The letter popped into my head. Had Callahan’s ex-girlfriend been the caller?
“I hardly think you’re an expert on books. They must be desperate for help if they ask you for advice.” Candy Cherry sat on top of the counter with her legs crossed and examined her bright-red fingernails.
“Get down from there,” I yelled.
Beth jumped back, clutching her chest. Her eyes widened and she said, “Did I do something wrong?”
Oh, great. The nasty ghost had finally made me snap. Beth thought I was one chocolate short of a whole box of truffles. What possible explanation would I have for my outburst?
“I’m sorry. I was singing a new song I heard on the radio. ‘Get down from there’ was the chorus.”
She looked at me as if I’d just announced that I had just returned from the planet Altair, where my brain had been scoped for top-secret government information. In other words, like I was a raving lunatic.
“You have a nice voice, Larue,” Elvis winked.
Candy Cherry cackled. “You are completely wackadoodle.” She held her stomach.
It wasn’t that funny.
Elvis shook his head. “Don’t worry, Larue. You’re not wackadoodle, as Candy calls it.”
What the heck? Whatever. She had a lot of room to talk.
Beth’s hands shook. “I don’t know how to say this, but a lot of the books over there were destroyed.” She pointed toward the front of the store.
“What are you talking about?” I whirled around and looked out across the bookstore. Everything seemed normal from my vantage point.
Mr. Fine stood beside Beth and was trying to whisper in her ear. I resisted the urge to tell him to knock it off or I’d kick his ghost butt.
She shook her head and swatted at her ear as if a fly buzzed around. “I don’t know. A customer must have done it. Are you going to fire me?”
I couldn’t afford to fire her. But I didn’t tell her that. Could I afford to keep her though if she was going to allow something like this to happen?
“Where are they?” I asked looking around.
“In the paranormal romance section.” She pointed again.
I hurried over, confused as to what I’d find. When I reached the section, I spotted the books tossed haphazardly around the floor right away.
“Oh, what a mess. You really are a slob.” Candy Cherry shook her head.
I couldn’t answer her at the moment. I was too angry. Plus, Beth would see me and Miss Candy Cherry knew that. She was just harassing me at this point.
“She’s the devil in disguise. Oh yes, she is,” Elvis sang as he moved past.
“I really don’t think this is the time for singing, Elvis,” I said.
Beth stared in astonishment. I’d slipped again. But what was the point of hiding anymore? Everyone would know soon enough that I talked to spirits. As soon as the show aired my secret would be out. No wonder I felt like an outcast. I’d always been holding on to a secret. Maybe it was time that I let it all out.
I must have been in a stunned daze because I didn’t hear Cooper’s new employee, Jane Howe, walk up and stand beside me. She was staring down at the pile of books.
She tsked. “Wow. What happened here?”
Her overpowering rose-scented perfume made my nose itch and I fended off a sneeze. I didn’t want to talk about the current situation, but by her intent focus on my face, it didn’t look as if she’d let me drop the subject.
“Apparently a vandal was in the store,” I said around a sigh.
“In the middle of the day? Where was your employee?” she asked mockingly.
I studied her face. I knew exactly what she meant by that comment. She was implying that if I’d hired her, this wouldn’t have happened. Had she been the one who did this? I was already suspicious of the woman. Had the black magic returned to Magnolia? I wanted her out of my store. But I couldn’t accuse her of doing this without any proof.
“Do you remember me?” she asked around a sly smile.
She knew that I remembered her. What was her game? “Yes, you applied for a job here, right?”
“Yes. How are you?” she asked, but the tone of her voice let me know she really didn’t care.
At least she didn’t kick me for not hiring her. But honestly, how did she think I was at the moment? I wanted to give a snarky answer, but I had to remain polite. My temper was boiling on the