“People know me around here,” she said. “People know about me. They know I’m only tryin’ to help.”

“You scared a lotta people last night, sweetie,” said the sheriff. “Nobody’s ever seen anything like what you did. That man was dead.”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“Well, you scared me,” said the sheriff. “And you scared my deputies, and you scared a bunch of fellas with the newspaper. I’ve had to beat away three different reporters this morning. The phone downstairs is ringing off the hook with nuts who wanna either murder you or worship you. And one man in Grove Hill wants you to pray for his laying hens that have bronchitis.”

He led her to the window. He pulled the shade up and tapped on the glass. She looked down at a crowd of people standing on the lawn of the courthouse. The onlookers were backed up into the main street. A few carried signs. One poster-board sign read The End Is Near.

“Where’d they come from?” asked Marigold.

The sheriff dropped the shade. “Most of ’em are in town for the revival over in Saraland next weekend. They got nearly eight hundred cars over in Chickasaw, people camping in tents, all here to see J. Wilbur Chaplain. We got nuts, vagrants, and migrant workers from all over the state. Supposed to be the biggest gathering of holy rollers in history.”

The younger deputy said in a solemn voice, “Revival’s coming to Alabama. Glory.” He had wide eyes when he said it, and a serious face.

“Yeah, well, I hope you’re wrong, Dip,” said the sheriff. “I had enough revival to last a lifetime last night.”

“It’s coming, Sheriff,” the deputy said again. “Whether you want it or not. These is end times, wrath poured out without mixture.”

“Is that right?” said the sheriff.

“Yessir,” said the deputy. “I’m praying for glory.”

“You know what I’m praying for?” the sheriff said. “I’m praying that you go take inventory of the storage room like I told you to do and quit eating all my flippin’ biscuits, dang it.”

The scene behind the window made Marigold’s breath catch in her throat. She couldn’t find words. There were people everywhere, spilling over the sidewalks and onto the side streets. The crowd was made up of more people than she’d ever seen in her life.

“What am I gonna do?” she said.

“You’re asking me?” said the sheriff. “Every flap in the county has come to see the woman who raised a man from the dead. I was hoping you knew.”

“I don’t,” she said.

“Well then, I can tell you one thing. In the next few days, every tent chaser within five counties is gonna be trying to get a peek at you. And some of these people ain’t working with a full deck. If you ask me, you’re safe right here.”