stopped though. She had trouble recalling just when.
Emily chirped a greeting to a passerby before asking, “What is Michael up to today?” Always her first question. Michael was such an idiot, thought Melinda. Emily was a catch.
“Exploring a cave with Charlie,” informed William.
“With Charlie. That’s great! Are they getting along better today? If I have to listen to Michael go on and on about Charlie this and Charlie that…” she stopped, biting her tongue.
“Don’t worry, Emily. We feel the same way,” Melinda retorted.
“To be honest,” began William, “they are researching a case for the sheriff. A man’s skeleton was discovered in a cave yesterday.”
“Oh. Well, that’s too bad, but maybe the time together will be good for them.”
“We can only hope,” Melinda agreed wholeheartedly.
“It’s just so nice to see you both,” Emily said with a happy sigh. “It’s the perfect start to my morning. Well, including this.” She grinned as if she’d just been caught doing something naughty, while holding up her crème horne bag. “Just can’t seem to get my gumption without my morning sugar fix.”
“Frankly, Emily, it’s sort of a relief to know you have a weakness. You’re too perfect!” claimed Melinda.
“Me? Perfect? Hardly,” she snickered.
Melinda wished she could have an ounce of the likeability Emily possessed. She always found it so easy to be around people as if they’d been friends her entire life.
“Here we are,” announced Emily, scrounging through her oversized purse for the key. A carved wooden sign hung out over the edge of the building. It read, Harboring the Book… aptly named after the harbors that surrounded the town, and for being a haven for new and used books.
Twice, while searching for the key, Emily’s glasses fell off and into her bag, and once she had located the key, she dropped it. William’s astute movements caught it just before it slipped into a deep crevice in the pavement.
“Thank you, William. You move so fast. That must come in super handy.” She entered the store, leaving the door open so they could follow.
Emily Morgan knew all the secrets of the Howard family. About them being witches, about Michael’s ability to see how someone died, about William being a vampire, and about Melinda’s prophetic dreams. She even, at times, assisted with research on difficult cases.
Emily had moved, with her parents, to The Demon Isle from Savannah, Georgia, at the start of her senior year of high school. She and Michael became fast friends, especially after her mother’s death just months after their move. This was followed by the Howard’s parent’s deaths, just a few months later.
After graduation, Emily left the island to attend college, but a year in, her father’s health had taken a toll for the worse and she returned home. The bookstore owner hired her as part time help, and just a year and a half later decided to retire, leaving Emily to manage the store.
“Ah, the smell of books.” She let out a satisfied sighed, set down her belongings and turned to Melinda and William. “So what brings you out today? I’m guessing this isn’t just a social call. Do you need help with research for the case your brothers are working on?”
“Well… actually… we are here to see you, Emily,” Melinda admitted. “I wonder, would you mind if we took a look at your ring?”
“This ring?” Emily held out her hand. “Whatever for?”
William dashed over and grasped onto her hand, splaying her fingers, looking closely at the ring, searching for any clue as to its true purpose.
“I am afraid I have never seen a ring like this before.” William frowned, disheartened. “I had hoped upon closer inspection I would recognize it at once.”
“Well, what’s so important about my little ‘ole ring?”
Sudden comprehension stretched across Emily’s face. She pulled her hand away from William and stepped back, her eyes darting to
Emily chirped a greeting to a passerby before asking, “What is Michael up to today?” Always her first question. Michael was such an idiot, thought Melinda. Emily was a catch.
“Exploring a cave with Charlie,” informed William.
“With Charlie. That’s great! Are they getting along better today? If I have to listen to Michael go on and on about Charlie this and Charlie that…” she stopped, biting her tongue.
“Don’t worry, Emily. We feel the same way,” Melinda retorted.
“To be honest,” began William, “they are researching a case for the sheriff. A man’s skeleton was discovered in a cave yesterday.”
“Oh. Well, that’s too bad, but maybe the time together will be good for them.”
“We can only hope,” Melinda agreed wholeheartedly.
“It’s just so nice to see you both,” Emily said with a happy sigh. “It’s the perfect start to my morning. Well, including this.” She grinned as if she’d just been caught doing something naughty, while holding up her crème horne bag. “Just can’t seem to get my gumption without my morning sugar fix.”
“Frankly, Emily, it’s sort of a relief to know you have a weakness. You’re too perfect!” claimed Melinda.
“Me? Perfect? Hardly,” she snickered.
Melinda wished she could have an ounce of the likeability Emily possessed. She always found it so easy to be around people as if they’d been friends her entire life.
“Here we are,” announced Emily, scrounging through her oversized purse for the key. A carved wooden sign hung out over the edge of the building. It read, Harboring the Book… aptly named after the harbors that surrounded the town, and for being a haven for new and used books.
Twice, while searching for the key, Emily’s glasses fell off and into her bag, and once she had located the key, she dropped it. William’s astute movements caught it just before it slipped into a deep crevice in the pavement.
“Thank you, William. You move so fast. That must come in super handy.” She entered the store, leaving the door open so they could follow.
Emily Morgan knew all the secrets of the Howard family. About them being witches, about Michael’s ability to see how someone died, about William being a vampire, and about Melinda’s prophetic dreams. She even, at times, assisted with research on difficult cases.
Emily had moved, with her parents, to The Demon Isle from Savannah, Georgia, at the start of her senior year of high school. She and Michael became fast friends, especially after her mother’s death just months after their move. This was followed by the Howard’s parent’s deaths, just a few months later.
After graduation, Emily left the island to attend college, but a year in, her father’s health had taken a toll for the worse and she returned home. The bookstore owner hired her as part time help, and just a year and a half later decided to retire, leaving Emily to manage the store.
“Ah, the smell of books.” She let out a satisfied sighed, set down her belongings and turned to Melinda and William. “So what brings you out today? I’m guessing this isn’t just a social call. Do you need help with research for the case your brothers are working on?”
“Well… actually… we are here to see you, Emily,” Melinda admitted. “I wonder, would you mind if we took a look at your ring?”
“This ring?” Emily held out her hand. “Whatever for?”
William dashed over and grasped onto her hand, splaying her fingers, looking closely at the ring, searching for any clue as to its true purpose.
“I am afraid I have never seen a ring like this before.” William frowned, disheartened. “I had hoped upon closer inspection I would recognize it at once.”
“Well, what’s so important about my little ‘ole ring?”
Sudden comprehension stretched across Emily’s face. She pulled her hand away from William and stepped back, her eyes darting to
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