21. The Saga of Charlie and Snuffles

So there we were, the day after the stock market crash, and the day before Halloween 1929, and you would have thought the monsters had come out early. Mim glared at Ephraim as if he were an ogre for refusing to give her prayer shawl to their children if Mim died. Ephraim stared back, as if Mim were possessed.

“I’ll see to Sidney,” I said, but Mim blocked my exit. She handed the prayer shawl to me and practically hissed at Ephraim.

“Florrie has it for now. Satisfied?”

He rubbed the back of his ne...