Mesmerized by the woman’s audacious confidence, Megan took her hand. Penny Gillespie’s handshake was warm and strong.
“Thank you,” Megan said. “I’ve seen your show.” She wished the comment hadn’t sounded so inane, but that was the first response that popped into her head.
Penny smiled. “You are a dear.” She offered a final squeeze and took her hand back. “Am I to assume, then, that you are free for the moment, Mrs. Gander?”
“Yes,” Megan said.
“Good. This will work out perfectly, because—after hearing about this very interesting class and seeing the attention and retribution offered by General Braddock and his staff—I would actually like more than a moment of your time. I have a proposition that you might find at least entertaining, and hopefully more than a little interesting.” Penny took Megan by the elbow. “Captain Stashower, may I assume that since Mrs. Gander has been unequivocally threatened by you and had her ‘Jesus Saves Party’ properly routed—as ordered by General Braddock—that she is now free to go?”
Stashower remained tight-lipped for a moment.
Megan suddenly realized that the phrasing of Penny’s question, if answered affirmatively, not only let her go but also admitted for public—and camcorder—record that Stashower had threatened her at the general’s orders. On her show, Penny was always quick-witted and often punished anyone who tried to lie to her or had willingly caused strife in the lives of others.
“No,” Stashower replied.
Megan knew that the captain was trying to deny the accusations couched in Penny’s question, but he had stepped into another part of the trap that Penny had laid for him with dismaying ease.
“Oh my,” Penny said in a worried tone. “Do you mean that you have to threaten Mrs. Gander further, Captain Stashower? If I had been Mrs. Gander, I’m afraid I might have been petrified to even breathe. I may have to put a discretionary warning on this segment of my show when it airs.”
Herman the cameraman kept recording.
“No,” Stashower said. “No threats.”
“Well, that’s good,” Penny said with enthusiastic relief. “It was very hard going through those first few. I’m sure our viewers will be a little more relaxed knowing that Mrs. Gander is not going to be further persecuted for having the personal strength and conviction to show her Christian faith to young people of this post who need guidance in these troubling times.” She smiled. “Do you require anything more of Mrs. Gander, Captain Stashower?”
“No,” Stashower gritted out.
“Then we’ll take our leave, Captain, and wish you a good day.” Penny gently pulled at Megan’s elbow.
Reluctantly at first, knowing all kinds of repercussions from the military lay ahead of her, Megan followed Penny Gillespie out of the room.
9
Church of the Word
Marbury, Alabama
Local Time 1011 Hours
The creature wore the visage of a young man. He was black this time, wearing black motorcycle leathers and wraparound sunglasses. A pencil-thin mustache and a goatee framed his mouth. Rastafarian dredlocks covered his head. Gold hoop earrings dangled from his ears and two gold teeth gleamed in his mouth. When the dappled sunlight fell on him, reptilian scales showed shadowy images.
Beyond the creature, Walter stood outside the cruiser talking on his handset. He gave no indication he saw the creature.
The creature smirked as it examined the front of the church. “Well, this place has certainly seen better days. Guess nobody around here even believes in paint.” He peeled a long strip of paint from the doorframe. “So how you feelin’ today, Preacher? All rested up?” Even its accent was changed, but it was the same creature.
Delroy didn’t speak.
“So, you gonna buy into Deputy Dog’s little pep talk? Take a walk down memory lane and get your religion back? Is that what this is all about?” The creature shook its head. “You’re still looking for that quick fix, Preacher. Still looking but not finding.”
The mocking words ate at Delroy’s confidence. How was he supposed to know what to do if God kept allowing this creature to dog his steps and undermine every advance he made toward getting himself back together?
The creature shook its head again. “I have to tell you, Terrence is plenty upset with you. He’s still lying in that coffin when you could have at least freed him.”
Delroy turned away, closed his eyes, and told himself he would ignore whatever it said.
“Don’t turn away from me, Preacher,” the thing ordered. “If you don’t listen to me, maybe I’ll walk out to that deputy and slit his throat ear to ear while he’s talking on the walkie-talkie. He don’t see me now; I can promise you he won’t see me then.”
Trembling with rage and fear, all but exhausted even after the sleep he’d gotten the day before, Delroy faced the creature, fully expecting it to walk into the church and start closing in on him.
Instead, the creature remained at the door. “What is it with you, Preacher? Are you just too dumb to give up? or too prideful? Neither one of those qualities is exactly something God treasures now, is it?”
Delroy peered past the creature, wondering how Walter Purcell hadn’t noticed it standing there. Instead, the deputy stayed on the radio, gazing around the neighborhood as if nothing was going on.
“He can’t see me,” the thing said. “I’m here just for you.”
Delroy felt broken and humbled, but he remembered his daddy’s words. “Are you here to tempt me?”
“With what?” the creature asked, smiling. “What have I offered you?”
“Doubt,” Delroy said. “And fear.”
The creature grinned. “You’re fooling yourself, Preacher. You’ve already loaded your own cupboard with those things. And you’re not as important in the grand scheme of things as you seem to believe you are.
