you thinking, showing up unannounced?” Rachel spun away, started marching towards the main building.

“Hey!” He hustled after her. “I called first.”

“Get lost!”

He yanked her to a stop. “C’mon Rachel. Tell Uncle Harry the gossip. What’d you guys talk about?”

She twisted free. “I believe him.”

She’s surprised, thought Harry. “You what? Come on, Rach! Guy’s the biggest fraud in a century.”

Rachel pushed by and hurried to her room.

“Y’don’t really believe,” he asked, as they reached her door. “Do you?”

Rachel whirled. He almost ran into her. Her face inches from his. “What did you do to John?”

Harry puckered his lips. “What you think of the mysterious heir?”

Rachel shoved him. Hard. Whipped open her door. She was inside, door locked, before he got up.

“Just tell me what Jimmy’s like,” he called at her.

He stood in the hallway, coaxing, but Rachel was onto his hypnotizing trick. By humming loudly, she kept prevented him from controlling her mind.

“Come on, Rachel. Lemme in.”

He wanted to beat down the door, but knew the commotion would add to his trouble. He needed eye-to-eye contact or physical touch to have a hold over her. For the first time, she refused his offer of the bottle. He was desperate. He needed her knowledge and her impressions to help sort out his extraordinary encounter with the Jacobs.