Hello Marcus! 34,190 Words

Marcus has finally made an appearance in my novel. There is some serious sh*t going down in my novel right now, and not much of it is funny. But I am definitely hitting my Week 3 stride, and am getting to the point of being obsessed with my characters. This is both good and bad.
"As he rounds the corner, he hears raised voices. This does not alarm him, he expected it. Jack is back in radio contact. Things are advancing more quickly than he had anticipated. Still, only a fool advances around a corner without flattening himself against a wall and peering around first. And Jack is no fool. He wishes he had a gun in his hand instead of a fistful of pillar candles, but wishes never got anyone anywhere, Jack knows this well. And the candles are necessary.
Once he has ascertained that it is safe to advance, he does so, quickly moving through the hallway. The door to Hawthorne’s office is open, he can see. Hawthorne looks harried, distraught, and worn out. He has had quite a day, Jack knows, but Jack feels little sympathy, having been through the ringer more than a few times, himself. Jack has seen more in a 24 hour period than Hawthorne will ever see in his life. Jack knows that 24 hours can seem 24 years. But Hawthorne has held up under the pressure surprisingly well, which is why Jack has decided to adopt a more direct approach. He thinks Hawthorne will prove to be an effective ally.
Will sees Jack approaching, and his heart sinks. What now? he wonders. He takes note of how Jack stays to the edges of the hallway, glancing in every direction as he advances. Will is completely flummoxed by this strange, intense, man. Flummoxed and a little frightened. Jack tends to have that effect on people.
Both Will and the man in front of his desk are on their feet. The man is in the process of tearing a strip off of Will.
“What the hell kind of retirement community are you running here, huh? Do you think this is funny? Do you think that coffins are appropriate decor? Do you think these poor people need to be reminded that they are going to die soon? WHERE ARE MY GRANDPARENTS!? I demand to see them immediately!”
Will has tried to explain to this angry young man that he is not running any sort of retirement community, that he has mistaken Hawthorne and Sons for the retirement community down the road, Shady Acres. But the young man will have none of it. He is adamant. Jack approaches quickly, feeling that this situation ought to be addressed immediately.
“Sir, were you told that this was Shady Acres?” The young man seems startled by the sudden and inexplicable appearance of Jack. Marcus had not even seen his approach. He is even more startled as Jack begins to place pillar candles around the office of Will Hawthorne.
“Well, yes. I was at...” before he can finish, Jack, who is impatient as hell, interrupts.
“You were at Jackie’s Place, next door, partaking in a few pre-grandparent visit cocktails, when four young men of notable appearance approached and without being asked gave you directions to your grandparent’s retirement home?”
“Well, yes, when you put it that way, it sounds a bit weird. They were extraordinarily good-looking.”
“Sir, you have become involved in something much bigger than you can even imagine. Now, I assure you, your grandparents, Moses and Rumer Rockacha are completely safe and completely alive, down the street, at Shady Acres Retirement Community. I suggest you head there immediately if you want them to remain that way.” Jack is completely deadpan as he says this. When Jack speaks this way, people listen. Marcus does. He doesn’t know who the strange man is, but the truth is, he doesn’t want to know. He has enough on his plate without becoming involved with another mystery. He takes his leave, from Hawthorne and Sons Funeral Home, and from our story. Let’s wish him well as he goes."