“Why are you scowling?”
“Did he touch you?”
“No.”
“Didn't Harold warn you about visiting?”
“Everyone else seems to know each other.”
“We also know what everyone’s capabilities are. You aren't human anymore. This isn't like going to a block party and getting to know your neighbors.”
“Why are you getting so crazy?”
“You're leaving soon. Just stay out of trouble.”
I stopped walking and he followed suit a second later.
“Was there anything else?”
“I’ve been doing some background checks, and I want to take another stab at Maxwell, Suit’s target.”
I stood there for a minute. I wanted Suit, there was no doubt about that, but did I really have to do everything with Fate? Could I risk doing everything with him? What if he figured out there was a connection between us?
“We've got less than two weeks left before you leave. You plan on making a decision anytime soon?” He stared at me, clearly confused by my hesitancy.
“I'm thinking.”
“About what? You either want this guy or you don't.”
“Camilla!” I looked down the hall and saw Death with another middle-aged man beside him, standing where the lobby began.
I walked past Fate. “Hi, Doc,” I greeted him, figuring it might not be appropriate to call him Death in current company.
“I'd like to introduce you to Fred. We were just heading out for some golf.” Death patted Fred on his back as he said this. They were both dressed in golf shirts with little sun visors.
“It's nice to meet you.”
“You too!” He turned to Fate, “I've got your return ready.”
“Thanks, Fred,” Fate said, smiling. “You guys have a good game.”
“I'm sorry you couldn't make this round.”
“I'll catch you guys next week.”
I watched Death and the accountant head off to go play eighteen holes and then turned to Fate.
“Have you met everyone?” he asked.
“You golf with them?” I asked.
“What's wrong with golf?”
“You want me gone because I'm a transfer and you're golfing with a human?” I seriously didn’t need to elaborate on this, did I?
“It's different.” He shrugged a single shoulder, as if he couldn’t even sell that bullshit to himself completely.
“Really? How's that?”
“We have to go if we're going to check out the lead. You coming or not?”
And the bottom line was I did want to check it out. I’d lost my first opening to take out Suit and I was running out of time. I’d have to take my chances. Worst case scenario: kill him quickly before he could talk.
“I’ll be right out.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
When I got back, the guards were already there with an opened and normal door.
“I figured I'd use the opportunity before they saw you,” Fate said.
When he went to move through the door, I grabbed his arm.
“Give me a minute?”
He shrugged and watched as I walked over to the guards with my offering in hand.
“This is called compound. They use it on cars. It's not going to completely fix your dings but it will help.”
I stood there, arms outstretched with a bag for each. Fate stood off to my side, watching intently. Just when I thought they wouldn’t take my gifts, they reached a hand forward.
“I am truly sorry that my actions contributed to messing up your suits.”
They both looked over their gifts, then they looked at each other and made sure the other guard didn’t get something better. As if that wasn’t adequate, they swapped, examined and swapped back. After a long few minutes, they both looked at me again. In unison, they did a single nod in acknowledgment.
“So, we're good?”
Again, another nod.
I wanted to smile and skip around but I held it under control. Feeling content that I'd mended a bridge, I walked through the opening. It’s not like I’d see them for that much longer but I didn’t want to move on knowing I’d upset the guards.
“I don't get it,” Fate said as the door closed behind us.
“What?” He was staring at me as if I were a puzzle he was missing a piece to.
“Why they communicate with you.”
“What's so strange about it?”
“You're the only one. You don't think that's odd?”
“Considering the people I've met so far? No. I don't find it that strange. I'd find it more unusual if they did.” I looked around the parking lot of an office park. “Where are we going?”
“There.” He pointed to one of the larger buildings off to the side that anchored the development. “That’s where Maxwell works.”
“We're going to walk into his office? Won't that tip anyone off?” I looked down at the dark pants and blouse I had on. It fit perfectly. How did they do that?
“Not if we have an appointment. He's an accountant.”
“We?” I looked at Fate in a black suit with a crisp white shirt he wore really well.
“Yes. Mr. and Mrs. Clark.” He walked forward and yelled back, “Come on, honey, we don't want to be late.”
I followed him into the elevator and pulled the collar of the blouse open a bit.
“It's warm in here. They need to turn the AC up a bit.” I put a hand under my hair and lifted it off the back of my neck.
I looked over to Fate who seemed completely comfortable in his suit jacket. God, he looked really good in a suit—too good.
“Did you eat or drink anything at Cupid's?”
“No. Why do you ask? Would that have been bad?” I thought back and I definitely hadn’t. I would have remembered.
He squinted his eyes, as he looked me over. “You sure? You're looking a little flushed.”
“I'm not an idiot. I'd know if I ate something. Why? Would it have done something to me?”
“You didn’t, so don’t worry about it.”
The elevator doors slid open and stopped the conversation. We stopped by the receptionist, who checked us in right away and then led us down a hall into a corner office. He was obviously a very good accountant. The office was plush, the chairs, the desk, even the lamp that sat on his desk all screamed that he was raking in the cash.
A minute later, Maxwell walked in and shook our hands.
“It's nice to meet you both.” He moved around to the other side and sat behind the desk. “Did you bring your paperwork?”
Fate handed him a pile of sheets he pulled out of a briefcase.
“So, Mr. and Mrs. Clark, how can I help you?”
“Please, call us Hank and Ruth. We've been thinking of doing some financial restructuring.”
Ruth? Oh no, I so didn’t look like a Ruth. Is he crazy? I was going to have to talk to him about choosing my own aliases if this was what he was going to come up with.
I watched Maxwell put on his glasses and start looking over the paperwork. I was leaning back in my chair, still dwelling on the poor choice of names, when a strange noxious odor wafted through the air, a strange blend of skunk and spoiled eggs. I turned my head in different directions trying to get a lead on where the odor was coming from when Fate reached out and squeezed my hand.
I looked to Maxwell and saw Fate do a single and ever so subtle nod of his head.
I looked closer at him. His head was bent and I saw what appeared to be cracks in his skin slowly appear, but he kept looking down at his papers like nothing was amiss while his skin was splitting open in front of my eyes.
Fate squeezed my hand harder and I forced my gaping jaw shut. It was just in time as Maxwell looked up briefly and smiled at us, before continuing to look our numbers over.
The cracks in his face didn’t stop but continued to spread as I watched him. I was horrifically mesmerized as they grew larger, slowly spanning his entire face. Once they got to a certain size, yellow pus started oozing from them.
“Are you okay?” Maxwell asked. I hadn't even realized he was looking at me again.
I couldn’t speak. I was having a hard enough time holding down the salad I'd eaten. Luckily, Fate stood up and covered for me.
“Darling, are you okay? You look a bit sick.”