Pet Psychic Mysteries Boxset Books 5-8 (Magic Market Mysteries Book 2) Erin Johnson (good books for 8th graders .txt) 📖

“I want boba.” Heidi grinned at me,

I huffed. “Fine.”

The door swung open a moment later, and the old man held it open and ushered us inside with a sweep of his arm. “Come in, come in.”

Will ducked his head and walked in first.

“Well, wipe your feet!” the old guy bellowed.

Will startled and bumped into a crooked shelving unit littered with glass bottles that tinkled together and nearly toppled. My enormous friend grabbed it with his huge hands and righted it. The old man let out a laborious sigh, then moved deeper into the shop, grumbling to himself.

“Shifters—like they were raised in the wild.”

Will backtracked and knocked his shoes against the doorframe. I leaned close to him and muttered, “Oh great, and he’s racist, too.”

Will sniffed. “Alright, you choosy beggar.”

I waved the shivering Heidi ahead of me, then dutifully knocked my boots against the doorframe before sliding into the tiny shop and closing the door behind me. No wonder Will had nearly knocked those bottles over—the entire place was dingy, dark, and cluttered. I had to turn sideways to ease down a path to the back where the old man shuffled behind a tall counter.

Will ducked under a low, crooked beam, and Heidi paused to peer at a decanter of shimmering, iridescent liquid. She pulled back, scrunched up her nose, and sneezed. A thick cloud of dust flew off and caused her to sneeze a few more times.

I pulled my lips to the side, thinking of Daisy. Guess allergies were getting everyone this time of year. Though with dust an inch thick covering every surface of the shop, probably every day was allergy season.

I waved my arm to clear some cobwebs and eased between two bookshelves. Pockets of colored light from glowing potions lit up the dim space and wild, careening, funky music came from an enchanted organ to my right. I frowned, though an amused smile tugged at the corner of my lips. I wasn’t sure what I’d been expecting, but it seemed the perfect space for a disgraced potion maker who liked to drink his own concoctions.

I followed Will and Heidi to the back, and we stood on the other side of the tall counter from Alabaster Monroe. The old man hobbled about, a stained apron tied around his neck. He coughed, a hacking, rasping noise, and Will and I exchanged looks. That didn’t sound good. Alabaster sniffed and wiped his bulbous, red nose on his sleeve. Oh, good—and hygienic, too.

A small iron cauldron bubbled on the worn wooden countertop. I crinkled my nose as he uncorked a bottle of what appeared to be toenail clippings and shook a dozen or so into the concoction. The liquid flashed a brighter green, then returned to a low simmer. He recorked the dusty, cloudy bottle and slammed it down next to a dish of ice-blue gems, a tray of speckled feathers, and a jar of dried, brown frog legs.

Heidi shivered and rubbed her arms, then scooted closer to me. I didn’t blame her—except for right in front of the magical flames heating the cauldron, the place was just as chilly inside as it was out in the rainy street.

“So.” Alabaster narrowed his cloudy eyes at each of us and slammed his gnarled fingers onto the countertop. “What can I do ya for?”

Will raised his brows at me, and I cleared my throat.

“I’d like to ask you some questions about Letty Jones—was she a customer of yours?”

The old man gave me a long, hard look, then his lips split in a devious grin, revealing several rotten teeth. “Doctor-patient confidentiality, missy.” He winked. “Good try, though.”

The old man turned around and hobbled to a tall bookshelf behind him and ran a finger with a broken nail over the dusty bottles. I flashed my eyes at Will, and he rubbed his fingers together—the universal sign for cash.

Ah—duh. I needed to bribe the guy.

I dug around in my pockets and fingered the several gold coins there. Luckily, I’d been paid for my last case with Peter a few days ago and still had some money left after paying back rent to my landlady, “the dragon,” as she was so lovingly known around the Darkmoon.

I licked my lips as I scanned the shelves of glowing, bubbling potions. “Do you, uh, have anything for allergies?”

Alabaster glanced over his shoulder at me, eyes narrowed. “I might.”

I nodded. “Yeah, with the wind kicking up pollen.” I grimaced. “It’s been rough.” I sucked on my lips as I pulled out the coins and placed them on the counter, the metal tinkling together. The old man’s eyes zeroed in on them. “I was hoping to find out about the potion you made for Letty’s strawberry allergy. I hear she had bad allergies, too.”

A little crease appeared between his bushy white brows. “Had?”

He hobbled closer and scooped up the coins, shoving them into the pocket of his apron.

I nodded, watching his expression carefully for his reaction. “She was found dead earlier this evening, at her wedding.”

A cloud passed over the old man’s expression, and his shoulders drooped. “You don’t say.” He patted behind him till he found the tall wooden stool, then slid onto it, shaking his head. “That’s… that’s a real shame. She was a sweet girl.”

He twisted the gold band around his gnarled ring finger, seemingly lost in thought.

Heidi leaned on the counter, her lips pulled to the side. “Are you married?”

“Hm?” He looked up, startled, as though he’d forgotten we were there. “Oh. I was.” He looked down and realized what he’d been doing, then shoved his hands into the pockets of his ratty trousers. “My wife passed away some time ago.”

Heidi’s brows pulled together. “I’m so sorry.” She sighed and laced her fingers together under her chin. “I hope I get married someday.”

The old man’s gaze softened as he watched her. He let out a quiet chuckle. “Best thing that ever happened to me. She looked a