The Trinity Game

a Cadillac.”
    “I don’t know anything about Cadillacs,” said Nick. “What?”
    “We can hack into GM’s OnStar system,” said the young priest at the computer, “it’ll tell us where they are.”
    “Do it. I want the location of that truck within the hour. And redirect your men away from Trinity’s house. I want them looking at Julia Rothman.”
    “The reporter?”
    “She’s…an old friend of Daniel’s. They’re fond of each other. If our other efforts fail, she’ll lead us to him. So I want everything. I want her phone calls. I want her e-mails. I want her credit card activity. I want to know what she likes on her pizza and what songs she sings in the shower. Full surveillance, round-the-clock.” Nick again addressed the room. “We are not the only interested party, gentlemen. Keep that in mind. We have to find them first.”
    “Absolutely, Nick. My men are at your command,” said Conrad Winter. But his thin smile and unblinking eyes added: …
for now.

D aniel picked up a pre-paid cell phone at a Kroger and called Julia, and she came through with the money, which he picked up at a Western Union in Gadsden, Alabama. Along with the cash, Julia sent a two-word message:
    YOU’RE WELCOME.
    He topped up the gas, then bought his uncle a pair of blue jeans and a simple gray shirt at Kmart. Trinity drew the line at abandoning the white leather belt and cowboy boots, and Daniel had to settle for partial victory.
    “Just trying to keep you alive,” he said as they pulled onto Highway 77, a paved two-lane heading south.
    Tim Trinity grinned. “Don’t think I don’t appreciate it.” He rolled down his window and lit a cigarette.
    Daniel eyed the cigarette, said, “That’s the fifth one this hour. How bad
you
itchin’ to die, exactly?”
    Trinity watched the smoke rise from between his fingers. “I do so love the devil sticks.” He took another drag, blew it out the window. “Yes I do. ’Course I should give ’em up…but you and I both know I ain’t gonna live long enough for these things to kill me.”
    “What the hell are you talking about?”
    “I just don’t think God’s plan includes me living to see you and Julia make perfect little Judeo-Christian babies, that’s all.”
    They rode in silence for half a minute. Daniel said, “How did you know about Julia?”
    “How could I have missed her?” Trinity smiled. “Admired your ambition, going after an older woman like her. You did real good, boy…she was a knockout.” Daniel said nothing. “Oh, come on! Don’t say you don’t remember, and don’t say you didn’t see me. I
saw
you see me. The Maple Leaf bar? Mid City Lanes? Golden Gloves? High school graduation? I stood to the side, holding the door wide open, every chance I got. You always knew you were wanted.”
    Daniel raised a hand. “Fair enough. I saw you. And maybe I should’ve thanked you for the offer and told you I wasn’t interested in being an apprentice con artist.”
    “Never said you should take after me.” Trinity flicked the cigarette out the window. “Made sure you got good grades, told you I had a college fund set aside. You coulda studied whatever you liked, done whatever you pleased. You knew that.”
    “Yeah, well, you also told me we were on a mission from God. Mixed messages. I was a kid, remember?” He pointed at the radio. “Find us a news station, will ya? Let’s see what’s doing in the big world out there.”
    Trinity turned the knob and scanned up the AM dial…some hillbilly music…a screaming preacher with a mind full of the “End Times”…a countrified pop station…and then he found a news station and brought it in strong.
    …amazing development last night, when the Georgia Lottery numbers came up exactly as Reverend Tim Trinity predicted. But at a press conference this morning the Georgia Lottery Corporation announced that, despite the record jackpot, there were over 859,000 tickets sold with those winning numbers, so each winning ticketwill pay only four dollars. For the first time in its seventeen years of operation, the lottery is being suspended pending an internal investigation. The GLC insisted that the investigation will be swift and said the lottery will resume as soon as the integrity of the game can be assured.
    “Hot damn!” Trinity clapped his hands together. “That sure is something, ain’t it?”
    “Yeah, terrific. We can now add the government to the list of people who want you dead.” Daniel