Sheldon to the rescue.

The Shady figure stood in the darkness and watched Sheldon who was just standing at the window staring at the Angel statue. The observant figure knew the tall image of the marbled angel with outstretched hands fueled Sheldon's forlorn state.

He took in the way Sheldon pulled himself more upright as he saw Alexa approach the statue and admire her from the privacy of his office. He knew Sheldon liked the way she was cool and composed and the way she was also caring and mindful of others.

He could also hear Sheldon's thoughts as he reasoned with himself as to why Alexa had come to Mistle. They were loud as spoken words as they briefly played across his mind.

No one came here to stay only to pass through, and it was probably something he should have done too: leave Mistle.

This backwood town was a tourist attraction. A place where the upper class escapes for skiing and quiet solitude. The history not so much.

How he loathed that history.

Who cared for angels? They were just creatures who were a thin line away from being demons were they not? They were something that the gullible residents of Mistle held onto because they believed God cared enough to send his heavenly being to protect, guide, and aid them.

Where were those heavenly beings when he had needed them? His generation had boasted over the years about how they had turned up when they needed them the most, yet he, like an outcast, was left to suffer without so much as a sign.

The figure felt shattered as all these sad, dismal thoughts cascaded from the man who it stood watching; he moved from the shadows and made for the woman who came walking up to him. It was time.

Sheldon was about to turn away from the window when he saw Alexa step back in alarm. It had caused him to pay less attention to his misgivings and more to what was happening below.

He was pushed into action when he saw a figure reach for her, and before he knew it, he was sprinting from his office towards the door. He hoped he would not be too late as he fished his keys from his pocket, unlocked the door, and sped towards Alexa.

He had started shouting her name with the intention that whoever it was would desist from his plans. He had felt an overwhelming sense of relief when his eyes had roamed over her and saw that she was ok when he had reached her.

He took her hand and immediately started to guide her back to the cafe. His eyes scanned the darkened street for anything that would suggest the figure he had seen was nowhere in sight.

They were at the ajar cafe door that he had mindlessly left open to rescue Alexa when he heard her say in astonishment.

"Why are you taking me back to the cafe?"

"You'll be much safer here. There is no way am letting you stay alone at your place," was his matter-of-fact reply as he locked the door and then looked through the broad picture window that gave a view out into the street.

"I'll be fine. I have a room mat---," she had started to say as she made for the door, but he reached out and stopped her.

"Listen, this town doesn't need the drama of waking up in the morning to discover you've been murdered, raped or kidnapped, or whatever else might occur to either of you," he told her with that straightforwardness that would have been offensive if there wasn't a sick reality to his words.

Alexa caressed the stone in her palm and knew she was not worried about such an outcome. She, however, did not say anything because she was not sure how she could have assured him she was not in any danger.

"Wow, it's good to see you care about this town," she said instead, the sarcasm evident in her voice.

His dark eyes, now appearing black in the dim interior of the cafe, stared at her with a hard glare that would have melted a lesser being, his bearded cheek clenched tight.

"I can do without police turning up on my doorsteps," he told her before moving away. "Might as well make yourself at home in the workers' room, you'll be spending the night. I am going to place a call to the police station."

"Listen you don't have to do that. He wasn't out to hurt me," she said, moving to stop him.

He pauses and stares at her, his eyes searching her face. "That's not how it seemed from where I was standing."

She sighed and slipped the stone into her bag, turned around, and headed for the workers' room, but once again, his hand shot out to stop her.

" Is he your lover? Is he the reason why you came running to Mistle? Is he worth protecting?"

Alexa found herself laughing; his spin on the situation was not funny, but knowing her past, her lover -ex-husband, to be exact- would not have come here for her. Aretha made sure of that.

"Believe me when I say my life offers no such sophistication." She replied pulling herself together and shoving her past away.

He frowned but said nothing. She shrugged from his grasp and continued to the workers' room, she could feel his eyes following her as she did so.

The night, which had brought these mind-boggling scenarios along with a full workday, was beginning to wear her down, and she did not have the strength to argue with Sheldon about going home.

When the door closed behind Alexa Sheldon moved from where he stood and made for his office. He had thought at times as to why a girl like her would run to a town like Mistle.

He knew she was running anyone who stayed here was. Nevertheless, knowing that it was not from a lover, his interest in her was further piqued, and he felt a sense of relief, much to what he deemed as irritation.

He climbed the stairs that led to the upper floor that had once housed the living quarters of his past generations before they had built a separate home years later as life at Mistle started to flourish prosperously.

At times those rooms were used to house extra visitors who would come to Mistle in the Christmas season. Molly, his housekeeper, was already making them accommodating, so it was no hassle to offer Alexa a room, but she was already having too much effect on him, so the distance between them was best.

With the attraction that he was already feeling towards her, It was a sure sign that distancing himself from her was the best road to take.

Later, after he had placed the call and informed Lieutenant Carter of the incident with Alexa, he sat at his desk and stared at the picture of his foreparents resting there and sighed.

Where was his angel? His new beginning and a happy ending?

His mind drifts to Alexa. He should take her a blanket and a pillow.

The shady figure that stood watch smiled.
***********************************

Well, well, well what is this stone... given by who now?

Is this a coincidence or is something/someone setting out to make a fool of Alexa?

Let us go to the next chapter and see.

Thanks again for the previous votes and comments 😍