We pulledinto the parking lot of the New Living Hope Revival Church a little after noon, and I was surprised to see six or seven cars in the parking lot.
“Is something goin’ on I don’t know about?” I asked Neely Kate.
She studied the front of the church. “No. I don’t think so, but it’s probably guys from Jonah’s work program. I think some of them ride together to jobs.”
Like the one I hadn’t paid them for. I hope they didn’t tar and feather me when we walked inside.
My phone rang, and despite the fact that I could see his car, I wasn’t surprised to see it was Jed.
“There’s a lot of cars here,” he said, parking a couple of rows in front us. “This doesn’t follow your typical daily schedule, so I doubt anyone would know you’re coming unless the reverend spouted it off, but he does run an ex-con program. It might not be a bad idea for me to go in ahead to scope it out.”
While he had a good point, we really didn’t have time for that. “Give it to me in percentages. What are the chances someone who’s intent on hurting me is gonna be in there?”
“Twenty-eighty.”
“Then I’m runnin’ with those odds.” I hung up and told Neely Kate about our exchange, not surprised she agreed with me. She’d been itching to use her pink, bejeweled Taser, especially after watching me zap Homer a couple of days before.
When we walked through the front doors, we didn’t see anyone until we reached the church offices. The door opened to an office for the church secretary, and a door to the left led to Jonah’s office. His door was closed, but Jessica, who was both his girlfriend and secretary, greeted us with a warm smile.
“If it isn’t two-thirds of the RBW Landscaping company,” she said. “Jonah’s with someone right now if you want to wait.”
“Actually,” I said, “I need to leave Jonah some money. He’s expecting it, so he’ll know what it’s for. But it’s in cash.”
“Not a problem.”
I turned to Neely Kate, who had the remaining cash from our exchange with Raddy, and watched as she counted out the hundred in twenties.
“I hear your landscaping business is flourishing,” Jessica said. “Bruce Wayne calls a couple of times a week asking for help.”
Jonah’s office door opened, revealing a man who looked vaguely familiar. “Thanks, Reverend.”
Jonah appeared behind him, smiling wide enough to show his sparkling white teeth. His hair was as coiffed as always, and it looked like his streaks had been recently highlighted, although I hadn’t worked up the nerve to ask him who he’d found in Henryetta to do them. I hadn’t heard word of him showing up in Beulah’s Nip and Clip on the square. I couldn’t fault Jonah Pruitt for being more put-together than me—shoot, three-quarters of the county looked better than me lately—especially given that Jonah was a semi-famous national TV evangelist. Perfection was expected of him.
“Newton, my door is open any time,” Jonah said in his warm baritone voice. “Whether you’re a parishioner or not. The Good Lord doesn’t care where his children go to church. He has enough love for everyone.” Jonah put a hand on his shoulder. “And please, call me Jonah.”
“Thank you, Reverend Jonah. I know my brother wasn’t a good person, but I still loved him.”
My ears perked up.
“Of course you did, and the fact that he was suspected of murdering his wife will make your grief more complicated. But I’m here to talk if you need it.” I almost gasped. Newton was Radcliffe Dyer’s brother.
Jonah glanced up at me and smiled before he returned his attention to Newton. “I’ve counseled quite a few of Henryetta’s citizens since I came to town last year, and I offer my services free of charge.”
“Newton,” Neely Kate said as she walked over to him. “I heard about your brother. I’m so sorry.”
“Thank you,” he said, swiping at the corners of his eyes.
“We’re about to go to lunch,” Neely Kate said. “Would you like to go with us?”
He shook his head. “I gotta get back to the plant.”
“Can we walk you to your car?”
“Sure.”
“You two go on ahead,” I told Neely Kate. “I’ll catch up in a minute.” I knew she would try to get information out of him, and he was far more likely to talk to her if I wasn’t around.
I turned to Jonah as they walked into the hall. “I’m sorry that I forgot about the money.”