Jinxed

T H I R T Y - S E V E N

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN: THE SYMBOL

The moment we arrived at Adela's shop was the moment I knew something was wrong. 

I frowned as I took in her dark shop and vacant shop, knocking as loudly as I can to make sure that she could hear me if she was in there. 

"There's definitely no one here" Kai said, coming out from around the back "She's not here today." 

A woman from next door peaked her head out of her shop, scowling at us "What are you two doing making all that racket?" 

I spun around and shot her my best and brightest smile "Hello Ma'am we're sorry to be bother you but we were just wondering if you knew if Ms. Adela has been in her shop today?" 

"Adela Laveau?" she asked. 

I nodded. 

"She hasn't been here for the last two days" she shook her head "Just closed down her shop two days ago and moseyed on out of here. Said something about a family emergency." 

"Do you know when she will be back?" Kai asked. 

The woman shook her head. 

"Do you know, per chance, what this is?" I asked, showing her a drawing that I drew as best as I could to recreate the symbol on the necklace. 

She took the small piece of paper from my hand and frowned down at it, shaking her head. 

"Never seen it before." 

"Is there another shop like Adela's around here?" Kai asked "We need to pick up a few things from her but since she's closed, it looks like we need to go somewhere else." 

"No one as good as the Laveau sisters" she said "But there's a medicine woman down the road, not too far from here. While Adela's better at the physicality, Margoét is better at the spirituality aspect." 

"Perfect" Kai said, plucking my drawing from the woman's hand and grasping my small hand in his "Down the road, you say?" 

"Just a little way's outside of town" she said "The little hut by the road." 

~~~~~~~

Ten Minutes Later 

We were standing outside of the hut the woman from the shops directed us too. 

It was no bigger than a small broom closet on a hill. 

I wonder how someone was able to work in such confined quarters, let alone have different patrons coming in and out of the shop at will.