“Yes we do, Preacher, yes we do. But something’s kinda’ confusing me. Of course you are going to have to forgive this poor old Catholic boy with his poor old altar boy upbringing, but I’d figure by now most of the people in this world done heard of Jesus, God knows the Catholics done spent a couple of thousand years telling them about him.” The broad smile. “Some of ‘em they told with the a sword or a club.” Another broad smile came across Gibbs’ face. “One of them clubs’ll make a believer out of you sure enough. But something else,” Gibbs looked at Father Bill. “I’ll ask you, Father. The way I was told, Jesus died for our salvation. Wasn’t nothing said about having to be saved, or nothing like that. Jesus already done that, ain’t no need to run up front yelling and screaming and carrying on. ‘course, that’s the way I remember it. Was all that wrong, Father? Or were you just lying, Father?”
Frank noticed Bill’s face. It appeared he flinched. Something was happening. The glassy grin stopped. Bill looked into Frank’s eyes for the first time in weeks. “Was it a lie, Bill? All those years were you lying to us? Was it a lie, Bill?”
Gibbs looked confused, but Frank could see Bill breaking. He wasn’t going to pass up what might be his last chance.
The man who had been introduced as Parker stood up from the couch. “Wait just a minute, here, people,” he said, “I don’t know who you think you are, Detective—”
“Parker, isn’t that right, Reverend Parker. Didn’t I get that name right? Well let me ask you a question, is it Clark Parker?”
The man acted surprised but nodded.
“That’s right, Clark Parker. How did you get that Reverend title Parker? You get it in the pen? Way I heard you and Taylor were busted together on a Ponzi scheme in Cleveland a while back. You did what, three, four years? I guess this Jesus thing is your new gig.”
Frank noticed one of the women look at the other. They were obviously shocked by what they were hearing. Bill’s expression seemed less glassy.
“I don’t know who you are, Detective, but I’m not going to sit here and listen to this shit any longer.”
“Shit? Smiled Gibbs, “is that any way for a holy man to talk, Taylor? You learn that in prison?”
No comments:
Post a Comment