Spells A La Carte (Mystic Cafe Series Book 3) (10 page)

I paced across the floor. “I don’t know. Maybe. I’m just a little freaked out right now.”

“That’s understandable. Just try to stay calm and relax,” Tom said in his soothing voice.

“Do you think Meredith sent the scarf with magic to harm me?” I asked.

“Honestly, I don’t know. What did you do with the scarf?” Tom asked.

“I threw it in the Dumpster.” I was proud of our swift action to get rid of the thing.

“You got rid of it?” Tom asked. “That’s probably not the best idea.”

What? Getting rid of it was a bad thing? How could that be? “We thought we did a good thing,” I said.

“What did he say?” Grandma Imelda whispered.

I moved the phone away from my mouth slightly. “He wants to know why we got rid of it.”

“I understand why you got rid of it,” he said. “But I need you to get it back. Can you do that?”

“You want me to climb in there?” I scrunched my face in disgust.

“Oh no,” Mary Jane said.

It’s important for me to see it and then I can maybe figure out what spell is attached to it.” 

I could see where that would be important. I really didn’t want to have to get in that Dumpster. But how could I say no to Tom? After all, he was trying to help me.

I released a deep breath and then said, “Okay. I’ll get it back.”

“I can come by and get in the Dumpster, but it might be a while before I can get there.”

I wasn’t even going to ask where he was. If it had something to do with the Organization I probably didn’t want to know.

“I just don’t want the thing to get away before I can get there,” he said. 

“No, I think they come get the trash today. I’d better go get it,” I said.

“Just be careful. I’ll come by and pick up the scarf,” Tom said.

“What about touching it? We used salad tongs to get rid of it.”

He chuckled. “Why didn’t you just use gloves?”

“Hmm. I hadn’t thought of that. Okay, I’ll use gloves.”

“I’ll see you soon.”

I clicked off the call.

“Let me guess. We have to get the scarf back?” Grandma Imelda said.

“Yes, and I’d better hurry before the trash collector comes to clean out the Dumpster.”

We raced to the back of the café. I grabbed disposable gloves from the kitchen on my way.

We’d barely made it outside when I heard the truck coming. “I’ll stop it,” Grandma Imelda said. I hoped she did. I really didn’t want to be sent to the landfill today.

“Can you get in the Dumpster?” Mary Jane asked.

I placed one foot on the little ledge at the front of the container. “I guess we’ll see,” I said. I heaved my body up and placed my other foot on the same spot. I swung my leg over and then basically fell into the trash. Luckily, I had bags and boxes to cushion my fall. I really hoped that I didn’t have an encounter with a rat.

“Did you find it?” Mary Jane yelled as if I was a million miles away.

“It’s not here.” I shoved bags around. It had been right on top. We’d just gotten rid of it. Where could it be?

“Elly, what’s going on in there?” Grandma Imelda called out.

“I can’t find it. The thing just isn’t here.” I’d now spent fifteen minutes in the confined space.

“The man wants the trash now,” Grandma Imelda said.  

I crawled out from the container, brushing a piece of lettuce off my shirt. “It’s just not there.”

“That can’t be,” Grandma Imelda said.

“I am traumatized now after digging around in that thing. I promise you it’s not there. And don’t even think about trying to get in there and look for yourself,” I warned. 

I motioned for everyone to follow me. We stepped to the café’s back door and watched as the driver hoisted the Dumpster up and emptied the contents into the back of the truck.  

“Well if it was there, it’s gone now,” Grandma Imelda said.

“It wasn’t there,” I repeated. 

“What will Tom say?” Mary Jane asked.

I didn’t want to find out.

Grandma Imelda had the key and was unlocking the door when I felt a presence behind me. It made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I was frozen on the spot and I didn’t want to turn around. The heaviest sense of magic I’d ever felt came from behind me. It felt as if the person was so close that I felt their breath on the back of my neck.

Grandma Imelda opened the door and Mary Jane followed her in. I was still frozen there on the sidewalk. When Mary Jane and Grandma Imelda turned around their eyes widened.

I knew I had to turn around and see who was standing behind me. I slowly turned around. Tom was standing right behind me with that sexy look on his face. It was almost as if he found my actions humorous. Now that he was here in front of me I knew he would expect some kind of explanation. I would just act casual.

“Hi,” I said sweetly.

“Hello, ladies. Having a good afternoon?”

“Would you like some iced tea?” Grandma Imelda asked in her sweet Southern voice.

“I’d love that, Imelda.” Tom motioned for me to enter first.

He was plotting something, I just knew it. 

Grandma Imelda poured Tom a glass of tea. Mary Jane and I took a glass too. We sipped the tea and stared at each other. I couldn’t handle much more of this. He needed to say something soon. When would he ask about the scarf? Did he know what we’d done with the cupcakes?

Finally, I said, “Okay, will you just ask me why I was in Meredith’s house? And no, I didn’t get the scarf back.”

He stared at me. The room was silent. What if he hadn’t known that I was there and I just ratted on myself?

He set the glass on the counter. “Elly, why were you all in Meredith’s house?”

I tossed my hands up. “How does she even know we were there? We could have been looking at the pretty roses at the side of her house.”

Mary Jane shook her head as if to tell me to shut up.

“She had video inside her house. It recorded the whole scene. And I might add it was very entertaining. She sent the video to me on my phone. Would you like to see?” Tom pulled out his phone.

I frowned. “No, thank you. I will probably feel much better if I don’t watch it.”

“I hate being on video. It always adds ten pounds,” Mary Jane said.

Now was the time for me to shake my head at Mary Jane. “Okay, I will tell you why we were there.”

Tom took a seat. “This I have got to hear.”

“We went there because I saw a book that looked just like the one you found here. I think Meredith and Reagan are connected.”

“As far as I can tell Meredith and Reagan have no connection to magic or the Organization,” Tom said.

“That is exactly why that makes this even more mysterious. What are they up to? I know you think that I have lost it, but Meredith somehow left the books here in the café,” I said.

Tom studied my face and then looked to Grandma Imelda and Mary Jane. “Did you use magic?” he asked me.

“No,” I said with a smile.

I hadn’t lied to him. 

He looked to Grandma Imelda. Of course he knew what we’d done. “Did you give Meredith cupcakes with magic in them?”

“Is there something wrong with that?” Grandma Imelda asked. She gave Tom a look that let him know he wasn’t going to intimidate her.

He ran his hand through his hair. “No, I suppose there’s nothing wrong with that.”

I placed my hands on my hips. “I saw the books there. The books that she claims she doesn’t possess. They were on shelves on a room. I saw it on my way out. Mary Jane saw them too.”

Tom looked to Mary Jane and she nodded. He sighed. “Okay, I will look into it.”

Would he really or was he just telling me this to humor me?

“You won’t give Meredith any more magic? Especially in light of what has happened with the spells recently?”

I crossed my heart with my index finger. “I won’t give any more magic to Meredith.”

He looked at Grandma Imelda, but she didn’t make any promises and he didn’t push for any. I wondered when he would go look for the books. Meredith was probably already in the process of moving them just like last time. If he didn’t hurry they would be gone.

“What happened to this magical scarf?” Tom asked.

I blew the hair out of my eyes. I bet I smelled terrible after being in the trash container. “It wasn’t there. I think Meredith came and got it.”

He quirked an eyebrow.

I gestured with my arms. “I know this sounds crazy, but I can’t help it. She’s playing games with me.” 

“Have you talked with Rory?” Tom asked.

I figured it was about time that he asked about him. I had to explain what had led me to Meredith’s house in the first place.

“So Rory disappeared?”

I nodded. “His truck was there and then poof, it was gone.”

Tom looked at me with wide eyes as if that was hard to believe.

“I’m telling the truth,” I said.

“I believe you, I’m just trying to figure out what is going on around here.”

“So you believe me that something isn’t right.”

He nodded. “Yes, I agree something is definitely wrong. You don’t know where Rory is?”

Sadness fell over me. I had to admit that I hadn’t talked to Rory. It looked more and more as if he was involved in this weird scenario. Just then my phone dinged and I pulled it form my pocket.

“It’s Rory,” I said.

“What does he say?” Tom asked.

“He wants me to meet him at the park tonight.”

Tom met my gaze. “Are you going to meet him?”

I pushed the hair out of my eyes. “I suppose I need to so he can tell me what’s going on.”

I’d gone home to shower and change into something prettier than pants with ketchup and grease stains. There was still time before meeting Rory though, so Mary Jane was coming over for a bit. Grandma Imelda had left me her little white cottage house when she’d retired. Roses, peonies, and azaleas lined the path leading to the front door. The interior of the home was bathed in warm colors named after foods, like buttercream yellow on the kitchen walls. The place oozed comfort and charm, exactly how I’d describe Grandma Imelda.

When I answered the door, Mary Jane was standing in front of me. She wore her blue and white gingham shirt that I loved with white shorts. She looked like she should be on the pages of a Lands’ End catalog.

“I brought chocolate chip cookies.” She held up the clear dish and I spotted the baked goodies inside.

“Thank you.” I took the dish from her hand. “Come on in and I’ll get the milk.”

“Where’s Imelda?” Mary Jane asked.

I pulled a couple glasses from the cabinet. “She went to pick up a few things from the grocery.”

Mary Jane placed a handful of cookies onto the plate. “This is just like high school.”  

I laughed. “Cookies and milk after school and before homework.”

“Did you find your yearbook?” she asked.

I handed her a glass of milk, and then grabbed the plate. “Yes, I did. It’s in my bedroom. Come on and we can look at it.”

“Are you sure you won’t get in trouble for eating in your room?” She laughed.

I rolled my eyes. We headed into my bedroom and I placed the plate and glass on my desk. I picked up the yearbook.
Mystic Hollow High, Class of 2000.

“I am not looking forward to seeing my picture again,” Mary Jane said as she took a bite of a cookie. 

I put the book down on my comforter and we lay across the bed. I flipped open the cover and to the section with our class. Of course we had to look at our pictures first. Might as well get the humiliation over with. No sense in prolonging it. I turned to Mary Jane’s page first.

“Of course we have to look at my picture first,” she said.

“Of course.” I snorted.

“I had that whole goth thing going on, didn’t I?”

I turned to my page. “It’s better than me.” I tapped the page. “I was wearing glitter eye shadow.”

“Don’t forget the gazillion butterfly clips in your hair.” 

“Yeah, thanks for the reminder.”

Now we needed to look for Meredith’s picture. Why, I wasn’t sure, but I was just curious about this woman who had moved back to Mystic Hollow. Why had she come back? I knew why I had come back, but this seemed different for her. She wasn’t taking over the family business. I just couldn’t remember a lot about her from school. I knew that she had been quiet, but other that I didn’t remember even talking to her. It wasn’t that I hadn’t wanted to, but she’d kept to herself.

“Wait, isn’t that Meredith?” Mary Jane stopped me from turning the page.

“Where?” I asked.

She pointed to the picture at the top of the page. It was of several students hanging out in front of the school.

I examined the photo. “It is her. Look. Doesn’t that woman next to her look familiar?”

Mary Jane leaned closer. “She does look familiar.”

“I know I’ve seen her somewhere other than the photo.”

“Maybe she’s come to the café recently. What is the name?”

I looked at the text below the photo. “Janice Webber.”

“That name doesn’t ring a bell,” Mary Jane said.

I studied the photo again. That was when it hit me. “Wait. I’ve seen her at the café.”

“See, I told you it was at the café.”

“Yes, but she wasn’t a customer. She was there with Tom as a member of the Organization. Only he didn’t introduce her as Janice Webber.”

Mary Jane frowned. “Maybe she uses a married name?”

I shook my head. “No, she didn’t go by Janice either.”

“Hmm. That is odd.”

I picked up my phone. “I should call Tom and see what he says.”

“Good idea,” Mary Jane said.

After a couple rings, Tom picked up.

“I’ve discovered something,” I said.

“Oh, yeah? What’s that?” He had a teasing tone in his voice.

“This is serious. I was looking through my old yearbook and found a photo of Meredith. Well, in the picture she is also with Carol from the Organization. The one you brought to the café. Only in the photo her name is Janice.”

“That can’t be her,” Tom said. “Carol isn’t from Mystic Hollow.”

“Are you sure?” I asked as I looked at the photo again.

“I’m positive, but good detective work anyway.”

Yeah. He probably didn’t mean that at all.

“I’ll call you soon. Okay?” Tom asked.

“Yeah, sure, talk to you soon,” I said and then hung up.

“What did he say?” Mary Jane asked.

“He said that it couldn’t possibly be her because she isn’t even from Mystic Hollow.”

“Hmm. It must be her doppelgänger,” Mary Jane said.

I looked at the book again. “I guess. But I’ve never seen anyone have a person look that much like them.”

“She hasn’t even changed that much since high school.”

“Well, her secret twin hasn’t changed,” I said. “I wonder what she would say if she saw the picture.”

“You should show it to her,” Mary Jane said.

“Maybe I will.” I couldn’t stop looking at the photo. There was just something about it that had me feeling uneasy. I pointed at the photo. “See that person in the back?”

Mary Jane leaned down again for a better look. “That guy?”

I nodded. “Yes. He was also at the café and is with the Organization.”

Mary Jane’s mouth dropped open. “Are you sure?”

I nodded. “I’m positive.”

Now I knew this couldn’t be her twin. Something else was going on. I did want the Organization members to see this photo though. 

“What do you think it means?” Mary Jane asked.

I stood and grabbed a cookie from the plate. “I don’t know, but why would these people lie about their names? Why wouldn’t they tell Tom who they were?”

“Are you going to tell him about the man in the picture?” Mary Jane asked.

I took a bite of the cookie and chewed. Since I hated talking with a mouth full of food, I finished and then said, “I guess I have to tell him, but I hope he takes it a little bit more seriously. The more important question is, if they are lying, then how well do they know Meredith?”

Mary Jane stood from the bed. “Okay, I’d better go so you can go meet Rory. Call me as soon as you can.”

“I’ll call when I can,” I said.