Page 79 of Son of a Preacher Man

“What do you mean?”

“The folks at the crazy church.” Tapping her nail on the Formica, Hazel emphasized every word. “I don’t think they know he’s taken ill. Saw him myself a couple of weeks ago and he seemed all right. Skinnier, I reckon, but…”

“That makes no sense, Hazel.” Leaning forward, Kodiak planted his elbows on the table across from her. “It’s Sunday. Someone had to hold services, because it sure as hell wasn’t him, so they must know something.”

“I’m telling you, they don’t,” she insisted, wagging her finger. “Things have changed since you’ve been gone, and not for the better, let me tell you.”

“How so?”

“After Linnea left, Jarrid pulled in the reins.” Hazel turned to his sister. “I’m so sorry, girl, he put the blame on you for everything. The rules they must abide by are even more strict. All the children are taught at home now—public school is forbidden. Associating with non-members is forbidden. No one marries unless he says so…

Course not.

“Do you remember Jeremy Blythe? Ada’s boy?”

“I remember Ada.” One of the church ladies, she was a devout member of Jarrid’s flock.

“He’s a few years younger than us,” Tommy said in an attempt to jog Linnea’s memory.

“Yeah.” She nodded. “Skinny kid. Dark hair and braces.”

“Well, the braces are gone, and he sure ain’t a kid no more.”

“Your daddy has taken up quite an interest in that boy,” Hazel said with a tip of her chin. “Been raisin’ him to follow in his footsteps.”

Am I supposed to give a shit?

“Better him than me.” With a shrug, Kodiak took a sip of coffee.

“Be wary of that boy when he comes callin’,” she warned, her finger wagging again. “All I’m sayin’.”

“C’mon now, Hazel, why should I worry about some twenty-something-year-old punk kid?” After surviving Reverend John, Jarrid, the very thought was laughable.

“You and Linnea have committed apostasy in their eyes. The power he’s been given by your daddy has already gone to his head.” Reaching across the table, she took both his hands in hers. “If I were you, I’d make it abundantly clear y’all don’t plan on stayin’. Oh, and they believe the two of you are married. You might wanna let ‘em go on thinkin’ that.”

“Why?” Taken aback, Linnea cocked her head. “Seth is my brother, and they should know it. They should know all the horrible things Jarrid has done. How twisted he really is.”

“Girl, what you’re speakin’ is heresy to them looney tunes.” Kodiak knew their way of thinking. So did his sister. Hazel wasn’t lying. “You know what the punishment is for that, don’t you?”

In biblical times it was death.

“Trust me, withholding the truth could be the one thing that saves you.”

So far, so good.

They’d been at the house for an hour now, and no one had come sniffing around. Yet. It was just a matter of time, of that Kodiak was sure. There’d be a knock at the door sooner or later.

While he and his sister had taken Hazel’s warning to heart, it seemed to them she was also being a little dramatic. Fallen from grace, they expected dirty looks, to be the objects of their scorn, but it’s not like they were in danger of being burned at the stake for chrissakes. And now, there were other matters to attend to.

Linnea wasn’t wasting any time. Balancing the baby on her hip, she surveyed the family room off the kitchen and sighed. “We’ll tackle one room at a time, sort, pack, patch, and paint. Might as well start right here. You keeping any of this furniture?”

“No, we can leave it. If Jeremy Blythe wants it, he can have it.”

The house belonged to the church. Once Jarrid passed, and his successor was named, the new pastor would move in.

“All right then.” She settled Charlotte in her Pack and Play. “We’re going to need moving boxes.”

“Already ordered some.” He bent to kiss her cheek. “And the groceries. Believe it or not, Kirby’s delivers. Should be here in about thirty minutes.”

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