4 Witching On A Star Read Online Free Page A

was proud of what they had accomplished.
    When I entered Hypnotic – the wind chimes over the door announcing my presence – only Clove was in the front of the store. She glanced up when I entered and then turned her attention back to the ledger she was balancing.
    “What’s going on?” I asked as I slid onto the overstuffed couch in the middle of the retail area.
    “Nothing,” Clove said nervously, smoothing down her shoulder-length hair as she averted her gaze from mine. “Why do you think anything is up?”
    I hadn’t meant the question as an inquisition. Clove’s reaction, though, made me realize that something really was up. She was a terrible liar.
    “Where is Thistle?”
    “She’s in the back,” Clove said. “We’re getting ready to do our spring ordering and we have to take stock of what we need.”
    That sounded plausible – except I knew that Thistle was obviously doing something else given Clove’s nervous demeanor.
    “Huh,” I said. “So, are you guys going to be carrying anything special this spring?” I was going to play the game until Clove folded. She always did.
    “What? Oh, I don’t know. We’ve found some new candle wax we want to try and Thistle has ideas for some flower candles she wants to make. She’s going to branch out and start making those scented wax melts, too.”
    “That sounds cool.”
    “Yeah,” Clove continued, casting a quick glance over her shoulder at the curtain that separated the main store from the storeroom at the back. “And we’ve ordered some cool new voodoo dolls from New Orleans. They’re really neat.”
    “Those should be a big draw.”
    “Yeah,” Clove nodded. “And more herbs and crystals, of course.”
    “Of course,” I agreed. “And Thistle is doing inventory?”
    “What?” Clove looked surprised. “I told you she was doing inventory. Why did you ask me that?”
    Because you’re a big fat liar. “I just forgot.”
    “Oh, okay.”
    “What is she inventorying again?”
    Clove pursed her lips and furrowed her brow. “You’re trying to trip me up.”
    “That’s an ugly thing to say.” True, but ugly.
    “I’m not doing anything,” Clove whined.
    “I didn’t say you were,” I said. “I want to know what Thistle is doing.”
    “Why do you think Thistle is up to something?”
    “Because you’re acting all squirrely,” I replied succinctly.
    “I’m not acting squirrely,” Clove countered. “You’re just suspicious by nature. It’s not a very nice trait.”
    Well, that did it. Thistle was definitely up to something. I got to my feet and started moving towards the storeroom. Clove blocked my entry behind the counter. “That’s for employees only.”
    “What are you hiding?” I grabbed Clove’s shoulders and tried to physically move her. She was small but strong.
    “Hey, don’t do that,” Clove protested, reaching up and grabbing my hair angrily. “You can’t go back there.”
    “ Ow! Let go of my hair.” I reached over and yanked Clove’s hair for good measure.
    “ Ow! That hurts!”
    “It’s supposed to,” I gasped as Clove gave my locks a particularly vicious yank. “Stop that.”
    “You stop it,” Clove seethed through clenched teeth.
    “You stop it first,” I ordered.
    “No, you stop it first.”
    This was getting us nowhere. “At the same time.”
    Clove met my gaze, searching my blue eyes with her brown for hints I was lying. “On the count of three.”
    I nodded. “One.”
    “Two,” she gritted out.
    “Three,” we both said at the same time and then took a step back from one another.
    “Well, that was undignified,” Clove said finally, never moving her wary glance from my face.
    “You started it,” I grumbled, turning away from her and moving back towards the couch. I wasn’t giving up; I was just regrouping and rethinking.
    I didn’t have long to wait. Once I was back on the couch, the curtain to the storeroom was dramatically thrown open as Thistle flounced her way out. “What