Guardian Angels – An Interesting Life (13)

"Unfortunately," Paddy said, "they don't know who gave them their orders. Someone contacted one of them, offered him a sizable amount of cash to grab you, Vic, rough you up then call in to say they had you and find out where to take you. The guy pulled in a friend of his to help."

"I wish they had the address when they started out. Not that the guy will be sitting there waiting at this point."

"No, he won't be," Paddy agreed. "When they blew the job, they were told they wouldn't be paid unless they found you again. They did, thanks to the fact you were crawling at points after your escape. They might not be the brightest men around but they knew how to read the signs and follow your trail here. They reported back, got their new orders, and"—Paddy smiled—"that's all she wrote."

Vic pounced on one thing Paddy said. "If they reported back, they must have had a phone number."

Dom nodded. "If you have paper and a pen…"

Evan tore a sheet off the magnetized pad on the refrigerator and got a pen from one of the drawers, handing them to Dom, who wrote down the number. Evan looked at it before giving it to Vic.

"Not one I recognize, but I can probably trace it, if the phone's not a throwaway." After a thoughtful pause, Vic said, "Do you two mind going in the other room. I'd like to have a few words in private with Evan."

"Not a problem. We even promise not to eavesdrop," Paddy replied, before the two angels left the room.

Despite their promise, Vic still waited to say anything until Evan sat down next to him, and then he kept his voice barely above a whisper. "Do we actually believe what they've told us?"

"That they're guardian angels? Let's put it this way. Why would they try to pull something like that unless it was the truth. Yeah, it's unbelievable on a… a rational level, but when you think about it, so is believing in some higher being, or… or when it comes right down to it, that it's really possible for a ton or more of metal to take off the ground and fly."

"There's a scientific explanation for airplanes," Vic pointed out.

"What about, oh, ESP or ghosts?"

"Now you're pushing it. Still, you do have a valid argument. Some things can't be explained and, hell, there's a lot of people who do think they've got a guardian angel looking over their shoulder. So, do we go with the premise those two really are what they claim?"

"I saw Paddy materialize. We both saw Dom's wings. I guess it stands to reason they are. That being the case, they could know about the two men who tried to break in here. Maybe they can read minds? Somehow I don't see angels resorting to physical torture, unless they're fallen angels, in which case they're demons and why would demons try to help us?"

Vic chuckled. "You’re stretching on that last one, I think. Demons have horns and tails."

"Or not. Who really knows? That's beside the point. They got a phone number. Can you actually trace it?"

"If I go back to my office I can."

"You are not chancing going back to your office," Evan said firmly.

"Why not?" Vic grinned. "I have a guardian angel to keep me safe now."

"He didn't do too good a job of it the first time those men attacked you."

"So maybe this time, with two of them hanging around, I'll be safer."

Evan shook his head. "Maybe, but are you willing to take the chance?"

"I was hired to stop the blackmailer. I can't do it sitting here, and I only have a couple of days left before it all becomes moot."

"You can't do it if you're dead, either. But I suppose…" Evan got up. "Shall we join them? You'll be more comfortable on the sofa. We can discuss… options, and then we'll both get some sleep, since it's too late to do anything else tonight."