Page 166 of Over Her Dead Body
CHAPTER 58
ANONYMOUS
Celeste arrives at 9:00 a.m. on the dot.
Yesterday she was eleven minutes early. Today she has had time to consider the value of following instructions.
She comes in alone and sits in the same chair she used yesterday. Daniel closes the door and remains near it. Celeste notices him, but she does not ask why he is there.
“I stayed away from the office.”
“I know.”
“Owen is running the department.”
“Yes.”
“And Emma is partner.”
News travels.
Celeste reaches for the glass of water Daniel left for her and changes her mind before touching it.
“You told me we would discuss this.”
“We are.”
She waits for more. I let her.
Yesterday I wanted to know what would happen if Celeste stopped making decisions. The answer arrived this morning. The house opened on time. Clients were reassured. Emma returned. Owen moved into the work Celeste had been doing, and no one required an instruction manual.
It was a useful experiment.
Celeste understands before I say anything. That is another reason she lasted as long as she did.
“You wanted to see if they could manage without me.”
For a moment, she simply sits there.
People usually beg when they reach this point. Celeste does not. Say what you will about her, she has always had impeccable manners.
“So Reid gets controlled doors and bad food, and I get this?”
She gives me a tired smile. “You always did prefer him.”
“Not particularly.”
“Genevieve does.”
There are subjects people reach for when they have run out of useful ones.
Celeste looks toward Daniel and back to me. “So this is it.”
“Yes.”
She nods once, as though I have confirmed an appointment.
I appreciate that.
