The Policeman and the Prophet - Day 59

 “Oh crap,” said Frank, “you got any idea where she might have gone?”

“Not a clue.”

“Come on Bill, you knew here better than anyone else, at least on the outside. She trusted you.”

“All that is true, but I still don’t have the foggiest idea where the woman could have gone.”

Frank began pacing the room. He still had the phone in his hand but said nothing. Then, he put the phone to his ear. “You think the woman would have gone back to Taylor?”

“God, what a thought, Frank.”

“I know, but is it possible?”

“I guess it is possible, but my guess would be no.”

“Why do you say that?” asked Frank.

“Because she’s left him once. He would have looked at that as betrayal, and I don’t think a man like Taylor would take kindly to betrayal. She knows that.”

“She also knows, a whole lot better than we do, what he’s capable of. Let’s not forget, the man has done time in stir. A prison is a training ground for how to take things to the limit, including people, including Lynn Powell.”

“Good lord, Frank, he is the father of her child.”

“I can’t say how every man thinks, but I doubt fathering that child meant any more than a good screw in the hay. Don’t forget, Lynn is a good looking woman. I doubt seriously if the kid means a thing to Taylor.”

“Okay then, where does that leave us?” questioned Father Bill.

“Truthfully, no where.”

The Policeman and the Prophet - Day 58

 “Neither did I, but I’m like you, I didn’t read every page.”

“There’s more. That’s why I asked you what they had asked Father Bill that night. The four people they called who had their accounts drafted by Jesus were all uneducated.”

“You mean high school drop outs?”

“No, I mean uneducated, second, third grade and like most of those people, they were devoutly religious.”

“So Taylor’s crowd knew exactly who they were targeting.”

“They knew exactly who they were targeting.”

“The DA has the file. If it’s in there, he can find it.”

“That’s the problem, it’s not in there. We need to talk to the Powell woman, but you never told me where she was.”

“Okay, no problem, Father Bill has her hidden away. I’ll call him and arrange for us to meet with her. Tomorrow at Birdie’s be okay? About ten o’clock?”

“That’ll be fine. I don’t want to mention Powell, because there is no such thing as a secret in Washington and if it gets out she has the file and where she is, she and the kid are dead.”

“I’ll agree. I’ll call Bill right now.”

Frank hung up the phone and immediately called Bill. He told Bill to arrange to pick up Lynn in the morning and bring her to Bertie’s. Bill said he would call the convent right away and arrange everything.”

In a matter of seconds, Franks’ phone rang.

“We got a problem.”

“Bill?”

“Yes. One of the nuns just told me that Lynn was in the common room watching television and when the news came on about the Billy Taylor investigation, she got up and left.”

“Left the room you mean?”

“No, left the convent, she and the boy. She left most of her stuff.”

The Policeman and the Prophet - Day 57

“Did he say anything about them asking about his education?”

“I believe he did, I think they asked him if he had gone to college, Bill didn’t understand it, but he told them a couple of years.”

“Then nothing more about education?” asked Gibbs.

“I don’t think so. If they did, I don’t remember him saying anything about it. I can call—“

“No, don’t worry about it.”

“What about the guy from Phoenix?”

“Actually, there was several. The guy from Phoenix was the first. He claimed he had made a contribution to the Taylor crusade, and a month or so later, another contribution was drafted out of his checking account, but it was alright, because Jesus had needed it. Jesus had drafted his account. It was on the news, didn’t you see it?”

“Ain’t nobody that stupid,” yelled Frank into the phone.

“Yea, this guy was. I don’t know how they found him, I don’t know where they dug him up, but they found four more just like him, accounts drafted by Jesus. One of the accounts was for a thousand dollars a whack.”

“Unbelievable!” shouted Frank. “But what does that have to do with the file?”

“The attorney asked to see the records on these people and their contributions.”

“Okay,” said Frank matter-of-factly.  

“Parker said they could not locate the records, they were in the missing file.”

“The file Lynn Powell showed us, but I didn’t see anything in it anything like what you’re talking about.”

The Policeman and the Prophet - Day 56

The hearings continued for the next few weeks. Witnesses from the ministries of the six preachers were brought to Washington and gave their testimony, but for the most part, except for the Christian community, few people even found the hearings newsworthy.

Then, on a Thursday afternoon, Frank’s phone rang. It was Carby Gibbs.

“You remember that file the Powell woman gave us?”

“Sure I do. What about it?”

“Didn’t I give it to the DA?”

“That’s what you said you were going to do.”

“Good.”

“Why?” asked Frank confused.

“Evidently, all hell just broke loose in Washington. You remember Taylor’s buddy, the other ex-con?”

“Yea, Parker, Clark Parker. He did time with Taylor in—“

“Yea, that’s him. Well, this afternoon, some attorney on that committee questioned Parker and must have made him crack. He got him to spill that they use those letters Lynn Powell showed us to try to get donations. The attorney went ballistic and demanded to see the file. Parker said the file was missing. He said they had searched all over for the file and had no idea where it could be. Did you read the file?”

“I did like you did, I glanced through the file. Everything in it looked fairly generic to me.”

“Did you read every page?”

“What? No. It was just form letters. I figured if you read one, you read them all.”

“Obviously, there was more in the file.”

“More?” questioned Frank surprised.

“Yes, a lot more. They also brought in some guy from Phoenix… Wait a minute, before I tell you about the guy from Phoenix, did Bill say anything about  what they asked him the night he went onto the stage?”

“Yea, they asked him what he did for a living. I think he told them he was a carpenter or something.”

The Policeman and the Prophet - Day 55

For two weeks Father Bill heard nothing. He was wondering what was going on but decided to leave the matter alone. Finally, his curiosity got the best of him and he called Frank and arranged lunch.

“I hope no news is good news. Is it?” asked Bill.

“Actually, probably, yes.”

“Actually, probably, what do you mean.”

“Taylor and the others were served a week ago.”

“And you didn’t tell me?” asked Bill.

“What good would it have done? Why should I tell you? If you knew, what would you have done?”

I guess you make a good point, but I would have wanted to warn the Powell girl.”

“I know you would have, and what good would that have done? You would have just alarmed her for nothing.”

“You’re probably right,” said Bill, “but what’s going on?”

“The same thing that goes on whenever you have lawyers involved. One side makes a claim, the other side denies it. One side asks for something, the other side refuses it. From what I gather, the subcommittee has asked for six of the preachers records. All of their records.”

“Including Taylor?” asked Bill.

“Including Taylor,” answered Frank. “For right now, the best thing you can do is just forget about it. Every day that goes by is better for Lynn. Like I say, just leave it alone.”

The two sat at Birdies for another hour eating their lunch. During that time, neither Lynn Powell nor Reverend Billy Taylor was mentioned.

The Policeman and the Prophet - Day 54

“So, you’re not saying all preachers are crooks?” asked Bill with his eyebrows raised and a slight smile.

“No, Holy Man, I’m not saying all you preachers are crooks. It would be a sad world if they were. I’m just saying—Okay, I’m a cop and money wise, I get by. But what if it got out that I sometimes would… shall we say, look the other way, for a fee.”

“You mean become a dirty cop?”

“That’s exactly what I mean. You don’t think I’d make more money?”

“Oh yea,” answered Father Bill. “A whole lot more.”

“Same thing… dirty cop, dirty preacher.”

Bill nodded his head. “I see what you’re saying.”

“You asked what would be the next step?” I don’t know. That will be up to Taylor. You’re talking about for Lynn Powell.”

Father Bill nodded his head.

“When he gets served, his first call is going to be to the other TV evangelists. That, I will bet. They will circle the wagons. They’ve done it before. He won’t stand out there alone. But…, as far as Lynn… she is a threat. He’ll see her as that. Her and that boy… I don’t know. I just don’t know.”

Bill stared directly at him.

“But for now, we have no hint that Taylor knows where she is. The best place for her is exactly where she is.

The Policeman and the Prophet - Day 53

After a pause, Bill looked at him. “What do you think will happen next?”

“I don’t know. I believe the investigation will probably start soon. Unless I miss my guess the end of this week.”

“You don’t know?”

“No, the feds don’t share that stuff with anyone, but the end of this week would be about right. But keep in mind, when they do whatever they’re going to do, they’re not just going after Billy Taylor. Senator Booth said he was going after that whole TV Evangelist crowd.”

Father Bill smiled.

“What?” asked Frank.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re smiling. I was just wondering why.”

“I was just wondering.”

“Wondering? Wondering what?”

“Isn’t there a possibility that there is someone in that group that maybe… just maybe, might be sincere? I mean isn’t there a chance there is one of those electric preachers whose not there for selfish reasons? I mean wants something other than just to make money?”

“You mean who actually loves Jesus?”

“Yes, I mean actually loves Jesus,” said Bill.

“Not at that level, no I don’t.”

Bill looked at him with a questioning face.

“Don’t get me wrong. I don’t doubt for a minute that there were some good people with sincere hearts that got into it with a love of Jesus and everything holy. Like I say, I don’t doubt it for a minute, but that’s when they first got in, before they joined the ‘gang’.”

“Gang?”

“Poor term, maybe. But I actually think there are politicians who go to Washington with all the best intentions. And, I believe there are preachers who begin their work with only good intentions. Yet, it’s not long before they see others with, shall we say, less than good intentions, enjoying great prosperity and privilege. It takes a hell of a man to stand up against that temptation just to do what’s right. Most can’t.”

The Policeman and the Prophet - Day 52

“What?”

“She was raised Presbyterian.”

“That makes no sense,” said Frank.

“What that she was raised Presbyterian?”

“No, that she was attracted to some low life like Billy Taylor,” said Frank convincingly.

“Remember when we were kids and used to sneak into those rock concerts when they came to town?”

“Sure I do, but what does that have to do with anything?”

“You remember those girls up on the stage?”

“Sure I do, who could forget?”

“They were fantastic. They were everything anyone could want. Right?”

“Yea, I guess.”

“Frank, what we were looking at was the fame. What we were looking at was the bodies and the makeup. We were looking at whatever the promoter wanted us to see. We were looking at the illusion.”

“Damn good illusion,” said Frank.

“You’re right. I was a damn good illusion and that illusion was what Lynn Powell was looking at the first time she saw Billy Taylor. She saw exactly what Billy Taylor and his whole money grubbing crowd had perfected over years of work. Let’s not be too critical of Lynn. You would have hooked onto any one of those girls we used to see in those rock concerts.”

Frank nodded. “In a skinny minute.”

“Yet, we had no idea who they were or what they were. We didn’t know if they were on drugs, in a gang or hooking after the show. We didn’t know a thing about them.”

“You’re right. We fell for the illusion.”

“That’s right, the illusion and that’s what Lynn Powell fell for. She bought the illusion all the way.”

Frank nodded in an embarrassed way.

The Policeman and the Prophet - Day 54

“So, you’re not saying all preachers are crooks?” asked Bill with his eyebrows raised and a slight smile.

“No, Holy Man, I’m not saying all you preachers are crooks. It would be a sad world if they were. I’m just saying—Okay, I’m a cop and money wise, I get by. But what if it got out that I sometimes would… shall we say, look the other way, for a fee.”

“You mean become a dirty cop?”

“That’s exactly what I mean. You don’t think I’d make more money?”

“Oh yea,” answered Father Bill. “A whole lot more.”

“Same thing… dirty cop, dirty preacher.”

Bill nodded his head. “I see what you’re saying.”

“You asked what would be the next step?” I don’t know. That will be up to Taylor. You’re talking about for Lynn Powell.”

Father Bill nodded his head.

“When he gets served, his first call is going to be to the other TV evangelists. That, I will bet. They will circle the wagons. They’ve done it before. He won’t stand out there alone. But…, as far as Lynn… she is a threat. He’ll see her as that. Her and that boy… I don’t know. I just don’t know.”

Bill stared directly at him.

“But for now, we have no hint that Taylor knows where she is. The best place for her is exactly where she is.

The Policeman and the Prophet - Day 51

Chapter 8 –

Nothing happened for two weeks. Lynn Powell settled in at the convent and actually acted as if she was enjoying her visit. And, although attendance was down, Billy Taylor conducted three more of his crusades. Bill called Frank and wanted to have lunch at Bertie’s.

“Have you heard anything?” asked Father Bill.

“Nothing, absolutely nothing, have you talked to Ms. Powell?”

“Yes, last night.”

“Is everything okay with her?”

“She seems to be happy, but I believe she is ready to move on.”

“You know the moment Taylor finds out where she is, things might change? My guess is they will change.”

Father Bill nodded. “I know. She wants to resume teaching.”

Frank smiled. “She’s a teacher?”

“Yes,” responded Bill. “You act surprised. Why?”

“I guess because she’s a---. Oh, never mind.”

“What? Say it.”

“I guess because she’s a Pentecostal. I just don’t think of a Pentecostal teaching school.”

“They get college degrees too, Frank.”

“I’m sure they do. I’m sure they do.”

“Is the altar boy a bit bigoted?” smiled Father Bill.

“Jesus Christ, Bill. Okay, you got me. I think of Pentecostals as a little lacking in the brain department. Yea, I feel that way.”

“Hmmm… don’t say anything about other people being narrow minded. That statement sounded…”

“Okay, okay, I get it.”

“Good. Besides, she was raised Presbyterian.”

The Policeman and the Prophet - Day 50

As soon as Frank returned to the precinct his phone was ringing. It was Gibbs.

“I hope you and Bill know what you did today has got the Feds up on their haunches.”

“What do you mean?”

“Your shenanigans at that mall.”

“What about it? How would they know?”

“Frank, it’s all over the news. I’m willing to bet it’ll be on the tabloids tonight.”

“I don’t know how…”

“Frank, these people pay big bucks for this kind of stuff. Some people have a camera with the everywhere they go just on the off chance they can get something like what you people did today. It’s news.”

“What’s done is done, but I still don’t see how anything we did today has one thing to do with their investigation.”

“Neither do I but I just got a call.”

“Gibbs, I’m sorry, but it’s done and there’s not a thing I can do about it.”

“I know, but don’t apologize to me. I’m glad you got that woman out, but you still got problems.”

“What? What problems?”

“The kid is Taylor’s.”

“Yea, and I’ve been thinking about that. I don’t think some holier than thou Evangelical is going to make a lot of noise about his illegitimate child. Not at least for the world to hear.”

“You may be right. I hope you are right.”

“Whatever the case,” said Frank, “the next move is Taylor’s.”

The Policeman and the Prophet - Day 49

 “Now, that doesn’t make any sense to me,” said Frank. “This man says this woman is Reverend Billy Taylor’s wife, but the woman says she’s not married to Reverend Billy Taylor. And the man says this is Reverend Billy Taylor’s son. Now, how can that be?” Each time Franks said the name Reverend Billy Taylor he said it louder. It was almost said at a scream. The man kept looking at the crowd and watching their faces. They had become very quiet.

Frank looked toward the man. “Sir, what you are saying would mean that this boy, who you say is the son of Reverend Billy Taylor of Billy Taylor Ministries that’s on television several times a week is a…” Frank covered his mouth an feigned embarrassment. “Sir, I would find that extremely hard to believe.

By now, people were taking pictures with their cell phones. One man had a video camera and was recording every word.

“Officer, it must be a mistake,” said the man as he tried to sneak away from the crowd. Excuse me.” The two men slipped between the cars.

Frank walked over to Father Bill. “What the hell do you think you’re doing? You could have gotten those people killed, not to mention yourself.”

“Christ, Frank. I promised to get them out.”

“Okay, you got them out. Now, what do you plan to do?”

“I figured I would take them to the rectory. They will be comfortable…”

“Oh yes,” said Frank, “they would be comfortable there. They would be real comfortable, but for how long? Bill, I probably shouldn’t say anything, but there’s a federal investigation about to come down on that whole holy roller crowd. Lynn Powell knows things. Now, they know she’s not exactly loyal. You think they’re just going to let her hang around and possibly wander into a congressional hearing? They’re not going to let it happen, Bill. No way. That woman is in trouble and the first place they’re going to look is at the rectory.”

“I didn’t know,” said Bill.

“I know you didn’t, but that doesn’t matter now. We’ve got to find a place for the woman and the kid.”

“There’s a convent about sixty miles from here. I may be able to…”

Frank handed him his cell phone. “You know the number?” he asked.

Bill nodded.

“Do what you need to do. As soon as that investigation begins, that woman and that kid are in danger.”

Bill nodded and began dialing. He knew that what Frank was saying was true. People will do bad things for small amounts of money. No telling what they would do for millions.

The Policeman and the Prophet - Day 48

Frank aimed his car toward the men, making his way across the rows. Bill, Lynn and the boy ran past the car and Frank stopped and got out. He stopped the car and spun out the door. He pointed his gun at the two men and announced “Stop. Police.”

The men immediately stopped. One pointed toward Frank. “Officer,” yelled the man, “it’s a kidnapping. Stop them!”

Frank did nothing. Bill saw what was happening and began walking back toward Frank’s car. Lynn and the boy followed.

As they walked up to Frank, one of the men shouted. “That man, that priest, he’s kidnapping those people. Officer, arrest them!”

“Hmmm, interesting,” said Frank, “and who are you?”

“My name is Reverend Thomas Miller. I am with the Billy Taylor Ministries. This woman is one of our members.”

Once more, Frank hummed. “Hmmm, that is interesting. Father, is what this man is saying true?” Frank winked at Bill.

“Yes Sir, it is, but this woman and this child are leaving those people.”

“Leaving? Leaving?” shouted the man. “This woman is Reverend Taylor’s wife. The boy is his son.”

Frank looked at Lynn. “What is your name, Miss?”

“Lynn Powell,” she answered, “I am not…”

“Yes ma’am. Your name is Powell? Is that right?”

“Yes,” she said.

“And this is your son? Os that right?”

“Yes, you…”

“Now, your name is Powell?”

She nodded and Frank looked toward the man. “And you say this is Reverend Taylor’s wife? Is that right, Sir?”

“It is, and that’s his son.”

“How can that be?” asked Frank. By now, a crowd had gathered.

“Her name is Powell and his name is Taylor. I don’t understand. You say that this woman is Reverend Billy Taylor’s wife and this is his kid, but he name is Powell. I don’t understand, Sir. How could that be? How could that possibly…”

Frank hesitated the he looked at the crowd and back at the man.

“Sir, are you talking about Reverend Billy Taylor? The Billy Taylor that’s on television, the head of Billy Taylor Ministries. Is that the Reverend Billy Taylor you’re talking about?”

The man looked at the crowd. They appeared very interested.

“Yes,” said the man in almost a whisper.

Frank looked at Lynn. “Are you married to Reverend Billy Taylor, Ma’am?” asked Frank loudly emphasizing the Reverend’s name.

Lynn nodded no.

The Policeman and the Prophet - Day 47

Frank watched Bill walk out of the restaurant. He knew that Bill never gave up that easily. When they were kids stealing apples off Mr. William’s cart, with Bill, one apple wasn’t enough. He would steal two. When they were eleven years old stealing cars, a Chevy wasn’t good enough for Bill, though his feet could barely touch the pedals, it had to be a Caddy. He didn’t give up when they were children, he wouldn’t give up now. Frank had to wonder, what did that priest have on his mind?

When two days had passed and Frank had heard nothing, he became even more concerned and called Father Bill.

“He’s not here, Sir. I think he went to the mall.”

It was Father Bill’s housekeeper.

“Miss Emma, Father Bill hates the Mall. Why would…”

Frank dropped the phone and ran out the door. Bill simply did not go shopping. If he ever did go shopping it was either uptown or at the drug store near the church, never at the mall.

Bill was meeting Lynn, thought Frank. Though he hated the mall, it was the perfect place, it was crowded and there were few places he could be cornered.

As Frank entered the mall parking lot, he saw that he had been right. He saw Bill’s Caprice near the center of the parking lot and five or six rows away was Bill running toward the car with a lady and small boy… Lynn and her son. Several rows of cars further away there were two men in suits running after the three.

The Policeman and the Prophet - Day 46

 “I don’t follow.”

“The guy is a joke in his own state. He starts these great ‘save the people investigations’ and as soon as the election is over, the investigation is over. He’s done it a half dozen times. I’ll bet you dollars against doughnuts he’s up for reelection.”

“I think he is,” said Gibbs.

“Yea, how did I know that?”

“You know I don’t have any control over…”

“I know you don’t. That’s the problem.”

Gibbs became quiet.

“So, for now, let me read how it’s to go. We are off the thing. Am I right?”

“Frank, I…”

“Never mind, Gibbs, I understand.”

Frank hung up the phone. He had told Gibbs there were a couple of problems, but Gibbs never asked what was the second. The second was Lynn Powell and her son who had just been placed in Limbo somewhere between a United States Senator interested in protecting his own reelection and a television evangelist interested in protecting his own scheme.

When Frank woke up he phoned Father Bill and arranged to have coffee. At nine o’clock they met at Bertie’s.

“Why do I know this is bad news, Frank?” asked Bill.

“I guess because that’s all that has come out of this whole Billy Taylor affair.”

“So it is bad news?”

“Oh yes, some senator has begun an investigation on the whole TV evangelist crowd.”

“So, what’s that got to do with us?”

“A lot. They’re afraid if we do anything it may compromise their entire plan.”

“What plan?”

“I don’t know. They didn’t say.” Frank had said nothing because he knew noting, but deep down he doubted that Senator Booth had the first plan other than to make some noise and get reelected.”

“That’s all well and good, Frank, but meanwhile Lynn Powell is still in the middle of that cult and wants out. What do I tell her?”

“Bill, the man hasn’t broken any laws. He may be in some sort of conspiracy to extort funds, but I don’t know that. I can’t prove that. I don’t know what to tell you.”

Father Bill nodded his head. “Okay, I understand. Thanks anyway, Frank, see you at Mass Sunday.”

The Policeman and the Prophet - Day 45

Chapter 7 –

Frank had just crawled into bed when the phone rang. It was Gibbs.

“I’ve been talking to the DA. Matter of fact, I was at his house until just a while ago. He looked at that file Ms. Powell gave us like it was evidence on Al Capone. He couldn’t believe it.”

“What does he want to do?”

“Oh, he definitely wants to take Taylor down, but he’s not quite sure how.”

“What do you mean he’s not sure?”

“We have enough evidence for a search warrant. We go in there and shake down the place. There will be more evidence. We will probably find enough to hang the guy.”

“Oh, I think you’re right, but…”

“But what?”

“Frank, the DA is a politician. Do you know what that means? Do you know what we’re dealing with here?”

“Evidently not, to me it looks like we go in his place, find what evidence we can and then let the chips fall…”

“Yea, sounds good, and we do just what you say and we’ll have every Christian in town, hell, in the country sweating bullets. You know as well as I do that people like Taylor are an embarrassment to legit Christians, but the second we go in there and it hits the news, they’ll every one turn on us. Every politician’s phone will ring off the hook.”

“So?”

“Frank, there’s another problem.”

“What?”

“The feds.”

“Oh crap! Every time I’ve ever heard that, the next statement is ‘and they want us to hold off’. Am I right?”

“It’s a little heavier than that, Frank.”

“Heavier?”

“If it was just some federal agency or something like that, but it’s not.”

“What are you saying?”

“Some senator, Booth I think, is about to investigate Taylor and that whole TV Christian Evangelist crowd. They’ve been working on indictments for the past two weeks. They’re going to try to bust that whole TV Evangelism business. They’re going to make ‘em all produce records.”

“Well,” said Frank, “that’s good, but I got a couple of problems.”

“Problems?”

“Yea, first that guy Booth, the Senator.”

“Yea, what about him?”

“First thing is… he’s a nut!”

The Policeman and the Prophet - Day 44

 “You say ‘get him out’. I’ll be there too,” said Lynn.

“I don’t think you should.”

“You don’t think I should go back?” shouted Lynn. Several people in the restaurant turned completely around. “No, that’s not going to happen. I have a better plan. My son and I will leave together. I’ll say that we’re going to go to the store, or to the park or something. Then, we’ll both meet you.”

“Ms. Powell, I. . .”

“That’s the way it’s going to be, Detective, that way or nothing.”

“I think you’re wrong,” said Gibbs.

“That way or nothing, Detective.”

Lynn stood and left the restaurant.

“I think she’s wrong,” said Frank.

“I know she’s wrong,” nodded Gibbs. “We don’t know what’s in that organization. We don’t know how it works. We don’t know how they think.”

“You don’t think it’s just a small handful of con men that have a huge group of people they’re conning?” asked Frank.

“Oh yes, it’s definitely that, but what we don’t know is what they’re going to do to protect their scheme. There’s a whole lot of money involved. I don’t think they’re going to look too kindly at anyone who threatens it.”

The Policeman and the Prophet - Day 43

 “Those people have a letter for every situation.” He looked at Lynn. “These tabs, is this the way they’re filed?”

“Yes,” she answered.

He handed the file to Frank. “Look at this, they’ve got a file for everything, cancer, unemployment, brain tumor, and look what it says. We have prayed to Jesus for your cancer, we have prayed to Jesus that you may find a job. Those people get these letters and actually believe someone is on bended knee praying for their problem. And look further down ‘as a sign of your faith please bless us with your gift. . . These people are slick.”

“Yes, but have they broken any laws? If begging for money was a crime every preacher. . .” He looked at Father Bill who was smiling. “You know what I’m saying.”

“Now, if it weren’t for Ms. Powell’s son, I would barge in there making sure every reporter I know received a call before it happened. But, I need to show this to the District Attorney before we load the guns. We may be able to get the child out on an endangerment, or contributing to the delinquency of a minor hook. I don’t know. I just don’t know.”

The Policeman and the Prophet - Day 42

Father Bill looked at Frank and lifted one eyebrow.

“Have you two got time for me to get Gibbs?” asked Frank.

Bill and Lynn nodded. Frank picked up his cell phone, phoned the three five and told Gibbs where they were. In less than four minutes they heard a police siren. A few seconds later, Gibbs walked in and joined them.

“You used the siren?” asked Frank.

“You said to hurry,” replied Gibbs with a deadpan expression.

The three of them sat in the booth and repeated what Lynn had said to Detective Logan.

“So they telephone after they’ve healed somebody?” asked Gibbs.

“What do they do if they can’t get in touch with the person?”

“They send a letter that basically says the same thing that’s said in the phone conversation.”

“You said there was a follow-up telephone call. Is there a follow-up letter?”

“Oh yes.”

“I would give my right nu. . . arm for a copy of one of those letters,” said Gibbs.

Lynn reached into her pocketbook and pulled out a file. “Would this help?” she asked as she handed the file to Gibbs.

Gibbs flipped through the file, stopping momentarily to glance at each page. “I can’t believe this,” he said. “I can’t believe it.”

“What is it?” asked Frank.

The Policeman and the Prophet - Day 41

 “A million two, a million two hundred thousand dollars.”

“The lady closed her eyes and nodded.”

“Not to be short with you, Lynn, but you saw things like ‘the drift’ and I guess other things. . .”

“Yes, the shotgun.”

“What is the ‘shotgun’”

“When Billy gets up on the stage and says ‘for that lady out there who just felt something in her chest’ or ‘for that man in Chicago who just felt something in his diseased heart’ the crowd goes wild over the shotgun. And, who’s to prove it didn’t happen. TV Evangelists use it all the time.”

“Okay, Lynn, you saw the things like the drift and the shotgun and you still believed Billy Taylor was a man of God? Does that make sense, any sense at all?”

“One time I asked Billy if those things were right. He just laughed and said that Jesus had talked to him and told him to do those things. He asked me where did I think he learned those things. When I told him I didn’t know, he said Jesus told him. I believed him.” She started to cry.

The Policeman and the Prophet - Day 40

“Does anybody give them the thousand?”

“You wouldn’t believe how many do. But, there is a system put in place with that first phone call. It is hinted to the person that their ‘healing’ may not last unless they make a ‘faith’ offering. Like I said before. . . the whole key is ‘faith.’ You either show it, or you don’t have it.”

“So, when the ‘healing’ begins to go away, that means the person’s lack of faith is causing the problem. Showing faith means making a donation.”

Exactly,” said the woman, “the more the donation, the more the faith.”

“They’re letting the people’s own faith be their undoing,” said Frank. “But, you skipped over something. You said something happened at a crusade in. . . Little Rock, was it?”

“Yes, the crowd was really into the crusade. They were singing along with every hymn, some cheered, it was a good crusade.”

“The Holy Spirit was there,” said Frank. The lady smiled.

“I can’t tell you exactly what Billy said to Franklin, I don’t say words like that.”

“Go ahead,” said Father Bill. “I promise you I have heard worse and Frank has said worse.”

“Okay, I don’t like it, but I heard Billy say to Franklin, “Look at all these. . . I can’t say it, but blank Rednecks, this gig should be good for a million two.”

The Policeman and the Prophet - Day 39

 “Didn’t you see the millions of dollars he was bringing in? Didn’t you see the wealth he was amassing? Didn’t that tell you something?”

She smiled an embarrassed smile. “Wouldn’t God reward his own? In my mind, God was rewarding a man who was bringing so many into his fold.”

“It makes sense, Frank,” said Father Bill.

“Okay, but that seems to have changed and I’ll ask you, why?”

She exhaled heavily. “I guess it started at our crusade in Little Rock, Arkansas. He was doing what we call ‘the drift’. Billy will walk up to the first row and pretend to pray for someone. Actually, that person is one of our people and when he touches the person’s head, the person will fall backward into their chair. They are supposed to have been touched by God. It’s almost funny. Once that first person falls back into his chair every single one of those around him will do the same.”

“Because someone has told them to fall back?”

“No, absolutely not. Not a person has said one thing. They don’t have too. These people are so mesmerized by Billy and the lights and the music that once they’ve seen the first person fall back, they think this is what happens when the ‘holy one’ touches them, if they have faith. Detective, I promise you that no Evangelical is going to stand in front of thirty or forty thousand other Evangelicals and even hint he doesn’t have faith. It’s simple, you have faith, you fall. They fall every time. On the stage it’s the same thing. You saw someone else fall, they must have faith, if I have faith, I fall.”

“We know they select the people they will “heal’, you know that. Yes, that is true. And, some are healed. Very few, but some are healed.”

“Really?”

“Yes, in those people’s mind they have a pain, or have headaches, or something, but it’s in their mind and when Billy lays hands on them, that same mind, their mind, cures their problem, cures their disease.”

“After Father Bill was supposed to be ‘healed’ he got  phone call. Is that normal?”

“If they didn’t have a way of getting in touch with him, Father Bill would have never walked on that stage that night. They’re going to have a phone number or an address or something. They will get a phone call. Jesus will have talked to Billy and expect at least a thousand dollars.”

The Policeman and the Prophet - Day 38

 “Ms. Powell, not to cut you short, but whatever you would be leaving, you can buy replacements later. If you need clothes. . .”

“Can I buy a replacement son, Detective?”

Frank looked at Bill. “You didn’t say anything about a child.”

“No, I didn’t know, not until now.”

“Ms. Powell, something I need to know. . .”

“Please call me Lynn, and yes, Eric is Reverend Taylor’s son.”

“So, Taylor is your child’s father?”

She nodded.

“Whew,” said Frank. “This does complicate the situation.”

Frank was silent for a moment, then, he lifted his eyebrows and said, “I guess, we need to go back to where we were. Ms. Powell. . .”

“Lynn, please” she said.

“Alright, Lynn, I assume you were very close to Reverend Taylor at one time, what has changed? Why do you want to leave the cult, pardon me, ministry?”

“Quite simply, Detective, I have found out that Billy Taylor is a crook, a garden variety crook. I am not a bad person, Detective, please believe me, I’m not, but you are what you surround yourself with.”

“Ms. Powell. . . Lynn, I have to honestly ask you and wonder how you could possibly just now be coming to this conclusion. You are bound to know all the Reverend’s antics were just a show to get money. How in the world did you believe that the man was anything but what he is, a con man?”

“Detective, you are going to believe I am the stupidest person alive, but when I first saw Reverend Taylor up on that stage bathed in all that light, I thought this man has to know God personally. And when he talked about talking to God and trying to bring the world to Jesus, it brought me to tears. This was God’s man. This too, was a son of God.”

“You bit the whole banana.”

She smiled and nodded, “I am embarrassed to say I did.”

The Policeman and the Prophet - Day 37

Chapter 6 –

Frank heard nothing from Father Bill for two days. In the back of his mind he thought Bill saying something to the girl probably sent her packing back to Reverend Taylor. At 2:10 PM on the third day, he found out this was not the case.

“Detective Frank Logan.”

“Okay, I’ll see you in ten minutes.”

Ten minutes later, Frank walked into Bertie’s Restaurant. Bill had called and said to meet him, but the young lady Frank had met at the rectory the night they confronted Taylor was seated with him.”

“Well, this is a pleasant surprise. Good to see you again,” Frank said to the woman.

Father Bill spoke up. “You remember Lynn, I told you about her wanting out from Taylor and his whole crowd.”

“Yes, you did. Glad to see you. I hate to be rude, but do you have a last name? All I have heard is Lynn.”

She smiled a pleasant smile, “Powell, Lynn Powell.”

“Pleased to meet you, Ms. Powell.”

“Not to cut it short, Ms. Powell, but if you want to get out from Reverend Taylor’s group, by far the simplest thing would be to just get in the car with me right now and I can take you to a safe house.”

“It’s not that simple, Detective. I need to get my. . .”

The Policeman and the Prophet - Day 36

 “What, Detective? What does it mean? Is he no longer the man of God she thought he was? Or, has she caught him looking at a fine set of breasts in the third row?”

Gibbs looked at Frank and, at first, said nothing.

“Or, Detective, has she tried to purchase some little bobble and he said no?”

“I think I see what you mean.”

“Yes, has he done something that one nice glance will bring forgiveness? If he has, just trying to intervene could be dangerous.”

“How do we find out?”

“You’ll have to ask the girl. There’s no other way. And, hope like hell she’s being honest.”

That afternoon, Frank called Father Bill.

“Bill, before we can do anything, you’re going to have to find out exactly why the girl wants out. She’s going to have to tell you, for certain, that her relationship with Taylor is definitely over.”

“I told you, she said he wasn’t what she thought he was.”

“That’s not enough. We’re going to have to know why, all of a sudden, she’s crawling out of bed with Taylor. It’s important. My people want to make damn certain that when they go in to get the girl she doesn’t change her tune.”

“I can understand that. It makes sense. I will get in touch with her and try to get the full story.”