Page 38 of Angel

He says nothing, but I can almost hear his mind working.

I stare at him hard, trying to remember any detail about the man on the beach. It’s difficult. It was dark that night, and I was delirious. They are the same height, I think, and the same build. I can’t see his hair color, but his eyes are brown, not blue. Is it really contacts, or was that a lie?

His voice is less husky or is it? I can’t remember.

“You must stay at the studio penthouse in the city. We have arranged protection. Somebody will be watching out for you. If you are approached, the code word is, did Frankie send you? The answer you need is no, Clinton did.”

I nod, processing the information, feeling a little more heard than before. It’s as if they are finally sitting up and taking notice.

“There’s more.”

His gaze powers through me as I hold my breath and he says in a low voice, “The other matter you asked for help with.”

My heart is racing, and I bite my lower lip and breathe deeply.

“There is a man who may be able to help you. His name is Jason Prince.”

“The AI guy?”

I blink twice. I’ve seen him several times at the same events as me. Many people have pointed him out and, to be honest, he is rather easy on the eye. Our paths never really crossed, though.

“How can he help me?”

I’m intrigued.

Angel’s tone is flat, with no emotion at all.

“He will be at the gala at the Hilton tonight. Your ticket will be in your penthouse, and a car will collect you at 8pm. Work the room, but end up engaging Jason Prince in conversation. His knowledge could help you trace your father’s killer.”

“How?”

For the first time, I’m excited, not fearful. I have a mission, and it’s a personal one this time. Angel’s instructions are not unusual. I am usually drafted in to engage with a man at a gala. To find out what I can, lead them away from the crowds, or merely slip them a package or record their conversations. But this time it’s my business at stake, and I am incredibly grateful that they have taken the time to arrange this.

He turns and starts the engine.

“Wait.”

I lean forward. “What do I say to him? I mean, I can’t rock up and say, excuse me, but I’ve been told you’re the man I need to trace my father’s killer.”

“You’ll figure it out, Sophie. Remember who you are.”

He slams the partition shut, and as the car turns back toward the town, I’m left with a different emotion this time. Anticipation, excitement, and impatience.

Jason Prince won’t know what hit him.

CHAPTER 14

ANGEL

The more I think about it, the more I’m right. This is the perfect way to deal with the problem that goes by the name of Sophie Clere.

She wants to kill the man who murdered her father. She will never find him. It is my job to educate her without revealing the lies that have held my life together ever since that fateful day.

Plus, there is the question of her safety. All the time she lives alone, she is at risk. It’s too easy to gain access to her. I should know. We walk into her life with no barriers. It’s concerning that someone else has the same access.

Who is the masked impersonator? It’s a matter of urgency that we find out.

She doesn’t realize it but I have watched her for a very long time now. She is an itch needing to be scratched and I can’t go on like this. The other night did little to cure my obsession. It merely fed itself food to survive.