Page 92 of The Shop on Royal Street

“Nola. It’s so good to hear your voice. I’ve been thinking about you. Is everything all right?”

Alarm shot through me. “Why would you ask that?”

“I’m your mother. Aren’t I allowed to check in and make sure everything’s okay?”

“Yes. Sorry. It’s just...” I considered telling her everything right then. But it wasn’t something I could do over the phone and without my dad. It would have to wait until October when they visited. When I would hopefully already have put this episode behind me. I was afraid, too, that if I blurted out the whole sordid story now, she and Jack would be on the first plane to New Orleans and arrive with a plane ticket in hand to drag me back to Charleston. And I was far too stubborn to admit defeat so quickly. “I’m fine. Is everything okay there?”

“Yes. The twins are back in school, I just landed an amazing listing, and your dad’s writing is going well. I was just calling because I, um, received a phone call.”

I tasted marshmallows in the back of my throat and quickly swallowed. “From Grandmother Sarah?”

“Yes. It’s always a little hard to understand her because—well, you know—but I’m pretty sure that she was telling me that...” She paused.

“That what?”

“That you’re in danger. From the woman who scares you. Do you know who she’s talking about?”

My heart hammered in my chest. “I’m not sure. Is she talking about Mimi?”

“Is Mimi dead?”

“No. She’s very much alive.”

“Then it’s someone else. Someone who’s lingering and doesn’t wantyou disturbing... what’s hidden. I think that’s what Grandmother Sarah said.”

I stared out the window at the darkening sky, seeing my reflection, and recalled the cold hands shoving me down the steps. The heavy scent of hair spray. “I... had an encounter. In my house. I was pushed. Not enough to hurt me, but enough to show me that I wasn’t wanted. I thought it was the man whose pipe I smell all the time when I’m there.”

I could hear the urgency and panic in Melanie’s voice. “Do you need me to come to New Orleans right now?”

“No,” I said quickly. “I’ve got everything under control.”

“Are you sure? I can be there tomorrow.”

“Absolutely not. I appreciate your offer,” I hastily amended. “But I’ve got this. Really.”

“Is Beau helping you?”

I opened my mouth to say something likeHell no, but stopped.

“Because whether or not he admits it, he can communicate with spirits. I’ve seen him in action. And I have a feeling that if you asked for his help, he’d be more than happy to give it.”

“Would you by any chance want to ask for me?”

“Nola, what is going on? That is not like you. Really, I can buy my plane ticket—”

“Melanie, please don’t. I need to handle this on my own, all right?”

“How about this—you reach out to Beau and tell him what I just said about my grandmother’s phone call, and ask for his help with this angry woman. Otherwise, I’m on the next flight.”

“Seriously? I’m an adult, you know.”

“Then maybe you should start acting like one.” To have Melanie say that to me was bad enough. But for her to be the second person to say that in as many days was even worse. “Sweetheart, asking for help doesn’t mean you’re weak. It means you’re strong enough to know you can’t handle it all on your own. Call Beau. Or text him—whatever it is that you Gen Zs do. Just do it today. Grandmother Sarah only calls when it’s important.”

“Fine,” I said, deciding not to tell her about my own disconnected phone ringing in the closet. “I’ll do it now.”

“Good. And, Nola?”

“Yes?” I held my breath, not liking the tone of her voice.