Gabriel's Inferno 01 - Gabriel's Inferno Read Online Free PDF Page A

description. The term brown-eyed angel seemed oddly familiar, but since he couldn’t think of the source for that reference he put the thought aside.
    “What number on Madison?” He softened his voice, so much so that Julia could barely hear him.
    “Forty-five.”
    He nodded and shortly pulled the car in front of the three-story, red brick house that had been converted into apartments.
    “Thank you,” she murmured, and in a flash she dove for the door handle to make her escape.
    “Wait,” he commanded, reaching into the backseat to retrieve a large, black umbrella.
    She waited and was stunned to see The Professor walk around the car to open the door for her, wait with an open umbrella while she and her abomination exited the Jaguar, and march her up the sidewalk and the front steps of her building.
    “Thank you,” she said again as she pulled on her book bag zipper, trying to open it so she could find her keys.
    The Professor tried to hide his distaste at the sight of the abomination, but said nothing. He watched as she struggled with the zipper, then watched her face as she grew very red and upset over the fact that the zipper wouldn’t open. He remembered her expression as she knelt on his Persian rug, and it occurred to him that this current trouble was probably his fault.
    Without saying a word, he grabbed the book bag out of her hands and shoved the now closed umbrella at her. He ripped open the zipper and held the bag out, inviting her to stick her hand inside to retrieve her keys.
    She found the keys, but she was nervous, so she dropped them. When she picked them up her hands were shaking so badly she had troubling locating the correct key on her key ring.
    Having lost all patience, The Professor snatched the key ring away from her and began trying keys in the lock. When he’d successfully opened the door, he allowed her to enter before returning her keys.
    She took the repellant book bag from him and murmured her thanks.
    “I’ll walk you to your apartment,” he announced, following her through the hallway. “A homeless person once accosted me in the lobby of my building. One can’t be too careful.”
    Julia silently prayed to the gods of studio apartments, begging them to help her locate her apartment key swiftly. They answered her prayer. As she was about to slip behind the door and close it firmly but not unkindly in his face, she stopped. Then, as if she’d known him for years, she smiled up at him and politely asked if he would like a cup of tea.
    Despite being surprised by her invitation, Professor Emerson found himself standing in her apartment before he had the opportunity to consider whether it was a good idea. As he looked around the small and squalid space, he quickly concluded that it wasn’t.
    “May I take your coat, Professor?” Julia’s cheerful little voice distracted him.
    “Where would you put it?” he sniffed, noticing primly that she did not seem to have a closet or a hall tree near the door.
    Her eyes dropped to the floor, and she ducked her head.
    The Professor watched her chew her lip nervously and instantly regretted his rudeness.
    “Forgive me,” he said, handing her his Burberry trench coat of which he was inordinately proud. “And thank you.”
    Julia hung his coat up carefully on a hook that was attached to the back of her door and hastily placed her knapsack on the hardwood. “Come in and be comfortable. I’ll make tea.”
    Professor Emerson walked to one of only two chairs in the apartment and sat down, trying for her sake to hide his distaste. The apartment was smaller than his guest bathroom and included a small bed, which was pushed up against a wall, a card table and two chairs, a small Ikea bookshelf, and a chest of drawers. There was a small closet and a bathroom, but no kitchen.
    His eyes roamed around the room, looking for evidence of any kind of culinary activity until they finally settled on a microwave and a hot plate that were perched somewhat