Page 50 of A Boy Called Lovesong

“What is it you need, son?” asked the reverend in a calm, cool tone. “Through the door I heard you say you need something. What is it you need? Answers? Jesus? A glass of water?”

“I need some air. I just need some air.”

I tried to step around him, but the reverend didn’t move.

“I ain’t surprised you need air. It can be hard to breathe in here, what with all this booze and ballyhoo. Gets hard to hear yourself think, all that blues music clanging in the air and clawing at your thoughts.” He looked over at Lovesong standing at the piano. “No matter how much I try to convince them otherwise, my flock just can’t stop dancing with the Devil.”

“What are you doing here, reverend?” asked Maybelle, sitting back in her chair and smirking at him tauntingly. “You finally decided to join us for a drink after church?”

The reverend scoffed. “The day that happens will be the day Hell freezes over.” He loosened his collar to air his neck. “And we all know it’s far too hot here for that to ever happen. Besides, someone in this town has to keep the evil at bay.” He looked back at Lovesong. “Ain’t that right, son.”

Lovesong didn’t answer.

“Is that what you’re doing standing in the doorway?” Maybelle asked. “Keeping evil at bay? Best you step aside before that boy throws up all over your shiny black shoes. I’d like to see you keepthatat bay.”

A quiet giggle rippled through the bar.

The reverend simply sneered. “Mockery is Satan’s delight. I came to bid you all goodnight, and to let you know I’ve padlocked the church doors tonight. I’ve advised Earl and Cybil to do the same at the repair shop and the general store. In fact, I’d urge you all to do the same.”

“Padlock everything?” said Maybelle. “Since when have you ever felt the need to lock up the town?”

He looked at me and answered in a flat, firm tone. “I suppose you could say I’m feeling… watchful.” He extended his hand to me. “I don’t think we’ve been formally introduced. I’m Reverend Jim.”

“Noah. Noah Van Owen,” I breathed. “Now, can I please get past you? I need—”

“Of course. You need some air. I understand. You poor soul, into the night you go.”

With that he stepped aside and let me rush out into the street, Chet growling at him as he raced after me.

I slipped on the mud and nearly fell, but regained my balance and got my bearings as a cloud slid aside to let a full moon light my way.

I charged down the street with Chet at my heels.

When I reachedEarl’s Auto, the roller doors were shut, locked with a padlock and chain. I hurried around back to see if there was another way in, but the door I found was locked as well.

I looked around in the dark and saw a small shack through the long grass. There was a light, dim as it was, in one window.

I ran through the grass and knocked on the door.

I heard movement inside, then a woman’s voice. “Who’s there?”

“It’s me, Noah.” I was breathless after running.

The door opened and Cybil was standing there, a book in her hand, a robe wrapped tightly around her and a look of concern on her face. “Noah? Is that your name? Are you all right?”

I realized I hadn’t introduced myself to her yet. “Yes, I’m Noah. I need to get something out of my car, but the auto shop is locked. Do you know where Earl lives?”

“This is Earl’s house, but he’s sleeping like the dead right now. Can it wait till morning?”

I was panicky about the tape. I didn’t want anyone finding it, listening to it, asking me what I was doing with it. I knew I wouldn’t sleep unless I had Lovesong’s tape in my possession. “It’s kind of important.”

Cybil nodded. “Hold on, I’ll get the keys.”

Moments later I was following her back to the auto shop. She didn’t enter through the door at the back, she explained the key had broken off in that lock years ago and Earl hadn’t gotten to it on his to-do list yet. “There’s a lot of things Earl hasn’t gotten to on that damn list. But that’s Earl, for ya.”

Out front, she unlocked the padlock and pushed open the roller doors.

She flicked on the industrial lights and Joan Collins lit up.

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