Succubus

Chapter 25: The Two Sides of Heaven

"You're wasting your time," Daumantas said.

"Do you have a better idea?" Peter countered. The Saint didn't, so he kept quiet as Peter walked up Mike Gonzalez's driveway.

Mike wasn't in his garage, which was unusual. Typically Mike couldn't be pried away from making ice cream, but now the house was locked up tight with all the drapes drawn.

Peter knocked on the door. The house was still for a long time, but then a curtain moved. An eyeball stared at Peter for a second before disappearing. Peter knocked again.

The door swung open a crack. "No ice cream today," a voice whispered. "It's too cold."

"I know the girl was here Mike," Peter said. On the night when Peter had first realized what Tara was he had done some investigating after she escaped. He found a half melted ice cream under a tree.

"I don't know anything about Tara," Mike mumbled.

"Did I say Tara?"

Mike sighed and opened the door. "What do you want?"

"Just some information, and I won't tell a thing to the cops if you're straight with me."

The fine line Mike walked with the police would be in jeopardy if he got wrapped up in a missing person case. As of now the police didn't know that Mike Gonzalez was probably the last person to see Tara, not counting Peter of course. The police couldn't let a lot of illegal food sales go if Mike became a witness.

"I sold the girl an ice cream, that's all."

Daumantas sat on the step. "This man does not have the fortitude to face a demon," he mumbled.

"So she was alone?"

"No, there was a guy with her."

Peter leaned forward. "What guy?"

"I don't know his name. Sometimes I see him around the park or the community center." Mike thought for a moment. "Maybe around the churches. That's all I know, can you leave me alone now?"

"Yeah, I'll keep quiet. Thanks Mike."

Mike began closing the door then stopped. "Why are you so eager to find this girl anyway?"

Peter needed a quick lie. "She's my girlfriend, and she might be running around on me."

Mike gave a sage nod and closed the door. Peter began walking toward the community center a few blocks away.

"You think this mystery guy is the town angel?" Peter asked.

"I don't trust a thing she told us," Daumantas said, "But nothing is impossible."

Peter waited under a tree by the community center. Old people came and went, but no one looked angelic. No one looked under fifty either.

"Am I still wasting my time?" Peter asked.

"What do you think?"

Peter sighed. "Well, tell me about angels. If you lived in heaven you should know what makes them appear."

Daumantas thought about it. "The kind of angel that would be trapped in a place like this would love nothing more than to help people."

Peter continued watching the door. On the side of the building was a metal ramp that led up to a smaller door. There was a button that would automatically open the door if it was pressed.

Peter stood up and headed for the ramp. He glanced down the sidewalk both ways to be sure he wasn't being watched. The coast looked clear.

A heavy branch had fallen off a tree not far from the community center. Peter pulled it to the ramp and made a little barrier. He returned to his hiding spot and continued to wait.