Read Online Lena Jones 02 - Desert Wives by Betty Webb - Free Book Online
Authors: Betty Webb
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machine, and almost total lack of Western paraphernalia, the office could have belonged to an insurance company.
“I hate that uppity thing,” Virginia growled over her husband’s shoulder as he shut down the computer. “We just paid all the bills and now it’s tellin’ us we’re broke!”
Leo managed a wry smile. “You being in business yourself, Lena, I’ll bet you know all about that.”
It would be cruel to tell the couple about Albert Grabel’s largess, so I just smiled. “Self-employment can be tough, that’s for sure. Now, what did you want to talk to me about? Do you have some information about the murder of Solomon Royal?” Hopefully, this pointed question would steer the Lawlers away from the recruitment speech I feared they’d rehearsed. I had no intention of driving to Zion City and handing out anti-polygamy leaflets.
“We’ve got some ideas about that, but first we want to give you some background on the way things are run at Purity,” Leo said, as the couple moved from the desk to the frayed sofa across from me.
I suppressed a sigh of impatience and settled myself more comfortably into the chair.
“The legal situation is a little convoluted, but here’s the short version,” Leo continued. “The polygamists circumvent bigamy laws by divorcing one wife before they marry another. Of course, the relationship with all the other so-called ex-wives remains exactly the same. The guy sleeps with every one of them, but that’s not all. Most of the husbands keep a record of each woman’s menstrual cycle so that they can ‘catch’ her at her most fertile. Making babies is the name of the game, Lena.”
I didn’t get it. “You mean they’re purposely impregnating all those women? But
why?
”
Leo gave me a wry smile. “Two reasons. One, the official reason, is religious. The polygamists believe that the more children a man has, the higher level of Heaven he’ll be sent to when he dies and the more servants he’ll have to wait on him.”
He made a face, then continued. “But that’s not the real reason, which is that the more babies the women pop out, the more money the compound gets. See, the women are divorced, and that makes them single mothers. In this state, single mothers collect hefty welfare. The more children, the more welfare they collect, so when you figure that there’s about three or four hundred single women out there, each of them having an average of a baby a year…” He let his voice trail off.
I suddenly understood. “Holy shit! That’s a lot of money!”
Leo’s frown reminded me that I was in the presence of good Mormons.
“Excuse my French,” I muttered. “But, Leo, that’s got to be a small fortune!”
Virginia stared at her husband, and for a moment, I thought she might say something, but she didn’t. For such a loquacious woman, she remained oddly silent.
Leo continued. “The women never see a penny of it, either. All the compound’s welfare money, all the profits from their cattle, mining and gaming interests—yes, they own a couple of casinos—is funneled through the Purity Fellowship Foundation, supposedly a charitable trust. Even the homes at Purity, they’re all owned by the Foundation. It’s been estimated that the Foundation controls anywhere from $150 million to $300 million, but nobody knows for sure. Not that it makes any difference, because as the financial arm of a religious organization, it’s tax-exempt.”
My jaw dropped so low I was surprised it didn’t fall off my face. Any decent detective knew that the two primary motives for murder were love and money. So my next question was a no-brainer. “Who manages the Foundation?”
“Prophet Solomon Royal used to manage everything, but the job’s been passed to the new Prophet of Purity.” Leo paused and looked at me in anticipation.
I dutifully asked the next no-brainer. “And the new prophet is…?”
“Davis Royal, Solomon’s favorite son.” Leo sat back against
“I hate that uppity thing,” Virginia growled over her husband’s shoulder as he shut down the computer. “We just paid all the bills and now it’s tellin’ us we’re broke!”
Leo managed a wry smile. “You being in business yourself, Lena, I’ll bet you know all about that.”
It would be cruel to tell the couple about Albert Grabel’s largess, so I just smiled. “Self-employment can be tough, that’s for sure. Now, what did you want to talk to me about? Do you have some information about the murder of Solomon Royal?” Hopefully, this pointed question would steer the Lawlers away from the recruitment speech I feared they’d rehearsed. I had no intention of driving to Zion City and handing out anti-polygamy leaflets.
“We’ve got some ideas about that, but first we want to give you some background on the way things are run at Purity,” Leo said, as the couple moved from the desk to the frayed sofa across from me.
I suppressed a sigh of impatience and settled myself more comfortably into the chair.
“The legal situation is a little convoluted, but here’s the short version,” Leo continued. “The polygamists circumvent bigamy laws by divorcing one wife before they marry another. Of course, the relationship with all the other so-called ex-wives remains exactly the same. The guy sleeps with every one of them, but that’s not all. Most of the husbands keep a record of each woman’s menstrual cycle so that they can ‘catch’ her at her most fertile. Making babies is the name of the game, Lena.”
I didn’t get it. “You mean they’re purposely impregnating all those women? But
why?
”
Leo gave me a wry smile. “Two reasons. One, the official reason, is religious. The polygamists believe that the more children a man has, the higher level of Heaven he’ll be sent to when he dies and the more servants he’ll have to wait on him.”
He made a face, then continued. “But that’s not the real reason, which is that the more babies the women pop out, the more money the compound gets. See, the women are divorced, and that makes them single mothers. In this state, single mothers collect hefty welfare. The more children, the more welfare they collect, so when you figure that there’s about three or four hundred single women out there, each of them having an average of a baby a year…” He let his voice trail off.
I suddenly understood. “Holy shit! That’s a lot of money!”
Leo’s frown reminded me that I was in the presence of good Mormons.
“Excuse my French,” I muttered. “But, Leo, that’s got to be a small fortune!”
Virginia stared at her husband, and for a moment, I thought she might say something, but she didn’t. For such a loquacious woman, she remained oddly silent.
Leo continued. “The women never see a penny of it, either. All the compound’s welfare money, all the profits from their cattle, mining and gaming interests—yes, they own a couple of casinos—is funneled through the Purity Fellowship Foundation, supposedly a charitable trust. Even the homes at Purity, they’re all owned by the Foundation. It’s been estimated that the Foundation controls anywhere from $150 million to $300 million, but nobody knows for sure. Not that it makes any difference, because as the financial arm of a religious organization, it’s tax-exempt.”
My jaw dropped so low I was surprised it didn’t fall off my face. Any decent detective knew that the two primary motives for murder were love and money. So my next question was a no-brainer. “Who manages the Foundation?”
“Prophet Solomon Royal used to manage everything, but the job’s been passed to the new Prophet of Purity.” Leo paused and looked at me in anticipation.
I dutifully asked the next no-brainer. “And the new prophet is…?”
“Davis Royal, Solomon’s favorite son.” Leo sat back against
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