A Charmed Life (Halloween LaVeau Book 5) (5 page)

Chapter 8

How could I possibly have this many guests at once? I knew this wasn’t a coincidence and I wasn’t going to let this go without confronting my latest guest.

I placed my hands on my hips and glared at him. “Just exactly what do you think you’re doing?”

He quirked an eyebrow and said, “What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean. Why are you here? If it’s because of the Book of Mystics, then you can just forget about it. The book is locked up tight and there’s no way you would ever find it.” I’d learned my lesson with that.

“Look, I really don’t know what you’re talking about. Maybe it would be better if I just found someplace else to stay. I saw a sign for a Holiday Inn about ten miles from here,” he said, gesturing over his shoulder.

I stared for a few seconds longer and realized that maybe I was wrong. It was possible that he was only here as a guest. Now I was upset with myself. Look at the way I’d treated him. I was really letting the Book of Mystics thing get to me. I was pretty sure that my face was red like a tomato.

Now I had to apologize. “I’m terribly sorry. I must have mistaken you for someone else. I hope you’ll forgive me.”

He stared at me. “Okay, I understand, but do you have a room for me?”

Thank goodness it looked as if he was going to accept my apology.

“Yes, please make yourself at home.” I gestured across the foyer with a wide sweep of my arm.

Maybe I just needed to get used to the fact that life running a bed-and-breakfast was hectic. Maybe this was the busy time of the year and I just didn’t know it.

He watched me suspiciously as he stepped farther inside the house. I couldn’t blame him for that.

“I just have a few papers for you to fill out and then I can show you to your room.” I tried to sound as professional and cheerful as possible after the way I had talked to him. I hoped he liked cupcakes because a batch of chocolate ones with double fudge frosting were definitely coming his way.

I handed him the papers and watched as he hurriedly scribbled down the info. The gold ring on his right hand glinted under the overhead light. The design on the ring was unique, a dark silhouette of a man. I wondered what it stood for.

My mind wandered as I waited. I still couldn’t get over the fact that I’d never had this many guests before. I only had a few rooms left. There was no way that I would be completely booked, so I didn’t think I had to worry about that.

He handed me the paper back. His name was Ben O’Malley.

“Nice to meet you, Ben,” I said in a cheerful voice.

“Likewise,” he answered in a clipped tone.

Apparently he wasn’t in the mood for small talk. I motioned for Ben to follow me up the stairs. I gave him a little history about the house. Of course I left out the one about my ancestor possibly being hidden somewhere in the house. I mostly talked about the design of the home and surrounding scenery outside. He listened as we made the trip upstairs.

I opened the door and walked into the room. A canopy bed with a white comforter took up a lot of space in this room. Not the most masculine room I had, but he didn’t seem to mind.

“I think you’ll really enjoy your stay here. If you need anything please let me know.”

He attempted a smile, but I knew that he was still upset over the way I had acted. His chilly demeanor made that evident.

I left him alone in the room and headed back down the stairs. Just as I reached the bottom of the stairs, a loud noise echoed through the foyer. It sounded like it came from outside. I was pretty sure that Cora was still in her room, so it couldn’t have been her. I raced over to the front door to take a look outside. I was almost afraid to discover what might have made the noise.

When I peeked outside, I spotted two women on the front lawn. The clothing had popped out of their luggage and was scattered everywhere. They were frantically trying to pick it up and shove it back into their suitcases. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. No way were they here for a room. It couldn’t be. I just refused to believe it. I hated to be so suspicious, but I just couldn’t get over the past events enough to believe that this was real. I didn’t think anyone would blame me for feeling that way.

I opened the door and stepped out onto the porch. For a few seconds I watched the women. They hadn’t even noticed that I was out there. They were still shoving clothing into their suitcases and trying to get the tops closed.

Finally, I said, “Excuse me, ladies, is everything all right?”

They spun around and looked at me with startled looks on their faces. For a moment, they didn’t say anything. Finally the taller woman said, “We’re here for rooms at your beautiful inn.”

Just as I had suspected. Maybe I should have learned my lesson from the last encounter, but I was determined to confront these women also.

I raised an eyebrow. “So you’re looking for rooms, are you?”

The women placed their luggage on the steps. The brunette said, “Yes, we need rooms.”

I crossed my arms. “How did you find out about my place?”

“The lady in town directed us here,” one of the women said.

“Oh, is that right? And who is this woman?” I asked.

The other woman said, “I don’t think we got her name, sorry.”

Okay, now this was going to sound rude, but I had to blunt with them. “If you’re here for the Book of Mystics, it’s not here.” I stared straight at them, not backing down.

They gave me confused looks again, but I wasn’t falling for it. “I’m afraid we don’t know what you’re talking about.” Williamina stiffened, as if offended by my words.

Sure, likely story. I wouldn’t fall for their innocent act.

The women picked up their bags and moved down the steps. “If you don’t have a room for us we can leave.”

Now just like before I felt bad. “No, wait, I have two rooms left.” I moved down the steps after them. “My name is Hallie LaVeau. I’m the proprietor,” I said with a smile.

The women stared in unison. My magic might have improved, but my customer service skills hadn’t. I wasn’t going to win an award for bed-and-breakfast of the year that was for sure. I stared, wondering if they were going to volunteer their names. After a few seconds of awkward silence, I realized that they were not.

“I have two lovely rooms if you’d like to see.”

The women stuck their noses up in the air and then grabbed their bags. I fully expected for them to turn around and stomp the other way down the driveway. I didn’t see a car. Had they walked here or taken a cab? They must have noticed my look.

One of the women said, “The Uber driver dropped us off.”

The women walked up the steps and stopped in front of me. The auburn-haired woman nodded and said, “We’re ready to see the rooms.”

At least they hadn’t left. I really needed to get myself together. “Please come in,” I said, motioning over my shoulder. 

They stepped inside the foyer and looked around critically. They reminded me a lot of Cora. They would probably check for dust too. Once I gave them the papers to fill out I would find out their names.

I handed them the keys and said, “I think you’ll like the rooms.”

They gave me a look that said,
We’ll see about that.

I tried to pick up on any strange vibes, but I just couldn’t quite put my finger on anything. Maybe my instinct was off. I waited as they filled out the information and then handed it back to me. I looked down at the names. Beth Sallee and Williamina Hamilton. I figured I’d remain formal for the time being and call them by their last names only.

“Nice to meet you, Ms. Sallee and Ms. Hamilton.” I attempted my most polite hostess smile.

They peered into the other rooms. The brunette asked, “Where are the rooms?”

“They’re up on the third floor.” I gestured.

“Oh, no, that won’t work for us. It’s too many stairs. Don’t you have anything closer?” Ms. Hamilton asked.

I really didn’t want to put them on the second floor. Cora would not be happy. She was obviously easily disturbed. But what choice did I have?

I smiled and said, “Yes, I have rooms on the second floor.”

I headed up the steps yet again with the ladies following me. No need to do a cardio workout today. I’d already gotten enough exercise on the staircase. As we neared the stairs, voices drifted down. It was almost as if whoever was talking was making sure to whisper. I wondered if I had another ghost.

As we made it to the second floor landing, I peered up. Arthur and Jolene were talking in the hallway. Well, I thought it was Arthur. I only saw Jolene, but I thought I recognized his voice.

She looked down and spotted me. The talking immediately stopped. It was kind of odd. I wondered what they were talking about. She stared at me for a second, and then walked away.

“That was just the other guests,” I said, trying to sound casual.

The women gave me blank looks and kept walking. I couldn’t believe that Cora was still quiet. I needed to have
do not disturb
signs made. I showed the women to the first room. After opening the door, they stepped inside and immediately started checking out everything just as Cora had. They even ran their fingers along the furniture to look for dust.

“I suppose this will do,” Ms. Hamilton nodded.

After leaving Ms. Hamilton in the room, I led Ms. Sallee to the one down the hall. After instructing her where to find the towels, I hurried out of the room. I’d told the women to let me know if they needed anything, but honestly, I was hoping that they wouldn’t. I was definitely going to have my hands full dealing with all the guests.

I’d just made it to the bottom of the steps when Arthur came back inside. He smiled widely. I thought for sure that I’d seen him upstairs talking with Jolene.

Chapter 9

“That was a fast meeting,” I said, still trying to figure out if my mind was playing tricks on me.

“Unfortunately, it was rescheduled,” he answered. “Since I have nothing to do now, I was wondering if you would like to get lunch in town? I saw this great little café on Main Street.”

I wasn’t so sure that this was a good idea.

He studied my face. When I didn’t answer right away, he said, “Actually, I need your help.”

I quirked an eyebrow. “Oh, really?”

This should be interesting. I couldn’t wait to hear.

“You see, I’m moving to town and I really could use some inside information. You’d really be doing me a huge favor by sitting down and talking to me about it.” He gave me a sad-eyed look.

Did he really think I’d fall for that? I hesitated as I rolled the idea around in my mind.

He smiled at me again, as if offering one last plea. He did seem kind of sweet. I hoped that I wasn’t making the wrong decision. If this was some kind of trick to get the Book of Mystics from me then this guy was in for a rude awakening. I thought I was a good judge of character though and I hoped that I was right this time.

“I suppose lunch with you would be okay,” I said.

“Great, I’m starving. How would you like to go now?” He moved toward the door.

I suppose the guests would be okay until I got back. After grabbing my big LaVeau Manor B&B tote bag—I’d had them especially made to give out to guests—I met him by the door.

He opened the door and said, “You really need time to relax. I can tell you’re stressed.”

I stepped out onto the porch and he closed the door behind us. “What makes you say that?”

“Just the look on your face says it all.” He pressed the key fob and unlocked the car doors.

“Do I look that bad?” I asked as we walked toward his red Audi.

He waved his hand toward the house. “Look at the size of this place that you have to take care of.”

He did have a point about that. “It’s a lot, but I manage,” I said.

Arthur opened the door for me and then hurried over and got behind the wheel. He started the car and took off down the driveway. I glanced in the rearview mirror, back at the manor. It was an imposing structure to say the least. A veranda ran the whole length of the house. The place seemed to have a presence of its own. It was unique to say the least with the lush landscape, the river in back, and the cemetery nearby. A stone wall separated my property from the main road, and a crushed-pebble circle drive spanned the length of the manor.

Everything would be okay while I was gone, but I still had a strange feeling that I shouldn’t leave. I had a tendency to be a little bit paranoid, so I had to push that thought to the back of my mind. What could possibly go wrong with me not there?

As I looked over at Arthur, he grinned at me. Then it hit me—should I really be going anywhere with this stranger? Once he got me out of the house he could do anything he wanted to me. My mother had said not to talk to strangers. Of course, that had been when I was six—now she encouraged me to talk to strangers. Until I’d met Nicolas. She liked him. She was already strategically leaving bridal magazines around.

I didn’t know what I was worried about. Annabelle had brought him over here. Of course, she’d been in a separate car, but regardless, I was thinking too much about this.

“You sure are the quiet type,” Arthur said as he watched the road ahead.

I glanced at him. “Me? You’re the one who barely speaks.”

He smiled and said, “I just don’t know what to say.”

I was at a loss for words too. This was an awkward conversation.

“Have you always wanted to run a bed-and-breakfast?” Arthur asked.

I was almost embarrassed to say it had been a hasty decision, but maybe that would explain a lot to him. Why was he asking so many questions about me? Maybe it was time for me to ask him questions. 

As I was ready to start my interrogation, my phone rang. I pulled the phone out of my bag and saw that it was Nicolas.

“I was just calling to check on you,” he said when I answered.

I glanced over at Arthur. “I’m fine.”

Nicolas paused and I knew he was suspicious. So maybe I wasn’t fine and he’d picked up on that right away.

“I’m sorry, I just had that strange feeling again,” Nicolas said.

Well, he certainly had a sixth sense.

I cast a glance at Arthur. “No need to worry.”

“Where are you now?” he asked. “It sounds like you’re in a car.”

“Actually, I’m with a guest. We’re going out to lunch. He’s moving to Enchantment Pointe and has some questions.”

Nicolas was going to be suspicious of that right away. Maybe I was too naïve. I was the leader of the Underworld, for heaven’s sake. I should be more astute. Then again, Arthur really hadn’t done anything wrong. Even so, I was looking at him suspiciously again.

“He?” Nicolas asked.

I couldn’t talk to Nicolas about this in the car with Arthur. I had to wait until I got to the café and away from Arthur.

“My phone is breaking up. I’ll call you soon,” I said.

Nicolas might have thought I was lying, but my phone really was acting up. I’d barely hung up the phone with Nicolas when my phone rang again. I expected that he was calling back, but I saw the number was Liam’s.

“Are you okay? I’m picking up a strange vibe,” Liam said. “The same feeling as I had earlier. I know something’s wrong.”

Now I had Nicolas and Liam feeling the same way. “Everything is fine. I can’t talk now. I’ll call you later.”

“But…”

The call dropped. Maybe they were picking up something that I wasn’t.

When I glanced at Arthur, he asked, “Is everything okay?”

“Well, one call was my boyfriend and the other was my friend and colleague. I guess they were just concerned about me. I was having a stressful morning, needless to say.”

“So your boyfriends?”

When I looked over at him, he quirked an eyebrow. I chuckled. “Boyfriends? No. Boyfriend, yes.”

“So the other guy isn’t a boyfriend? He seems a little bit concerned as well.” Arthur smirked.

“I guess you could say he’s a close friend, but that’s all,” I said.

Why was I explaining all of this to him?

We drove in silence for just a little bit longer and then Arthur said, “You don’t have to hide the witchcraft from me. This is Enchantment Pointe, I know what goes on here.”

“You know about that?” I said.

He tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. “Yes, I know about it.”

Just how much did he really know? “So is the witchcraft why you’re in Enchantment Pointe?”

“Do you mean do I practice witchcraft?” He didn’t take his eyes off me.

I’d like to think that I would have gotten a notice if witches were coming into Enchantment Pointe, but I never received the memo. They didn’t tell me about it. People could be sneaky. If they had nefarious intentions, they wouldn’t tell me about them.

“No, I’m not practicing witchcraft. Sorry—like I said, I’m just here for business. My friend and I are thinking about opening up a place in Enchantment Pointe. If we decide to do that, I’ll be staying here to run the place.”

Oh, well, that all made sense.

“Why didn’t you mention that earlier? What type of business is it?” I asked.

We arrived in the middle of the historic part of town. Arthur drove down Main Street, which was lined with specialty shops and boutiques. Cobblestone sidewalks with old-fashioned lantern streetlights added to the charm. An old stone wall surrounded the outer edge of town with the river running just on the other side, twisting and turning around the outer edges of Enchantment Pointe.

“We’re actually thinking about opening a bar for witches,” Arthur said.

My eyes widened. “You want to compete with the Bubbling Cauldron?”

“It would be no competition.” He spoke with a bit of cockiness in his voice.

“The Bubbling Cauldron has been around forever.”

“Our place would be different.”