I made it across the street without getting hit by a car, so bonus points for actually flinging myself into the roadway and having luck on my side. Petunia panted next to me, her anxiety clear as I dragged her into the antique store, the darkness of the interior and musty smell washing me over with a rather gloomy mix that triggered my bad mood all over again.

I almost turned around and walked away. This was dumb. I'd just agreed to stop digging into things that had ...