Angel Be Good (3 page)

She wiggled the bottle. "Want to join me,
Nat ol' boy?"

"No, thank you."

"I guess I should have warned you that
Leonard here won't let it have any ill effects." She grinned a
wicked grin. "Oh. I seem to have forgotten my manners. I never
introduced you. Leonard, may I present Nat. Nat, please meet
Leonard. He's your guardian angel."

Nat snorted. Was that what they called it
these days? A guardian angel? "Just thrilled to meet you, Len," Nat
replied caustically.

"Nat, don't be disrespectful. Leonard
prefers his full name."

This time, he rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right.
Leonard."

She glared at him but evidently decided he
wasn't worth the effort. Maybe she was a school teacher on the
side. A glare like that could keep little Tommy out of any kind of
mischief.

"So, Leonard and Daphne. What's your agenda
here? You want something from me, right? What say I give it to you
and you can be on your way."

"I wish it were that simple." She gnawed her
lower lip. That same lower lip he'd gnawed himself, just what, half
an hour earlier?

He leaned close to her, could feel the heat
radiating off her body. "Then let's make it simple."

Tensing, she pulled back.

Daphne wasn't sure what it was about Nat
that reminded her so much of his father. Their looks weren't
identical. Nat was taller. His eyes were blue where his father's
had been green. His face was lean and almost craggy. His father's
had been rounder. But the two men exuded a sexual confidence unlike
anything she'd ever experienced with a man outside this one family.
To say they were charismatic would be an understatement. The
Danvers men had it, whatever it was.

And she didn't trust it or Nat one little
bit.

With Nat's father, she'd been impervious to
his charm, although she'd known a score of women who hadn't been.
Why should it be any different with Nat? Instead of worrying over
this nonsense, she needed to put this favor behind her and get on
with whatever her new life would entail.

Of course it would help if Nat would sit
still. He continued to stalk the room with that paperweight in his
hand. "Listen, Nat, be a good boy and sit down."

He growled at her.

Okay, so it looked as though his father had
all the smarts in this family. "What do you think this is? Candid
Camera? Sit."

"Ha. Even I know that show's been off the
air for years. You'd like me to believe you're just a harmless nut
case, wouldn't you?" He paced toward her, clenching the
paperweight.

If she hadn't already died, she'd be worried
that he intended bodily harm. But with Leonard around, she was safe
in her newly mended body.

"I'm not insane, Nat, but with the way
you're acting, I wouldn't be too surprised to learn you have a
close personal acquaintance with the men in white coats."

"I don't know what you and Leonard, if he
exists, have in mind but I've had enough. Play time is over." He
positively loomed over her.

He didn't scare her. In fact, he was kinda
cute when he was looming. She hadn't noticed it before, but he was
broader chested than his father had been. She liked broad chests on
men. In fact, there wasn't much about him physically that deviated
from her ideal man. Fortunately, for the sake of her mission, his
personality left a lot to be desired.

"I don't know how, but we got off to a bad
start, Nat." She offered her hand. "Let's shake and start
over?"

He eyed her hand like it was full of worms.
She sighed. What was it going to take with this guy to get him to
sit down and listen? Leonard had big plans for him and if he wasn't
forewarned a little, it would be a lot harder on him. Some people
just didn't know when to listen.

"I'll start over if you'll cut the crap.
Tell me what you and Leonard really want."

"I give you my word that we're here to help
you."

"That's not enough. You've done some
jiggering with electronics. Even my security team hasn't responded.
Obviously you've gone to a lot of time, expense and trouble to set
up this meeting. Now give."

"You can reach him, Daphne," Leonard spoke
up. "The Council believes you can draw out the goodness buried in
him. It's not midnight yet. Give him a little longer."

What Daphne really wanted was to take off
her high heels but that didn't seem to be an option. "Nat, will you
tell me one thing?"

"Maybe," he snarled.

"Do you believe in love?"

He finally sat. "You mean
forever-after-I-am-your-one-true-love kind of love?"

She nodded.

"Not only no, but hell no. I hate to be the
one to disillusion you, Daph, but there ain't no such critter. I'm
not certain there's any kind of love. My theory is that it's all to
do with self interest. If it gets me what I want, then it's love.
I've seen it happen over and over again."

"What about your parents? Surely your father
loved you and you him?"

"Don't be ridiculous. What does love have to
do with it? He'd felt an animal urge to procreate and I was the
result. He owed me and I owed him."

His statement and tone, devoid of any
emotion, shocked her. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't be." He shrugged. "We respected each
other. That's more than most people have. And, may I add, I could
see, feel, touch and taste that respect. It was there when I woke
up in the morning to a warm breakfast and there when I went to bed
at night in a clean bed."

"What about your mother?"

"She died when I was six. I don't remember
her."

"Don't you think she loved you?"

"Like most women, I imagine she loved the
role of wife and mother. Again, self interest."

She felt as though she'd been hit by
shrapnel again. He'd never experienced love? That went a long way
toward explaining why he was such a bastard, attractive bastard
though he was.

Deny it all he wanted to, but she knew his
mother loved him. Hadn't she requested the Heavenly Council's help?
Nat could deny it, but he'd been the recipient of love.

"What about women? Haven't you ever fallen
in love? Met someone who knocked your socks off?"

He smiled a very toothy smile, a smile that
reminded her of the wolf when Red Riding Hood arrived at Grandma's.
"Lust, pure and simple."

"Okay. No love. How about hate? Have you
ever hated someone or something?" If she couldn't appeal to his
higher self then perhaps the baser might come into play.

"I never needed to hate. I always got
revenge against my enemies. And speaking of revenge, pet, if you
don't stop grilling me about emotions, I may consider getting some
revenge of my own." He leaned close to her. "Either unlock the door
and let me go home to grab some shut-eye or tell me just what the
hell it is you think you want."

She held up her hand, for all the world as
if that would ward him off. Right. She felt a bit like Daniel
standing up to Goliath. Or was that David? She'd never done well at
Sunday school. "I'm getting there, just bear with me a little
longer."

He rolled his eyes. Nice eyes. Ringed by
long black lashes. Then a thought occurred to her. "Wait a second.
I thought of something you love."

"And that is?"

"Money. Or power. Or both."

"Self interest again. I like the things that
money buys. I'm more comfortable in a plush office and with a
limousine than I'd be working in a warehouse or driving a cab. Same
thing for power. They get me what I want."

"Dam . . . Drat." She sighed and turned her
head to view the angel who'd brought her into this mess. "Leonard,
I don't think his mind is any more open than when we started. I
vote we give up."

Leonard looked disappointed.

"Good idea," said Nat. "Give up and
leave."

Leonard now looked as though they'd both let
him down. Daphne said, "Great, Nat. Now you've hurt him. If you
could see Leonard's face, you'd feel ashamed of yourself."

Nat snorted. "If you aren't going to unlock
the door and leave like a good little girl, then I'm going to make
myself another drink."

"Leonard, maybe you could let him feel the
effects of the alcohol after all? That might open him up?"

Leonard tsked. She hadn't really thought
he'd agree.

Nat didn't rise. Instead he reached over and
fingered one of the spaghetti straps attached to her dress. Leonard
hadn't wanted her to wear such a revealing outfit but she'd
insisted. Experience had taught her that if a woman wanted a man's
attention, it helped to really get his attention. Judging by Nat's
expression, she had his. When he inserted his little finger under
her strap, tingles went running down her torso. She slapped his
hand.

He yanked it back then slowly shook his
finger at her. "If you aren't a good little girl, then you're a
naughty girl. And you know, I've never been alone with a woman this
late at night unless she was lying naked in my bed. What say
we—"

Daphne jumped away from him. "Don't even
think about it. I'm here to save your eternal soul, buddy, and
don't you forget it. Besides, you've embarrassed Leonard. He's an
angel, for heaven's sake. You don't do things like that in front of
angels!"

"I can't hear him, see him, touch him or
taste him. Seems to me you're all alone with me in this locked
room. If I'm going to waste my time then I'll waste it my way." He
slowly stood, then took a step toward her.

"Leonard," she said through gritted teeth.
"I'd appreciate it if you'd do something."

The sound of harp strings filled the
air.

"There!" Daphne grinned. "You heard
him."

"Yeah, so now in addition to hunting for a
hidden camera, I know to hunt for a speaker." He darted toward
her.

She squealed and ran behind his desk. Her
gaze found what she was seeking. The letter opener. Grabbing it up,
her charm bracelet jangled as she said, "Come any closer and I'll
skewer you."

"Only a child would be afraid of that
thing." Swaggering now, he kept coming.

She waved it at him as if it were a rapier.
"I'll . . . I'll open your innards."

"Unlock the door, Daphne."

"Forget it."Just as she prepared to jab him,
she heard the metallic snap of a lock.

Nat pulled back with a superior smirk.
Daphne looked at the door. It now stood open.

~~~~

Chapter Two

"It took you long enough, Leonard," Nat
commented. "You wouldn't want me to take advantage of your little
dupe, now would you?" He strode toward the open door.

"So you finally believe Leonard's an angel?"
Daphne asked.

"Of course not. With all the bugs in this
room, it would probably take an angel to clean it all out. Coming,
Daph?"

She shook her head in total defeat. She
should have known she couldn't do this one simple thing the Council
had requested.

Nat glared at her, then turned his back and
left.

She hugged herself. "Leonard?"

A bell rang, startling her. He slowly
materialized. "Yes, child?"

"Where were you?"

"I had something to attend to. What do you
need?"

Daphne bit her lower lip then said, "It
looks like my job is done here. I failed. Couldn't I please go back
to my old life?"

"I only wish you could. However, I think
I've found just the situation for you."

Something about his expression made her
suspicious. "What do you mean?"

"A new life, precisely as the Council
promised you. Shall we take a look?"

"I suppose so." Daphne sighed. "What about
my parents, Leonard? My mom and stepdad?"

"Since you'll soon be entering into another
life, you must try to forget your past. However, you needn't worry.
I'm sure they're being cared for."

"But you don't know that, do you?"

"Not personally."

"Can we check on them?"

"I'm sorry. You gave up that right when you
elected to return to earth. Coming?"

Obviously, she had no choice in the matter
of her past. "All right."

A sensation of dizziness and movement
enveloped her. When her senses cleared, they were outdoors. As she
glanced around at the unfamiliar snowy scene, she realized Leonard
had transported them to another place without the normal time
necessary for physical travel. Leonard gestured for her to peer
through a window at a young woman.

"What do you think?"

"I think I'm a little old to become a
Peeping Tom. Besides, it's cold out here." She stamped her feet,
regretting her earlier impulse to attract Nat by wearing skimpy
clothing. She should at least have asked for a mink coat or
something warm.

"That's not what I meant. What do you think
of the young woman?"

She glanced in the window. "What's she got
to do with me?"

"She's due to have an aneurysm tomorrow. Her
body, in fact her life, will be available. While the Council can
only restore your current body for a few hours, it can repair a
living body and transplant your soul once the current soul has gone
on to her reward. A soul whose time has come."

They watched the young woman for a moment
longer. Leonard added, "She's a nice girl, has a fiancé who's a
nice boy. Attends religious services regularly."

So she'd just take over her mended body? It
felt rather cannibalistic. "What's she do for a living?"

"She's a librarian. Head librarian. Not a
bad job, one you could easily do with your background as a
reporter. The Council has been anxious to find you something
suitable and they feel this is close."

"Close." Daphne's body shook. The Council
was going to keep its word. She'd have a life. But what kind of
life?

"If you find you don't like something, it'll
be your life. You can change things to suit yourself."

"And I just step in and take over?"

"It's the best we can offer, Daphne. There
are a few other possibilities but I believe you'd like this life.
Remember, you wanted children . . . they'd be within your
reach."