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.”

The Policeman and the Prophet - Day 35

Frank walked into the three five and back to Gibbs’ desk. “I got a problem,” he said.

“The priest wander back?”

“No, the priest is fine, it’s something else.”

Gibbs lifted his eyebrows.

“While Bill was in the Taylor mess, he met some girl. You met her too, that night at the rectory.”

“One of the women you say?”

“Yes.”

“There were two of them, one was an old bag and the other was cute as a button.”

“The button.”

“Okay, what about her?”

“She wants out.”

“So, arrange to meet her somewhere and leave. Whether she’ll stay gone or not… only time will tell. If she really wants out, she’ll meet you and she’ll stay gone.”

“She’s involved with Taylor.”

“Christ.”

“Yes, sometimes very bad.”

“Why?”

“A question has to be answered.”

“A question?” asked Frank.

“Yes, does she want out of the cult, or does she want to get away from the good reverend?”

“She told Father Bill that the night you spoke up about Taylor being in prison she decided he wasn’t what she thought he was.”

“I wonder what she thought he was?”

“I would assume she thought he was a good man of God.”

“Hmmm… that assumption can get somebody killed.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re taking the optimum.”

“The optimum?”

“Yes, the best case scenario. You would like to believe she wants out because she has discovered that the man she once felt was perfect is now soiled, stained. Somehow, he is now imperfect. Isn’t that right?”

“I guess so, she said that Taylor wasn’t what she thought he was. Doesn’t that mean. . .

The Policeman and the Prophet - Day 34

 “Get serious,” said Bill. “He’s twice her age.”

“It’s not the nineteen fifties, Frank.”

“No, and I doubt that him being a millionaire hurts either.”

“No, I’m sure it doesn’t. But, Bill, she is an adult. I went down this road with you.”

“Aren’t there any laws against mind control?”

It was a moment before Frank responded. “Maybe you better tell me what happened.”

“Last night, I got a call from Lynn.”

“Lynn? That’s the girls name?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, you got a call.”

“She wants out.”

“What about the affair? You did say she was having an affair with Taylor.”

“Yes. She told me that she knew nothing about Taylor’s past. She said that she had fallen in love with what she thought was a man of God.”

“Not trying to be cute, Bill, but doesn’t this sound a little bit teeney-bopper to you?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean it sounds like some love-struck teenager who all of a sudden has discovered her bad boy love is not James Dean, but just a sorry juvenile delinquent.”

Bill was silent for a time and Frank said nothing.

“You may be right,” said Bill, “but the girl wants out.”

“Bill, you know the most dangerous call for a cop to respond to?”

“No, bank robbery?”

“Oh no, a domestic call. Cop tries to help stop a domestic disturbance steps in shit.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Three times out of ten, when the cop tries to take down the perp, usually an abusive husband, the wife, the one the cop is trying to help, turns on the cop. There’ve been cases where the same wife that the cop is trying to help shoots the cop for trying to arrest the husband. It’s a pigsty.”

“So what’s that got to do with Lynn?”

“You said she was having an affair with Taylor. An affair is a relationship. It’s no different than dating or even a marriage, there’s still an emotional relationship. It’s still dangerous.”

“I think it’s over.”

“Bill, I love ya’ to death, but before I go barging into some domestic squabble I’m going to have to know damn well it’s over. Plus, I’m going to need to talk with Gibbs before we do anything.”

“I understand. What do I need to do?”

“For now, nothing, let me talk to Gibbs.”

The Policeman and the Prophet - Day 33

Chapter 5 –

Father Bill’s Mass the following Sunday gave no hint that anything had happened. Father Bill did an excellent job and seemed to enjoy the service more than usual. After church, Frank followed the others out the door. He watched as Bill shook hands with the same smile he remembered so fondly. When it came time for Frank to stretch out his hand, Bill grabbed it and pulled him into a hug. “Thank you, my friend,” he said. “I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you.”

Frank had no idea what to say, so he said nothing and only grinned. Actually, seeing his friend clad in his vestments shaking hands outside the church was Frank’s reward. His friend was where he was meant to be.

Totally unexpected and unannounced, Thursday morning of the same week, Bill came into the precinct. “Can you grab coffee?” he asked. He had a concerned look on his face.

“Sure, sit down and let me finish this report and we’ll go.”

Two doors down from the precinct was a small coffee shop frequented by the cops. The two went in and grabbed a table. As soon as the waitress had taken the order Frank looked at Father Bill, “What’s up,” he asked, “you look worried.”

“I don’t know,” the priest answered. “Billy Taylor.”

“Billy Taylor called you?”

“No, it was about Billy Taylor.”

“About Billy Taylor?”

“Yes. You remember that night at the rectory? There were two women with Taylor.”

“I remember, what about them?”

“You remember the cute one, twenties, short hair?”

“Okay.”

“Something happened that night at the rectory. That guy who was with you—”

“Gibbs.”

“Yea, Gibbs. He said something about Taylor having been in prison.”

“I remember, what about it?”

“Obviously, it made her start thinking.”

“The light tap of a diamond against the glass.”

“What?”

“Nothing, something I just remembered. Go on.”

“She realized that maybe this Taylor thing wasn’t all it’s cut out to be.”

“So, she can leave.”

“It doesn’t work that way. I couldn’t leave.”

“Maybe not, but at that time you hadn’t realized, what was it you said, it wasn’t all it’s cut out to be.”

“No, I hadn’t. But I wasn’t having an affair with Taylor either.”

The Policeman and the Prophet - Day 32

 “One night, Taylor came to see me. At first, I thought it was a play for money, but he came to the rectory. He knew I was a priest. He knew I had no money, but he came in and started to talk.”

“Talk about what?”

“You’re going to think it’s silly.”

“Don’t worry about what I think.”

“He talked about bringing people to Jesus. Frank, I have never once brought anyone to Jesus. The people who come to church at St. Claude's come because the church is there. Not to see me, or to learn about God or about Jesus. If they’re young, they’re there because their parents made them come. If they’re old, they’re there because they have been coming there, or to a church like it, all their life. The only reason they are here is because that big stone building on the corner is there.”

“Okay, I’m listening.”

“Then, Taylor started talking about the number of people who came forward at each of his crusades. It was amazing.”

“You mean coming forward to be saved? Bill, you don’t even believe in that silliness. Especially for what Taylor was doing.”

“No, you’re right. I don’t believe in it, but wasn’t there some possibility that if you cut through all the canned emotion, all the shouting and singing, that some people might find a Jesus they never really knew?”

Frank smiled. “You know I can’t answer that question.”

“No, and neither could I. But Frank, was there a possibility?”

“A possibility? Sure, I guess there is a possibility.”

“Yes, there is. And, one hundred percent of what Taylor does is designed to bring people to Christ. There’s no bums in the front office with their sob stories wanting money they should have had anyway. There was no going to the hospital to visit some hypochondriac old lady or some old man whose children wouldn’t give the time of day. I wouldn’t have to worry about if the plumbing leaked or getting the heat to work. Truthfully, it sounded ideal.”

“Yea, I guess it does, but you know that Taylor couldn’t give less of a damn about bringing people to Jesus, he is just lining people in that audience and people watching television to fleece them.”

Bill exhaled heavily. “Yes, deep down I knew that, but it all sounded so perfect. Maybe Taylor was bringing them down to fleece them, but couldn’t I bring them down to give them God?”

“Okay, and how long is Taylor going to put up with that crap?”

Bill looked straight at Frank and said nothing. Bill picked up his glass and took the last swallow. “Whew. . . still tastes like shit.”

“Said like a good priest. Welcome back.”

“It’s good to be back.”

The Policeman and the Prophet - Day 31

 “I don’t think it would be too wise to let them hear what you’re saying.”

“No, that would be where we et into the politics.”

“Politics?”

“Oh yes, the politics. If I spend time with the old folks, I’m sucking up to the ones with money. If I spend time with the young people, I’m ignoring the old folks. It never ends. If I go to visit someone in the hospital it’s ‘why did he visit him? I was in the hospital and he never visited me. Of course nobody ever told me that person was in the hospital, or even sick. I guess somewhere I’m supposed to have a crystal ball.”

Frank smiled at Bill. “I thought God told you those things.”

“Yea, right. But Frank, I don’t mean to turn this into a poor Bill pity party. I’m not complaining. We’ve always been able to talk to each other.”

Bill lifted his glass and took a drink. “You know this stuff tastes like shit.”

“I think it does, but people tell me it’s supposed to do so much for you. It’s supposed to make you feel better.”

“Do you feel better?”

“Not really.”

“Then why are you drinking it?”

“Good question, but why are you here?”

“I think to say I’m sorry.”

“Sorry? Sorry for what?”

“I let that thing with Taylor get out of hand. It should have never happened.”

“What did happen? You know what Taylor is. He’s nothing but a con man. You said that yourself. What did happen?”

The Policeman and the Prophet - Day 30

As Frank lay in bed he thought about the events of the evening. In a way, he felt guilty. Had he not mentioned Billy Taylor to Bill, none of this would have happened. Had he not tried to get involved, Bill would know nothing about it. As it stood, nothing had been done for Mr. Lacy, it would be days before Bill could recoup his life, and Taylor was still out there shaking his tambourine. Nothing had been gained.

Frank got up and went to the kitchen. He wasn’t normally a drinking man, but maybe tonight a shot would be in order. As he reached under the sink for his bottle, he heard a tap on the door. It was close to three a.m. He went to the door and there stood Bill. His eyes were still red.

“I’m sorry, Frank.”

“For what? I had no business getting you into that mess in the first place.”

“Remember when we used to play policemen when we were what, ten, eleven?”

“Yea, we had fun. Of course back then we were chasing bank robbers.”

“Yes, it was fun, and for a while it was like it used to be. Do you know how boring it is to be a priest?”

Frank looked at Bill and smiled. “You want a drink? I have a fine old scotch under the counter.”

“You know, I think I will.”

“Now, tell me, how boring is it to be a priest?”

“This morning, when I go to my office, there will be four or five people sitting outside waiting to see me. It’ll be the same old story, they need money. Either the husband spent the rent money on lottery tickets or he got drunk and lost it. It’s the same thing over and over. It’s never their fault, someone else always did something wrong. After those people are gone, the good parishioners will begin filing in. Now, they wouldn’t dare come in while the bums are there. They’re above coming in while that unwashed crap is in the office. No, they’re above them.”

“Are there people in the church like that?”

“Frank, don’t play with me. You know there are. Hell, it’s most of them. And God knows, don’t expect them to help those people I was talking to earlier. They don’t even want to recognize they exist. But ask them to write a check to feed someone half-way around the world, someone who doesn’t even speak the same language, and they’re all over it, can’t write it fast enough. It’s disgusting.”

The Policeman and the Prophet - Day 29

Taylor stood and grabbed Bill’s arm. “Bill, I’m sorry, but I can’t sit here and listen to this any longer. I’ll call you tomorrow.” Taylor and the others rushed out the door.

As the door slammed Frank looked at Gibbs, “It is fragile, isn’t it?”

“Oh yes, but Taylor and his people are what, two, three blocks away by now? I have all ideas he’s already explained away everything. They’re just as happy as when they first walked in.”

“I had hoped. . .”

“No, nothing’s changed, or at least not for them.” Gibbs pointed into the dining room. Bill was holding onto the back of a chair with tears flowing down his face. Frank went into the dining room and put his hand on his friend’s back. He stood with Bill for a while and then came back to where Gibbs stood.

Frank stretched out his hand to Gibbs. “I was afraid you were coming on too strong for a while. I was really scared.”

 “No, I found out long ago that there is no such thing as too strong when you’re talking about a cult or a gang. There is no such thing.” Gibbs pointed back toward the dining room. They could see that Bill had moved to a small chapel at the end of the room. He was just kneeling down to pray. Tears still poured down his face. Gibbs motioned to Frank, “come on. He’ll be okay.”