Page 17 of The Hangman's Rope

“Speaking of those two… Grim says you got some grave digging to do this week.”

“Yeah, quite a bit of day dwelling, actually.”

Syn snorted. “Sucks for your nocturnal ass,” he said. “I’ll send someone to make sure all our bases are covered with Alicein Wonderland over there. Still don’t know how the fuckthat’sgoing to work itself out.”

“I don’t think she’s going to be any trouble.”

“If it comes to it, only thing we can do is be merciful and quick,” he said.

“You seriously checking with me right now?” I couldn’t keep the incredulity out of my voice if I wanted to.

“Your vibe was off,” he said and almost sounded defensive about it.

“No shit, Sherlock. A dead woman just resurrected and nearly twisted Reaper’s cock clean off. I think that would be enough to throw any motherfucker that was there to see it with their own eyes off their game for a minute. Not every day a chick sits up and comes back from the dead.”

“Alright, alright, get your panties outta your ass,” he groused – which was rich.

“Could say the same thing to you, motherfucker,” I shot back.

“As Fear’s girl likes to say, ‘touché, fucker.’”

I snorted. Lainey was a kick. She could be funny as hell.

“I better get off of here and try and get some kind of a fuckin’ nap in since I’m going to be forced into being a day dweller this week,” I complained.

“Hey, you chose the grave digger life,” he said.

“You know the heavy equipment does come equipped with lights,” I countered. “I could just as easily dig the pits at night as I could during the day. Fuckin’ noise and light pollution ordinances, though.”

Synister laughed on the other end. “Only you, bro. Only you are comfortable hanging out in cemeteries at night.”

“It’s quiet,” I reminded him. “No trouble except for the odd ghost hunter, trespassing kids, and voodoo priest or priestess.”

“Don’t forget ghosts,” he said.

“They’re dead, don’t make too much noise, and generally don’t bother me,” I reminded him.

“Jesus, man, I love you.”

“Back at you, bro. G’night.”

“Night, man.”

I sighed, set down my phone and set my controller aside, then picked up the remote and turned off the television. I went and took a leak and when I was finished, stopped at the open doorway to my room.

Lorelai was having a fitful sleep, moaning, and twisting in the sheets, the material wrapping her legs as her hands clutched at the fitted sheet beneath her, by her hips.

I didn’t like the look of it, but I also didn’t like the idea of waking her, either. A bad dream in this deep stage of sleep wasn’tgood, but by the same token, there was a real possibility whatever it was would fade back into the recesses of her damaged memory. I would rather that at this point than for her to wake and have the full force of whatever it was slam into her consciousness like a fuckin’ freight train.

Sometimes it really was better to let sleeping dogs lie… not that she was a dog. Far from it. She was quite the opposite. Statuesque, slender, and yet maintaining her curves. I fully admit, she was just my type, physically speaking. I definitely saw the attraction, sick as it was on Reaper’s part.

I took a gentle step back and wandered back into the living room, throwing myself back down on the couch, an arm over my eyes.

One thing I retained from being in the military was the ability to grab sleep when you could get it. The only problem was the ability to actually getgoodsleep anymore eluded me.

Tonight, I was in luck. I didn’t know if it was that I was mentally and emotionally drained tending to Lorelai or what,but I was out inside a minute and when I woke the next morning, it was to Specter knocking on the glass beside me.

I winced and sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

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