Now Playing: Dangerous Calling
Episode Six concluded with:
After the meeting was
over, Coogan remained inside the church talking with the various members of the
congregation. After fifteen minutes or so, he began to leave the building along
with everyone else. A figure emerged from a patch of woods immediately across
from the church. Moonlight cascaded over the figure and it became
apparent that he was carrying a gun.
“You the new preacher ever one has been jawin’ about?” he yelled at Coogan.
“Yes, brother, I am.”
The newcomer pulled back the hammer of the gun. “Well, I’m here to kill you!”
Episode Seven
The
crowd huddled in front of the church was shocked. Several men instinctively
began to reach for guns that weren’t there. Nobody carried a gun to church.
Sheriff Len Swayze took a step
toward the gunman, but Coogan placed a hand on the lawman’s chest. “Let me
handle this, Sheriff. I think this man fits my calling more than yours.”
Abner Coogan walked directly toward
the gunman, placing himself between the barrel of the gun and the crowd behind
him. Coogan was scared. Fargo was no actor and there was already the hint of a
nervous grin on his face. Could his partner help him to pull off the charade?
Fargo lifted the barrel of the gun,
so it was aimed directly at Abner’s head. “You the one they call Reverend
Coo…Reverend Goodman?”
Abner grimaced. This wasn’t getting
off to a good start. “Yes, brother, and what’s your name?”
“Fargo.” Abner knew his partner
couldn’t handle two fictional names.
“Why do you want to kill me, Fargo?”
The tension in Coogan’s voice was real. They were now at the hardest part of
the act.
“That God you preachers talk about
so much,” the gun in Fargo’s hand began to shake as he spoke. Abner hoped the
fool remembered to unload it.
Fargo continued, “That God let my
brother get killed in a accedent. Ruined my life--”
Fargo was off script. The original
plan called for him to talk about a sister who died of a disease. Abner cut in.
He didn’t trust him to go much further.
“You’re angry with God, aren’t you
Fargo?”
“Ah…yep.”
“God understands your anger, Fargo
and you know what?”
Even
Fargo couldn’t mess up this line. “What?”
“God isn’t angry with you, Fargo.
Not one bit. The Lord loves you, jus’ as much as he loves ever one here.”
Fargo looked down. With Coogan
standing in front of him, it appeared to the people in front of the church that
Fargo was crying.
Abner placed a hand on his partner’s
shoulder. “Why don’t you let me have that gun?”
Fargo handed Coogan the six shooter.
Abner kept his hand on Fargo’s shoulder as he turned to the people gathered in
front of the church. “If you’ll excuse us, I think this brother and I need to
go into the church and pray together for a spell.”
There were a few grateful “ahhs”
from several people in the congregation. Some folks shouted, “Good work,
preacher” and other compliments as Abner and Fargo stepped into the church.
Frank Dunning followed behind them.
He relit two kerosene lamps that were attached to the walls directly beside the
door. “Will that be enough light?” he asked in a quiet whisper.
“Yes, Brother Frank, thanks.” Abner
whispered back as he and Fargo settled into the back pew and folded their
hands.
The mayor left the church, talked
with the folks outside for several minutes, and then got into his buggy.
Placing his crutches on the seat beside him, Frank Dunning felt ashamed of
himself. How could he have doubted that Reverend Jim Goodman was a genuine man
of God? The pastor had boldly approached a deeply troubled man who was waving a
gun and threatening to kill him!
Dunning closed his eyes, “Lord
forgive my doubt…” The prayer was short and intense. The mayor still felt
ashamed as he drove off.
Tomorrow: Episode Eight of Dangerous
Calling
