Page 137 of The Devil's Advocate

CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX

THE PASTOR

Buckstown flew past the Pastor’s window. His driver was pushing forty miles an hour, but they weren’t going to get pulled over by the cops.

Not in the governor’s car.

Besides, Sheriff Shipley sat in the rear passenger seat beside the Pastor. Of course, he didn’t know him as the Pastor. He called him Governor Patchett. Shipley was required as a poster boy for the press conference, plus he provided additional protection. All that Patchett had worked for was so close to paying off. He checked his watch. It was almost four o’clock.

The press conference was at six. In Montgomery.

More than enough time to get there, but still, the governor wanted to be there early. He wore one of his best suits. The plain navy that he’d had made by a tailor in Mobile. It fitted him well, and the fabric allowed him to breathe in the heat. A white shirt with a pale blue tie complemented the suit. A flower in his lapel completed the ensemble.

A white camelia.

It didn’t really matter that Francis Edwards hadn’t detonated the truck. He had still threatened the entire town. He was still a terrorist. And now, the best kind of terrorist for maximum political capital – a dead one. He had put the fear of God into the people of Alabama, and that was all that Patchett had required of him.

The vehicle slowed on Union Highway.

‘Why are we slowing down?’ asked Patchett.

‘Looks like the FBI are doing vehicle checks up ahead,’ said the driver.

Patchett turned to Shipley, said, ‘How does it feel?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘You know what I mean. How does it feel to be the hero who saved Buckstown from going up in a fireball?’

Shipley laughed, nervously, ‘Not bad at all.’

‘I think this secures you as our new sheriff,’ said Patchett.

‘It might only be for a few months though. I mean, there’s an election between me and the office.’

‘Don’t worry about it. I know Korn helped Lomax. Now that the district attorney is in difficulty, we’ll need all the good men we can get. I can pretty much guarantee no one will oppose you in the election. Not seriously. We might stand an opponent, just for show, and then get them to withdraw their candidacy a few days before the election. Makes it look fairer. Now, when we’re at the press conference, I want you to smile, stand next to me, but don’t try and answer any questions from the press. That’s my job. Got it?’

‘Got it.’

Patchett looked out of the window, saw that they had made little progress and they had crawled to a virtual stop. He twirled his FOP ring on this finger. A habit that he developed when he was on edge.

‘Hey, why haven’t you put on the sirens?’ he asked.

The driver said, ‘Sure thing, Governor,’ and hit the sirens and lights on the governor’s SUV, then pulled out to overtake the line of traffic.

‘Alright, now give me a minute. I just want to go over my speech one more time,’ said Patchett.

He had the pages for his speech in his lap. This was the most important speech of his life and he had done multiple drafts. Now, it was perfect. At six o’clock he would deliver it live on TV, and he didn’t want to make even the slightest mistake. He put on his glasses and began to read.

On May 21, 1961, the Governor of Alabama, John Patterson, delivered a speech broadcast on WSB-TV News. He was responding to out-of-state agitators who had entered Alabama for the sole purpose of causing civil disobedience and violence. Among those agitators were the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. and John Lewis. Lewis was part of the so called Freedom Riders. Men and women, black and white, who were taking advantage of a Supreme Court decision that outlawed racial segregation on interstate transportation. In a time when the Jim Crow laws were still observed in Alabama, these men and women travelled together, to Montgomery, with the sole intent to incite violence in our peaceful city. And they were met with resistance. Governor Patterson appeared on television and he spoke out against Martin Luther King Jr. and the so-called Freedom Riders who were instigating the trouble.

As you know, we had an instigator attempt to destroy Buckstown last night. His name was Francis Edwards, and I am informed by law enforcement that he had further plans, including an all-out assault on the governor’s mansion. Thanks to the heroic efforts of the local sheriff here, he was stopped before he could execute his plan which would have destroyed homes, businesses and cost hundreds, if not thousands, of lives. Edwards was part of a radical leftwing group associated with Antifa, a terrorist organization, who are hell bent on destroying this country.

I served as a police officer for five years, so I know the pressures that bear on our law enforcement personnel. That’s why, given the unprecedented threat posed by these groups, I take strength from the actions of John Patterson that day in 1961. Tonight, I proclaim martial law in Sunville County. As well as the National Guard supporting our law enforcement officers, I have recruited a small tactical team of militia. Ordinary men and women – citizens of our great state – who will kick down doors, root out the instigators and traitors among us and deal with them by force. They are the Alabama angels. They will protect our homes as if they were the angel Gabriel himself.

Rest assured that I, as your governor, will take every action necessary to make our state safe, and to make it great again.

The vehicle slowed, and Patchett looked up from his speech.