To Catch Her Death (The Grim Reality Series Book 1)

by Boone Brux

  Nigel furrowed his brow. “You don’t have any living relatives that might be better.”

  He asked the question in a way that told me he knew my parents were alive. Of course he would since Jeff had been a reaper. Nigel probably kept a spreadsheet on all the employees of GRS and their families.

  “Yes, my parents and brother are alive, but I’d like my friend Vella to handle the money for my kids.” It was an instantaneous decision and I really should have asked her permission. But I wanted Vella to raise the kids if I died. She didn’t have any children of her own and my parents were old, well into their sixties. Not to mention the fact my mother and I butted heads on every subject. My brother, Bryan, could barely take care of himself, let alone three kids. If I let him raise the kids, they’d end up in juvenile court by the time they were sixteen. “Trust me, this is best, and if my status as being a reaper ever came out, Vella would be far more understanding than my parents.”

  Nigel glanced at Nate, as if asking his permission to allow it.

  “Is there a problem?” My gaze bounced between the two of them.

  “No,” Nate said. “You have the right to choose whomever you want.”

  “Damn right I do.” I wasn’t sure why there was even a question.

  Nigel’s mouth tightened. “All right then. Please print legibly.”

  I turned my attention to the forms, ignoring the sick feeling the thought of dying gave me. The questions were extensive, not the usual insurance or privacy forms. I’m not sure why they even bothered with making me swear I wouldn’t tell anybody. Couldn’t the big bosses smite me with a single blow if I blew the whistle on the super-secret reaper club?

  My hand hovered over the page. I’d already told Vella about Nate and she’d ask again. Hopefully I wouldn’t get us inadvertently added to the supernatural kill-list by telling her about my new job. After all, she’d need to know since she’d be raising my children.

  It took about half an hour to fill out all the forms. My fingers cramped from writing on the tiny lines. “All done.”

  As I handed the packet back to Nigel, the cell phone on his desk started playing Single Ladies by Beyoncé.

  His mouth thinned even more and he picked up the phone. “Excuse me.”

  My first thought was that Nigel had a sweetheart, but my suspicions were quickly extinguished.

  “Hello.” He spun his chair so the back faced us. I let my eyes travel over his spotless office. “Yes, I will pick it up on my way home.” His words drifted over the top of the chair.

  Hmm, did Nigel have a wife? That was harder to believe. I couldn’t picture what kind of woman would fall for him. Maybe someone meek and mousey.

  “No, Mother, the couple’s yoga is tomorrow night.”

  Ewww!

  I’m sorry, but doing couple’s anything with a parent skeeved me out. I had to repress the urge to mimic gagging. My gaze cut to Nate and by the sneer on his upper lip he also struggled with the ick factor.

  Nigel’s voice lowered to a whisper. “I got it, Mother. Now, goodbye.”

  When the call ended he spun to face us and set the phone back in its original spot. He opened the folder of forms I’d filled out and thumbed through them. After a few minutes, he shut the folder and looked up, giving me a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Everything looks in order.”

  I sat there, waiting for more, but I guess he was finished talking. “Okay then. What next?”

  “You’ll need to get your pass.” Nate looked at Nigel. “As usual, thanks for your help.”

  Nigel smoothed his hands down the front of his vest. “You’re welcome, Nate. It’s always a pleasure dealing with employees who stick to protocol.” He looked at me, his gaze almost accusatory. “Welcome to GRS, Mrs. Carron.”

  I didn’t know why Nigel disliked me, but the man obviously didn’t approve. Maybe he held with Nate’s belief I’d suck as a reaper. “Thank you,” I said. “Have fun with your mother at yoga.”

  His gaze narrowed, as if trying to figure out if I was mocking him. Of course I was. That was my impulse reaction when somebody treated me like something they needed to scrape off the bottom of their shoe.

  I followed Nate to the next office. A large, fortyish, Samoan woman, with skin the color of caramel and eyes the color steel, sat behind a long counter.

  “Nate Cramer. Where have you been hiding yourself?” Her greeting was the direct opposite of what we’d received in Nigel’s office. I instantly liked her. “I’ve missed you, Sugar Pie.”

  “You know how it is, Rosie, work—work—work.” He walked to the counter and leaned on it. “But I’m back.” He turned, gesturing me forward. “Rosie, this is Lisa Carron.”

  Her smile spread, showing off pearly teeth. The skin around her eyes crinkled. “Lisa.” She took my hand. “Welcome. I’m so sorry about your husband.”

  “Thank you, Rosie.” Warmth spread through my hand when she clutched it. The sensation sent a wave of calmness through me, giving me the impression there was more to her than just being the office help. I made a mental note to ask Nate about the workers. Sure they were Wannabes, but what made them qualified to work at GRS. “I’m happy to be here.”

  She released me and pointed to a blue screen. “Why don’t you stand over there and I’ll immortalize that pretty face of yours on a GRS pass.”

  That comment endeared her to me even more and I did as she asked. The thought of having my own access card gave me a little thrill. It had been a long time since I’d been anything other than Jeff’s wife or the kids’ mother. Discovering that reapers really existed overshadowed the fact that I was now gainfully employed.

  I let my arms hang at my side. “Should I smile or not smile.”

  “You should definitely smile, Sugar.” Rosie wrinkled her nose. “Why don’t you take your jacket off?”

  I hesitated, once again cursing myself for wearing Jeff’s sweatshirt. “I think I’ll leave it on, if that’s okay.”

  She shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

  A camera was mounted at the end of the counter. She bent and directed the lens at me. “Say grim reaper.”

  I laughed and she snapped the picture.

  “Perfect.” Rosie moved to her computer. “It will be just a minute.” She tapped on the keys. “Nigel has already got your information in the system.”

  “We only left his office two minutes ago,” I said.

  “That’s our Nigel.” The way Rosie said his name made me think that maybe she had the hots for him.

  I tried to imagine the two of them together, but couldn’t quite make that love match. The whirr of a machine behind the counter started. After another minute, Rosie handed me my very own GRS access card. It was still warm from the laminating machine so I held it around the edges and marveled at my picture.

  My smiling face beamed back. It was the happiest I’d looked in over a year. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome, Sugar.”

  “All right.” Nate straightened away from the counter. “Rosie, as always you’ve brightened my day.”

  “You’re such a sweet talker.” She waved a hand at him, her laughter filling the office. “Lisa, don’t let this silver-tongued devil talk you into anything dangerous.”

  The mention of danger popped my bubble of joy. The way she had said you made me wonder just how many people Nate had coerced into hazardous situations. Had Jeff been one of them? “I sure won’t, Rosie.”

  “Come on.” He indicated the door. “On to payroll.”

  Money, now that was a subject I could sink my teeth into. It was the only reason I’d taken this job—well that and the niggle of universal obligation. I trailed Nate. “So what kind of pay are we talking about—you know, just a ballpark figure?”

  “I’ll let Willow fill you in on all the details.” He stopped at the next door. “She’ll be able to answer any questions you have.”

  Willow was a typical Alaskan name. We also had a lot of Ravens, Denalis, and Auroras in the state.
More than likely Willow was young with the kind of natural beauty that looked like she’d been skiing over the weekend. I walked into the office and realized I was partially right.

  She looked up from her desk and gave us a super model smile. Green, almond-shaped eyes were accentuated by her long red hair, which was pinned up in a messy up-do. If I tried to pull off that hairstyle it would look like I’d been wrestling a chimpanzee all night.

  “Good morning.” She stood and held out her hand. “You must be Lisa Carron.”

  It appeared everybody at GRS knew about me. I accepted her greeting. “Yes, and you must be Willow.”

  She released my hand. “That’s me, or Money Bags as everybody calls me behind my back.”

  Nate sat in one of the chairs in front of her desk. “That’s not what I call you behind your back.” He smiled and folded his hands across his stomach. “Or to your face.”

  She lifted a brow at him. “Always a charmer, Nate.”

  Though Rosie basically said the same thing, Willow’s tone was not complementary. Obviously these two didn’t get along. I sat.

  “I think I can correctly assume that you’ve taken the position here at GRS?” She opened a file lying on her desk but her gaze never left me.

  I exhaled. “Against my better judgment, yes, but I need a job.”

  Her smile was sweet and understanding. Despite Nate’s problems with Willow, I liked her. “I understand your hesitance, but I’m sure you’ll do fine.” She paused. “I’m sorry about your husband. All this must have come as quite a shock.”

  Finally, somebody who understood what I was going through. “Thank you. Yes, I’m still reeling a bit, but I’m glad I found out.”

  I really wasn’t. But many times during my life I hadn’t gotten the memo from the big guy upstairs. In order to cope with all the changes I needed to believe there was a higher purpose in me becoming a reaper.

  “All right, let’s dive in.” She placed her hands on top of the file. “GRS is set up on a pay scale that takes into account time in service and rank.”

  “Rank?” I asked.

  “Yes, you will start out as a Deputy or a GR1.” She slid the top sheet of paper toward me and pointed to a graph. “This is the pay to start with. After your six month training period, you’ll move up to a Deputy GR2. This will increase your income $112 per pay period.”

  It was difficult to disguise my disappointment over my base pay. The amount would barely be enough to cover our expenses. I nodded and studied the graph, not trusting that my frustration wouldn’t leak out. Instead I looked at Nate. “What are you?”

  “Lieutenant GR6.”

  I scanned down the table. His pay was impressive, about three thousand dollars more a month than I would be making. “What rank was Jeff?”

  He was quiet for a few seconds. “Sargent GR6.”

  I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself from asking anymore questions. There was no way my husband had made as much as the chart said. Or if he had, he didn’t spend it on the family. That led to the question, where the hell had all the money gone?

  “I know it doesn’t seem like much, especially since you were used to Jeff’s salary.”

  “No, actually it’s fine.” Because I was never used to his frickin’ salary.

  Not commenting further about Jeff’s pay, she pointed to the next chart down. “But we also give you a stipend each month for working in a remote location.”

  My spirits lifted slightly at the extra four hundred dollars, but I had to push away the idea there was more money Jeff hadn’t brought home. I refocused on my present situation. “Anchorage is considered remote?”

  Her brow furrowed and she looked at Nate. “I’d assumed Nate had briefed you on all the specifics of the job and your duties before having you accept the position.”

  Now I looked—well glared—at him. “No, he didn’t.”

  She sighed. “Anchorage is not considered remote, but the outlying villages are. You will be required to travel for GRS and reap souls whenever needed.”

  “That presents a tiny problem considering I’m a single mother of three. I can’t just drop everything and fly out to Barrow or Dillingham. What am I supposed to do with my kids?”

  “That’s precisely why I expected this to be explained prior to your signing.” She scowled at Nate again, but he seemed unrepentant. We were definitely going to have a few words after my orientation. “Fortunately, GRS does have in-home care for those who need it or we will supplement your sitting costs if you have someone you trust.”

  I nodded. “I’ll have to think about this. I can’t leave my kids with just anybody.” Specifically my mother.

  Mom would take them in a heartbeat, but I’d be indebted to her forever. Still, I needed a job and making that sacrifice would be worth it. On the flip side of the coin, if none of my kids became reapers, which I dearly hoped, then I wouldn’t be able to throw my martyrdom back in their faces when they blamed me for their horrible lives. I was looking at the big picture here.

  “Let me know if you need any help setting things up. I can introduce you to our caregivers. They are ready at a moment’s notice and might be good to keep as a backup.”

  “Thank you, Willow, I really appreciate that.” I liked her more and more. She was the first person at GRS who actually seemed human. “Do you have kids?”

  “No.” She picked up her pen and tapped it on the desk. “But I raised my sister—until she died a few years ago.”

  Instantly tears burned at the back of my eyes. I swallowed hard, reaching across the desk to cover her hand with mine. “I’m so sorry.”

  From experience I knew nothing more needed to be said. After Jeff died people tried to console me by relating a story about someone they’d lost. Although they attempted to find a common ground and connect with me, I got so tired of trying to make them feel better. I ceased being the griever and became the comforter. It was very draining.

  “Thank you,” she said.

  I pulled my hand back and fumbled for a way to get back on topic. “I think meeting GRS’s caregivers is a good idea.”

  “Great, I will set that up for us in a few weeks, after you get settled.” Her smile returned. “Now, onto bonuses.”

  “I like the sound of that.” I glanced at Nate. For whatever reason, he didn’t seem happy. Maybe he and Willow had dated and she’d dumped his grumpy butt. I added that to my list of questions for him.

  “After every twenty reaps you will receive a thousand dollar bonus. On your hundredth reap you will receive an incentive bonus of five thousand dollars.” She slid another sheet to me. “This is the breakdown beyond that.”

  “Wow.” I glanced at the figures. “Twenty five thousand for a thousand reaps?”

  “We’ve only had one person in Alaska receive that bonus.” Her eyes cut to Nate and back to me. “But all the reaps were not harvested in Alaska.”

  He crossed his arms and continued to glare at Willow. I refrained from asking him how he reaped a thousand souls. Mainly because I didn’t want to know, figuring it was a horrific natural disaster or something even more gruesome. At this point ignorance was bliss.

  “All righty then,” I said, trying to talk past the uncomfortable tension zinging between them. “How often do we get paid?”

  Willow relaxed against her chair. “Every two weeks. We do direct deposit. We’re a paperless office whenever possible.”

  “Recycle, reuse, and reap?” I asked.

  She smiled again. “I like that motto. We might have to adopt it for our conservation program.”

  Nate stood. “Is that all?”

  Willow didn’t look at him, but stood and held out her hand again. “It was great meeting you, Lisa. Let me know if you have any questions.”

  “Thank you, I will.” I shook her hand.

  “I hope you like it here. I’m sure you’ll be a great asset to GRS.”

  “Finally, somebody with vision.”

  Nate harrumphed and left wit
hout waiting for me. “Is he always like this?”

  “Oh no, just around me.” She sighed. “I’m sure he’ll be somewhat human with you.”

  “One can only hope.” I gave her a consoling smile and left. Something had definitely happened between him and Willow. Call me an office gossip, but I was already devising a plan to squeeze that info out of him. I skipped a few steps to catch up with him. “What’s next?”

  “Time to find out if you’re pregnant.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  I skidded to a stop. “Excuse me?”

  Nate turned to face me. “Your medical exam is next.”

  “Oh.” I started walking again. The only way I’d be pregnant was through an immaculate conception, which I was beginning to believe could actually happen. Who knew which of the things I once considered fantasy could possibly be true. “You’re not going to be in my exam with me, are you?”

  He stopped at a glass door. A metal sign engraved with medical office hung beside it. “Thankfully, no.”

  Thankfully indeed. “Are we finished after this?”

  Nate checked his watch. “I’ll come back and check on you in about an hour. We can catch some lunch after that.” His eyes did a quick track up and down my body. “You must be getting hungry.”

  Wow, he’d so effortlessly insulted me with his judgmental scan. I had questions for him about the job, so I bit my retort and plastered on a smile. “Sounds great.”

  Without any more discussion, because seriously, my self-esteem had already taken a beating today, I entered the office and shut the door in his face. Cherry wood and rich plum walls decorated the outer lobby. The warm mood directly contradicted the utilitarian world that existed beyond the door. I prayed the doctor was a woman. Of all the employees I’d met so far, women seemed to be the only ones with an ounce of compassion.

  I walked to the counter and tapped the bell. A feminine voice answered from somewhere beyond my sight. “I’ll be with you in a second.”

  So far so good. At least the nurse or receptionist was a woman. Another minute passed and the doctor finally appeared. She was around fifty and had black hair with two thick streaks of white racing down each side, as if they’d been painted on.