The Secret Ingredient of Wishes by Susan Bishop Crispell

Author:Susan Bishop Crispell
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781250089106
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

18

The lamp was on in the den when Rachel got back to Catch’s place. She contemplated trying to sneak upstairs, but if she wanted to keep her secrets from getting out—and have the possibility at a normal life—she’d need Catch.

Catch sat in a squat leather chair catty-corner to the fireplace. Despite the muggy heat that poured in through the windows, she had a blanket draped across her lap as she read a cooking magazine.

“I need your help,” Rachel said. She leaned against the doorway, jamming her hands in her back pockets to keep from fidgeting.

“Okay, I’ll bite. What do you think I can help you with?”

“A pie. It doesn’t matter what kind.”

“Is it for you?”

“Yes.”

Catch stuck her finger between the pages of the magazine and closed it, keeping her narrowed eyes on Rachel as if she could read the secret on Rachel’s face. “What have you got to be keeping secret?”

Nerves sparked along Rachel’s skin, and she dropped her gaze to the floor. Her heart beat frantically at the thought of admitting everything to Catch. “Will it work if I don’t tell you?”

“You know the rules. You want my help, you tell me what’s bothering you and who you plan on feeding my pie to.”

“It’s not for you or Ashe, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“I’m not. I’ve only known one person stupid enough to try and use my own pies on me. I was married to the bastard. Luckily, he was smart enough to get himself killed and leave me the hell alone,” Catch said, her tone calm, almost amused.

Catch was probably the only person Rachel knew who could get away with joking about someone’s death being a good thing.

“But back to you. Whatever it is you’re hiding, you know I’ll find out so you might as well tell me now and let me help you.”

Rachel bit the inside of her cheek. Catch was right. If Lola started running her mouth to more people about what happened to her at the barbecue festival, Catch would find out anyway. The only way to keep the town from turning against her was to stop Lola before she could convince them Rachel hurt her on purpose.

“I need the pie for Lola,” she said.

“You think I’m gonna help you keep her secrets?”

“Of course not. I need her to keep mine.”

“What does Little-Miss-Has-No-Heart have on you?” Catch asked, slapping the magazine onto the side table.

Stepping into the room, Rachel let out a steadying breath. Then the words spilled out. “I can do things like you can. But instead of binding secrets, I make wishes come true. But I don’t always have a handle on it, so sometimes things don’t go right. And Lola is threatening to tell everyone all about it.”

Catch took the admission in stride, betraying no hint of surprise. “Well, that’s an interesting little tidbit you’ve been keeping all to yourself. You didn’t think that maybe I could help you sooner so that it wouldn’t be an issue if someone found out?”

“I know.

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