Chapter 2 Acceptance

Just as Angelina had finished speaking, the train came to an halt, she smiled as she packed her small notepad in her black leather bag.

"So now, that you know about my dilemma, would you help?" Michael smiles.

"And why should I help with that? You called my potential client a pained bitch, I would love to drop a visit in three days and also use that line on you," Angelina smiles.

"So I can't tell a joke around here no more," Michael began shakily. "If I don't give Angel a good reason, she really might not help me, she can be that terrifying and she's the only one who can help me, being a black man in this country at this age really is the worst, THAT'S IT!" Michael adopted a more confident grin as he now maintained eye to eye contact with Angelina. "I don't think it's unavoidable with the case you are about to solve."

"Do you mind explaining yourself better?" Angelina said as she stood to her full height, she was about 5'6 tall.

"The woman crying about her husband case surfaced six days ago according to what you said, the Albrecht case was also found out six days ago and a male guard was killed. I don't mean to be psychic or anything but the fact is that it's the only case that involved a murder which none of the cops haven't been able to solve. It shows that they might actually be the same so hell yeah, you are gonna have to help me," Michael grins as he stands to his full height, he was 187 centimeters tall.

"Well, you make a valid point," Angelina grinned. "This is why I still keep you around, you have your uses at times and you can think fast."

"Is that another way of saying you are impressed?" Michael smiles.

"No, it's another way of saying you aren't completely stupid," Angelina replied him as she turned away. "You might see some cops when we drop down from he train,"

"Oooh fuck," Michael said.

"Relax, I haven't even gotten to the worst part yet," Angelina smiles. "I am really enjoying this," She thought to herself. "Though, there's no potrait of you in any newspaper potraying the Albrecht case, it doesn't mean you are automatically safe from the hands of the policemen as blacks aren't exactly welcome over here."

"You just had to say the obvious," Michael says with an exasperated expression.

"It's fun seeing you make that face," Angelina smiles heartily. "I can't wait to see what facial expressions you'd make in jail."

"Welp!" Michael cries.

"I just want you to know and be rest assured I will eventually get you out, after all, you are like my sidekick, you are funny and your stupidity amuses me."

"Is that supposed to be reassuring?" Michael was confused.

"Yeah, it is, we both know I give the best prep talks."

"You give the worst," Michael thought as he brought his head down.

"Come on, Mikey," Angelina smiles as she now turns towards him, Michael grinned as he brought his head back up.

"It's not every time Angel calls me Mikey, she's up to something."

"In all the years we have worked together, have I ever been wrong?" She asks.

"No," Michael mutters.

"And I don't intend to start now, I will solve this case before this week runs out, get that seven thousand, and five hundred dollars. After all, an angel can't exist without her Mikey."

"An angel can't exist without her Mikey? The fuck you talking about?" Michael was dumbfounded.

"Dang, from the expression on your face, it means it has the opposite effect of what I was thinking in my head."

"Don't tell me you thought that it was cool?" Michael frowned.

"Let's not focus on that, there are more pressing issues here," Angelina grinned as she highlighted from the train, Michael followed suit, hitting her gently from behind.

"I trust you, Angelina," Michael begins. "I know you are going to do what you do best and solve this case, after all, it's in your name, Angel. Performing miracles, that's your specialty."

"Only that this one isn't involving money," Angelina frowned.

"Come on, you are getting that dough from that woman," Michael frowned.

"Yeah but technically, you are also another client and me doing this free for you just sounds unfair to me, you should understand how I feel."

"Ooh fucking come on," Michael lamented.

"I don't like your tone, I will just find out who killed the widow's husband without finding who framed you."

"Alright, I will pay you three grand," Michael said.

"Normally, I would do this case for five thousand dollars but seeing the improper use of the word grand and your attitude, I would be taking six thousand dollars."

"Ahh!" Michael exclaimed.

"Relax," Angelina smiled as she playfully nudged him on his shoulders. "I am just fucking with you."

"Ooh," Michael breathed a sigh of relief.

Just as he had sighed, a police car pulled over directly in their front, from the vehicle, two figures highlighted, a male and a female.

The male was about 5'5 in height, he was stocky and wore a brown hat. The female was slightly taller than him, like Angelina, she had an athletic build. Her blonde hair was packed in a ponytail.

"How did they find me?" Michael thought, sweat breaking off his forehead.

"I know what you are thinking, how did the cops find me," Angelina smiled, Michael staggered backward as he heard her "Actually, they weren't expecting to find you, it was me they came here for, you really have much to learn. I was in North Dakota and yet someone was giving me a case which was set in New York and still, you couldn't reason who my source could have been when the case was obviously linked with the Albrecht one. It was the cops, that's why I had to give you a quick reassurance so you don't think I intentionally turned you over."

"I... I would never think that, I know you love me too much to just let me get fucked like that," Michael stammers.

"I feel a lot of emotions towards you and love is certainly not one of them," Angelina answered sharply.

Michael could see the cops approaching him.

"From the distance they are and the cap I am wearing, they probably haven't noticed that it's me," Michael began thinking to himself. "I can use this as an opportunity to slip away, I am just gonna resort to one of my old tricks," Michael grinned to himself as he takes his phone from his left pocket.

"What are you doing?" Angelina asked with a neutral expression.

"Just watch," Michael said as he quickly turned his back, as he did, the two police officers stopped abruptly a few inches from his position.

"Angelina Hones," the male officer began.

"Grandma, what's Poppin?" Michael began, his back was still turned against the cops but he had changed his voice, it sounded forced and deeper. "Ooh no, you got involved in an accident, that's too bad, G-ma. Scratch that, wait mama! What are you saying, they gonna amputate your heart for real," Michael stomped his right leg in pretense frustration. The two police officers and Angeline now had their attention focused on him. "Ooh jeez, G-ma, if they take away that heart, you aren't gonna have another one, after all, we only got one of those. Don't let them do that to you, mama. I'mma ride up there and stop them, you gonna need that heart, mama," Michael now had a teary voice on. "The good Lord knows you need it, you have been a great G-ma to us all. I can't imagine how I would live without you, Lord have mercy. I am on my way, G-ma, just hang on till I get there."

Michael began to use his hands to wipe imaginary tears from his face as he turned at Angelina in such a way that the police officers wouldn't be able to see his face. "An...angel, I go...gotta go," he began crying. "My g-ma, she's in the hos... hospital, I n...need to go.."

"If you wanna be a good liar," came the female officer's voice. "First, try and be more innovative."

Michael turned yet still skillfully to look at the female officer's face and as he did, he quickly staggered back in fear.

"Mikey, I see you still remember me," she says with an evil smile. "The last time we were together, you told me your great grandma had to go for a brain transplant. I don't know how I believed you, I mean that isn't even possible."

"Sandra, I ain't lying," Michael had a shaky voice. "I'd rather die than lie to one as beautiful as you. My g-ma is gonna get her heart removed, I gotta stop them."

"That would have been a good excuse if this was still four months ago," Sandra had an even more evil smile on. "Except I did a little digging on you when you didn't call and I was feeling worried for your supposed great grandma. You were raised in foster homes your entire childhood life and the parents of each of those people who were supposed to be your guardians are deceased. So which imaginary Grandma are you talking about?"

"Fuck shit," Michael thought. "I gotta get outta here, it's only a matter of time before I am arrested." Michael quickly maneuvered his body as he tried to run but almost immediately, Angelina gave him a well-deserved kick right at the middle of his two legs straight at his testicles. Michael wore a teary expression as he fell to the ground.

"If you keep running away, it would only make you more suspicious," Angelina smiled without turning in his direction. "No need to be worried, I will prove you are innocent, just trust me. Besides, I just gave you an actual cause to wanna check in an hospital, your balls might be damaged."

As she said that, Sandra and the male officer moved over to Michael, Sandra grinned as she told him his miranda rights. Once she was done, he was cuffed. Bringing him to his feet, they moved him towards their vehicle.

"Before you go," Angelina began. "What's the name of the widow with the alleged murder case?"

"Mrs Marilyn, you should find her on Aves street, number 27," the male cop answered her without turning in her direction, he was definitely happy he had caught the suspect for the Albrecht case.

"Alright," Angelina smiled. "I will first check in with my potential client, then I will be taking a visit to the museum."