The minister introduced her, then turned with his hand held out and smiled. Peggy put away her handkerchief and got to her feet in one smooth movement. The words she had to speak flowed into her head like the lines of “Amazing Grace.” She was ready to tell the world the truth.
The front door opened. Sunlight splashed the group in the chapel like the warmth of God, dappling the white walls and glittering on the bronze coffin. Peggy paused at the lectern, staring at the man in the doorway with the bright sunlight outlining his ragged clothes and wild hair.
“Wait!” he yelled out.
The crowd turned back to face him and whisper among themselves, wondering what was going on. Crowd control police moved closer to the door, talking quietly into their radios.
“You can’t bury that man in my place! This whole thing is an elaborate farce!” the man in the doorway yelled out. “Oh God, I
10
Cleome
FOR ONE LONG MOMENT, no one moved. Then the reporters there to cover the funeral all seemed to jump to their feet at the same time as they realized the
Peggy tried to get to Darmus. She fought her way through the crowd, reaching him as he dropped to his knees. Naomi was already there with him. She cradled his head on her lap when he collapsed, tears rolling down her cheeks. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
“It’s all right,” Peggy told her. “He’ll be fine now.” She was surprised to see the girl there. Was she feeling guilty for what she knew of Darmus’s plot with Luther?
“Peggy!” Al reached them, yelling at officers to back the crowd up and call 911. “Did you know about this?”
She glared at him. “If you
“We have to get him to a hospital. Don’t go home! Meet me at the precinct. I know the captain is gonna have some questions for you!” Al waved to the paramedics, moving Naomi out of the way before he yelled at the young officers again. “Come on! Back up this crowd, will you? We need some room! Get everyone out of the chapel!”
Peggy got out of the way. She tried to find Steve and her family in the jumble of people. She didn’t see them, but she saw Naomi rushing out the chapel. She followed her, hoping to have a chance to talk to the girl. But Naomi was already getting into a van waiting at the curb. The driver pulled out before Peggy could catch up with them.
“Peggy!” She heard Steve call her name from across the stream of people exiting the chapel.
She looked back at the old green Volkswagen that was carrying Naomi away. Whatever the girl was doing at the funeral service, it wasn’t to talk to her. She acted like the devil was after her.
She finally managed to push across to where Steve and her family were waiting. “I have to go down to the precinct.”
Paul groaned. “Please don’t tell me you knew Darmus was still alive.”
She nodded. “All right. If it makes you feel better.”
“Never mind. I don’t have time to argue with you about it, Paul.” She climbed into the van. “Steve, could you take us home?”
Peggy didn’t offer any insight into what happened as the family discussed it on the way back to the house. She didn’t know what to say yet. She needed more information. Maybe now that it was all out in the open, she’d be able to figure out what really happened.
“I want to go with you,” Steve said when they turned up Queens Road. “I know you can handle it, but —”
“Please. You don’t have to sell yourself,” she told him. “I’d appreciate the support.”
“Well, as long as we’re all dressed up, you might as well take us somewhere, Paul,” Lilla told her grandson as they reached the house. “Maybe we could go to another mall.”
“Oh no,” Ranson groaned. “Not
Aunt Mayfield and Cousin Melvin liked that idea. They huffed out of the van when Steve parked in the drive
