Under_The_Whispering_Door_by_TJ_Klune

trouble.”
Wallace bristled. “My name is Wallace Price. I’m an attorney from—”
Hugo ignored him, looking at Mei and smiling. “How was your trip, dear?
Got a little lost, did you?”
“Yeah,” Mei said. “The world is bigger than I remember, especially going
on my own.”
“It usually is,” Hugo said. “That’s the beauty of it. But you’re home now,
so don’t you worry. Hopefully, you won’t get sent out again right away.”
Mei nodded as she stretched her arms above her head, back popping
loudly. “No place like home.”
Wallace tried again. “I’m told I died from a heart attack. I’d like to lodge
a formal complaint, seeing as how—”
“He’s taking to being dead pretty well,” Hugo said, eyeing Wallace up and
down. “Usually there’s screaming and yelling and threats. I like it when they
threaten.”
“Oh, he had his moments,” Mei said. “But on the whole, not too bad.
Guess where I found him?”
Hugo eyed Wallace up and down. Then, “Where he died. No, wait. At his
home, trying to figure out why he couldn’t make anything work.”
“His funeral,” Mei said, and Wallace was offended by how gleeful she
sounded.
“No,” Hugo breathed. “Really?”
“Sitting in a pew and everything.”
“Wow,” Hugo said. “That’s embarrassing.”
“I’m standing right here,” Wallace snapped.
“Of course you are,” Hugo said, not unkindly. “But thank you for making
that known.”
“Look, Hugo, Mei said you could help me. She said she had to bring me to
you because you’re the ferryman, and you’re supposed to do … something. I
admit I wasn’t really paying attention to that part, but that is beside the point.
I don’t know what kind of racket you’re running here, and I don’t know who
put you up to this, but I would really rather not be dead if at all possible. I
have far too much work to do, and this has been an awful inconvenience. I
have clients. I have a brief due by the end of the week that can’t be delayed!”
He groaned, mind racing. “And I’m supposed to be in court on Friday for a
hearing that I can’t miss. Do you know who I am? Because if you do, then you