Page 41 of Trick or Stalk

Margaret notices. “You read romance?”

“Definitely.”

She laughs. “I knew I hired you for a reason.”

We continue toward the rear of the store. An old wooden staircase leads to the second floor.

“What’s upstairs?”

“More books. Used inventory. A little reading area. My office.”

“Anything haunted?”

Margaret gives me a sideways look. “You've been in Hollow Creek too long.”

“Probably.”

She points toward a narrow hallway beneath the stairs.

“Bathroom is down there. Staff room is the second door.”

We walk farther back, Penny’s nails clicking on the hardwood floor.

At the end of the hall sits another heavy wooden door. Margaret grabs the handle and gives it a hard tug.

Nothing happens.

She tries again.

The door jerks open.

“Storage.”

I peer inside.

Boxes line the walls from floor to ceiling. More shelves. Old displays. Holiday decorations. Stacks of books waiting to be sorted.

“It’s bigger than I expected.”

“Used to be part of the neighboring shop before everything was remodeled decades ago.”

She releases the door. It swings halfway shut, then stops.

“The door sticks.”

“I noticed.”

“It’s temperamental. Humidity makes it worse. Sometimes you have to put your shoulder into it.”

“Good to know.”

“Eventually I’ll get someone to fix it.”

I glance at her. “How long have you been saying that?”

“Seven years.”

I laugh. “I won’t hold my breath.”