Evan scanned the kitchen, then began to walk through the cottage. He wanted to see how his dead wife had been living this past year.

He could hardly wait to see her again.

Twenty

She started to head home half a dozen times that afternoon, but there was so much fun in the village. Most of the merchants had decked themselves out in costumes to celebrate the day. There were demons selling hardware and fairies ringing up produce.

She had a late lunch with Ripley, and an impromptu meeting with Dorcas about catering a Christmas party.

And it seemed that every second person she passed stopped her to congratulate her on her engagement.

She belonged. To the village, she thought. To Zack. And finally, finally, she belonged to herself.

She swung by the station house to make a date with Zack to hand out the goody bags she’d already made up for the ghosts and goblins expected at dusk.

“I might be a little late. Have to run herd on some of the older kids,” Zack told her. “I’ve already dealt with a couple of teenagers who tried to convince me the twelve rolls of toilet paper they were buying were for their mothers.”

“How did you get the toilet paper for rolling houses when you were a kid?”

“I stole it out of the bathroom closet at home, like anyone with half a brain.”

Her dimples deepened. “Any more exploding pumpkins?”

“No, I think the word got out on that.” He cocked his head. “You sure look chipper today.”

“I am chipper today.” She stepped forward, wrapped her arms around his neck.

He’d just gotten his arms around her when his phone rang. “Hold that thought,” he told her, and answered.

“Sheriff’s office. Yeah, Mrs. Stubens. Hmm?” He stopped lowering his hip to the corner of the desk and stood straight again. “Is anybody hurt? Good. No, just stay right there, I’m on my way. Nancy Stubens,” he told Nell as he strode over to the coat rack for his jacket. “Teaching her boy how to drive. He ran straight into the Bigelows’ parked Honda Civic.”

“But is he all right?”

“Yeah, I’ll just go sort things out for them. It might take a while. That Honda was brand-new.”

“You know where to find me.”

She walked out with him, felt a nice steady glow when he leaned down to kiss her good-bye. Then they walked in opposite directions.

She’d gone half a block when Gladys Macey hailed her.

“Nell! Hold on.” Puffing a little at the effort to catch up, Gladys patted her heart. “Let me see that ring I’m hearing so much about.”