chapter six: Is the Reverend dead? If he is, who killed him? Mrs. Hazelton has answers to these questions but she needs proof.
Is the Reverend Dead?
Chapter Seven
All Saturday I wait for the phone tree to contact me. “Unfortunately,” someone will begin.
“No church?” I practice sounding surprised.
But the phone doesn’t ring.
Saturday is grocery shopping day. The fridge and cupboards need filling.
I hand the list to Henry.
“Aren’t you coming?”
“No, I need to stay by the phone.” Maybe Jeff is right. Maybe life would be easier with a cordless phone—but what about the cancer risk?
“Okay, but you know what happened the last time you sent me. I came back with bruised fruit and rotting vegetables. I don’t look. I just grab. Truth is I don’t really know what to look for.”
I follow him to the car.
As quickly as my sore hip will carry me, I navigate the grocery store, procuring produce. At the checkout counter, the clerk wants to talk—always. Perhaps entertaining senior citizens was on her job description. Usually, I don’t mind. Usually, but not today.
“We’re in a bit of a rush,” I tell her.
“Fine,” she huffs and tosses our eggs into the bag. Clearly, I’ve offended her.
Finally, we are back home and before unpacking the shopping bags, I check the answering machine—no blinking light, no messages. They'll be church. Reverend Paulson is not dead.
"St. Mary Magdalene Church" oil by Mayne Island artist Frances Faminow
Are you following me?
