Page 32 of Bitter’s Sweet

There. A schedule even Boogie ought to be able to follow, which means by tomorrow afternoon somebody will absolutely be asking when the grave contest starts.

“Who the hell wants makeup demonstrations at a death festival?” Swamp asks.

“Women with money,” Carver says. “Which means smile.”

“I don’t smile for free.”

Carver points his pen at me. “You don’t smile unless you’re about to make a woman regret her taste.”

Yellow cardigan. Pink shoes. A mouth that told me no thanks like she was declining pie at church.

My jaw tightens before I can stop it.

Nevermore sees that too. The bastard misses nothing when it comes to me bleeding where I pretend I don’t.

“Something to add?” he asks.

“Nope.”

“Thought maybe you were thinking about Mercy’s new student.”

“I don’t think about students.”

“She told you no before you could ask, didn’t she?”

A couple brothers chuckle.

I don’t move. “Nothing cute about a woman refusing her real name the same morning Reapers start poking around our school.”

That shuts some of them up, which is why I say it. It is also true. Mostly.

Hyde studies me. “You think she’s connected?”

“I think she’s either running from something or too stupid to live. She don’t strike me stupid.”

“Mercy says her application and background check was clean,” Nevermore says. “She's turning in the remaining paperwork this afternoon.”

“Paperwork lies. So do women.”

The room goes a little quieter.

Nobody says Lena. Smart men. Last time I trusted a woman while club business was sitting on the table, brothers bled for it. I learned that lesson once. Ain’t interested in learning it twice.

Hyde nods. “Then watch her too.”

My first instinct is to say I don’t babysit sunshine. My second is to say it meaner.

Instead, I say, “For club business.”

Boogie snorts.

I point at him. “You got something in your throat?”

“Not since breakfast.”

Scarecrow sighs. “Please don’t explain.”

Hyde ignores us. “No unnecessary blood until we know what Ravenfork wants. No civilians touched. No Reaper gets near the shipment. Nobody goes near the murder hole alone after dark. That includes prospects who think bravery and stupidity are kin.”