The Ghoul Next Door

chapter Eighteen

Elvis listened to the radio while Mr. Fine paced at the front of the store. Candy Cherry had vanished yet again. She was probably destroying some of my personal effects. I’d already caught her looking through my purse and smashing my favorite lipstick. The rest of the day passed with a steady flow of customers. Mindy wandered back in around twelve with lunch. She’d brought healthy fare to counteract the doughnuts. For that, I was forever grateful. I owed her big time. I’d have to repay her by finding a ton of bodies to fill her pole fitness classes.

I poured salad dressing across my salad. “So, if I’m going to do this show, I’ll need an employee to take over for me on the days we’re taping.”

“This is true,” Mindy said while stuffing a forkful of sprouts into her mouth. The low-cal ranch dripped onto the counter.

“Where am I going to find someone I can rely on?” I asked.

“Larue, you have to trust some people once in a while.” She wiped the counter with her napkin.

“I do trust people.” I gestured with my fork.

“Oh, please, I’m convinced you sleep with one eye open.”

I laughed. “At least I know when someone is in the room. Plus, if you had ghosts in and out of your bedroom all night long you’d sleep with one eye open too.”

“How about Beatrice Mitchum?” Mindy speared a chunk of lettuce with her fork. “She’s been looking for work from what I’ve heard.”

“There’s a reason why she’s looking for work, Mindy. The woman is a walking disaster, bless her heart. I like her, really I do, but I can’t afford to have her in my shop. The Dairy Queen is just now rebuilt after she caught the fry cooker on fire. Why they let that woman around heated oil is beyond me.” I shook my head.

Mindy nodded. “I guess you’re right.”

The bell on the door jingled and we both looked up. Of course I was hoping it was Callahan or a customer. Either one would be good to have around. Unfortunately, it wasn’t Callahan. I’d settle for the customer.

The blonde woman met my gaze and smiled widely as she approached us. She held her shoulders back and puffed her chest out. Her steely glint told me she wasn’t looking for a book. She looked like trouble. There was something familiar about her, but I couldn’t put my finger on what exactly. She wore cream-colored slacks with a delicate honey-gold, floral-patterned blouse. Diamond studs dotted her earlobes and a matching pendant hung daintily around her neck.

“Hello. My name is Jane Howe. I wondered if you’re hiring?” she asked in a clipped tone.

Not exactly an ideal candidate for a customer service representative. I was sure my mouth fell open. Mindy coughed as she glared at the woman.

No way. I smelled a rat. This was not a coincidence. I didn’t believe in coincidences. Everything happened for a reason. Who was this woman and why was she in my shop? It was downright spooky that she had showed up at exactly the right moment.

I wasn’t hiding my suspicion. “What makes you think I’m hiring?”

She quirked an eyebrow. “I’m sorry,” she stuttered. “I didn’t mean to disturb you.” She glanced down at our food. “I’m new in town.”

Yeah, obviously she was new in town. I’d never seen her before. Magnolia was a small town. I was surprised I hadn’t heard about a new resident yet. It was hard to hide the newcomer status in Magnolia. I supposed I had to give her the benefit of the doubt until I knew differently, but I would get to the bottom of this. It wasn’t as if she’d said someone had sent her. She’d just randomly stepped into my shop at the very moment I’d said I was looking for an employee. Talk about bizarre.

I put on my sweetest smile. “I can give you an application. Did you bring your resumé?”

She smiled in return. Mindy still had a stunned look on her face.

“I do have a resumé.” She pulled the sheet of paper from her bag, then stepped forward and held it out to me.

I took the resumé with some reluctance, then glanced down at the page. She had a lot of retail experience listed… and in a bookstore, no less. So yes, she was more than qualified for a position at Book Nook. I needed to know more about his woman. Who was she?

“You said you’re new in town?” I asked with a quirked brow.

“She seems like a lovely woman. You should hire her.” Candy Cherry had popped up and was standing beside the woman.

Mindy leaned in closer. She didn’t want to miss a word.

“I wouldn’t trust her,” Elvis said as he made his way from the back of the store.

“You’re not that gullible, are you?” Mr. Fine snorted. “Even your BFF here knows that you shouldn’t trust this woman. And she just told you to trust people. That should tell you something.”

Candy Cherry leaned against the counter. “Oh, come on, people. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this woman. She’s perfectly lovely and I think she would be a nice addition to your store, Larue. It might be refreshing for your customers to experience a pleasant smile for a change. And certainly don’t let what your BFF says influence you. She’s a therapist’s dream. Years of work wouldn’t straighten out the mess in her head.”

Oh, if I could whack a ghost I would. Oh, how I would. Like one of those carnival games where you whack the mole. And I’d thought my former ghost friend Mrs. Johnson was a pain in the ass. This woman had her beat times ten over. What did she have against Mindy?

“There you go. My point has been proven. If she thinks she’s okay, then you most definitely shouldn’t hire the woman.” Mr. Fine took a draw from his cigarette.

Jane stood in front of me, batting her lashes and flashing an innocent smile. Little did she know the debate about her employment fate that was going on around her. Would she still want to work here if she knew about all the ghosts that hung around all the time?

When I didn’t say anything, Jane continued trying to sell herself. “I’m new to Magnolia, yes. I can tell by the look on your face you’re wondering where I came from, but I can assure you I am completely honest, trustworthy, and an upstanding citizen.”

I stared while she continued talking.

“I just hopped in my car one day and drove. When I came to Magnolia, I knew this was the place for me, so I stopped. I loved the name and the little shops. The town has a lovely feeling, like when you’re here you know you’re home. I decided to try and make a life for myself here.” She flashed another smile.

I shot a glance to Mindy. She shook her head as if to say, no way. No one would just drive through and decide to stay. Although… I supposed that was exactly what Callahan had done. When he decided he wanted to open a coffee shop, he had just driven around until a town called out to him. Was I really to believe that Magnolia just called out to people? Maybe, but I wasn’t trusting this woman.

“So you just decided to stay? Where are you living now?” I crossed my arms in front of my chest.

“I rented a room at Red Rose Inn. Until I can find someplace permanent, you know.”

I nodded. “Right. Well, it is a nice place. I hope you’ll enjoy it here in Magnolia,” I said through a fake smile.

Mindy frowned. But I knew she was already thinking about getting this woman to attend a pole fitness class. That was Mindy, trying to make everyone healthy one metal pole dance at a time.

After digging around in a drawer, I handed Jane an application. “You can fill this out, but I’ve gotten quite a few applications, so I’m not sure how soon I’ll make a decision.”

Could she tell I was lying? Probably, but what could I do?

“Thank you.” The smile faded from her face.

I knew she wasn’t happy with the outcome of her visit, but I couldn’t take any chances. Mindy and I watched in silence as she spun around and made her way through the maze of aisles. With hurried footsteps, she walked out the door as mysteriously as she’d entered.

“What do you think about that?” Mindy asked as soon as the door closed. “That was too weird.”

“That was very strange,” I agreed. “I don’t know what to think. More witchcraft at work?”

Mindy’s face dropped.

“I have to know who that woman really is. I don’t believe her name is Jane Howe, but I intend on getting to the bottom of it.”

“Look at where she’d headed now.” Mindy pointed toward the front windows. “Cooper’s.”

“Not again. Cooper couldn’t be involved in anything bad.”

I might have believed it from him at first, but now that I’d gotten to know him? No way. He could be annoying, but he was an okay guy. Most of the time.

“Well, don’t think the worst.” Mindy placed her hand on my arm for reassurance. “Maybe she is going in there to shop or to get an application from him. I don’t think he knows her.”

“I hope so, because I don’t think I can handle any more witchcraft.” My shoulders slumped at the thought. “Just to be safe, maybe you should stay away from her and I’ll warn Callahan too. I don’t want any more spells cast on you two. I can’t handle that anymore.”

“You and me both,” Mindy said.

Candy Cherry snorted. “You couple of crybabies need to toughen up.”

Elvis appeared, cutting off her words. She attempted to tone down her nastiness when he was around, but she had a hard time of it.

We moved to the front of the store and watched as Jane made her way from the front of High Fashion to the register where Cooper had been working. He seemed extremely interested in what Jane had to say. With his gaze fixed on her, I couldn’t tell if he was looking at her chest or face. Men.

Cooper handed her a piece of paper and I knew what that meant. I leaned closer to the window as if that would give me a better view. I needed my binoculars. Mindy had finally gotten to me and I’d purchased a pair of my own one night at Wal-Mart with Mae West. Mindy had finally converted me over to her side.

“She’s asking him for a job too. And knowing him, he’ll probably give it to her,” I said.

“That statement is more than likely correct based on that skirt and blouse she was wearing. Men can be such suckers sometimes. So easily persuaded.” Mindy snorted.

We watched as they spoke, and when Jane turned to come out from his shop, we hurried away from the window. I didn’t want her to see us snooping on her.

Mindy giggled. “We’re getting good at this.”

The first chance I got I was going over there to warn Cooper. Sure, I couldn’t tell him not to hire her, but he did need to look into her background first. You couldn’t just leave a stranger in charge of your business without knowing anything about them. A pretty face didn’t always equal an honest face. He should know that from his cousin Brianna.

As soon as she’d turned the corner, I said, “Come on. Let’s go.”