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.”