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(Page 2 of 18) Interlude In "C" (The Damnation Of Father Andrew Part 4) by Keith Kitchen I've had dealings with him before." He motioned to the other man in the room. "This is my partner, Detective Caine."
The Bishop raised an eyebrow. "A name with great biblical implications," he commented, drily.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Caine asked, crossly.
"You are familiar with you Bible, aren't you?"
"Caine, calm down," Halleman ordered before the other detective could retort. "Your Eminence, we asked you here because of a very serious situation."
He nodded. "Yes, I understand you have several of my priests in your custody. That's why I brought Mr. Dager. How long will it be until they can be released?"
"Your Eminence, I don't think you understand the seriousness of the charges against these men. They were involved in a firefight with automatic weapons! Two of them are in Bellevue as we speak! One of them is in serious condition."
The Bishop nodded benignly. "I am aware of these facts. Who were they in a firefight with and why?"
Detective Caine looked at the Bishop archly. "We were hoping that you could tell us that."
"Are you telling that you don't know who my priests were shooting at?"
Halleman shook his head. "No."
"So, no one aside from my priests is confirmed as being hurt? No innocent bystanders were injured in any way, were they? "
"No," Halleman admitted. "And the bullets pulled out of the injured priests don't match the weapons they were in possession of."
For the first time since entering the interrogation room, Dager, the lawyer, spoke up. "So, all you have my clients on is possession of illegal firearms and discharging firearms within city limits."
"There's more than that to this," Halleman stated, flatly.
"Oh?" The Bishop asked. "Is there?"
"We have eyewitness accounts that your priests were transporting something, something that was spirited away, so to speak, despite the firefight. We want to know what that was."
"We have no legal responsibility whatsoever to answer that question," Dager snapped. "Plus, you of all people should know that eyewitnesses are most unreliable. What evidence do you have?"
"None. Yet." Caine spat. "Despite everything that has befallen your Church, you still believe you're above the law don't you?"
The Bishop shook his head. "No, Detective Cain, you are incorrect. While it is true that we hold God's law higher than that of any law written or devised by man, we do not believe that we are above the law. I truly wish you would get your facts straight." His eyes narrowed, "It is obvious you do not like me, Detective Caine. Have I done something to you? Truly, I don't think I've ever met you before."
"No, Your Eminence," Caine sneered. "We've never met. It's what you represent that turns my stomach!"
"The church? You have a problem with the church? That seems rather pedestrian of you, Detective Cain, to hold a grudge against me when it's the church itself you despise."
"Pedestrian? After what you and your ilk have done to so many, you call me pedestrian?"
Dager shot to his feet.
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