Plastic Gods, A Rich Coleman Novel Vol 2

by William Manchee

  ***

  After the meeting with Mathias, Jason drove back to Texarkana to see Matt. He had missed the previous week’s visit and was anxious to find out how things were going.

  The jailer opened the door and let Jason into the visitor’s center. He walked to his usual booth and sat down and waited for Matt. Soon he saw him come through a door and walk toward him. He was smiling when he sat down.

  "Hey, I'm glad to see you. I missed you last week," Matt said.

  "I know, I'm sorry I didn't make it but you wanted me to take care of the press, right?"

  "Right, how did it go?"

  "Well, we've got three papers and a TV station ready to jump on the story the minute we give them the word."

  "Did they give you any hassle?"

  "Well, they're a little skeptical, but they know they can't afford to miss this if it turns out to be real."

  "Do they understand that they must keep this confidential until we say it’s okay to print?”

  "Yes, I explained that to them and they seemed to understand."

  "Good, I'm glad that loose-end has been tied down.

  “Me too.”

  “So, how's the lumber business?"

  "Not bad, we actually made a small profit last month. I think things are stabilizing," Jason said.

  "Can you make it another ninety days?" Matt asked.

  "Yeah, we'll make it. I've become good friends with the banker. I'm sure he'll work with me awhile longer."

  "They've got a lot at stake. They better. . . . How's the personnel department doing?"

  "Cheryl has been very busy. She must get fifty to a hundred calls a day."

  "Really? How's she holding up?"

  "Very well. I told her the more calls she got the better your plan was working. The girls Eduardo rounded up for us have been life savers. Three of them are helping Cheryl and the other nine are helping me process credit cards."

  "That's good."

  "Where did Eduardo find the girls he sent over anyway?" Jason asked.

  "I think they're some of the inmates’ wives and sisters mainly. He assured me they would work hard and keep their mouths shut."

  "How can he be so sure?"

  "I don't know, but so far everything he has told me has been gospel," Matt replied.

  "That's good."

  "Yeah, so far we've been able to keep a lid on this thing and I want to keep it that way. I've only got little time left and I'm a free man. We've got to be very careful from now on. We're so close to victory we can't let anything derail us now."

  "I know," Jason said.

  "Are the projections holding up?"

  "Yeah, we're averaging one new card a week per applicant just like you figured."

  "Amazing, isn't it?"

  "Yeah. So how's your Bible study coming?"

  "We have thirty-six here in our congregation and one hundred and forty-four more in other institutions around the country."

  "Damn, how do you keep up with them?”

  “On the internet. The warden’s secretary arranged for me to have access since I run the library. Dad set up a website where I can post and view messages without the warden screening them. We use codes and encryptions to ensure privacy.”

  "So how many more do you think you'll get signed up?"

  "I don't think we'll get too many more. There are a certain number of guys who just don't trust anybody, then there are the skeptics and, of course, there's a few who consider themselves to be honest, if you can believe that."

  "Yeah, right. Some people just can't deal with reality, can they?"

  "No."

  "So do you have enough, you think?"

  "Uh huh. I picked out twelve who will be getting out of prison about the same time as I do. I call them my disciples. Each will have the ability to start his own flock on the outside, if necessary."

  "Oh really?" Jason laughed. "God, you are ruthless."

  "Yeah, I don’t know how long it will take to sink MidSouth Bank but we plan to keep the heat on as long as necessary. He who lives by the sword will die by the sword," Matt said with a faint smile. "The day of reckoning is at hand."

  "Amen," Jason replied.