"At any rate," Brigit pushed the denial aside as she watched the color flood her protege's face. "We're a family. If you need to talk,"

"I'll let you know," Belinda interrupted with a sigh. The blush, however, remained.

"I still think she's in love," Mama persisted.

"Is all well?"

The three women at the table looked up to find John Blackwick beside them. A fresh cup of cocoa was in his hand. Brigit exchanged one last glance with Belinda, seeking rea.s.surance that the younger woman was indeed all right. She grew more concerned when Belinda looked away.

"It's as well as it can be," Brigit sighed.

"Good!" John slid the refreshed cup of cocoa before the Goth girl and resumed his seat. "Brigit, I think we need to discuss further plans for the firm and develop a strategy for increasing productivity."

"John, I've only been back a few minutes," Brigit laughed. "I thought you were taking a break?" John looked at her in surprise as her words sank in on him. Finally, he allowed a slight smile to emerge across his thin lips.

"You're right. Business can wait a bit longer, eh?"

34: Back in the Swing

Things did seem to be flowing easily lately, John mused as he nodded solemnly to the Bailey. No words were exchanged as the pale figure in fluttering black robes deposited the day's new portfolios on the corner of John's desk and exited the office as quietly as he had entered. As he watched the dark figure glide back down the hall, John acknowledged the tense underlying energy that seemed to course through the productivity since Brigit's return.

He was aware of the source, yet, until something happened between them John could do nothing more than keep one eye open to it. He only hoped Seamus Flannery would eventually come to his senses and let it all go. Brigit had apologized that day in the cafe, although, John was sure she had not meant to be so far reaching in the apology. Seamus had been slick in his attempt to lure her into an argument of some sort. John had caught that much. He had been proud that Brigit had eluded the attempt in such a lady-like manner. Even so, John knew it would not be the last attempt Seamus would make in an attempt to cast a bad light on Brigit. He only hoped Brigit would not fall into the trap...

Brigit had resumed her a.s.signments eagerly, reaping during the day and returning to Maggie at night. John had the sense that it might seem unfair to the other Reapers that she would be allowed to have a dual existence with the firm. It was part of their agreement, though. So long as Brigit Malone maintained the efficiency of her a.s.signments and the priorities of the firm, John would continue to honor their agreement as long as Maggie Devon still drew mortal breath.

John set the newly delivered files at the bottom of the stack before him. He was taking his time with them these days. New recruits were still his first priority and he did not want to miss the opportunity to find another Belinda Yaris. Brigit had done well to bring the young woman on. He wanted to make sure the future members of the firm were of the same caliber.

A quiet knock at the door broke John from his thoughts. He looked up and found Brigit standing just inside it.

"I'm heading home," she announced.

"You've dropped your completed a.s.signments?"

"Belinda's working on them now," Brigit confirmed.

"Very good. Thank you, Brigit," he said quietly.

"For what?"

John looked at his a.s.sistant for a long moment. There were so many things he was grateful for in regard to Brigit Malone. Finally, he smiled and simply said: "For getting back into the swing so easily."

35: Hearing Matilda Sing

Brigit picked up the short stack of portfolios John had left on her corner of the desk.

She had paused long enough to wish Belinda a good morning on her way to the head Reaper's office. As she looked around the younger woman's s.p.a.ce, she had noticed the addition of a black leather sofa and a vase holding an overly large sunflower bloom on the small table beside it. The bright yellow of the flower's soft petals seemed to add all the more light to the otherwise bleak room. Upon commenting on the loveliness of the sunflower, Brigit caught the notes of pride as Belinda gushed that it had been a gift from Seamus Flannery. Mama Dee had been right, after all. Belinda Yaris was in love.

Biting her tongue to keep from issuing a warning against the younger woman's obvious infatuation, Brigit simply smiled and reiterated how lovely the flower was. Something inside her warned her to maintain her silence in regard to Seamus Flannery, if only for the sake of the peace that seemed to mask the every day operations of Reapers, Inc. Eventually, that mask would fade away. Brigit had no wish to rush that particular moment into existence.

As she walked down the hall toward John's office, Brigit couldn't help but revisit the fact that she still didn't have her own office s.p.a.ce within the firm. Seamus had his quarters a.s.signed to him almost immediately upon joining the company. Brigit had planted Belinda in the small room she now occupied upon bringing her to the main office and even Mama Dee had an office to call her own. Brigit reminded herself to have a discussion with John regarding the situation when she returned from her a.s.signments.

The first portfolio of the day's a.s.signments caused Brigit to smile. Mickey Benjamin was finally going to have his final wish fulfilled. Feeling light, Brigit made her way to the main entrance of the office as she read the address out loud: 72 St. Marks Place 72 St. Marks Place.

He was seated at a small table in the middle of the room, one arm resting on the table and his legs crossed at the knee in patient waiting.

Through the dim light of the morning sun that forced its way through the dust encrusted panes of gla.s.s high up on the walls, Brigit could see the trails through the dust on the floor where he had dragged the table from where it had been stored against the wall. How long he had been sitting there, she was unsure. A bottle of champagne on the table beside him indicated his preparedness for the celebration he intended to have once he heard Matilda Swenson finally sing. Almost a year had pa.s.sed since the crossing of Matthew-Matilda Swenson, though. Brigit wondered if a celebration was still intended after so much time.

The echo of her boots on the club's wooden floor caught his attention. Mickey Benjamin quickly turned to face her. Hope filled his eyes as she emerged from the shadows.

"You came back!" the young man gushed as he jumped from the chair and rushed to embrace the female Reaper. "I've been waiting for so long. I was afraid you had forgotten about me."

"I'm sorry it took as long as it did, Mickey," Brigit apologized. "I've been a little busy."

"It's okay, sweetie," Mickey said as he finally released her. "You kept your promise. That's all that counts."

"I always keep my promises one way or another," she replied as she caught the odor that arose from the collar of his purple silk shirt. "Have you been drinking?" Brigit asked as she glanced at the champagne bottle on the table. The cork, she noticed, was still securely attached. Yet, a distinct smell of alcohol had arisen from the young man when he had stepped back from her. She didn't remember smelling it on him during her first encounter with him.

"What? Oh, that," Mickey suddenly looked embarra.s.sed. "No. I don't drink. The night we," he faltered, looking for the right word.

"Pa.s.sed," Brigit offered.

"That will work," Mickey agreed. "The night we pa.s.sed, Matilda and me, well, I fell down the back steps after I told Mr. Pershing that Matilda was dead. I landed in a puddle of whiskey someone had spilled at the bottom of the stairs. It's a terrible smell, isn't it?" The young man sniffed at the collar of his shirt and wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"Mickey Benjamin, are you ready to leave this place?" Brigit asked as she withdrew his portfolio from her coat pocket. Quickly, she read the pages of his life as the door appeared to her left. On the last page, she saw the details he had just told her. His pa.s.sing had been the result of a mis-step on the stairs leading to the club owner's office. It had been an accident.

"Yes, finally, yes," Mickey gushed as he began to run his hands nervously through his hair.

"Mickey Benjamin," Brigit reached out and gently pulled open the door that had appeared to her left. From the other side, they heard the music and the singing of Matilda Swenson from the other side. Brigit saw Mickey's face light up with the recognition of the voice that reached his ears.

"She's fantastic," he whispered in awe.

As she watched him for a second longer, Brigit realized the depth of the young man's adoration for the drag queen she had crossed over almost a year before. She suddenly regretted not being able to return for him sooner. "I'm really, finally, going to get to see her sing," Mickey gushed.

"Here, you'll need this when she's done," Brigit said. She had fetched the champagne from the table Mickey had been sitting at and shoved it into his hands.

"Thank you, so much so much. You have no idea what this means to me," Mickey said as he threw his arms around Brigit's neck once more. The champagne bottle was pressed firmly between them as he gave her a good squeeze. Brigit smiled and pushed the young man off again, making sure he had a hold of the bottle as she did so.

"Get in there already," she said gently. "Mickey Benjamin, may you find eternal peace."

Brigit watched the young man enter the portal as the sound of a sultry torch song wafted through the air to her ears. Matilda Swenson did have a lovely voice. As Brigit held the door open for a few seconds after Mickey Benjamin had crossed over, it occurred to her that she had managed to catch the show at the St. Marks Club after all.

36: The State of Reapers, Inc.

"I'm off to Rome again," John declared as he shrugged into his suit coat and b.u.t.toned it. "I trust that all will go well while I'm away," he asked as he leveled a solemn gaze on Brigit as she looked up from the portfolios before her. She had easily taken over the seat behind his desk and resumed the work of sorting the daily a.s.signments. She had glanced up, John observed, just long enough to grasp the meaning behind his look.

"I'll call if I need you," she a.s.sured him quietly before returning her attention to the files. "How long will you be gone?"

"Just long enough to interview these few potentials and to make sure all is running well in the office there. I shouldn't be more than a couple of days," John a.s.sured her. "I was thinking that we should begin separating the files by region so that we can be prepared to open other new offices."

"That's a good idea," Brigit agreed. "I'll set Belinda to it. It will be a good project for her. Something to keep her focused from her recent distraction," Brigit said quietly.

She had not been the only one to notice the budding relationship between Belinda and the Irishman Brigit still found herself at odds with. It seemed, however, that she was the only one worried by the potential outcome of it.

"Are you sure all will be well?" John asked.

He was concerned about leaving Brigit alone with Seamus Flannery. John had been trying to make sure they had as little interaction as possible since learning of Seamus' threat to Brigit. Now, however, he had no choice. The state of the company demanded his presence elsewhere. He could only pray that Brigit would keep her guard up until he could return.

"It will be fine, John," Brigit said again. "I will call if I need you. I promise," she said firmly.

"Very well then," John sighed upon the realization that the subject was closed. He knew Brigit would not voice any concerns if she had any at all to voice. "Good luck with the work load. The Bailey appears to have found a way to increase his productivity."

"You've noticed?" Brigit laughed. It was true. The Bailey had started depositing his a.s.signments later and the Reapers had noticed the amounts were beginning to increase again. "Get going, John. We'll all still be here when you come back."

With that, the head Grim Reaper turned and exited their office. It was theirs, in all honesty. Brigit had voiced her request for her own s.p.a.ce, but John Blackwick had pointed out that it was not necessary. As his a.s.sistant, Brigit a.s.sumed his role and duties when he was not present. To save time, she would occupy his office. Considering the current state of the firm, John mused as he pa.s.sed Mama Dee in the hall and exchanged a nod of greeting; he was going to be away a lot soon. The office would eventually belong solely to Brigit and John would only find use for it on occasion. Brigit had learned so much over the last couple of months. Soon, John further mused as he reached for the main entrance to 666 Bleecker Street, she might be facing a promotion if the state of Reapers, Inc. continued to go so well.

Brigit sighed heavily as she reached for the next stack of portfolios. She had never truly realized how mentally taxing it could be to sort through the daily mail. She suddenly had sympathy for John Blackwick and his position as head Reaper. A movement at the door to the office distracted Brigit from further thought. It was Mama Dee and she looked concerned.

"Where's he going?" Mama asked, pointing over her shoulder at the now gone John Blackwick.

"He's headed back to Rome for a couple of days. He's found some potential new recruits for the office there," Brigit explained. "How are you today?"

"I'm okay, I guess. I just finished a hard case. Poor baby," Mama Dee shook her head sadly. "I hate when a baby pa.s.sed because its parents were stupid."

Brigit was not surprised by this declaration. Mama Dee, a woman who had been unable to bear children of her own, could never understand why people who had been better blessed didn't recognize the gift a child was. Apparently, this consideration had been carried over even in death for Mama Dee.

"How hard did you hug the child before you pa.s.sed him?" Brigit asked, hoping to lighten the mood.

"Not hard enough, I'll tell you that," Mama Dee sighed. "Do you have some more for me?"

Brigit glanced at the short stack John had started. Sadly, there weren't enough to there to keep her friend distracted from the sadness of her last a.s.signment. She said as much as she pa.s.sed the files over to Mama Dee.

"It don't matter," Mama sighed again as she scooped them up. "I'll take what you got. So many babies to take care of," the old woman said.

She pushed herself up out of the chair she had sank into and turned to make her way out of the office. Brigit sighed heavily as she watched her friend retreating down the hall. She was glad John had agreed to bring Mama Dee on. So many babies were waiting and Mama Dee was the perfect one to show them the final moment of love.

Brigit resumed sorting through a few more files before a commotion seemed to erupt in the hall. The sound of the front door slamming open and then shut had startled her. Her pulse calmed, however, after the string of almost unintelligible curse words reached her ears. Seamus Flannery had returned to the office and he sounded none too happy. Brigit caught barely a glimpse of him as he charged into the a.r.s.enal room and slammed the door behind him. Even through the thick walls, she could still hear him cursing. Some words in English, some words in Gaelic other words a mixture of the two. Over it all, she caught the fact that his last a.s.signment had broken the Irishman's beloved shelaighley and it had p.i.s.sed him off. She could only imagine what had happened after that. that.

She heard the door of the a.r.s.enal room whoosh open again and Seamus re-emerged. A new shelaighley was in his hand, but his temper still burned. Their eyes met as he made to enter the office but stopped short at the sight of her sitting behind the desk. A dangerous light began to dance in his eyes as he realized the significance of her presence in John's seat.

"Where's John?" the flame-haired man asked slowly.

"He's gone to Rome for a couple of days," Brigit replied evenly.

Although Seamus Flannery suddenly looked quite the demon standing in the door way, Brigit knew she could not let this sight unsettle her. Seamus had been trying to find a way to push her b.u.t.tons ever since she had returned from suspension. So far, she had been successful in ignoring him. Now that she was in charge again, she knew she couldn't continue to do so for long.

"Is there anything I can a.s.sist you with?" she asked.

"Ha!" Seamus spat. "I know how yer a.s.sistance goes. No, thank you," he growled as he turned to leave. "I'll manage on me own just fine."

"Seamus," Brigit began, but he whirled to face her once more. His face was bright red with rage.

"It's 'Mr. Flannery' to you, la.s.s!" the Irishman lashed out at her. "Only me friends call me by me Christian name. You are most definitely not not one of me friends." His voice had risen in volume, but Brigit maintained her sense of calm. It seemed to stoke his rage all the more. one of me friends." His voice had risen in volume, but Brigit maintained her sense of calm. It seemed to stoke his rage all the more.

"Very well, Mr. Flannery Mr. Flannery," she said calmly. "Should you change your mind, I'm here. Now, I suggest that you take a break and calm yourself before you return to the field. I'll have a.s.signments ready to pa.s.s out within the hour." With that, Seamus turned, muttering something Brigit could only half hear. "I'm sorry?" she asked, hoping he would repeat himself. Instead, he continued walking away with her question quickly following behind him.

Before she heard the slamming of the door to 666 Bleecker Street, she finally heard his reply: Not as sorry as you're going to be Not as sorry as you're going to be...

Excerpt: Reapers, Inc. -

Rogue Reaper

The office was eerily quiet when Brigit entered. She stopped just after closing the door and listened. There was a nervous energy floating through the air. The walls of the main hall seemed to tremble with it. Brigit found it to be an odd sensation but decided to stop in Belinda's office to go over the file she had dropped off earlier.