The report came in at eleven at night, which was when most things worth reporting came in.
The cherry cigarette had burned down to the filter. She stubbed it out without looking at it and did not immediately reach for another one, which meant she was thinking about something.
Reaper set the report on the desk without comment. He did not need to comment. He stood slightly behind and to her left, the way he always stood. The grey at his temples caught the low light. The left shoulder sat slightly lower than the right. He waited while she read.
She read slowly. Not because she was a slow reader. Because she had learned over years that the things worth understanding were worth the time it took to understand them properly. She had paid for every lesson she had ever learned about rushing.
Th
