Elvis locked eyes with McWarickson.
‘And how did you get so fucking ugly, mate,’ asked Freddy, referring to the scars across The King’s once clear skin.
‘Times have changed,’ Elvis replied.
‘You’ve been hiding for years,’ said Freddy. ‘Hiding behind your great church like a fuckin’ gutless turd.’
Elvis didn’t rise to the bait.
‘I’ve had my lawyers send your lawyers some pretty good letters,’ said Freddy with an evil grin. ‘Bet you didn’t know that!’
‘So what,’ asked Elvis. ‘We’re not in the bullshit business.’
‘You’re breaching copyright with that bloody place of yours,’ said Freddy, ignoring the jibe. ‘The Church is a trademark, and it’s owned by McWarickson industries.’
‘Whatever,’ said Elvis, succinctly.
‘And if you don’t remove all references from your operation right away,’ continued Freddy. ‘We’ll tie you up in the court system for decades.’
‘And what’s that gonna achieve?’
‘We’ll bankrupt you,’ said Freddy. ‘That’s just for starters.’
‘Why not get to the point, McWarickson,’ said Elvis, stifling a yawn. ‘You know how it is: People to do, things to see.’
Freddy glanced up at the control-room, and nodded. In the distance, the producer got the hint and slowly brought up the ‘mysterious’ music that immediately preceded an ad-break.
‘But I wonder why you’d turn on one of your own,’ said Freddy, getting – as requested – to the point. He timed the remark to coincide with a dramatic point in the music. ‘And why you hid her for so long?’
‘Waitin’ for the right time,’ said Elvis.
‘Yet my best men couldn’t get to her,’ said Freddy.
‘Your goons couldn’t find their own arses without a GPS.’
The Captain of the Guard stood straighter, clearly affronted by this insult.
‘Calm down, Captain,’ said Freddy, still holding Elvis’s gaze. ‘Mister Presley is a friend now he’s brought Miss Penfolde in.’
Freddy turned and looked meaningfully at the camera.
‘And now we have some messages for you all to watch,’ he said. ‘So don’t even fuckin’ think of changing channel.’
Click to see the next installment: The Secret of the Lost Gavel: A New Pope
