Page 287 of Sigils & Spells

I sighed. My thoughts went back to last night, the demons. The demon.Finley. As I cleaned out the drawers, I found one of them was stuck. I pulled and pulled, but finally had to figure out how to remove the damn thing entirely. They did not make them as easy to detach as they did today.

As the drawer came free and things scattered as if I just pulled the cork out of a champagne bottle, I heard a distinctive thunk sound. I ignored everything but the book. I knew it was a book. I had dropped many in my life and one of the most appealing aspects of this house was the living room had those floor to ceiling bookshelves. The kind built into the wall. The bottom portions were closed door cabinets, and the tops were just rows upon rows of books until the decorative trim signaled that was it. Ceiling reached. Those shelves were stocked.

I scrambled to get to that book and the moment I grabbed it, I was thrown back against the side of the bed. I grunted, got the wind knocked out of me, but I held onto that book. I frowned and looked at the floor. A silk scarf was under my foot.

I groaned and wondered aloud, “Stupidity is probably how the others died, too.”

I got up and made sure not to step on anything else as I carried my book down to the kitchen for the last of the pizza. I really needed to go grab some groceries. I looked around and realized no amount of work in that bedroom was going to make me feel accomplished, but by the end of this day, I would need food. I picked up my oversized purse, put the book I could see was a journal inside of it, and picked up the last slice of pizza before heading out.

Feeling way too crazy for my own good, I admitted, “You know, if a man really wanted my heart, it wouldn’t be that difficult to get it. I’m a simple person, really. I like things clean and tidy. I grew up in a total pig stye. I hate that. I like to eat, and I lived in a dorm, so I’ll be learning how to cook. I like to feel safe and comfortable. It’s sad the only place I felt safe was in a college dorm. This is my home. I’m not going to be afraid in it. And I’m not going to just give my heart away to anyone. Not the idiot I dated in college and not to whatever the hell is in this house. I’ve played with imaginary friends my whole life. They’ve never been mean to me before. You want this heart, earn it.”

I felt better. I knew on some level I was trying to process my insane ass dreams with my creepy house reality, but walking that fine line between normal and nuts was a balancing act I’d been doing since childhood, so why stop now?

I went to a local restaurant and loved that it was set up like an old-school fifty’s diner. The menu may have old school options, but sure had new school price tags on it. I wanted so much but needed just enough to get me through the grocery store on a budget and with my list. I could do more shopping once I got my first paycheck. The community college here paid once a month. Fortunately, this summer semester was starting two weeks into the month, and they did not hold back a pay period, so two weeks. I had to stick to the budget for two weeks. Then, I would have a regular flow of income.

I looked up as the bell above the door signaled someone else had walked in. I smiled as Lyle turned his head and looked at me. Lyle was definitely not my dream lover. A medium height, medium weight, conservative fashion sense bordering on uniform…wait, was that a uniform? As he moved closer, I realized it probably was. I blurted out, “You work at the same agency as your grandma?”

He laughed and asked, “May I join you for lunch?”

“Sorry. Yes.” I indicated the seat.

He slid in and nodded. “I do. In fact, I am taking over, which is why she insisted we get the Carter property off the market before she retired.” He winked at me and said, “Thank you.”

I smiled, nodded, and said, “And thank you for taking that mattress upstairs.”

His brow spoke volumes his mouth didn’t have to voice but did anyway. “I didn’t move that. I promised her I would never go in there. It’s ridiculous, I know, but she is convinced that the place is cursed and any man who enters is doomed.”

“Well, someone moved it. The mattress was on the bed and the bed was made.” I shrugged. “Do you have a cleaning service?”

“For the rentals, yeah, but again…the uh…housekeepers won’t go to that house. Too much superstition in this town.” He tilted his head. “You need to get the locks changed. That’s…weird.”

“Yeah.” I nodded.

We placed our orders and as the server walked away in her old-fashioned uniform with my old-fashioned order, I said, “Will a locksmith come out and do that or do I need to go—”

His facial expression said it all. He shook his head and added, “Anyone willing to go into that house is either not from around here, doesn’t know anyone from around here, or is like you—a non-believer. Or worse.”

“What’s worse than me?” I asked.

He shook his head, held up his hand as though he were going to apologize.

I said, “I get it. Go on.”

“Sorry. Worse are the paranormal investigators. Like the guy who had a heart attack. The one who bought the luxury mattress. Now, I know they said he had to drag that big ole box from the gate into the house, but…was it heavy enough to put him into cardiac arrest?”

“Out of shape?” I did my research. He was not out of shape. He was a marathon runner and placed in a triathlon three months prior to his arrival. “Drugs?”

Lyle pointed at me, then tapped his nose. “That’s the story, anyway.” He looked around a bit and then leaned forward as he whispered conspiratorially, “Though the autopsy said he was clean.” He leaned back and smiled up as our drinks were put on the table. “Susie, this is Courtney Dawn. Newest member of our community. Bought the Carter place.”

Susie put her hand up instinctively to her shoulder and sort of flinched. “I don’t go there.”

My eyebrow shot up despite my effort to react neutral to that comment. “I would hope not, since it's private property. My property.”

“Right.” She had to be all of nineteen. “Of course.”

Lyle gave me the look I was probably giving him because when she left, he said, “Maybe she moved the mattress.”

“I’m adding locks to my list.” I puffed out a breath.

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