“That’s a shame.” Mum rummaged around in her bag. “I brought some new eyes to put on him. Those glass ones are a little scary. They terrify the children, so I got these instead. They’re much more fun.”
She plonked down a bag of plastic googly eyes. Heathcliff’s own eyes bugged out of his head so much they matched perfectly.
I stifled a laugh. “I think Heathcliff would prefer if you left the shop the way it was, Mum.”
Googly eyes forgotten, Mum flew around the table and wrapped me in her arms. “Mina, I’m so glad you’re okay. Those rotten men didn’t hurt you, did they?”
“No, no, like I said yesterday, I’m fine.” I tried to wriggle out of her grasp, but she only held me tighter. “I’m a little shaken up, but it’ll take more than a kidnapping to break me. I’m worried about Morrie, though. The kidnappers still have him, and the police think he’s conspiring with them to get away with murder!”
“Are you talking about that body found up in the Barsetshire Fells?” Mum’s voice rose in horror. “I heard they were looking for a suspect. They can’t imagine a respectable professional like Morrie would have anything to do with such a heinous crime?”
“It’s on their minds.” I shuddered. “I just want to know he’s safe. But I’m going crazy sitting here waiting for the phone to ring. I need the distraction, so thank you so much for minding the shop. You don’t know what it means to me, to us.”
“I’m always willing to lend a hand, you know that.” Mum pecked me on the cheek, finally releasing me. “Have fun, Mina. I’m proud of you.”
Have fun.At first, I couldn’t figure out why she was suggesting I have fun interviewing a potential murderer, but then I remembered. In all the excitement of Morrie’s case, I’d almost forgotten the real reason I was heading out – I was going to meet my new guide dog for the first time.
My stomach gave a nervous flip as I pulled on clothes, ran a brush through my hair, and zipped up my leather jacket. This dog was going to be my eyes once mine didn’t work anymore. I’d pinned so much hope on being able to continue my work at the bookshop and live a normal life, and today I’d find out if that was true.
Chapter Eight
The kennel was in Crookshollow, which was one of the larger villages in Loamshire, the next county over. We hopped off the train and walked down the high street, taking in the Halloween kitsch. Crookshollow was known as one of the most haunted villages in England, so there was a witch statue in the middle of the green and every shop played with the theme. We passed a bakery calledBewitching Bites, which judging by the skull-shaped cupcakes in the window we would definitely be visiting for lunch, and a whole bunch of crystal shops and occult booksellers. I stopped in front of a display of tarot cards.
“Mum would love these,” I breathed. There was even a set featuring brightly-painted cats dancing all over the cards.
Heathcliff nudged me along. “We don’t have time for—”
Too late. The shop bell tinkled as I headed inside, my eyes wide as I took everything in. Crystals hung from every inch of the ceiling, reflecting dancing prisms of rainbow light around the dark room. Dragon statues, crystal pyramids, and skull incense-burners crowded every surface, and the air reeked of patchouli and wax candles. A young woman with funky short hair dyed with pink bangs stood behind the counter, reading a thick tome.
“Your shop is wonderful.” I beamed at the girl as I took it all in. The shop – which was calledAstarte– reminded me of the magic store in one of my favorite movies,The Craft. It was far more colorful and less intimidating than the room of occult books at Nevermore.
“Oh, it’s not my shop.” The girl turned the book around to show me the title.The Dynamics of an Asteroid. “The woman who owns it, Clara, is visiting her son up at Raynard Hall, so I’m minding the shop as a favor. My name’s Maeve.”
“Nice to meet you, Maeve. I’m Mina, and I’d like to get this tarot deck, please. Also…” I leaned over to inspect boxes of colored crystals lining the edge of the counter. “Which crystals are good for attracting wealth?”
“Um…” Maeve raked her fingers through her short hair. “Here’s the thing. I don’t believe in this stuff. It’s all a bunch of nonsense. Real magic isn’t about carrying rocks around in your pockets. It’s all up here.” She tapped her head, then touched her chest. “In your brain. Or in your heart.”
“Agreed. It’s a present for my mum, and she believes in this stuff. Okay, so…” I fumbled through the box and pulled out a couple with swirling colors. “These ones are pretty. I’ll tell her they’re for finding your fortune.”
“That’s the spirit, no pun intended.” Maeve glanced over my shoulder as she rang up my purchase. I turned to see what she was looking at. Quoth hovered in the doorway, his fire-ringed eyes mesmerized by the swirling colors of the crystals, while Heathcliff paced and glowered outside. Maeve leaned across the counter, arching a perfect eyebrow. “Tell me, which one of those beautiful men is yours?”
“Oh… um…” I fumbled with my bat purse.
“Or are theybothyour boyfriends?”
Heat flared in my cheeks, which gave Maeve all the answer she needed.
Maeve’s eyes twinkled. “No judgment here. I’ll tell you a secret. I live in a big castle overlooking the village with myfiveboyfriends. They like to joke that they’re my harem.”
“Five boyfriends?” I grinned. “You have my sympathies. I can barely deal with the bickering with my three.”
“Three, huh?” Maeve tore a page from a moon cycle notepad and scribbled something down. “This is my number. I’m studying at Oxford, but I’m around Crookshollow on weekends. Call me if you ever want to talk about our… reverse harems.”
“Mina,” Quoth called from the door. “Heathcliff is yelling.”
“Coming.” I paid for my purchases, waved goodbye to Maeve, and bolted outside. Quoth slipped his hand in mine and dragged me up the street. Of course, with his avian instincts for direction, he knew exactly where we were going without even glancing at his phone’s map.
The guide dog kennels were housed in a small cottage on the corner off the main road, opposite a tattoo parlor calledResurrection Ink. Heathcliff and Quoth flanked me as we walked up the path, doubt piercing my heart.What if this doesn’t work?
