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Sarah: Laney's Angel

By Gay N. Lewis

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Chapter One
“This assignment will prove more complicated than the last one she had.” The lieutenant folded his wings behind him and studied Sarah’s dossier.
“Yes, I know.” The Commander wrinkled his brow as he looked down at Earth from his position in The Heavenlies. He stood midway between the upper and lower realm with his great wings unfurled. “I want Tomas called in to help her with this one.”
“Tomas is ready to go back to combat duty after guarding a rambunctious toddler. I’ll find a replacement for the child.” The lieutenant made a note on the numerous files in his hand. “Tomas is now assigned the case.” After making an additional note in the folder and rubbing his forehead, the officer looked at his Commander. “This task to help Laney is a bit much for Sarah—even if she has the assistance of Tomas.”
“Yes, it’s risky to assign Sarah. The Evil One is after Laney and Laney is in grave danger, but Sarah’s duty is romance. Our novice angel is not commissioned in protection skills. Make sure Sarah understands this.”
“Sarah has a reputation for blunders. Do you think she can successfully get Laney and Cannon matched before bad things happen to our young female earthling? Laney and Cannon are tough cookies. They’ll resist the idea of marriage to each other.”
The Commander laughed. “Sarah and her antics crack me up, but I promised her another opportunity with the humans. She goofs a lot, but her compassion makes up for the bungles. When on Earth, our newest angel takes on earthling’s traits, and I wouldn’t commit this task to Sarah if I didn’t have confidence in her ability to get the job done. However, Tomas must be allowed to work his assignment without her interference. Tomas is Laney’s defender, not Sarah, but knowing Sarah, she’ll try to help Tomas.” He expanded his wings to an even grander width, and readied to zip off. “Keep me posted.”
“Yes sir.”
Sarah prepared for her descent from The Heavenlies. By earth’s schedule, it had been months since she had been below. But there was no timetable in The Heavenlies. Eternity recognized no calendars, clocks, or time pieces and it had no beginning or end.
She had once served the Superiors in Houston, Texas, and now her orders were to return to the same city. But Houston was huge. How could a clueless angel find the way? Grasping her orders, Sarah had no sense of direction for getting around in heaven or on earth. She wished for one of those GPS devices those humans used, but angels weren’t supposed to need them.
Pointing her body toward earth, she zoomed like a bomb straight down to Texas. When sky scrapers came into view, Sarah righted herself and drifted to the terrain’s surface. She landed in a parking lot surrounded by buildings. Good—back on this special planet called Earth.
Sarah had never been to the other galaxies in the universe, but many angels had. She hoped her missions were always for the earthlings. She liked these people.
Her stomach rumbled.
Why was she always hungry? It would be necessary to find a place to fortify strength before finding Laney. Once the assignment started, it might be hours before a chance to satisfy appetite presented itself.
She glanced at the signage on the building. How fortunate—an eatery. Pop’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers. While invisible, she ducked behind the structure and made sure no one would see her. It wouldn’t do for earthlings to see a woman materialize out of nowhere.
Now then—when people looked, they would see a young lady dressed in jeans and t-shirt. On the last trip to earth, she’d had discovered stilettos wasn’t her thing, so this time she opted for a pair of sneakers.
She strolled up to Pop’s lunch counter. A man with a white beard and baseball cap over his white hair stood ready with a pencil in his hand. “What would you like to order Miss?”
“I’ll have a cheeseburger, fries, and chocolate malt.”
He handed her a number for her order; she summoned money from the handbag, paid the man, and chose a table. After a few minutes, the man brought the burger basket to her. “Would you like anything else?”
Sarah looked up at the kind man and smiled. “I could use some directions. I don’t know my way around Houston.”
The man smiled. “Me either. I don’t think I can be of much help to you.”
Sarah lifted her eyebrows. “How long have you lived here?”
“All my life, but I stay close to Dallas. Don’t get to Houston very often.”
Sarah frowned. “Aren’t I in Houston?”
“No ma’am, you’re in Dallas.”
“Oh merciful heavens!”
***
Tomas had arrived in Houston and found Laney. He hovered near her and waited. It might be necessary to intervene. He kept his eyes and ears on Laney as the stranger approached her.
"Hey! Get your hand off me!" Laney shrieked as fingers caressed her hair and tickled her neck. The house had been vacant when she entered. Caught up in work, she didn't hear anyone enter. The unexpected stroke to her body was the first alert to an extra presence in the room.
Spinning around, she found a tall, scraggly man standing inches from her. Laney backed into the wall as the new arrival advanced. "How did you get in here?"
Tomas heard the tremble in Laney’s voice. He tensed his back and prepared for action but hoped it wasn’t necessary. If only the avenger would hurry up and get here.
The wicked man towered over Tomas’ charge and framed the partition with enormous hands and boney arms. He imprisoned Laney from farther withdrawal.
"I was cold, and the door was open. I didn't expect to find a beautiful woman waiting for me." An ugly smile disfigured his lips, "Looks like I hit the jackpot."
Tomas could see Laney considering her options. No escape route was in sight, and she had no idea an angel was there. He’d wait a few more seconds before he helped her.
Tomas saw her fingers clutch a set of key ring. A weapon! He could see her intent was to plunge the keys into his eyes—knee him in his groin and run like the wind.
Tomas wasn’t the only one to read her objective. The man sneered and knocked the intended missile from her hand. Gripping her shoulders, he lowered his head to kiss her. Screaming, Laney jostled her head from side to side and avoided his lips on hers. Bringing her knee up, she struck his thigh, but that little thump was no deterrent to the fiendish man.
"Huh? What…? The interloper didn't finish his words. He lay sprawled and unconscious on the floor.
Tomas nodded his approval.
Standing over the man's lank body, Cannon scrutinized the intruder. With a voice as hard as steel, he turned to Laney. "Are you okay?"
"I am now."
"Why are you alone? My email said to make sure Jack is here before you come." His angry tone was unmistakable to Tomas. Tomas was certain Laney heard it too.
"Jack was busy with the Magnolia project, and it was necessary to check these samples before ordering them. I thought I could breeze in and out without bothering anyone."
He shook his head and glared daggers at her. “My plans were not to come here, but something told me I needed to see about this house. Lucky for you! What would you have done if I hadn't shown up?"
Placing her hands on her hips, she scowled at him. "I would’ve thought of something."
"Yeah, saw your smooth move." Tomas heard sarcasm this time. "It wasn't effective. Are you armed with a gun?"
"No."
"Would you use one if you were?"
She raised her chin and shrugged. “Don’t know."
"I didn't think so. You’re alone in an empty house in the middle of nowhere, my crew is not in sight, and you have no way to defend yourself. Is that smart?"
"Guess not.” Laney refused to lower her gaze.
Tomas shook his head. This woman was stubborn. Sarah had her work cut out for her.
Cannon blew out a deep breath. "Laney, consider today a warning. No one disobeys me. Your designs sell my houses, but designers are easy to find." He shook his head and rolled his eyes. "I should have hired a man. They have more sense."
"That remark sounds chauvinistic. A man can be at risk in a house alone too."
He looked at her in disgust. "Cut the comedy. Men have more physical resources than women." He lowered his voice to a deadly whisper. "And I don't care if it sounds chauvinistic. I will terminate you if you defy me again. I don’t want you in harm’s way on my watch. That guy could have murdered you."
Tomas watched Laney’s face grow pink.
"I apologize. I wasn't looking at it from your liable perspective. Freedom to move about your projects is crucial, and Jack can't baby-sit with me on each one."
"He's not your babysitter. He is my project manager. You work together." Cannon’s clipped response sounded lethal.
Glancing behind Cannon, Laney noticed her attacker slipping away. She nodded in his direction. "That horrible man is leaving."
Cannon jerked him up by his jacket lapels. "I should call the cops,” Cannon growled. “You’re on private property. Now get out and don't set foot on my land again."
Picking up his cap, the man slid his eyes to Laney and back to Cannon. "I meant the lady no harm. I'm going."
Laney watched Cannon usher the man to the door. From her vantage point at a nearby window, she observed the man amble across the empty field.
Tomas crossed his arms in front of him and waited with her by the casement opening.
When Cannon returned, Laney chose to ignore his set jaw and flushed face. She studied samples while Cannon and an invisible angel stood sentry.
Neither man, woman nor angel spoke. When Laney finished making notes, she gathered supplies and gusted past her boss.
Cannon reached her side in a giant step. “Hold up.” Obeying the command in his tone, she stood still while he lifted the samples from her arms.
“Thanks.” She moved ahead of him and Cannon followed her to her SUV.
Tomas misted through the wall and hovered in the air to gaze at the scene.
Laney stood shoulder to shoulder with her boss as he placed the items in the cargo area. When he finished, Laney decided it was time to make amends. “Thank you. I’m glad you came when you did.” She moved away, climbed into the driver's seat, cranked the car's engine and depressed the electric window. "By the way, why are you here today?"
"Not sure. I was on my way to the bank to negotiate a loan to expand this subdivision, but for some reason, I had a strong urge to come here." He glared at her. “You should be thankful my sixth sense kicked in.”
“I am.” Laney refused to thank him again. She raised her chin and scowled at him.
Tomas narrowed his eyes at Laney’s pigheadedness.
Cannon ignored her mulish tone. "With the help of my banker, I plan to purchase that section. Cannon gestured with his head toward the tree-studded vacant field. “I can add an additional three hundred houses over there."
They finished their conversation and Tomas watched Laney drive away. He had completed a background check on her from The Heavenlies and was aware the contract with Cannon was lucrative, but it required a supply of designs within a limited time frame. If Cannon’s demands were satisfied, she would build her fledging company, but it was not a legitimate reason to ignore safety issues.
Humans often tried the patience of their guardian angels.
Knowing the future as they did, the Superiors had moved with haste to get him here. He had arrived and understood the potential harm with the vagrant coming Laney’s way. Soaring to Cannon’s side, and through mental telepathy, Tomas had urged him to hurry to Laney’s location. The man had turned his vehicle around and arrived in time.
So far, Tomas had done his job.
Sara had a reputation for goof ups. Tomas wasn’t sure he wanted to work with her, but the Superiors had given him this undertaking. A charming little angel she was, and the Commander favored her, but he hoped the charmer wouldn’t hurt his stellar reputation. Tomas had been on earth since creation and had worked with other angels—but never with Sarah.
His eyes scanned the horizon.
Where on the planet was she?

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