Page 14 of The Accidental Ghost

Either way, they were going back to the scene of the crime.

Where she’d been murdered.

And Ralph was terrified.

Chapter

Five

When they pulled up to her tiny store with its cheerful display of books in the window, along with a worn teddy bear sitting in a rocking chair, she couldn’t help but smile, no matter how miserable she’d been feeling on the way over.

Speaking of the ride over… The entire time, Shamus had been forced to hold her hand to keep her from floating all over the interior of the car.

Not that his hand in hers had been a bad thing, but it was daggone annoying. Nina had swatted at her and yelled in her face to get away from the windshield and stop floating into her line of vision, while Marty and Wanda bellowed at Nina to stop being so rude about something Ralph couldn’t help.

Somehow, they’d managed to make it to her store without creating a ten-car pileup.

Now that they’d arrived, everyone grew quiet.

The lights from the street and the windows of the other shops surrounding hers glowed in the frosty night.

The work to get to this point in her life had been hard. Seeing Once Upon a Time brought so much pride. She’d searched high and low for exactly the right spot. A place where people could find fellow readers, a place where there were nooks and crannies and a magical quality she’d spent two years on Pinterest creating boards to achieve.

A neighborhood that craved good books and the love of community. She’d found that right here. Right inside this white brick structure with a mint-green, candy-cane-striped awning with scalloped edges and an enormous, illuminated fairy with rainbow-colored wings holding a sign that read: Nothing happens unless first we dream.

Right inside were whimsical chimes hung in corners, and puffy wingback chairs next to equally quirky end tables, where you could set a cup of coffee or a glass of wine.

The Dr. Seuss area, where she’d placed funny-shaped, brightly colored tables and a big top hat, like the one on the cover of The Cat in The Hat, where children could come and hear a story read to them by a local author.

It was all gone now. Dark and slathered with her death. But for that one bright moment before her demise, she’d felt more alive than ever before in her life.

Optimistically speaking, she’d have that memory forever, and she’d learn to accept that her dream was gone eventually, but the longing she felt as they parked beside her store made her choke up.

As she took a closer look, she noted there were wilting bouquets of flowers, crosses with cards and notes pinned to them, and a big sign that read: Rest in Peace, Ms. Tucci. We love you.

Her eyes went wide. Was that all…for her?

“Ooo, Ralph, honey. Look how well-loved you are,” Wanda commented softly. “How lovely.”

Shamus turned to smile at her. “I’ll say. That’s a pretty great testament to your life.”

Speechless, Ralph sat stunned, staring at the outpouring of love from so many people.

“I…” She didn’t know what to say, but seeing all these tributes undoubtedly cemented her fate. Clenching her fingers together, she fought a loud sob of gratitude tinged with her deep sorrow. “The people in my life were good people,” was all she managed.

“You okay, Ralph?” Marty asked, her tone sweetly sympathetic.

She nodded bleakly. “I just really want to see Blanche.”

They all piled out of the car…well, she floated. She hadn’t mastered walking yet. Though, Shamus had assured her that eventually she’d get the hang of it.

She didn’t mind floating. It was actually kind of freeing to be able to move so swiftly.

Thankfully, night had fallen, allowing them to move under the cover of darkness. Marty stopped for a moment and stared at her building.

“This place looks so familiar…”

“You know, I was about to say the same thing,” Wanda commented. “But I can’t remember ever coming to a bookstore, can you, Marty?”

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