I couldn’t shake the feeling the whole way home.

Chapter 22

Tyrell: Del, Stu’s going to be out again. If you could get here even a half hour earlier, it would be super helpful. Let me know if that’s possible ASAP

Tyrell’s text woke me up three minutes before my alarm was supposed to go off. That made me cranky enough to not hit him back. I’d see him later, during my regularly scheduled shift, thank you very much.

Honestly, though, I was cranky with or without his text. Last night kind of sucked.

I got dressed out of habit, rode with Mom to First Missionary with earbuds in, listening to ratchet-ass trap music; Mom could miss me with that gospel today. When we sat in our pew, I did a quick head count of the Purity Pledgers. All present, all in their usual spots. Those who’d had the most wine looked a little sluggish. Jameer’s chin rested on his sternum like he could doze off at any second.

Kiera was settled in between her parents, greeted me with a cursory wave. I felt crankier than ever.

So I committed to zoning. No holy rolling for me that morning.

Service started. The choir sang. The announcements got read. Tried to keep it all in the background while I thought on more pleasant things. But every so often my gaze drifted to the front pew, where Tavia, her grandmother, and her kid sat. Flashbacks of last week’s horrible forced confession made it difficult to think of better places.

Newsome took the pulpit, opened his Bible as if he meant to read, then gently closed it, staring at the cover. His silence went on for an extended moment, long enough to trigger concerned murmurs.

“Pastor?” someone asked, I didn’t know who.

When he spoke, it was with the utmost sadness. “I have discovered we have a wolf in sheep’s clothing among us.”

Startled parishioners looked to each other for meaning. The wide-eyed faithful got rapturous, perhaps sensing a fire-and-brimstone sermon coming. Coach Scott squeak-shouted back, “A wolf in sheep’s clothing. Amen!”

“I need to repent!” Newsome slapped the podium. “I made the mistake of thinking I could shirk my duties as the spiritual leader of this house, and let the Lord do all the work Himself. Now, we know He is able to do any and all things in heaven and on Earth, but he still requires discernment from us. I was not discerning when I let something other than a single-minded focus on God distract our young people. I looked the other way when I saw dangerous influences swaying them. I am not looking away anymore.”

The dramatic pause was epic. Felt a month long. Long enough for suspicions to rise.

Newsome took a strange turn. “Television is Satan’s tool, you know that. Shows everything except glory for the Lord. But, I recall many years ago, a public service announcement that used to air. ‘It’s ten p.m. Do you know where your children are?’ Anybody else remember that?”