Under_The_Whispering_Door_by_TJ_Klune
trouble.”Wallace bristled. “My name is Wallace Price. I’m an attorney from—”Hugo ignored him, looking at Mei and smiling. “How was your trip, dear?Got a little lost, did you?”“Yeah,” Mei said. “The world is bigger than I remember, especially goingon my own.”“It usually is,” Hugo said. “That’s the beauty of it. But you’re home now,so don’t you worry. Hopefully, you won’t get sent out again right away.”Mei nodded as she stretched her arms above her head, back poppingloudly. “No place like home.”Wallace tried again. “I’m told I died from a heart attack. I’d like to lodgea formal complaint, seeing as how—”“He’s taking to being dead pretty well,” Hugo said, eyeing Wallace up anddown. “Usually there’s screaming and yelling and threats. I like it when theythreaten.”“Oh, he had his moments,” Mei said. “But on the whole, not too bad.Guess where I found him?”Hugo eyed Wallace up and down. Then, “Where he died. No, wait. At hishome, trying to figure out why he couldn’t make anything work.”“His funeral,” Mei said, and Wallace was offended by how gleeful shesounded.“No,” Hugo breathed. “Really?”“Sitting in a pew and everything.”“Wow,” Hugo said. “That’s embarrassing.”“I’m standing right here,” Wallace snapped.“Of course you are,” Hugo said, not unkindly. “But thank you for makingthat known.”“Look, Hugo, Mei said you could help me. She said she had to bring me toyou because you’re the ferryman, and you’re supposed to do … something. Iadmit I wasn’t really paying attention to that part, but that is beside the point.I don’t know what kind of racket you’re running here, and I don’t know whoput you up to this, but I would really rather not be dead if at all possible. Ihave far too much work to do, and this has been an awful inconvenience. Ihave clients. I have a brief due by the end of the week that can’t be delayed!”He groaned, mind racing. “And I’m supposed to be in court on Friday for ahearing that I can’t miss. Do you know who I am? Because if you do, then you
know I don’t have time for this. I have responsibilities, yes, extremelyimportant responsibilities that can’t be ignored.”“Of course I know who you are,” Hugo said dryly. “You’re Wallace.”Relief like he’d never before experienced washed over him. He’d cometo the right person. Mei, whoever—or whatever—she was, seemed to be anunderling. A drone. Hugo was in the position of power. Always, alwaysspeak to the manager to get results. “Good. Then you understand that thiswon’t do at all. So if you could do whatever you need to in order to fix this, Iwould be greatly appreciative.” And then, just because he couldn’t beabsolutely sure this man wasn’t God, he added, “Please. Thank you. Sir.”“Huh,” Hugo said. “That was a bit of a word salad.”“He tends to do that,” Mei whispered loudly. “Probably because he was alawyer.”The old man eyed Wallace up and down. “Called me Hugo. You hearthat?”“I did,” Mei said. “Maybe we should—”“Hugo Freeman, at your service.” He bowed as low as he could.Mei sighed. “Or we could do it this way.”Hugo snorted. “Learn to have a little fun. It doesn’t always have to bedoom and gloom. Now, where were we? Ah, yes. I’m Hugo, and you’re upsetyou’re dead, but not because of friends or family or some other such drivel,but because you have work to do, and this is an inconvenience.” He paused,considering. “An awful inconvenience.”Wallace was relieved. He expected more of a fight. He was pleased hedidn’t need to resort to threats of legal action. “Exactly. That’s exactly it.”Hugo shrugged. “All right.”“Really?” He could be back into the office by tomorrow afternoon at thelatest, maybe the day after depending on how long it took him to get home.He’d have to demand that Mei bring him back as he didn’t have his wallet. Ifpush came to shove, he’d phone the firm and have his assistant buy him aplane ticket. Sure, he didn’t have his driver’s license, but something sotrivial wouldn’t stop Wallace Price. As a last resort, he could take the bus,but he wanted to avoid it if he could. He had almost a week’s worth of workto catch up on, but it was a small price to pay. He’d have to find a way toexplain the whole funeral/open casket thing, but he’d figure it out. Naomi
- Page 3 and 4: Begin ReadingTable of ContentsAbout
- Page 5 and 6: For Eric.I hope you woke up in a st
- Page 7 and 8: CHAPTER1Patricia was crying.Wallace
- Page 9 and 10: “Kyle was laid off two months ago
- Page 11 and 12: “Kyle won’t touch me,” she wh
- Page 13 and 14: dollars, and that doesn’t even be
- Page 15 and 16: He never got the chance.Instead, tw
- Page 17 and 18: Mostly.She wasn’t crying. He was
- Page 19 and 20: you died, you continued to wear the
- Page 21 and 22: Persian rug he’d spent an exorbit
- Page 23 and 24: to show some kind of emotion. He wo
- Page 25 and 26: He burst out laughing. Yes, he coul
- Page 27 and 28: She grinned. “Oh, man. Just you w
- Page 29 and 30: made it feel like so much more. It
- Page 31 and 32: He said, “I…” He didn’t kno
- Page 33 and 34: She wiped her eyes, still chuckling
- Page 35 and 36: “Oh. Yeah, no. I get it. Yes, thi
- Page 37 and 38: He blinked slowly, becoming aware o
- Page 39 and 40: They rounded a corner, and he could
- Page 41 and 42: He stared at her. “We’re seeing
- Page 43 and 44: CHAPTER4He expected the inside of t
- Page 45 and 46: The second time you share tea, you
- Page 47: was … calming? Or so close to it
- Page 51 and 52: “And there’s … what?”Hugo d
- Page 53 and 54: questions. I’ll do my best to ans
- Page 55 and 56: “I’m dead,” Wallace said.Hugo
- Page 57 and 58: learned from her mother, a heavyset
- Page 59 and 60: “There aren’t.”“Which means
- Page 61 and 62: Hugo looked at him. “You’re a g
- Page 63 and 64: CHAPTER6The first obstacle was the
- Page 65 and 66: At least he tried to.It didn’t wo
- Page 67 and 68: terrible as the rest of him. All so
- Page 69 and 70: “Saw one, did you?”He whirled a
- Page 71 and 72: place you’ll ever be before you c
- Page 73 and 74: CHAPTER7Apollo seemed to know where
- Page 75 and 76: Hugo chuckled. “A little older th
- Page 77 and 78: Hugo shook his head. “No, I’m n
- Page 79 and 80: “Hush,” Hugo said. “Don’t l
- Page 81 and 82: “But he’s here.”“He is,”
- Page 83 and 84: “You don’t need to sleep.”Wal
- Page 85 and 86: Wallace’s eyes bulged as he looke
- Page 87 and 88: “No.”“But you’re sitting on
- Page 89 and 90: Nelson nodded toward the sconces on
- Page 91 and 92: Wallace hadn’t even heard him app
- Page 93 and 94: “Do what?” Mei asked as she rea
- Page 95 and 96: The hook—always there, and he was
- Page 97 and 98: And strangely, he thought he could
know I don’t have time for this. I have responsibilities, yes, extremely
important responsibilities that can’t be ignored.”
“Of course I know who you are,” Hugo said dryly. “You’re Wallace.”
Relief like he’d never before experienced washed over him. He’d come
to the right person. Mei, whoever—or whatever—she was, seemed to be an
underling. A drone. Hugo was in the position of power. Always, always
speak to the manager to get results. “Good. Then you understand that this
won’t do at all. So if you could do whatever you need to in order to fix this, I
would be greatly appreciative.” And then, just because he couldn’t be
absolutely sure this man wasn’t God, he added, “Please. Thank you. Sir.”
“Huh,” Hugo said. “That was a bit of a word salad.”
“He tends to do that,” Mei whispered loudly. “Probably because he was a
lawyer.”
The old man eyed Wallace up and down. “Called me Hugo. You hear
that?”
“I did,” Mei said. “Maybe we should—”
“Hugo Freeman, at your service.” He bowed as low as he could.
Mei sighed. “Or we could do it this way.”
Hugo snorted. “Learn to have a little fun. It doesn’t always have to be
doom and gloom. Now, where were we? Ah, yes. I’m Hugo, and you’re upset
you’re dead, but not because of friends or family or some other such drivel,
but because you have work to do, and this is an inconvenience.” He paused,
considering. “An awful inconvenience.”
Wallace was relieved. He expected more of a fight. He was pleased he
didn’t need to resort to threats of legal action. “Exactly. That’s exactly it.”
Hugo shrugged. “All right.”
“Really?” He could be back into the office by tomorrow afternoon at the
latest, maybe the day after depending on how long it took him to get home.
He’d have to demand that Mei bring him back as he didn’t have his wallet. If
push came to shove, he’d phone the firm and have his assistant buy him a
plane ticket. Sure, he didn’t have his driver’s license, but something so
trivial wouldn’t stop Wallace Price. As a last resort, he could take the bus,
but he wanted to avoid it if he could. He had almost a week’s worth of work
to catch up on, but it was a small price to pay. He’d have to find a way to
explain the whole funeral/open casket thing, but he’d figure it out. Naomi
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