One Handsome Devil (26 page)

"Cut to the chase.” Katra interrupted Jack just when he looked ready to launch into one of his philosophy lectures.

"Bottom line, yes. We have similar powers."

"So we need to do two things. First, we need to get you some money so you don't have to live like I did when I was in college. Second, we need to find Derrick and figure out how he's getting under your radar scope."

"Money isn't that important,” Sara said. “I'm sure I could find some way to support us."

"Let me guess, you've picked up on that secretary fantasy of yours again."

"What fantasy?” Jack might not be human but he had all the male reflexes.

"Not that kind of fantasy, moron.” Calling someone with an I.Q. in the three hundred plus range a moron was oddly satisfying.

"But—"

"Whenever Sara gets depressed about her job, she starts thinking she could become a secretary and get really miserable."

"Administration is a valuable job,” Sara corrected.

Katra rolled her eyes. “For some people. You go nuts if you spend too much time inside. Huh-uh. You need some real money so Jack can go to school and you can build your business."

"You're talking about that trivia show."

"Of course. There's no reason in the world why you couldn't win the whole thing and come home set."

"But—"

"Oh, give it a rest, honey. We're going to New York."

The taxi driver pulled into the Mayfair Hotel in midtown Manhattan and dropped off Sara, Jack, Katra, and Maura. Jack and the driver exchanged a few words in Farsi, and Jack winced when the driver told him to go with Allah.

"You have a new best friend,” Katra said. She loaded two of her suitcases on Jack and carried another two herself. From the way she packed, you would have thought she was the one who was going on T.V.

Sara looked at her own light bag. They planned one day of sightseeing and another in the studio. How many clothes could you possibly need for such a short stay?

"I've always wanted to see the Tavern on the Green,” Maura effused. “And Central Park. Do you think it's safe?"

Sara shot Jack a glance. With the trouble they'd had in Dallas, New York might be a picnic, or a nightmare.

"Like everywhere, there are some dangerous people there,” Jack told Maura. I'm sure that we'll be all right if we stay together and go during daylight."

"Well let's check in now and catch the subway,” Maura said. She and Jack had chatted about the old country all the way to New York and she'd apparently forgotten that she wasn't speaking to Katra and Jack. “Oh, I want to climb the Empire State building and the Statue of Liberty."

"I think they make tourists take elevators,” Katra said.

"We could—"

"Don't go there.” Sara interrupted Jack before he could suggest something stupid like flying up the side. As far as Maura was concerned, Jack was just a nice man. Sara didn't even want to think about how she would react when she found out her daughter was dating a demon.

"I just—"

"We'll talk about it in the room."

The rooming situation had taken a couple of knock-down fights. Maura had been shocked at the idea that Sara and Jack planned on sharing a room. She had only relented when Sara had threatened to bring Katra's mother instead.

The Mayfair Hotel certainly appeared clean, but it wasn't the luxury lodging the SkyQuest Trivia Show had promised. Still, Sara didn't expect the Plaza. By the time they got back to the hotel, they'd fall asleep so quickly they wouldn't notice the slightly bedraggled exterior or the aging interior.

Although Sara had requested a king sized bed, the hotel clerk announced they'd selected two twin beds.

"That'll be fine,” Maura announced. Exactly as if she was going to be sleeping there.

"No it won't,” Sara said. “We've got a big contest tomorrow and neither of us is going to be able to sleep well if we have to bundle up on the same twin bed."

"But—"

"Obviously it is your mistake, not ours,” the hotel clerk announced. “All we have right now is twin beds so I guess you'll have to live with it."

Sara had heard about New York rudeness but the clerk still caught her by surprise. “You aren't even going to try to accommodate us?"

The clerk shrugged. “You screwed up. Why should I care?"

Anger bubbled up in her. She'd been cooped up in a crowded airplane for hours, then spent another hour listening to her grandmother talking about church and watching Jack writhe in pain every time Maura mentioned the Bible. Now this hotel flunky was treating her like she had some sort of infectious tropical disease.

"You can just take—"

"Easy.” Jack brushed his hand against her arm and Sara felt the anger drain from her as if he had pulled a plug.

"If twin beds are all the hotel has, I'm sure that will be fine,” he said.

"What?” She didn't want to sleep alone. She hadn't admitted it, even to Katra, but the idea of being on T.V. terrified her.

"Let me take care of this."

"I'm glad someone is reasonable around here.” The clerk gave Sara a smarmy grin.

"I pride myself on being reasonable,” Jack said. He walked around the counter and joined the clerk behind it.

"Hey, you can't come back here."

"But I am back here. Since I am, let's look together at and make sure there truly are no other rooms available."

"Well you know what? For you, there are no rooms at all. Get the Hell out of my hotel."

Jack's smile was pure evil. “This may hurt a little.” He rested an arm across the clerk's shoulder and both men disappeared.

"Where did they go?” Maura demanded.

"Oh, look. Here's a guide to the historical sights of Manhattan,” Katra announced.

"Really, let me see that,” Maura responded on cue.

There was a slight pop and the two males reappeared. Jack was still grinning but the clerk was goggle-eyed. “Of course I didn't look to see if there might be any suites available."

"I thought you might not have."

The clerk banged away at the keyboard keeping his eyes carefully averted from Jack. He breathed a huge sigh. “Looks like I'm in luck. I mean, you're in luck. Our best suite is available."

"At no extra charge, of course,” Jack insisted.

"No, no. It's on the house, I insist. And I'll send up a complementary bottle of champagne."

"I assume you'll upgrade Katra and Maura as well."

"Of course.” The poor guy was practically fawning all over Jack.

Sara stepped closer to the counter to sign the hotel register before the poor clerk could do any more sniveling. As she closed the distance between herself and the two men, she caught the distinct odor of brimstone.

There were times when Jack was a handy male to have around.

New York had bled more misery, more suffering, more emotion than any city twice its age should have endured. The swirl of perpetual anger that permeated its towering structures would keep Jack energized and hidden for years. Indeed, as he accompanied the three women into the subway, Jack was almost certain he saw a pair of imps scurrying into a crack in the concrete.

Perhaps he should simply stay here after the contest, allow Sara to return to the life she loved while he found refuge in the accumulated agony of centuries of this great city.

"You look pale,” Sara commented. “Are you all right?"

"I was thinking that New York would be the perfect city to hide in. Even if an angel was looking for me, they would have a hard time spotting me in the flume of emotion."

Sara put her hand on his arm squeezing his biceps. “You can't run from your fears."

He could give it a damn good try.

Katra saved him from having to come up with a more complete answer to Sara's obviously trite sentiment. “Maybe that's how Derrick is hiding from you."

"I have no earthly idea what you three are talking about,” Maura said. “We're here to tour the city, not to fantasize about spies and terrorists."

Jack nodded. A subway shuddered to a stop and its doors squealed open. Maura and Katra pushed into the car before he could say anything.

There were about twenty people scattered through the car, each apparently cocooned in their own world, separating themselves from others behind the walls of their newspapers, their intense self-conversations, and their Walkman-style audio systems. These walls of separation would further help Jack if he chose to hide in New York. No one would ask who he was, what he was doing, or where he was going.

A scruffy looking male with a shaven head except for a fringe of two-toned blond hair approached. “Got any change?"

Jack looked into the man but saw only a craving for his addiction, not real hunger. “Nothing I can spare."

"I didn't ask whether it was spare. Give it to me."

Three other young males joined the first. “Tourists, aren't ya?” one of them demanded. “We'll just give you a quick lesson on living in the big city."

"We aren't looking for trouble."

"Nobody's ever looking for trouble,” complained one of the newcomers. “That's why we have to come looking for you.” He reached a groping hand toward Sara.

Jack but couldn't stand by while Sara was in danger.

He moved quickly, intercepted the groper's arm before it reached Sara's breast, then patted down the first assailant removing an oversized switchblade from his pocket. Without pausing, he twisted, sending Sara's assailant stumbling away and turned to the second man.

It was over in a matter of seconds. Jack held two small automatics, a heavy iron ball bearing, the switchblade, and a fish cleaning knife while the four attackers regrouped, checked themselves, then forced open the door into the next car and vanished into the New York underworld.

"What happened?” Maura demanded.

"They thought better of attacking us,” Jack answered carefully skirting complete untruth.

"That's nonsense. I've seen NYPD Blues. Hoods like that don't just walk away. Besides, you did something."

"Nana, Jack was just protecting us."

"I don't have a problem with him, Sara. But nobody can move that fast. His hands were a blur.

"It is pretty dark in here,” Katra said. At that moment the train hit a rough spot and the lights flashed out.

"I know what I saw,” Maura insisted. “And I think the three of you are hiding something."

"Jack has some martial arts training,” Sara improvised. “That's probably what you saw."

Maura shook her head firmly. “You aren't going to tell me, but I will find out.” She wagged a finger under Jack's nose. “If you're causing trouble for Sara, I'll cause trouble for you, and don't you forget it."

"Trust me, I won't,” Jack promised.

"Isn't this our stop?” Maura stood, brushed off the back of her skirt, and headed for the door.

"Why don't you let Jack go first,” Sara urged.

"Am I the only person who watches T.V. around here?” Maura demanded. “Looking lost and pathetic is the worst thing we can do. If you want to get ahead in New York, you carry an umbrella with a sharp point and you look straight ahead.” She followed her own advise letting Jack, Sara, and Katra scramble after her.

The Empire State Building, their first stop, shined with the pride of a bursting America ready to assume her place in the world and certain that place would be that of a shining example. The bones of the building spoke to Jack of the workers’ determination, their drive, their pride in their work. It contrasted strongly with the more cynical World Trade Center towers.

The Statue of Liberty, out on Liberty Island, proved an even more moving experience. At least it did for Jack. Icy fingers walked down his back as he read the inscription on the statue's enormous base. The huge sculpture had been designed as a message of hope to the world and, for the most part, had done its job. Yet for Jack, for any demon, hope is the one emotion that must be denied.
Abandon all hope, ye who enter here
was the traditional inscription on the gates of Hell.

He must have stood for five minutes, silent, staring at the golden torch, the flowing robes, and the shining crown that topped the figure before he snapped back to reality.

The women too had reacted to the statue, although each in her own way.

"Did you see those children?” Katra demanded. “Wouldn't it be great to take field trips around here. You're just miles away from some of the most historic sites in the country."

"When I came across during the war, our whole ship was full of children,” Maura remembered. “We were all screaming and seasick but then someone saw the statue. The whole boat got quiet, I'll tell you."

"Did you ever see your parents again?” Sara asked. “You've never talk about what happened when you were young."

"Hitler was marching over the world and the English were able to save a few of the children, that's all."

"So the Germans killed my great grandparents?"

Maura shrugged. “Nazis, Fascists, Ustashe? Could have been any of them. They crush those who stand up like that lady, for freedom.” She brandished her umbrella. “Now, do we climb these steps or what?"

Maura and Katra plunged ahead, Katra keeping close on the heels of a school outing. Jack hung back with Sara.

"So your Grandmother saw her childhood and Katra saw the schoolchildren. What did you see when you saw the statue?"

At her grandmother's words, Sara had lost her usual smile. It came back at Jack's question. “You're going to think this is silly."

"Maybe.” Except Sara was rarely silly.

"I was wondering about how it was constructed, about how stable it is, about the engineering talent that made it possible."

He had to smile himself. “I don't think it's silly."

"Yeah, like I'm more interested in sheets of metal than I am in children."

"Is that really true?"

Sara considered, looking up at the huge statue, then down at the streams of young children entering and departing from the base, their voices raised in high-pitched chatter and laughter. “Maybe not completely."

"Perhaps we should go in and see how your statue is held together, then."