CHAPTER 15

C HAPTER 15

M ia was alone in the school's first-floor kitchen working on the tea cakes and scones for tonight's interviews when she heard someone at the front door. Grans had just left to work on her project, and she'd taken Muffy with her. Mia didn't expect to see her for a few days. Grans was keeping her project such a secret, but that didn't surprise Mia. When she was working on cracking an aging spell, she'd worked at her house, not answering questions or returning calls. What Mia found out later was that her grandmother had a reason she didn't want to be seen in person. Now she had another project that was so important she couldn't sell the house until it was done.

Maybe getting married to Robert wasn't exactly what her grandmother wanted, and this was her way of delaying the ceremony.

Whatever it was, Mia would find out sooner than later.

The noise sounded again, this time louder. Cerby stood on his bed and barked toward the door.

"Is someone trying to get in?" She glanced at the security-camera monitor mounted on the kitchen wall. There was no one in the parking lot or by the front door. Before heading out to look around, Mia checked the locks on both of the exits in the kitchen. No use being surprised by a sneak attack. She wondered if the gym doors had gotten left open and maybe Bambi was here to set up for the night's events. Whatever it was, she would deal with it. Or them.

When she got to the banister, a white apparition floated on the stairs. She glanced down at Cerby, who was watching the ball of light. "Hello? Can I help you?"

The ghost turned toward her and nodded. It was Carla Manson. Carla floated down to the bottom of the stairs.

"Carla, you should pass over. Why are you still here?" Mia tried not to let her fear show. She didn't need to give Carla any more power over her than her presence already had.

Carla opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She grabbed at her throat, frustration oozing out of her essence. She tried again. "Sins of the father . . ."

"What?" Now Mia was really confused. "Carla, you need to pass on. Go to your next stop so you can grow. You're stuck here. It's not good for you."

The ghost tried to speak again, but nothing came out this time. Carla was already vanishing in spots. She had run out of energy. Carla needed to go and recharge wherever ghosts went to do that. Mia tried to calm her. "You just need to release and go."

Carla shook her head and pointed at something behind Mia. A scream sent Mia spinning around, and she saw Melody standing there, pointing toward Carla. Her face was white.

"What . . . is . . . that?" Melody stammered.

Mia turned back, but Carla had totally disappeared. She went over and pulled a shaking Melody into her arms. They walked over and sat on the couch. "Are you okay?"

" Okay? Didn't you see it? Or am I just going crazy?" Melody stared at the spot where Carla had been standing.

Mia frowned as she considered the options. Apparently, Melody hadn't been raised on a diet of fairy tales and witch development books. Mia needed to chat with her grandmother before blurting out what could be life-changing. "I'm not sure what you're talking about, but why are you here? And how did you get inside?"

"Your door was open. I heard you talking, so I pushed it the rest of the way open. I left the book we're reading for AP English upstairs in the prep room. I need it before class starts in five minutes." Melody put a hand on her stomach. "I'm still shaking. That was a ghost."

"Let's go up and get that book for you and get you back to class. It wouldn't do for one of the harvest queen contestants to miss her interview tonight because she was in detention." Mia stood and held out her hand. She was trying to avoid talking about the supernatural. "Besides, I need to get back to the kitchen and check on my scones."

"But did you see that thing on the stairs? It looked like Mrs. Manson, didn't it?"

Mia took Melody's arm, and the girl pushed herself off the couch to a standing position as they headed to the stairs. Mia ignored the question. "So, what are you reading for English?"

" Life of Pi . I'm not sure I love it, but at least it's different from reading Jane Eyre again. I swear, every new English teacher I've had in every grade put that on the must-read list. I don't think Blaine County even checks their teaching plans." Melody paused when they passed where Carla had been standing. She shuddered, then continued. "We get to choose our own book next time, and I'm rereading The Talisman . They're going to make it into a movie."

"Isn't that by Stephen King?"

"And Peter Straub. We read Ghost Story last year for Halloween, so I thought I'd report on another genre-horror book." She shook her head. Mia hoped she was thinking she imagined seeing Carla.

"I do love genre fiction," Mia admitted. "Especially living here. Sometimes I think I see things too. But usually there's a good explanation."

Melody seemed to consider her words as she hurried into the prep room and to her station, where the book sat on the table. She held it up. "Here it is."

After Melody left so she could make it to her English class on time, Mia relocked the front door as a thought came to her. How had Melody gotten into the school? Mia was sure she'd locked the door when Grans had left that morning. But Melody had said it was open.

Mia hurried to the gym and saw a door cracked open with one of the plastic door stands. She kicked it out and let the door close on its own. Then she checked the lock–again. Convinced all the doors were locked this time, Mia went back to the kitchen to check on the scones. Tonight, she'd make sure all the doors were secured after everyone had left the building. It could have been a complete coincidence, but it didn't feel that way. And if Melody had come in through the gym, why didn't she say so?

Nothing was adding up.

* * *

Thomas and the other four judges arrived at five thirty. Abigail had rabbited, so Mia escorted them to the gym, where they'd do the interviews. They'd set up a table for the judges that afternoon. Treats sat on a side table with coffee and tea as well as water. A matching table had been set up in the reception area where the event had been held last night. The girls and their accompanying family members would wait in the reception area to be called into the gym. Then, after the interview, they'd leave out the gym side door, where their family members would be waiting to take them home.

Bambi explained that it kept the girls from talking about the questions. Cell phones weren't allowed in the waiting room either. "It's not like most of them would be able to craft perfect answers in the time before their interview, but we want to see how they deal with being impromptu and out of their element."

Mia nodded and smiled in all the right places like she cared. It looked like the judges were thinking the same thing. Finally, when Bambi took a break from telling about the history of the interview section of the contest, Mia pointed to the doorway. "Okay, judges. When all the interviews are done, you can stay here or retire to our first-floor classroom. It will also have refreshments set up, including fresh coffee."

The men laughed, and then most of them sat down at the table. Thomas came over to where Mia stood. "Hey, I want to introduce you to the gang."

Mia smiled and followed him. "I'm a little uncomfortable about being on display. I'm supposed to fade into the background when an event is going on."

"You're too modest. You need to meet these people because they can introduce you to others who have events." He leaned closer. "And if Mia's Morsels becomes successful, you might give me my wife back."

"Thomas, I didn't mean to . . ." But Mia didn't get the apology out before he laughed.

He squeezed her shoulder. "Mia, I'm joking. And speaking of jokers, this is Zeus Eapen, our fearless leader."

The older man chuckled and squeezed Mia's hand as she reached out for a handshake. "Dear Miss Malone, your reputation precedes you. Although the file didn't have a picture or a description, you're a total knockout. I'm sure you would have won your year if you'd competed, just like your mama did."

"My mother competed in the contest?" Now, this was a story Mia hadn't heard.

Zeus shook his head. "I didn't say competed, I said won. Your grandmother was so proud of Theresa."

"I'll have to ask her about that someday." Mia glanced at her watch. "Sorry, I need to get the last details tied up and make sure the cookies aren't burning."

"Well, don't let me stop you. Cookies are a powerful thing, especially when we're trying to get these girls to tell us the truth. We'll need the sugar to sweeten them up." Zeus laughed and slapped Thomas on the back. "Right?"

Thomas rolled his eyes but nodded. "You're the expert here. Mia, Zeus has been a judge since he moved to Magic Springs thirty years ago."

"I'd love to hear the story—but cookies." Mia sprinted to the gym door. Abigail was going to owe her big-time for this. She was the manager for Mia's Morsels—she should have been the one doing the welcoming, not Mia. She burst into the kitchen, where Abigail was putting another tray of cookies into the oven.

"Sorry about that, I couldn't stand to hear another one of Zeus's stories. He cornered me last night. I think Thomas sent him over as punishment." She closed the oven door and took off her oven mitts, setting the timer.

"He said my mom competed in the queen contest. Is that true?" Mia crossed the last thing off her list for today. Tomorrow she had a whole new list, but for today, it was time to put her feet up and relax. All she, or someone she assigned, had to do was hang out downstairs. Just in case. Maybe Christina would want the job?

"Yeah, she did." Abigail didn't look at Mia. "It was senior year, and your grandmother pushed her into the competition. Theresa needed a distraction. She'd broken up with her high school sweetheart that summer. He went away to California for college and didn't ask her to follow. She was heartbroken. Of course, her freshman year of college, she met your dad, and everything was as it was supposed to be."

"I can't believe she was in a beauty contest. She always rails against them as being unfair to women and treating them like cattle." Mia took a cookie off the plate. "She never mentioned being in one."

"Maybe she was embarrassed. Maybe it slipped her mind." Abigail shrugged. "Does it change how you see her?"

"No, but I thought I knew everything about her." Mia bit into the cookie. "I suspect you don't want to babysit our group tonight? I'll check with Christina. I need a long bath."

"I'll do it. I think Thomas and I need to talk." Abigail glanced at her watch. "Besides, Christina may already be asleep. Delivery day is always hard on her."

"That's the problem with the youth of today," Mia said as she left the kitchen. "They have no stamina."

Abigail called after her, "I'm going to tell her you said that."

As Mia climbed the stairs, she thought about Carla and her statement. What did the sins of the father have to do with a harvest queen beauty contest? It had been a day of questions with no answers.

Instead of being asleep, Christina was sitting in the living room reading a magazine, a glass of wine in her hand. Cerby and Mr. Darcy were curled up, one on each side of her. Christina closed the magazine. "I thought your grandmother would be here."

"She went to her house to work on something." Mia went to the kitchen and grabbed the wine and another glass. When she came back, she refilled Christina's glass and filled her own. "So, what's got you in a mood?"

Christina pulled her hair back and, using a band she had around her wrist, made a ponytail. "You always know, don't you?"

"You're not one for drinking alone. And you never pine for my grandmother's attention. Did Levi say something stupid? Again?"

"No. I guess I'm just thinking. The wedding was a total disaster. Jessica was in tears most of the time. Isaac was a jerk. And Mom was just worried about how Levi's showing up was messing with her seating arrangements. She always orders extra plates, so I know there was food and a spot available for him. Sometimes my family makes me wish I was adopted or an orphan. But that sounds bad, doesn't it?" Christina finally took a breath.

"Your family is a handful. I'm not going to deny that." Mia sipped her wine. "But I'm not sure why it's upsetting you so much. You know them. This is what they do."

Christina set down her wineglass. "What if they're like this at my wedding to Levi?"

"You and Levi, huh?" Mia teased.

"Stop it. You knew it was going that way. I adore his family. Even when Abigail and Thomas are fighting. They don't bring everyone into the issue. Or have them take sides. Well, at least not too much. And Levi, he's not impressed by my parents or their house or the dresses Mom makes me wear. He's more impressed by the ideas I have and the restaurants that have been reaching out to hire me. There's a place in Portland that wants to do a catering wing and they want me to interview for the position. I guess my professors put my résumé out there with a recommendation. Now I'm getting all this attention."

"Levi should be impressed by that. But Christina, why are you still here? Find your job, find your life, marry the dude, and move." Mia sipped her wine. Replacing Christina would be impossible, mostly because she cared about her, but not for the work.

"I'm here because Levi hasn't asked me to marry him yet. And I like working with you and Abigail. And honestly, I'm a little nervous to do it all on my own." Christina rubbed Cerby's head.

"You aren't going to continue to get this kind of attention from the universe if you keep pushing it away. Levi will step up. Just tell him what you're doing, and that if he wants to be with you, you need a commitment." Mia started laughing and had to put her glass down.

"What?" Christina asked. Her eyes were wild.

"Blame it on Isaac and his wedding. Your brother owes you something, and this is as good of an excuse to be talking about your future with Levi as any." Mia glanced at her watch. "Are you beat, or do you want to watch Kitchen Wars with me? I have a couple of episodes recorded."

"I'll make some popcorn, and you queue it up. Sounds like a perfect way to end the evening." Christina stood and then hugged Mia. "Thank you for being my almost-sister."

"You're most welcome." Mia reached down and picked up Cerby. "Why didn't you go home with Trent tonight?"

Cerby didn't answer, just curled up in Mia's lap.

"Trent said he had somewhere to go and asked if we could watch him," Christina called out from the kitchen.

After Mia set up the show, she checked her messages. Nothing from Trent. She texted and told him she was upstairs from the event but watching television with Christina and Cerby.

It took a couple of minutes, but as Christina came back with the popcorn, an answer popped up. Have fun. See you in the morning and don't give Cerby popcorn.

Mia set her phone down and turned on the show. When it was over and she was tucked into bed, waiting to fall asleep, she wondered what Trent was doing. Probably something with the store. Rolling over, she saw Cerby watching her.

She pulled the little dog closer and rubbed his head. "Hey, buddy. Do you miss your guy tonight?"

Cerby whimpered a little and curled into her arms. He licked her face twice, then laid his head on her shoulder. Mia didn't speak dog, or hellhound, language, but that was a definite yes.

"I miss him too. Maybe Christina has the right idea. Maybe we should make this situation a little more permanent." Mia started chuckling as she thought about her response to Christina. "Maybe I should blame Isaac's wedding on me starting this conversation too. What do you think, Cerby?"

The little dog didn't answer because he was sound asleep.