Chapter 2
Dylan was glad that Alex had stayed overnight. Normally it drove her crazy to have her fellow angel in her apartment. She always started to clean Dylan's apartment discovering lots of her lend cloth. That wasn't the reason, it was the fact that the redhead felt uncomfortable being so untidy. But Nat and Alex never came when she had actually cleaned the kitchen up and vacuumed the floor.
Hell she was not that often at home anyway. The agency was her home. But the last night had been rough and Dylan had fallen asleep while Alex battled with the dish stacks in the kitchen.
The sun was already up, but it was the phone that woke her up. As she reached over she saw that Alex was sitting on the edge of her bed. Already perfectly dressed in a satin pair of black trousers and a short top in white that had a mouse in front. Dylan was amazed. She had not seen that one in years and the trousers, well they were anyway lend from Alex.
Dylan picked up the phone. "Saunders."
She hated to talk before she had eaten something, she hated to do anything before breakfast. "Oh morning sleeping duty", Nat's voice came over the phone. Dylan heard how happy and contend her friend was. It was not that she was not happy for her, but today it left her with a feeling of sadness. 'Will I ever be in an actual relationship that deserves the name', she sighed. 'No probably not.'
"Nat, sorry for abandoning you", she began, but was interrupted by her friend. "Nonsense, I barely noticed, I only awoke as they all started clapping as Jason's Alter ego took on Salazar. Only Jason was not very happy."
"Yeah Alex went after me", Dylan explained hoping that Jason's ego was not hurt so bad as to damage their relationship.
Alex smiled as did Natalie. "She told me, we talked last night", her voice became suddenly much more sincere. "I know what happened, I wish I could have been there for you. One more thing, don't worry about Seamus. He won't be able to harm you or us."
"Believe me, Nat. He can, he find a way to set someone on you, Pete or even your puppy."
Alex came over and said loud enough for Nat to hear: "We talked about this, but think of it, he waited all those years to take his revenge in person, he needs to see you suffering. Now he is at best in intensive care and then back into prison! I doubt he'll be bothering you again."
"Yes, he'll wait for his next chance and this time he won't get it" Nat assured her also.
"I guess that might be the case, I just wished he just had died. He does not deserve to live. All he ever did with his life was hurting others." Dylan dared not remember her past as Helen. Seamus had been different then. No, that was not true. He just had hidden his true self. Or had she just been to blind to see it. It had been so flattering as he appeared almost every day in front of her school.
Everyone had warned her about him, but she never listened. Not to the women at her orphanage, not to her teachers and not to her own common sense. No she had encouraged him until she felt ready to let him drive her home. He never even pressed her to sleep with him, the smart bastard made her believe that she wanted it. Well, she had. 'No, no, don't think about that.'
"What did you said?" she asked Natalie realising that she had not listened to her friend. "Oh, I wanted to know, whether I should be taking my car picking the two of you up or if you want me to meet you at the police station."
"Picking up sounds good, I have time to eat and dress myself", Dylan told her and looked at Alex who nodded. "See you then!"
"Bye", Dylan said hearing the line being disconnected.
Alex had a strange smile on her face. "You know, you should stop wearing make-up while you sleep. It's bad for your skin."
"Oh no", the redhead rushed to the bath room. Boy she looked awful. Dried out eyes, smeared eye-shadow and lipstick and her skin slightly reddened. She started to remove it as the Asian angel offered to cook a little something for breakfast. Dylan tried to smile and convince her friend that she was so in the mood for a visit to McDonalds for breakfast. Too late she realised that breakfast was already over, but Alex finally accepted that Dylan had thought of French fries the whole time. Anything but Alex's meals. Cooking was not one of her many gifts.
The hungry angel finished just in time to select a simple pair of jeans and black shirt with lots of little yellow glass-stones on the front. She did not felt like wearing something dazzling and it seemed neither did Alex. Or Nat, who had equally ordinary cloth on her. They did not waste much time and took of toward the next McDrive. It was so good to have Natalie with her, she was a spring of good mood. She talked about the highlights from the premiere (as far as she remembered) and of course the puppy Pete presented her that night.
"Guys", Dylan suddenly said and the happy talk in the front of the car stopped. "I think the police have no clue about the Thin Man. I'd thought that we could leave it that way - at least concerning our last case."
"Why not, the nuns probably be happier without knowing", Natalie agreed.
"The nuns?" Dylan rubbed left temple. "I guess we should tell them, at least they'll see to that he is properly buried."
"We could pay them a visit after we had our talk with Thompsen", Alex suggested.
They found a spot to park the car on the opposite street. The detective had already been expecting them. He looked quite happy this morning. "Good day, ladies!" he said cheerfully.
"Good day", all three of them replied. Looking at each other smiling. "You seem very happy today."
"Oh I am", Thompsen said. "I have a very elegant sword, used to kill two men and only Seamus O'Gready fingerprints on it. With your statements he'll be locked away for good. If that even becomes necessary."
"What do you mean?", Dylan asked, wondering why the Thin Man had not left any fingerprints on his weapon. That was strange. She knew that he had not worn any gloves. The other angels looked equally amazed, but said nothing.
"Well, it appears that he has fallen into a coma and it is very uncertain whether he'll ever open his eyes again."
Not as good as dead, but Dylan figured this had to do. One by one the gave their statement. Alex kept also silent about the Thin Man's part in the killing of the other Irish thug. Thompsen was pleased with their statements and two hours later they left.
"I can't believe it", Natalie said looking at her windshield. "A ticket."
"I thought you love tickets", mocked Alex.
They laughed, but Dylan could not stop thinking about the scene on the roof. Her friends probably sensed that she needed time to reflect and continued to talk about everything, but their boyfriends. It would not have mattered. Dylan was soon to busy sorting out all that conflicting feelings in her mind.
Why was she so awfully down when she thought about the Thin Man's death. She wished she had known more about him, but if the police had not records on him, or had they? He had no fingerprints. Anyway, Dylan doubted that the police was able to catch him. So of course there were no prints in the first place. Hopefully they do not figure out that the blade was actually his. It fit his style. Had he used it kill Corwin, would they find a match?
She needed to remember that, the Thin Man had murdered Corwin. Also being a repulsive business man with too much power, it was still murder. What was so different about this murder from the one Seamus had committed in front of her eyes? After all she had send Seamus to prison for the same crime and now she had asked her friends to cover up the Thin Man's action.
That drove her crazy, she knew what he had done, she knew about him and yet she stood there enjoying that kiss. Feeling her heart ache knowing that she will never been able to kiss him again or yet discover what was really behind it.
"What shall we tell the mother superior? I mean about us? Or shall we disguise?" Natalie addressed Dylan as they came closer to the orphanage.
"No, no more lies", she replied. "We tell her who we are and what was going on, but …"
"…we leave out the part were he killed Emmers and O'Gready's thug", Alex added.
They parked the car behind the one that had belonged to Madison's gorgeous assassin and asked to see the mother superior. Nat added that it was about Anthony and a few minutes later they were gathered in her office. They were recognised immediately, but the mother superior gave them the chance to explain everything and naturally the nun was shocked. No doubt she had cared very much about Anthony. Little teardrops appeared in her eyes, but she was able to suppress them.
She said a prayer for him and yet Dylan felt a bit better knowing that someone else cared about the Thin Man. She had the feeling he had been very lonely. He was not the type to make friends easily nor to take friendship lightly. The angel could not help, but had to compare his relation ship to the mother superior with the one she had with Charlie. He was the closest thing to a parent she had, the only father she ever knew. The older nun was certainly like mother to him.
And probably the only woman he had taken more hair strains from. The mother superior, promised them to take care of the funeral and all the formalities. They left all a bit uneasy. It had occurred to all of them that their favourite assassin had a different side to him, but that someone could care so deeply for him was a surprise. Dylan sighed, at least she can grieve without second thoughts. To her the Thin Man had been an angel - one with a strange habit, but still an angel.
The redheaded angel knew to much and it did not seem to fit at all. She thought about the precision he had shown killing Emmers. He seemed to be distant and controlled, almost cold and then - those screams. Like he was leaving out all the emotions he had stored. Not her idea of a happy life. Dylan had never been good at hiding what she felt. Sometimes she wished she could have. Like back then when Knox mocked and taunted her. She had been hurt, she felt betrayed and it shined right through her.
The way back was marked by an awful silence, even Natalie kept to her own thoughts. She headed to the agency where Dylan's car was parked. Nat dropped her friends of and headed home, back to her happy life. They waved her goodbye and Alex said: "Well, how do you feel?"
"I don't know, it's strange, especially talking again to her", Dylan said as she walked over to her car.
Alex agreed with her on that. She could hardly believe that they had talked about the same person, but she had kept silent. "I hope she never finds out, how he came to earn all those donations he made to the orphanage."
"Yes, without a doubt, she would not like that", she replied.
"You don't seem to like it either", the Asian angel told her. Alex was more concerned for Dylan than she showed. Not because of Seamus, he was way out of the game. It was the fact that Dylan was so deeply affected by the Thin Man's death. Alex did not understand it. Yes, he saved her lives, it was regrettable that he died, but after all he was an assassin. This time on their side, but it Alex doubted that it would have remained that way.
"Not really, it's so strange", Dylan said as she opened the door to her car. "First we only knew him as the bad guy, and than we found out that there is much more behind him."
"Like two sides of the same medallion", Alex added understanding what Dylan meant.
"Yes", Dylan agreed, but her thoughts went to that medallion she had taken from him at the coal bowl. "Alex, just a second."
The other watched surprised as her fellow angel, excused herself and went back into the agency.
The redheaded angel entered the evidence room, were they kept all the items from their cases, which weren't handed over to the police. Quickly she found what she was looking for. The tiny trinket lay in her hand and Dylan felt for some strange reason better holding it. She decided to keep it. Something to remember. Not that she would be able to forget what happened.
"Ho, Dylan", Bosley said surprised as he saw her coming from the evidence room.
"Hi, Bosley", Dylan said hiding the medallion in her fist. "How was the movie?"
"The movie was alright, but where the hell did ya go?", he asked and she could tell he was worried about her.
"I meet the detective on my way back from the restrooms, I decided to help him out", she lied hoping that it would end the conversation. "I already had enough action that evening", she added.
It worked, he was still too new, to question her statement. She did not felt good avoiding him like that, but in case he realised that she was worried and confused about the Thin Man, he probably tried to help her. Dylan already knew his brother's advice on the matter. This was not a question of repetitions, this was serious and much more confusing. She still needed to sort things out all by herself, before she could afford to think over any advice at all.
She said goodbye before he was asking what she had been looking for and rushed then out of the front door. The car was waiting there for her with Alex behind the wheel. "Forget something?" she asked Dylan as she climbed in the co-drivers seat. "Yes, I did", she said and put the medallion into her purse as Alex was paying attention to the traffic. Luckily she did not ask what Dylan had forgotten.
Alex felt that she was not the right person to help Dylan. Maybe she was too cool, too logical. Nonetheless the offered Dylan to call her at anytime, in case she wanted to talk. Of course that was always the case, but sometimes it was good to remind a friend of it. Alex left waving and disappeared around the next corner..
Dylan was glad that Alex had stayed overnight. Normally it drove her crazy to have her fellow angel in her apartment. She always started to clean Dylan's apartment discovering lots of her lend cloth. That wasn't the reason, it was the fact that the redhead felt uncomfortable being so untidy. But Nat and Alex never came when she had actually cleaned the kitchen up and vacuumed the floor.
Hell she was not that often at home anyway. The agency was her home. But the last night had been rough and Dylan had fallen asleep while Alex battled with the dish stacks in the kitchen.
The sun was already up, but it was the phone that woke her up. As she reached over she saw that Alex was sitting on the edge of her bed. Already perfectly dressed in a satin pair of black trousers and a short top in white that had a mouse in front. Dylan was amazed. She had not seen that one in years and the trousers, well they were anyway lend from Alex.
Dylan picked up the phone. "Saunders."
She hated to talk before she had eaten something, she hated to do anything before breakfast. "Oh morning sleeping duty", Nat's voice came over the phone. Dylan heard how happy and contend her friend was. It was not that she was not happy for her, but today it left her with a feeling of sadness. 'Will I ever be in an actual relationship that deserves the name', she sighed. 'No probably not.'
"Nat, sorry for abandoning you", she began, but was interrupted by her friend. "Nonsense, I barely noticed, I only awoke as they all started clapping as Jason's Alter ego took on Salazar. Only Jason was not very happy."
"Yeah Alex went after me", Dylan explained hoping that Jason's ego was not hurt so bad as to damage their relationship.
Alex smiled as did Natalie. "She told me, we talked last night", her voice became suddenly much more sincere. "I know what happened, I wish I could have been there for you. One more thing, don't worry about Seamus. He won't be able to harm you or us."
"Believe me, Nat. He can, he find a way to set someone on you, Pete or even your puppy."
Alex came over and said loud enough for Nat to hear: "We talked about this, but think of it, he waited all those years to take his revenge in person, he needs to see you suffering. Now he is at best in intensive care and then back into prison! I doubt he'll be bothering you again."
"Yes, he'll wait for his next chance and this time he won't get it" Nat assured her also.
"I guess that might be the case, I just wished he just had died. He does not deserve to live. All he ever did with his life was hurting others." Dylan dared not remember her past as Helen. Seamus had been different then. No, that was not true. He just had hidden his true self. Or had she just been to blind to see it. It had been so flattering as he appeared almost every day in front of her school.
Everyone had warned her about him, but she never listened. Not to the women at her orphanage, not to her teachers and not to her own common sense. No she had encouraged him until she felt ready to let him drive her home. He never even pressed her to sleep with him, the smart bastard made her believe that she wanted it. Well, she had. 'No, no, don't think about that.'
"What did you said?" she asked Natalie realising that she had not listened to her friend. "Oh, I wanted to know, whether I should be taking my car picking the two of you up or if you want me to meet you at the police station."
"Picking up sounds good, I have time to eat and dress myself", Dylan told her and looked at Alex who nodded. "See you then!"
"Bye", Dylan said hearing the line being disconnected.
Alex had a strange smile on her face. "You know, you should stop wearing make-up while you sleep. It's bad for your skin."
"Oh no", the redhead rushed to the bath room. Boy she looked awful. Dried out eyes, smeared eye-shadow and lipstick and her skin slightly reddened. She started to remove it as the Asian angel offered to cook a little something for breakfast. Dylan tried to smile and convince her friend that she was so in the mood for a visit to McDonalds for breakfast. Too late she realised that breakfast was already over, but Alex finally accepted that Dylan had thought of French fries the whole time. Anything but Alex's meals. Cooking was not one of her many gifts.
The hungry angel finished just in time to select a simple pair of jeans and black shirt with lots of little yellow glass-stones on the front. She did not felt like wearing something dazzling and it seemed neither did Alex. Or Nat, who had equally ordinary cloth on her. They did not waste much time and took of toward the next McDrive. It was so good to have Natalie with her, she was a spring of good mood. She talked about the highlights from the premiere (as far as she remembered) and of course the puppy Pete presented her that night.
"Guys", Dylan suddenly said and the happy talk in the front of the car stopped. "I think the police have no clue about the Thin Man. I'd thought that we could leave it that way - at least concerning our last case."
"Why not, the nuns probably be happier without knowing", Natalie agreed.
"The nuns?" Dylan rubbed left temple. "I guess we should tell them, at least they'll see to that he is properly buried."
"We could pay them a visit after we had our talk with Thompsen", Alex suggested.
They found a spot to park the car on the opposite street. The detective had already been expecting them. He looked quite happy this morning. "Good day, ladies!" he said cheerfully.
"Good day", all three of them replied. Looking at each other smiling. "You seem very happy today."
"Oh I am", Thompsen said. "I have a very elegant sword, used to kill two men and only Seamus O'Gready fingerprints on it. With your statements he'll be locked away for good. If that even becomes necessary."
"What do you mean?", Dylan asked, wondering why the Thin Man had not left any fingerprints on his weapon. That was strange. She knew that he had not worn any gloves. The other angels looked equally amazed, but said nothing.
"Well, it appears that he has fallen into a coma and it is very uncertain whether he'll ever open his eyes again."
Not as good as dead, but Dylan figured this had to do. One by one the gave their statement. Alex kept also silent about the Thin Man's part in the killing of the other Irish thug. Thompsen was pleased with their statements and two hours later they left.
"I can't believe it", Natalie said looking at her windshield. "A ticket."
"I thought you love tickets", mocked Alex.
They laughed, but Dylan could not stop thinking about the scene on the roof. Her friends probably sensed that she needed time to reflect and continued to talk about everything, but their boyfriends. It would not have mattered. Dylan was soon to busy sorting out all that conflicting feelings in her mind.
Why was she so awfully down when she thought about the Thin Man's death. She wished she had known more about him, but if the police had not records on him, or had they? He had no fingerprints. Anyway, Dylan doubted that the police was able to catch him. So of course there were no prints in the first place. Hopefully they do not figure out that the blade was actually his. It fit his style. Had he used it kill Corwin, would they find a match?
She needed to remember that, the Thin Man had murdered Corwin. Also being a repulsive business man with too much power, it was still murder. What was so different about this murder from the one Seamus had committed in front of her eyes? After all she had send Seamus to prison for the same crime and now she had asked her friends to cover up the Thin Man's action.
That drove her crazy, she knew what he had done, she knew about him and yet she stood there enjoying that kiss. Feeling her heart ache knowing that she will never been able to kiss him again or yet discover what was really behind it.
"What shall we tell the mother superior? I mean about us? Or shall we disguise?" Natalie addressed Dylan as they came closer to the orphanage.
"No, no more lies", she replied. "We tell her who we are and what was going on, but …"
"…we leave out the part were he killed Emmers and O'Gready's thug", Alex added.
They parked the car behind the one that had belonged to Madison's gorgeous assassin and asked to see the mother superior. Nat added that it was about Anthony and a few minutes later they were gathered in her office. They were recognised immediately, but the mother superior gave them the chance to explain everything and naturally the nun was shocked. No doubt she had cared very much about Anthony. Little teardrops appeared in her eyes, but she was able to suppress them.
She said a prayer for him and yet Dylan felt a bit better knowing that someone else cared about the Thin Man. She had the feeling he had been very lonely. He was not the type to make friends easily nor to take friendship lightly. The angel could not help, but had to compare his relation ship to the mother superior with the one she had with Charlie. He was the closest thing to a parent she had, the only father she ever knew. The older nun was certainly like mother to him.
And probably the only woman he had taken more hair strains from. The mother superior, promised them to take care of the funeral and all the formalities. They left all a bit uneasy. It had occurred to all of them that their favourite assassin had a different side to him, but that someone could care so deeply for him was a surprise. Dylan sighed, at least she can grieve without second thoughts. To her the Thin Man had been an angel - one with a strange habit, but still an angel.
The redheaded angel knew to much and it did not seem to fit at all. She thought about the precision he had shown killing Emmers. He seemed to be distant and controlled, almost cold and then - those screams. Like he was leaving out all the emotions he had stored. Not her idea of a happy life. Dylan had never been good at hiding what she felt. Sometimes she wished she could have. Like back then when Knox mocked and taunted her. She had been hurt, she felt betrayed and it shined right through her.
The way back was marked by an awful silence, even Natalie kept to her own thoughts. She headed to the agency where Dylan's car was parked. Nat dropped her friends of and headed home, back to her happy life. They waved her goodbye and Alex said: "Well, how do you feel?"
"I don't know, it's strange, especially talking again to her", Dylan said as she walked over to her car.
Alex agreed with her on that. She could hardly believe that they had talked about the same person, but she had kept silent. "I hope she never finds out, how he came to earn all those donations he made to the orphanage."
"Yes, without a doubt, she would not like that", she replied.
"You don't seem to like it either", the Asian angel told her. Alex was more concerned for Dylan than she showed. Not because of Seamus, he was way out of the game. It was the fact that Dylan was so deeply affected by the Thin Man's death. Alex did not understand it. Yes, he saved her lives, it was regrettable that he died, but after all he was an assassin. This time on their side, but it Alex doubted that it would have remained that way.
"Not really, it's so strange", Dylan said as she opened the door to her car. "First we only knew him as the bad guy, and than we found out that there is much more behind him."
"Like two sides of the same medallion", Alex added understanding what Dylan meant.
"Yes", Dylan agreed, but her thoughts went to that medallion she had taken from him at the coal bowl. "Alex, just a second."
The other watched surprised as her fellow angel, excused herself and went back into the agency.
The redheaded angel entered the evidence room, were they kept all the items from their cases, which weren't handed over to the police. Quickly she found what she was looking for. The tiny trinket lay in her hand and Dylan felt for some strange reason better holding it. She decided to keep it. Something to remember. Not that she would be able to forget what happened.
"Ho, Dylan", Bosley said surprised as he saw her coming from the evidence room.
"Hi, Bosley", Dylan said hiding the medallion in her fist. "How was the movie?"
"The movie was alright, but where the hell did ya go?", he asked and she could tell he was worried about her.
"I meet the detective on my way back from the restrooms, I decided to help him out", she lied hoping that it would end the conversation. "I already had enough action that evening", she added.
It worked, he was still too new, to question her statement. She did not felt good avoiding him like that, but in case he realised that she was worried and confused about the Thin Man, he probably tried to help her. Dylan already knew his brother's advice on the matter. This was not a question of repetitions, this was serious and much more confusing. She still needed to sort things out all by herself, before she could afford to think over any advice at all.
She said goodbye before he was asking what she had been looking for and rushed then out of the front door. The car was waiting there for her with Alex behind the wheel. "Forget something?" she asked Dylan as she climbed in the co-drivers seat. "Yes, I did", she said and put the medallion into her purse as Alex was paying attention to the traffic. Luckily she did not ask what Dylan had forgotten.
Alex felt that she was not the right person to help Dylan. Maybe she was too cool, too logical. Nonetheless the offered Dylan to call her at anytime, in case she wanted to talk. Of course that was always the case, but sometimes it was good to remind a friend of it. Alex left waving and disappeared around the next corner..
