“It can. If you want to be fired.” Beatrix’s voice was smug over the phone. She knew I wouldn’t risk that.
“Fine,” I gritted out. “I’ll be there in an hour.”
“Make it twenty minutes.”
“Twenty minutes? Are you crazy? I have to go home first and grab my shit before heading to the office. No way can I get there in twenty minutes.”
“I don’t want to hear your excuses; just get your ass here in twenty.”
There was a click and then silence. I looked at my phone screen. That harpy had hung up on me.
Guess I shouldn’t be too surprised. She had made no secret from the moment we met that she didn’t like me.
I took one last glance around the empty stacks before glancing down at the book in my hands. It looked so harmless with its leather cover and simple design, but then I think most books had that in common.
What should I do with it? Leave it behind or take it with me? The shopkeeper seemed adamant that I take it, even going so far to say that whatever its price was had already been paid.
Might as well keep it for now seeing as there was no one to hand it off to. I could always come back later to try to return it.
I headed to the exit for the normal side of the bookstore. Making the meeting was not going to be easy.
Chapter Two
I was ten minutes late when I rode my bike up to the office of Hermes Courier Service. It was like any other building in the Warehouse District. It was three stories and made from the same red brick that a lot of the older buildings in Columbus were built from. It had the same warehouse windows laid out in the same small squares making up a larger rectangle. Parts of it had graffiti decorating the brick. Maybe a little run down and showing its age but otherwise there was nothing to set it apart.
Recently, the Warehouse District had undergone a sort of renaissance as people bought up a lot of the older warehouses and turned them into offices and luxury apartment buildings featuring the industrial look. It had given the area a breath of fresh air. Making it a place you could go after dark without worrying if you’d make it to your destination in one piece.
From the stories I heard from other couriers, Jerry had bought this place when it was first built. Some said even before it was built. Who knew if that was true? Jerry liked to play things close to the vest.
I propped my bike against the brick, took out my chain and locked it to the drain pipe running up the side of the building. I wasn’t really afraid someone passing by would try to steal it as Jerry had enough magical security wrapped around this place to discourage that sort of behavior.
I was more afraid of what my fellow couriers would do to it. They liked to play pranks, especially if they felt you were getting the good gigs. I’d only had to walk out once to find my bike tied to the top of a lamp post before I started locking it up.
I detached the seat and put it in my messenger bag. It’d be just like these bastards to take the seat to mess with me.
Not wanting to waste any more time, I hit the intercom button, then kept hitting it when no one answered. Beatrix had neglected to send me the new passcode for the door. No doubt on purpose.
I held the button down for several long seconds, knowing that she’d eventually cave and buzz me through.
Sure enough, seconds later the door buzzed, and I yanked it open before heading inside.
The interior had changed again. Instead of a wide open, empty space, there was one hall with several doors opening off it. The floor was slate gray, polished concrete and the ceiling had all the pipe and metal work exposed.
Jerry seemed to change the interior based on whatever weird mood he was currently in. This was the fifth change this year, and the year was only four months old. Even for him, that was a lot. It made me wonder if this newest change had anything to do with why he’d called me in on my night off.
I headed for the stairs at the end of the hall and walked up to the second floor. The office door was nicely labeled Hermes making it easier to find than in the past. Once I’d had to open nearly every door in the place before finding the right office. I still had nightmares about what was behind some of those doors.
It was like any normal office, a secretary’s desk sat next to the only other door and there was a waiting room with seating to my right. It even had those fake trees that were so popular in offices.
Beatrix looked up from the file in front of her, one eyebrow lifting imperiously before she looked pointedly at the clock next to me. By this time I was more like fifteen minutes late.
I shrugged. I didn’t feel too bad about that, being called in unexpectedly and all.
“Oh look, she finally found her way here,” a voice said to my right.
The gnome folded the newspaper and set it to the side. I grimaced. Great, Tom. This visit wouldn’t be complete without him.
I ignored him, knowing from prior experience that engaging him just escalated the insults. Beatrix watched the two of us with a bland expression. If I looked closely, I thought I could detect a slight smug tilt to her mouth. She was probably enjoying this immensely.
