The Trouble with Angels (Angels Everywhere #2)(3)

"That’s not what we heard,” Shirley said. "Rumor has it you’re as overworked as ever and in need of a little help from your friends.”

"We’ve come to volunteer our services.” Mercy stepped forward eagerly, nearly colliding with the table.

"But we’d like to work in Los Angeles this time,” Goodness informed him. "I’m right fond of California, and it seems to me the City of Angels could do with our help.”

"But we must insist upon working together.” Mercy crossed her arms as if to say she was making her stand. "Remember what a great job we did last year? You can’t let a golden opportunity like this slip through your fingers.”

"Yes, I can.” Gabriel didn’t feel he could mince words. Weeks after their last venture to earth, he had been left to answer for their tomfoolery.

Goodness and Mercy bounced a shocked look off each other, then glared at him. "You can?”

"Karen Woods?” The softly spoken question came from Shirley, who was leaning over the Book of Prayer, her finger poised at Gabriel’s most recent entry.

"She’s a troubled young girl,” Gabriel supplied, his heart heavy over the twelve-year-old’s situation. It would take a prayer ambassador with far more experience than Shirley to work on this request.

"Her parents are divorced, right?”

Gabriel nodded.

"Karen loves them both very much,” Shirley said under her breath. "Sometimes the girl feels like she’s caught in a vicious tug-of-war between the two. From what I understand, she hasn’t seen her father in over a year.”

"That’s true.” Gabriel was beginning to understand. Shirley intuitively knew this information because an Authority much higher than his own had deemed it so. It seemed he was being overruled.

"Her father feels it’s easier on everyone if he doesn’t see Karen as often. He loves her, too, but he hates his ex-wife, and every time he picks up his daughter she finds an excuse to fight with him. Or a reason to report him to her attorney. Maureen Woods has worked overtime to make his life hell.”

"Yes.”

"I want to help,” Shirley insisted. "Please let me.”

"This isn’t an easy request,” Gabriel felt obliged to remind the prayer ambassador.

"I’m aware of that.”

"We’ll all help,” Goodness and Mercy chimed in.

Gabriel was worried about the three of them doing exactly that and feared it wasn’t help they’d be lending. "No, you won’t,” he said more heatedly than he intended.

The two leaped back a step at his sharp tone.

Gabriel could feel himself weakening. He was well aware that the oldest of the three angles was by far the most emotionally mature. Yet she had the least experience. But Goodness and Mercy? Again?

"I do wish you’d reconsider,” Shirley pleaded softly.

"Oh, please do.” Two pairs of blue eyes fluttered beguilingly at him. Goodness and Mercy folded their hands with a look as unsullied as grace itself.

Gabriel didn’t know what it was about this trio that they wove such tight tentacles around his heart. He was an archangel and generally not given to flagrant displays of favoritism.

"Before either of us makes a decision, why don’t we meet Karen’s mother?”

"Excellent idea,” Goodness said, hurrying to his side.

"I should have thought of that myself.” Faster than a heartbeat, Mercy was there as well.

"I was referring to Shirley and me.” Gabriel stared at the two, although in reality their enthusiasm amused him greatly.

"Of course we meant to include Shirley,” Goodness said with a weak laugh.

"That was understood,” Mercy added.

Gabriel freed himself of the two. "Shirley and me alone,” he clarified, coughing in an effort to disguise a smile.

"Oh.” Goodness’s shoulders sagged with disappointment.

"Oh.” Mercy slowly lowered herself onto a vacant chair.

"Go on without us,” Goodness said as though Shirley were about to step into the last available place in a lifeboat leaving a sinking ship. "We’ll wait here.”

"Stay out of trouble,” Gabriel advised.

"What could we possibly do to cause trouble?” Mercy questioned.

Gabriel didn’t want to know the answer to that.

Maureen Woods lugged the heavy suitcase from the trunk of her car to the sidewalk. She stopped on her way into the small rental house to pick up the mail. After tucking a few bills and fliers under her arm, she pulled the newspaper free from its box and made her way to the front steps.

The door opened before she could fit the key into the lock, and Maureen brightened when she saw her daughter. "Hi, pumpkin face.”

"Hi. How was the trip?” Karen held open the screen door for her mother.

"All right.” Maureen stepped inside. She slipped out of her business suit jacket and laid it over the back of the couch before removing her shoes. It felt heavenly to be out of her pumps, which were still new enough to pinch her toes.

"I’ll get your suitcase for you,” Karen said eagerly.

Maureen appreciated the thought but knew it was too much for her daughter. "Thanks, honey, but it’s too heavy.”