Lipgloss on your Wings - Branded Angel Novels book 1

Chapter 11

   We felt confident enough in our plan that we left my house and jumped straight into Jarryd’s car to head for the city. We’d made a rough list of things to do; the first being to make that phone call. The confidence ended there though. I was so nervous when it came to actually copying the numbers into my phone I was glad my Blackberry had a silicone case or it would be slipping out of my sweaty palms like a bar of wet soap. I dialled the numbers checking them three more times than I actually needed to, to make sure they were correct (or to stall for time) before I hit send.

   The ringing seemed to echo inside my head, each clipped tone vibrating with seriousness. Three rings… I pretty much lost my nerve and was just pulling the phone away from my ear when Jarryd gently pushed my hand back into place and trailed his finger down my arm as he pulled it away. I glanced at him sideways biting my lip and he gave me a small smile. I gave a short determined nod and took a deep breath as a voice on the other end of the line answered, “Hello?”

It was a woman’s voice and I was relieved yet disappointed at the same time that we might have the wrong number, “Ah, yes. Hello. I’m looking to speak to Mr Speel, if possible please?” I used my best telephone voice.

    “May I ask who’s calling, please?”

   Damn the untrusting modern day society. “My names… Hillary,” I went for my real first name for some reason, probably to make me feel like a super undercover spy double bluffing my suspect, and had to stop myself gagging out loud at the taste of that ridiculous name rolling off my tongue, “I’m just ringing about his electricity bill.” 

   I crossed my fingers and hoped the utility bills were in fact kept in his name. It was a long shot but I couldn’t pretend to be a salesperson because more than likely I’d be hung up on, and it’s not like I could just come out and say ‘Well, actually I’m ringing to see if I can see some centuries old documents he may or may not have to save his grandson from murdering my Guardian Angel.’ Or I could have, but it would probably end up with the same result as the saleswoman pitch.

   With a stroke of luck she replied, “One moment, I’ll just get him for you.”

   Result!

   There was a shuffling sound as she placed the handset onto a surface and I could hear her muffled calls yelling, “Rick! Riiiiick! Phone!” A few moments later the receiver crackled as it was picked up again,

   “Yeah?” The gruff, undeniably male voice asked.

   “Hello Sir, I’m calling about Angelus Sicarius.”

   We’d decided to just come out with it, if he was who we were looking for then he’d recognise the title immediately, if it was the wrong number then we could just cover up by rattling it off as our business name and make them a sales offer no one would be interested in and end the phone call as quickly as possible and try the other two options we had instead.

   “I see.” Was all he replied which gave me no indication as to whether he knew what I was saying or not. Unless he was trying to double bluff me and find out how much I knew first. Well, the old mans not as stupid as an ogre as he sounds, is he?

   I decided to cut the crap and put on my best ‘all business’ voice, “Listen Rick, I need papers, documentation, and I’m under the impression you have them, or can get hold of them.”

   “Sweetheart, these ain’t Cosmo magazines.” If only, I thought. How did the old codger even know what a Cosmo mag was? “We don’t hand these things out like flyers for a car boot. Not to anyone, especially random callers. I don‘t know how you know about all this but do yourself a favour and just forget it, okay?”