“It is not just prayer we teach,” she replied, her tone severe, as though my words were abrupt, rude.
“I want to get stronger,” I said, struggling to keep my tone even, “and then I want to get out. I have something I need to do, and I don’t want to waste my time here.”
She shook her head and smiled at me gently. “We will waste not a second of your time,” she declared. “And our training will begin very soon.” She held out one hand, and I took it, feeling her skin, dry and cool, against my own.
I squinted up at her, still not understanding what she spoke of. It took me another few weeks to realize nuns who fought in the crusades in the twelfth century were not far off from the nuns who worked with me now. They knew how to fight, and they knew how to win.
I stood with her, then accompanied her down the stone corridors, perfumed with the lavender which grew plentiful outside the windows, pausing in the round hall, the furnishings a circle of stone benches. I perched on the rock, feeling the cool sinking into my skin, causing my wound to ache.
“We will begin at the beginning,” Sister Evangeline informed me, and I concentrated on her every word, recognizing she absolutely had something significant to teach me. Improving my skill had become all consuming, a goal I set my sights on, determination forcing me to stay upright, remain alert, when my body begged for rest. But it had all been worth it.
“Come in,” I said to the two women, including the wildly excited dogs in the invitation. “I didn’t realize you were going to bring these guys,” I added, glancing from Sister Eva’s inscrutable face to Alex’s grin.
“These guys are all that stood between my home and whoever decided they needed to get in. I think they earned their way as part of our team.”
“Team?”
Sister Eva chuckled to herself and closed the door behind her.
She held a suitcase in one hand.
“More of that later, I’m sure,” she announced. “And where would you like us to settle our things?”
I blinked. I failed to plan beyond the fact Alex would be residing with me. I pictured Sister Eva returning to the abbey as soon as Alex was settled. It never occurred to me my house guests might have multiplied.
“I have two guests’ rooms,” I explained hesitantly. “Back down this hall.”
I led the way to the tiny bedrooms, each with a bed and dresser, one with a desk. That one was used as an office rather than a bedroom most of the time. Of course, I only lived at the house for a limited duration anyway, so the rooms remained practically untouched for the time I owned the house.
Sister Eva placed the one suitcase on the bed and nodded to Alex.
“This will be your room, yes?” she declared, eyebrows raised.
“That’s fine. And thank you,” Alex replied. She relaxed slowly on the bed, sighing a little. “This is nice. I didn’t even realize you bought a new house until Sister told me.” Alex was looking at me pointedly, and I could tell I should have spoken of the matter before.
“I haven’t owned it long.” I glanced at the nun standing quietly in the doorway. “Are you staying as well?”
“As long as it isn’t an inconvenience.”
I suppressed an expression of incredulity I might have let slip before my training. An inconvenience? Well, no, it wasn’t that, but a total surprise.
“Let’s get your bag,” I said instead, and started down the hall.
I didn’t cook often, so dinner was takeout from the local pizza place. I watched Sister Eva retire to the little guest bedroom before I sat down with Alex. She was looking pale, not herself.
“Are you feeling all right?” I asked. It was hard for me not to face a problem head on, but I knew Alex was feeling a little fragile, and rightfully so.
“All right?” she responded. “You know how it feels to discover Santa Claus isn’t real? You kind of realize, but you don’t want to admit it?” She peered up at me, her bruised face showing fatigue. “That’s how I feel. I always suspected there was more to the world than I could see. I wanted to believe in God. I wanted to believe in miracles. I guess I just didn’t want to think of the opposite.”
I fought to suppress some humorless laughter. Ironic Alex’s big reveal was figuring out God was real. Then she could accept his arch enemy was as well. I was the opposite. I knew Satan was real, that much I was confident in, but I doubted a God who would let all these terrible things happen, no matter how Sister Eva wanted to believe. Wanted me to believe.
I held my tongue. I told Vic what I thought about God, and during a particularly dark time I had admitted my inner thoughts to the nuns at the abbey. I didn’t examine them again, and I didn’t plan to. If God was alive, I had yet to see him. All I needed was for Alex to be aware of Satan, of his movements in our civilization, and his many opportunities to prey upon us. His threat was absolute and immediate, and I wasn’t about to rely on some feathered angels to come down from heaven and save our butts.
“I’m sorry this happened,” I began, feeling the words clog my throat.
“Sorry?” Alex looked at me, her expression puzzled. “Why are you sorry? This is our chance to change something. Something tremendous. I mean, I help in the clinic, and that makes me feel good about my position, but there’s so much I can’t do anything about.” She paused and grasped her hands tightly in her lap. “This time, I can make a difference that’s going to last. And if we don’t,” I saw the first flicker of fear on her face.
“We will,” I assured her. “I’ve been at this longer, and I can tell you one thing for sure,” I halted and considered her.
“What?” she insisted.
“The Devil is stupid,” I replied, and I smirked.
I made a call to Kurt the following morning. Since my visit to the warehouse, there were only a few leads left to follow. One was the name on the car rental agreement I discovered among the garbage in the office. I let Kurt’s phone ring, and when I got a message, left a hurried request for him to call me. I concluded if I didn’t hear back soon, I would have to try another source.
At noon, I tried Kurt again and getting no response, dug out the number for Rob Castel. He came through for me before when Kurt asked him to help me with supplies. He found the equipment on my initial visit, the computer and the listening devices I needed for my interview with Lockley. I was still using the computer, so I knew he did good work.
I dialed his number. I didn’t know if he would be happy, or nervous to hear from me. Yet I could pay well, and he learned that. Surely it was expensive to keep up the supply for all his electronic gadgetry.
He answered immediately when I called. I used a different phone and phone number than I did the first time, and I was glad he decided to pick up. Caller ID wouldn’t have helped him with me.
“Rob, this is Samantha,” I began. “Can you talk?”
“Samantha? Kurt’s friend, Samantha? With the dogs, you mean?”
I smiled a little wolfishly. He sounded a bit worried, but he didn’t hang up on me. Yes, the dogs at first made the man nervous, but he got over it. I figured now he was more distressed about hearing my voice.
“Yes, I have the dogs, but they’re going to a new home soon,” I assured him. It looked like Alex was going to adopt the two creatures permanently, which made me happy. I had grown fond of the two and was glad they would be helping keep my friend safe.
Rob had seen enough of the animals himself to know they weren’t dangerous, at least not without commands or provocation. If I read him right, it looked like he believed I was the more hazardous of the three of us. And he was correct.
“Rob, I have another favor for you,” I began, trying to keep my voice warm and reassuring. “I have something else I hoped you might be able to help me with. I couldn’t get in contact with Kurt, but I know he trusts you, and he believes you are good at your job.” I paused to let him digest my words. “Are you interested?”
“What are we talking about?” he asked, a thread of caution in his tone.
Good, I didn’t want him to assume what he was doing was all rainbows and unicorns. It wouldn’t be fair if he supposed there was no hazard involved. There was a risk, and an exceedingly real one. By helping me, he was making some seriously scary enemies if they ever learned who he was.
“I have a name. I need you to look him up, give me some information. I’d like to know what his job is, where he lives, what he does. Anything you can dig up, down to his great grandmother’s dog’s name.”
“Um, okay,” he acknowledged. “Should be no problem. What’s the name?”
“Gerrard Blanton,” I responded, and spelled the first and last names. “He’d be from the general area, anywhere from Tennessee to Indiana. He rented a car and I have a receipt.” I read out the information. Got it?”
“Yep,” he replied, and I could almost picture the blue lit screen reflected in his glasses as he started the search. “When do you need results?”
“Now,” I answered, and then smiled. “As soon as you can get them, Rob. And thanks.”
“Sure, no prob,” his voice already showed the abstracted air Kurt’s voice got when he began to descend into the other world.
“Great,” I replied, and was about to hang up when I heard Rob call my name. “Yes?”
“Hey, yeah, did I tell you? I figured out how to tap into the line you were using on your last job.”
“The line? You mean the bug I planted at,” I stopped myself, realizing I shouldn’t reveal any specific names. Rob didn’t need details.
“Yeah. The new models have a greater reach. Not only that, if there is an open Wi-Fi network in the area, it connects and broadcasts the signal that way. When I went out on the web, I searched for the device and it’s made a Wi-Fi connection. Now you can listen to what they say if the laptop I gave you is connected to the internet. You still have the computer I gave you?”
“Sure,” I countered, scanning the blank screen. I hadn’t even switched it on.
“So, you already synced the listening device to the computer while they were hooked up to the same frequency. That’s how you used it earlier.”
“Oh,” I said, drawing out the word.
“Anyway,” he went on rapidly, as though he was afraid he might have to start a lesson in how wireless information was passed from one machine to another. “As long as your program is connected with the same frequency, you should still be able to register some of the action on the other end. The battery will eventually run out. It won’t last more than a week. But the device was sound activated, so it should be dormant as long as there isn’t anything going on in the office. Saves battery.”
“Then if I do the same actions as before, pull up the program you installed and switched on the device, I should be able to hear what’s happening in the office?”
“Sure, yeah, as long as someone is talking, you should hear it.”
I was nodding to myself. I wasn’t sure if our good ol’ boy Lockley kept any further knowledge, but it wouldn’t hurt to check up.
“Can I record what they’re saying?”
“Well, there is that capability, but you’d be using up a lot of storage for the audio.”
“Okay, well, great,” I answered, finding I was feeling distracted by a fresh opportunity. I wrote off Lockley as a dead source. Perhaps I wrote him off too hastily. “Thanks again, Rob.”
“Yeah, sure, do I call you on this number when I get something?”
I assured him it would work fine and ended the call. Technology was moving too fast for me, which made it a good thing there were people like Kurt, and now Rob, to support me. What should I do about this new information? I would clearly have to investigate it. If there was a chance Lockley could supply another lead on a property, I wanted to know.
I was in the midst of an inventory of my weapons when the call came through. Rob, like Kurt, was effective at his job and took satisfaction in it. He was able to find out quite a lot of information about Gerrard Blanton. Luck held out for me, and I discovered he lived outside of the Louisville area in Shelbyville. It didn’t surprise me. Although I knew the reaches of the church were considerable, the primary leadership moved to Louisville to be united with the devotees and close to Mikey McCain, Vic’s evil brother. That was fine with me. It made them convenient to take out.
“Okay, what is his profession?” I asked Rob, absently running the soft cleaning cloth down the blade of the katana. I carefully polished the handle as well, noting the engraving.
“Says here he works for Motion Fun Incorporated. They own some of the entertainment centers in Louisville, Southern Indiana, Ohio, and Tennessee. One of those places where kids play putt-putt golf, video games, laser tag, stuff like that.”
“They own kids’ entertainment centers,” I said under my breath. “Figures. These creeps are focused on kids.” I didn’t realize I made the last comment aloud until he spoke.
“Not good news, I suppose,” he responded.
I shrugged. Not good, not bad. It was just a fact. “We’ll see. It depends if they are using the business as another cover for one of their plans.”
“Plans,” he replied deliberately. “Is this something I shouldn’t ask about? Kurt told me I shouldn’t ask too many questions.”
“Kurt can be extremely sharp sometimes,” I answered. I gnawed at my lip, staring blindly out my front window. “Okay, what else do we have for the guy?” I didn’t want to give Rob too much information. Giving him leads would be enough to allow him to hang himself with the knowledge. Better to let him guess what I meant than for him to know and be targeted for it.
By the time I got off the phone with Rob, the list of my plans was long. I needed to go to the address he gave me for Blanton. The sooner I cleared him, or found him guilty, the sooner I would be able to better examine the linkage between him and the church. If there was a connection.
I went back in the kitchen to turn on the coffee pot, distracted by my thoughts. Alex came wandering in a few minutes later, looking slightly stronger, but still painfully bruised.
“What’s up? I heard you on the phone.” As she spoke, the two dogs came barreling from the guest bedroom, all rippling muscles and lolling tongues. I opened the back door and let them rush out, enjoying the way they moved with utter abandon and joy. It would be nice to have no cares in the world.
“I have another lead. Someone who was working in the warehouse. I need to go check him out.”
The coffee finished brewing, and I poured a cup for Alex and myself, settling down at the table with sugar and cream.
“You’re going out there?” Alex looked up at me, her chin set. “Then I’m going too.”
I was already shaking my head. “No way, friend,” I declared adamantly. “Look at you. You’re still beat up from the last time we tried this.”
“I can fight,” she protested.
“Yes, you can, when you’re healthy. You’d be more of a detriment to me than an advantage, at this stage in the game.”
“Then you take someone else.” She was looking at me with those blue eyes, so deceptively pretty and gentle looking.
“I don’t have anyone, or need anyone,” I argued.
“If you don’t find someone else, I’m coming,” she proclaimed. She took a sip of coffee and looked over the rim of her cup at me, her eyes challenging.
“Who do you think I should take? Sister Evangeline?” The sisters could fight, I knew that, but Sister Evangeline was much too important to risk on some reconnaissance mission.
“What about the guy you went to the party with? Abe. You seemed to think he was competent.” She looked pensive. “And Fluffy and Bart. They’re guard dogs. They would be a challenge for anyone trying to get the drop on you.”
I hesitated. Yes, Abe was certainly qualified, but I didn’t know if he would want to be pulled into yet another of my exploits. The party was necessary. This visit was something I wanted to try. If it turned up nothing, the only thing I would have wasted was time.
> And the dogs? It wasn’t a bad idea. They were fully recovered from their wounds, and their keen senses would be good if I faced any bad guys.
“I’ll think about it,” I responded. When she looked like she might say something else, I cut her off. “I promise, Alex. I’ll consider it.”
Chapter Ten
Abe arrived in a nondescript Chevy, grey in color, with slightly tinted windows. When I eyed it from the porch, Abe only responded with a quirked eyebrow. He abandoned the glasses and looked a little less like a history professor and a little more like a computer geek.
“Nice wheels,” I said.
“I know,” he smirked. “I borrowed it from a buddy.”
“So, the Mercedes is your usual ride?”
“God, no,” he responded, the smile broadening.
“Okay,” I stepped aside and waved him in. “I have orders from a higher power to bring you in.”
“Like a date meeting your old man,” he teased.
“Yeah, my dad.”
“Sorry, maybe the wrong reference.”
I smiled back. “Trust me, the people you have to get through now are much more challenging than my father ever was.”
He nodded, glancing up as Alex came in. She was followed closely by Sister Evangeline. The good Sister was wearing her familiar black garb, her black veil, lined with white, framing an ageless face. She seemed to glide when she walked. She was some sort of spooky when she tried.
“Abraham,” Sister Eva said warmly, and I stared in consternation as they exchanged an embrace, Sister Eva’s head reaching only the middle of Abe’s chest.
“I guess you know one another,” I said.
“I’ve known Abraham for many years,” Sister Eva replied, holding Abe’s arm gently. “I’ve enjoyed serving with him.”
“Working?” I studied the two of them. My feelings were mixed. I was glad Sister Eva liked Abe. There wasn’t anyone in the world I trusted more than her. I lived with her, healed with her support, and realized my purpose while in her presence. But to learn the two of them knew each other before caused me to feel like I missed something profoundly important.
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