“I never broke,” she replied.
“Those men serve this country in a way that is easily understood,” he said. “If they wore a uniform it would be done for the government, whether local or national, but here is the funny thing, Willow. By creating each of us a necktie and giving us a mug and a handkerchief, you created our uniforms.”
“See, I don’t think I like you. You’re sneaky. You hide behind that Bible like it’s some kind of ministry, but the Devil knows the Bible too,” she said, frowning at him.
“A charge to keep I have,” the Archangel said and looked at Willow.
“A God to glorify,” she replied automatically.
“A never dying soul to save,” he said.
“And fit it for the sky,” she answered.
“See, we never forget that which is instilled in us at a young age, Willow Hoyt. Your father wore a uniform and he held a weapon as a soldier,” Archangel said. “Stop, Exit, Zeke, even myself are trained to handle the darkest souls on the planet. Mr. Yield holds three doctorate degrees. Mr. Mann is self-trained to do things men pay experts to learn and for him it came naturally. What we do is important to maintain the balance in this country. We can’t allow their numbers to grow and those people to flourish.”
Willow pursed her lips the same way Karli had when the conversation and her portion of the trust circle had come to an end. As far as Willow was concerned, this conversation with the Archangel too had come to an end. She held up her index finger at him, making Gabriel laugh. It drew the attention of the men in the water, who turned around to see what was happening.
“Careful, Mr. Archangel, that you don’t become what you’re trying to tamp down. Proderick Hymn started with a similar idea and ended up becoming a pimp to make money and feed his flock,” she said, looking at him sideways.
“When my God tells me to rest, I shall. In the meantime, we will continue the work we do. Nice chatting with you,” he said, passing her the envelope.
In her mind, she was cursing him the hell out. In her heart, she was grateful. The envelope held what had happened to her sister, but she also learned that Karli was her niece. The anger she knew should have gone away as she watched her husband float down a lazy river with Karli’s arms draped across his midsection and Dusty Rose in a floating ring, traveling along behind them.
“My children are at peace,” she said, wishing the same for herself and shoving the envelope in her purse.
Willow found a seat near Millicent at the pool, who handed her a drink. She accepted, offering only a smile as a thank you, and leaned back into the cushions. Before she knew it, she was asleep, a peaceful sleep where she felt no fear or anxiety. The girls were safe. She was married.
Life would be just fine.
THE RECORDING ENDED when the room cleared. Rami hadn’t known that since he’d moved to an undisclosed angle of the pool to film Exit playing in the water with the girls. The joy on their faces as he taught each one to swim was just what he needed to take back to Proderick Hymn.
Ending the recording on his phone, he returned to his room to find the camera in the meeting room had stopped. Quickly he played it back.
Insurance. Fuck that.
Investments. Hmm. Interesting.
The woman. Willow. Talking to the man who married them. The sound was garbled since they were so far away from the mic. He tried reading their lips.
“Fuck!” he griped, packing his gear to check out. This was a setback. Not a big one. But a setback.
He needed to see Proderick and get paid. There was also a promise to keep to the man. The Glitter Man liked to keep his promises.
.
Chapter Twenty-Three- Blind Copy
RAPHAEL WAS HAPPY TO be home. Thus far, as he pretty much anticipated, The Boss hadn’t called to send him to work. Michael Kurtzwilde, the big bad boss man called himself punishing Exit by not offering job assignments since he turned down the one in Atlanta. Experience had taught Mr. Exit to trust his gut and he was trusting his gut with the Archangel.
Over the years, he’d maintained a few contacts at the Pentagon and would place a call later in the day before the close of business to find out about Gabriel Neary.
“I’m going to start dinner as soon as I figure out what we have to eat,” Willow said.
“Honey, let me order something. You don’t have to cook, besides, is there anything in there?”
Willow held up a driver’s license given to her by the Archangel. She also held up a credit card that he’d given her as well. The balance on it was low, but it could buy some groceries.
“We’ve eaten hotel food for three days and I think we need some regular food; besides, I want to go to the grocery store. I want to drive. Can I drive, Raphael?”
“Sure, if you want. Do I need to go with you?”
“Of course not. The store is only three blocks away,” she said. “Let me grab the keys.”
“Mom, can I go with you?” Dusty asked, looking in her purse for the money she had left over from the trip, “I want to pick up a couple of things.”
“Sure. Karli, you want to come?”
“No Mommy, I’m going to hang here with Daddy, make sure he doesn’t get lonely,” she said with a smile at him. She looked over at her father. “I also want to be around in case my man stops by to check on me.”
Raphael had reached his limit with Jamal and the kid was nowhere to be seen. He’d also reached his limit with Karli and her label for the boy who talked to her about a book series and now she thought she was in love. He couldn’t take it anymore. Daddy was going to put his foot down.
“Listen here, Karli. You are too young to talk about having a man. From this day forward you will not refer to that boy as your man. He is a friend. Hell, he may not even be a friend, just some kid who showed up on the back porch,” he said louder than he’d planned. “Understand me?”
Karli’s face registered somewhere between who do you think you’re talking to and I know you just didn’t raise your voice at me for real. Willow had already exited the back door when the security camera flashed an image of a form on the front porch, followed by the ringing of the doorbell.
“We’re not done with this conversation Karli, or are we?” he asked.
“We’re done Daddy,” she said with her lips pursed, “but if you’re worried that I’m going to love Jamal more than you, then you can stop. I can’t love any man more than I love you.”
“That’s nice to hear and even nicer to know, but seriously, stop with that whole my man thing. It’s creepy and inappropriate,” he said as the doorbell chimed again.
Raphael hurried to the door to find none other than Jamal on the front porch. He held a Harry Potter book under his arm and a small lunch bag. It was too late to go back and get his gun.
“Hello, Jamal. Can I help you?”
He was a cute kid with entirely too much swagger for a 13-year-old. The nice haircut, the cool shoes, and the muscles on his 13-year-old body read as a danger to Raphael Hoyt. Instead of the gun, he needed a knife.
“Yes Sir, I was wondering if I might have a moment,” Jamal said.
“Dusty isn’t here. She went to the store with her mother,” Raphael told the kid.