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“Let’s go to this guy’s office, and kill this demon’s ass,” Wila snarled.
“No.” Penny’s hand sliced through the air. “In the immortal words of Admiral Ackbar, it’s a trap.”
“So, what exactly is this demon up to?”
“Like you just said, they’re trying a new tactic.” Penny frowned as she looked at the picture on Wila’s phone screen again.
“If I wasn’t scheduled to work this afternoon, I’d say let’s have our girl’s night tonight,” Wila grumbled.
“Heck, I should keep a bottle of premade margaritas here.” Penny smiled. “I have the blenders and ice here. Unfortunately, the soccer coaches rather insist on sticking to the practice and game schedule.”
Wila rubbed the achy spot between her eyebrows. “You know the demon may have given you the wrong information about Laura’s situation.”
“I got a second opinion from your divorce attorney,” Penny said. “She said the same thing, and I met with her in person. I may have talked to the real Paxton on the phone last Thursday.”
Wila dropped her hand. “How is Lilah?”
“She’s fine. I forgot how feisty she is for someone older than my mother-in-law.” Penny chuckled.
“Speaking of old ladies, I left Gammy out in the dining room.”
Penny picked up her clipboard and pen. “I’m due for a break anyway. Is it okay if I join you?”
“Gammy would love it.”
Wila strode out to the hallway and headed for the dining room. As she passed the counter, Josie called out her name.
“Yes?” She paused.
“Give me a sec to steam the milk for your coffee.” Josie shifted to the closest espresso machine. “I wasn’t sure how long you would be back with the boss, and I know you like your mocha extra hot.”
Wila grinned as she approached the counter to collect her drink. “Bubblegum, I don’t know what Penny would do without you.”
“Penny would be mixing alcohol with her coffee and losing all her business,” Penny said as she stepped behind the counter to brew her own concoction.
“Rum goes really well with the peanut butter latte,” Josie volunteered.
Wila hid a snicker while Penny paused in squirting pumpkin spice syrup into her mug.
Josie’s cheeks matched her hair, and she mumbled, “Just sayin’.” Her focus on pouring the steamed milk into Wila’s cup was more than was normally warranted.
“Don’t give Bubblegum the evil eye, Penny,” Wila chided. “You were a college student once upon a time.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Penny glared at her over the top of the espresso machine she used.
“It means you could get more creative with your alcohol than I could while stationed in Germany.” Wila shook her head. “There’s only so much beer a woman can drink before it totally ruins her palette.”
“That’s because beer sucks.” Josie handed Wila her white chocolate mocha.
In turn, Wila raised her extra-large cup in a salute to the assistant manager. “Amen, sister.”
Once Penny completed her pumpkin spice latte, they crossed to the dining area to where Gammy sat enjoying her sandwich—egg, bacon, and cheese on an English muffin. Wila slid into the booth beside Gammy while Penny sat on the opposite seat.
Gammy looked around before she whispered, “You told Penny about that demon in the department store, right?”
“Yes, ma’am, I most certainly did,” Wila assured her grandmother.
“You girls need to take care of him before he hurts somebody.” Gammy’s attention shifted to Penny.
“We need to find out what he’s up to first,” Penny said.
“But with all the formerly dead hunters staying at the Catholic church, surely you have enough people to watch your backs while you kill this one.” Gammy took another bite of her sandwich.
The Vatican had refused to send any more living demon hunters to Oakfield, despite Father Perez and Father McAvoy’s entreaties, other than Karen Longstreet. But once the resurrected hunters found out about the need of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, they poured into the city. Father McAvoy took charge of the risen hunters and assigned one to each of the Horsemen’s family members when the Horseman wasn’t home.
Some of the oldest hunters thought Wila and her friend’s calling themselves the Soccer Moms of the Apocalypse was sacrilegious, but Sister Joan and several other nuns thought the moniker was totally appropriate.
“If the demons are trying a new tactic to get their hands on the risen, the last thing we want to do is put them in harm’s way,” Wila protested.
“We need to run this past Father McAvoy.” Penny glanced at her watch. “I can’t get out of here until Valerie gets here at one.”
Out of an abundance of caution, the Soccer Moms visited the rectory at Saint Michael’s Church in person when they needed to consult with the members of the taskforce. That way, they could confirm whether the person they spoke with was free from demon influence.
“Dani’s at work, and Francine is with Karen and Sister Joan training the police on dealing with demons today,” Wila said.
Penny chuckled. “I know. I’m picking up the kids from school today and taking them to soccer practice this afternoon.”
Gammy patted Wila’s arm. “Baby girl, drop me off at the house, then go over to Saint Mike’s before you gotta be at work.”
“I promised you I’d help with the greens.” Wila stared at her grandmother. The old woman never let any of her grandchildren avoid work, much less break a promise.”
“Your role as a Soccer Mom is far more important than washing and tearing a mess of collard greens,” Gammy stated firmly before she turned to Penny. “Have you thought about staying open later in the evening?”
Leave it to Gammy to change the subject to prevent any more arguing.
“No,” Wila said. “You’re not hitting up my friend for a job.”
Gammy shrugged. “Laura and I need something to do besides putter around our family’s houses.”
“I can take care of you,” Wila protested.
“I know you can, baby girl.” Gammy reached over and patted her hand. “But I’ve been taking care of myself all my life. I don’t see why I can’t contribute to your household while I’m living there.”
“Besides, Wila, weren’t you the one suggesting Java’s Palace stay open twenty-four hours when you’re on the late shift?” Penny’s brown eyes twinkled as she took a sip of her coffee.
“We weren’t in the middle of the Apocalypse when I said that,” Wila shot back.
“It’s not a bad idea though,” Penny said. “I’ve been thinking about leasing a second space sooner rather than later. The owner of the Waterford Crossing contacted my real estate broker last week about a storefront I checked out last month. He’s willing to make a ton of concessions in order to rent out the space.”
“Is this the corner spot where the Mongolian restaurant used to be?” Wila frowned.
“Yep.”
“You said it needed a ton of work.”
Penny nodded. “Still does. The owner’s willing to do the clean-up and build out of the place, and he’s willing to knock off twenty-fiver percent of the monthly rate for the first year.”
Suspicion raced through Wila. “Why?”
Penny pursed her lips. “Oh, he wants to make sure he goes to Heaven.”
“You can’t promise him that!”
“Keep your voice down, baby girl,” Gammy murmured.
Yep, everyone was staring at the loud Black woman. The world may be ending, but some things simply didn’t change.
“I didn’t promise him any such thing,” Penny said. “Nor did he actually say that’s what he wanted. But with Francine being outed on the news as Famine and everyone getting sick here at the cafe, more people are putting two and two together than just Mayor Oldham and Chief Wright. But I’d be a fool not to take a prime offer.” She grinned. “Especially when we stop the Apocalypse.”
If they stopped the Apocalypse, but Wila wasn’t going to ruin Penny’s good mood by saying it out loud. Besides, maybe getting Gammy out of the house a couple of days a week would brighten her outlook.
It would definitely help with Wila’s meditation exercises if her grandmother wasn’t banging pots and pans most of the day.
“All right.” Wila held up her hands. “We need to find you a car then, Gammy.”
“You’re not buying me a car,” her grandmother snapped.
“Damn straight, I’m not.” Wila grinned. “It’s a loan with payments and interest that you will pay back to me.” It was the same lecture Gammy had given her in high school.
“Well, then.” Gammy sniffed. “I guess I can agree to that.”
“Great.” Penny nodded. “You want to start training Wednesday morning?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Gammy practically jiggled on the bench.
Wila glared at Penny. “You’re only saying because you know I have the day off Wednesday, and the ex-louse is picking Derek up from school.”
“Ex-louse?” Gammy narrowed her eyes.
“And you’ll have the time to talk to Neal about getting something for your grandmother to drive.” Penny sipped her coffee before she added, “If Gammy Wilkinson is willing to drive Laura to and from Java’s Palace, I’ll chip in half the car payment.”
Wila groaned. “Why do I feel like I’ve been set up?”
“We’re just being practical.” Gammy patted her hand.
Except their practicality made Wila feel incompetent for not being able to take of her own family.
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