Charmed Ever After (The Halloween LaVeau Series Book 6) (10 page)

“I’m just looking at the bread.” I gestured toward the basket at the end of the counter.

“Let me know if you have questions,” he said with a smile.

He was friendly now, but chaos would ensue if Monique entered the place. I figured if I waited at the end of the counter, if Monique came in the door I could run toward the back. It was the best plan I could come up with on such short notice. What would I do about Annabelle? She would be here soon and I’d told her to pick me up in front of the deli. I would have to call her and work out another option. I pulled out my phone and hit redial. I hoped she heard the phone. Sometimes she turned the music up in the car so loud that she didn’t hear the phone.

“Pick up, pick up,” I whispered.

I glanced around and noticed there was a back door. My plan was to sneak out there, around the side of the building, and back to the front. As soon as Annabelle pulled up, I would jump in and we would take off. At least that was how the plan had worked out in my mind. Whether it really would work that way or not remained to be seen.

When the deli owner wasn’t looking, I inched around the counter and slipped through the entryway into the back area of the shop. I hoped he didn’t catch me back there. He would think I was stealing something. I didn’t want the police to catch me and put me in jail. Then I wouldn’t be able to find Nicolas and Liam.

There was a couple large refrigerators back there along with a prep area for making food. I slipped on the floor a couple times, but managed to remain upright.  Thank goodness there wasn’t any kind of alarm on the back door, so I was able to open the door and slip right out. Trash cans lined the door in the back alley.

Monique wasn’t in the back alleyway, so I stayed close to the wall and then inched down until I was almost at the street. I peeked out from the side of the building and looked to the left and then to the right. So far Monique wasn’t there. I had the impression she was somewhere nearby though. I checked the time on my phone. Annabelle should be here any minute. I was just typing out a text when I spotted her car. Annabelle pulled up to the curb. I glanced around again to see if it was clear for me to run out.

I dashed out from the side of the building. There was no time to even look around. I had to make it to Annabelle’s car. She had opened the door for me by the time I got near.

I jumped in and closed the door. “Okay, go.”

Annabelle pulled away from the curb. “Oh, my gosh, Hallie, this is terrifying and exhilarating at the same time.” Her knuckles had practically turned white as she held the steering wheel tightly. At least Annabelle was a good driver. For that I was thankful.

I buckled my seatbelt and said, “Whew, you made it.”

“Why have you been running?” she asked.

“Monique was at the apartment and then she was on the street where you just picked me up.”

“You don’t know why?” she asked.

“I have no clue.” Luckily, I still had the book in my hands. “We have to go to Nicolas’. He wants me to pick up a trunk.”

“What? You talked to him?” Her big blue eyes widened.

“He sent me a text. For some reason, he can’t talk on the phone, but I’m not sure how he sent the text.”

After the short drive, we pulled up to Nicolas’ apartment. I peered around at nearby trees wondering if Monique could be hiding back there, waiting to jump out at me. Was her car parked somewhere that I just wasn’t noticing?  I had a feeling she would be looking for this trunk soon, if she hadn’t gotten it already. There had to be a reason Nicolas wanted me to get it. We got out of the car and walked up to his apartment. I turned the key in the lock and pushed the door open slightly. After peeking inside and not seeing anyone, I saw the trunk was still there and motioned for Annabelle to follow me inside.

“I want to know what’s in the trunk,” she said.

“That makes two of us,” I said.

We moved over to the trunk and I stared down at it. “What will we do with it?” she asked.

“I guess we’ll have to lift it out of here.” I blew the hair out of my eyes.

“I hope it’s not heavy,” Annabelle said.

I grasped one side with the handle and lifted it. The thing was heavy, but not too bad, although I couldn’t carry it myself.

“Okay, on the count of three we’ll lift it. Lift with your legs. One, two, three.”

We lifted the trunk and I stumbled backwards. Finally, I got my footing and we made some progress, heading toward the door.

“Don’t hit the wall,” Annabelle said.

“Thanks for looking out for me,” I said as I managed to get down the small steps and headed toward her car.

When we finally reached the car we lowered it to the ground.

I let out a big breath. “That was hard.”

“Okay, just a short break and then we have to lift it into the car,” Annabelle said.

“Do you notice any unusual cars?” I asked.

“Not yet, but I’m completely paranoid that we will. What if she drives up and jumps out right in front of us?”

“That’s why we have to hurry up and get this thing in the car. Just don’t even think of that as a possibility,” I said.

Annabelle nodded and I gestured toward the trunk. I hoped I didn’t break my back doing it.

“Okay, on the count of three again,” I said. “One, two, three.”

We groaned as we hoisted the thing up and into the back of the car. The thing had barely fit in the trunk of her car. Annabelle closed the lid and we hurried around and jumped in the car.

“We can take it to my house,” she said.

I shook my head. “No, that’s too dangerous. I don’t want you involved in whatever’s in the trunk. I don’t want it at your house.”

Of course I didn’t have a place to put it. I really didn’t want to go to my mother’s either. That left me with zero options, but I supposed since my mother could do magic it was best if I took it to her place.

“We’ll go to Mother’s,” I said.

Annabelle made the next right. “Okay, if you’re sure.”

We arrived at my mother’s house. She lived in a brick two-story. She complained that it was too much space for her, but she refused to move out. The amount of flowers she’d added to her yard was beginning to make the place look as if it was a nursery.  Every type of flower I could imagine decorated the front yard and just as many were in the back. If anyone accidentally stepped on one, it would end with a stern lecture from my mother about paying attention to surroundings. I hoped Annabelle remembered.  

“Is she home?” Annabelle asked as she shoved the car into park.

I unbuckled my seatbelt. “I’m sure her car is in the garage.”

My mother would probably flip out when she saw what I was bringing into her clean and neat house. This trunk really looked as if it needed a bath. I glanced in the side mirror one more time to make sure we hadn’t been followed.

“Is anyone there?” Annabelle asked.

“Sorry, I just had to look one more time,” I said. “We’re safe, I think.”

“You’ve been watching the whole drive. I never saw a car that looked suspicious,” she said.

Annabelle and I got out and walked around to the back of the car. She popped the trunk. I wasn’t sure why I held my breath waiting for her to open it. Of course the trunk would be there. We’d put it in there ourselves. I guessed with magic involved I never knew what might happen.

“This will be more difficult to get out than it was to put in,” I said.

“We just have to get a good grip on the sides,” Annabelle said.

I grabbed one handle and Annabelle took the other. We pulled, but nothing happened.

“I think the key is that I count to three.”

Annabelle nodded. “I’m ready.”

I released a deep breath and then counted. Luckily, it worked this time. I’d just gotten the trunk up and almost out of the car when the handle on my side snapped. The trunk tumbled to the ground with a loud crash.

Annabelle released a little scream and then dropped her side. “I really hope there’s nothing breakable inside,” Annabelle said. “How will we carry it now?”

“The old-fashioned way,” I said. “Without the handles.”

I bent down at the knees and grabbed the trunk from underneath. I just had to make sure I kept it balanced. Annabelle and I slowly walked across the driveway. It was difficult when I was doing it backward.

“Watch out for that bush,” Annabelle called out.

I weaved around the rose bush. The hardest part was going up the porch steps. Finally, we made it to the front door. I rang the doorbell and looked around for any signs of someone suspicious as we waited for my mother.

“Don’t you have a key?” Annabelle asked.

“Do you want to just go inside carrying something like this?” I asked.

After a few seconds, my mother answered. She had a confused look on her face. “Why didn’t you just come inside? Why did you ring the bell?” Before I had a chance to answer, she looked down at the trunk. “What is that doing here?” Her eyes widened. “Why did you steal it?”

“I didn’t steal it. Nicolas asked me to get it and I had nowhere else to bring it.”

“You talked with him?” My mother froze on the spot and her eyes widened.

“It’s a long story, but not exactly. He sent me a text and asked me to get the trunk.”

My mother exchanged a look with Annabelle. Annabelle shrugged.

“Glad to know you all think I’m nuts. Now can I bring this in or not?”

My mother looked around nervously and then opened the door wide so that we could fit the trunk through the door. Annabelle and I carried the thing inside and placed it on the living room floor.

“It’s dirty,” my mother said with a frown.

“It’s just a little dusty,” I said, wiping my hands on my pants.

“What’s inside?” my mother asked.

“I’m not sure.”

“Then why is it here?” she asked.

I shrugged. “Nicolas wanted me to get it. That’s all I know.” I pulled out my phone. “I want to see if he answers me this time.” I sent the text, but it wouldn’t go through. “It said it was undeliverable.”

“Try not to worry too much,” my mother said.

“Yeah stay calm,” Annabelle added.

Easier said than done. That wasn’t a good sign and made me even more nervous. Something bad had happened.

“Well, let’s open it and see what’s inside,” my mother said.

“I don’t think we should do that. Nicolas didn’t ask me to open it.” I paced around the trunk.

“Yeah, well, he didn’t tell you why you should get it either. I think you deserve an answer, so we should open it.”

“I agree,” Annabelle said, placing her hands on her hips.

We had just moved closer to inspect the lock when a bang sounded from somewhere.

“It sounds like someone’s outside,” my mother whispered.

We hurried over to the window and closed the blinds.

“I don’t want anyone peeking in,” my mother said.

“I think it might be Monique. She was following me earlier,” I said.

“I’m going to look out the window.” My mother pressed her body close to the wall so she could lean close to the window. She eased the blind back just a tad and then pushed it back quickly.

“What did you see?” I asked.

“There’s a man walking around out there.”

“He has to know we’re here,” I said.

“Your car is parked out front, but that doesn’t mean we’re in here.”

“That’s exactly what it means,” I said.

“How can we get him to go away?” Annabelle asked.

“I don’t want him to get inside. I will do a spell,” my mother said.

Thank goodness she still had magic. That was the reason why I’d wanted to bring the trunk here. What if we’d taken it to Annabelle’s and this guy had shown up there? We would have had no way to stop him. My mother waved her arms through the air and then recited the words. Lights zipped and zinged around the room in dazzling colors. I wished I could still do spells like that.

“Stop the intruder from entering my home. Keep him away so that he can’t roam.” Once my mother finished, she peeked out the window again.

“Do you see him?” I asked.

She shook her head. “He’s not there.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. “I guess he left when he thought we weren’t here.” Just then the door rattled. “I guess I spoke too soon.”

We peeked out the window and saw him tumble backward.

“I think the spell is working,” my mother whispered.

“I hope so. Someone has to have magic that works.”

He had tried to get in, but thanks to my mother, it hadn’t worked. Would he know that we had cast a spell to stop him from getting in? I had a feeling that Monique had sent him. But why? I wasn’t the leader and had given her everything she wanted. Why was she still coming after me?

The man walked off the porch and hurried away.

“I guess the spell did stop him,” my mother said with pride in her voice.

“Now what?” Annabelle asked.

I glanced back at the trunk. “Do you think they want what’s in the trunk?”

My mother and Annabelle peered over at the trunk too.

“If that’s the case then we definitely have to look inside,” my mother said.

Now I really was nervous. I was scared to find out what was in there. The big problem was, how we would get into the trunk?