Wassahatchka County — St. John’s Church
Three Local Figures are found dead, attached to crosses in front of a small local church. investigating the murders takes midge and jake deep into the world of religious and political extremism.
Scroll ↓
“Then, I look up, too, and it don’t take me but a second to see why Pee-Wee called me: The three tall crosses the Pentecostal Brotherhood is famous for have what looks like three bodies on them. I can’t tell for sure from as far away as I am, but they look real — not like mannequins. I let a ‘Holy Shit’ slip out from between my lips, just loud enough for everybody standing around the hear it clearly. Then I slip under the police tape and walk across the lawn to where I see Pee-Wee standing, talking to Pastor St. John. When I get up to where they’re standing, I just wait a bit and overhear some of their conversation:
‘So you got no idea who these people are or how they got hoisted up there?’
‘Didn’t say I didn’t have no idea who they are. They’re from that protest group yesterday. I recognize the one from the middle. I talked to him yesterday. Don’t know what their names are.’”
— Deputy Sheriff Midge Sumpter, Sheriff Pee-Wee Marion, Pastor John St. John