The Last Visitor

Take a journey into this wonderful story in a small American town that is full of surprises where all is not as it seems: Reverend Hayes' oldest daughter, Charlene, always sang lead in church. She was blurting out "This Little Light of Mine," while we were all wishing she would shine hers somewhere else. Reverend Hayes was tapping his foot to keep time, and his wife Constance was at the organ nodding like it was the most beautiful thing they'd ever heard. *** Luther said my nostrils were flaring and he could see smoke coming out of them. He knew I carried about that big snake knife, and he was sure there was gonna be trouble. Bert and Sam, those old chickens, started easing toward the door. *** "My Lord! The way that girl ruined that song Nearer My God To Thee, it's a wonder God will let her within ten miles of him." Luther couldn't help but laugh. "Now, Manda, she wasn't that bad." But Amanda was on a roll. "Oh, and that Reverend Hayes. I've never in my life seen a man with nothing to say take so long saying it!" *** Two days later, they found Danny dead just outside Florence. His tiny yellow body had been mutilated, almost beyond recognition. . . He looked like he'd been tied up and dragged several miles. *** Mama saw Reverend Hayes' piercing stare. Lucille sat back up, like she was interested in Reverend Hayes' sermon. Mabel stared at her, jaws wide open. "Lue?" "Hmmm?" "Lucille! What? What he say?" "Oh yeah . . . so he says 'Well, Sista Williams, the Lawd works in mysterious ways. He's working on Sista Simmons' soul, and God'll reach her one day. All we can do is pray for poor Sista Simmons.'"