Read Online Southern Cross by Jen Blood - Free Book Online Page A

rich tenor of a lifetime orator. He squinted at me over
his glasses while Jimmy continued to hold my arms.
    “Daniel,”
he said. “Daniel Diggins, isn’t it? I never forget one of my boys, son. I hear
you had an unfortunate encounter last night with some o’ my babies. Them snakes
do get testy ‘round non-believers.”
    I
stopped struggling, and Barnel gave his son a nod. Jimmy let me go. It was all
I needed; I might not be able to justify pummeling the old man himself, but
there was no love lost between Jimmy and me—he was a worthy substitute. I
wheeled on him and managed one solid blow to the jaw before his friend attacked.
He caught me in the nose, hard, and I tasted blood and saw stars.
    Buddy
Holloway emerged from the church and shouted something I didn’t catch, then
grabbed me and held fast to my arms, pulling me back. The world had gone red,
images I was powerless to stop rushing over me in fast-moving waves: 
    Wyatt
on that first day we’d met, smoking a cigarette out behind Barnel’s Redemption
Hall; racing bikes and drinking beer and the sound of his laughter on hot
summer nights. And then, the sight of him that same summer, strapped down while
Barnel brandished a blazing hot steel cross. The sound of his screams, flesh
sizzling when the reverend pressed the metal into his chest…
    I
fought harder, the reverend watching with a smug, holier-than-thou smile.
    “Calm
down, doggonit,” Buddy said “Get him out of here!” he shouted to the reverend’s
men, who did their best to shepherd Barnel away.
    “Now
keep your shorts on,” Barnel said smoothly. He met my eye. “That rage has to
burn itself out sometime, son, or you’re lookin’ at an eternity in the fire.”
    “You
think I don’t know who did this?” I finally managed, my voice choked. Barnel
didn’t move, his eyes as hard as stones. “I don’t know why, or how, but I know
this all comes back to you. Wyatt’s death; those snakes last night. And when I
figure it out, you’re going down. People will see you for the monster I always
knew you were.”
    Barnel
took a step closer to me, his yellow, cracked teeth bared in what could have
been a smile or a snarl. He smelled like tobacco and sweat. “I’m havin’ a
service tonight, son. We’re gonna save ourselves some souls, put the Holy
Spirit back in this demon town. Your friend Wyatt strayed, and the Lord smote
him—just as the Lord’s gonna do anybody who don’t see fit to cleanse themselves
but quick. You watch yourself, boy, or it just might be your broken body folks
are mournin’ next.”
    “Is
that a threat?” I asked.
    He
smiled more widely. “It’s no such thing, brother. That there’s just a promise.
I hope to see you tonight, Daniel. I plan on savin’ your soul before the end’s
upon us. And that end’s comin’ sooner than you might expect.”
    “That’s
enough, Reverend,” Buddy said. “Why don’t you go on now, see if you can’t find
somebody else to save.”
    “I
reckon that’s a fine idea,” Barnel agreed. “Always a pleasure seein’ you,
Deputy.”
    He
tipped his hat, and he and his goons made their exit.
    When
he was gone, Buddy handed me a handkerchief for my nose, now bleeding all over
my shirt and tie.
    “Sometimes
I don’t know what gets into you,” he said. “You know Barnel ain’t worth the
energy. Nice to know you haven’t changed none in five years, though.” He looked
at Solomon, who’d returned with her shoes at some point in the excitement. “You
think you can get him cleaned up and cooled down?”
    She
nodded with no enthusiasm. “Yeah, of course. Thanks. I’ll handle it.”
    The
rest of the crowd left. Within ten minutes, Solomon and I were alone in the
church parking lot, like nothing had ever happened. Just another cold, rainy
day in paradise. I sat down on the front steps, Buddy’s hanky pressed to my
nose. Solomon shook her head.
    “You’re
hopeless, you know that?” She sat down beside me. “I was gone two