“It isn’t a chapel up here. It’s a morgue. Ever notice how you never see anyone in the halls? Spook City. That’s why it was so easy for Carl and his buddies to possess all these bigwigs. Half of them are already on the slab, but they don’t know it.”

“Quiet,” said Bayliss. “Someone will hear you. I’m not going down for your big mouth.”

“No one’s going to hear us. Watch,” said Nelson. He held his arms straight out, crucifix-like. “I hereby declare myself to the service of Satan. Come and take me, you pointy-headed sex monkey.”

“Shut up! What is wrong with you?”

Nelson dropped his arms to his sides. “See? Nothing. No bolts of lightning, no vengeful angels, no hall monitors handing out demerits.”

Bayliss shook her head. “Even sober you’re a menace to yourself and others.”

“Relax. All the offices are soundproof. Big Brother isn’t listening.”

“Of course they say that. What better way to encourage unstable agents to say what they really think?”

Nelson looked Bayliss over. “Are those new shoes?”

“Yes. How did you know?”

“You always wear new shoes to big meetings.”

“I do not.”

“Yeah. You do. It’s your tell. It’s a sign you’re nervous. Don’t try for a career in poker.”

“Anyway, you’re never sober unless there’s a meeting.”

“That’s not a tell. That’s not wanting to waste good booze on bureaucrats.”

“You keep telling yourself that.”

Nelson smiled. “Your passive-aggressive side is coming along nicely. You’ll have one of these offices before long.”

Bayliss shook her head. “I don’t want to be management. I like fieldwork.”

“More fool you. I can’t wait to sit behind a desk and be waited on by my own mook.”

“You’ll be a mook before you get one.”

“Dream on,” said Nelson.

They stopped at an office with the silhouette of an animal on the door. None of the offices had numbers or names. The only way to tell them apart was by the image on the entrance. This particular office sported the outline of something spiderlike, but with horns and tentacles. Bayliss made sure to knock near the silhouette, but not on it. It looked like it might bite.

There was an electric click and the door opened a few inches. Bayliss stepped aside, making sure Nelson had to go in first.

“Come in and have a seat,” said Woolrich.

Nelson and Bayliss did as they were told. Bayliss started to cross her legs, but got self-conscious about her new shoes and put both feet firmly on the floor.