Angels in the Shadows
Chapter Twelve: The Puzzle Comes Together
Anthony woke when the sun streamed through the bedroom window, landing on his eyelid. He frowned, and then smiled at Amy's sleeping form. She was pressed up against him, her hands draped over his and her hair spread out on the pillows. He carefully extracted his left hand and stroked her arm, smirking to himself as he remembered the night before. She had proven that she could do much more with that lovely mouth of hers than he ever dreamed. He could not remember feeling so drained and yet so complete at the same time.
His stomach rumbled, and he planted a soft kiss on her shoulder before climbing out of bed and pulling on his trousers and shirt before heading out to the kitchen.
Kitty was sitting at the counter, munching on a piece of toast as she perused the front page of the paper. She spoke in a dry voice, not looking up. "For someone that's supposed to be mute, you make a lot of noise."
Anthony felt himself blush in embarrassment, and Kitty looked up, giving him a wicked smile. "Of course, my sister was rather noisy as well. Called out to God quite a few times."
Anthony gulped and pointed to the toast. Kitty looked at it, and then pointed over her shoulder. "Bread's in the pantry. There's butter out on the counter, and I think there might be some strawberry jam in the fridge."
Anthony got the bread down and popped it in the toaster, then made a drinking motion. Kitty grinned. "Amy hates coffee; it makes her sick to her stomach. There's tea in the cupboard above the stove. It's pretty good-nice and strong."
Anthony made a noise of disappointment, but got down the tea and a cup. He found a strainer and a pot, and then began to brew the tea. Amy finished the paper, and then faced him, a serious look on her face. "I've been thinking." He nodded at her to continue. "Well, we both know that it's probably nobody Amy works with that's been threatening her, right?" Another nod. "And most of the regular customers at both the bookstore and the coffee shop next door are either little old ladies or teenagers. What if it's someone that works at the coffee shop?"
Anthony frowned, and then shrugged. Kitty sighed. "Yeah, they don't seem to fit either. Except…" her eyes went wide. "Malcolm Deavers!"
Anthony raised his eye at her, puzzled. She gave a grim smile. "Malcolm Deavers was a guy Amy knew in school. He was always flirting with her, and asking her out. But he had a reputation as the kind of guy who would 'love 'em and leave 'em' as the saying goes, and if there's one thing my sister's not, it's a patsy."
Anthony giggled in agreement, and Kitty chuckled, and then sighed. "Malcolm was persistent, though, and finally he confronted Amy after class and basically told her that she would go out with him or else. From what I heard later, she gave him a verbal evisceration before threatening to tear his head off if he came near her again."
"It wasn't his head, it was his balls. And then I said I'd shove them so far up his ass they'd come out his throat." Amy smiled at the two of them. "Morning. Kitty, wipe that smirk off your face."
Kitty's smirk grew wider. "Do you know why I'm smirking?"
Amy rolled her eyes. "I can guess, and don't say Anthony and I corrupted you. You were corrupt long before."
Kitty stuck her tongue out at her sister in mock anger. "I love you too, Amy." She sighed, looking up at the clock. "Do I have to go to school today?"
Amy gave her a look. "Are you vomiting up blood?"
"No."
"Then yes, you have to go to school today. Besides, I've got plans with Anthony." Kitty choked on laughter, and Amy glared at her, her face red. "Not those types of plans! I want him to take me to see the Angels." She looked over at him. "That okay with you?"
He nodded, and pointed to the clock. Amy sighed. "I want breakfast first. Then we can go. Kitty is Jessalyn picking you up or do you need a ride?"
A car horn sounded out front, and Amy grinned. "I guess that answers my question. Have a good day at school, Kitty Kat."
Kitty rolled her eyes. "I hate when you call me Kitty Kat." She grabbed her backpack off the table and gave Amy a kiss on the cheek before heading out the door. Amy turned and glared at Anthony, who gave her a puzzled look.
"I think we should have been a bit quieter last night." Anthony shook his head and came forward, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her. She looked up at him. "You're partly to blame, you know. You are one fantastic lover."
He gave her a look that clearly said 'So are you,' and one hand crept up to bury itself in her hair. He gave her a pleading look, and she nodded, and then braced herself, biting back a yowl of pain as he yanked out a good sized lock of her hair. He sighed happily, stroking his cheek with her hair, and she smiled, rubbing her head. "Happy now?" He smiled and nodded, and she chuckled. "Good."
After breakfast, Anthony drove her to the Townsend Agency. Dylan was sitting on the couch, talking on her phone. She looked up when they walked in, smiling, and then spoke into the phone. "I'll talk to you later, okay? Bye." She hung up, then stood from the couch and stuck her hand out at Amy. "You must be Amelia Chase. I'm Dylan." Her smile was friendly and welcoming, and Amy grinned and shook her hand.
"I'm very pleased to meet you, Dylan. Anthony's told me about you."
Dylan looked over at Anthony, who merely grinned. "Nothing bad, I hope."
Amy laughed, waving her hand. "Oh no, nothing but good things, I can assure you. He says that you and your friends are the best at what you do."
Dylan nodded. "That we are. Alex and Nat should be here any moment, and then you can tell us some more about your problem."
The two women walked in a few moments later, and after introductions had been made all around, Amy began talking. Dylan smiled to herself as she observed how easily she lounged against Anthony and how his right hand was absentmindedly running through her hair while his left stroked up and down her arm. 'They certainly are comfortable with each other.'
Amy sighed. "I first met Malcolm Deavers a year ago when he and I took the same Literature Appreciation course out at Berkeley. I was taking it for my major, and I'm pretty sure he was just taking it to pick up women. He had a reputation on campus as being a regular Lothario. He went through one girlfriend after another, and once he got what he wanted from them, it was 'so long, it was nice doing ya.'" She chuckled. "I think I shocked him when I didn't fall for his rather worn out and clichéd pick up lines. He had no grasp of literature-I sincerely doubt he's ever read anything tougher than The Pokey Little Puppy in his life. He never took notes, never did assignments, and barely passed his tests." She grimaced, looking over at the Angels. "Have you ever met someone and just known that there was something…off about them?" The girls nodded, and Amy smiled in relief. "I couldn't pin it down when I first met him. My initial impression of him was less than favorable, since he basically tried to proposition me the first day of classes, and I turned him down politely. I think that might have been my mistake. He kept bugging me, and then finally told me that if I didn't date him I'd regret it. I called him some very colorful names and told him if he bothered me again he'd end up a castrati. He left me alone the rest of the year, and when we graduated he went off to parts unknown."
Natalie looked thoughtful. "When was the last time you saw him?"
"Graduation, eight months ago. He was spouting his usual bullshit about how I'd regret not falling back and spreading my legs for him the first time he looked in my direction. I told him to save his blustering for someone who gave a flying fuck. That shut him up."
Alex smiled. "Has he tried to get in touch with you since then?"
Amy shook her head. "No, but what puzzles me is if he's the one stalking me, his crush, or whatever you want to call it, has become a full bore obsession. It's ironic him calling me a whore and slut, though. He wasn't a monk."
Dylan thought for a moment. "You said you got a note from your stalker?" Amy nodded, and dug into her pocket, handing her the crumpled note.
"Anthony mussed it up a bit, but it should still be readable. It's off a printer, though."
The Angels grinned. "That won't be a problem, believe me", Alex replied. Amy chuckled.
"No, I imagine it wouldn't. Thank you all so much for helping me."
Dylan gave her a warm smile. "Well, anyone that can make Anthony as happy as you obviously have must be someone special, and we'll do all we can to find and stop your stalker."
Anthony gave Dylan a smile in thanks, then nudged Amy, and she sighed. "Yeah, I know. We need to get going. Things to do."
They started to head out the door, when Dylan spoke up. "Anthony?" He turned and looked at her. "You take care of her, you hear me?"
Anthony nodded and crossed his heart, and Dylan grinned. "Good."
She watched them walk out; their hands linked together, and grinned. "Good for you, Anthony."
Dylan shut the door, then turned and smiled at her friends. "Well, what are we waiting for? We've got a crime to solve!"
