Split Image

61

JESSE TOOK HIM into a cell, for dramatic effect. He held the tape recorder in front of the Patriarch and punched it on. Sunny sat on the bunk. Molly leaned against the cell door.

"Please give your name," Jesse said to the Patriarch.

"I am the Patriarch of the Bond of the Renewal," the Patriarch said.

"That's what you do," Jesse said. "I want your name."

"Jarrod Russell."

"Okay," Jesse said. "From here on, we will all refer to you as Jarrod Russell."

"Yes, sir."

Jesse gave the date and location of the interview. Then he shut off the tape recorder.

"We got you, Jarrod," Jesse said. "You know that."

Russell nodded. Then he put his face in his hands and began to cry.

"Every one of those women will testify against you," Jesse said. "Right, Moll?"

"They will," Molly said.

"Every one of them was coerced into sexual activity with donors," Jesse said.

"They were," Sunny said.

"We have statements from all of them," Jesse said.

"We do," Molly said.

"You're going to jail," Jesse said.

Jarrod Russell sobbed into his hands. Everyone else was quiet.

After a time Jesse said, "Unless we can work some kind of deal."

Russell raised his face from his hands. Salvation?

"I'll do anything you want," he said.

Jesse was silent for a long time while Russell looked at him.

Then he said, "How'd you get yourself into this mess?"

"I founded this little group," Russell said in a thick, shaky voice. "I had some money from my family, and I wanted to do good. And it was good for a while, but eventually…"

Jesse waited. Russell seemed to have trouble getting enough air. He took a couple of big inhales.

"I really was happy," he said.

No one said anything.

"But eventually the money ran out, and I started trying to raise money. At first I had the girls making cookies and things… Then one man offered one of the girls money to have sex with him… and she did and gave the money to me…"

"Which girl?" Sunny said.

Russell shook his head.

"She has since left us," he said.

"Gone but not forgotten," Sunny said.

Russell dropped his head and nodded. When he spoke, his voice was shaky.

"It was all in the service of good," he said.

"Except when it wasn't," Molly said.

No one said anything. Russell had stopped crying. But his breathing was still shaky. Jesse stood and walked to the cell door and looked into the corridor for a time. Then he turned back toward Russell.

"Okay," Jesse said. "Here's the deal. You tell me who was having sex with your girls, and I'll help you with the DA. Maybe you won't have to do time if you are cooperative."

"If you let me go back to my office," Russell said, "I can give you a list."