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Stories from the Verse
Con Version
Chapter 158: Brown 339
Table of Contents
Previous chapter: Takano 133
The next morning, doing the usual, they headed toward Hannah’s diner for their lunch gig. The expectation was to hear happy chatter outside in the yard from the overflow crowd which had spread out from the building, or singing, or the loud voice of someone unused to public speaking engaging in public prayer.
Instead of joy when they arrived they saw Hannah outside weeping, holding some piece of paper.
“What is it?”
“The bank. They’s says they’s taking my place. Foreclosure. I been payin’ proper on my loan. I don’t understand why.”
Derek understood. If Scratch could not stop them with rats, or a lying customer, or arson, then he would use the power of money to stop them, and not just them, but the prayer meetings as well. The problem was, this wasn’t the kind of problem Derek knew how to address.
Pierre arrived at that moment. “What’s the problem?” he asked. Derek took the paper from Hannah and gave it to Pierre, who read it slowly. “I don’t think they can do this?” He turned and saw the bishop approaching. “Your eminence! Can they do this?” He held out the letter, and the bishop came over and took it.
He scanned it, and without removing his eyes from it he said, “I’m going to have to have a word with George.” He folded the page and held it up, saying to Hannah, “Can I borrow this?” She nodded. “You gentlemen do what you’re best at, and you too, good lady, and I will go have a serious talk with some bankers. I’m sorry I’m going to miss your playing, but hopefully I’ll be back tomorrow.” He headed back to his car parked up the block, and the others went inside.
“Well,” Derek said, “I don’t know what you came to do, but I came to praise the Lord. Let’s get some music going.” They played their full set, and then Derek said to the band, “We have a new song; we played it yesterday? I know we haven’t practiced it, but we’ve been through it once rather well, and we’ll do better this time.” With that, he played Taps, and they found their parts with him.
They ate their lunch as the prayer and praise meeting was expanding, but worried about what was happening with the bank. Derek took Vashti home to spend the afternoon in prayer.
As to the old stories that have long been here:
