A Dirty Job (Grim Reaper 1)

"Well, I'm sure it's delicious," Charlie said, leaning against her fridge so he didn't fall over.

"You bleeding, Mr. Asher. "

"Yes, I am," Charlie said.

Ray arrived, carrying the towel-wrapped Sophie. He set her down.

"Hi, Mrs. Ling," Sophie said, then she stepped out of her towel, went to the hellhounds, and grabbed them by their collars. "You guys didn't rinse," she said. Then, buck naked, her hair still in shampoo spikes, Sophie led the hellhounds out of Mrs. Ling's apartment.

"Uh, someone shot you, boss," Ray said.

"Yes, they did," said Charlie.

"You should get medical attention. "

"Yes, I should," Charlie said. His eyes rolled back in his head and he slid down the front of Mrs. Ling's refrigerator.

Charlie spent the entire night in the emergency room of St. Francis Memorial waiting for treatment. Ray Macy stayed with him the whole time. While Charlie enjoyed the screaming and whimpering from the other patients waiting for treatment, the retching and pervasive barf smell began to wear on him after a while. When he started to turn green, Ray tried to use his ex-cop status to gain favor with the head ER nurse, whom he had known in that old life.

"He's hurt bad. Can't you sneak him in somewhere? He's a good guy, Betsy. "

Nurse Betsy grinned (which was the expression she used in lieu of telling people to fuck off) and scanned the waiting room to make sure that no one seemed particularly attentive. "Can you get him to the window?"

"Sure," Ray said. He helped Charlie out of his chair and got him to the little bulletproof window. "This is Charlie Asher," Ray said. "My friend. "

Charlie looked at Ray.

"I mean my boss," Ray added quickly.

"Mr. Asher, are you going to die on me?"

"Hope not," Charlie said. "But you might want to ask someone with more medical experience than me. "

Nurse Betsy grinned.

"He's been shot," Ray said, ever the advocate.

"I didn't see who shot me," Charlie said. "It's a mystery. "

Nurse Betsy leaned into the window. "You know we have to report all gunshot wounds to the authorities. Are you sure you don't want to take a veterinarian hostage and have him sew you up?"

"I don't think my insurance will cover that," Charlie said.

"Besides, it wasn't a gunshot," Ray added. "It was an arrow. "

Nurse Betsy nodded. "Let me see?"

Charlie started to roll up his pant leg and lift his leg up on the little counter. Nurse Betsy reached through the little window and knocked his foot off the shelf. "For Christ's sakes, don't let the others see I'm looking. "

"Ouch, sorry. "

"Is it still bleeding?"

"No, I don't think so. "

"Hurt?"

"Like a bitch. "