The Hidden Grimoire by Karla Brandenburg (pride and prejudice read TXT) 📕

head. “Everything okay? Any more messages from your internet customer?”

I walked around the counter to check my computer. “Nothing so far.”

“Did she give you her name? Deputy Becker said he couldn’t find anyone in Winnsboro with Narcy’s last name. That suggests either the sister is married, or Narcy was at some point.”

“Or they have different fathers, among other options. We don’t even know if this is Narcy’s sister.” I opened the message I’d received. “No name on the message.”

“Which, in and of itself, is odd.”

“Not necessarily. The web page only tracks emails, and inquiries aren’t always signed. I imagine if I’d told her I had the perfume she wanted in stock, she’d give me a name and shipping information with an order.”

“Or tell you she’d stop in to get it, leaving you ignorant of who she is, and vulnerable.” He set his hands on my shoulders. “That makes me very uncomfortable.”

“You can’t protect me from everything,” I told him. “I can take care of myself.”

“Like you did when Narcy locked you inside a burning house?”

The reminder of which never failed to produce a tickle in my throat that made me cough. I tensed, flashing back to the workshop, to the rising smoke, to the face of evil watching from the other side of the windows.

Be here. Now.

Kyle hugged me. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.”

The bell rang again and my best friend Lisa walked in. She covered her eyes. “You’re not supposed to be doing that during business hours,” she teased.

Kyle backed away, laughing. “Doing what? Hugging?”

Lisa smiled. “I have to say I like seeing the two of you this way.”

I drew a deep breath to compose my nerves. “Will you tell him to get back to work on his house? He thinks I need a bodyguard.”

“I don’t like her being alone in the store,” Kyle said. “Cassandra’s taking time off to be with her family.”

“I’ve been alone dozens of times,” I said.

“But you never know who’s going to drop in,” Kyle said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you get another visit from your cousin Jason.”

“Why am I out of the loop on what’s going on with you?” Lisa asked. She set her hands on her hips. “You,” she said, pointing at Kyle. “Go home and fix your house.” She turned to me. “And you, I was going to pick up lunch and hang out for a while. Surgery day at the vet, and Dr. Biggs only had a couple scheduled. I have the afternoon free.”

“Perfect,” Kyle said.

I hated being treated like a helpless child. “If you hang around the store all day, I’ll have to pay you.”

“Not a chance, and you’re stuck with me,” Lisa said. “I’ll make a lunch run, and then you need to tell me everything I’ve missed out on, which sounds like a lot.” She frowned. “I’m sorry I’ve been so busy lately, but with all the thank you notes after the wedding and starting the new job...”

At least with Lisa there would be no male posturing. I walked Kyle to the door. “You. Go. I’ll see you tonight.”

“Are you sure?” he asked one last time.

I opened the door, kissed him and pushed him out.

Lisa sighed. “It does my heart good to see you two together.”

I laughed. “If you’re serious about picking up lunch, we can definitely catch up. We should have plenty of time to chat, but I don’t want you to feel like you have to hang around.”

“Are you kidding?” she said. “Give me your order and I’ll be back in a flash.”

Chapter 10

Although Lisa and I didn’t spend as much time together as we used to, we fell into comfortable conversation. Between customers, I filled Lisa in on my visit from Jason, and then Jason’s wife, and the mysterious message on the website portal.

Lisa told me about her job with the local veterinarian, the job her husband wasn’t so sure she should have accepted. Now that she was working with the vet she’d crushed on as a teenager, she’d discovered he had an off-putting sense of humor. Her crush on him had been laid to rest.

We laughed and joked and I counted myself lucky, yet again, to have found my home in Hillendale. The time passed quickly, until her husband Dylan called to ask if she had something planned for dinner. We laughed some more before she hugged me and took off.

Feeling lighter than I had in weeks, I checked the website before closing time. More orders, but no more messages from the woman Kyle had dubbed the sister stalker. Maybe it had been an innocent query after all. I locked the store, collected Ash, and started for home.

Clouds drifted past a three-quarter moon, mottling the dark footpaths from light to shadow. I stopped to squint into the woods, trying to see Nora’s enchanted beech tree. The moonglow made the crooked branches look like skeletal arms waiting to grab passersby. The tree was beautiful in the summer, but without its waterfall of leaves it looked menacing.

Ash pushed against the top of her basket and stuck her head out, paws on the edge. She let out a mew, content to look from where she was.

“No, we’re not home yet,” I told her.

She slipped down, the lid closing once more and I continued on.

Kyle was standing in his front window when I left the footpath. He darted outside rubbing his arms against the chilly evening. “You had five more minutes before I went to town to walk you home.”

“I’m here now.” I hooked my arm through his and led him to my house while I filled him in on my day.

“What do you think about your cousin’s wife stopping in?” he asked.

“She seems nice.” I didn’t tell Kyle I believed Jason’s daughter was the next to inherit the family gift.

I went directly to the workroom and closed the blinds over all three walls of windows to keep from imagining anyone watching me tonight. Kyle followed and filled me