Deadly Assets (Badge of Honor 12)

“Nothing bad, Rev. I mean it’s just a limited group. You want some crazy serious numbers? Try being the Pope.”

Cross narrowed his eyes and looked ready to snap again.

That wasn’t lost on Pringle, who tried to recover with: “The good news is that almost all of your followers gave a thumbs-up to the rally. I’d bet it’s a pretty good chance that they will be here.”

“And you’ve got one of these star things for the turkey day, right?”

Pringle tapped the glass of the tablet computer.

“Here’s asterisk–Feed Philly Day,” Pringle said.

“Three thousand thumbs-up bells?” Cross said, then wondered aloud, “Jesus, are we gonna have enough food?”

Pringle shrugged. “Don’t know about that. Need to find out, ’cause all of these here followers checked the box that they were coming for the meal. Who knows how many others are just going to show up? And there were more than a thousand boxes checked for a frozen turkey.”

“Jesus!” Cross muttered.

“Ain’t saying ‘Jesus’ a sacrilege, Rev?”

“Look, son,” Cross snapped, then faintly heard his name being called repeatedly and realized it was coming from the cordless telephone handset he’d forgotten he still held.

“Keep getting more people for the rally,” Cross ordered Pringle while pointing to the tablet computer, then put the handset to his ear.

Cross watched Pringle disappear up the steps to the second floor as he said, “Sorry about that, Rapp. Look, I’m glad you called. You gotta get me that check today.”

“What check, Lenny?” H. Rapp Badde said.

“For the frozen turkey guy. I’ve got a lot of hungry folks saying they’re coming. We may have to order extra birds. But he said he’s still waiting for his money, up front. And said he’s got other buyers if we don’t come through.”

“He’s bluffing. He’s probably still pissed you bounced that last check,” Badde said, then added, “I thought you had the rental truck?”

“What about it?”

“What’s in it?”

“What’s on it is the banner saying turkey day is Monday. And saying it’s sponsored by you.”

“But what’s in the truck? No turkeys?”

“I told you we get them Monday. If you get me that check. You really don’t think I’d leave a truck full of frozen turkeys out there, do you? They’d be stolen in no time. Hell, the truck, too. We parked it here for the rally, so the news cameras can show it in the background. Right now it’s got posters and boxes of T-shirts for the rally.”

There was a moment’s pause before Badde then said, “Look, Lenny, about that rally. I didn’t call about the turkeys. What the hell is this about you calling that cop Payne a murderer?”

“What? You called about that? Well, I did. Because he did. He is.”

“Jesus! You can’t do that.”

“He’s Public Enemy Number One, Rapp,” Cross said, his tone self-righteous.

“Lenny, damn it! Don’t do it again! It’s not helping the situation.”

“Situation? What situation?”

“You’re on CPOC and now its chairman—”

“And I’m done with using that position to make a change. Now I’m using the ministry—”

“But you’re linked to CPOC.”