Keeping Angel

By Angela Dorsey

As soon as Mika runs from the abandoned house, the frightened cat in her arms, strange things begin to happen. Someone watches her house and a dark presence stalks her in the woods. Mika feels creeped out—but she also has lots of other things to worry about, like hiding Angel until she’s allowed to have a pet, handling her irritating brothers, and adjusting to Dad’s recent sad gruffness.

Then the true owner claims the little cat. Mika gets a second chance to rescue Angel, and after a narrow escape, thinks the problem is solved – until Angel’s owner comes back with something that devastates Mika and her family—and Mika discovers something she thought only existed in nightmares.

Does Mika have the courage and skills to stop Angel’s darkly gifted, cruel owner? Will she even survive?

“Recommend. Angela Dorsey has created a tightly plotted mystery thriller for upper elementary readers. The shading of the creepiness of the house will set readers' nerves on edge. The plot is well balanced between mystery elements and the elements of family life. Mika is a strong character.” ~ CM Magazine

• Language: English
• Publisher: Enchanted Pony Books
• Release date: Apr 29, 2021
• ISBN: 9781927100448

Book preview

KEEPING ANGEL

by Angela Dorsey

Copyright 2021 Angela Dorsey

www.aydorsey.com

Published by Enchanted Pony Books

www.ponybooks.com

Previously Published as The Time Thief (2011)

License Notes:

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Keeping Angel

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Epilogue

Abandoned

Also Available by Angela Dorsey

Connect

Chapter One

Mika threw her book down on her bed, completely irritated. High-pitched screams and thunderous pounding from outside her room battered into her brain. Brothers! How could she concentrate on homework when they were obviously trying to kill each other? A massive headache was already forming behind her eyes.

Someone crashed into her door. Mika leapt off her bed and clutched the doorknob in a white knuckled grip—and forced herself to stop. If she opened the door, she’d shriek at them. If she shrieked at them, her dad would yell at her—so totally unfair—and say she couldn’t go to Aimee’s after supper.

Mika mouthed a silent frustrated scream, clamped her hands over her ears, and stomped back to her bed and book.

Just two more science questions and I’m out of here, she promised herself.

Yells erupted into her bedroom when Joseph, the oldest of the Terrible Trio, opened her door and poked his head inside.

Get out!

Joseph ignored her outrage. Mom says supper’s ready. You’re supposed to come downstairs right now. He stuck out his tongue.

Mika threw her book at the door, as Joseph’s head withdrew. His footsteps rejoined his brothers, and the Trio galloped down the stairs to the large kitchen.

Mika retrieved her book, flopped back down on her bed, and tried to keep reading. But she still couldn’t concentrate. All she could think of was how the Terrible Trio was destroying her life. Joseph wasn’t even the worst of the three. He was eight and not nearly as wild and noisy as Billy and Matt, the twins. They were a thousand times—no, a million times—more intolerable than Joseph.

Mika’s best friend, Aimee, had an eight-year-old brother too, Seth. But he was an angel in comparison to the Trio—until he was around them, of course. Then he became one of them. Mika and Aimee called them the Frightening Four when they were together, and avoided them as much as possible.

Mika reread the paragraph she’d just skimmed, then sighed and put the book down. She might as well go eat supper—and see the smug faces of the Trio, her mom trying to be cheerful, and her dad being grumpy, all at the same time.

I’m never going to have kids, she vowed to herself for the millionth time. I don’t know how Mom can stand the chaos.

Mika knew how her dad could stand it. He was hardly ever at home. He stayed at work later now, and when he was home, he spent most of his time in his little office at the back of the house. She sighed and rolled over on her bed, taking her stuffed buffalo in her arms to hug. Dad hadn’t always been that way. He used to enjoy spending time with her and the Trio—and the Trio wasn’t quite as awful then either. It was as if when her dad withdrew from the family, her brothers turned into raving fiends.

It had all started six months ago, when Grandpa died. One afternoon they’d received the news that he was just gone. The doctors said it was a heart attack and that he hadn’t suffered. Well, the rest of them sure had, especially Dad and Grandma. And when her dad suffered, the rest of the family suffered.

Mika! Supper! her dad’s voice boomed up the stairs. Get down here right now!

Mika jumped. Coming! she called.

Supper was the huge ordeal she’d been expecting. The twins weren’t as boisterous as usual but that was only because Dad was in a particularly bad mood, speaking to no one, and jabbing his baked potato with his fork like it was something alive that he wanted dead. When Matt elbowed Joseph, Dad only had to glare at them to make them stop fighting.

Almost halfway through the achingly silent meal, Mika noticed a dark spot moving across the floor, and held her breath as a spider made his slow way toward the living room. When it finally rounded the corner, Mika exhaled in relief. No one else had seen it. She was just about to look away when the spider crawled back around the corner.

No, thought Mika. Go back, you stupid thing! Go back.

As it skittered closer to them, she tried to scare it into the darkness under the fridge by tapping the floor with her foot. It didn’t work. Mika glanced sideways at Billy. He was concentrating on his peas. Maybe he wouldn’t see it.

No such luck. The spider was in the center of the room when Billy jumped down from his chair. But Mika was quicker. She leapt between him and the spider.

Leave it alone, she hissed. Mom, Billy’s going to kill the poor spider.

Mika’s mom looked at the two facing each other. Why don’t you kids just sit down and finish your supper, she said, sounding tired.

It’s a big, ugly, hairy one, Mom! yelled Billy. I’ll kill it for you!

No, you won’t, said Mika, just as loud. That spider has as much right to live as you do!

Mika, be nice to your brother, demanded her father. Billy, get a jar and put the spider outside.

But Dad, he’ll kill it!

Please don’t let him kill it, begged Joseph.

I can put it outside, Mika offered.

Okay. Billy, sit down, said Dad.

But I want to put it outside, Billy complained. You said I could. It’s not fair. Mika gets to do everything.

Before her dad could change his mind, Mika grabbed a glass from the cupboard and scooped the spider inside with one of her mom’s recipe cards. She threw a triumphant look back at Billy as she walked toward the door. Her little brother lurched after her.

Billy, sit down! I’m not going to tell you again!

Mika relaxed the moment the door was closed behind her. She looked through the glass at the spider struggling to climb the inside of his cage. I know just how you feel, she whispered.

She wandered through the backdoor of the garage and toward the vegetable garden. Mika could remember when Dad was fun. He would play games with them and was glad to see them when he got home from work. Her favorite little kid game had been Tickle Tiger. Mika would hide and her dad would pretend to be a tiger hunting for her. When he found her, he would tickle her until her stomach hurt from laughing so hard. She was too old for the game now, but the Trio wasn’t, and Dad hadn’t played Tickle Tiger with them for months, or any other game.

All their family did was fight now. Everyone except Mom. She just kept trying to convince Mika and the Trio that nothing had changed. Yeah, right.

In the garden, Mika gently laid the glass on its side and waited for the spider to crawl out but now that it could escape it was reluctant to leave the safety of the glass. Finally, Mika tipped the glass and the spider slid out onto the soil. Good luck, little guy, she whispered as the spider scuttled under a tomato plant.

Too soon Mika found herself back at the front door. She paused for a deep breath, then walked into the kitchen. The room was still deathly quiet. Matt was playing with his food and Billy had tears on his cheeks. Things had not gone well after she’d left.

Mika, said her mom, when you’re finished, I want you to wash the dishes.

For a second, Mika didn’t reply. Her mom sounded different, like she wasn’t trying to be nice anymore. But Mom, I won’t have very much time at Aimee’s tonight then.

You will if you hurry. Joseph can help you if you want.

No thanks, said Mika before Joseph could protest. It’s faster to do it alone.

When they were finished eating, Mika gathered up the dirty dishes and ran the water. In some ways, she liked doing dishes, though she’d never tell her mom that. She enjoyed the feel of the warm soapy water and the gleam of the plates and utensils when they were clean. She loved the peacefulness of the deserted kitchen after supper. Joseph always took off as soon as supper was over, in case he was forced to help. Her dad would go hide out in his home office for a few hours or go back to work, and her mom would go upstairs