Arrival of the Beast (Lucifer's Clock Series, Book 2)

Liar Liar

The next afternoon after, meeting with Gabriel, Angelica stood in her bedroom, looking outside the window as Gabriel pulled out of the driveway. On her way that morning to get breakfast, she had overheard Gabriel on the phone talking to the hospital. She was going in to tie up some 'loose ends' before they moved in a couple of days.

Angelica had decided to take advantage of her absence. She went downstairs and wasn't surprised to see Michael standing guard by the front door. He had been there day and night, as if he was expecting her to attempt to walk out the front door.

She ignored him as she pretended to walk to the theater room, then silently ducked into Gabriel's office. She had seen Gabriel put her cell phone in her desk drawer, and knowing how predictable Gabriel was, she hadn't moved it.

Angelica smiled when she saw the cell phone in the same spot as before. She stashed it in her jean pocket and bolted out of the office. Once she was in the theater room, she put on a random movie for the sound to cover her voice.

Angelica dialed Nala and prayed she answered. It was a school day, after all.

"Angelica?" Nala answered on the first ring.

"Hey," said Angelica, happy to hear her voice.

"What's going on? I talked to Roman, and he told me you don't attend school anymore. I tried calling your cell but didn't get an answer. Then I tried coming by your house, but for some reason I couldn't find it. I rode my bike around for hours. Every time I thought I knew where I was going, I ended up somewhere else. It was really weird, now that I think about it."

Angelica patiently listened to Nala ramble. She had seen Connie walking around the property chanting. She must have put a spell around the property to turn away innocents.

"Nala, I need your help," interjected Angelica.

"Are you in trouble? Ohmygod, I knew it was not like you or your family to just up and leave! I was watching 48 hours and the exact same thi­—"

"No, Nala, I'm not in trouble."

"So, you don't need help?" Nala said slowly, as if she didn't believe Angelica.

"Remember when you and I were talking about my father?"

"Yes."

"He found me. He has been looking for me all this time, because he wants me to be with him."

"Is that why you had to leave school?"

"Yes. They know he has found me, so they are moving me."

"Why? Is he a bad person?"

"I don't know if he is or not, but I think it should be my decision to find out."

"Or maybe you could trust your aunts' decisions and just go with what they are saying," said Nala, reluctantly.

"I know they are doing what they think is best for me, but this should be my decision. And they haven't exactly been honest with me about everything, either."

Angelica thought about her mom, but she didn't tell Nala about her. She was sure Nala would have a gang of questions that she couldn't answer.

"Have you tried expressing how you feel to them?"

"Yeah, sort of, but you know adults, they think they know everything, so they don't listen to us."

"Right," agreed Nala. "So, what are you going to do?"

"That's where you come in at."

"Oh boy," groaned Nala. "If it involves you running away and me assisting you, then I might as well cancel my plans of going to an Ivy League college, because I'm going to jail!"