“Oh, no, no. I’m fine. It’s just…” Mum sighed again. “I was so excited about getting my Mercedes. I wanted to really see what it could do, you know? It wasn’t much fun just popping down to the shops at a snail’s pace. That car was built for the race-track, not for the speed bumps along the high street. I wanted to really put my foot down, enjoy my newfound wealth and freedom!”
“Mum, did you get caught speeding? You can’t do that. You could get hurt, or you could cause an accident and hurt someone else—”
“No, no! I would never speed on the road. And the nearest racetrack is down in Barchester. I thought I’d find a nice open field. You know, one of the farms that backs on to the estate, just to really open her up and see what she can do.”
“Oh, yes?” From the evil grin playing on Morrie’s lips, I knew this was going to be good.
Mum’s blush deepened. “It turns out that the field I’d chosen contained a small herd of prized Hereford cows. Of course I didn’t see them because the field is so big! It shouldn’t have been a problem. I was miles away from the cows when I let loose. Only, the grumpy farmer saw me barreling across the field toward his cattle, so he called the police!”
I let out a rasping laugh that stung my throat, but I didn’t care. Morrie was already laughing. Beside me, Heathcliff let out a snort. Quoth covered his mouth with his hand, but I could tell from the way his eyes sparkled that he was laughing, too. Mum’s face was beet red, but she continued. “The police come screaming around the corner, sirens blaring. Of course, I panic, and slam on the brakes. Except that now the wheels are so slick with cow dung that they’re just spinning free. I can’t get out. Everything I tried just buried the car deeper or splattered more dung around.”
“The police had to tow the car out,” Morrie gasped out between chortles. “One of the officers took a video and put it on Facebook. Do you want to see?”
“Hell yes.”
“Mina! Morrie!” Mum looked horrified.
Morrie handed me his phone. Heathcliff, Quoth, and Mrs. Ellis crowded on the bed to watch. I hit PLAY and watched my mother waving her arms around, the Flourish logos visible even under the layers of crap.
“Mum!” I laughed. “You’re going viral!”
“Mina, shhh!”
“You’re famous. You’ll be recognized everywhere in your Mercedes—”
“It’s no good to me now,” she snapped. “Of course, when the Flourish people saw the video, they decided I didn’t have the right attitude to be a distributor for the company, so they revoked my membership.”
Panic shot through me. “But what about the lease payments on the car? How are you able to afford—”
“It’s fine,” Morrie said. “I’ve sorted it.”
Mum placed her arm around Morrie’s shoulders and beamed. I noticed that he didn’t look quite so jovial anymore. But I was too relieved to question him about it. That would come later, when we were back at the shop, when I was truly home again…
Heathcliff and Morrie continued bickering. Mrs. Ellis and Mum launched into a loud discussion about the various kinds of foods that could be made into crisps. Grimalkin slipped back into the room in her feline form and demanded to be let under the blankets to nuzzle against my legs. Quoth leaned over the bed and nuzzled my head with his.
“I’m so happy you’re safe,” he whispered.
But am I safe? Are any of us safe?We may have caught the murderer, but Count Dracula was still loose in the world, draining blood and building his power. And that wasn’t even taking into account my grandmother being a shapeshifting feline water-nymph, my eyesight deteriorating, and Gary buying up the town and refusing to take no for an answer. I felt like the character in Poe’sThe Pit and the Pendulum, with a sword of Damocles waiting around every corner.
I glanced around the hospital room at all the people I loved most in the world, and a deep sense of trepidation settled in my gut. We might feel triumphant now, but an evil vampire and his plans for world domination could destroy everything and everyone I cared about.
“I don’t want to be a downer,” I whispered into Quoth’s silky hair. “But I think our problems are just beginning.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
“Ithought you weren’t eating any of that hospital food,” Heathcliff muttered as he staggered up the steps to Nevermore, holding me in his arms. “I thought you said it was, and I quote, ‘so disgusting I’d rather drink Flourish smoothies’.”
“I stand by that statement,” I said, tightening my grip around his neck.
“Then why do you weigh more now than when you went in?”
“Hey! I resent that.” I swatted his arm. “Blame Morrie. He’s the one who kept sneaking in all those pork pies and Belgian chocolates.”
Morrie took a bow. “I live to serve.”
“I’m only kidding.” Heathcliff’s lips brushed my neck. “You’re more beautiful than ever.”
My heart swelled. Morrie dashed up the steps to hold the door open. Heathcliff carried me across the threshold. The scent of paper, old leather, dust, and cat fur permeated my pores.Nevermore Bookshop.It was so good to be back.
