Faith Page 19
“Chris, guess who’s spending Christmas day in the hoosegow in Hartford, Connecticut?”
“Our favorite arsonist?”
Her smile widened. “Yep.”
“Sorry she’s missing Cal’s party, aren’t you?”
“Nope.”
“Me either.”
“I’d better go tell my baby sister.”
She headed toward Rose, and I moved closer to Noelle who was still standing beside Cal. She said, “Cal, this is my first time in here. I think I need to add a bar like this in my novel. Add a character like you.”
Cal tipped his hat, this time at Noelle. “Darlin’, I’m a whole novel all by myself.”
Noelle laughed. No truer words had ever been spoken.
Cal excused himself, saying he had to say a word or two to the group that now was filling the room, with more arriving.
Fifteen minutes later, Cal tapped on the antique silver microphone in the center of the low stage, then said, “How about lending me an ear?” It took a second tap on the mic before Cal had everyone’s attention. “Guys and gals, Merry Christmas. This here’s our biggest Christmas shindig ever. Now let me tell from the get-go, I’m not going to be happy unless all of you are. We’ve all got a bunch to be thankful for, so let’s celebrate it. After you eat and drink a bunch more, me and Preacher Burl will be entertaining you with a Christmas duet.”
I saw Luke tug on his mom’s shirt and whisper something to her, probably, “Cal should’ve said, Preacher and I, not me and Preacher.” Rose smiled and fluffed his hair.
Janice Raque was standing in the doorway, looking around. I left the bar to meet her. Before I could make it through the crowd, Preacher Burl was talking with her. She looked toward the ceiling, then hugged Burl before I could reach the two.
Janice turned to me. “Chris, you’ll never guess what Preacher Burl told me.”
“What?”
“Someone moved out of Hope House yesterday afternoon. The preacher said I could have the room if I wanted it. You bet your as—umm, you bet I do.”
Burl smiled. “Brother Chris, I told you I had faith it’d work out.”
“That you did, Preacher.”
Hank Williams Sr was finishing his classic version of “I Saw the Light” when Cal pulled the plug on the jukebox, stepped behind the silver mic, and said, “Y’all ready for it?” He cupped his hand behind his ear.
A few celebrators took the hint. “Yes.”
“Preacher, get your holy body up here.”
Burl was standing beside me and I was afraid he was going to bolt for the door. In the spirit of Christmas, he didn’t. He sighed as he slowly made his way to the stage. Cal slung his guitar over his head, whispered something to Burl, then pushed the preacher close to the mic. Cal played two chords, nudged Burl’s head closer to the mic, then sang:
“O Come, all ye faithful,
Joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem.…”
About the Author
Bill Noel is the best-selling author of eighteen novels in the popular Folly Beach Mystery series. Besides being an award-winning novelist, Noel is a fine arts photographer and lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with his wife, Susan, and his off-kilter imagination. Learn more about the series, and the author by visiting www.billnoel.com.