seamless window, the scent of its flowers intoxicating and pleasant.
Maddie touched the glass, admiring the view down below. The busy Lake Shore Drive, and beyond that, Lake Michigan, water stretched out as far as the eye could see. Truly, the best view in town. “Wow,” she breathed out. “The view is amazing.”
Madame Chabert and Hugo beamed.
“I’m glad that you’re pleased with this suite,” Madame Chabert said. “Please let us know if you need anything. Hugo will be your personal concierge from now on,” she added.
Hugo inclined his head solemnly.
“Thank you,” Maddie said. “I think I’m just going to unpack now.”
“Splendid,” Madame Chabert replied. She and Hugo excused themselves.
Maddie took an orange that had fallen to the floor. The fruit was so ripe and fragrant. She peeled the skin as she sank herself on the cushioned chair. She tasted a segment. Sweet and tangy flavour exploded in her mouth. Maddie sighed happily. Her heart fluttered as she thought about him. Despite what Aunt Liv had said about consorting with the Unseen, she enjoyed the attention Jean-Luc had given her.
He couldn’t be a bad guy if he wanted only the best for her, could he? Had she been wrong?
She reminded herself that she shouldn’t pass judgement so quickly. She had only spent a night with the man. She didn’t really know him, other than that he was a great lover.
You don’t know his ulterior motive.
He was a Hellhound, and all Unseen were self-serving creatures.
She let out an exasperated sigh.
She should wait and see. It wasn’t like she had a choice, or anything.
Maddie finished her orange and went to unpack her belongings.
* * * *
Jean-Luc waded through the Central Office’s enormous waiting area and walked straight into the main hall. A cool breeze surged past him as soon as he stepped inside. Behind him, the doors sealed shut, muffling the groans and whines from the undocumented souls waiting to be processed.
He shivered. He had got used to the heat in the Pit and the air conditioner was too cold for his liking. On these typical weekdays, the office was jam-packed with people. Jean-Luc zeroed in on the person he was looking for and headed straight to her desk. Ivanka Djavik grinned when she caught his sight. The Pit admin worker had been his mentor when he’d been a rookie. Two decades ago, she’d had enough of field work and transferred to the Central Office for a desk job.
“Berthier.” Ivanka greeted him with her signature raspy voice. “I heard you’re on vacation.”
“I am. Just wanted to check on a few things. I was hoping you could help me.”
“Why should I?”
“Because you love me.”
Ivanka snorted. “What do you want?”
Jean-Luc pulled a chair next to her cubicle opening and sank in it. “It’s about andras . I believe you keep a record of their assignments each time someone uses them, if I’m not mistaken? I need to know who was using andras yesterday.”
“Oh.” Her expression changed. “That information is classified.”
“Classified. Merde . I had no idea. By the way, it’s a lovely blouse you’re wearing.”
“Fuck you.”
“The colour complements your hair.”
“Cut the crap, Berthier.”
“I take it you can’t help me at all?”
“Well…”
Jean-Luc leaned closer. “That’s a beautiful brooch you have. Is it an heirloom?”
“Shut up.”
“Suppose you leave this piece of information lying around unintentionally, and a certain person accidentally gazed upon it, naturally, you wouldn’t be held accountable, would you?”
“Supposedly…” Ivanka played along. “I wouldn’t, would I?”
“I think not, madame .”
Ivanka pulled out her drawer and took out a leather-bound, heavy ledger. She flipped through its pages until she found what she was looking for. Casually, she dropped the ledger on the floor. It fell with a thunderous boom.
“Oh, my.” Ivanka looked around. Everybody was too busy to even notice it.
Maddie touched the glass, admiring the view down below. The busy Lake Shore Drive, and beyond that, Lake Michigan, water stretched out as far as the eye could see. Truly, the best view in town. “Wow,” she breathed out. “The view is amazing.”
Madame Chabert and Hugo beamed.
“I’m glad that you’re pleased with this suite,” Madame Chabert said. “Please let us know if you need anything. Hugo will be your personal concierge from now on,” she added.
Hugo inclined his head solemnly.
“Thank you,” Maddie said. “I think I’m just going to unpack now.”
“Splendid,” Madame Chabert replied. She and Hugo excused themselves.
Maddie took an orange that had fallen to the floor. The fruit was so ripe and fragrant. She peeled the skin as she sank herself on the cushioned chair. She tasted a segment. Sweet and tangy flavour exploded in her mouth. Maddie sighed happily. Her heart fluttered as she thought about him. Despite what Aunt Liv had said about consorting with the Unseen, she enjoyed the attention Jean-Luc had given her.
He couldn’t be a bad guy if he wanted only the best for her, could he? Had she been wrong?
She reminded herself that she shouldn’t pass judgement so quickly. She had only spent a night with the man. She didn’t really know him, other than that he was a great lover.
You don’t know his ulterior motive.
He was a Hellhound, and all Unseen were self-serving creatures.
She let out an exasperated sigh.
She should wait and see. It wasn’t like she had a choice, or anything.
Maddie finished her orange and went to unpack her belongings.
* * * *
Jean-Luc waded through the Central Office’s enormous waiting area and walked straight into the main hall. A cool breeze surged past him as soon as he stepped inside. Behind him, the doors sealed shut, muffling the groans and whines from the undocumented souls waiting to be processed.
He shivered. He had got used to the heat in the Pit and the air conditioner was too cold for his liking. On these typical weekdays, the office was jam-packed with people. Jean-Luc zeroed in on the person he was looking for and headed straight to her desk. Ivanka Djavik grinned when she caught his sight. The Pit admin worker had been his mentor when he’d been a rookie. Two decades ago, she’d had enough of field work and transferred to the Central Office for a desk job.
“Berthier.” Ivanka greeted him with her signature raspy voice. “I heard you’re on vacation.”
“I am. Just wanted to check on a few things. I was hoping you could help me.”
“Why should I?”
“Because you love me.”
Ivanka snorted. “What do you want?”
Jean-Luc pulled a chair next to her cubicle opening and sank in it. “It’s about andras . I believe you keep a record of their assignments each time someone uses them, if I’m not mistaken? I need to know who was using andras yesterday.”
“Oh.” Her expression changed. “That information is classified.”
“Classified. Merde . I had no idea. By the way, it’s a lovely blouse you’re wearing.”
“Fuck you.”
“The colour complements your hair.”
“Cut the crap, Berthier.”
“I take it you can’t help me at all?”
“Well…”
Jean-Luc leaned closer. “That’s a beautiful brooch you have. Is it an heirloom?”
“Shut up.”
“Suppose you leave this piece of information lying around unintentionally, and a certain person accidentally gazed upon it, naturally, you wouldn’t be held accountable, would you?”
“Supposedly…” Ivanka played along. “I wouldn’t, would I?”
“I think not, madame .”
Ivanka pulled out her drawer and took out a leather-bound, heavy ledger. She flipped through its pages until she found what she was looking for. Casually, she dropped the ledger on the floor. It fell with a thunderous boom.
“Oh, my.” Ivanka looked around. Everybody was too busy to even notice it.
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