Into Danger

When they entered the gang’ hangout every eye was on them. One of the gang members looked up from his pool game. “What you need, Padre?” he asked.
“Just wanted to visit, fella’s. We’ve been meaning to stop in for a while. How are you doing and what’s your name?”
The man looked around at the others and smiled. “My name is Juan, Padre. How are you today?”
“I am doing well, Juan. It’s good to meet you. Who are these other fella’s?”
Juan was grinning. He couldn’t believe the priest was actually in their place. “What do you want, Padre.”
“I want you and your friends to come to church, Juan. I believe you might enjoy it.”
Juan took another shot and sank the eight ball. “Yea, we’ll do that real soon, Padre, right now this is a very important game if you’ll excuse us.”
“You want to play me?” asked Davy.
“What does a priest know about playing pool?”
“Enough to whip your tail,” smiled Davy.
“Priest, you crazy.”
“You want to make a bet?”
“What kind of bet?”
“I win, you all come to church this Sunday.”
“What if I win, Padre?”
“If you win you get ten dollars.”
“Ten dollars, I don’t chalk up my cue for ten dollars.”
“Oh, you’re afraid I’ll beat you huh?”
Juan looked around the room trading smiles with all the gang members.
“While you two play, I gotta’ go to the pot,” said Danny.
Juan motioned to the back of the building.
Davy and Juan began their game and Danny went to the back of the building. There was nothing in the back but some car parts. On his way back he stepped outside. There were some boxes beside the trash cans but nothing looked fresh. He came back into the room and when Davy looked up he gave a quick nod no. Davy miscued his next shot and Juan ran the rest of the balls from the table.
“That’s the game Padre, that’ll be ten dollars. You want to win your money back?”
“No, you’re too good for me. I know when I’m beat.”
Juan grinned at the others. “Well, Padre, why don’t you and your friend come back when you have another ten dollars?”
“I may just take you up on that, Juan. It was good meeting you. It was good meeting you all.”
The two of them returned to the car. “The place is clean, I didn’t see anything. I even went out back... nothing.”
Just ride around the neighborhood, somehow I feel like we’re close,” said Danny.
“Me too, but where?
Davy looked at Danny. He had a pensive look on his face. “What are you thinking about?”
“Something Mr. Watson said the first time we visited. He said that the gang cashing their checks was just like a grocery store. There was no difference.”
“Right, that’s what he said.”
“Have you seen any grocery stores around here?” asked Danny.
“What company is going to put a million dollar business in this neighborhood?”
“Ahh, my preacher friend, you’re thinking like middle America, when I say grocery store you’re thinking supermarket, but in a neighborhood like this, a grocery store is like that place over there.” Danny pointed to a small block building across the street with ‘International Market’ scrawled over the door. Now, we’re what, less than a block from the banger’s hangout and a store about the size of a Chevy with a name like International Market just happened to be here–“
”And no bank is going to question a deposit from an impressive name like the International Market–“
”And the third of the month, one would expect a big place like the International Market to cash a bunch of Social Security and Welfare checks–“
”I’m on it,” said Davy as he twisted the wheel toward the International Market.
As he pulled in front, Danny said, “Just circle the place. I swear I’m getting a chill.”
As they pulled around back Davy grinned and said, “The Lord does work in mysterious ways.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Over there, leaning against the trash can, that bag.”
“That brown bag? What about it?”
“Time to get the old spectacles examined my good friend. That is a clear plastic bag and that brown color you see is from a bunch of envelopes that I believe will say ‘United States Treasury’. Pull up to it.”
“No, wait a minute," said Davy, "you’re the camera nut. Don’t you believe Spielberg would be impressed with a nice panoramic picture of the International Market and a soft drift up to the trash bag?”
“I believe that would be one brilliant move of cinematography, absolutely brilliant.”
Davy circled the International Market and slowly drove to the trash cans and plastic bag. Danny was filming the entire time. Danny hopped out of the car and pause a second looking at the bag. He threw the bag into the back seat and got in. “One of us is living right.”
“What do you mean?”
“You saw that other trash in the bag, you know what it is?”
“I imagine trash.”
“Oh no, mixed in with our Treasury envelopes are bank statements, bank statements from the International Market. These people are so ballsey they didn’t even tear them up. We have enough evidence here for a good hanging! I am not believing this.”
“I wonder if Deep Throat ever felt this good?”