Under_The_Whispering_Door_by_TJ_Klune

was … calming? Or so close to it that it didn’t matter. Maybe this was part of
the process, what Mei had called the transition. Wallace wasn’t sure why he
needed to be beaten with a cane, but if Hugo deemed it necessary, then who
was Wallace to say otherwise?.
The man pulled the cane back. “Do you understand now?”
No, he really didn’t. “I think so.”
Hugo nodded. “Good. Up, up. Shouldn’t stay on the floor. Gets drafty.
Don’t want to catch your death.” He cackled as if it were the funniest thing in
the world.
Wallace laughed too, though it was incredibly forced. “Ha-ha, yeah.
That’s … hysterical. I get it. Jokes. You tell jokes.”
Hugo’s eyes twinkled with undisguised mirth. “It helps to laugh, even
when you don’t feel like laughing. You can’t be sad when you’re laughing.
Mostly.”
Wallace slowly rose to his feet, eyeing the two in front of him warily. He
brushed himself off, aware of how ridiculous he looked. He pulled himself to
his full height, squaring his shoulders. In life, he’d been an intimidating man.
Just because he was dead didn’t mean he was going to get jerked around.
He said, “My name is Wallace—”
The man said, “Tall fella, ain’t ya?”
Wallace blinked. “Uh, I … guess?”
The man nodded. “In case you didn’t know. How’s the weather up there?”
Wallace stared down at him. “What?”
Mei covered her mouth with her hand, but not before Wallace could see
the smile growing.
The man (Hugo? God?) shuffled forward, knocking his cane against
Wallace’s leg again as he circled around him. “Uh-huh. Okay. I see. So.
Right. We can work with this, I think.” He reached up and pinched Wallace’s
side. Wallace yelped, knocking his hand away. Hugo shook his head as he
completed his circle, once again standing next to Mei, resting on his cane.
“Hell of a first case to get assigned, Mei.”
“Right? But I think I’m getting through to him.” She glanced at Wallace
with a frown. “Maybe.”
“You didn’t do anything,” Wallace snapped.
Hugo nodded. “This one’s gonna give us trouble. Wait and see.” He
grinned, the lines around his eyes cavernous. “I like the ones who cause