I groaned and flexed my hand, feeling the spines of hairy legs stuck into me again as if they were still there. If Jinx was truly a trickster, and a shape shifter, maybe I could get her to play a trick on someone if I played my cards right. A plan formed in my mind, and I started forward again. Beaten down I might be, but I was not beaten.

Not yet.

Turning my bike around, I began the long trek back to Savannah and Factors Row. “Robert, you want to come with me?” I asked as I passed the skeleton swaying against one of the still-standing gravestones.

“Yessss.” He stepped toward me and then crumpled into nothing. Well, nothing but a single bone that looked like a finger bone to me. I bent and scooped it up and tucked it into my bag. I was guessing, but it seemed like the right thing to do.

Maybe I needed to get bopped in the head again.

Scratch that, I did not need another smack in the head.

An hour later, I coasted into Savannah and headed for the part of River Street with all the tourists. I was going to start there. I had an idea. Maybe not my best idea, but I suspected if I did things just right, it would work. I hoped it would work.

I headed for a used bookstore at the edge of the tourist strip. I stumbled into the store, dragging my bike with me. “Excuse me, you can’t bring your bike in here.”

The man at the front desk looked me up and down and tried to wave me out. I glared back at him. “I need a specific book, and I need it now before I lose what is left of my sanity which would result in me making quite the scene in here.”

His jaw snapped shut and he blinked at me a few times. “What book is that?”

“Charlotte’s Web.”

“Oh, we have several copies.” He motioned for me to follow him as he stepped around his desk. I propped my bike against the desk and hurried after him as best I could. The exhaustion of the day was catching up to me.

I really was too old for this shit. Lethal Weapon, in case you were wondering.

He stopped at the back of the store and pointed to a stack of books. “I have several copies somewhere in there.”

I put my arm out as he moved to go by me. “Let me make myself clear. I’m in a hurry, and I’d bet the tourists would not like to see me have a meltdown in here, maybe push a few of these stacks over?” I put my other hand on the tall bookshelf to my left. “Maybe you should help me find the book, and then I can leave, and we can both be happy. M’kay?”