The Ghoul Next Door

chapter Forty-Two

Mindy and I sat next to the counter resting our chins in our hands.

Finally, I said, “We have to do something.”

Mindy nodded.

“I still have spell books on the shelf. Maybe we can do a spell and find something to get rid of this evil thing attached to me.”

“I’ve never done anything like that before. I think I’m better if I stick with snooping.”

“Okay, you’ve warmed me up to snooping, only when completely necessary though, but I’m afraid in this case it probably won’t do us any good. We need something more drastic.”

She frowned and let out a deep breath. “Unfortunately, I think you’re right. Okay, go get the book. Let’s see what ya got.”

Walking over to the metaphysical section, I pulled out a book and scanned the list of ingredients for a truth-conjuring spell. I had no idea if this would do any good, but I had to try something. I needed a clue to lead me in the right direction.

“What does it say?” Mindy asked, looking over my shoulder.

“Well, we have to use these ingredients.” I pointed toward the page.

“Do you have those things? I don’t,” Mindy said while playing with a strand of her hair.

“Well, I have some salt packets in my old purse left over from fries I ate some time last year.”

“I’m pretty sure the real witches would laugh if they witnessed this debacle.” Mindy shook her head.

I chuckled. “Yeah, it’s kind of sad, but we gotta do what we gotta do, right?”

“Okay what else does it call for?” Mindy asked.

“Cinnamon, pine, and almond. We can do this,” I said excitedly as I pointed at the page. “I can get cinnamon and almond from Callahan next door and there’s a pine tree just beyond the back parking lot. You go grab a sprig of the pine, while I get the things from Callahan.”

“But he’s not there,” she said.

“I have a key and I know the code.” I pulled the key from my pocket and dangled it in the air.

“I had no idea y’all had moved to that level.”

I smiled sheepishly. “Well, it is convenient that we can get into each other’s shops if we have to. But who knows how long this will last with all this stuff going on around us. I feel like we’re on the edge, hanging on by a couple fingers and someone is about to step on them forcing me to let go.”

“Wait, he has a key to your place too?” She motioned for a time-out.

“Yeah.” I nodded.

“You don’t think the ex-girlfriend got the key, came in here, and destroyed the books?”

I shook my head. “Something tells me she would have done more if given more time. Having a key would have given her more time. I’m not saying she didn’t do it, but I think she would have had to come into the store during working hours if she did. Whoever did it was incredibly brave.”

“Okay. I’ll go get the pine.”

Mindy hurried out the back door toward the pine tree and I headed out the front toward Callahan’s. I kept glancing over my shoulder. The feeling of someone following me was overwhelming, but as far as I could see, no one was there.

When I reached Full Cup’s door, I stuck the key in the lock and turned. If Callahan saw me going into his shop would he be suspicious? He’d given me the key to use, but he probably never thought I’d use it in order to gather stuff for a magic spell.

Oh, who was I kidding? Of course he’d expect something like that out of me. Would he expect anything less? Surely he’d grown to expect this craziness from me in the short time we’d known each other. He probably asked himself on a daily basis what mess he’d gotten into the day he met me. I stepped into the shop and looked around at the emptiness. The aroma of coffee lingered in the air. I smiled at Callahan’s handwriting on the giant chalkboard hanging on the wall. It was strange being in there without him smiling at me from behind the counter.

The best thing I could do was to hurry up and get out of there. I’d grab the stuff and be gone before he ever knew I’d been there. I didn’t want to hang around any longer than absolutely necessary. Moving back behind the counter, I scanned the area for the items. Finally, I spotted the cinnamon and then stuffed a spoonful of sliced almonds into a bag.

As I turned to leave, I noticed the cream-colored paper on the counter. I stopped in my tracks. It was the same paper. I recognized it right away. I wanted to say I could walk away without looking, but because of recent events, I couldn’t do it. I had to know what the letter said. Had she written Callahan a love letter?

With shaky hands, I placed the cinnamon and bag of almonds down, then grabbed the letter. My heart thumped wildly. I was afraid of what I’d find, but I pulled the letter out anyway and began to read.

My dearest Callahan:

I can’t tell you how happy I am to have you in my life again. You said things can’t be like they were and we can’t go back, but I know with time you’ll see that we were meant to be. Larue isn’t right for you. We are soul-mates. How else do you think we came back together again? It was written in the stars as if the universe was pulling us to one another. Please meet me this evening at the park. I’ll be there at four. If you show up, I’ll know that you feel the same way as I do.

Until then, my love forever and always is yours.

Ginger

Wow. Had Callahan told her they couldn’t be together? Was she stalking him? Had she followed him to Magnolia? Why did I feel as if his life was in danger now? I couldn’t let him go to the park. But what if he really wanted to be with her? Regardless, I’d have to go to the park in case he needed me. I glanced at my watch. I had thirty minutes.

But first, I had to finish the spell. Then I could dash over to the park and dial 911 if this crazy woman pulled a gun or knife on Callahan. Mindy was not going to believe this. I placed the letter back on the counter exactly as I’d found it, then hurried out of Full Cup.

When I rushed through the door of Book Nook, Mindy was waiting for me.

“What took you so long?” she asked.

I could barely breathe. “You’re not going to believe this.”

“At this point, I think I’d believe anything, so why don’t you try me.”

“There was a letter from her on Callahan’s counter. I read it,” I said breathlessly.

“Oh, this is getting interesting,” Mindy said.

After I explained what the letter said, Mindy grabbed the items from my hands.

“Well, let’s get a-cracking. We have to get to the park before she does something even more insane. She sounds a little unstable.”

“A little?” I asked.