Page 18 of Two’s A Charm
Effie pulled out a map of the local trails from the set of wall pockets that housed the town’s tourism materials and passed it to Amy.
‘Here, you can use this if you want to go exploring. You can polish up anything you find in a rock tumbler, or even in a dryer, if you have one. Although I probably wouldn’t take them to the laundromat. ’
‘A tumbler...’ mused Abigail.
Maybe Effie should get one for the library. It could be her way of taking a stand against Oswald’s Griftertorium and its overpriced sham magic.
Having waved goodbye to Tessa’s group of crafters – most of whom had emerged from their session with something resembling a turtle, and in a few cases, something closer to a green worm – Effie sat down at her computer, ready to place an order for a rock tumbler.
But right as she went to hit the checkout button, a thud from the stacks startled her, making her wrists flash green.
What was that?
Heart thudding, Effie grabbed a hardcover book and made her way through the dark stacks.
The library was closed, and Tessa’s event had been an after-hours thing, so there should be no one here.
Not Bowow searching for a few extra cowboy romances to add to her list. Not Tammi munching away on her latest library snacks.
Not poor Thomas, who was outside in his truck.
‘Effie?’
Spinning on the heel of her Doc Martens, Effie lunged with her book. The strike connected viciously enough that she could feel it reverberating up her wrists all the way through to her shoulders.
The intruder grunted in surprise.
‘Ow! What the hell?’
Oh shit, it was Theo. Of course it was Theo, traipsing around here like his very generous donation meant that he owned the place.
Theo rubbed his arm. ‘Wow, I guess the pen really is mightier than the sword. That hurt.’
‘We’re closed!’ Effie snapped.
‘I know. I just thought it would be rude to head out without saying goodnight. Are you okay locking up by yourself?’
Aha, thought Effie triumphantly. He was a white knight type who couldn’t fathom a woman being able to fend for herself.
She’d known he was too good to be true. Besides, she was a witch!
She was perfectly capable of looking after herself.
Not to mention that Yellowbrick Grove was safe to a fault.
The worst that might happen here was that your pizza delivery came with the wrong toppings.
Or maybe someone might cut a few roses from one of the bushes in the park.
‘Why wouldn’t I be all right locking up?’ she retorted. ‘I do it every night. And this is the first time a would-be serial killer has been sneaking around like a creeper.’
‘A would-be serial killer? Do I look like a serial killer?’
Spoken just like Patrick Bateman. ‘I can’t think of anyone who looks more like a serial killer. You’re well dressed. Quiet. You keep to yourself. I bet your neighbours say that you’re polite.’
Theo raised an eyebrow. ‘Well, yes. Except for a stint in my early twenties when my neighbours would have said quite the opposite. But anyway, I’m not big on blood. It’s such a pain to get the stains out.’
‘Maybe you’re a poisoner, then. Like that mushroom murderer in Australia.’
‘Fair. Remind me never to cook for you. Especially risotto.’
Effie, in spite of herself, was intrigued. She lowered the book, which she realized she’d been brandishing this whole time. ‘You cook?’
‘Sure. Who doesn’t cook?’ Theo checked his smartwatch, which looked a bit the worse for wear. ‘Anyway, how about I leave you to whatever you were doing that got you all jumpy.’
There was something in his phrasing that put Effie back on the defensive. He was what had got her all jumpy!
‘I was ordering a rock tumbler,’ she snapped. What was wrong with ordering a rock tumbler? It was perfectly normal to order a rock tumbler.
‘So you can lob polished stones at my head next time I darken the threshold?’
‘Perhaps.’ Effie was tempted to smile, but she held firm. ‘Actually, you go ahead. I just remembered there’s a report I need to file before I go.’
This was a lie, but it was better than prolonging this excruciating conversation.
Besides, she’d walked to the library, and the thought of walking home with Theo beside her was too much to deal with.
She could already see all the ways she surely fell short in his eyes. She didn’t need to add to them.
Theo nodded slowly, then twined his scarf around his neck. ‘All right. Well, I’ll see you another time, I suppose.’
Effie nodded, directing him to the double doors at the front of the library, watching as he rubbed the nose of one of the stone gargoyles flanking the entrance. He waved, then made his way down the stairs and into the clear autumn night.
Effie sighed. A small part of her wished she’d taken Bonnie up on the discounted flirting lessons her sister had offered during high school.
But what was the point? Theo wasn’t her type, and she certainly wasn’t his.
Besides, it would probably be mere weeks before the bright lights and busy social calendar of the city lured him back.
Effie turned to shut off the lights, but as she did, another thud came from somewhere in the reading room.
She swallowed, her wrists glimmering green. All right, so that hadn’t been Theo. But if not Theo, then who – or what?