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“Well, it was Wednesday so I peed in a cup and collected my lollipop.”
“Did you really get a lollipop?”
“No, I got chocolate pudding.”
“I thought you didn’t like pudding.”
“I don’t. But Max does.”
“Ah, that’s right.” Dvita continued leading Claire. “How is Maximilian?”
“He doesn’t like that name. I told you that.”
“Right. Sorry. Maximilian is a peculiar name though.”
“He’s a peculiar guy.”
“He is,” Dvita agreed. “Would you consider him a friend?”
Claire twitched, her hands balling into fists for a fleeting moment before she relaxed and replied with that detached voice. “He’s just an orderly.”
“I see. Well, I don’t mean for this news to alarm you, but since you aren’t friends perhaps you won’t be concerned.”
Again, Claire twitched, though infinitesimally this time. “What news?”
“Last night, Passages caught fire, and someone was killed. Do you know what happened?”
Claire twitched so violently Jake dragged Dana across the room to get to her. But Dr. Dvita held up his hand to stop them from interrupting. Just as suddenly as the convulsions started, they stopped. And this time, when Claire spoke, it was in her own voice, and it was full of fear. “I told him not to go,” she whispered. “I told him it would make him look guilty.”
“Who, Claire?”
“Max.”
“He was with you last night?”
“Yes. He said he heard something and came to get me and Betty out.”
“Max kept you safe from the fire, didn’t he?”
“Yes. He keeps everyone safe. I told him to stay with me, but he went back in to help the others.”
“Why did they need help?”
“The Reaper.” Claire’s words were so quiet, Dana thought she’d misheard, but Dr. Dvita had heard it too.
“The Reaper,” he repeated. “Who is the Reaper?”
“He comes for the wicked. He came for Taft, didn’t he?”
“Yes,” Dvita confirmed.
A single sob escaped Claire.
“Do you know who the Reaper is?
Claire shook her head. “I can’t say.”
“You can’t say, or you don’t know?” Dvita pressed.
