Brother Ezra Read online

we aught to put in an appearance. Brother Ezra should be there. I want you to make sure Hilda Swenson is there.”

  “How am I going to do that? There‘s a shuffleboard tournament at the Legion. I want to be there.”

  The sheriff leaned forward and grinned across the desk. “You tell her that the sheriff wants her there. If she still doesn’t want to attend, you invite her to come with you. You can be her date.” He scratched his chin. “Or protector. Some of these loonies might want to throw stones. I’ll look out for Brother Ezra and make sure no one tries to get nasty with him.” He leaned back with a satisfied smile. “There’s nothing at the Legion for you. I heard that Delores is hanging around that Revival preacher. She has really seen the light.”

  Deputy Baker glumly nodded. “I haven’t had a good meatloaf and mashed potatoes in a long time.

  “Get there ahead of time. There may be a crowd of people and I want you and Hilda up front in the second or third row. Be in ordinary clothes but have your nine-millimeter just in case. I’ll either be sitting or standing in back watching everything.”

  “What are you looking for? Nothing is going to happen.”

  “Probably not, but this is maybe our last good chance to nail Brother Ezra. Two women called today. They each said they gave five hundred dollars to Brother Ezra. He supposedly cured them of some ailment. The reason they called was that both thought they smelled alcohol on his breath. They don’t want to press charges because they may be cured.” The sheriff wrinkled his nose. “Dumb women. I could cure them just as good as Brother Ezra.”

  “Maybe he’ll show up drunk. Then we can get him for public drunkenness.”

  Baker lifted the canvas flap and gently pushed Hilda into the rear of the tent. He stepped up to the beginning of the aisle and looked for two empty seats together. The only two he saw were in the very front row adjacent to the aisle.

  “Up front,” he whispered. “They are the only two I see.”

  Hilda resisted his hand pressure on her back. She held the evening program to her mouth. “I really don’t want to sit in the front row. I’ll be too conspicuous.”

  Baker shook his head and applied more pressure. “Nonsense, most of the people here don’t even know who you are.” He pushed her five feet up the aisle. Then Hilda froze.

  A woman’s voice came from the right side of the tent. “There she is! The whore of Babylon. Let’s chase her out of town on a rail.” Two hundred heads turned toward the two people.

  Baker swung around and saw Delores pointing her finger at Hilda. He ran through his mind in a split second what they should do. Should they keep on and ignore Delores? Leave and ignore Delores? Confront Delores. Shoot her with his Taser. He saw the sheriff standing in back with a grin from ear to ear.

  Baker nodded at Delores in the quiet tent. "Hello, Delores. I’m glad to see you here because you really do need to get religion. How is the Jack Daniels holding out? Are you still drinking a quart a day?” He gave Hilda a hard shove and walked quickly to the two seats.

  Delores stood there embarrassed by Baker’s reply. A pink flush rapidly spread from her neck to her hair. The two were just beginning to sit when she yelled out; “I don’t drink any more of the demon whiskey. Brother Ezra has turned my life around. I have seen the Light. Praise the Lord.”

  Baker looked to his right as half of the people said “Amen.” People to his left smiled. Baker quickly realized the people on the right were supporters of Brother Ezra while the people on the left were for Hilda. He glanced back at the sheriff as the choir began to sing. A man in a white robe walked up onto the platform and joined in the singing. The hymn ended and the man began to recite the 23rd psalm from memory. “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.”

  Baker closed his eyes and relaxed for a few seconds listening to the soothing voice. The voice stopped for a few seconds and Baker became attentive.

  The voice continued in a softer tone. “Are there any sinners here? Their time is now. Confess and save yourself.”

  Baker opened his eyes as the preacher restarted the 23rd psalm. He glanced back at Delores. She was slumped back in her chair with eyes closed. He felt Hilda relax and ease against his shoulder.

  “He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.” He stopped for three seconds. His voice was loud and firm with no hesitation. “Where are these sinners? It is time. Come forward and prepare yourself for Judgment Day.”

  Baker felt Hilda begin to tremble against his shoulder. He looked at Delores for a second. He could see her body shaking and her mouth was working as if to say something. He saw that half of the congregation had their eyes closed.

  The preacher continued in a softer voice. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” The preacher stopped for a few seconds. He slowly turned his head looking at every part of the tent. “Where are these sinners?” He spoke in a loud voice, causing the heads in the congregation to snap up in unison. “Come forward and confess. Save your soul from hellfire and brimstone.”

  A chorus of ‘amens’ followed his words. Baker turned in his seat in time to see Delores stand. She moved down the row toward the aisle. He felt Hilda rising. He put his hand on her shoulder and tried to pull her back into the chair.

  She pushed his hand off and stood straight, making no effort to move to the aisle.

  Baker wiped at his forehead, then wiped his pant leg. He looked back at the sheriff smiling and swaying from side to side. He turned a bit farther and stared at the end of the aisle. Brother Ezra was slowly walking toward the platform, still carrying his staff. “What is going on?” Baker whispered to himself. “Are they all crazy?”

  Brother Ezra shuffled on by, mumbling undecipherable words. Delores followed closely, eyes nearly closed. Hilda brushed by Baker’s knees and fell in behind Delores. Baker made a half-hearted attempt to hold her back, but failed.

  The preacher waited until the three people were lined up in front of him before continuing. “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.” His voice was very soft, even and clear in the silence of the tent. He paused only slightly before raising his voice a small amount. “Look at these three sinners. They will confess and be saved and avoid the fires of eternal damnation.”

  Baker squirmed in his chair. He quickly scanned the tent. The sheriff was standing in back, a huge smile on his face and gently swaying to a silent hymn. Most of the congregation were swaying forward and back, their eyes locked on the preacher.

  “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.” He quickly moved behind the two women. He put his hands over their heads. “Confess,” he screamed at the top of his lungs. He tapped their heads firmly, screaming “Repent” at the same time. The two women fell into a sitting position with their backs against the platform. Both were working their mouths without any sounds.

  Baker glanced to his right as the preacher moved behind Brother Ezra. Most of the people were nodding and staring silently at the preacher.

  The preacher yelled “Confess” and Brother Ezra fell in a heap before the preacher yelled “Repent.”

  Brother Ezra stretched out and then began to spin around using his heels. Every time his head was in line with the pulpit, he yelled a strange word. His arms flailed about, sometimes grabbing blades of grass.

  The preacher raised both hands toward the heaven. He smiled as a spotlight came on and bathed him in glaring white light. He clapped his hands and said “Confess” and then a second later, “Save your Soul” in a normal tone. The three people stood and began talking, using strange words interspersed with English with no rhyme or reason.

  Baker glanced around the tent. Some of the people were nodding and swaying back
and forth. The others sat still, frowns on their faces and arms locked across their chests. The sheriff was smiling and swaying. He turned back to the front. The three were talking with eyes closed. Brother Ezra was in the middle holding hands with the women. “He got half of these people mesmerized,” he whispered toward the stage. “What’s going to happen?”

  As if on cue, the preacher tapped each on the head. He waited a second as they opened their eyes. “Hallelujah, Praise the Lord. They have been touched by the Holy Spirit and have been saved. Praise the Lord.”

  Brother Ezra smiled widely looking around the tent. He stopped for a split second when his eyes reached Baker. He released Delores’ hand but held on to Hilda’s. He raised his other hand to quiet the “Praise the Lords, Hallelujahs and Amens” coming from the congregation. He waved his free hand again and held up the hand holding Hilda’s. He waited until the congregation became silent.

  Baker stared at Hilda. She was looking at Brother Ezra with adoring eyes. “What is happening?” Baker whispered as the congregation quieted down. “Something is rotten in the Pocomoke Forest.”

  “I felt a spark from this lovely woman.” Brother Ezra smiled at the people nodding their heads. “It came from her heart, through our hands and on to my heart. It was love for her fellow man and,” he hesitated a moment looking at