Free Her Dear and Loving Husband by Meredith Allard Page B

do if he knew the truth. And he worried about how Sarah would feel if she knew. But more than Kenneth Hempel, even more than Sarah, he was troubled by the madness he knew would infect everyone everywhere if his secret went public. If make-believe suddenly became real-life. When the library was deserted and everyone else had gone home, when the campus was dark and the parking lot empty, when a hint of dawn glowed the thinnest ribbon of gold on the horizon, James made his way home alone and anxious in the darkness.

CHAPTER 8
     
    Two weeks later it was Halloween, the most important holiday in Salem, a month-long celebration. The streets were closed to motor traffic, and James had to walk around the barriers to find his way to Pickering Wharf and the Witches Lair. When he passed The House of the Seven Gables he saw an audience watching a reenactment of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s story. He passed a pumpkin festival where small children held their oddly carved treasures over their heads, and he shook his head in amusement when he saw a walking tour, a class on how to hunt for ghosts and vampires. He passed that group quickly, not wishing to be bagged as a prized game that night. The smell of sweet and salt—candied apples, sugar-spun cotton candy, popcorn, and the sea—filled the air. He enjoyed being outside in the crisp autumn night, watching the children point and laugh and eat and run while a parade of witches, ghouls, and superheroes roamed the roads. He knew the Witches Lair would be open late. It was a good time for sales, Jennifer had told him, since the tourists get bored when everything else around town closes at five. But James didn’t care anything about the tourists or the costumes or the sales at the Witches Lair. He knew Sarah would be there. He was going to see Sarah.
    Once at the shop he walked inside, glanced around for Jennifer, then sat behind the counter. He watched the people stream in and out, smiled at the happy children, flipped through some books on casting spells. He spotted Olivia, dressed as Raggedy Ann and moving around helping customers. Then he saw the silver crosses displayed in a basket by the cash register. He picked one up and held it close to his face. He was still studying it when Jennifer tip-tapped behind him.   
    “You mean the crosses don’t work? I thought I could finally do away with you.”
    “You’re thinking about werewolves. Or maybe that’s silver bullets with werewolves. Most of it is such nonsense.” He shook his head as he looked at Jennifer. “You’re dressed as Glinda the Good Witch? I’m not sure you picked the right costume. I was thinking more like the Wicked Witch of the West for you.”        
    Jennifer curtseyed, touching her star wand to her gold crown. Her iridescent pink dress was so wide at the waist she hardly fit behind the counter. 
    “Oh no, Professor. There are only good witches in Salem. And I’m at your service. I’ll grant you three wishes.”
    “I don’t think you could grant my wishes. They’re beyond even your magical capacity to help.”
    “I wouldn’t bet on that.”
    “Who do you think I am, Dorothy from Kansas?”
    Jennifer pointed her wand at the door. “I guess that makes Timothy Toto.” 
    James watched Timothy walk into the store. The boy looked pleased with himself as he stopped in front of the counter and threw his black cape behind his shoulders. From his tuxedo shirt to his black shoes, his brown hair run through with black dye, red streaks dripping from his lips, there was no mistaking his costume. 
    “You’re dressed as Dracula?” James asked.
    Timothy flashed his fake fangs. “What do you think?”  
    “I think you’ve lost your mind.”
    “It’s not very original,” said Jennifer.
    “Not any less original than your costume,” Timothy said. “Come on you two—it’s the one night a year I can be proud of what I am and show the whole world. I’m a vampire, everyone! A real live