Seventh Heaven (Heaven Sent Book 7)

by Mary Abshire

  The cold hit him hard when he stepped outside. A few people stood around chatting. Down the sidewalk, he saw Emily walking next to Matt and heading to the stoplight. The former Marine would protect her well.

  Strolling down the steps, Andrew scanned across the street. The businesses were dark and closed for the night. He didn’t see anyone suspicious. Traffic on the road moved at a steady pace. The remaining people out and about seemed to be walking on the church side.

  Andrew stopped on the sidewalk and gazed in the opposite direction. Holiday lights decorated the trees planted on the outside of the brick sidewalk. A couple headed to the end of the block. Although Andrew couldn’t see Steven, he sensed the enforcer was nearby, watching and waiting.

  He shifted his gaze to the cars coming up the street. Exhaust from engines drifted from the vehicles. The cabs were easy to find as several had small signs attached to the roof. Andrew stepped closer to the curb and raised his arm as he spotted an empty taxi. The driver flashed his lights. Andrew jogged toward the vehicle. Finding it empty in the back, he quickly got in.

  “Merry Christmas,” the African American driver said. He wore a knit hat over his head and a dark leather jacket. “Where are you heading?”

  “Uh, a nearby hotel,” Andrew said.

  “A hotel?” He glanced in the rearview mirror. “Any hotel?”

  “A nice one.” Andrew scanned out the windows, hoping to catch Steven.

  “How long are you staying in the city?”

  “Just tonight. I head out in the morning.”

  “Do you have family in town?”

  Andrew took a deep breath. His only family was leaving town. Although he’d only left his wife less than ten minutes ago, he missed her so much his heart ached. If he hurt this much now, he couldn’t imagine how painful he would feel in heaven without her.

  “Are you okay?” the driver asked, staring in the rearview mirror.

  Andrew swallowed down the grief trying to spill from him. “Sorry. Long night. I need a few hours to recharge.”

  “No problem. I know of a nice hotel a few blocks from here. It’ll probably be pricey, but I’m willing to bet they have a few rooms available.”

  “That’s fine. Take me there.”

  Andrew continued to gaze out the windows. He hoped Steven was following him, but he couldn’t be certain. Fearing he made a miscalculation, he withdrew his phone. He typed a text message to Emily. After he sent the message, he held the cell in his hand.

  A message arrived from her as the taxi pulled up to the entrance of the hotel. A small canopy extended from the doors to the street. Andrew delayed responding to her text so he could pay the cabbie.

  “Thank you and Merry Christmas.” He gave the man a nice tip.

  The driver looked at the large bills. “Sir, are you sure about this?”

  Andrew exited the vehicle. He stopped in front of the open door. “If you’re not doing anything, would you mind coming back in an hour? I may need another ride. I can pay you more. But if you have a family to go home to, please do.”

  The driver smiled and pointed straight ahead. “There’s a lot behind the building. I will wait for an hour. If I don’t see you, I’ll go home.”

  Andrew grinned. “Fair enough. Thank you.” He shut the door and then headed to the hotel.

  The bright lights and holiday decorations were plentiful. Poinsettias were set near the door and on a marble table in the center of the room. The social area on the right contained several cushioned chairs and a fireplace. Andrew headed for one of the seats closest to the burning logs. He sat in a settee facing the windows overlooking the street.

  Holding his phone up, he checked the message from Emily. She said she was fine, but worried sick about him. Instead of replying, he hit the button to call her. He held the cell to his ear while the call connected.

  “Hey,” she answered. “Where are you?”

  “I’m in a hotel. Did he follow you?”

  “No, and Matt took a detour too to get to the interstate. Neither one of us have noticed anyone following. Did he follow you?”

  “I don’t know. I couldn’t see him.”

  “If he’s not following us or you—”

  “Stick to the plan.” Andrew had a gut feeling Steven would show up. The enforcer had told them he enjoyed his job. Andrew couldn’t see the man turning away now that he’d found Andrew. “Get everything out of the suite. I don’t know that it’s safe to stay in Rockville any longer, so head to Baltimore. Remember that hotel we stayed at for one night?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Let’s meet there.”

  “How are you going to get there? It’s an hour from DC.”

  “I can get a taxi. I have money.”

  “Andrew, maybe he’s not going to make any kind of move tonight. Maybe your name isn’t on his arm.”

  “He wouldn’t show up at the same church as us on Christmas Eve unless he had a purpose.” Andrew didn’t believe in coincidences. He’d delayed going after the demon in Texas, so it seemed logical Steven would look for Andrew to force him to fulfill the terms of his sentence. How Steven found him was a question he longed to ask.

  She sighed. “Okay, but if he hasn’t shown up … maybe he won’t. We should regroup and figure out our next steps. Where are you at? We can turn around and get you.”

  Andrew spotted a man on a motorcycle pulling in front of the hotel. The biker had a black helmet on his head.

  “No. It’s too soon. Go to Baltimore and I will meet you there,” Andrew said.

  “It’s Christmas Eve. Tell me where you are.”

  The tone of her voice indicated her frustration. He understood she was worried, but he loved her too much to risk her life or the baby’s. No, he refused to tell her where he was, because once he did, she would show up.

  “Get our stuff and go to Baltimore, Em. I’ll call you in a little bit.”

  The man on the motorcycle removed his helmet. He had short dark hair and wore a leather jacket. Leaving his helmet on the bike, he strode toward the hotel’s entrance.

  “Andrew, please. If he hasn’t shown up—”

  “He just did. I’ll talk to you later.”

  Andrew lowered the phone and tapped the icon to end the call. Steven paused several feet past the entrance. He turned his gaze on Andrew. Removing the gloves from his hands, the enforcer headed toward Andrew.

  Chapter Twelve

  Emily stared at the blank screen on the phone as she fought a new round of tears. Fear drowned her and she struggled to breathe, to think, to do anything.

  “Talk to me, Emily,” Matt said.

  She sniffled and squeezed her eyes shut. Moisture ran down her cheeks. “He hung up on me.” She took a quivering breath. “He said Steven had shown up at the hotel.”

  “What hotel?”

  “He didn’t tell me.” She wiped her face and swallowed. “I asked several times and he wouldn’t tell me.”

  Her head ached fiercely and her eyes wanted to stay closed. They burned from crying and needed rest. Making her feel worse, nausea swam within her. She had to calm herself. She couldn’t break down in a fit of sorrow or rage. And she didn’t want to puke either. She had to be strong for the baby. She could do it. Couldn’t she?

  She sniffled and then cleared her throat. “He wants us to gather everything from the suite and meet him in Baltimore. There’s a hotel we spent one night at before. He said he will get a cab to take him there.”

  She tried to steady her breathing, but her stuffed-up nose wasn’t cooperating.

  “I realize how much you want to help him, but if his plan is for us to meet him in Baltimore, then he’ll be there,” Matt said. “He’s doing what he thinks is best to keep you and the baby safe.”

  Emily understood Andrew’s plan. She knew the importance of protecting the baby in her womb. But she loved Andrew and longed to help him as she had so many times since they’d met. It was in her blood to do something, to fight. They were a team. Sh
e wasn’t ready to let go of him yet.

  “There’s only one way he can stop Steven. And even if Andrew kills him, heaven will return Steven,” she said before she sniffled.

  “How soon will he return?”

  “We don’t know, but Andrew thinks we will have enough time to get away.” She took a napkin from the glove box and then wiped her nose.

  “Are you afraid he won’t be able to kill Steven?”

  “Of course I am.”

  “He’s killed others.”

  “They housed demons. It was different.”

  “He’ll do it. To protect you, he’ll be able to do it.”

  “Well, if he doesn’t, he won’t meet us in Baltimore. Steven will kill him and he’ll go back to heaven.”

  The thought made her want to cry more. She closed her eyes, hoping it would help ease her discomfort. With her elbow on the side of the door, she propped her head up. The throbbing in her skull fueled her nausea. If she didn’t calm herself soon, she would spew.

  “How are you feeling?” Matt asked.

  “Not good. I need to rest.”

  She tried to shut off her thoughts and listen to the sound of the tires on the interstate. Of course, she couldn’t.

  “I’d like to know how Steven found us,” she said.

  “Andrew told me you were booking hotels under your alias.”

  “I have been, yes.”

  “Maybe someone figured that out and started sending your information to Steven.”

  “Maybe.”

  “Well, I’m glad Andrew showed me a picture of him.”

  Emily lifted her head and faced him. “When did you notice him?”

  Matt shook his head as he stared forward. “I thought I’d seen him earlier in Rockville, but when I went to check, I didn’t see him. The Square was very crowded, so I figured it was someone who looked like him. But then when we were heading to the church from the concert I noticed someone on a motorcycle behind us.”

  “It’s pretty cold to be riding a bike.”

  “Exactly. I lost track of it while Andrew was parking.”

  “If Steven found Andrew in Rockville, then I bet he knows where we were staying. He had to in order to track us to DC. He had to be watching during dinner. Maybe we lost him when we went to the concert, but somehow he found us on the way out.”

  “Well, there was only one main exit in the front. If he did find us, he could’ve gotten on his bike and waited for us to leave the garage. Again, there was one main exit.”

  “And he knows we drive a Jeep. He probably knows the plate number.” She shook her head. “Fuck, he could’ve done everything you said. But I don’t understand why he didn’t make a move sooner. Why wait until we’re in a church attending mass on Christmas Eve?”

  “Maybe he hadn’t planned to do anything yet. He was sitting in the back and watching. I don’t know if he noticed me or not. He never looked my way. Maybe when Andrew sent you off with me, he decided it was time.”

  Emily sighed as she leaned sideways and put her head on the window. “Bottom line, he found us.”

  “From now on, I think you should book hotels in my name.”

  “That’s fine. We can still pay from my online account.” She closed her eyes.

  “Try to rest. We’ll be there in fifteen minutes. I can get everything loaded into the car.”

  “No, wake me, please. I need to use the bathroom.” It was a fib, but she needed to make sure he’d let her know when they arrived at the hotel.

  “Okay, I’ll wake you, but you should rest.”

  She gave a nod and tried to focus on the sound of the Jeep on the road. It was soft and steady and didn’t strengthen the throb in her head.

  Flashbacks of their night surfaced in her mind. They’d laughed at dinner and shared memories together. They’d rocked at the concert and even danced a little. In church, they’d taken the holy sacrament together. Andrew had made her so happy. The night had been one of the best.

  “Emily?”

  She felt a hand on her shoulder.

  “Emily, wake up. We’re here,” Matt said.

  She opened her eyes and lifted her head. The Jeep sat idle in front of the hotel in Rockville. She soon realized she’d dozed off reminiscing the good time they’d had in DC. With a deep breath, she unbuckled the seatbelt.

  Matt strode around the car. He opened her door and helped her out.

  “I guess I fell asleep,” she said.

  “You look like you need more.”

  “Thanks. Love you, too.”

  He chuckled.

  Together they walked into the hotel. The bright lights almost blinded her. She kept her head at a slight downward angle as they passed the male attendant standing at the check in desk to her left. Since she felt like shit and probably looked the same, she hoped to avoid any attention or questions. Gaze lowered, she stayed close to Matt and followed his lead to the elevators. Following a short pause when he pressed the call button, one of the elevators chimed and the doors parted.

  Emily leaned against the wall and closed her burning eyes.

  “You really need to lay down in the car and get some sleep,” Matt said.

  She straightened and opened her lids. “I will.”

  The nap had soothed her throbbing headache, but the churning in her stomach seemed stronger. Emily knew how far she could push her body and right now she was running on fumes. But she had to get the gifts and make sure she didn’t leave anything personal behind. She estimated twenty minutes would be enough time to gather everything.

  She followed Matt out of the elevator and to the suite. Her steps were slow as she dug the keycard from her pocket. Reaching the door, she slid the card into the slot. When the green light flashed, Matt pushed the door open for her.

  She flipped on the light switch. "I’ll need your help as soon as you’re done packing your belongings." She headed to the bedroom.

  “I won’t be long. Don’t lift anything heavy.”

  Emily turned the light on past the door. Her laptop and purse sat on the bench in front of the bed. She grabbed her bag and continued toward the nightstand. A small custom-wrapped present with a red ribbon sat next to the box she’d wrapped for Andrew. They’d planned to exchange their gifts before going to bed.

  Guilt began to weigh heavily upon her and she had to sit on the bed. She couldn’t help but feel responsible for the situation they were in. She’d wanted to spend as much time as she could with Andrew so they’d put off going to Texas. Instead of being selfish, she should’ve encouraged him to go after the demon named on his arm. But no, they’d moved around in search of a home for her and the baby. And now, the enforcer had returned and Andrew had to face him. If they’d pursued the demon, Andrew would be with her and they wouldn’t have run into trouble with Steven. They would’ve been able to fully enjoy his last Christmas on Earth.

  A touch of fear snaked through her. What if she never saw him again? What if he never got to open his present?

  No, she couldn’t think such grim thoughts. She had to have faith he would take care of Steven and meet her in Baltimore. Because he loved her so much, she knew he would fight as hard as he could to get back to her. She couldn’t allow fear to consume her. It wouldn’t be good for her or the baby. She had to be strong and hold onto hope she’d soon be with Andrew again.

  With a deep breath, she gathered the wrapped items and tucked them in her purse. He’d gone to a lot of effort to find a present for her and she’d taken a lot of time to put together the album for him. She refused to open her gift without him. Until they could be together again, the two items would stay in her bag.

  Christmas had started out so wonderful. Exchanging presents would’ve no doubt topped of the holiday. But the only gift she wanted now was a safe return of her husband. And once she had him, she’d have to convince him to seek the demon tattooed on his arm.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Andrew slid his phone into the pocket of his jacket as Steven ap
proached him. The enforcer unzipped his leather coat and revealed he wore a black sweater underneath. An overgrowth on his face suggested he hadn’t shaved in several days. Dark denim covered the lower half of his body. The man looked like a thief or some kind of troublemaker, especially with the tight black gloves. In a sense, he was the latter.

  Steven stopped at the end of the seating area, next to a chair facing diagonally from Andrew. “Hey, mate. How’s it going? Mind if I join you? It’s bloody cold outside.”

  Ire began to rise within Andrew as he stared at the British enforcer. With his hand still in his pocket, he clenched his fist. How dare he call him mate and ask how he was doing on Christmas.

  “Thanks for ruining the holiday,” Andrew said.

  Steven scoffed as he headed to the chair directly across from Andrew. “They’re never as fun as an adult.”

  “Speak for yourself.”

  Steven fell into the chair and surveyed the room. “This is a lovely place. Looks expensive.”

  Andrew drew in a deep breath through his nose. He didn’t want to sit and chat. He wanted to get back to his wife and enjoy the rest of the holiday with her. “What do you want?” Even though he had a good idea why Steven had followed him, he needed to hear the enforcer say it.

  “Straight to the point, eh? You must have picked that up from your wife. How is she anyway?”

  “She’s safe and far away from you.”

  Steven snickered. “Oh come now, I thought we had fun the last time I visited.”

  “I wouldn’t call your visit fun. We put up with each other because we had to.”

  He slapped a hand over his heart. “That really hurts. I thought we were good buddies.”

  “Cut the crap, Steven.” Andrew’s tone had deepened. “What are you doing here? Why were you at the church?”