"Make any progress?" Garrett asked me.
I looked up. It was dark outside. The sun had almost set over the skyline. I admired the silhouette of the historic city from our vantage point six stories up.
"Sebastian sounds like a very nice man. I doubt the two of you will get along at all."
The tendons in Garrett's jaw formed tense lines. I could practically hear him grinding his teeth.
"Are you ready to be driven?" I asked sweetly. I was ready for a bath and a big slice of cake. My butt hurt. I was going to burn that chair.
"No," he said and sat back down.
I sighed.
Morticia:We're right outside your office.
Lilith:The Harrogate Trust wants us to add some Halloween cheer to the art walk.
Penny:I think it should be fun cheer, not like chicken bones or anything.
Morticia:Come see what we have.
"I’m going to use the little girls’ room," I announced.
Garrett grunted. I really needed a break from this room and this man.
The art walk was right outside the Svensson PharmaTech offices. It was going to be connected through town to Archer's new convention center and hotel complex. I didn't take my jacket so that Garrett wouldn't know I was sneaking out. I regretted that decision as soon as I stepped outside. It was freezing.
The air was sharply cold and smelled smoky. The moon was just starting to peek over the tree line.
Trees draped with glowing chandeliers marked the entrance to the art walk. Teeth chattering, I hurried down the path. It was well lit, and massive sculptures marched down the path, casting spooky shadows. Morticia and Lilith were a short ways in.
Long black hair swinging, the twins were inspecting various metal jack-o’-lanterns, burnt-wood sculptures, and hay bale structures they had set up.
"Do you think we should have pumpkins?" Lilith asked.
"Or these lanterns, or both?" Morticia added.
"This is supposed to be an Instagramable moment," Lilith said, "according to Josie."
"We need to make the art walk look festive," I said, inspecting the options. "I like the jack-o’-lanterns, but I think they're a little too small."
Lilith nodded.
"Could you hang a fall-themed wreath or something off the lampposts? I do like the hay bales." I shifted one of the bales around and squeezed two of the metal jack-o’-lanterns around it. I propped a wooden cat next to it. "Can you fabricate some sheet metal to look like ribbons, and maybe some brooms? Then you can have nice little displays. Oh! You should laser cut verses from creepy poems on sheet metal and wood. Then each spot is a little different!"
"I knew you were basic enough to help," Morticia said, patting me on the head.
"I feel like you're being mean," I said, pouting.
Morticia looked down her nose at me. "I would say I don't like to judge people, except that we do. We love to judge people."
"I'm not giving you any more cake."
Lilith snorted. "We’ll see you later after you finish driving around that oaf."
As I left, the twins turned as one back to the Halloween display. They were so weird.
I hurried back to the office. It was windy; dead leaves swirled around my feet. Head down, I hugged myself against the wind, cursing because I had foregone my jacket.
