Page 11 of Fool Me Twice
“You’re welcome.”
“So…” She took another sip of her coffee, eyes moving over the banner and then the table. “National Set a Good Example Day…”
Hart smiled widely at her and passed over her pamphlet and checklist. Her stickers were holographic lips that matched the shade of lipstick she was currently wearing. “A relatively new but very poignant national holiday that I feel will benefit us all greatly.”
“I told you HR said you can’t just make this shit up,” Taylor said.
Hart drew his shoulders back, indignant. “It is a legitimate holiday that was created by—”
Fix walking in with Black draped over his shoulder interrupted the incoming lecture.
“Morning, everyone,” Fix said, approaching one of the larger armchairs around the table and setting Black down.
“Morning,” Hart said, glancing over Black and trying not to get distracted by the sparkly pink onesie. “Is he okay?”
“He’s fine,” Fix said, brushing one of Black’s curls away from his drooling face. “He found a new gruesome documentary last night and stayed up to watch. I doubt we’ll be getting much out of him today.”
Hart looked up at Fix and frowned, finally taking in his appearance. “Are you okay?”
Fix startled, looking up into his eyes. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“You have a bit of a shadow under your eyes, and you look tired, that’s all.”
Fix shrugged, grasping his cup of coffee and bringing it closer to his chest. “Just spent the night trying to get Black to get some rest.” He shook his head. “He’ll never learn.”
“And neither will you, it seems,” Hart said, looking at Black, who had curled up in his armchair like a cat, and at Fix, who was downing his coffee like his life depended on it. “It’s a good thing it’s National Set a Good Example Day.”
Fix glanced around, like he was noticing how the room was decorated for the first time. “National…”
“Right! Well.” Taylor interrupted smoothly, pulling out her tablet and stopping Hart before he could say a single thing to explain. He scowled, and Taylor studiously ignored it. “Midas took his case literally in the middle of the night, and Wren’s case is, apparently, never-ending even though he only just got back. They found something else that was seemingly connected, so we’ll be going ahead without them.”
“Ash?” Fix asked, and Taylor huffed.
“I’m too hungover to sit around waiting for his ass.” She swiped at the screen with her long nails. “You both have a case each waiting…”
“WAIT!” The door to the conference room slammed open and Ash burst in headfirst, leaning on his knees to catch his breath.
“Is he on time?” Taylor lifted her tablet to double-check, eyes wide in shock. “I’ll be cursed. He is! Your motivational crap seems to be working, Hart.”
Hart actually sat up a little straighter. “Make sure you mark a sticker on your chart, Ash. Good job.”
“My what? Never mind—oh those stickers are dope! Wait, no…” Ash said, taking the chair next to Fix and fussing with all the things in front of him before refocusing. “I actually have a case, and it’s a pretty big one.”
Hart frowned at the words, glancing at Taylor, who looked about ready to end Ash right then and there.
“You have a case?” he asked, not giving her the chance to start in on a tirade about her work being stolen from her and how she was already underappreciated as it was. Turnaround was fair play, after all.
“I do, yes,” Ash said. “And it’s one of yours.”
He pointed at Fix and Hart.
Fix crossed his arms over his chest. “How do you know? And why is it coming through you instead of the regular cursebreaker channels?”
“All good questions,” Hart said.
Taylor nodded. “I’d like to know too, because if I’m not needed, I have a vacation spot in mind and a rich girlfriend ready to splurge on me. So spill.”
“I would if you’d shut up,” Ash said, making a face at her. “So, I got a call from Cane last night…”