of Mace. The directions said to make sure the nozzle was pointed away from you before you sprayed the Mace directly in the eyes of the assailant. “Directly in the eyes,” Laurel murmured. “I only hope I never get that close.”
4
Laurel had lost so much sleep lately the afternoon seemed interminable. In spite of three cups of strong coffee, she couldn’t stop yawning.
Around three-thirty Penny and Mary were outside loading floral arrangments into the delivery van. The two elderly, blue-haired Lewis sisters who lived together diligently toured the store, arguing over which wreath they wanted for their front door—white pine or cedar. You’d think they were investing in a car, Laurel thought, amused. A young woman wandered around with a little boy of three who pointed to every item on display and announced, “I want that!”
Suddenly the front door flew open with such force it slammed against the outside wall. Everyone jumped and Laurel looked up to see an old man, thin and terribly wrinkled, stalk into the store. He wore an ancient suit sprinkled with food stains and no coat. His hair, thick and white, stood on end and his blue eyes blazed.
“Hark!” he shouted. “Listen to me for I speak for the Lord our God!”
Oh, Lord, no, Laurel thought in horror. Zeke Howard.
Laurel rushed from behind the counter. “Mr. Howard—”
“ Reverend Howard!”
“Reverend Howard, are you here to see Mary?” she asked, touching his arm.
He slapped away her hand. “Don’t touch me!”
“I’m sorry.” Her hand stung. What should she do? “Mary is outside right now but if you’ll come and have a seat in the back, I’ll get her.”
“I don’t want Mary! You. You are the one I came to see.”
The three women customers stood frozen, gaping at him. The little boy had taken refuge behind his mother.
Laurel tried to sound calm and pleasant. “What do you want to see me about, Reverend Howard?”
Zeke pulled himself up straight and glared around the room. Then he drew a deep breath and began quoting in a thunderous voice:
“‘But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you…Your carcasses shall be food for all the birds of the air and beasts of the earth and no one shall frighten them away…’”
If Laurel could get him to move, the customers could escape. He seemed to know this, though, and stood like a boulder, blocking the door as he rambled on:
“‘But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up…’”
By now the child was crying. The Lewis sisters clutched each other, trembling. Laurel didn’t dare leave Zeke alone to fetch Mary. Who knew what he might do. Helplessly she stared at him as he drew another long breath and started again, this time aiming his words at her:
“And you, Laurel Damron!” His eyes narrowed and he pointed an incredibly long, large-jointed finger at her. “‘Your life shall hang in doubt before you; you shall fear day and night, and have no assurance of life…’”
“Papa!” Mary rushed into the showroom, her expression appalled. “Why are you here? How did you get here?”
He looked at her disdainfully. In spite of the web of wrinkles and sprinkling of dark age spots on his face, his eyes were as clear and azure blue as Faith’s had been. The difference was the febrile, insane glow behind them. Laurel had never seen such frightening eyes in her life. “I’m here to spread the word of God. And I drove .”
Mary went to him. “Papa, you aren’t supposed to drive. I have to get you home.”
“I am not going home!” he shouted. “Oh, I know you . You give me drugs to keep me from doing God’s work. You’re not
4
Laurel had lost so much sleep lately the afternoon seemed interminable. In spite of three cups of strong coffee, she couldn’t stop yawning.
Around three-thirty Penny and Mary were outside loading floral arrangments into the delivery van. The two elderly, blue-haired Lewis sisters who lived together diligently toured the store, arguing over which wreath they wanted for their front door—white pine or cedar. You’d think they were investing in a car, Laurel thought, amused. A young woman wandered around with a little boy of three who pointed to every item on display and announced, “I want that!”
Suddenly the front door flew open with such force it slammed against the outside wall. Everyone jumped and Laurel looked up to see an old man, thin and terribly wrinkled, stalk into the store. He wore an ancient suit sprinkled with food stains and no coat. His hair, thick and white, stood on end and his blue eyes blazed.
“Hark!” he shouted. “Listen to me for I speak for the Lord our God!”
Oh, Lord, no, Laurel thought in horror. Zeke Howard.
Laurel rushed from behind the counter. “Mr. Howard—”
“ Reverend Howard!”
“Reverend Howard, are you here to see Mary?” she asked, touching his arm.
He slapped away her hand. “Don’t touch me!”
“I’m sorry.” Her hand stung. What should she do? “Mary is outside right now but if you’ll come and have a seat in the back, I’ll get her.”
“I don’t want Mary! You. You are the one I came to see.”
The three women customers stood frozen, gaping at him. The little boy had taken refuge behind his mother.
Laurel tried to sound calm and pleasant. “What do you want to see me about, Reverend Howard?”
Zeke pulled himself up straight and glared around the room. Then he drew a deep breath and began quoting in a thunderous voice:
“‘But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you…Your carcasses shall be food for all the birds of the air and beasts of the earth and no one shall frighten them away…’”
If Laurel could get him to move, the customers could escape. He seemed to know this, though, and stood like a boulder, blocking the door as he rambled on:
“‘But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up…’”
By now the child was crying. The Lewis sisters clutched each other, trembling. Laurel didn’t dare leave Zeke alone to fetch Mary. Who knew what he might do. Helplessly she stared at him as he drew another long breath and started again, this time aiming his words at her:
“And you, Laurel Damron!” His eyes narrowed and he pointed an incredibly long, large-jointed finger at her. “‘Your life shall hang in doubt before you; you shall fear day and night, and have no assurance of life…’”
“Papa!” Mary rushed into the showroom, her expression appalled. “Why are you here? How did you get here?”
He looked at her disdainfully. In spite of the web of wrinkles and sprinkling of dark age spots on his face, his eyes were as clear and azure blue as Faith’s had been. The difference was the febrile, insane glow behind them. Laurel had never seen such frightening eyes in her life. “I’m here to spread the word of God. And I drove .”
Mary went to him. “Papa, you aren’t supposed to drive. I have to get you home.”
“I am not going home!” he shouted. “Oh, I know you . You give me drugs to keep me from doing God’s work. You’re not
Similar Books
