“Aren’t you supposed to be going home now?”
“And miss all the fireworks? The scintillating conversation? Good,” she mimicked. “That was good.”
I groaned again. “Did I sound like that much of an idiot?”
“Maybe a little more.”
I dropped my hands in my lap. Jean sat at her desk, looking smug.
“Fine. Ryder makes an idiot out of me.”
“I know. You let him in the records room.”
Huh. I tried to remember if there was anything in there that would betray the secrets of Ordinary. Maybe not right out in the open, but if he went digging far enough.
“Well, hell,” I said quietly.
“You stay here,” Jean said. “My brain works fine when I’m around him. I’ll give him something else to do. Check in with Bertie to see if she needs extra help with the rally, maybe.”
I rested my elbows on the desk and lowered my face into my palms. “God,” I said through the muffle of my hands. I was such an idiot.
I didn’t know how long I sat there listening to the screech and bang of the song in my head. Long enough that eventually I heard Jean and Ryder’s footsteps as they walked through the office, Jean keeping up a conversation that I pretended not to hear.
Long enough for them both to leave and shut the door behind them.
“Reed Daughter,” a soft voice said from right next to me.
I jerked, looked up.
Death stood next to my desk. He wore a novelty T-shirt that said ORDINARYTOWN,EXTRAORDINARYFUN, over which he had thrown a Hawaiian shirt featuring palm tree fronds and tiki heads. He was also wearing a slick pair of dark gray slacks and shiny black shoes.
His dark hair was cropped short, making his deep eyes seem even wider, his heavy lids languid. Even though he wasn’t smiling, I got the distinct impression he was laughing at me.
“Hey,” I said, straightening. I glanced around the station. No one else was here.
“How is your health?” he asked.
“My what?” I didn’t like the idea of Death asking me if I was sick.
“Ah, I may not have stated that clearly. How are you?” His eyes glinted with something I was pretty sure was humor.
“Very funny. I’m good. What can I do for you?”
“I am here to inquire on the methods for acquiring a license to do business.”
“All right. You want to see Bertie over at City Hall for that. She’ll have the forms you need to fill out. I’m glad you’ve chosen a job so soon.”
“Is it not in the contract that I must do so?”
“Sure, but sometimes it takes time for a deity to decide on an occupation.”
He raised one eyebrow. “I am not a creature of doubt or indecision, Reed Daughter.”
“Delaney,” I corrected absently.
“Of course.” He paused. For a creature who didn’t doubt, it looked like he was weighing a decision.
“He wasn’t frightened,” he finally said.
