Chapter 24: New case

Tagas was staring out at the field, his head bowed. He could still remember the old woman's sobs, when he gave her the fake picture. He felt like a failure.

Harry tapped him on the shoulder, but Tagas didn't look at him.

"Look, if you are going to beat yourself up, you might stop now. There was nothing you could have done," the demon said, and Arthur placed a hand on Tagas's shoulder.

"Maybe, next time, you could make sure you are not taking a gig that has such a big missing time?" Arthur asked, and Tagas shook his head.

"If there is any hope, then I have to search," the angel murmured. "If for no other reason, then to at least find the boy and bring the parents closure."

"You are too hard on yourself," Arthur spoke, and he stood up. "We have to get the animals back to the barn now."

The other two stood as well, and Arthur took his stick. It was pleasant, herding the animals. Tagas could almost forget that the night was coming, and with it, the next case. He wondered if he would have to deliver a picture again, and some bones. He dreaded it.

"How about I come with you on the next case?" Arthur asked, as they got the animals in their stalls. "To make sure you two don't overdo it?"

"You need your sleep," Tagas said, distracted. A velvet nose pocked from a stall, and Tagas gave it a couple of pats. He loved the noses of animals the most. They didn't let just anyone touch it. You have to be a good person for an animal to trust you with it.

"I am sure we can be quick," Arthur insisted. He didn't understand why the two didn't want to share this with him. He could lessen the burden after a failed job. Help them shoulder the blame.

"If you really want to come, then ok. But we are bringing you home right after," Tagas said, and then let go of the sheep's nose. He looked to Harry. "Did you find any more cases yesterday, as you searched?"

"I did," Harry admitted. "But Dianna was a girl, so I gave her a priority."

"Then, show us," Harry nodded at Tagas, and took out his phone. He showed them a case that had a more recent date. Or, was it dragged back in the public's notice now? Harry couldn't be sure.

"Here, little Damien has been missing from his home, and there was a letter left in his nursery," Harry handed Tagas the phone, so he and Arthur could read the article.

"The mother took him?" Tagas asked, and then began to shake his head. "I don't think this case is for us?"

"The mother has schizophrenia," Harry insisted, and scrolled down, so he could show the paragraph. "There is no telling if she can take care of herself, much less a baby."

Tagas became worried then. He knew that such people were unpredictable.

"They both need help," the angel said, and turned to stare at Harry. "But it is going to be more difficult. Seeing as the mother is the one doing the kidnapping."

"The grandmother lives with the father," Harry said, and Tagas nodded. He could work with that. Harry took them by the arms, and teleported them to a quiet neighborhood. There were missing posters everywhere, and that gave Tagas hope that the case was not a lost one.

They went to the door, and knocked. A man came and answered it.

"Hello, how may I help you?" The man asked. He looked sleep-deprived.

"We thought that we can help you," Tagas began with a smile. "We came to help search for Linda and Damien. Could we speak with Linda's mother? She might know something."

"Agatha is resting now, but I am certain that I can get her to speak with you. Come along," the man stepped to the side, and the three came inside.

He went through a door, and came back with an old lady who walked with the help of a cane.

"You wanted to speak about Linda?" The woman asked, and the three nodded.

"Yes, we have a couple of questions," Arthur said. "To help us find the two."

"Well, come to the living room," Agatha then led them to a spacious room, and sat on a couch. The three sat by her, and Arthur asked his first question.

"Her condition? Is she dangerous?" Arthur asked, not mincing his words.

"Are you asking if she is going to harm Damien?" Agatha asked with a frown.

"That is precisely what we are asking. We know people like her can be unpredictable and impulsive," Harry said, and the frown on Agatha's face was replaced with a defeated expression.

"Damien is the apple of her eye. I'd like to say that she wouldn't, and before she got sick, she really wouldn't have. It all started when we got her to the asylum," Agatha let out a sigh, and kept on talking. "She got sick soon after she gave birth. She couldn't find a job for years. The family was not worse off because of that, but she still worried too much."

Tagas reached out, and took a hold of Agatha's hand. Both to give her strength, and to get the location of her daughter. He got a connection then, and an address.

"We will find them. Did she have a favorite place in the city?" Tagas asked, to keep up the pretense of asking questions.

"Yes, the park. We searched there already, and found nothing," Agatha said, and a tear rolled from her right eye. "My Linda is not a bad woman. She is just afraid that her husband is going to leave her. And those voices only she can hear scare her further."

"We will find her, let us go," Tagas said, and stood up. Arthur and Harry followed suit.

When they were out of the house, Tagas gave the location to Harry, and they were off.