Mike was the only angel who showed up, along with a young woman who looked like she had to be a rookie.

“I hope she can handle things,” I murmured to him.

“She can.”

I nodded. I trusted his judgment.

“Lorraine, please book this woman. I’d like to talk to you in private, Father.”

William was missing his dog collar – no doubt they’d ditched it somewhere – but there was still something priestly about him. And I didn’t see any taint on his aura, as it were. He nodded.

“I’m afraid…”

“Don’t worry about it. You should hear what I hear in confession sometimes.” They disappeared into the corridor.

“I really do wonder where his guardian angel was,” Kanesha murmured.

“Tired from chasing these people down, I think. They have limitations, ya know. Like me.”

“Still. He shouldn’t have let this happen.”

I nodded. “But I think William will be okay. He’s tough. His faith is amazingly solid. He knows he didn’t do anything wrong.”

Thruor was helping Lorraine properly secure the prisoner. Mike reappeared eventually. “Okay. We’re taking her downtown.”

I wondered what the prosecutor would throw at her. More importantly, I wondered what would stick. It wasn’t a situation most people would believe, after all. And that was leaving out the magic.

It wasn’t a situation…and William came back out of the room. “I need…a drink,” he admitted, finally.

“I have some really strong stuff at our place,” Thruor said. “Want to?”

He nodded. “I do.”

I had a feeling Thruor could get him straightened out. Or at least ply him with good alcohol. I looked at Kanesha. “As much as…no. Let’s get out of here.”

She grinned. “Don’t want to try out a room?”

“No!” I exclaimed, blushing scarlet. Except part of me did, which was thoroughly embarrassing. I guess we all have a bit of us that’s at least curious about such things.

“Then let’s…not go home. Let’s do something date-like.”

It was still fairly early in the evening. And I was hungry. “Then let’s go to the southern place.”

“I can live with that. Actually, more than. Red beans and rice.”

“Catfish.”

Fighting makes one hungry, and catfish would hit the spot right about now. So, that was where we went. And stayed until we were sure the “adults” would be done with their getting drunk and forgetting.

If Thruor had anything to forget. I was starting to develop quite the collection myself.