Part 10 (2/2)

”Why are you doing this?” Evelina said. ”I mean, I thought you promised the Witches' Council you'd stay away from me?”

He shrugged. ”You need my help.”

As simple as that.

Wow.

She wished her feelings for him were that easy to explain.

But who was she kidding?

Frankie would help anyone. He was that kind of guy. Besides, this wasn't just about her. Frankie's sister was killed by a black magic spell. So he had a personal interest in the case.

Just like she did.

And she planned to get to the bottom of it.

”What's up with the h.e.l.l Hut?” Abby leaned across the counter of the Coconut Shack. ”No weenies today?”

”It's closed.” Tally continued to stack paper cones under the counter from the box in her hand. ”I haven't seen them.”

Evelina closed the till, then leaned over the counter beside Abby to have a look. ”Seems strange, in the middle of the day, doesn't it?” What were they up to? Judy and Susie Cheetum were dedicated vendors or cutthroat compet.i.tors, whichever way you looked at it. Last week Susie strutted up and down the beach in a hotdog suit while Judy marked a tally after each customer on the chalkboard under the heading hotdogs sold.'

”There's a volleyball tournament in an hour,” Abby said. ”I can't see them missing that.”

Evelina agreed. A tournament meant spectators-hopefully, hungry and thirsty ones. If the tips were good, it promised to be a lucrative day.

”There must be some crisis.” Tally's brow puckered, as though doing mental calculations of lost sales. ”They wouldn't miss this.”

”Oh well.” Abby announced with a wide smile. ”More customers for us.”

And less nasty looks.

The only thing the Cheetums loved better than winning was blowing their own horn.

No sooner had the thought left Evelina's head did a girl with curly pigtails roll up to the shack on a Segway, fling a flyer at them, then zoom off down the beach.

Evelina caught the green flyer in midair. ”Party at the Pier,” she read. ”Catered by the h.e.l.l Hut.”

”No wonder they're not here.” Tally's ocean blue eyes grew. ”So much for taking the day off.”

”Evil never sleeps,” Abby said in dour tones.

”Eight o'clock tonight,” Evelina read on. ”Music, dancing, and good eats.”

Abby scrunched up her face. ”I thought the tournament was to promote good health? So much for that message getting through.”

Tally squinted down the beach in the direction of the pier. ”They must be down there now setting up.”

”Look!” Abby pointed skyward.

A huge red banner with the words h.e.l.l Hut emblazoned in orange flames sailed behind a seaplane over the sparkling Atlantic.

Evelina cupped one hand up to block out the sun.

Impressive.

Not to mention expensive.

They'd have to sell a pile of weenies to pay for that.

She would have sworn it was impossible, if she hadn't seen it with her own eyes.

That night at the pier Judy and Suzie cranked out weenies faster than a sausage factory.

”That thing must be enchanted.” Abby whispered against Evelina's ear as they watched the steady line at the h.e.l.l Hut's weenie cart. ”How else could they spit them out so fast?”

The smell of hotdogs polluted the salty air. Stars twinkled above the white lights strung along pier. The carnival sounds of calypso music played over the rush of the surf in the distance.

”Hey! Check it out.” Abby gave Evelina an elbow jab in the ribs. ”Look who's here.”

Evelina turned, expecting to spy Frankie and Cliff, who'd promised to meet them there.

Instead, Ronny and Donny Cupid, a.k.a. the Dirty Diaper Gang, swaggered by with c.o.c.ky grins plastered across their freckled faces, craning their long necks to leer at every bikini-clad body that came their way.

Evelina glanced over their curly nut heads. If they were here, Wendell Barnes couldn't be far behind. He always kept his trusty henchmen close by.

She turned around to head the other way and there he was.

Wendell smiled. ”Evening, ladies.” He could pour on the charm when he wanted to.

Tally took a step back.

Abby's eyes narrowed. ”What are you doing here?”

”The same thing you are.” Wendell drawled, ”Partaking of the local culture.”

Abby folded her arms across her chest, raising one dark brow. ”I didn't know you could dance.”

Wendell's gaze slid up and down Evelina, causing a s.h.i.+ver to snake through her. ”I can do almost anything with the right partner.”

What did that mean?

Hopefully, not what it sounded like!

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