Elizabeth was working the afternoon shift and was quietly cleaning the front counter at the music store, deep in thought. So much was happening all at once. She had spent the previous night in a combination of tears and prayers asking the Lord for guidance.
Trying to put her sadness aside, she thought back to what happened the day before. If the songs the Monkees were singing could be used for ulterior purposes, would the other songs released by Ritzy records be the same way? Was that the key? What other ways could those boys be influenced to commit suicide? Darlene came over to her, wearing her black store uniform, but without most of the pins.
"I read the story in yesterday's paper." She said, "I recognized the picture in the boy. He came in here often to buy the latest records."
"I waited on him just a few days ago." Elizabeth replied. "Now he's dead."
"Wasn't your fault, Chris." Darlene said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Who knows what made him do it?"
The angel knew, but couldn't tell Darlene. She looked at her friend. "So, are you ready for another day?"
"Yeah, another day, another dollar." Darlene smiled, "Can I tell you something?"
"Sure you can."
"I just want to thank you for being my friend." Darlene said quietly, "You always take the time to listen to me. The other employees..." She indicated the other girls talking among themselves on the other side of the store, "As you've noticed, don't talk to me very much. I'm too different to them. They've had normal lives and I haven't. But you...you've been an angel to me. You care where others don't."
Elizabeth gave Darlene a warm smile, happy that she was making a difference in one life at least.
"You are a special person, Darlene." She said, "Just remember that no matter what, God loves you very much and is always looking after you." The angel reached up and took the angel pin off her dress, held it between her hands for a moment to bless it, then pinned it on Darlene's dress near the shoulder. "There. Now you have an angel on your shoulder."
"Thank you." Darlene said and made to hug Elizabeth when an angry voice cut in.
"If you two have nothing else better to do, I suggest you clean the listening booths." Estella said, hands on her hips, glaring at her two employees.
"Yes, Miss Duke." Elizabeth and Darlene replied.
They grabbed their cloths and quickly walked over to the booths.
Elizabeth took the furthest booth and went inside while Darlene took the opposite one and went inside as well. Estella let out an angry breath and walked away.
The angel closed the booth door and began to dust the record player and wipe the glass wall surrounding the booth. When both were clean, she looked on the floor for any papers, cigarettes and gum wrappers. On the floor underneath the record player, Elizabeth saw what she thought was a sleeve for a 45 rpm single, but picking it up, she saw that there was a record inside. The song was "Baby I want you" by Glitterdust, another one of the oddly named groups that Ritzy Records seemed to sign.
Pulling the record out of its sleeve, Elizabeth decided to test her theory. After looking to see if Estella was around, the angel put the record on the turntable, turned it on, and placed the needle on the record. A few seconds later, the song began.
It was a slow, bluesy number and the lead singer began to sing; "Baby I want you, I want you so bad, it's driving me mad, mad mad."
But Elizabeth, using her angelic powers heard: "Master of darkness, let me come to you, you, you."
The angel quickly lifted the needle off the record. There were subliminal messages in the music as well as on the album covers! But how were they put there? Elizabeth put the needle on the record again, waited until the singer sang a few bars, then, making a counter-clockwise motion with her finger, made the record player play backwards!
Now, the words were clear to anybody who listened: "Oh black lord, you are the one."
Elizabeth lifted the needle off the record and pulled the offensive disc from the player. Running her finger across the grooves, she erased the song so it would never be heard again. As she put the record in its sleeve, the angel heard a tap on the glass window. It was Darlene, a puzzled look on her face. Elizabeth opened the booth door and stepped out.
"Must've been a dirty booth," Darlene smiled, "I've cleaned all the other booths while you've cleaned just that one."
"Yes, Darlene." Elizabeth sighed, "That was a very dirty booth."
++++
Mike slowly pulled the Monkeemobile to a stop in front of Elizabeth's apartment building. Micky had made everyone leave a little early for the appointment with Jynger so he could have a talk with the angel. He was still a little miffed over her reaction to his song, but he loved the angel very much and didn't want to lose her.
"I won't be too long." Micky told the others as he got out of the car.
"You could do this tomorrow, Micky." Davy said.
"No, I want to apologize." Micky said firmly. "And once we get that contract, I'll really be able to make it up to her."
Peter nodded while Davy looked at the floor. Mike stared out of the driver's window, saying nothing. He was still upset with Elizabeth and had to be practically strong-armed by Micky to come over here.
Micky walked up the front sidewalk of the building. He paused to pick a few flowers growing around the door and went inside. Taking the steps two at a time, Micky was soon on her floor. Taking a deep breath, he walked over to her door and knocked, rehearsing what he was going to say. The smile faded from his face as there was no answer. Micky knocked again, but Elizabeth still didn't answer the door.
"Elizabeth?" Micky asked, knocking a third time, "It's Micky. I came to say I'm sorry."
Micky then jumped a foot in the air when someone tapped his shoulder. It was Peter.
"You almost gave me a heart attack, man!" Micky exclaimed.
"We have to go, Mick." Peter said sympathetically, "We can't be late."
"She's not answering." Micky said sadly, pointing to the door.
"She just might be working." Peter replied, "You said she's working all hours and days at the music store."
"Yeah, that must be it!" Micky said, brightening up, "She must be working. I'll see her at the music store tomorrow." T
ossing the flowers aside, Micky followed Peter back down to the Monkeemobile.
++++
At the same time, Elizabeth was at the Monkees' pad. It had only taken her an instant to realize her friends were not there. She had to tell them what she had discovered, that the songs from Ritzy records had backward messages on them-and she was going to make them listen. Now, it looked like they were gone for the evening, probably playing a gig.
"I'll tell them tomorrow after my shift at the store." Elizabeth said to herself, "Then I'll find a way to start nullifying those evil records."
With that, the angel disappeared.