Page 54 of Angel

This time, I lean over his desk and grasp him by the shirt and pull him up to my face, snarling, “Watch your mouth before I rearrange it for you.”

I drop him and he splutters, “That was unnecessary. You can’t blame a guy for day dreaming.”

“Like the stalker creep, I’m guessing. It’s a thin line, asshole.”

He shrugs. “I deal in sex. What do you expect? I’m no gentleman.”

“He has a point.” Havoc adds, and I sigh.

“Where can we find Jack Vincent?”

“Restocking the store cupboard. Out here, turn left at the end.”

“Thanks.”

We make to leave and Buddy throws after us, “Anytime you want some action guys, you know where to come. I’ll even grab you a coupon. It’s two for one on Thursday between 10am and midday.”

We leave, slamming the door behind us, and Ghost groans. “How long before we can get the hell out of this place?”

“That depends on Jack Vincent.”

I remark and as we head off to find him, I hope he has more information than we’ve learned so far.

* * *

He is shifting boxes when we enter the room and he smiles, a few teeth missing and the ones left slowly rotting.

“Hey, guys, I’ve been expecting you.”

We crowd into the small room and Havoc wastes no time.

“What can you tell us about the man who left the motel masquerading as an Angel?”

“That it wasn’t the first time.”

His tone is gruff, unhurried, and unafraid.

“What do you mean?” Ghost adds.

“I’ve seen him a few times. Once he disappeared into the motel with a woman. She was all over him. They left one hour later, but she was screaming abuse and there was blood on her face.”

“He beat her.”

“Seems that way. Perhaps it’s on the cameras. Buddy can help with that.”

Zac whispers, “I’m on it.”

He heads out of the room and Havoc growls, “What else?”

Jack stares between us and with a sigh, I remove some dollar bills and hand him a couple of fifties.

“I saw his car once.”

This is interesting.

He nods toward the money in his hand, and I take my cue and drop another couple of fifties to join the others.

“It was a beat-up old Ford. The paint was peeling and a different color was underneath it. Blue, I think.”