11:59 p.m. Passion Ministry

“He’s what?”

“Well, I know this’s gonna sound strange, ridiculous even, but...” Rachel hesitated. “He’s evil, I think. Certainly dangerous. I’m afraid he’ll...hurt somebody, possibly Jimmy—uh, he may already have through me...”

Rachel glanced at her hands, then hurried on. “Forget I said that, ‘kay? Hard to explain. Look,” she continued, “it’s complicated and kinda out there, y’know?”

“Out there?” Oscar replied. “What do you mean?”

“He...he knows things. Somehow he looks at you with those weird blue eyes and just knows things. Like he’s reading your mind...X-Files stuff.”

She flushed. “I know. Told you it was out there.”

Oscar leaned forward. “I’m listening, Rachel. But I’ve got to have good reason to barge in on a guest. Have you any proof? Anything at all?”

His fingers holding hers. Heat. Pain. Tingling through her arms. His nasty laugh.  His words: It’s outta my hands.

“And in mine...” she whispered.

“Huh?”

“He... he touched me.”

The security chief blinked. “Excuse me, but I’m confused. The guy’s what? A sexual predator?” Oscar stood. Approached a filing cabinet.

“No! Nothing of the sort.”

“Lemme see what I’ve got on him.” He yanked open a drawer. Rifled quickly. Then again, slowly. He pursed his lips. “There’s no file…”

“Not surprised,” Rachel replied, thinking about mentioning Harry’s lack of fingerprints. “He’s got some sort of power. He uses people to do stuff.”

She paused, thoughts on Jimmy’s reaction when she had touched him. “I...know I’m not explaining this very well. It’s hard ‘cause I don’t know what I believe.” Rachel held Oscar’s gaze. “Harry terrifies me. He...he made me, oh, it doesn’t matter. Just so you know, he’s dangerous!”

“What? What’d he make you do?”

She stood. “I’ve said what I wanted. Now it’s up to you.”