Larue Donavon 3 - The Ghoul Next Door (29 page)

“
Well, that doesn’t sound so
encouraging.”

“
We have to put everything
in a bowl,” I said, grabbing a container I had from under the
counter.

I was really beginning to get the hang
of this spell stuff. I was like a pro now. Okay, I was far from
that, but I’d come a long way.

“
Add the pine first, and
then we say these words.” I pointed toward the page.

Mindy and I repeated the words in
unison, but so far nothing happened.

“
Okay, now add the other
stuff.” I gestured.

Mindy sprinkled in the cinnamon and
then the almonds. “If not for the pine, this stuff would be like
baking.”

I chuckled. “Kind of… but I think
we’re supposed to focus now instead of thinking of
dessert.”

“
Right,” she said,
straightening. “Okay, now what?”

“
We have to repeat these
words.” I pointed. “While I stir this concoction.”

“
How will we know if it
worked?” Mindy asked.

“
I don’t think we’ll know
for sure until it really
has
worked… we’ll find out who is responsible for the
evil spirits around here.”

“
That’s not so great.” She
brushed the extra cinnamon from the counter.

We repeated the words and I stirred. I
couldn’t say for sure, but I did feel a difference in the air. It
was heavier but not in a bad way. Maybe it was wishful thinking
though.

“
Do you feel that?” I
asked.

“
The air feels different,”
Mindy said.

“
Yes. It does. I think we
did something right. We’ll just have to wait and see
now.”

“
Okay, let’s pick up our
mess and get to the park.” She practically bounced with the
words.

Mindy was revved up and ready to go.
But was I?

***

Mindy and I hurried down the sidewalk
toward Magnolia Park. It was a couple blocks from the bookstore,
but by the way my side hurt and the panting, it might as well have
been a hundred miles away. My agitation mounted. It wasn’t my usual
demeanor to say the least. Sure, I got mad plenty, but this was
full-on rage and I still didn’t know if it was a demon or black
magic that was making me feel this way. I forced it back, not
letting it escape and take rage out on anyone around me. One thing
was for certain, once and for all, I’d get to the bottom of the
reason for the letters.

I’d confront Callahan’s ex-girlfriend
and she’d be forced to tell me the truth. Well, I guessed I’d see
it with my own eyes too, because if Callahan showed up at that
park, I’d know that he’d made his decision. Callahan and I had
certainly faced more challenges than the average couple so early in
our relationship. I didn’t know if we could survive and make it
through more obstacles, but I was willing to give it my best shot
if he was.

After running so hard that my feet
felt numb, we finally made it to the park. Mindy and I brushed past
the Daniel Boone statue at the front entrance and stopped once we’d
entered the park.

“
Do you see anyone?” Mindy
asked, breathlessly.

“
No.” I shook my head. “It’s
eerily empty. Usually there are a few people wondering
around.”

“
Do you think you had the
wrong information? Did it say today?”

Now she’d planted a seed of doubt in
my head. But I was almost positive that the letter had said
today.

“
Maybe we should sit and
wait for a second?” I pointed at the bench that was nestled under a
large oak tree. “I don’t think they’d even notice us over here. I
sit and watch people all the time and they never know I’m even
sitting there. It’s kind of creepy really.”

“
That is creepy. Thanks for
letting me know that it’s over here. I’ll make sure to look over
every time I come here for any potential stalkers.”

We sat in silence for a couple minutes
with no action. The only living creatures other than Mindy and me
were a few birds looking for crumbs and a couple brave squirrels
that dared to get close to us.

“
I don’t think they’re
coming,” Mindy said.

“
Yeah, I guess not. Now what
do we do?” I glanced over my shoulder, but no one was
there.

“
Go back to the shop, I
guess. Maybe you could sneak over and look at that letter again.”
Mindy tapped her fingers against the bench.

“
Oh, no. I don’t want to go
back over there.” I waved my arms.

“
What’s the big deal? You
did it once.”

I snorted. “I was stupid then and
didn’t know what I was doing.”

Just as we prepared to stand, movement
caught my attention. I motioned for Mindy to remain
seated.

“
It’s her,” I
whispered.

My heart rate increased. I had no idea
what to say and I had to fight back the thing in my head that was
telling me to rush over and punch her. She might not be the
smartest person around for sending those notes, but she didn’t
deserve to be punched… not yet, anyway.

“
What are you going to say?”
Mindy asked.

“
We’ll wait a few minutes
and see what happens. See if Callahan shows up.”

I prayed that he didn’t. If I hadn’t
discovered the note, when would he have told me? Never? Would I
have ever known? I didn’t think I could handle seeing the two of
them together right under my nose at the shop next door every day.
But I guessed I’d eventually get over it. Time healed all wounds,
or so they claimed. I never really bought in to that saying. Time
made some wounds bearable maybe, but I didn’t think it healed
all.

Ginger sat on a bench in the middle of
the park with her back facing us. Her hair flowed down her back.
She pulled her black sweater up closer around her chest.

“
You’re right, she doesn’t
even notice us.”

“
I told you it’s a great
spot. You can watch everything like you’re watching TV.”

We sat in silence for a little while
longer with nothing happening. Ginger kept glancing down at her
watch. After ten minutes, I couldn’t stand it anymore. Luckily, it
didn’t look as if Callahan was going to show. Now was my chance to
confront her and find out exactly what it was that she
wanted.

Trying to process the letter I’d read
and ready myself for what was about to happen, I stood.

“
This is it,” I whispered.
“Let’s go ask her what she wants and why she sent me the
letters.”

I said the words, but I wasn’t sure if
I should ask her. Something told me not to do it, but the other
thing in my head said that it was the most brilliant idea of all
time; so of course, I listened to that side of
reasoning.

We slowly made our way across the park
and I expected her to whip around and ask us what the heck we
thought we were doing. It felt as if we were cats slipping up on a
mouse. We had the advantage for the moment. Mindy and I had almost
reached the bench when Ginger must have heard us and whirled
around. Her eyes narrowed and it might have been the cloudy sky,
but I thought they turned darker.

“
What the hell are you doing
here?” she screeched.

That was exactly what I thought she’d
say when she spotted us.

“
I came to talk,” I
said.

Mindy walked in unison with my steps
until we came to within inches of Ginger.

She glared. “There’s nothing to talk
about.”

“
Are you sure about that?” I
asked. “You’ve sent me a few messages and I came to ask you to
stop. Woman to woman.”

“
I’ll stop sending them when
you leave Callahan alone.” My clenched fists shook.

“
I’m sorry you feel that
way, but I’m seeing Callahan as long as we
want
to see each other. You and
Callahan are no longer in a relationship as far as I can
tell.”

“
That shows what you know,”
I said through gritted teeth.

“
I know that you sent him a
letter asking to meet you here and he hasn’t shown up. That tells
me that he doesn’t want to see you.”

“
Did he show you the
letter?” She clenched her hands into fists at her sides.

That was a tricky question. “That
doesn’t matter. Did you break into his car?” I asked.

Ginger turned away from us. She began
walking across the park. Mindy and I exchanged a glance.

“
Where is she going?” Mindy
asked.

I shrugged. “I don’t know.”

We hurried after her, but she picked
up her pace. “You didn’t answer my question. Did you take my
necklace?” I shouted.

She didn’t answer as she continued
across the park. She didn’t even turn around and acknowledge us. I
stopped my pursuit and Mindy stopped a few steps
further.

Mindy turned and looked at me. “That
was really weird.”

I shook my head. “What do you expect
from someone who sends letters like that? Come on. Let’s get back
to the store. She’s clearly not going to talk to us.”

We’d made it half-way back to Book
Nook when up ahead I spotted Jane walking toward us.

“
Look who’s coming.” Mindy
gestured.

I hoped she would walk right by us
without saying a word, but the smirk on her face told me we
wouldn’t be that lucky.

“
Okay. I’m tired of playing
this game with you now,” Jane said when she approached
us.

“
I’m sorry?” I
said.

“
I believe this is what
you’re looking for?” She held up the necklace, letting it dangle
from the chain in a back-and-forth movement.

I narrowed my eyes and
glared at her. “
You
stole the necklace. Why would you do that? It’s not yours, so
I suggest you give it back.” I stepped toward her, but she stepped
backward.

“
I’d suggest you stop right
there.”

Mindy moved beside me.

Jane clutched the necklace in her
palm. “I’m going to properly dispose of it and you’re going to
help.”

“
Like heck I am.” I
frowned.

Mindy scoffed.

“
You will do it!” Jane
yelled.

“
And just how do you think
you’re going to make me?” I folded my arms in front of my
chest.

“
Yeah!” Mindy said while
crossing her arms in the same manner.

“
Things haven’t been that
pleasant for you lately, have they? There’s more where that came
from.” She waggled her finger.

“
Why are you doing this?” I
asked.

“
I don’t want anyone
performing magic.” She glared at me.

“
That doesn’t even make any
sense,” Mindy said.

“
For someone who doesn’t
like magic, you sure don’t mind using it. I knew you had something
to do with this.”

“
You did not. You thought
that innocent woman Ginger was responsible.” Her eyes twinkled with
satisfaction.

How did she even know that? Had she
been spying on me? Or had someone spied on me? Why was I even
trying to talk to her? There was no way to talk rationally with an
insane person.

“
I’ll use magic if I have
to… a means to an end, that’s all.” She smirked. “Once I get rid of
this necklace, Karyn will stop and that’s all I want. I want her as
far away from all this as possible.”

I couldn’t believe the thought that
Karyn was somehow involved had ever crossed my mind.

“
You can’t be serious. You
can’t be selective and just turn it on and off.” I glanced around
for an escape.

“
Sure you can. I was
supposed to be the coven leader.” Bitterness dripped from her
words.

So that was what all of this was
about.

Jane’s face tightened and she glared
at me. She clenched her fists and stomped her foot like a
three-year-old throwing a temper tantrum. “It was my right to be
the coven leader years ago. It was my birthright and Karyn took
that from me.”

What was so special about being the
coven leader, anyway? Why did everyone want that position? I didn’t
want that position, but kept getting shoved into it.

Jane circled us. As she walked beside
me, Elvis appeared. He walked beside Jane, but I wasn’t sure how
long he could keep her at bay. A demonic force had powers beyond
what he’d ever experienced. And it was obvious that Jane had that
demonic force. An evil smile spread across her face. She knew she
had me exactly where she wanted me.

“
I told myself years ago
that I couldn’t give up until I had what was rightfully mine. I
won’t let you or anyone else stand in my way.” She glared at Mindy
when she passed her.

I took in another sharp breath. This
woman made Brianna and Becky seem polite. I never thought I’d say
that.

“
I don’t have anything to do
with the coven leader position. I don’t decide who the leader
is.”