An Angel on My Shoulder

by David Callinan

  “Share my peace,” he heard himself say.

  A sudden and vivid image of a young man’s face flashed into his mind like a bright star and hot-wired itself to his cerebellum. It was instant and left his mind as soon as he had thought about it. The face appeared vaguely Asiatic, slightly Amero-Indian and then again it appeared slightly Eurasian, then Occidental and European. It was a face that banished all fear and doubt. It was so beautiful that he could not bear to try and recall it. It was a face that occupied all the space and time there was. There was no room for anything else in the contemplation of its expression.

  Roscoe released Paul from his python-like embrace and they began to walk away from the brink of death.

  “That was weird,” he remarked. “Did you see it? Did you see him?”

  “Yes,” said Paul. “I saw him. Now do you believe me?”

  PART THREE

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  The beginning of the end

  Spring had come early to the forest. Battalions of bluebells stretched like blankets of vivid colour in the midst of pine and beech.

  Paul walked with Sabre knee-deep in blooms, intoxicated with the scent. Rory had made a brief visit home, bearded and tanned. He worked for a time, played basketball with Paul for a time and saved a little money to go off on his travels again, still determined to become an Australian.

  “Marry someone rich,” was Paul’s parting advice to his son, although it was only a half-serious suggestion. Annie had gone to dive in Fiji again and Cassie had set the date for her marriage to Geoff.

  Paul’s business was steady with always the threat of insecurity lurking in the background. Kate was getting tired and wearied by her job even though she enjoyed it.

  Paul now felt sanguine about the experiences of the last few years. What would be would be, he had decided. He was now expecting events to unravel as predicted. He felt somehow cleansed and prepared to meet whatever destiny came his way. Maybe this was the only attitude to take?

  He could not get the thought of Peru out of his mind: somehow, sometime, he would go there, maybe with Kate, maybe not, he did not know. He just felt the call of the Andes and the secret valley and the next step on his journey.

  When Malone threw a party it was usually a good one. And normally, somebody else was paying. It was his birthday but he had also managed to achieve one of his ambitions; to have his paintings hanging in a professional gallery. With typical bravado, Malone had persuaded the gallery owner to allow him to hold his birthday party at his premises. An old flame from the past had reappeared and underwritten the cost.

  Paul was there on his own surrounded by around forty other guests. Centre of attention were three of Malone’s more bizarre works; somewhat surreal but highly idiosyncratic. Canapés came and went and Paul sipped a crisp Chardonnay and mingled. He knew a lot of people here and had to admire Malone’s sheer dash and nerve. He was holding court with a sun-bronzed woman in her late forties clinging to him as though he would float away in the highly charged atmosphere.

  Paul had presented him with a perfect Buddha statue in pensive mood and Malone had adored it. Spotting him, Malone called Paul over.

  “My darlin’ boy, you know everyone here, don’t you? This is the delightful Mandy, but I call her Tinky-Winky. Don’t ask me why, it just so suits her.”

  The group laughed and the waitress filled their wine glasses. Malone turned to Paul and called over a tall man standing in the shadows behind.

  “Paul, I want you to meet David. David, Paul.”

  Paul shook hands with David who was exceptionally tall with a lived in face and moustache.

  “David is a writer,” Malone told Paul. “You know how you’re always banging on about wanting to meet a writer, well, I’ve found one for you.”

  Malone turned back to the cultivation of Tinky-Winky and continued to engage his audience with the inside track on his motivation as a painter.

  “So, you’re a writer?” said Paul.

  “Well, yes,” said David. “Not full time, at least not yet. I’ve had a couple of books published.”

  “What kind of stuff?”

  “Oh, pretty hard core science fiction mixed with horror and metaphysics.”

  “How come you know Malone?”

  “He’s something else, isn’t he?” David laughed. Paul was taking a liking to this tall man. He felt warmth and understanding exuding from him.

  “We’ve written a couple of screenplays together,” David explained. “We keep coming up with fantastic ideas. We can’t seem to stop writing. It’s pouring out.”

  “I had no idea,” said Paul, glancing over at Malone. “He’s a dark horse. Sounds like Hollywood will beckon. I guess Malone is the stream of consciousness thinker, you add your fifty percent then you have the discipline to put the script together?”

  “You’re pretty perceptive.”

  “I just can’t see Malone having the organization or discipline to sit at a computer. Of course, he hasn’t got a computer.”

  “I’ve just got myself a new literary agent,” said David. “So I do have some kind of conduit to publishers now.”

  “Apart from working on screenplays, do you have any other projects planned?”

  “Not really. I guess I am just looking for that once-in-a-lifetime story that becomes a bestseller.”

  Paul was silent for a while. Was this serendipitous? Could this be another cog in the wheel? How many writers did he meet in the course of a year? None is the answer. How many writers had he ever met? Again, the answer was none, except for journalists and they didn’t count.

  “Have you ever considered working with someone who just might have that once-in-a-lifetime story to tell but can’t write it?”

  David blinked at him and shifted his spectacles on his nose. “Why not? It all depends if the story grabs me.”

  “Do you have time to listen to me for a few minutes?” asked Paul.

  “Sure,” David smiled.

  The buzz and laughter of the party escalated as more of Mandy’s alcohol was consumed. In a corner, Paul and David sat talking. Or rather, Paul talked and David listened with increasing interest and fascination. Nearly an hour passed and the party was breaking up when Paul and David stood and shook hands again warmly. In the background, Malone was being carried out of the gallery by two friends supporting him on either side. He was laughing uncontrollably and calling for more wine.

  “It’s amazing,” said David. “Angels, demons, prophecy, man discovering his true nature, the new messiah or light of the world, quantum physics, Athens, Nepal, a secret brotherhood in Peru with a mystical mirror and more to come. Not to mention the supreme computer program we could all be a part of. You couldn’t invent a story like that. It’s not just a book, it’s a movie.”

  “What do you say, then? Will you do it? Will you work with me on this?” Paul asked him.

  “I think you know the answer is yes, don’t you? After all, I’m part of the prophecy, aren’t I?”

  “I think you might be,” said Paul.

  “So, we get the book written, then it’s next stop Peru,” said David.

  “I suppose so,” said Paul.

  “Watch out,” laughed David. Paul looked around startled.

  “What, what?” he smiled.

  “There’s an angel on your shoulder.”

  Paul laughed and they left the gallery together.

  The end

  DON’T GO YET

  If you enjoyed this Mike Delaney thriller, then read other books in the series: Full list: ONE FALSE MOVE, CAPTURED, THE IMMORTALITY PLOT and TORN APART. A new Delaney thriller will be published shortly:

  THE EXTERMINATOR

  

  And there are my other stand-alone thrillers to enjoy: KNIFE EDGE. AN ANGEL ON MY SHOULDER and BODYSWITCH

  THE IMMORTALITY PLOT

  They murder scores of young woman and steal their DNA.

  They think their freakish assassin will never be caught. That’s th
eir first mistake.

  Then they kill Mike Delaney’s pregnant wife – a journalist close to uncovering their terrifying global plot. That was their second mistake. Ex-assassin, ex-cop and former warrior monk, Delaney has sworn never to kill again.

  Now he has no option but to break his vow.

  TORN APART

  A Catholic nun. A deadly assassin. Bound together by blood. Twins torn apart at birth.

  When they are re-united by Mike Delaney, this detonates an unstoppable explosion of events that embroils Delaney in the battle of his life.

  Hunted by ‘the sepulchre killer’ who uses a long forgotten ancient weapon

  CAPTURED

  A seductive woman with a deadly secret. Mike Delaney is in the right place at the wrong time

  A woman on the run from a ruthless cyber gang sees Mike Delaney on the street. In desperation she drops something into his pocket and snaps him on her cell phone.

  From that moment the ex-US assassin, ex-Hong Police enforcer and ex-monk is sucked into a war against an enemy that will stop at nothing to get it back.

  Then he comes face-to-face with Mammoth.

  

  ONE FALSE MOVE

  (free download)

  Don’t blink. A crazed escapee and child abuser knows where you live.

  He kidnaps Mike Delaney’s wheelchair-bound friend and his 15-year old daughter.

  He has just four hours to rescue them from a monster, a figure from his past.

  Hell bent on turning the screw and wreaking revenge on Mike Delaney.

  MIKE DELANEY TRIPLE THRILLER BOXSET (special price)

  He's Irish-American. He was a covert U.S government assassin. He's been a Hong Kong cop. And he's been a warrior monk with the Brothers of Light.

  Now he's a footloose trouble magnet.

  Fantastic value: Three compelling, high-octane thrillers in one boxset.

  ‘The Immortality Plot’, ‘One False Move’, ‘Captured’

  THE EXTERMINATOR

  (publication date mid-2019)

  Mike Delaney’s past as a G-Force assassin returns to haunt him.

  When his former commander-in-chief is suddenly murdered, Delaney is forced out of retirement. He uncovers a plot at the heart of government and falls foul of a murderous conspiracy.

  Will he escape The Exterminator?

  PRE-ORDER

  

  BODYSWITCH

  If you think your body belongs to you – think again

  Jack Madigan is made an offer no human being has ever received. The chance to say goodbye to his dead wife beyond the grave. But there is a price to pay. Another soul must be allowed to occupy his body and given a chance of redemption.

  Guess who?

  KNIFE EDGE

  'Make me beautiful, make me beautiful…" Ella Fallon makes this secret wish every night

  She and her lover Ed Leeming were born brilliant but ugly and their lives made a misery at California's most exclusive college by Scott Stockton, leader of 'The Beautiful Elite'. They would kill to have what Stockton has – and more.

  Enter the Svengali figure of futuristic body re-modeller/plastic surgeon Thomas Startz who is about to make their dreams come true.

  The craving never ends.

  AN ANGEL ON MY SHOULDER

  The new Messiah is alive on Earth today but cannot read or write

  This being is destined to sweep away all current religions and beliefs and prepare the world for a transcendental shift in human consciousness.

  And one man has been chosen to transcribe the Messiah's words and reveal them to the world.

  THE DARK POWER OF THREE (BOXSET)

  For fans of Dean Koontz, John Saul, Clive Barker, Stephen King

  Three dangerous, obsessive, paranormal, suck-in-your-breath, dark and disturbing thrillers

  THE VANISHING

  When the animals vanish from Earth, a boy, a girl and their pet orangutan embark on a quest across time and space (for lovers of 'His Dark Materials)

  Leading edge science, the paranormal, cosmic parasites, artificial creatures and artificial intelligence combine in this action packed YA fantasy.

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  About the author:

  David Callinan is the author of sci-fi classic Fortress Manhattan and co-author of bestselling guide to holistic health The 10 Minute Miracle. Born into a family in the west of Ireland he grew up in the UK. After graduating from art school he did a host of jobs from telegraphist to salesman – busked around Europe then rediscovered Irish music and formed TheSpalpeens.

  In his early teens he appeared in films such as The Lion In Winter and Sinful Davey and scores of television advertisements.

  Later, he formed Urban Clearway, touring and performing with artists such as Elton John, Billy Connolly and Rod Stewart.

  He co-wrote a Celtic rock opera for the Edinburgh Festival. 'Pucka-Ri' starred Pierce Brosnan and became one of the hits of the Fringe. Latterly, an earlier spacey, folk-rock album, Freedom's Lament, recorded by Callinan-Flynn, has emerged as a highly sought after title on the Internet.

  He has written screenplays, thrillers, YA fantasy and a children’s chapter book series. He lives in Herefordshire