Chapter 36 Maria Goes Home

In the morning George watched Kiffany approach their booth with a coffee pot for refill. She held the pot up, but there were no takers, and Kiffany walked on leaving them to their huddle.

"Rube, look, she's gone." She was pissed. She had a lot on her mind. She didn't know what to make of the Frakenfruity on her nightstand. Reggie had actually found where she lives, and gone around inside while she was out. The shoe was on the other foot. Damn if she was not being haunted by someone alive. And the candy. God how shit can come back around. She did it on impulse years ago and then she dutifully left them alone, of course that was after not leaving them alone. That candy was clever, but this was getting out of hand and too dangerous. But how to stop her and what did she intend to do? Anyway, right now the problem was Maria. She thought she had bonded with Maria over the last few weeks, and now with less than a week to Halloween. She was gone. It was freaky that she had no reaps today. Almost like…whatever.

Daisy took her compact out and checked her make-up, again. Mason watched her.

Rube asked, "Any idea where she might have gone?"

George said, "I have a pretty good idea. I'm guessing she took enough cash to get back to Los Angeles. She's probably on a bus or plane right now."

Rube looked at each in turn. "Did any of you tell her about the little loophole on Halloween?"

She noticed Mason keeping his mouth shut. George said, "She knows about it."

Rube looked at Mason. After no more than 3 seconds of Rube's stare Mason erupted. "What, Rube? You think I did it? Where's the evidence? Bloody hell."

Rube said with some patience, "Mason, I didn't say anything."

Mason knew he was caught. "Your eyes are saying it, Rube."

All three were looking at him now. Daisy hadn't been there. Usually by this time she would step in to protect him, but she let him stew.

Mason looked over at her and back at Rube. "Yeah, I mentioned it to her."

Rube considered that and she could see the wheels turn as he came to some decision. "OK."

George was shocked at his low-key attitude. "OK. That's it? Aren't we going to call someone or do something?" She was worried for Maria.

"She's a big girl. She made her choice. What do you propose to do, Peanut?"

"Go get her?"

"Do you know where she went?" Rube looked at all three. "Any of you?"

She sure didn't know precisely where she went. They talked about her past life. What reaper doesn't? But it never got to the level of like her actual address in Los Angeles. She talked about missing her brothers and her Mom. "I know she lived very close to someplace called St. Anne's near Hollywood."

Daisy looked interested. "Really? She lived near St. Anne's?"

Rube asked, "You know it?"

Daisy pulled out her compact and started doing some touch up. "I used to know that neighborhood around Hollywood pretty well."

Rube turned back to George. "Well, pretty well isn't near good enough, and in any case, we can't go get her. If she calls or contacts you I want to talk to her. But, it's out of our hands."

"Rube. What does that mean? What will happen to her?" She did not like the look on his face. She remembered her not so subtle rebellion and the threat he made back in the morgue over the body of the man she had refused to reap until after he had died. "Reapers can't die."

She studied his face. Daisy studied hers in her compact, and Mason looked into his coffee.

"Well, Peanut, there are worse fates than dying. Much worse."