Angels at the Table (Angels Everywhere #7)(34)

Lucie felt the same way. They would have the entire evening together, and the promise of that filled her with happy anticipation.

Aren closed the door and stepped back. She waved to him and, as was her custom, she placed her hand to her lips and then to the window.

After she gave the driver the address of Heavenly Delights, the taxi drove away, and Lucie settled into the seat. It was then that she noticed a copy of the New York Gazette on the seat next to her.

Chapter Twelve

An immediate sense of panic rose up in Mercy when she saw Lucie reach for the Saturday edition of the New York Gazette that rested next to her in the taxi.

“Quick,” Goodness screeched, wagging her finger at Lucie. “Grab that newspaper.”

Lucie reached for the paper and it wouldn’t budge from the seat for the simple reason that Will sat on it. Tug as she might, the newspaper stayed exactly where it was.

“That’s not going to work for long,” Shirley cried, also in a panic. “Roll down the window and get rid of it.”

Mercy reached over and quickly cranked the lever. Immediately a blast of cold air filled the cab.

Lucie gasped and reached over to roll up the window.

“Hey, lady, it’s December. Roll up that blasted window before we both freeze.”

“I’m trying. The handle seems to be stuck.”

“Try harder.”

Goodness reached for the newspaper and swirled it around the inside of the cab, which was no small feat, seeing how crowded it was with the four of them cramped inside the front and back seats plus the cabdriver and Lucie.

“You throw that newspaper out the window and I get charged with littering, then you’re paying the fine, lady.”

“I’m trying to get it,” Lucie shouted back, but every time it came within her reach, Goodness jerked it away.

“Get rid of it,” Mercy urged, doing her best to help and only adding to the mayhem.

“I don’t want to litter,” Shirley cried, wadding up the newspaper and stuffing it on the floorboards.

Lucie reached for it but before she could snatch it, Mercy grabbed the paper and shouted at her friend, “For the love of heaven, toss the thing. We can go back and pick it up later.”

“Okay, okay.”

Out the window the newspaper went, but as luck would have it, the pages landed at the feet of a policeman. He immediately leaped onto his motorcycle and gave chase, lights and siren blazing.

“Okay, lady, what did I tell you?” the cabbie grumbled. “You’re paying the fine. I didn’t have anything to do with this.”

“Ah … I didn’t litter, I swear. It just flew out of the cab all on its own.”

“If that’s your story then okay, but personally I think you’d better come up with something a bit more original.”

The taxi driver pulled to the side of the road and eased to a stop at the curb. The motorcycle cop parked directly behind him. He swung off his bike and walked directly to the side of the taxi. With his feet braced apart, and his thumbs tucked in his waistband, the officer waited for the taxi driver to roll down his window. The driver complied, but reluctantly.

“Hello, Officer. You need to talk to the passenger.”

Lucie groaned inwardly and smiled weakly up at the patrolman. “Merry Christmas, Officer.”

He stood tall and lean, and glared directly at her. “Would you like to explain yourself?”

“Ah …”

It appeared Lucie was at a loss for words.

The patrolman frowned and his face darkened. “Littering in the state of New York carries a hefty fine. Tossing a newspaper out a window is a safety hazard. That newspaper might have blinded a driver.”

“Officer … I could make up a story, but what I’m telling you is the absolute truth. I wanted to read that newspaper but it felt like it was glued to the seat. Then the window rolled down without my doing anything. It was up and then all of a sudden it went down and I wasn’t even close to that side of the cab. I thought the driver must have inadvertently pushed the button but when I looked over I saw it wasn’t an automated window. Then he started yelling at me to roll it up but it wouldn’t budge, and while I was trying to do that, the newspaper started making crazy circles in the vehicle and before I could grab it, it flew out the window.”

“That’s your story?”

“Yes,” she said, “and every word of it is the truth, I swear.”

“And you expect me to believe the window rolled down all on its own?”

“I swear I didn’t touch it. It came down all by itself.”

He glared back at her and shook his head as though her story was completely unbelievable.

“Do you honestly think I’d purposely litter right in front of you?” Lucie asked.

“Lady,” the cabdriver called back to her, “it’s better not to argue; just take the ticket and let’s get out of here.”

The police officer’s frown darkened even more.

“Actually I was looking forward to reading that newspaper,” Lucie continued. “A friend of mine has an article in it.”

The officer looked at the driver and then back at Lucie. “Well, you’re in luck because I saved it.” He left and returned to his motorcycle.

“He’s got that and a ticket just for you,” the cabbie told her. “And it’s your fine, lady. I warned you.”