“And at eleven o’clock this morning the county auditor put an emergency freeze on every property transfer.”

I opened my briefcase, took out two blue-stamped documents, and laid them flat on the altar rail.

“This is the certified marriage license signed Saturday morning,” I said, turning toward the six elders in the front pew.

“And this is the trust assignment recorded at the county courthouse.”

Elder Miller, who’d sat on the board for eighteen years, leaned forward in his seat.

“Which trust assignment do you mean, Tom?”