Guardian's Hope (34 page)

The twins went off laughing and
congratulating each other and Grace turned to Hope.

“What’s wrong? And don’t tell me nothing
because you’re buzzing like a tuning fork and it’s not a happy
buzz. You’re worried and it’s more than the usual stuff you carry
around.”

Hope smiled and tried to pass Grace off with
a change of subject. “Sometimes I wish I were one of them.” She
tossed her head to indicate the rest of the House. “You can’t read
their emotions the way you can read mine. Why is that?”

Grace laughed. “Don’t know and don’t really
care. Manon thinks it has something to do with the
Paenitentia/Daughters of Man connection. It’s the main reason I
moved in with these guys. It was such a blessed relief not to feel
anything buzzing in my head.”

“Does it bother you to be around me?”

“No.” Grace waved her hand in dismissal. “I
can control it now. I still have problems with large crowds. I can
control the buzz, but it takes a lot of effort and it wears me out.
What about you?”

“Oh, I… can’t lie to you, can I?” She was
caught in her own trap. “I can sense wants or needs in people.
Sometimes I can see a question in their minds. The Guardians,
they’re different. It’s just a vague sense when I get anything at
all.”

“Except with Nico.” She laughed at Hope’s
surprise. “I wasn’t snooping. Honestly. Okay, maybe a little. But
ever since you came home from your little trip, I see you two
looking at each other like your holding a conversation, but your
mouths aren’t moving.”

“We’re that obvious?”

“No. I don’t think the guys know anything. I
can read the fluctuations in your emotions. Can you really talk to
him, like in words?”

“Yes, but it doesn’t reach too far. I can
find him anywhere in the House or next door. Sometimes I can catch
him when he’s down the street on his way home. Don’t tell the
others, Grace, or only Canaan if you feel it’s not right to keep it
from him. It’s something special between Nico and me. I’d feel
awful if they teased him about it.”

“My lips are sealed, kiddo, but you really
ought to tell Manon. She can show you ways to sharpen it. She did
for me.” Grace snickered and raised her eyebrows. “Now that we have
that out of the way, why don’t you tell me what’s bothering you?
Canaan says I’m like a dog with a bone. I’m not that easy to
distract.”

It was no use pretending. “I feel like things
are coming to an end, like we’re running out of time and there’s
nothing I can do about it.

“We know Smith is connected and now we know
that he’s scared. Why? What if he wasn’t leaving for the night, but
permanently? What if the fight the other night between the
Guardians and those demons frightened them all? What if they’re all
running away? What will happen to Faith? Will they take her with
them or will they…?” Her voice broke. “Oh Grace. I shouldn’t be
here. When I’m with Nico, I can’t think of anyone but him. When he
went away, I couldn’t think of anyone but him. I’m happy here and
my sister’s out there living with a monster. What kind of sister am
I? Sometimes I forget about her, Grace. Sometimes for hours at a
time. What kind of person could do that?”

“A normal one. Look, sweetie, your life
didn’t stop the day she ran away. Your life didn’t stop the day she
got caught up with that monster. You didn’t make her run away. You
didn’t choose her life. You didn’t hook her up with a demon.”

“She didn’t deserve this, no matter what she
chose,” Hope snapped back defensively.

“Of course not. No one does. My point is that
this isn’t your fault. You’re doing everything you can, but in
between, it’s okay to be happy.”

Hope hung her head and quietly confessed,
“Sometimes I get angry with her, Grace, like she’s doing this on
purpose even though I know it’s not true. What kind of person must
I be to feel like that? She had a good life. She had friends, a
father who loved her, no cares, no responsibilities and she ran
away from it.”

“And left you holding the bag. I’d be pissed,
too. Now you’ve fallen in love and it should be the happiest and
most carefree time of your life, but it isn’t, because her troubles
are getting in the way. I’d be angry, too. So if you’re a bad
person, so am I and so are a lot of other people out there who
would feel the same way. It doesn’t mean you don’t love her, Hope,
and it doesn’t mean you’re a bad person.”

Just hearing someone say it, made her feel
better. “Your kindness is most welcome.”

Their kindness was most welcome, but it
wasn’t enough. The feeling that time was running out wouldn’t leave
her. Later, while sitting alone in the parlor, staring into the
fire and waiting for Nico, it came to her. She went over and over
every clue they had, every dead end and suddenly, she saw the
solution. It had been there all along.

*****

“I want her found!” Tyn threw his mug across
the room where it crashed against the wall, the contents running in
dark brown rivulets to the floor. He’d been ranting for an hour,
his fury building with each gulping breath.

Smith was beginning to sweat. This guy was
crazy. How in hell was he supposed to find the bitch alone when he
hadn’t been able to find her with a pack of help? Okay, so maybe
they hadn’t been looking that hard. The money was good and Tyn paid
on time, so who wouldn’t milk it for a while? But what he was
asking now couldn’t be done.

He’d always considered himself a good judge
of bad people. He’d always been able to figure out how to get the
most out of any deal. That’s how he got half ownership in the bar
for chrissake. He knew Damon was a mean motherfucker, but he never
saw this coming. Who really cared about one stupid bitch when there
were plenty of them just waiting to be picked up on the street. The
guy was nuts.

“Are you listening to me?” Tyn screeched the
question and didn’t wait for an answer, “Get rid of them. Get rid
of all of them. I’m not paying for people who give me nothing. You
got that? And no more money for you. You bring me what I’m paying
for or you don’t get paid. And you can stay away from my fucking
minionettes, too.”

“But sir,” Smith thought it was a nice touch,
calling him sir, “If you’re going to take away my help, I’m going
to need a little more time.” More time to get my shit together and
get out of Dodge. “I have other pressing matters that I need to
address.” Like selling his share of the bar back to the original
owner and renting a van.

“If you don’t find me that woman, the only
thing you’ll need to address is the box they’ll be shipping your
body home in.”

“But sir,” Smith protested. He mentally
calculated how long he would need to get his shit together and get
out.

“No! No more patience. No more money. No more
time!”

Tyn charged around the desk and pointed his
finger in Smith’s face. Smith pulled back. For a second there, he
thought it was a giant claw coming at his face, but it was only the
finger of a lunatic.

“And don’t think you’re going to run out on
this. We had a deal and you’re going to keep it.” He tore open the
office door and screamed, “Gor! Get up here!” and turned back to
Smith. “You’re taking one of my men with you and he’s going to stay
with you for every minute of every day until your time is up. And
don’t think you can get rid of him. It won’t be that easy. You mess
with him; he’ll chew you up and spit you out.” Literally.

This guy wasn’t just crazy. He was a fucking
mind reader. He’d have to find a way to get rid of the tail just
before he made his break. Smith looked up at the hulking mass that
filled the doorway. His first thought was that he’d have to revise
his plans. His second was “I’m fucked.”

*****

Nardo threw the pen down on the desk. It
skidded a few feet and rolled to a stop against a stack of papers.
“Goddammit!” He picked it up and threw it again.

Dov was eating a banana while playing a game
on the computer in the corner. “Something the matter?”

Nardo was back staring at his screen. “Don’t
these people ever back check anything?”

“I dunno. What people are we talking about?”
He spun in his chair to face Nardo.

“The people at the DMV.”

“Why? Whatcha got?” he asked around a
mouthful of banana.

“What do I have? I have a make, a model and a
fucking license plate.”

“No address, huh?”

“Oh, I have an address all right. It’s a
vacant lot over on Fourteenth Street. So I ask again, don’t these
people ever back check anything?”

“You know,” Dov pointed with the uneaten half
of the banana for emphasis. “It’s probably a good thing they don’t.
Wouldn’t we be up shit’s creek if they did? I mean, this whole
place is run out of a bogus corporation. Canaan says as long as you
pay your gas and electric and taxes, nobody bothers to take a
look.” He laughed. “And I guess if they came lookin’, he’d just
thump ‘em a good one and make ‘em forget.” He took another bite of
banana and went back to his game. “Hey! You just made me lose
twenty points of life force,” he complained when Nardo spun his
chair around, grabbed both sides of his face and kissed him on the
forehead.

“You’re a genius, Dov! A genius.”

“Yeah, well, this genius is gonna beat your
ass, you ever kiss me again.”

Nardo kissed him again. “Taxes! Gas and
electric! Phone! Sometime, somewhere, he has paid at least one of
those three. He uses that driver’s license as ID and he has to be
somewhere in the system. Look, I have to go get cleaned up. I’m
standing watch for Broadbent tonight. You make sure you tell Canaan
I’ll be on it as soon as I get back. First thing in the morning,
I’m going to be an employee of the local tax office or maybe City
Gas and Electric or maybe both at the same time. Thanks, Dov.”

Dov waved his hand over his head. He was back
in his starfighter shooting alien invaders.

Chapter 35

Grace and Manon tugged, patted and smoothed
the white linen scapular over and over, front and back until it met
with both of their critical eyes. Manon had hemmed the loose
fitting white pants to the perfect length and Grace had ironed them
and the brilliant white shirt until she was sure not a hint of
wrinkle could be found. They stood back to admire their
handiwork.

The scapular was just the right length,
falling halfway between his hips and knees. The shield, embroidered
on the front of the scapular, fell exactly in the middle of his
chest.

Broadbent stood straight and stoic as he
allowed them their attentions. He would adjust everything to his
own standards of perfection once he was at the church.

“You are truly magnificent,” Manon
beamed.

“Isn’t he just.” Grace fanned her face to
keep from getting teary eyed. “I feel just like a mom, sending her
boy off to the prom.”

“I beg your pardon?” Broadbent looked down
his nose at the two of them. “Might I point out that I am fifty-one
years old.” He sniffed in indignation. “Nardo told me you compared
him to a white tiger and now you compare me to some pimply faced
human boy in a powder blue tux?”

Grace laughed. “I said I felt like a mom. I
didn’t say you looked like you were going to prom. You’re gorgeous,
a manly hunk of virility, a sight to behold, a knight awaiting his
shining armor. Shall I go on?”

“Please do,” he laughed and struck a pose. “I
shall gird my loins with your shining words, fair lady, and carry
them with me as I march to meet my destiny.”

“You rehearsed that, didn’t you?”

“Why yes, and I think it’s rather good. Don’t
you?”

Grace answered him in a haughty voice, “I
thought your words very pretty, sire,” and changed back to normal,
“But I wouldn’t repeat them to Canaan. I don’t think he’d like the
idea of your loins being connected to anything of mine.”

“Quite so.”

“Professor, are you sure you don’t want me to
whip up a little celebratory dinner? I’d love to do it.”

“No, my lady. The parental units will be here
towards the end of the week and then you can dress your table to
the nines. There’s too much happening and frankly, I’d rather you
held Hope’s hand. I believe she needs it. We’ll share a toast with
that marvelous Amontillado and a dinner of sandwiches will
suffice."

Grace kissed his cheek. “You’re a good man,
Broadbent ad Sebastian.”

“You could offer me no higher
compliment.”

He bowed to Manon and offered his arm. “My
carriage awaits, madam. Would you be so kind as to escort me
thither?”

“It would be my delight, monsieur.”

*****

“It’s the only way, Nico. Don’t you see? If
the Guardians go in first, what’s to stop the demon from killing
Faith and if this Smith is as bad as everyone seems to think, he’s
not going to leave a witness. And what if he runs? Nora said he’s
scared. If he runs now, we lose everything.

“I’ll do just what I did before, only this
time you’ll be nearby. You’ll be with me the whole time.” She
tapped his forehead. “I can do this, Nico. We can do this
together.”

He held her close to his chest. “I don’t like
it. You’ll be putting yourself in danger and while I might be with
you…,” He touched his forehead to hers, “I won’t be physically
there to protect you and like it or not, you aren’t physically
capable of defending yourself.”

She pointed her finger at Nico’s shoe lying
on the floor by the chair. A flick of her finger and the shoe rose
and a sweep of her hand sent the shoe slamming against the far
wall.

“Anything can be a weapon,” she said with a
laugh. “I’ve heard you say that when you’re working with the twins
and I’ve been practicing.”

Nico didn’t laugh with her. “Can you kill a
man, Hope?”

“A demon, not a man.”

“A demon who will look like a man, a human.
And don’t forget Smith. Could you walk up to another human being
and kill them?”