3 The Ghoul Next Door

by Rose Pressey

  An odd feeling had taken over my body. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it or explain it if I needed to, but it was there nonetheless. It was probably anxiety from knowing that a camera would be in my face in less than twenty-four hours.

  Of course I had to stop by and say hello to Callahan as I walked by Full Cup. I wanted to share my excitement with him. Yeah, I guessed I was getting a little bit excited about my new gig.

  That familiar and warming smell of coffee surrounded me when I entered the coffee shop. Of course, my ghoul friends were in tow. I couldn’t sneeze without them being around. Elvis got a pass though. He could stay as long as he wanted. He was a sweetie pie. Yeah, I was biased.

  When I entered, Callahan hurried over and took my hands in his. “I’m glad you stopped in. I wanted to talk with you.” He let out a deep breath.

  My heart rate increased. I hadn’t thought about it, but maybe Callahan wasn’t as fond of me as I was of him. I thought things had been going well, but maybe that was wishful thinking. Was he getting ready to give me the “it’s not you, it’s me” speech? Might as well get it over with quickly—rip off the bandage.

  He must have read the look in my eyes. “Oh, it’s nothing bad. I’ve decided to take on a part-time job.”

  Wow. I searched his eyes. What did this mean?

  He rubbed my arms. “It’s just that you’ve got a lot going on with your business and the ghost stuff, so I thought I’d get a part-time job. The coffee shop keeps me busy, but I’ve always been a workaholic like you and I want to fill every spare second.”

  Okay he was making me feel bad. Maybe I worked too much. I should make more time for friends and family. More time for the living.

  I quirked a brow. “A part-time job? What does that mean? Are you quitting your coffee shop?” I asked.

  My heart thumped while waiting for an answer. What was taking him so long to speak? This was not what I wanted to hear from Callahan. Was he leaving Magnolia? Was it my fault? Had I spent too much time living in a world with people who weren’t living? I definitely needed to focus more on my friends and family who were alive.

  “I’ve been talking a lot with Mike Cartwright. He’s started the car wash across town. I told him I’d help him out for a while. You know, with the business side of things. I know how hard it is to start a business.”

  “That is so sweet of you. I know he’ll appreciate it.” I tightened my embrace on Callahan.

  I tried to hide my disappointment from him. After all, it wasn’t fair for me to ask him not to do something like that. All my time would be taken up with the show for a few days, then I’d be back at the store and who knew what haunted house next. But when would we see each other? My show business career was only going to last my allotted fifteen minutes. How would I fill in my free time after that? I knew that meant a whole lot of pole fitness classes for me. Heaven help me.

  Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he said, “Don’t worry, I’m not leaving Magnolia and I’m not quitting the shop either.”

  Whew. That was a relief.

  “Like I said, I have extra time after the shop closes, but since you’ve got your new gig, well, we don’t have a lot of time together. I just thought I’d find a hobby, I guess.” He touched my chin with his index finger.

  This was all very sudden. I’d only just found out about the show. Something didn’t add up for me.

  “I’m sorry, Callahan, I didn’t mean to ignore you. It’s just that an opportunity such as this doesn’t come along often.” I looked down at my sneakers.

  “No. I know it doesn’t, that’s why I’m glad you’re doing it. I’m so proud of you.” He flashed his bright smile.

  I blushed. “Thank you.”

  “I don’t want you to feel badly. I want you to do this. I’ll help Mike until you’re finished, by then he’ll have a good handle on things.”

  Well, I guessed that wasn’t such a bad thing. I could handle that. Just a few days and things would be back to normal.

  Callahan leaned down and kissed me. Elvis was sitting at the table with his arms folded across his chest and feet propped up in the chair across from him.

  “Please stop the kissing. You’re going to make me gag,” Candy Cherry said.

  “Yeah, get a room,” Mr. Fine added.

  I wished I had a dial to tune them out. Callahan lifted my chin with his finger to meet his gaze. “Things will slow down for us soon. And I can’t wait.”

  “Me too.” I smiled.

  “So, when do you start the show?” he asked.

  I sighed. “First thing in the morning and I’m really nervous.”

  “I know you’ll do great. Break a leg.”

  I never liked that saying. I was always afraid it would lead to the person really breaking their leg.

  “I’ll see you tonight?” Callahan asked.

  I nodded. “Yeah, I’ll see you later.” He kissed me again lightly on the lips.

  Another groan from the ghosts came from over my shoulder.

  Chapter Seventeen

  After leaving Full Cup, I shuffled over to Book Nook. Elvis and Mr. Fine were following me, but once again, I’d lost Candy Cherry. She had a habit of slipping off, not that I was complaining. I was convinced her sole mission was to make me miserable.

  Still feeling strange, I went through my normal duties on autopilot. Books needed to be shelved, orders needed to be placed, and I had a deadline to submit a coupon for the local paper, which I’d yet to work up. A few customers wandered in, but luckily they didn’t need any help, because I wasn’t sure I’d be any help. My mind was full of fog.

  I’d just settled down behind the counter to do some computer work when Mr. Fine and Candy Cherry popped up in front of me. Where had they been? I looked at them with a suspicious eye. Mr. Fine floated off without uttering a snarky comment, but Candy Cherry sidled up next to me.

  “Why so glum, chum? It couldn’t be that you’re a lousy girlfriend?” she asked.

  “That comment is completely unnecessary, Candy Cherry. And when are you going to tell me your real name?”

  “That is my real name!” Her eyes narrowed and she clenched her fists.

  I shrugged. “If you say so.”

  Why was she asking about my feelings anyway? It wasn’t as if she cared. She was only rubbing my misery into my face like a big cream pie.

  “I heard your conversation with Callahan. He’s done with you. He told you as much, only you put on your rose-colored glasses and didn’t listen to the man.”

  I wouldn’t let her get inside my head—that was exactly what she wanted.

  “Since you’re dead, I’m sure you’re an expert on dating, so thanks for the advice,” I said sarcastically. I could be nasty too.

  When Mindy finally walked through the door, I said, “Am I glad to see you.” Between the ghosts, worrying about the strange feeling mounting through my body, and fretting about Callahan, I was exhausted.

  “What’s going on? You look a little confused.” She plopped her giant lime-green bag on the counter.

  “Callahan has decided to work a part-time job.” My shoulders slumped even more.

  Candy Cherry scrunched her eyebrows. “He thinks you’re spending too much time with this ghost-busting stuff. But far be it for me to offer advice.” She studied her bright red fingernails.

  Biting my tongue was no longer an option. “Me? Too much time ghost-busting, as you call it? Never. That can’t be it,” I snapped.

  Mindy scrunched her brow and looked over her shoulder. “Why didn’t you call me?” she asked, not bothering to ask which ghost I’d spoken to. She assumed it wasn’t Elvis.

  Elvis wandered over from the mystery section and lured Candy away for a moment. Thank goodness, because I was about to lose my cool with her. I’d glue sage to her forehead and see how she liked that. I’d use every trick in the book to ward off her nasty ghost butt.

  I shook my head, focusing my attention back to Mindy. “I didn’t want to
bother you.”

  Mindy handed me a Diet Coke. “You’re never bothering me.”

  “Do you think I’m spending too much time with the ghost-hunting thing? I mean, my relationship with Callahan is still young. I need to spend more time with him and nurture it before I ignore him.”

  Mindy took a drink of her soda, then said, “As opposed to ignoring him later? No wonder you never have a relationship.” She took a bite of her chocolate doughnut.

  I shook my head. “You know what I mean. I just worry that he thinks I don’t have time for a relationship, which couldn’t be farther from the truth.” I took a big drink. “Things have been so crazy since we met. I feel as if at any moment he’ll say enough is enough and not want to even see me again.”

  Mindy rolled her eyes. “Larue, I think he would have already done that if he was going to. Besides, if he was thinking that, you don’t need him anyway. You want a guy who embraces your life, the things that make you, you.” She pointed at me with the doughnut.

  I nodded. “That’s true.”

  She took another bite but didn’t swallow before continuing her talk. “You wouldn’t ask him to stop doing the things he loves just to spend more time with you.”

  I shook my head. “No. I wouldn’t.”

  “Well, there you go. You just need to be open and honest with him and everything will work out.” She smiled as if giving herself a pat on the back.

  I raised an eyebrow. “Since when did you become an expert with relationship advice?”

  She chuckled. “I don’t know. It just comes naturally, I guess.”

  I pinched off a piece of her doughnut. “I’m basically chasing the guy away. Maybe deep down I don’t want a relationship. Maybe I’m afraid that I’ll be a failure at it so I’m pushing him away.”

  “Oh, will you stop with the psychobabble. He’s just helping out a friend, that’s all. You seriously need a vacation after all this is over.”

  I laughed. “I need a vacation away from the black magic, ghosts and any other craziness that pops up.”

  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?”