Angels at the Table (Angels Everywhere #7)(35)

“So you keep reminding me,” Lucie muttered.

The officer returned and handed her the newspaper.

“Can I plead for mercy?” Lucie asked, folding her hands and gazing up at him. “It was a freak accident. I’m sure nothing like this will ever happen again.”

He hesitated and then nodded. “Okay, I’ll let you off this time. Just make sure you don’t have any other freak accidents.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“I’d have an easier time believing you if you rolled up that window,” he said, shaking his head.

“I tried earlier but it was stuck.”

“Try again.”

Naturally it rolled up without the least bit of effort. Lucie groaned with frustration. “I realize this makes everything I told you sound like a lie, but it was the truth. Every word.”

“Can we go now?” the cabbie asked.

“Go and sin no more,” the officer said, looking directly past Lucie.

The taxi driver didn’t need any encouragement. He eased back into traffic and took off at an accelerated pace, tossing Lucie back against the cushioned seat.

——

Mercy expelled her breath and grabbed both Shirley and Goodness by the arm. “Do … you know who … that was?” she stuttered.

“Yes,” Will answered for them. “It was an officer of the law.”

“No, it wasn’t,” Mercy said, shaking so badly several feathers threatened to fall from her wings. “That was Gabriel. He looked straight at me.”

“Gabriel?” Goodness slapped her hand over her mouth. “How do you know?”

“Go and sin no more? What New York patrolman would say something like that?”

“He knows it was us causing Lucie those problems.”

“The newspaper, the newspaper,” Will cried. “Lucie’s reading the newspaper.”

Sure enough, Lucie had it open to the front page and was scanning the contents, seeking out Aren’s name.

“Oh, no,” Will muttered. “After everything we went through …”

Mercy quieted him with a single glance. “Not to worry. It’s Friday’s edition.”

“Friday? You mean we went through all that for a day-old newspaper?” Shirley collapsed onto the seat next to Lucie. “I’m too old for this kind of excitement.” She pressed her hand over her heart.

“It wasn’t Friday’s edition that got tossed out the window,” Will said quickly. “I saw the date before I sat down and it was definitely the Saturday edition.”

“Then that really was Gabriel,” Shirley whispered. “I had no idea he intervened with matters on Earth.”

“Me either … I’ve never known him to do anything like that before.” Mercy remained shaken. “You know what this means, don’t you?” she asked her fellow Prayer Ambassadors.

“Huh?”

“Tell us.”

“It means Gabriel doesn’t want Lucie reading that paper before Aren talks to her either. He’s giving us his tacit permission to do whatever is necessary to see that doesn’t happen.”

“Gabriel?” Goodness repeated as though shocked. “Do you honestly believe that?”

“It makes sense, otherwise he would have pulled us from Earth so fast our heads would be spinning.”

“He might clip our wings yet,” Goodness pointed out.

“Oh dear, oh dear,” Shirley cried. “Listen, the three of you go on without me.” She pressed the back of her hand against her forehead. “I don’t know that I can take this pressure any longer. I think I might have bent my wing flapping around the inside of this cab.”

“Relax,” Mercy said, taking her friend’s hand and patting it gently. “Take in deep breaths and you’ll be fine in a couple of minutes.”

“Can I do anything?” Will asked, looking concerned.

“No, no, everything should be okay in a couple hundred light-years,” Shirley reassured him.

“Deep breaths,” Goodness repeated. “Take in deep breaths.”

“Oh, I do feel better.”

The cab pulled to a stop outside Heavenly Delights and Lucie paid the fare and climbed out. She paused on the sidewalk and glanced down the street. Mercy’s gaze followed Lucie’s and she gasped, drawing in a deep breath.

“What is it?” Goodness demanded.

“There’s a newsstand down the street,” Mercy said and shot out of the cab.

Goodness and Will followed.

“Don’t leave me,” Shirley pleaded and reluctantly followed.

Lucie walked down to the stand, saw the newspaper, and opened her purse, digging inside her wallet for the correct change.

“Now what?” Will asked, glancing from one to the other.

“This is a piece of cake,” Mercy insisted. She sat on top of the pile and crossed her legs, while the proprietor dealt with another customer.

Lucie set the proper change on the counter and tried to pick up the paper. Sure enough it wouldn’t budge. She jerked again, harder this time. Nothing. The man at the stand was dealing with two youths who had apparently been causing problems and completely ignored her.

Mercy crossed her arms and looked pleased with herself.