all something to do while they wait,â she said. Oz nodded.
âIâll go,â Marty volunteered.
âNo,â Mel said. âOz needs out of the van for a bit.â Marty made a sour face and Mel added, âRelax. Tate and Angie should be back shortly to spell you both.â
Two boys in green coveralls with a nuclear emblem on the front were next up at the window.
âWhat can I get you?â Mel asked.
âHave you witnessed any paranormal activity, maâam?â the taller of the two asked.
âExcuse me?â Mel said.
âWeâre the Bonehead Investigators,â the boy said. He looked at Mel as if this should mean something to her.
âWeâre ghost hunters,â the smaller one said as if Mel were too stupid to live. âIâm Atom and this is Leo. Our specter meter clearly indicates that you have a paranormal presence here. Please confirm.â
He gave her a severe look and Mel blinked. He was holding a small gadget that looked like an iPhone, and it was flashing with blue lights and making a whistling noise.
âWhatâs the holdup?â Marty groused from behind Mel. âOrder some cupcakes, kids, or move along.â
The meter in the boyâs hand went berserk, the flashing intensified, and its whistle became a screech that had both Mel and Marty covering their ears.
âShut it off!â Mel cried as she saw the costumed people behind the boys cover their ears and back away.
The two boys looked from the meter to Marty and then at each other. In unison, they cried, âItâs him!â
Six
Leo dropped to the ground and began fishing through his backpack. For what, Mel could not imagine and she really didnât want to find out.
âTime for you to take a break, Marty,â she said and she shoved him towards the back door.
Atom, the smaller boy, had grabbed the window ledge and was trying to hoist himself into the van.
âOh, no you donât, short stack!â Mel said.
She hustled Marty out the back and then grabbed two of her brain cupcakes. She gently nudged the boy off of her window and held out the cupcakes.
âHere you go,â she said. âThese are on me. Probably, you shouldnât be chasing people with your . . . uh . . .â
âSpecter meter,â Leo said.
He and the smaller one exchanged a look, and Mel realized, judging by their matching nose and chin, that they were brothers. They ignored her proffered cupcakes and Leo jerked his head in the direction of the back of the van. Atom nodded. They took off running in opposite directions.
The next person in line stepped up and Mel went to take their order, when she heard a yelp. She glanced up and saw Marty hotfooting it through the crowd with the two boys on his tail. If she was a betting woman, sheâd lay odds that Marty was beating feet over to Oliviaâs booth.
Mel had no doubt that Olivia would scare the two hooligans away from her man. She just hoped Olivia didnât do any permanent psychological damage to the boys.
âWhatâs the haps?â Tate asked as he climbed back into the van.
âYou wouldnât believe me if I told you,â Mel said. Luckily, the crowd surged forward and Mel was spared from trying to explain about Marty and the sawed-off Bonehead Investigators and their specter meter.
She figured theyâd see Marty again as soon as he lost his newly acquired shadows, er, shadow hunters? She was unclear on the proper nomenclature for ghost hunters or whatever it was those two boys thought they were.
âSo, are you and Angie okay?â she asked.
âYeah, weâre good,â he said. âSeeing Roach like that, well, it made me realize how lucky I am. Anything Angie wants for our wedding she gets, so it looks like youâre going to be hers.â
Mel smiled. âWorks for me, but you know I would have been happy to stand up for you, too.â
âYeah, I