Looking for Mr. Good Witch by Joyce and Jim Lavene Read Free Book Online Page B

sure her daughter was all right. She was still very angry with Brian.
    I took Dorothy and Olivia back to Smuggler’s Arcane. It was just in time for the shop to open. We had a busy day ahead of us, but we were going to have to handle it without Elsie or Brian.

CHAPTER 6
    Love, elusive and free,
    Bring him back to me,
    Touch his eyes and make him see,
    Bind his heart to me.

    The day was as busy as I had expected it to be. Witches we knew, and some we didn’t, came in for supplies to celebrate the full moon. We almost sold out of candles and silver knives. I knew the organized event in Wilmington was going to be well attended. I hadn’t realized how many smaller events were going on around us too.
    That was good news for us as witches as well as for Smuggler’s Arcane. The Council of Witches always worried about losing witches without gaining new ones. One might be born a witch without knowing it, like Dorothy. Or one could be a witch and choose to ignore it. Either way was bad for the propagation of witchcraft in the new century. A strong base meant a better chance of survival.
    I didn’t worry about the survival of witchcraft overly much, but the council continuing to bring it up had left me worried. I was glad to see new faces at the shop.
    Many of our customers were not witches at all. Some of them wanted to observe our customs, while others weresimply curious. I handled all of them the same. It was a blessing to have people interested in the old ways.
    Phoebe came in from Atlantic Beach and filled a tote bag with everything from herbs to a new cauldron. She was a regular customer, and a practicing witch.
    â€œHave you all heard the news yet about the deaths of the witches from Savannah and Charleston?” she whispered as she paid for her haul. “I’ve heard there has been another death right here in the Wilmington area.”
    â€œYes.” I finished running her MasterCard and gave her a receipt. “I’ve heard that too. Cassandra is supposed to be at the celebration tomorrow night. I hope she has more news on that front.”
    â€œIt’s the beginning of a new purge,” Phoebe said. “There are too many witches now, and we’re too open about what we do. Do you know how many witchcraft pages there are on Facebook?”
    â€œNo. I don’t get on Facebook much.”
    â€œI counted one hundred and fifty,” she confided. “That’s why they want to do away with us.”
    Being a witch didn’t preclude being paranoid from time to time. With the history of our craft, it wasn’t surprising.
    â€œThat sounds like a lot,” I agreed. “I don’t think we can take back the knowledge that we exist now.”
    â€œThe council could take it back. They could erase the memory of us from all the non-magic people in the world. Then we’d be protected. I have a petition right here that I’m planning to present to them.” She rummaged in her large handbag and pulled out a petition that was written on a scroll. “Will you sign it, Molly?”
    Since I was fighting not to have Joe’s memory of witches erased, I could hardly sign her well-meant petition. As I glanced up for a diversion that could allow me to escape from behind the counter without hurting Phoebe’s feelings, a large bag of lemon balm fell to the old wood floor.
    Olivia smiled and shrugged.
    â€œExcuse me, Phoebe.” I smiled at her. She was a very good customer and an old friend. “I have to clean up this mess.”
    â€œOh!” Dorothy noticed the bag of lemon balm. “I can do that for you, Molly.”
    â€œKay needs your help choosing a new robe for the celebration,” I told her.
    We had brought in a few new robes, dresses and other elaborate apparel for the event. Not dozens of them, since they were expensive, but I hoped to sell them all.
    â€œSorry. Sure.” Dorothy went to help Kay, who was from Wrightsville