Free Boo Who by Rene Gutteridge

second-guess herself, but she had to admit, her visit to Wolfe Boone was extraordinarily risky. What it was about that man that made her take such risks still baffled her.
He
baffled her. It amazed her that a man could throw away years of work that had led him into what every person in their right mind wanted in life. And not only that, throw away the entire identity of a town without a second thought. That kind of lack of regard fascinated her, and there was a certain strength in it that she found tantalizing.
    Perhaps that is what had led her up the steps of his house and into his living room. Maybe that is what made her risk everything to give him that book. Little did he realize what truly lay in the pages of that book. He didn’t understand that inside was the key to saving the town.
    It would be a last resort. There were other ways, and if people would listen to her, Skary would thrive again. But she was beginning to get that sinking feeling that nobody would listen to her anymore.
    Thus, radical steps.
    She just hoped it wouldn’t come to that. Because if it did, life would never be the same for her again.

CHAPTER 9
    W OLFE WAS SURPRISED when he finally got to Ainsley’s house and Oliver answered the door, a grim look on his face. “Things aren’t good,” he said, greeting Wolfe with a handshake.
    “What’s wrong?” Wolfe looked over the top of Oliver’s bald head to find a crowd of people in the living room. “Why is everyone here?”
    “It’s a long story,” Oliver sighed.
    But he didn’t have to wait long to find one thing out of place, besides all the people that were supposed to be at their own homes celebrating Christmas. Mayor Wullisworth stood in the middle of the room in his pajamas. And there was something odd about his face. It was bright and cheery. Mayor Wullisworth, by all previous impressions, never seemed to be the jovial type. Wolfe’s eyes quickly scanned the room.
    Garth! What was Garth doing here? The sheriff had Ainsley’s former suitor in one corner, talking up something serious. Wolfe sighed. That man was the last person on earth he wanted to see, especially on Christmas.
    Alfred stood in another corner, scanning the bookshelves and drinking an eggnog. Melb Cornforth was pacing nervously while holding a sliver of pie on a plate. Butch was checking his reflection in the hallway mirror. And Martin Blarty looked as though he’d just seen a ghost.
    “Excuse me,” Wolfe said, rushing past Oliver and going into the kitchen, hoping to find Ainsley. She was in there, but, as he could’ve guessed, the Christmas cheer that put color into her cheeks had drained away.
    “Are you all right?” he asked, turning her shoulders to him.
    She looked up into his eyes. “Where have you been?” Her chin quivered.
    “I’ll tell you later.” Wolfe sighed. “I am so sorry I’m late. What is going on?”
    She pulled him into the pantry. Tears brimmed on her bottom lashes. “This is a nightmare!” she cried. “All these people! I planned for three other people for Christmas dinner, and then four when Alfred showed up, and now I’ve got … I’ve got … How many people are out there?”
    Wolfe pulled her near and held her tight. She cried into his chest, then looked up at him. He said, “You can do this. I know you can.”
    She sniffled. “I know. But it’s just not what I planned.”
    “Is there going to be enough food? Should I run home and get something?”
    She shook her head. “Ollie, Melb, and Martin all brought their dishes, and I do have a pretty big bird. I can easily make a few more side dishes.”
    “I’m afraid to ask, but what is going on out there?”
    She wiped her tears. “Apparently Mayor Wullisworth is having some sort of meltdown. I don’t know. And then Dad brought Garth over because Thief hasn’t been acting himself lately. This just isn’t how I pictured our first Christmas together.”
    “Sweetheart, as long as I’m with you, I don’t care what else