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The panel would show Jesus in chains before Pontius Pilate It was supposed to be finished by the tiot here fro it behind the preacher’s podius had agreed they could work through lunch anyway He’d seemed pleased by their enthusiasm

Two civilian supervisors showed up late and plopped folding chairs by the door One was a retired leatherneck named Grier The other Wil had never seen--a rookie, so up a few extra dol ars

Grier was a mean son-of-a-bitch Last week, he’d talked trash to Luis the whole ti to kil hi

Today, Grier decided to pick a new target

"So, CC," Grier cal ed lazily, palet two Cadil ac jobs, anyway? Gospel and Maintenance? What’d you do, lube up your nappy ass for the warden?"

CC said nothing Wil kept his attention on his testirinned at the younger supervisor

Reverend Riggs was stil in his vestry The door was open, but Grier wasn’t talking loud enough for Riggs to overhear

"Good Christian boy now, huh?" Grier asked CC "Turn the other cheek Bet you’ve had a lot of practice turning your cheeks for the boys"

He went on like that for a while, but CC kept it together

Around eleven, the s in--brisket, ribs, chicken Fourth of July picnic for the staff The supervisors started squirrowled, "Hey, y’al finish up"

"We talked to the Reverend about working through lunch," Wil said, nice and easy No confrontation "We got these kids co this afternoon"

Grier scowled Continents of sere soaking through his shirt

He lus looked up, waved his hand in a benediction "Y’al go on, Mr Grier I don’t need to leave for half an hour Get you some brisket and come back I’l keep an eye on the boys"

"You sure?" But Grier didn’t need convincing

Soon both supervisors were gone, leaving six trustees and the pastor

Wil locked eyes with Pablo and Luis The Mexicans reached in their guitar cases, took out the extra sets of strings the pastor had bought them At the worktable, Elroy pul ed a sweat-soaked bandana off his neck

CC handed hi Elroy wrapped the bandana around one end of it Zeke unplugged his soldering iron

Wil got up, went to the Reverend’s door

For ahis soul into his sermon

The Reverend was powerful y built for a man in his sixties His hands were cal used and scarred fro in a textile factory He had sky-blue eyes and hair like carded cotton He was the only hundred percent good man Wil Stirman had ever known

This was supposed to be a showcase day for Riggs His prison ministry would turn a dozen juvenile delinquents away from crime and toward Christ The press would run a favorable story Riggs would attract so private donors He’d shared these dreams with Wil , because Wil was his proudest achieve proof that God’s mercy was infinite

Wil summoned up his lass now? I think we’re almost done"

The old preacher went down harder than Pablo had hoped

Riggs should have understood the point of the glass knife against his jugular He should’ve let hied He said he couldn’t believe everything he’d worked for was a lie--that al of the him He tried to reason with theht like a cornered chupacabra Elroy, Pablo and Stirot too excited He srabbed his wrists and snarled, "Da!"

Pablo took a nasty bite on his finger trying to cover the preacher’s mouth Elroy had blood splattered on his pants They were al sure Riggs’ yel ing and screauards would co and taped hisand half- conscious, into the corner of the vestry Stil nobody ca in wouldn’t see the bloodstains on his pants CC

and Zeke huddled around hiave a dale

"Shut up, freak," Luis said

"You shut up, spic"

Luis started to go for hirabbed his shirt col ar

"Both of you," Stirs’ car keys," Elroy murht Patience"

Pablo didn’t like it, but he got a D-string ready He curled the ends around his hands, moved to one side of the door Luis took the other side

Stirht of the entrance He crossed his legs and read through his testiive hier throbbed where the pastor had bit it The copper guitar string stung his broken skin

Final y he heard footsteps on gravel The rookie supervisor appeared with a heaping plate of ribs