“It’s a shame the way your mortal history can get twisted about. Everyone thinks that Captain Madison was horrible for marrying that young woman but really…” Michael gave a great sigh. “But I guess you’re too upset over Donald to want to hear anything about Captain Madison.”
Emily had to bite her tongue to keep from asking but she wasn’t going to allow him to distract her. “This is all a joke to you, isn’t it? My life is in shatters because of you but all you can do is make jokes.”
“All right, no more jokes. You want truth, then the truth is that your life was a mess before I showed up. As always, you choose dreadful men to fall in love with. Your Donald? He chose you because he thought you were too boring to ever give him any trouble. He saw that the way you looked at him was akin to worship and he knew you’d run a tidy house, put on hundreds of dinner parties and basically work yourself to the bone for him. Yet you’d ask for little or nothing in return. On his side he could do what he’s been doing forever, and that’s have affairs with every woman he can get into bed with him, which, considering his job and looks, is a considerable number.”
Pausing, he looked at her. “You want more?”
“I didn’t want that much,” she said under her breath. “I just wanted…”
“To live in a dream. All mortals do. None of you want to know the truth. Emily, I know you’re angry at me right now but if you had married him, your life would have been miserable.”
She glared at him. “You’re my guardian angel so why didn’t you fix it? Isn’t that what you guys are supposed to do?”
Michael took a while before he answered and she could tell that he was choosing his words carefully. “An angel can’t interfere on earth unless given permission to do so by God. Oh, an angel can find a mortal the occasional parking space.” He paused to smile at this idea. “But an angel can’t end a life or prolong a life without God’s permission.
“And an angel cannot interfere in love! Big taboo, that one. Guardian angels are sickened to see those in their charge marry wife beaters and child molesters. But they are forbidden to prevent love from going where it wants to go because, you see, God loves love.”
Michael paused to see if she’d stop him but at her silence, he continued. “However, angels can make things happen to allow a person to see the truth about the one they love. But, unfortunately, it’s true that love is blind and rarely does anyone actually see the truth even when it’s presented to them. Fathers used to prevent daughters from marrying horrible men but today love has even vanquished fathers.
“Love is the only thing on earth stronger than evil. It is stronger than money and sex and all sin. Whenever anyone truly loves someone else, God gets stronger. God is brought to earth by the pull of love.”
Again he paused to look at her. “You didn’t love Donald and you never would have. You shouldn’t settle for what you can get, Emily, because you deserve the best.”
At that she stood, hands on hips, and glared down at him. “You know, lectures like that make me crazy. Everyone these days spouts holier-than-thou statements about the wonderful man a woman deserves but what I want to know is, Where is this man? Where do they grow these fabulous men who are kind, considerate and worth a woman’s love? Where’s the man like my father who came home from work on time and whose whole life revolved around his family. I only seem to find men who think I’m boring and angels who make love to me then leave without a backward glance.”
Instantly, Michael was on his feet and reaching out his hand to her, but she didn’t take it. He moved to stand in front of her but she looked away. “Last night I was wrong,” he said softly. “If it will make you feel any better I’ve spent the morning being bawled out by Adrian. It seems that I committed a serious breach of ethics and I’m going to be…” He took a deep breath. “Demoted. When I get back I get sent down a level. I’ll have…”
When he spoke his voice seemed to catch in his throat. “I’ll have new clients, new people to look after.”
“Then you won’t be my guardian angel,” Emily said, her eyes glittering angrily.
“No,” he said softly. “I won’t be watching over you.”
“Good! Then I can choose my own lovers, my own friends, my own everyone and everything without your interference.”
“Yes,” Michael said. “You’ll go through life without me.”
Emily cocked her head at him. “So why are you still here? You got bawled out, told you’ve done a really bad job of everything, so why weren’t you recalled?”
Michael shrugged. “I have no idea. Adrian has tried to get through to Archangel Michael but…”
“He was put on hold?” Damn! she thought. She hadn’t meant to make a joke.
But Michael didn’t smile. “In Heaven, being put on hold could mean waiting for centuries.”
Emily wanted to bite her tongue to keep from laughing but she couldn’t. “You are the worst possible angel,” she said, but there was no animosity in her voice because finally, after all the ugly happenings of the morning, last night was beginning to come back to her. “Did Adrian say anything about…”
“Last night?” Michael asked and he had such a cocky grin that Emily had to turn away. “A bit. In fact he said more than a bit. He said, well, days’ worth. He had to expand earth time to fit it all in. While you were telling Donald what you thought of him, I was being yelled at for what on earth time would be about ten and a half days.”
“My goodness. Adrian seems to like to talk.”
“He seems to like to talk to me anyway.” Michael raised his head. “Speaking of which, did you find out anything?”
“Find out anything about what?”
“About who’s trying to kill you? Did your former lover have any ideas about who was after you?”
“Well, we didn’t really have time to discuss that. He was—” She looked away.
Michael took her chin in his hands, then tilted her head up to look into her eyes. “What was that skunk trying to do to you?”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” she said, moving away from him. “I just want to go home and—”
“Your home is no longer safe. When Donald corrects his mistake the men who put the bombs in your car will know you’re still alive. They may know already. I’m feeling that your apartment isn’t safe.”
“But where am I supposed to live? How do I go to work? How do I—?”
Michael put his arms around her and held her close to him; she could feel his heart beating against her cheek.
“I don’t want to touch you,” she whispered. “You’re not real. You’re not going to stay here. I just lost one man I loved and I can’t bear to lose another one. It’s not fair!”
“That’s just what Adrian said,” Michael told her, holding her close, stroking her hair. “He didn’t care what I did to myself but what I had done to you was beyond the rules. You see, once a woman falls in love with an angel, no mortal man can live up to him.”
“What?!” Emily sputtered, pulling away to glare at him. “You think you are so good that a one-night stand with you will ruin me for all men for all time? You are the most unangelic person I have ever met. You’re vain, conceited, and you know nothing whatever so you are a bloody great nuisance. I could adopt six children who’d be less trouble than you are. You can’t even—Would you mind telling me what you’re laughing at?”
“I’m glad to see you’re back to yourself,” he said, laughing, then he took her arm companionably in his. “I think we should find out who’s trying to kill you, don’t you? You know, Emily, I was thinking that if you did find out maybe you could write a book about whatever has led up to this and maybe you could sell it. I do feel that I owe you a story because Captain Madison swore some dreadful curses if his story was published.”
“I guess I could write, but how do we find out who’s trying to kill me?”
“You didn’t believe me but I told you that Donald was the source of the problem.”
�
��More of a problem than you know,” she muttered.
Michael grinned enough to split his face. “Had some trouble, did you?”
“I thought you knew everything.”
“I just know that you two had a difference of opinion. Want to tell me every tiny detail?”
“No, not a word. But what were you telling me about Donald being the source of evil?”
“Do you know where he lives?”
“I assume you mean in the city. Yes, I do. You aren’t planning to go there, are you? I know that I can’t go because—” she broke off.
Michael looked at her in curiosity. “Why can’t you go there?”
“Because now I’m a wanted criminal. If someone recognizes me from the broadcast they’ll turn me in. But what does that matter since I’m already dead?”
“Come on, Em, cheer up. You’re dead and I’m an angel. Things have to get better.”
She didn’t laugh at his joke. “I want to clear my name and my reputation.” As she said this, she gave him a look out of the corner of her eye.
“Go ahead and turn me in,” he said with a smile as he read her mind. “They can’t hurt me and I can assure you that I’ll be back as soon as Heaven can get me to you. Face it, Emily, you and I are together until this mystery is solved. I’m on a mission from God.”
“All right then, what do I do first? I want my life back. I’m tired of bombs and the FBI and of angels. And I am especially sick of ghosts. I want normal!”
“You have just hurt the feelings of some very nice people,” he said, eyes twinkling, then at Emily’s look, he sobered. “All right, no more jokes. All I know is that the source of the evil is your beloved Donald, the one who has sold you for a river.”
“Sold me up a river.”
“Whatever. You must get into his apartment, not the one here in Greenbriar but the other one, the one where he keeps the wom—” He broke off at Emily’s look. “Where he keeps his trophies and awards for his honest journalism reporting.”
Emily gave him a look of warning, which Michael ignored.
“How can we get to his other living place?”
“Bus, car, train, helicopter. We could walk if we want to take a few days. But everything costs money and my purse was blown up in that car. With that poor woman.” She said the last with sadness and horror.
“The one who turned her husband in for the ransom? The one who tried to kill him a second time for a second reward? That woman? Let’s go on a train. One of my clients used to own a lot of trains.”
“Don’t tell me, one of the robber barons.”
Michael began to pull her along, so she started walking. “He didn’t really steal but he made people do what he wanted them to. You want me to tell you about the pearl necklace he bought his wife?”
Emily wanted to be told that she could go home, take a hot shower and find out that none of this ever actually happened.
“Elk up, Emily. Soon we’ll find out what’s caused all this and you’ll get rid of me and you can have your life back.” Before she could tell him that the correct word was “buck,” he said, “I’ll make you a promise. I swear here and now that I’ll find the perfect man for you. I’ll find him then direct you to him.”
“I thought you weren’t going to be my guardian angel anymore. I thought you got demoted.”
“I did, but not for a hundred years yet. I have to finish what I’ve started, don’t I? And I have to train someone else and I have to learn a new job. All that takes time.”
In spite of herself, Emily laughed. “A hundred years.” They had reached the edge of the woods and before them was the southern road out of Greenbriar. “So how do we get to the train station?” she asked with a grimace. “It’s at least twenty-five miles and when we get there how do we pay for the tickets?”
“I’ll think of something. Trust me.”
Oddly enough, in spite of all that had gone wrong in her life since she’d met him, she did trust him.
Chapter 18
AS OF THIS MOMENT IT ISN’T CLEAR WHETHER MISS Todd had anything to do with the grisly murder of this morning but until she’s found and questioned, no one knows for sure. So that’s it for today. Donald Stewart signing off.”
Emily turned away from the TV in the store only to see another bank of televisions, each with her photo on prominent display. “So much for Donald’s honor versus his career,” she muttered. She should have carried out her threat to expose him. With her jaw set, she left the store and went back to the street.
“I don’t know what these are but they’re good,” Michael said as he handed her a greasy bag and a tall drink in a paper cup.
“Tacos,” she said, looking inside, then shaking her head at him. She still hadn’t recovered from this morning when Michael had made a man in a long black limousine stop and offer them a lift into the city. They’d had a very pleasant ride and when they got out, the man had given Michael a thick wad of cash.
“How did you get a limo to come through Greenbriar?” Emily asked in awe.
“Witchcraft,” he said, grinning. “Black magic.”
“You’d better be quiet or Adrian will hear you.”
“You know, I think maybe Adrian is a bit jealous. I bet Archangel Michael has never asked him to do anything. And I further bet that if I pull this off I might not be demoted after all. I wonder if Adrian is worried that I’ll be put a level above him.”
Emily shook her head in disgust. “Angels are not supposed to be jealous nor are they supposed to be ambitious.”
“And mortals are supposed to live in peace and harmony. Now, I want you to wait here while I get us something to eat,” he said, “then we’re going to your Duck’s apartment.”
For once, Emily didn’t protest the name Michael was using. So now she was devouring one greasy taco after another as Michael propelled her down the street. She wasn’t overly anxious to get to Donald’s apartment. After all, what might they find? Evidence of his unfaithfulness? Truth was that Emily hoped Donald was remembering every sweet moment they had spent together and was dying to get her back. Fat chance! she thought as they approached Donald’s apartment building.
“I guess it’s no use telling you that the doorman won’t let us go up without Donald’s permission,” she said then nodded at Michael’s smug smile.
Sure enough, the doorman acted as though Michael was a long lost friend and minutes later they were in the elevator and Michael was looking a bit green.
“Too fast, too high,” he muttered as they stepped off onto the twenty-sixth floor.
Emily knew where Donald kept a key hidden inside the fire hose behind the emergency door but Michael put his hand on the knob and it opened.
“I like your place better,” Michael said, looking about at the glass and chrome and black leather apartment. There were mirrors everywhere, floor to ceiling.
“All right, you’ve seen everything, so let’s go,” Emily said, feeling distinctly uncomfortable in this apartment she’d so seldom been in before.
“It’s here,” Michael said softly.
Emily, thinking he said, “He’s here,” was halfway out the door before Michael could catch her sleeve.
“Coward. He’s not here,” he said, as always, reading her mind. “At least I don’t think so. Shall we look in the bedroom? Maybe there are some leftover blonds.”
“Very funny. I hope Adrian demotes you to where you actually belong.”
“Then I could see all the men from your past lives,” he shot back. “Would you like me to tell you about the life you dedicated to the gambler? You spent forty-some years believing he was going to change.”
“Would you find whatever it is you think is here and leave me and all my lives alone?”
“I can’t,” he said, walking about the room. “At least I can’t leave you alone for another hundred years. Tell me, Emily, what sort of man did you have in mind to spend your life with?”
“Smart, funny, devoted to me. A slave to me, actuall
y. And rich so he can take me to Paris.”
“I thought you wanted to go on a river. Rafting, was it?” Suddenly, he drew in his breath as he reached a tall cabinet against the wall opposite the door. “It’s in here.”
In spite of her good sense, Emily stood absolutely still. What was inside the cabinet? Evil demons? Ghosts? Something or someone who would jump out and could never be forced back inside?
When Michael opened the door to the cabinet, Emily’s heart nearly stopped, her hand flew to her throat and she gave a sharp gasp. But there were only books inside the cabinet, row after row of leather-bound books.
“They don’t look very evil to me,” Emily said, annoyed with her reaction. “Those are Donald’s broadcast scripts. I know because I found the bookbinder for him.”
Tentatively, as though he might burn his hand, Michael reached up and took out a book, then opened it. As Emily said, inside were the working scripts of Donald’s broadcasts. In spite of the elegant, expensive leather binding, the scripts were marked on, the cheap paper bent and torn. Closing the book, Michael put it back into place then ran his hands over the rows of books.
“What are you doing?” Emily asked impatiently. “You’re not going to tell me that books can be haunted, are you?”
Turning, he looked at her and his face was serious. “What have you had to do with these….”
“Scripts,” she said, tired of his jealousy. “They are just scripts of the longer broadcasts that Donald has done. There is nothing sinister about them.”
“What did you have to do with them?”
“Me?” she began, then stopped. “I helped in the research, that’s all. They were Donald’s ideas and I—” She broke off because he was looking at her as though he knew she was lying.
“All right, it gets lonely in Greenbriar during the week so I read a lot. And maybe now and then I come up with an idea for a story for Donald to do. Then maybe I do a little research. It’s nothing anyone couldn’t do. I use interlibrary loan and the Internet. Stop looking at me like that! I do not tap into files that I shouldn’t or do anything illegal or even unethical. I just help Donald, that’s all.”
An Angel for Emily Page 17