“You got it.” Hogan reached over to the jar next to the love seat, shook out a handful of candy corn, then poured them next to thehead.
Abner smiled and bit into a candy corn with a lot more finesse than I’d have expected out of a bodilessgnome.
My boyfriend was the head of the garden gnomes. What did that evenmean?
“What does this even mean?” I askedhim.
He dropped his arm back around me. “It’s not a big deal. I’m gonna look after them. They’ll listen to me. I’ll have a bunch of little buddies every October. It’s going to befun.”
“You can dothat?”
“I cannow.”
“A duck,” Myraguessed.
“Would that be frightening?” Deathasked.
“On you?Probably.”
“Perhaps you will invite me in.” Death wasn’t a vampire. He didn’t need an invitation to enter a place. So I wasn’t surprised to hear their footsteps coming ourway.
“Are we good?” I askedDelaney.
She stood, putting herself between Death and the gnomehead.
I stood too. So did Hogan. Now that Abner was alive and done with the zombie thing and the knock-knock jokes, there was no reason for Death to killhim.
Two cops, a baker, and the head of a gnome stared downDeath.
“I see that my services are no longer needed,” hesaid.
“Hogan took care of the zombie gnomes,” Delaney said. “Unless you have some other business here you should tell meabout?”
“Death is a shadow, Reed Daughter. Death does not share his To-Dolist.”
I snorted alaugh.
“Well, you can’t stay here on vacation,” Delaney said. “But thisisthe night when the veil is the thinnest. There is precedence to all manner of gods and monsters having some fun in the mortal world. If you decide to stay, I won’t tell you toleave.”
“I don’t believe I was here to ask for your permission, ReedDaughter.”
“Moth?” I asked. Because I couldn’t figure out what he was supposed to beeither.
He wore a black suit that appeared to be stiff and dusted with ashes. Tattered gray wings drooped on his back, and he was holding a huge ceramic mug of coffee in one hand that was very clearly illustrated by a hand holding up a defiant middlefinger.
Death sighed. “It is my understanding that Halloween is intended to befrightening.”
“Yes?” Iasked.
“Therefore I chose a frighteningcostume.”
“But what are you supposed to be?” Iasked.
“Monday.”
Hogan started laughing first. We were all right behind him. I kept a close eye on Death’s face. He didn’t smile, but there was a twinkle in his eye and one eyebrowraised.
“I also understand that some mortals laugh when they are terrified,” he said. “Therefore, I will not punish you for yourreactions.”
