Demon Hunters: Book 1 Faith [editing]

Chapter 60

The El jostled to a stop, its side doors popping open. A few passengers funneled out on the car and blended with the flow of pedestrians moving through the downtown Chicago streets. New passengers scrambled into the car and jockeyed for space to sit or stand. Muriel buttoned up her black coat and inched closer to her target, who stood near the front. 

Johnny McArthur had been easy to locate once Muriel had acquired his cell number and even easier after retrieving the text messages between him and Stephanie Carmichael, a student at Central West High School. He'd sent her pictures of himself and of his office and even shared an e-mail address. 

Her cellular phone buzzed. 

Zacharias: We have enough evidence in his apartment to send him to jail for life. What about you and Jed?

Muriel: On metro. He's supposed to meet with the producer. 

Jed and Muriel planned on confronting Johnny at his office, but just before they knocked on the door the target's phone rang. The voice said, "Millennium Park. About the shoot on Saturday."

They discovered from the text messages that the photo shoot was to occur on Saturday night, after the homecoming dance, at the school gym. Johnny promised Stephanie she's star in the videos and said the producer, the man behind the operation, would be there. 

Zacharias: Could be the scion.

Muriel: Hope so. Jed and I will handle it. 

Muriel glanced out the window to the tall buildings. Somewhere, across the rooftops, Jed was following her. 

Zacharias: Good. Be in touch.

The wheels squealed to a stop, and Johnny angled out the door. He glanced at his watch and sped through the crowds. He dashed across the street and into a mob of tourists taking pictures of the metallic, curve-like sculpture, known as the Cloud Gate. He stared at his phone and waited, tapping his foot. Muriel followed at a safe distance. 

Jed's voice bounced about the air. "Nothing unusual here." He stood on the rooftop of a one of the tall buildings overlooking the park.

"Don't let anyone see you," Muriel whispered back.

Johnny's phone rang again. "Street corner. Limo," the voice directed. 

Muriel spotted a limousine with license plates that read U.S. Senate. In the distance, Jed stepped off the roof and floated down. 

"Jed," she uttered through clenched teeth. 

He smirked. "No one noticed." 

What is it with angel warriors? Always so careless. Except for Gemma. She's the serious one.

Muriel didn't have time to scold him for that. The limousine parked at the curb, and Johnny stepped into the opened side door. 

"Good morning, Senator," he said, as the car merged into traffic. 

Muriel kept pace with the limousine, grateful for the dense traffic and the slow traffic lights. She tried to look nonchalant about the fact that she walked at a pace faster than most Olympic joggers. 

"We're calling off the shoot at Central West."

"Why is that, sir?" 

The senator sighed. "Some girl. Clarissa Kennedy."

"What about her?"

"I think she ratted us out. She was seen talking to two Feds, acting like detectives yesterday."