Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 88673 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 443(@200wpm)___ 355(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88673 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 443(@200wpm)___ 355(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
Charlie huffs out a breath. I’m expecting him to just agree, and that would be that. But instead he looks right at me, his eyes narrowing down. “You’re making a big mistake, boy.”
Collin scoffs. “That wasn’t the answer I was looking for, Charlie.”
But Charlie holds my gaze and his eyes are filled with threats. He might be afraid of Collin Creed. Maybe. He should be, but sometimes people don’t know what’s good for them. But one thing is for sure, Charlie Beaufort is not afraid of me.
“Your father,” Charlie continues, “will never forgive you for what you’ve done.”
“I don’t think he’s clear, Collin,” I say, growling my words right back. “I really don’t think he gets it.”
Amon puts his fingers in his mouth and a sharp whistle fills the tavern. There’s the clattering of toenails on hardwood, and then, a few seconds later, twelve K-9’s trained to military standards are surrounding the booth on all sides. People are gasping, and starting to panic, but not a single person tries to get up and leave.
“Oh, he gets it,” Collin says. “Don’t ya, Charlie?”
“Collin, you don’t understand what you’re doin’ here, son.”
“I’m not your son. And trust me, I know exactly what I’m doin’. I’m cutting ties with you, Charlie. You and all the other liars in this town. You stay the fuck away from us and we’ll stay the fuck away from you. But if any of my men, or Amon’s dogs, get hurt? I’ll come for you, Charlie. And you’ll be dead before you even understand what’s happening.”
Collin slides out of the booth, I stand up and take a step back, and then Amon gets out. He snaps his fingers and those dogs line up on either side of him like foot soldiers.
I smile, give Charlie Beaufort a sloppy salute, and that’s how we leave it.
EPILOGUE – CLOVER
No one protested more about having Ike Monroe’s funeral in the Revival tent than Collin. But after I passed Lowyn the note that Ike gave me addressed to her, and explained how many ways both Riggs and I owed him our lives, he gave in.
Of course, the entire town of Revenant was insisting on it, especially Ike’s twin brother, Lasher, and this seemed to be a sticking point with them. They would not back down when Collin initially said no. It’s not like Collin’s even in charge of Disciple, so it wasn’t even his decision.
But then again, he kinda is and it kinda was.
Anyone from Disciple can request a Revival funeral, just as they can request a Revival wedding. But only the leaders of Bishop and Revenant are afforded the same courtesy. Otherwise we might be having funerals and weddings every weekend. All things need limits.
So here we sit on the first day of fall and the entire county has been shut down so we can honor Ike Monroe with a proper Trinity County sendoff and there’s not a damn bit of space, both inside and outside the tent, that isn’t being filled with a person.
And, of course, they did come to see Ike off. But that’s not the only reason this place is packed.
They came because Collin Creed is gonna speak after the sermon. He’s gonna stand here on the Revival stage and say something to us.
There isn’t a single person alive in Trinity County over the age of twenty who hasn’t been waiting for this. Not whatever it is he’s gonna say, but just him. Up there on that stage. Where he belongs.
So we quietly sit through the children’s choir singing ‘Amazing Grace,’ and we try not to fidget as Simon, our replacement preacher, gives Ike a nice sermon—having us all reflect on the idea of redemption—and we say our ‘amens’ and a few people even faint because we’re so conditioned to do these things during Revival, some of the older ladies forget this isn’t a show.
But when all that is over, and Collin Creed stands up, there is a collective holding of breath as he makes his way up the sawdust aisle, climbs the steps to the stage, and takes his place behind the pulpit.
Simon, who I suspect has always known he was nothing but a fill-in-the-blank until the real preacher of the Revival decided to take his place, has the good grace to stand aside and bow his head.
Of course, Collin’s not gonna be the preacher, so Simon isn’t at all worried about his job.
That’s why everyone from all of Trinity County is here. This is probably the only time we’ll ever see Collin up on that stage and whatever he says next will be the only gospel he ever speaks.
“Ya know,” Collin starts, “when I left here after high school to join the Marines, I couldn’t get out fast enough. Of course, I think I had a really good reason to feel that way, even though some of you never understood it.” He flicks a passing glance at the guilty party—Jim Bob, of course—then puts his attention back on us. “I was away for twelve years and I can honestly say I didn’t think about Disciple, or miss it, for a single moment of those twelve years. But after six months of being back, I can’t imagine ever leaving again.”