It was one of Swainson's best. Michael Fine suspected his address before the coffin would be collected and then cited long after the Reverend Johnny Lee had gone on to see what was really beyond this life, if anything. There were no condemnations in it, and much about the mercy of Christ. It was not the way of Johnny Lee's Jesus to forever condemn a troubled woman who may have taken her own life.
Of course Michael Fine could see that the passing of Vera Yount might not be an altogether bad thing for the Reverend and his cause. Was he really that connected? Was he really willing to go that far?
No doubt Swainson would speak again at the funeral service Stateside, and on the New Gospel Network. Fine doubted he would do better, since he would be speaking more to his own people rather than to the whole world, and would speak more, adding things he was leaving out of this short service at Kansei Airport. And he wouldn't have the Yount children there, because Ms. Urawa wasn't going to let them go back. This was a temporary armistice, not the end of the war.
But it might not be long before the end. Ms. Urawa had a lot of sympathy in her glances at the widower Yount.
Could he have done it, or helped? Michael Fine didn't need a Psych degree to see that Yount had let himself become an extension of his wife. But how much could he take? Even the most miserable worm could turn; he'd heard stories from his father and grandfather and his uncles, and had seen it himself when he'd done his time as a Public Defender. Still, he would have been the first suspect and he hadn't confessed . . .
Ms. Urawa had motive and the physical strength. She had a temper, too, and she could fight. Moreover, she had been in a youth gang; he hadn't traced all the other members but it was not a stretch to think that one or more of them might have graduated to the Yakuza . . .
One or both of the two doctors might have helped. Yount had been sedated, and the doctors had access to drugs and the skills to use them. Dr. Mizuno wasn't here, but Watanabe was. She was looking from face to face, too. She was here to do more than support her friend.
Or maybe Vera Yount really did drown herself, accidentally or on purpose. But it was certainly convenient for the Reverend Johnny Lee . . .
Fine's thoughts drifted away from the ceremony altogether after the Reverend was finished. He thought about some words he had overheard a long time ago, as a child. And he thought that this was not the first time Death had come at a most convenient time for the Reverend Johnny Lee Swainson.
Captain Wakagi watched the ceremony on TV along with a number of his colleagues, translating occasionally for those whose English wasn't as extensive as his own. Of course there was a translater, but she was not familiar with the idiom and dialect of the foreign holy man. Actually Wakagi had trouble following a lot of it, though he had absorbed some lore about Swainson's sect from Tammy, a bright girl, older, willing to talk sometimes about such things (unlike the boy.)
Soon enough it was over, and the curious who were not finishing up their lunches or catching the last minutes of a popular serial left the lounge. Wakagi was in this larger group. He already had his mind on the business of the afternoon when his phone tingled. It was Sakurada-san, the retired commissioner, his wife's aunt.
"I have looked into that matter."
"Thank you, Sakurada-san. Is there anything you can say to me?"
"Check your email."
The email was doubly encrypted. When Wakagi finally read it, in his tiny private office, it said:
The woman's lungs were full of salt water. Official cause of death will remain accident/possible suicide.
Captain Wakagi immediately erased the message, making sure it was completely excised.
Vera Yount's body had been found in a river. Kyoto is an inland town, far from the dangers of the sea.
"You must know what I am thinking," said Makoto.
Usagi smiled sadly. "You could make him happier than any other woman."
"True," inserted Stephanie Watanabe, "But would it be right for you? Or for him?"
"You cannot join him in that 'holy man's' sect," insisted Michiru.
"Also correct," said Stephanie.
"He joined that sect because of his wife," said Makoto.
"But he has convinced himself he believes in it, or should," said Stephanie. "With his wife gone, he will feel even more obligated to believe in Swainson and his sect."
Makoto showed a facet of herself seldom seen. "Give me an hour with him," she said, "and he will forget all the 'holy man's' lies."
"Or you could destroy him, Auntie," asserted Stephanie Watanabe. "He might even kill himself."
"He might do it anyway," said Rei. "But even if your sacrifice works on him, it will not end our war with the Reverend. Bringing Mr. Yount out of his church will embarrass him."
"You have foreseen this?" asked Michiru.
"For the Reverend, his dispute with us is about more than Tami and Firipu. I see no end to it. And you?"
"I feel . . . I know he will be part of the Crisis."
"So he will be with us a long time indeed," said Stephanie.
Usagi asked, "Stephie-chan, does the holy man suspect that Makoto might—"
"Yes," replied Stephanie Watanabe. "He had not decided what to do about it when he left. Hadn't allowed himself . . . he is already learning to shield his thoughts from us."
After a few quiet moments, Usagi said, "Mako-chan, could you really love this man?"
"I love his children," said Makoto, and added: "Minako, you loved Kevin."
"Kevin-chan's body was crippled," said Minako, "Not his soul."
"Makoto," said Usagi, "You do not love his children."
"How can you say that!" exclaimed Makoto.
"They are not really his children, Makoto," said Usagi. "He thinks they belong to the 'holy man' his wife followed before she followed Betty-san's father."
"I don't think he ever made love to his wife," said Stephanie. "Whoever their biological father is, it is certainly not him."
"Is he a man for men, then?" asked Makoto. "That I can't tell you," said Stephanie Watanabe. "Moon-sama?" Usagi said, "He has bad memories, Mako-chan. He has buried them very deeply; I cannot tell you much. But they are worse than yours. Worse than Zo-chan's, maybe." "I can't dig deeply like Moon-sama without asking questions," said Stephanie, "But it fits. It would go far to explain why he let his wife do so many outrageous things without questioning her, and why it is so important for him to believe the things Reverend Swainson preaches." Haruka spoke: "I think you are all missing something obvious. If Tammy and Philip are not really related by blood to Mr. Yount, he has no greater legal claim to them than you, Makoto-san." "That should be true, but it may not be, under American law," said Makoto. "Rei may be the lawyer, but I have learned some things. The law is even different from one state to another. And if their mother left a will granting custody to her husband, that will probably give him just as good a claim." Makoto added, "Philip does not really remember him, but Tammy does. She loves him, even if she does not trust him. If we were to reveal that Mr. Yount is not their blood father . . . what do you think?" "It would finish him," said Usagi. "Very possibly," said Stephanie. "However . . . he does not have to know. If we get word to the good Reverend privately, he might be more willing to compromise rather than lose the whole game."
"I say no," said Ami. "Reverend Swainson has much to gain if he can tell everyone we are threatening to do this. Getting back the children is not important to him and his church. Convincing people that he is doing the right thing and we are not, that is what is important. Proving it in a legal way might not be even be possible if Mr. Yount refuses to cooperate. And as Makoto says, as Rei will tell us, if we do prove it, it may not even help us. But it would certainly hurt poor Mr. Yount."
"And it would hurt Tammy and Philip," said Makoto. "I won't do it."
"But we should tell the President," said Usagi thoughtfully. "We should be sure, though. We should get a sample from Mr. Yount. One from the last holy man, too, I think. We will see if they match, or do not. The President will feel more like helping us if she thinks Mr. Yount does not have the rights of a blood parent."
"If you are going to tell her that," said Haruka, "Shouldn't you also tell your President that our 'holy man' murdered his own father?"
"We should ask Alvarson-sama first," said Minako, sounding much more like the General than she usually did in normal form.
Setsuna, silent until now, said, "A thing said cannot be unsaid." Then, before Haruka could say something more, asked, "What do you think Michiru would say?"
Haruka said nothing. Stephanie and the inner senshi took no special notice, except for Makoto. The thunder senshi chose not to speak what she sensed.
"Valita?"
"Yes, Reverend."
Johnny Lee Swainson sat at his desk, swiveled away from the door, and from Valita, apparently staring at the flatscreen display. Now it was showing scenes from Japan. No sound accompanied it, and the captioning was not running.
Reverend?" Valita prompted after a long wait.
"Yes . . ." The Reverend shifted in his chair, but did not turnaround. "Valita, I trust you more than just about anyone I know, short of our Saviour."
"Thank you, Reverend."
"That's why I want . . . That's why I have to ask you to do something. But before I tell you what I want you to do, I want you to understand why it must be done."
"All right, Reverend."
Swainson sensed grudging acceptance, and slightly fearful anticipation. "Brother Alvin is very low now, very fragile. Losing his wife was a bigger blow to him than anything else in his whole life. Now, of course our brethern of the Church are going to do as much as they can to help the poor man, but he needs more. I'm seeing about getting him some professional help, too. But I'm afraid he will need more than that to come out of this the right way, Valita."
"What do you mean?"
<She senses it already . . . patience, patience.>
"What do you think of Mrs. Urawa, Valita?"
"Never met the woman, Reverend," she said.
"But you listen to the news sometimes. You read. You can't help but have got some idea of what she's like. Now, tell me what you think, now what you think I'd like to hear."
"That's what I always do, Reverend. Always try to, anyway."
"I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings, but I really have to have straight answers. Don't worry about my feelings. Say it plain."
"All right. She seems like a good woman. Good mother. Only thing is, she ain't a Christian, and she ain't the real mother."
"You've got the right impression, then, Valita. All those things are what most people believe, and all those things are true. But . . ."
"What else?"
Swainson drew out his next words for extra effect. "But that isnot all. She has a past. Some of the elders would like me to reveal it, but I haven't done it. Didn't seem fair. Matter of fact, I don't think I ever will." Truth; he had no intention of revealing it on his pulpit. Of course, if it should be leaked, then he could hardly avoid mentioning it . . .
"What is it?"
"Miz Urawa had some tough times when she was young. She ran witha gang in Japan. And she has a police record . . . for prostitution."
"So do I, Reverend."
"Part of your old life, Valita. Maybe part of Miz Urawa's, too . . . but she knows things about how to get to a man. I think she's going to use them to get to Brother Alvin if she can. She'd do just about anything to keep those children, Valita."
"You don't think she—"
"I don't think she did it herself. I don't think she asked anyone to do it. But she does have some very dangerous friends, Valita. Maybe one or two of them did her a favor without Miz Urawa askin'."
Valita took a little bit to digest that. "You're sure Sister Vera was murdered?"
"I'm sure the Japanese aren't telling us everything they know, or think," said Johnny Lee.
But Ms. Grants next long pause produced a setback. "I think you've got the wrong woman for this, Reverend." She was hurt.
Swainson was hoping to settle this without facing Valita, but decided he had to face her after all. Swivelling around and standing up in front of his desk, he said "I'm not asking you to jump into bed with Brother Alvin, Valita. What I'm askin' you to do is to show Brother Alvin his late wife wasn't the only Christian woman in the world who might partner up with him."
"You mean lead that poor man on?" said Valita. "As long as we're bein' honest, I'd be less ashamed to start whorin' again."
"If you don't help that man stay with us," said Swainson, "Miz Urawa will take him. Maybe he's always been meant for Hell, but that's something only the Lord knows. One thing I do know, and you know too if you look in your heart. If Miz Urawa and her friends get holt of Brother Alvin, they'll drag the children down to Hell as well. And they won't be the only ones, Valita. If we lose the Yount children, we are also gonna lose a lot of other kids 'cause those know-it-all God-scoffing secular humanists are gonna go on puttin' Christian kids in pagan homes. We got a chance to stop that now, Sister Valita."
Johnny Lee had leaned further and further over the desk during his mounting tirade. Now he eased back, and softened his tone. "If you can't stand leading the man on to do all that, why, don't lead him on. Get Brother Alvin to marry you. He's not crazy enough to pass a chance like that. Don't think there's a man in all creation that crazy . . . if he could."
Johnny Lee turned around, away from Valita, and waited. It seemed like a long time before Valita finally said, "How am I supposed to get together with Brother Alvin? I don't even know where he is now."
"He's in a private hospital. Where the reporters can't get at him."
"You mean, a mental hospital?"
"Not exactly . . . he had an accident."
"You mean, he tried to kill himself?"
Johnny Lee shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe he wasn't really committed . . . no joke intended. Anyways, no great harm done. He should be ready to leave in a week, ten days." "And then?" "And then I'm bringing him here, Valita. Where you and I can keep an eye on him." "Are you sure that's the best idea?" asked Valita. "I mean, shouldn't you give the doctors more time?" Swainson decided to be as open as he dared about this delicate point; Valita was mostly self-educated, but she was a country mile from being a fool. "If we wait much longer, some reporter will find him and get to him. That won't do him or us much good, will it? Even if we could keep him hidden away, he's liable to make a home out of his asylum. If we want to give those kids a chance, and if we want to give Brother Alvin his best chance to get on his own feet . . . " He left the thought unfinished. "And as for head doctors, I've found a pretty good one."
"How good?"
"Good enough to trust my daughter with him, Sister Valita." He let that sink in, and then added: "I want to put him in Benny's room. Go through her things, make a list. I'll send it to her, ask her what she wants done with it . . . can you do e-mail?"
"I can, Reverend."
"I'll give you one of her addresses. You can start tonight, if you like. I'd rather . . . rather have it taken care of as soon as you can."
After he let her wait, Valita said, "So you're sure Miz Benicia isn't coming back? Or is it you don't want her back here?"
"She's made her choices, for better or worse. I'm not going to fool myself."
"She's left the Church?"
Johnny Lee Swainson nodded.
"Reverend, Miz Benicia's still your child."
"She's not a child any more," said Johnny Lee. "I thought it was just her bein' 'the preacher's kid.' My boy went through a spell of that. But this is more . . . much more. Valita . . . I've lost her."
"She'll come back. They all come back."
"Mebbe. Mebbe so," drawled Swainson. "But she ain't comin' back any time soon. And I'm not pretendin' my little gal is gonna wake up tomorrow and make everything better. Benny's smart, Valita, smarter than her brother, maybe smarter than me. Prob'ly smarter'n me. But brains ain't enough. She's lost her faith in me, and maybe because of that, she's lost her faith in Jesus."
"It's not your fault, Reverend," said Valita. "She's young. She don't really know life yet. She see some of it, she'll come back. She'll come back to the Faith, and back to you."
"Yes, when she reaches rock bottom," said Swainson. Valita was assuming Benicia had a drinking and perhaps a drug problem. Should he encourage her to go on believing it? <No, too much chance it could come back to bite my ass.> "Don't get it wrong, it's not like she's on booze or pills or smokin' the wacky weed day and night. But she's makin' the wrong friends for the wrong reasons. And they are tellin' her I'm either a fool preachin' moonshine or a damned crook."
"And she believes it?"
"Too much of it," said Johnny Lee. After waiting to see if Valita had anything else to say, he added: "I'd like to be alone for awhile. Why don't you get started on Benny's room."
After Valita was gone, the Reverend got very, very drunk.