CHAPTER 5

Monica spent the following days doing research and reading the files about the crimes she and her colleagues were working on. The image of the first working day didn't leave her mind and she felt her heart tighten at the thought of the victim's last moments on Earth. The silence of the office at that time in the morning made things even sadder for her. Annie and Phil were out, each of them working on less important articles that required some personal cover. Alone, the Irish angel took a break from reading and walked up to the small window in the room. She turned her eyes up to the cloudy sky, searching for guidance and for some of God's love.

"Father, I so truly want to fulfil this assignment... I so want to help this young lady who, for some reason, needs an angel next to her... But, please, keep those poor women who have been so brutally attacked and murdered. Hold their soul in Your arms and please soothe their families' hearts, as I can imagine how painful it might have been for their loved ones." She closed her eyes and let a lonely tear make its way down on her cheek, "I understand Andrew more than ever now... Going there to the crime scene made me realize how hard it must be for an angel of death to deal with so much tragedy every single day..." She let out a sob, "... I guess now I understand his anguish and despair a while ago, at the ski station... how much he was trying to protect me..."

She prayed in silence for some more time, and then felt the warmth involving her heart and her soul. With a grateful smile, she opened up her eyes and nodded. "Thank You, Father."

The Irish angel spent the rest of the day working on articles, organizing papers and doing small researches. There was no news about the series of crimes they were investigating, and Annie mentioned something like the detective in charge not doing everything he could to find the rapist.

"He hates reporters, you know? He thinks we get in the way and end up helping the criminals to escape by publishing all the police steps, but it's a lie!" the young woman spoke, picking up her things and tidying up her desk, as it was almost five o'clock in the afternoon.

"Maybe he's close to getting the criminal but doesn't want to scare him..." the Irish angel offered, not truly believing that a policeman would be retarding the investigations of such terrible crimes.

"I don't know... There's something about him I don't like at all! He's always staring at us with disdain. Such an arrogant little man!" she said, getting her coat and then smiling at her roommate. "Will you be alright to come back home all by yourself, Monica?"

"Oh, yes, I will. You and Phil can enjoy dinner!" the Irish angel replied, returning the smile, glad to see the spark of joy in Annie's eyes.

"Are you sure you don't wanna come with us?"

"Thank you for the invitation, Annie, but you can go and enjoy the time you spend together. I know that here you are together as well, but you're working and there's not much room for romance!" Monica replied, winking at her and secretly aware that her own words would refer to her and Andrew as well.

The young lady nodded her head and glanced at her watch. "Okay, but you're invited to come and have dinner with us some other day! I'm leaving now. See you later, Monica!"

"Have a good dinner, Annie!"

She watched as the girl disappeared by the door and a while later, she too headed to the apartment they both shared.

X

Night fell quickly on that November Friday. Monica had to park the car two blocks away from Annie's building as there was no parking lot there. The distance was not long, but the deserted streets and the chilly wind that was blowing at that time of the night caused Monica to shiver, both with cold and also with fear. The terrible stories she had read during the day kept on playing on her mind like a terrible flashback and she quickened her steps in order to get at the building.

She crossed the street of the first block and it was then that she heard a small noise. It made her freeze and Monica turned around searching for any sign of life around her. But the street was completely deserted. Biting her lower lip, the angel walked faster, and when she realized the noise repeated itself, her heart started pounding loudly and fear took over her.

Monica now alternated from quick steps to looking behind her, still unable to see what or who had caused her the impression that she was not alone. She was almost running away when she stopped in front of her building and searched inside her bag for the keys to open up the small gate in front of it. But it was too dark, and she couldn't see it very well. Her hands were trembling and she felt panic rising in her chest when suddenly a familiar voice reached her ears and it was like a flood of relief washing over her soul.

"Monica?"

The little Irish angel turned around and saw her beloved Andrew standing there before her, gentle green eyes searching deep inside her brown ones, aware of her anguish and fear. "Angel?

Without thinking twice, she gave two steps forward and threw herself in his strong arms; her own shorter arms wrapped firmly around his neck. It took him just a moment to adjust to that unexpected embrace - it was the second time she greeted him like that, and the blond angel felt guilt tear at his soul when he thought about the last time they'd met. He so wanted to tell her over and over again how much he loved her, hold her tightly and kiss her!

But the blond angel suddenly felt his heart grow heavier as he realized how badly she trembled, and her accelerated heartbeats. He caressed her hair and gently pulled away - just enough to look at her face, "Angel? What is it?"

"I-I... I don't know... It... just feel so good to see a familiar face in so many days..." she replied, not wanting to alarm him, after all she hadn't seen anything or anybody.

"You're trembling." He reached for her hands and squeezed them gently.

"It's a chilly night..." she replied, and then frowned with confusion, "Do you have an assignment near here?"

"N-no. In fact I have some free time now and... just came by because I missed you, angel."

Hearing that, and aware of the truth in his eyes, she smiled back at him. "I'm happy you're here. I missed you too." And then she was the one to hold his hands, "Would you like to come in for a little? My assignment is not home now."

Nodding, the blond angel kept the hold on one of her hands and they entered the building. Little by little, Andrew's presence soothed her heart and put her soul at ease. She was not sure of what had happened a few minutes earlier but wondered if the darkness of a night without moon or stars was playing tricks on her eyes. After all, she had spent the entire day reading the most horrendous stories and being reminded that the one responsible for those crimes was somewhere out there.

With eyes filled with tenderness, Andrew watched as she looked for the keys inside her purse and smiled when she managed to find it. Some human habits were so unknown to angels that a simple action such as entering a house seemed a bit complicated; especially for that particular little angel, who he loved so much.

The apartment wasn't big, but it was comfortable enough for both Monica and Annie. It was clean and neatly decorated, with a few pictures of the young lady who was Monica's assignment. Andrew observed them and smiled. In some of the photographs, she appeared with her loving boyfriend, in others with her family, and in all of them there was a pretty smiling face. The blond angel was secretly grateful that it didn't seem a dangerous assignment. Maybe a young lady who needed reconciliation with her family or someone who had been feeling extremely lonely lately. Monica was definitely the right angel for that assignment, and he had no doubt she would fulfil it beautifully.

"Would you like some hot chocolate? I can prepare you some, I've been observing how to do it and I memorized it for... when we met again." She kindly offered, and there was so much hope in her eyes that it made his heart ache.

"I'm sure I'll love it, angel." He said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, looking at her with tenderness and much love.

"But... do you mind if I make myself some mocha?"

Her little girl's demureness amused him; it was one of the hundred things he loved about that sweet angel of God. "I wouldn't dream of asking you to give up on your mocha!"