“Uhm, yes. Can we go in?”
It’s the wrong thing to say. Her eyebrows shoot up as she stares at me. “I’m sorry, miss. Only people with appointments can enter Devil Tower.”
“Oh, right.” I stare right back at her, realizing that she has noclue who I am. Another newcomer to Astley, and I’d better take advantage of that.
“I do have an appointment,” I say quickly. “With… Bob Nelson.”
I’m not sure why I say that name. I guess it’s the first one that comes to mind. Theonlyone. Quill’s dad and my own dad’s boss.
Josh glances at me curiously while the receptionist turns her attention back to her computer.
“Under what name?” she asks, clicking on the keyboard so her screen lights up.
I adjust my thick round glasses nervously, then see that Josh’s glance has turned into a long, scrutinizing look. I glare right back at him, but he doesn’t seem the least bit bashful.
“Jen and Harry,” he says, and the receptionist’s brow clears. “We’re a bit early,” he adds.
“That’s fine.” She opens a drawer and takes out two visitors’ badges. “Let me just tell Mr. Nelson you’re here, and then you can go straight up.”
My glare turns into a surprised stare, then to nervousness as the receptionist buzzes Bob Nelson.
“Yeah?” comes a voice I recognize, because I’ve hidden plenty of times in Quill’s room, my lips glued to his, while his dad was right on the other side of the door.
“Your eleven o’clock appointment is here, Mr. Nelson.”
“Alright, send them up.”
I’m more surprised than ever as the receptionist hands us two badges, but I pretend everything’s fine as I follow Josh to the elevator.
“What was that?” I hiss.
He beams at me. “How was that for Ned Nickerson?”
I can’t tell if I want to punch his silly smile or hug him. “Who the hell are Jen and Harry?”
“His eleven o’clock appointment,” Josh smirks. “Her screenwas reflected on the glass window behind her, then back to your glasses. Has anyone ever told you your glasses are insanely cool?”
Uhm, no.
I shrug as the doors of the elevator ding open.
“Good job,” I say begrudgingly.
“That was some pretty good sleuthing, right?” he says, looking very proud of himself.
What is the idiot on? Did he just go home and binge the entire Nancy Drew series to impress me because I mentioned it in passing? The last thing I want to do right now is talk about my favorite book series as a kid after having gotten fucked in the ass by Quill Nelson.
“So where are we going?” asks Josh as I stare at the buttons. “Not to see Bob Nelson, right?”
“Right.”
Taking a rash decision, I click on the sub-sub basement level.
__
I’ve spent enough time with Quill to know just a bit about how Devil Tower is organized.
Not that he ever told me a thing. But the first time I went to his home, his dad punched him while yelling about him missing some sort of training thing. When I went to his room, I saw a gun on his desk. All of that made me curious, and I guess I did figure out certain things.
