Page 50 of Bristol

We drive through town and turn down a street between two very old buildings. One looks like it used to be a bank, built in the 1800s, or so the historical sign out front says.

Sebastian opens my door for me and we walk into the old building. The walls are a light mint and the chairs are large and old. I’m almost scared to sit down in one because I’m terrified I’m going to break an antique relic and don’t want to be sued for it.

Sebastian greets the receptionist and checks us in as I sit softly on one of the chairs, hoping for the best.

He takes a seat next to me, his large frame taking up most of the chair. There’s a bronze plaque-like sign on the wall that reads, Law Offices of Terrance Bregman & Associates. Sebastian rests his hand on my thigh and I place my hand inside his. He squeezes it once for reassurance and I sigh, letting my shoulders relax. I keep telling myself there’s nothing to be nervous about, but this just feels like such a huge thing I don’t know how to not be nervous about it.

“Miss Tullier?” A lady calls my name and Sebastian tenses beside me. I look up at her and recognize her face immediately. Mack. Walter’s wife.

I stand up and follow her down the bright hallway with paneled walls and an old carpet floor. The heels she wears would normally make a clicking sound on hard floors but that is drowned out by the carpet, leaving only a soft thud in its place. Sebastian is right behind me as we enter her office. She closes the door and makes sure it clicks shut before she sits down behind her desk.

“Kent said you needed some help with collecting an insurance policy. First, I want to say I am so sorry for your loss and I’m terribly sorry about everything you’ve been through lately.”

“And what exactly is it that you think I’ve been through?” I ask, trying not to snap at her.

“I—just—Walter told me about arresting you. I can’t imagine how terrible that must have been. My husband can be a bit of an asshole sometimes, and I’m sorry you had to endure that. That’s all.”

“Thank you,” I say, sitting down in one of the two chairs opposite her desk.

Sebastian sits down next to me, resting an elbow on his knee. He doesn’t sit back and doesn’t get comfortable which tells me he is not comfortable here.

I read the name plate on the desk in front of me. Shelley McCreary. I like Mack better.

Mack grabs a pair of glasses from her desk and places them on her face, flipping through a stack of papers on her desk. She licks her thumb to separate the pages as she skims over the information that’s displayed on them.

“Okay. So pretty much what we need to do is have you sign a few of these papers. I’ll get them notarized. I’ll need copies of your driver’s license or a valid state identification card as well as your parents and brother’s death certificates.”

“I don’t have the death certificates. Can you tell me how to get those?”

“You normally would have to go to the vital records department in the state that issued the death certificates, but we can likely get around that. It will involve some leg work on my end, but nothing that I can’t handle. With a copy of your license, I’ll be able to get someone to issue it to you.”

“Thank you.”

“Okay, do you have a license?”

“No, but I have a state ID.”

“That’s perfect. I need to make a copy of that and then I’ll start working on getting you those death certificates then we will be able to finalize all of your paperwork and get you your money.”

She takes my ID and disappears down the hall.

I can feel the anger vibrating off of Sebastian.

“What’s wrong?”

“Fucking Reaper. I don’t know why we are working with Mack. I didn’t get a chance to ask him, yet, either, but I fucking need to.”

“She seems nice,” I say, trying to lighten the mood.

He just stares at me, with eyes that hold no emotion. I hate that he’s so frustrated. She seems like she’s going above and beyond to help me.

“She’s doing a lot to help us. She’s literally saving us a trip to freaking Wisconsin.”

Sebastian shrugs. “Yeah, I guess. I think she’s just kissing ass because of her ties to Reaper. I don’t trust her.”

“We don’t have to trust her with anything other than acquiring the things we need in order to get the money that is mine.”

Sebastian nods. “You’re right, baby.”

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