Grim Reaper 01 - Embrace the Grim Reaper

didn’t look at her. “We’ve got some questions.”
    “All right, but first aren’t you going to introduce your associate?”
    Not friend. Associate .
    “Oh, sure. This is Casey Smith. She works with me at Home Sweet Home.”
    “Ah, I see.” His eyes narrowed as he turned to Casey. “Do you come from one of those large mission conglomerates? Go around the country to make sure the charities are functioning properly?”
    Casey blinked. “No. No, I have nothing to do with that.”
    “Then…?” He spread his hands. “You’re not one of the townspeople. I do know that.”
    “I’m—”
    “She just moved here, Karl.” Eric’s face had turned hard. “She’s not from anywhere.”
    Willems’ lips twitched. “Really? Just dropped out of the sky?”
    Eric shook his head briefly. “We’re not here to discuss her, Karl. We’re here to discuss—”
    “Yes, what exactly are you here to discuss?”
    He hadn’t moved from his seat, but watched his son over the tips of his fingers, his eyes flashing. From amusement or anger, Casey wasn’t sure.
    “Last week,” Eric said. “Before Ellen….died…she told me that things weren’t as bad as they seemed. That everyone would soon have a job again.”
    Something flickered in Willems’ eyes, but it was gone before Casey could determine what it meant.
    “And you thought she meant here at HomeMaker?” Willems’ voice was even. Smooth. Cool.
    “Where else would she mean? It’s not like any other big companies have moved in.”
    “No, they haven’t. HomeMaker is all there is. It’s too bad the union didn’t remember that when they were making their demands.”
    Eric gripped the arms of his chair. “So what did she mean, Karl? How was HomeMaker going to give all of the jobs back?”
    Willems regarded him for a few moments before leaning forward, placing his elbows and forearms flat on the desk. “You said yourself she didn’t actually say it was HomeMaker she was talking about.”
    “No, but—”
    “I can assure you, son , that things here have not changed. The books don’t look any better, and the negotiations are over. The union lost.”
    “So no jobs are coming back?”
    “And those still employed,” Karl held out a hand, as if indicating the workers in his domain, “will soon be looking elsewhere. The girls in the front office, the assembly line, the drivers…all gone. We’ll probably need to retain a few of the security guards to keep an eye on the building until we know what to do with it, but other than that…” He held his hands out again, in a gesture of helplessness.
    “Ellen never talked to you?” Eric’s voice was strained.
    Willems smiled briefly. “Not about bringing back the jobs. At least, not within the past month.”
    “But she wouldn’t—”
    “Lie? Make you hopeful for something that’s not going to happen? Take her own life?” He smiled sadly. “I would’ve hoped the answer to all of those things was ‘no.’ But it wasn’t to be.”
    Casey’s muscles tensed, and she fought back the words coming up her throat. How long would it take for her to round the desk—or simply jump over it—and punch that smirk off the man’s face? Or simply pummel him with his own paperweight?
    Death appeared suddenly behind Willems’ chair, hands clutching the handle of a large scythe, the kind pictured in so many images of the Grim Reaper. The scythe was raised, poised to slash down, to take the life of Eric’s father. Casey froze, her thoughts returning suddenly to the room, and the conversation.
    “So is that all? “ Willems said, not knowing how his life hung in the balance. “You came here with the empty words of a woman who knew nothing of the inner workings of this business.” He indicated Casey with a tilt of his head. “And with another woman so new to this town I’ve never seen her before?”
    Casey swallowed, trying to ignore the tableau before her. “But you have seen me.”
    Willems pulled his head back, as if surprised she could actually speak. “No. I haven’t.”
    “Oh, yes,” Casey said. “At the pharmacy the other day. You were picking up a prescription. One you pick up frequently. But you chose not to purchase a Hershey Bar with Almonds, even though it’s your favorite. That’s too bad. You never know when a chance for something sweet will be your last.”
    Death looked hopeful, raising the scythe a little higher, as if to strike.
    Eric sat as still as his father, both men looking at