I sat back, let the moment linger, then,
“Let me guess: him and your slush fund?”
He was silent, seething. I pushed, “How much?”
He had to drag it from deep down, gritted, “Three quarters of a million.”
I gave an appreciative whistle, said,
“And you can’t go the official route. You want him found, discreetly, No, let me rephrase that: you want the cash back?”
His eyes burning on me, he said, “In a nutshell, yes.”
I said,
“Tried Vegas?”
His patience with me was well gone. He shook his head, flicked the briefcase again, slid over a photograph, said, “This is Loyola; his details are on the back.”
A man in his late fifties, with a kind face, laughter lines on the eyes, high forehead, but deep bags under his eyes, heavy jowled.
I asked,
“A drinker?”
Tight smile, then,
“None of us is without our frailties.”
“Want to share some of yours, Gabe, help us… bond?”
He shut down. The meeting was over. He handed me a tiny white card, three phone numbers, said,
“You report only to me, and need I stress that speed is of the essence?”
I nearly gave the Nazi salute but it would have been too obvious.
I flicked his card on the table, said,
“You’re forgetting the important bit.”
Finally, with a look of surprise, he indicated the fat envelope, said,
“I think you’ll find the fee more than generous and a speedy resolution will result in a very handsome bonus.”
I said,
“You don’t listen too good, do you Gabe? So, I’ll say it slow, you might be able to hear it then. I haven’t said I’ll take the job.”
His lips literally peeled back to reveal those marvelous teeth.
He said,
“Mr. Taylor, you are a Catholic, lapsed, perhaps, but still part of our flock. You have helped the Church in the past, albeit reluctantly, I understand, but surely you want to see the Church restored to its former glory?”
Back to its bullying days, its arrogance, its total disregard of the people. I had an overwhelming desire to wallop him, a powerful right hand to his tanned face, wipe out one or two of those perfect teeth.
I said,
“I’ll take the case. One, because I think you’re lying through your teeth. Two, it’s a blast to be actually receiving money from the Church. But know this, Gabe, I don’t report and I’m not, no way, part of your flock, lapsed or otherwise.”
It was impossible to gauge how he took it. He stood, said,
“I have covered our dinner bill.”
I asked,
“When was Loyola last seen?”
He was already leaving, said,
“He gave the eleven o’clock mass in his parish ten days ago and then disappeared.”
He strode off, master of all he surveyed. A vague rumor of piety in his wake. He hadn’t wished me
“God bless.”
In lieu, I counted the cash, a blessing in its commercial self.
Later I picked up some books from Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop.
Vinny in full metal said,
“They’re preparing a flood fund for the families devastated from the rains.”
I said,
“Why don’t they just use their usual slush fund?”
I bought a shitload of books, including:
Jason Starr,
Craig McDonald,
Tom Piccirilli,