Amber Dan-Dwayne Spencer (romantic books to read .txt) 📖

lips as a reminder for them not to blurt out some crap and give us away; we gingerly stepped across to the next door. I pulled on the handle. It was locked. Behind this locked door was the lobby and the exit. It was all that lay between us and safety.

“Now what, Arland?” Jimmy scoffed. “We’re trapped.”

I ignored his remark and pulled them down to crouch behind a row of filing cabinets. “Roger, what time is it?” I asked.

“It’s 5:00. Why? Is it important?” he answered.

I nodded. “Tell me when it’s exactly 5:03.”

The three measly minutes felt like an eternity. At 5:03 the door opened, and we hunkered down lower when a deputy came in. Dropping a clipboard in a tray marked High Priority, he turned to leave. As he left, I reached out and caught the door behind him, preventing it from completely closing. Hunkering behind the door, we waited.

“Let’s go,” Jimmy demanded.

“Not yet,” I replied.

Voices came from the lobby. “Officer Watkins, take your break now while I go make some copies.”

Another voice answered, “Okay, did you make fresh coffee?”

“Yeah, it shouldn’t be too gross. Make some more if you want to,” the voice replied.

Then a moment of silence before the static of a radio tuner searching for a station grated on my ears. Abruptly, Dream a Little Dream of Me played and Mama Cass Elliot’s crooning vocals rang out.

Roger announced, “It’s 5:03.”

“Now, move through the door,” I instructed.

There in the lobby stood Walter, the officer we met at the playa pond. He held a ceramic coffee mug in his hand. Upon seeing us, he stepped back and dropped it. When it hit the ground, it sounded like glass breaking.

“Everything okay in there, Walter?” a voice called out from somewhere beyond the receptionist’s desk.

Walter didn’t hesitate, he answered, “Yes, everything’s fine. I made a mess. I’ll clean it up.” He smiled at us and nodded at the exit door.

Finally, we were outside where fuzzy speakers crackled a staticy version of Mama Cass Elliot’s serenaded. Wasting no time, we ran to the van.

Flower asked, “What happened? Where’s Rose?”

Jimmy sneered. “That was a terrific waste of time. We made it all the way to where Rose was imprisoned and Arland made us leave without her.” He huffed, crossed his arms, and leaned back in his seat. “That’s bullshit, Arland. You chickened out on me.”

“I don’t get it. Why did I get the entire plan to rescue her in a dream when there was no possible way we could have gotten her out? Flower, am I doing something wrong?”

“I don’t know, Arland. All we can do now is go on to Blue Eye and get the talisman.” Flower answered. “What happened in there? Why didn’t your plan work?”

“I got a vibe that there were fallen angels present,” I answered,

“Oh,” she replied.

“I’m not sure that I couldn’t bust some angel head just as easily as I could bust up those demons,” Jimmy boasted.

“I tried to warn you. These visions you get are not all they’re cracked up to be.” Mr. Dark growled. “If you ask me—”

“I didn’t ask you. Shut up.” I replied.

“Arland, you shut up. You don’t get to tell me what to do.” Jimmy bellowed.

Right when I stepped out to take charge like Flower said I should—everything fell apart. I sunk down in my seat and wished I could be invisible for once.

Chapter Nineteen

Unexpected Journey

Stoney pulled away and headed back the way we came. I turned to look once more at the Animal Shelter. There in the middle of the road was the sheriff. He just stood there watching us leave, his eyes red as hot embers. An icy shiver ran up the back of my neck and the hairs on my arms felt like they were standing on end. To my surprise, he didn’t try to pursue us—he just stood there. I turned to face the front. I’d no reason to freak out the others when we weren’t in immediate danger. So, I kept it to myself.

Finally, heading to Blue Eye, Stoney wasted no time. He opened the van up and cruised at seventy miles per hour along the highway. We passed the cutoff to the commune and passed the pond where Dave had his accident. Out of the blue, Roger yelled. “See the side road going off into that stand of trees?”

Stoney replied. “Yeah, so what? It’s not the way to Blue Eye.”

“Quick. Take a left down that road and turn the car around in those trees.”

“Why?” Stoney questioned.

“Just do it,” Roger demanded.

Stoney pulled onto the dirt road. “Now what?”

“Maybe nothing, but if I’m right, then—” A roar of engines announced a dozen police cars in a caravan, led by a KDPS Ford 150 police truck. They came rumbling at high speed toward the commune. “Yep,” Roger continued, “there they are, just as I expected. I suspect they’re all headed to the commune to search for the talisman.” He shook his head and shuddered. “I figured the sheriff called on his law enforcement buddies for help, and I, for one, didn’t want to pass them head-on. Who knows, the sheriff-monster might have issued warrants for our arrests too. If he gets his hands on us, we’re burnt toast. I’m sure, he thinks he doesn’t need our help anymore since he knows where the talisman is. Too bad for him it’s all a trick. His demons in disguise will be searching a long time to find nothing.”

Jimmy exclaimed, “With all the roosters out of the henhouse, now is the perfect time to be busting down doors at the jail and save Rose. Turn this buggy around and head to the jail. I’m not convinced that we can’t manage her rescue. Why should we waste time