Haunting Leigh: A Paranormal Romantic Comedy (Literal Leigh Romance Diaries Book 4) by Melanie James Page B

Security! There she is!” Clarice’s screeching voice scared the daylights out of both of us. We spun around to face my accuser. Clarice had heard every insulting word I had just uttered. “You!” She pointed to Gertie. “You do not have an identification badge. That makes you an intruder. I’ve called security and they will turn you over to the police.” Gertie was more shook up than I had ever witnessed before. “And as for you, Miss Epstein, we are going to the administrator’s office. You know full well that you were not allowed to force your class to secretly celebrate Halloween. That is a flagrant violation of school policy. So help me, you won’t be able to get a job teaching frogs how to be green by the time I’m finished with you. One more thing, if you think this is because I don’t like you, then you would be correct. I abhor you. You’re the kind of young sluts that tramp around and make it impossible for mature faculty members like me to get so much as one date.” She pointed her bony finger at us.
    Clarice went on and on with her scorned woman tirade. Now it became perfectly clear what her problem really was. In Clarice’s mind, some imaginary young shlooche was always prowling around and luring men away from her. It couldn’t have anything to do with Clarice herself. No, not with her warm and pleasing personality. She needed to take it out on someone and I was a convenient target. Clarice saw me as the physical representation of the cliché young temptress that must haunt her nightmares. Of course, she couldn’t have been more wrong. I don’t see myself as looking the part at all. I’ve overheard Hunter describe me as the cute-girl-next-door type with just a dash of sexy and a good sense of humor. It was the best compliment I was never told. Hardly one of the promiscuous sirens Clarice despised.
    I had enough of Clarice’s voice. The uncontrollable smartass within me reared its ugly head once again. “Excuse me, Clarice. I hate to interrupt you as you shower us with misplaced vilification, blame, and criticism caused by your deep seated personality disorders, but we are looking for that papier-mâché golem. We need to find it as soon as possible.”
    “And just to be clear, I am not an intruder. I’m with Leigh.” Gertie matter-of-factly stated.
    “I don’t much care what you have to say. You don’t have a badge. That makes you a trespasser subject to arrest. And, Epstein, I have proof of your religious zealotry. You two floozies come in here preaching all of your religious holidays in this public school. See this?” Clarice held up a little unrolled scroll of paper. Hebrew characters were written within a diagram to create a very complicated design. Clarice’s face puckered up as she visibly showed her disdain. She hissed. “Religious scriptures left around the library. Proof.”
    She had found the magic Shem that Gertie had placed in the golem. I was instantly relieved. My eyes shot over to Gertie. She gave me a wink and I gave her a knowing smile. No more golem problem.
    “Look at you two smiling and winking. You think you’re all young and cute, but in fact, you’re just common sluts.”
    I didn’t realize that Gertie was truly insulted by the mad librarian. “Miss Clarice, how dare you call us sluts! You are the nastiest and meanest person I’ve ever met. And I’ve met some pretty nasty witches.”
    The color of Clarice’s face changed as if she were a chameleon on a bright red surface. I tried to think of what her new color was called. Vermilion. That was it. At least that’s what the crayon manufacturers label it as. Dark greyish-green veins rose up on her forehead and her eyes bugged out. Her teeth were visibly clenched in a weird grimace. Altogether she looked like a weightlifter trying to pick up a small car. Her hand slapped an intercom panel near the library entrance. “Security! Goddamn you overpaid snack hounds! I have an intruder! Come to the library.