Chasing Deception

by Dave Milbrandt

  “At least we both enjoy trying to beat the Fighting Irish every year.”

  While Jim enjoyed the temporary diversion, he knew his time was coming to a close, so he asked the only question he had left on his list.

  “Would you go to his church?”

  “I go to church every week, but I would run away from any group where Gerald Hartley was the leader.” He paused. “You know, he’s so charismatic that people would do anything for him. I’ve learned over the years that power like that can make a man very dangerous. Listen, I have an appointment in five minutes so I’ll have to let you go. I hope my comments were helpful.”

  “They were indeed.”

  —

  When Jim arrived at the office around 9 a.m., he went straight over to Melissa to tell her about the interview.

  “This guy is a regular churchgoer, but he said he would stay clear of Gerald Hartley. He said the man was dangerous.”

  “Dangerous?”

  “Yeah, Nichols said people would do anything for this guy. Scary isn’t it?”

  “Sure is. How’d you get him to tell you so much?”

  “He gave me the basic background information to start, but at the end we started talking college football, which got him to open up.”

  “What is it with men and college sports? Did you even play sports in school?”

  “I was a little busy writing for the Daily Trojan. Where did you go to school?”

  “Community college and then Cal State Fullerton. Go Titans.” Melissa smiled as she half-pumped her fist.

  “And did you ever leave the newspaper office except to go to class?”

  “Actually I found enough time to play first base for the softball team, thank you very much.”

  “Really?”

  “I had a .291 batting average my senior year.”

  “Impressive.”

  “Yeah, I’m pretty popular every spring when our church is looking for sign-ups for the adult softball league.” Jim noticed the gleam in her eye matched her smile.

  “OK, OK, You win.” He raised his hands in surrender. They both shared a laugh as they returned to their work.

  Melissa handed Jim a copy of the statement about Pastor Jeremiah that was sent over from the church. The paper had the name of the church at the top with “Rev. Jeremiah Harmon, Senior Pastor” printed in bold letters in the upper left. He was described as a Midwest transplant in his mid-30s who is on a mission to help people overcome their addictions by connecting to the positive power Jesus provides.

  “What was the name of the group that ordained Jeremiah?” Jim asked.

  Melissa searched her notebook for the answer. “‘The Universal Congregation of Peace’. Why do you ask?”

  Suddenly Jim remembered where he had heard of the group. He raised his right index finger. “I’ll get back to you on that in a second.”

  Excusing himself, he went over to the desk of the Courier’s music reporter.

  “Rachel, do you have the latest copy of Rolling Stone?”

  She pulled out the magazine and handed it to Jim. He was flipping to the classified ads as he returned to Melissa’s desk.

  “Here it is.” He pointed to a boxed ad he had seen before in the magazine.

  NEED EXTRA MONEY?

  Do you need some extra money? Performing a couple weddings or other religious services a month can be an easy way to make a little extra cash. If you are a spiritual person and this interests you, contact the Universal Congregation of Peace and find out how you can be officially ordained. Complete our online application and you can be ordained in just minutes! A small annual fee is required.

  Jim jotted down the web address and phone number listed at the bottom of the ad.

  “I wonder what kind of qualifications you need to get ordained through an outfit like this?”

  “Well, just by reading the ad, I am guessing the process isn’t nearly as rigorous as any major Christian denomination.”

  “Why don’t we find out?”

  Melissa offered to make the call. “I’ll throw out a few buzz words and we’ll see how they respond. That will tell us something about them right off the bat.”

  “Are you sure you don’t want to be an investigative reporter?”

  “No, I’d rather use my powers for good.” She smiled as she dialed the number.

  “Congregation of Peace, this is Scott. How can I help you?”

  “Hi, I saw your magazine ad about being ordained, and I wanted to get some more information. What would it cost to be ordained by your group?”

  “I would be glad to help. What’s your name?”

  “Melissa.”

  “Well, Melissa, we have a wide array of packages, ranging from our Executive Minister’s Package, which includes an ordination certificate and ID card, wedding certificates—”

  Melissa politely interrupted him. “Hey Scott, that really does sound wonderful, but I wasn’t interested in anything fancy. All I am looking for is your basic package.”

  “No problem, Melissa! In that case, our basic package comes with official ordination, a certificate perfect for framing in your home or office, and an ID card verifying your status as an ordained minister. That will cost you only $24.95.”

  “I noticed your ad didn’t say anything about your general theological position. Would you describe yourself as more mainline evangelical or charismatic?”

  “Neither. If you check out our website, Melissa, you’ll see we’re more of an ecumenical group that tries to keep free from any particular ideological camps. We don’t ask our applicants what particular religious faith they are affiliated with, but most tell us anyway. Some of our members are Christians. Others follow Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism or other faiths. We don’t obsess about denominations or creeds. We just want to make sure you’re a spiritual person. That’s all that matters to us. Do you have any other questions today, Melissa, or can I get you started on your order?”

  “Not right now, Scott, but thanks for all your help. If I decide to sign up, I’ll give you a call back.”

  Jim was smiling as Melissa hung up the phone. “I’m impressed. You had him believing you were going to become Reverend Jenkins right on the spot.”

  “I didn’t lie to him.”

  “No need to get all defensive. I never said you lied to him. You just let him believe what he wanted to believe. You know as well as I do you need to do that sometimes to get the information you need. Don’t worry. Nobody got hurt.”

  “It was kind of fun.”

  “Uh oh. I’ve created a monster.”

  “Don’t give yourself that much credit. Like I said before, I knew what I was doing. Now, let’s check out that website.”

  Jim looked over Melissa’s shoulder as she keyed in the URL into the Internet Explorer address bar. A stock photo of a dove appeared on the screen with the title of the group’s name in calligraphy right above the bolded phrase: “Want to be Ordained? Click here to find out how!”

  Opening up the online form, she was surprised by its simplicity. The cover page explained the philosophy of the group. Two-thirds of the application asked for biographical and credit card information, while there was only a small box asking people to explain, if they wanted to, why they were seeking ordination.

  Melissa whistled softly. “That was a lot easier than I thought it would be. Just about anybody could become a minister through these folks.”

  “Including a drunk-driving con man.”

  “Apparently so.”

  11

  2:57 p.m. Wednesday, June 18

  They arrived at New Creation just before 3 p.m. because Jim said he wanted to look around the place in the daylight. “You’d be amazed at what is hidden by the cover of darkness.”

  They parked in the mostly vacant lot and entered the building. Once inside, they walked to the left to enter the offices. As Jim was opening the office door, a woman was walking quickly toward him. Her face was flushed and she looked a little excited. As she pass
ed by, he realized the young lady was Angela De La Cruz. He gave Melissa a knowing look that she returned.

  Entering the office, Jim sat on one of the three cloth-covered, padded chairs as Melissa let Rose know they were there for a 3:15 p.m. appointment with the pastor. The receptionist called his extension to pass along the information. She was silent a moment and then hung up.

  “Pastor Jeremiah will be with you in a few minutes.”

  About 10 minutes later, Jeremiah Harmon opened his door, ushered the two into his office and offered them two plush seats in front of his desk.

  “It’s good to see you, Melissa. I wasn’t aware Mr. Mitchell was joining us today.” Jeremiah kept his focus solely on her.

  “We kind of like working as a team.” Jim’s comment prompted the pastor to shift his attention. “We tend to balance each other out.”

  The pastor nodded. “I can understand that. Balance is very important. Sometimes people get all wrapped up in the little details and miss the big picture. That’s what I’m here for, to show people the big picture.”

  The reporters had previously scripted the interview. Melissa would be the naive and curious one while Jim played a little rougher. Entering the office, Jim noticed a slightly ajar door next to the bookcase and asked about its use.

  “Oh, that’s just a little side room I use when I need a break. There’s a small fridge and a couch in there along with an attached bathroom. Now, what other hard questions do you have for me?” Jeremiah chuckled as he sat down.

  Melissa started the interview. “What do you see as the purpose of New Creation?”

  “New Creation Fellowship is a place where recovering addicts can come and turn their lives around. We offer our own recovery program and weekly meetings in addition to our church services. Hundreds of people have been through our programs with great success. We may meet in an old theater, but don’t let that fool you. People’s lives are changed here.”

  “What is your philosophy as a pastor?”

  Jeremiah smiled as he leaned back in his chair. “I see it as my job to lead people to the truth,” he answered. “The people who come to New Creation Fellowship have been lied to all their lives. They are trapped in a lifestyle that says addiction is good and normal. I show them how far that is from the teachings of the Bible. I show them that they need to break their connection to their past mistakes and get hooked on Jesus. That’s where real freedom and happiness lies. Basically, I give them the truth.”

  “How would you describe yourself, Pastor Jeremiah?”

  “Basically, I’m just one of the Lord’s shepherds. He has given me the truth to share with others. That’s all I really do.”

  On cue, Jim dropped his bombshell.

  “Would it also be fair to describe you as a con man who likes to get drunk and kill people with his car?”

  Jeremiah’s mouth open slightly as he rocked forward and sat up straight. He was speechless, but Jim saw what looked like smoldering anger in his piercing green eyes. Jim knew his question had the desired effect. Bull’s-eye.

  “Again, would that be fair to say?” Jim was ecstatic on the inside, but did not let the emotion bubble to the surface.

  Jeremiah dismissively waved off the question. “Unless you have some proof for your baseless allegations, Mr. Mitchell, then I suggest—.”

  “Will these do?” Jim pulled out the Press-Register article and police mug shot from the folder in his lap. “Is that you in this picture, Jeremiah? Or should I call you Gerald?”

  The pastor responded in forceful, crisp tones. “The name is Reverend Jeremiah Harmon, Mr. Mitchell. Don’t forget it.”

  Man, I rattled his cage. Jim remained silent as the man across the table examined the photo and article.

  “Yes, it’s me. This happened a long time ago and I paid my debt to society. All your paperwork proves is that I once was a broken person who made the same mistakes people in my church have. We’ve all made mistakes in the past, but the positive power of Jesus can help us have a better future.” Jeremiah’s charming smile returned. “Besides, I thought newspapers cared about current events, not ancient history.”

  Jim was about to respond, but Melissa spoke up.

  “We’re running with this story. Now we can say you had nothing to say to us, but that wouldn’t look very good, now would it?”

  An angry undercurrent infused his response.

  “Listen, these people come to me when they are at the lowest point in their lives! I pick them up out of the gutter, help them get their self-respect back and introduce them to Jesus. Now, I can’t deny my past, but I won’t be trapped by it. I’m a new creation in Christ, just like the people who come through the front door. They need a leader, and I provide that service for them. I give these rejects of society the help they need when they need it. They are little sheep, and I am their shepherd. And I’m a good shepherd, too!”

  He took a breath as he finished his monologue. Then he looked at his watch. “Now I have a meeting to be at in five minutes, so I will have to ask you to leave.” He paused. “Melissa, I know you are a woman of integrity. I am sure I can trust you to write a story which relies solely on the facts.”

  Frustrated because Jeremiah had ignored him again, Jim responded. “You can rest assured our story will deal strictly with the facts. We both have our reputations to consider.”

  “Yes, I’m sure you do.” Jeremiah quickly departed his office before the reporters had a chance to collect their belongings.

  The gleam in Melissa’s eye proved to Jim she had enjoyed their good-cop/bad-cop routine just as much as he had.

  —

  The first thing Jim and Melissa did after returning to the office was to get the attention of Dan Palms.

  “Can we get 12 inches in tomorrow’s A Section?”

  “Sorry, guys, we have five solid stories in the A Section. I have a feature story on B-1 that I can hold. That should free up 12 inches. Did the Jeremiah Harmon story break for you guys?”

  “Wide open,” Melissa said. “And we want to break it before their next Saturday night service. Can you look at a draft today?”

  Dan checked the clock on the wall. “It’s a little after four o’clock now. See what you can get me by five-thirty.”

  They went to Melissa’s desk and began writing. As before, Jim typed as Melissa offered recommendations.

  Local Pastor Seeks to Hide Criminal Past

  By James T. Mitchell

  and Melissa Jenkins

  Staff Writers

  While New Creation Fellowship pastor Jeremiah Harmon has been helping drug addicts overcome their past, records show the pastor himself has his own criminal history he has been hesitant to divulge.

  Newspaper accounts show Harmon, then known as Gerald Hartley, was convicted of vehicular manslaughter in Boston eleven years ago in the drunken-driving death of 7-year-old Jessica Gratton.

  Scanning the articles from the Press-Register, Jim gave the Boston paper credit as he summarized Jeremiah’s moneymaking scheme, the trial and his release.

  “Let’s put in his response, then the other quotes,” Melissa suggested.

  “Sounds good.”

  While Harmon confirmed he was Hartley, the pastor said his current ministry outweighs his past indiscretions.

  “Listen, these people come to me when they are at the lowest point in their lives,” Harmon said. “I pick them up out of the gutter, help them get their self-respect back and introduce them to Jesus. Now, I can’t deny my past, but I won’t be trapped by it.”

  Jim offered his input on the order for the rest of the article. “Let’s put in the quotes from Dewhurst and Nichols and close with the one from Pastor Healy.”

  Emerald Valley Mayor Marilyn Dewhurst said knowing about Harmon’s past might have prompted the city council to change its mind on their support of New Creation’s planning permits.

  “We probably would not have been as supportive of the proposal if we would have had that fact in our possession,”
Dewhurst said.

  Edward Nichols, who is now Boston’s district attorney, said he is still very leery of the man he knows by his former name.

  “I would stay as far away as possible from any group where Gerald Hartley was the leader,” he said.

  Rodney Healy, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, said he has found Harmon to be a man of few words.

  “Pastor Jeremiah is a very private man. I suspect there is a lot we don’t know about him yet,” Healy said.

  They finished the story 15 minutes before deadline. They ran a spell check and gave it a final read-through before saving it and marking it ready for Dan to read. They walked over and told him they were finished. They waited for him to read the story.

  “Good job, guys. I’ve made a couple of corrections, but I think you pretty much have what you need. See you tomorrow.”

  As they left the newsroom, Jim asked a question that had been on his mind ever since they arrived at Jeremiah’s office. “What do you think Angela De La Cruz was doing with the good pastor?”

  “Judging from the look on her face, her haste in getting out of there, and Pastor Jeremiah’s little side room, the two may have been ‘freshening up’ together.”

  “I thought I recognized that look.”

  Jim’s response threw her off for a moment. “Something you’ve seen a lot?”

  “Hey, I never claimed to be a saint.” There was no meanness in his voice, but Jim was surprised to be defending himself.

  I wonder what she would say if I told her I lived with Tina for almost two years. I’m glad we don’t have to have that conversation anytime soon.

  —

  Dan was the first person Jim saw as he entered the newsroom Thursday. His furrowed brow suggested his day was not going well.

  “Just to let you know, I’ve just spent the last 20 minutes on the phone with Jeremiah Harmon, who was anything but pastor-like this morning. While he didn’t deny anything in the story, he basically read me the riot act.” Dan paused. “Now, I stand by you and Melissa. Your reporting was good on this one. Just be careful. This caged tiger is getting kind of grumpy.”