Free The Two Devils by David B. Riley Page B

like Buffy to do it.” We landed softly on the lawn.
    "See, that wasn't so bad. You've got some bullets somewhere?"
    "I'll go get them.” I hurried off into the house and grabbed the rest of the mystery bullets, then returned. Death was holding my gun. “These have really gotten popular as a way to kill people. They're way more accurate than the old muzzle-loaders. And they shoot so much faster.” He held out his hand. When I gave him the bullets, to my surprise, he loaded the revolver. “You got this from Nick?"
    "Yes."
    "He buys good stuff.” Death aimed it at the next door neighbor's outhouse and fired. A shingle flew off the roof. “These bullets are too hard, but it still shoots pretty good."
    The door flew open and the old gent who lived there came running out, trying to hold up his bib overalls. “Who's shooting?"
    Suddenly, Death was only a few feet away from him. “I am the Angel of Death!” My neighbor ran off through his neighbor's back yard. Death was, just as suddenly, standing next to me again. “God hates it when I reveal myself to people. Let's get a drink.” He walked up to the back porch just as Mrs. Bunyan opened the door.
    "Miles, are you shooting out here?” Then she noticed Death.
    Death again proclaimed, “I am the Angel of Death."
    She clutched her chest and fell to the floor. Death stepped over her and went over to the sherry decanter and lifted its heavy glass lid. He took an impressive belt right out of the bottle. “Don't worry about her. She's only fainted. She'll wake up and think it was a dream or something.” He replaced the decanter. “'Stop drinking people's liquor,’ God's always telling me. Miles, I've got the worst job an angel can get. No one else would have it."
    He sat next to the still sleeping Charlotte. “I hear you bagged Janus and Mabel."
    "How'd you know that?"
    "One hears things, Miles.” He sort of gazed off at the wall. “Mabel ... I always did like redheads.” He helped himself to a little more sherry. “'Course, I'll bet Janus is a real pistol. Does she always want to be on top?"
    I didn't like this conversation, so I asked, “What happened to Ralph?"
    "Don't know, really. Buffy dropped him off at God's palace. Never saw him again. Buffy shows up with him at the front gate. She had me tie him up until we could get him in to see God.” Death handed me back my revolver. “Damn nice gun. I'll see you, Miles.” And, he was gone.
    I polished off what was left of Charlotte's sherry supply. I placed the empty decanter on the floor, next to Charlotte, then went to bed. I couldn't sleep. Too many thoughts of heaven and meeting God whirled through my head. Then, there was the fact that some of the titanium bullets were still in the drawer. In my haste, I hadn't gotten them all and God had ordered me to surrender them to Death.
    Around five A.M., Paul showed up outside my window. We went for a ride. That helped clear my head. The sun came up and it was just another day. When we went back to the stable, I was putting up the saddle when I mentioned, “God says you're a magnificent horse."
    Paul snorted, then shook his head up and down. Then he devoured a bag of oats. The proprietor of the livery stable arrived about then. “He get out again?"
    I nodded. “Yep."
    "Well, Mr. O'Malley, I can't figure out how he gets out."
    "He always comes back,” I replied. “I guess it ain't worth worrying on."
    "Still, folks pay us to keep their horses inside.” He looked at Paul. “Sure a fine looking horse.” Paul let out a snort and shook his head up and down. “Almost acts like he knows what I'm saying."
    "Sometimes, it does seem that way. I best be heading for work. Come by, I'll give ya a haircut,” I offered.
    "You at the Palace?"
    "Yep. Palace Barbershop. That's us."
    "I hear they got some guy in there that'll scalp ya and draw blood every time,” he declared. “I have the missus cut it every spring, when it gets warm."
    I shook my head. “Not true.” I