Free Drop Dead Beauty by Wendy Roberts

can still allow her to see and talk to spirits? That way she could still help them go over. Could you just eliminate the intense feeling she gets experiencing their pain at death?”
    “It might be possible,” Rudie said, climbing a metal step stool. While looking directly at Maeva, he reached up and behind him and precisely snagged a jar on the top shelf. “But something that specific could take days or even weeks to develop. I don’t got nothing like that just hanging around. I’d have to experiment.”
    He hopped off the stool and placed the jar on the table next to the cauldron.
    “I don’t have days or weeks!” Sadie exclaimed. “I’ve just recently pulled myself out of financial ruin. A few months ago I was behind in my mortgage payments and I was barely keeping food on my table. Luckily business picked up when Seattle had a rash of serial killers and gang shootings. Finally I’m ahead of the game. Now a fetus the size of a prune is threatening to drag me back to the poorhouse.”
    She folded her arms across her chest and bit back tears. Then she drew in a deep, calming breath and watched Maeva and Rudie exchange concerned looks.
    “I’ve just gotta be able to work,” Sadie begged.
    “Well, then good thing Maeva brought you here because I
can
help. I might not be able to create something personalized but I can whip up a familiar spell pouch, and hopefully it will do the trick.”
    “So no pain while I’m around the dead?” Sadie asked, her face brightening with the thought.
    “Yup. It should eliminate
all
of your abilities as long as you’re wearing it.”
    Rudie dragged his step stool across the room and climbed it again. He appeared to know where everything was without even having to look through the bottles and cans. He looked at Sadie while his fingers snaked behind him deep into the back of a shelf without disturbing a single one of the tightly packed bottles or jars. Once Rudie’s fingers grasped what they delved for, he pulled forward his prize: a red, square metal canister. He placed the tiny capsule next to the cauldron as well.
    “So you said it will eliminate
all
my abilities. Does that mean no ghosts at all with this, um, spell or whatever?” Sadie asked.
    “That’s the best I can do,” Rudie admitted. “With such little notice it would be difficult for me to concoct a specific potion and spell that would only remove your ability to feel the way that ghosts died. Lucky for you that I’ve done a banishing spell a number of times. I can whip this one up quicker than you can say
Schizonepeta tenuifolia
.”
    Gee, I hope so. . . .
    “You mean I’ll be able to work in peace and quiet for once? No supernatural beings vying for my attention? No more prattling poltergeists or babbling apparitions?” Sadie’s face lit up. “Count me in.”
    “It’s not right to get rid of all your powers,” Maeva grumbled. “You were chosen to receive these talents for a reason. You serve a greater purpose . . . helping spirits move on.”
    “I know that but everyone needs a vacation once in a while,” Sadie said.
    “I guess it’s the best we can do while you come up with something better,” Maeva told Rudie. “And we’re grateful.”
    “Absolutely! And, hey, if it takes you months or a year or two to come up with something more specific to my situation that’s fine with me,” Sadie added. “Take your time.”
    “It shouldn’t take that long. It’s not like it’s Samhain or Beltain. Spirit stuff is kind of slow. Check in with me on a weekly basis and I can let you know how it’s coming. I’ll probably need you to test-drive a new potion for me to see if it works.” Rudie bent to retrieve a large bottle on a bottom shelf and put it with the others. “There could be some trial and error. It’s not like this is an exact science.”
    “But in the meantime you’re going to make me one like yours? So if you’ve already got one of these conjure thingamajigs and it works for