Free Into the Shadows by Gavin Green

doors. "Sarah, you're nice, and you're fun,
but I'll ask for someone else to show me the loft, if I even want
to see it."
    "What? Why?" she asked fretfully.
    "Don't worry; I'll say you were great - and
you were, really - so you don't have to worry about getting in
trouble or losing your job or anything. No offense, but it's just
that now I think you're bad luck." She had a look of shock and real
worry; she opened her mouth to say something, but I cut her off. "I
think I'll just walk home, it's not too far. Good night,
Sarah."
    I hurried out of the door and away from the
building. Once I was around a corner, I called my neighbor Hector
and asked for a ride. Walk home over eight miles when it's below
freezing? Screw that.

    WAKES
    It had snowed a few inches overnight, so I
went over and shoveled Hector's driveway in the morning to repay
his favor. Then I did the same for Miss Loretta's driveway and
sidewalk, just so I wouldn't worry about her. While I shoveled, I
thought about the two wakes I was going to attend that evening.
Craig's was earlier than Dan's, so I could get to both. It wasn't
like I wanted to go, though. It was a crappy way to spend an
evening, and I didn't want to dwell on it.
    I went inside and made the call to Ms.
Rondeau that I promised Sarah I would. I gave her praise and said
that she wasn't responsible for the security breach. I'm not sure
how true that was, but I said it anyway. Then I was asked if I'd
made any decision concerning Realm Management. I explained that I
had some personal matters to attend to for the next couple of days
(wakes and funerals) and I'd have an answer afterwards. If they
were too corporate to sympathize, well then, too damn bad.
    The rest of the day was spent just on me.
Sounds selfish, right? So what - I felt I'd earned it. And no, I
didn't go get a pedicure or scarf down a box of bonbons. I worked
out in my basement, had a couple drinks, did some shooting at the
gun range, had a couple drinks, trained on padded dummies at the
dojo, had a couple drinks, and then went for a haircut. I ruined my
work out by eating fast food for dinner. Then I reluctantly got
ready to go to the wakes. Throughout the whole day, though, I
wondered why I kept having dreams of some mysterious hot blonde I'd
never met.
    Both wakes were depressing, as you might
expect. Nearly all of the Silas employees showed up to them. I knew
from talking to Diego on the phone that he was still healing up and
couldn't be there. John Crane pressed me about my other job offer
and tried to sweeten my employment with him in little ways. I
wasn't in the mood to deal with him.
    Also making an appearance at both wakes was
Stanley Everett, his wife, and the two other couples that survived
his dinner party. They all shook my hand, as well as Cordell's.
Everett again stated his offer of assistance if I needed anything.
I pulled him aside, telling him of the offer from Realm Management.
I told him that his name was mentioned during a meeting. Since he
had dealings with the company, I wanted his perspective before I
made my decision to join them.
    Everett frowned with a troubled look. He
pointed out that his work with them was purely financial; my
intended position was much more hands-on, so few comparisons could
be made. His company had recently cut ties with some divisions of
Realm's operations, so his current view wasn't favorable. Everett
also suspected that I might be used by them for 'clandestine'
tasks.
    Okay, not a ringing endorsement. I wanted
Gwen's reaction, so I found her in the crowd at Craig's wake. We
sat on a bench in the foyer of the funeral home. I sipped from my
flask while she cleaned spots from her large, round eyeglasses. I
saw a mole on her chin that I'd never noticed before, but obviously
didn't mention it. Other than to dress professionally, Gwen didn't
care what others thought of her appearance.
    I quietly repeated Everett's information and
opinions, and asked if there was anything else she could add to