Sinners and Saints

Sinners and Saints Chapter 48 - Dancing Queen

He scowls and guides me around another icy patch, “There are other seraphs, you know.  Sounds like he’s playing you.” 

“I know,” we stop at the corner and wait with the rest of the people for the light to change, “But I want to keep my personal life away from Heaven,” I continue in Angelic, “If it got back to Michael I’d be screwed.” 

I’m actually surprised there’s a word for screwed in Angelic. 

“I’ll have a contract written up,” he says and we move with the crowd across the street, “He can have rights to the song itself, but you get writing credit and a performance royalty.” 

“I don’t care about that,” I tell him, “I’m just glad he didn’t ask me to sleep with him again for the translations.” 

His brow draws down, but he doesn’t comment on that.  What he does say is, “You should care about that, Claire.  You’re not seeing the big picture here.  He’s taking advantage of you – just like your diocese did.  Or,” he pulls me to the edge of the sidewalk in front of a bookstore, “Just like that,” he points. 

In the picture window, a display with books and posters and my viral shot of Father Jorge and me in a banner that must be eight feet wide, an easel is set up with an announcement, “Rescuer Nun tells all.  Book Signing January 22nd 10-2.” 

“What the hell?” I hiss.  Bishop starts chuckling at me.  I’m glad he finds it funny. 

“Shall we?” he grins and takes my arm again. 

I’m ready to confront her immediately, but he pulls me over to the little bistro area.  An imp – dressed in a very nice suit – spots him and stands up. 

“Everything taken care of, George?” Bishop asks him. 

“Yes, sir,” George opens his briefcase and hands Bishop a thick stack of papers. 

“Claire, this is George – one of my paralegals.  George, this is the real Rescuer Nun.  Standard set-up, I presume?” he asks George. 

“Yes, sir.  The woman in the black slacks and purple sweater is her publicist.  There’s a copy for the publishing firm for her also.” 

“And their contract?” Bishop asks. 

“Publisher successfully hacked and the contract has been obtained.  The woman’s real name is Jennifer Jensen.” 

“Thank you, George,” Bishop smiles at him.  A genuine smile.  The very first I’ve seen him make.  Even when he grins, he usually does it at someone else’s expense – more often than not, mine, “Stick around and take video evidence and then get back to the office.” 

“Of course,” George nods, “Camera ready,” he points to his lapel, which shows a small pin – Two backward-facing B’s.  One in silver and backed in black enamel and one in gold and backed by white enamel.  The diamond between the two of them – when I look at it closely – is a tiny camera lens. 

“You’re a lawyer?” I whisper as Bishop maneuvers us back to the front of the store and discretely picks up two hard-covers of the Rescuer Nun books.  George circles and lines himself up to watch the action. 

“How do you have an imp working for you?” I ask him in hushed Angelic. 

“I’ve done several favors for several arch-demons over the years,” he chuckles, “The imps get good training on my dime and the arch-demons leave me alone.  Stay behind George and don’t let them see your face.  Trust me – I know what I’m doing.  Stick with George.”