The Night Beat

record.”
    “Agent Wolfe keeps us all on our toes, doesn’t she? Anything else before I rush to comply with your demands?”
    “Yeah. Please call the Chief and tell him I need a lot of black and whites standing ready. If I’m right, we’re going to need the police escort.”
    “And if you’re wrong?”
    “Really, how often am I wrong?” Ralph started choking. “I mean about things like this?” Ralph was up to gagging. He even rolled on his back, paws waving in the air. “Must dash, I need to put Ralph out of his misery.”
    “Thank you for making eternity go by so quickly, Agent Wolfe.”
    I rammed my elbow into Ralph’s side. “You’re not funny.”
    He righted himself, doing that canine grin thing that looks so cute. “You were hilarious. ‘How often am I wrong?’ Wow. I’m sorry only Benny and the Count got to hear that one.”
    “You know, this kind of attitude doesn’t get you past a hearty handshake.”
    Ralph put up his paw. “I’ll risk it.”
    I ignored the paw, stood up, and took a look outside. I could see the last vestiges of Dirt Corps heading back down the hill. There were SUV’s following them, more than I’d seen following us, so hopefully my subterfuge had worked. “Let’s get back into the car. Ralph, think you can hotwire it faster this time?”
    “No,” he said flatly. “I’m not hotwiring it at all.”
    I stared at him. “Oh. Right.” I looked to Benny. “Know how to hotwire an unmarked police car?”
    “If I say yes will I be arrested?”
    “Only if you say yes and then can’t actually do it.”
    “Then, let’s go with ‘we’ll see’.”
    We went back to the garage. I opened the door and listened.
    “Sounds like pursuit is going away from us,” Ralph said softly.
    “I agree. Turn your ears up, though.”
    We both strained. “It’s faint,” Ralph said finally. “But I think you’re right -- there are beings of some kind up at the Little Church. But why?”
    The car started and we piled in. “See, this is why I don’t like to explain until we’re moving.” And because I still wasn’t sure. But cops never admit when they’re not sure, it’s bad for the longevity. “There was a bigger why that I’ve been trying to solve.”
    “What was that? I thought we’d figured out the Adversary’s plans.”
    “I think we have. But the bigger why is simply this -- how did the Three A’s get past Jude? He’s one of the strongest angels in existence, and he’s on the convergence chasm solely to keep them out. So, why didn’t he even know they were around?”
    “You think he’s a traitor?” The way Ralph asked, he wanted to hear me say “no”.
    “No.” It was nice to see Ralph and Benny both relax. “I think there was a powerful spell put in place that blocked Jude’s abilities.”
    “Come on,” Benny said. “You’re talking Judas, right? And that means his best friend, too, since they work together more often than not.” Ralph and I both turned and looked at him over our shoulders. “What? I told you I had a good friend who’s pretty powerful. So he let some things slip out of school. So what? As has been amply stated, I’m on your side.”
    “Who is your good buddy the warlock? You never told us.”
    Benny sighed. “You just talked to him.”
    “The Count? He’s not a warlock!”
    “No.” Benny grinned. “You forget -- liches are dead spell-casters.”
    “Monty? Monty’s your buddy?” I looked at Ralph. “Every hour, it’s new information. Am I the most uninformed being in all of Enforcement?”
    Ralph shook his head. “Didn’t occur me, either.” He eyed Benny. “But I’ve also never seen any lich cast a spell…in over four hundred years.”
    “You mean you don’t know that they’re casting them,” Benny said. “Look, kids, liches are powerful. But the ones on our side are smart enough to lay low.” He patted our shoulders. “You want me to tell you about the others?”
    “What others? And why do you know so much more about the undead than we do?”
    He shrugged. “Watch the road. I’m in real estate and I’m a fence. It pays to do your research in both cases. So, I researched. And by the others, I mean those undeads who have additional talents, more than their undead race would insinuate.”
    I groaned. “Okay, this is information for another time, unless it helps us now.”
    “Well, you already talked to one of them, if I’m not mistaken.”
    I thought about it. “Merc and L.K. are also