Stephen and some of his fellow officers were still standing near Johnny Tucker and the men with Confederate flags. They weren’t quite in a line to separate them from the rest of the crowd, but they could form one right quick if needed.
Mr. Meade caught my eye, and I looked to Mom, who nodded. I gave Mr. Meade a thumbs up, and he took the stage to share the news that we had raised all the money we needed for the trip to the National Memorial for Peace and Justice as well as to pay for a plaque that would mark this spot as the place of Beverly Jennings’s murder.
The choir sang again, “Rise Up, Children” this time, and then, the service was over, and the crowd started to disperse.
Marcie and Nicole met Javier and me by the sycamore, where Sarah and Mrs. Garrison stood. The two women were l
