The burial wagon held six bodies, and the clerks had brought tags for nine.
Denna counted both while one clerk hooked Senn behind the knee. He was carrying a wet gate chain over his shoulder and still had no boots. The brass fitting in his right heel scraped the street when the hook pulled.
Senn kept hold of the chain. "My burial contract never included being loaded before the work dispute closes."
"The sixth marshal seal is missing, so every awakened body returns to office custody," the clerk said.
Denna put her cutter jaw around the hook and closed it until the metal bent. "Your wagon fits six, your tags name nine, and neither number explains where the other workers go."
The second clerk stood beside the wagon door with three blank straps over one arm. "Overflow remains on the street until another wagon arrives."
"Then everyone remains on the street while we discuss your counting."
