Dan picked up Puck and Fetch from the bank, got a report from Meg on the success of the meeting, gave her a quick kiss in passing, and left with devil and imp in tow. Puck had changed since morning. He had no horns at all, and his skin was beginning to smooth out. Now he looked like he'd had bad acne when he was younger, but not like he'd had scales the size of quarters the day before.
The devil said, "What else do we have today?"
"We don't. You've cut your spots and finished up the meeting, and those were the last two things on the agenda. How are you feeling?"
The devil smiled and Dan saw genuine warmth in the smile. "Almost human again."
Dan let them into his apartment and almost jumped out of his skin when he realized they weren't alone in there.
His sister, sitting in his recliner, looked up from a copy of Jonathan Kellerman's Devil's Waltz. She held up the book and grinned. "Amazing how tempting these titles get if you live in North Carolina." She put the book down and got up. "I've been waiting for you."
"Did the landlady let you in?"
"Of course not. You gave me an extra set the last time you locked yourself out. Remember?"
"Nope. I forgot." He looked around for his niece. "Where's Amy?"
"With Mom." She glanced at Puck and a flash of puzzlement crossed her face. With a tentative smile, she said, "Hi. I'm Cynthia, Dan's sister."
"Puck," the devil said. "Dan's experiment. And Fetch is . . . Dan, where's Fetch?"
Dan looked around. "I thought he was with you."
Puck frowned. "I smell . . . dog," he said, and Dan said, "Oh, no. My landlady had her door open when we came past." He flung the door open and ran out onto the landing, then plunged down the first flight of stairs, and careened into Mrs. Carte as she stood talking to her across-the-landing neighbor. "Your dog," he panted, and then the yipping started. And stopped.
Fetch shot out of the doorway, his throat bulging, and launched himself upstairs.
"Spit it out!" Dan shouted, and took off after him.
"Poop-sie!" Mrs. Carte wailed, and came thundering up the metal stairs behind him. Dan could see his rent going up with every step the imp took.
Puck, almost indistinguishable from a human, knelt by the imp, holding him upside-down. "Spit . . . it . . . out!" he said.
The imp opened its mouth and a battered, sodden, disgusting piece of dog fell out.
"Too late," Dan said, looking away.
"Poopsie!" Mrs. Carte squealed, and the dog piece yipped.
Dan turned to look. It wasn't just a piece of the dog. It was the whole dog, and it seemed to be fine. Swallow it again, Fetch, he thought, but he said, "Is he okay?"
"Oh, poor widdle Poopsie, that mean ol' imp didn't eat you." She was holding the soggy rat and crooning at it; to Dan, the dog looked humiliated to be seen with its mistress. Dan sympathized. He had the sudden urge to see Fetch eat Mrs. Carte.
She turned to Puck. "Thank you for saving my little doggie for me. My poor widdle Poopsie," she added in an aside to the dog. Then she moved up to Puck, her wide hips swinging, her eyelashes batting. "If there's ever anything I can do for you . . ." She smiled, and Dan shivered.
Puck managed a polite nod. "I'll keep that in mind." He took a step back from her, and another, and a third. Dan thought he saw a flash of cold fear in the devil's eyes. He understood. Mrs. Carte in amorous mode scared the bejeezus out of him, too. They hurried back into his apartment, this time with Fetch in tow. Dan closed and locked the door and leaned against it. "Sorry, Cyn. Things have been kind of unsettled lately."
Cyn nodded. "I can see that." She turned her attention to the devil. "You're Puck. The one I've been hearing about on the radio? But you don't look like a devil."
"He's changed," Dan said.
"I've changed." Puck shook his head, his bemusement apparent in his cockeyed smile. "I can't believe how much I've changed."
Cyn walked over to him, held out her hand, and when he shook it, said, "Good luck, Puck. I've been rooting for you."
Dan hugged his sister. "Did you know it's generally considered tacky to break into people's houses? I should have you arrested."
She laughed. "And you know what? When I walked in here, I thought I really had broken in to a stranger's home. This is your place? I almost turned back around and walked out."
"Thanks a lot. It wasn't that bad before."
"Maybe not, but it's never been this good. And when did you get new carpet? And how did you talk that termagant into springing for that . . . and new paint?"
"Imps could put professional cleaners out of business," Dan said. "The carpet and paint are the same as the last time you were here. The imp just cleaned and fixed them."
Cynthia looked around the room, slowly taking in the changes. "How much does he charge? Amy crayoned all over her bedroom wall and in spite of 'Hints from Heloise' and an entire library of 'You-Too-Can-Have-A-Spotless-House' books, I can't get those marks off."
"I'll bring him by," Puck said. "I need to keep him in shape."
Dan stuck his hands in his pockets and studied his sister. "I can't believe you just dropped by for a visit without any ulterior motive."
"Moi?" She made innocent eyes at him.
"Vous."
She sighed. "Would you believe that I came over to harass you further about attending Amy's party?"
"No."
"You're entirely too smart to be an older brother." She shrugged and the grin on her face vanished. "I'm worried about Mom and Dad."
Dan's neck tensed. "Mom was in a great mood the last time I talked to her. And I'm sure Arthur will be fine."
"Probably. If he can survive you, he can deal with anything."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Oh, come on! You've been a pain to Dad ever since he and Mom got married. I think you got your nose out of joint when he took your place as the man of the house."
Dan arched an eyebrow at her. "You become a therapist when I wasn't looking?" He saw her expression darken, though, and backed off. "Sorry. Why are you more worried now than yesterday?"
"Dad said the president of Daltech stopped by this morning to talk to him, for no particular reason. He got the feeling that he's next on the list to go."
"He thinks they're looking at him?"
"Yes."
Dan nodded. "Even if he loses his job, they'll be okay until he finds something else. They've been smart with their money. They have an IRA. They've been putting ten percent of every paycheck he gets into no-load mutual funds, and they've been reinvesting the dividends. It would hurt their retirement fund some if they had to use part of that money now, but probably not all that much."
"I didn't come for the Wall Street update," she said. She looked up at him, eyes concerned. "I think they could stand to know that you're worried about them, too. Both of them. Not just Mom."
Dan nodded. She was right. He didn't need to stay away when Arthur was home. He needed to go by and visit and let them know he would do whatever he could to help out. His differences with Arthur—and Arthur's differences with him—would have to disappear. At least for a while. "I'll find some time to stop by."
"Do it before he loses his job."
"I know. I will."