“There are five archangels in the Bible,” Gabriel Neary said. “The most well-known ones are Gabriel and Micheal. There are also Uriel, Joel, and of course Raphael. Sometimes we get to choose. Other times we are chosen. The question for you, Mr. Exit, did you choose, or were you chosen?”
He didn’t give Exit a chance to answer. He ended the meeting and encouraged all the parents to spend the remaining time playing with their children. Meals for the families had been arranged ahead of time and were served in the same meeting room for the group. They didn’t have to pay for any food, at least as far as he knew.
The families dispersed with the children being anxious for their chance to play in the water. Willow hung back, making a plate of snacks to take poolside as she got some sun and watch her girls learn to swim. Moreover, she wanted one on one with Gabriel.
He saw her giving him the side eye and asked Cabrina to wait as he spoke with the latest member of his congregation.
“Mrs. Exit, you wish to speak with me?” he asked.
“Willow. Please call me Willow. I’m not sure how I feel about being referred to as a traffic sign,” she said, offering him the warmest smile, which caught him off guard.
“Willow it is. Please have a seat,” he said, watching her eyes.
“Listen Mr. Archangel, I know the eyes are the window to the soul, but looking at me like that raises some questions,” she said, looking over at Cabrina.
“My apologies, but just as you were able to look at me and see the resemblance between me and my brother, I am able to look at your eyes and see the resemblance between you and Karli,” he said.
“Excuse me?” she said, blinking several times, trying to catch her breath. She thought she heard him correctly but her mind was slower in putting the pieces together.
“She’s your sister’s daughter,” he said. “I had to do a bit of digging to get the information, but I got it. Hymn does maintain a log and unbeknownst to the members of his group, the man does file the birth records of each child born. Your sister is listed on Karli’s birth certificate as her mother.”
Willow’s bottom lip began to tremble. In her heart, she’d always known. It was why Proderick Hymn wouldn’t let her leave.
“And Dusty Rose?”
“Her mother is listed on the records as you,” he said to a shocked-face Willow. “He filed the paperwork for the girl’s birth shortly after you arrived, even though Dusty was eight when you showed up at the commune. Hymn must have had plans to marry you and you adopt the girls.”
“I don’t even know what to say,” Willow said.
Archangel passed her a sealed envelope. He held it tightly in his hands, not wanting to relinquish the information she was owed, yet he was hesitant since he didn’t know if she was ready. A great deal of data had been dumped in her brain, and it would take weeks to sort through, if not longer.
“You giving me the envelope or not?” she inquired.
“My suggestion is to not open this any time soon. I would wait several months until you have the Etsy shop up or never open it at all.”
“Then why in the hell are you giving it to me? I’m a woman. There is a 98% chance I’m going to open this the moment I get back to the room,” she said flatly.
“I’m giving it to you because you deserve answers. This will give you those answers,” Archangel said. “I’m hesitant to give this to you because you deserve happiness. There is a 98% chance that if you open this before the ink has dried on your marriage certificate that all the hard work you’ve put in the last couple of weeks to ensure those children have a normal childhood and you can heal will be lost.”
He was looking her in the eyes again. She didn’t like it, but Willow did not look away. Her chin was lifted slightly and her back straightened.
“Willow, I will say the same thing to you that I said to your husband. Sometimes we get to choose. Other times we are chosen. The question for you, Willow, did you choose, or were you chosen to come looking for your sister so you could find her daughter and give the child a good life? Did you choose or were you chosen for Dusty Rose so she wouldn’t be a child bride to a man with three teeth who would abuse her young body each night? Please understand, that some things in this life ain’t about you.”
Willow blinked furiously, trying to push back the tears.
“What in the heck kind of minister are you?” she asked. “All of these broken women you’ve married off to these killers. These men, broken men, dark men with dark souls. You’ve paired us up as what, a balm to ease their consciouses when they come home from a tough day at the office of slaughter?”
“Walk with me, Willow,” he said, rising, his hands behind his back, leading her out to the water park.
In the water was Mr. Stop. Big, muscled and riddled with scars. The joy on his face was etched in his expression as a small girl came down the slide and shot through the air to land in his arms. Her hand went to her chest as her own Karli went next, landing in Raphael’s arms. Little Michelle didn’t want to try, but her father convinced her to come down the slide. Her giggles filled the air.
Mann and Yield roughhoused in the pool with the three boys as they swam and frolicked. The women who were married to the men she called killers sat poolside, relaxed, not watching, but well aware of their children.
“Point out to me which man has the dark soul.” Archangel said. “Show me which of those women are broken.”
Willow opened her mouth.
Archangel silenced her.
“None of them are broken, just as you aren’t. No matter what Hymn tried to do to you, he didn’t break you. Tameka was held against her will and sexually assaulted by a man who drugged her and she gave birth to her assailant’s child, a child who is out there having fun with my brother who loves her and will take down any man who comes near that child. She never broke. Judy never broke. Millicent never broke. Sharon never broke,” Archangel said.
“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 w
hat 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.
“No Sir, I came to speak with you, man to man,” Jamal informed him. “If we can have the conversation on the porch, I would appreciate it. You know just in case you say no, I don’t want Karli to be hurt.”
“Karli... you came to speak with me about my 10-year-old daughter?” Raphael said adding bass to his voice.
“Sir, I am requesting your permission to be Karli’s book friend.”
“She’s too young for a boyfriend,” he said, wanting to kick the kid off the porch with his good foot. Jamal found his words funny. He even laughed showing off a wire retainer covering teeth that were entirely too perfect for a boy of 13 years old.
“I said book friend, Sir. It is my hopes that during this Summer, maybe two or three days a week, I can come by, sit on the couch or maybe at the table and talk books with Karli. Most of the kids on the island don’t read, and if they do, they don’t have the comprehension Karli does to see the nuances the author paints with broad strokes of the pen,” Jamal said.
“What?”
“Sir, once we complete the Potter Series, I would like to introduce her to Artemis Fowl. Although I’m a big fan of the Maze Runner series, I think those would be a bit too advanced for a fifth grader, but Karli is sharp,” Jamal said, smiling at him.
The only thing Raphael saw were those little muscled arms embracing his daughter. He started to sweat. He wanted to get angry, but Karli was right, the boy was swaggalicious, and he impressed Raphael.
“Sir, all of this is if you are comfortable with me being her friend. I know I’m going to the eighth grade but we’ll be in the eyesight of you and your wife at all times,” Jamal said, holding up the lunch bag. “Karli said you have no intention of feeding the neighborhood, so I brought my own snacks. We can alternate on snack days if that’s okay. My allowance ain’t that deep even for the son of a heart surgeon. A brother still has to cut the grass at the hizzy to keep bizzy even to purchase a can of fizzy.”
“What?”
“Sir, does my offer meet with your approval?”
“I don’t even know half of what you just said,” Raphael replied squinted at the boy.
“Sir, is it satisfactory for me come by a couple of times a week to do like a book club with Karli? I’ll bring food one day, Karli does the snacks on another,” Jamal said.
“Sure, why not?”
Jamal asked, “Is she home, and if so, may I see her and share the good news?”
“Yeah, she’s here. Come on in,” Raphael said, opening the front door. Jamal looked around the house at the bright colors, nodding his head in approval. “Karli, someone is here to see you.”
He heard the footsteps come down the stairs. Immediately, he noticed she wasn’t wearing the same clothes she had on when he went to answer the door. Karli had changed into a pair of jeans that came below her knees and a pink tank top.
The braids in the back of her hair were removed allowing her hair to hang down to her shoulders.
“What?” Raphael said, looking at his little Pooh Bear. She had put on some of the lip glosser she’d bought at the Lodge gift shop.
“Oh, hey Jamal. How are you? This is a surprise. What’s up?” she said, sounding calm as if she hadn’t seen him on the security camera and ran at lightning speed to change clothes.
“Hey, Karli Girl. I just talked to your Daddy about us having like book club here. Just me and you. A couple of days a week, so we can talk books,” Jamal said, walking over to the table and setting down the lunch bag. “I brought snacks plus a couple of extra special things for you.”
“Oh, did you?” she said, providing a coy smile. “In the words of Hermione... let’s see then.”
“Karli Girl, you are clever,” Jamal said, opening the bag. Raphael found himself leaning to look inside of it as well. The bag held two bottles of water, two pears, and a large chocolate chip cookie. “My allowance was tight this week, had to get a haircut, but I had enough for one big cookie. We have to share.”
“I don’t mind sharing with you, Jamal,” she told the kid, giving him that same look she gave Raphael that made him buy that stupid $70 suitcase with a blue horned, one eyed, gay ass unicorn on it. “As soon as my allowance starts, I’ll buy some stuff for our book club as well. Wait. Did you say you brought a couple of extra special things? Was there anything else you brought for me, Jamal?”
Suddenly, he started feeling bad for the kid. Raphael stood to the side as the boy dug into his pocket and pulled out the most perfect sand dollar he’d ever seen. He held it in the palm of his hand and showed it to Karli. It was when she touched it that Raphael noticed the leather string.
“Jamal, what it is?”
“A sand dollar. When you left, after the kids made fun of you for having a crush on me, I wanted to give you something to show you I value your friendship,” Jamal told her. “I looked for three days, every day on the beach when the tide went out to find the perfect one. I found it, Karli. I found the perfect one.”
Blind Copy (The Technicians Series Book 5) Page 26
