Page 39 of Secrets of the Eternal Flame

‘It’s a recent hobby,’ she admitted. ‘I enjoy the outdoors but don’t know anything about the science of birds.’ She smiled. ‘I’m just a twitcher.’

‘No pets of your own?’ I made a production of looking around.

‘No, I love birds but I prefer them in nature.’ She paused. ‘It’s the poo. The thought of it dropping around the house…’ She shuddered.

‘I understand – your house is wonderfully neat. How do you cope working at Gwen’s?’

‘If anything, Gwen’s has made me even tidier,’ she admitted conspiratorially. ‘I come home from there and Ihaveto make sure everything is where it should be. I long to clean up the shop, but Gwen is so particular about leaving things in certain places.’

‘That must be difficult for you.’

‘Not really,’ she shrugged. ‘It’s a job. I dowhat she wants and I collect my pay. It keeps things ticking over.’

‘Work to live, right?’ I made a show of looking around again. ‘But your home really is beautiful.’

‘Thanks. It was my mum’s until she couldn’t cope with it any longer. She moved into a residential home a year or so ago.’

‘Does she still get to visit?’ I asked guilelessly.

‘No. She’s not very well – she’s in hospital at the moment.’ Scarlett’s bottom lip trembled. She turned back to the kettle and the mugs.

‘I’m sorry to hear that,’ I said. She’d missed five years of life with her mother and now her mum was dying. That sucked.

‘Thanks. It’s not looking good.’

‘There’s nothing the medics can do?’

She shook her head. ‘No.’ She pressed her lips together. ‘Why are you asking me about my mother?’ Suddenly her gaze narrowed on me. ‘What’s this got to do with anything?’

‘I believe the items that were stolen from Gwen’s have certain powers, powers that might be useful to you or your mum. Healing powers.’

Her eyes widened for a moment and hope flared before it faded and her shoulders slumped. ‘It was a shitty blank grimoire and Gwen’s favouritetea mug – and we don’t even know that theywerestolen. I’m sure she just left them somewhere. Whatever she’s told you, it’s only to make you work harder. Both objects are next to useless.’

I shook my head. ‘No, they’re not. An independent expert corroborated it.’ I looked straight at her as I changed direction. ‘What can you tell me about Archer Arden?’

She flinched as if I’d shouted boo from behind her door, but she didn’t reply. ‘You filed a complaint against him,’ I coaxed.

Her cheeks were reddening and her hands were trembling. ‘I shouldn’t have done that,’ she muttered.

‘Archer has trouble keeping a job so he has to get an income from somewhere. Why not a little thing here or there from Gwen’s?’

Scarlett flinched again and her eyes flew to mine; they were wide and a little scared, and I knew immediately that I’d hit the nail on the head. I lowered my shields and her guilt and anxiety swamped me.

‘It’s not what you think.’ Her voice cracked as she spoke.

‘I really hope it’s not, because if it is I need to call Yanni right now.’

‘No!’ Now on the verge of tears, she raised her hand. ‘Please, please don’t. You’ve done your research – you know I’m just out of jail. I can’t go back there.’ Her hands clenched. ‘Iwon’t. Mum hasn’tgot long, and if I’m not with her at the end I’ll never forgive myself. I’ll tell you everything – but leave me out of your report, okay?’

Relief flooded me. This wasn’t about my grandmother and dark magic after all, this was simply a case of a young werewolf with sticky fingers. I’d get the objects back and Gwen could get the goblin Clutch to call off their … whatever they were sending. Then I could focus on the Flame again. Easy.

I stood there, waiting for Scarlett to do as she had promised and tell me everything about the missing items, but rather than speaking she continued to wring her hands. ‘Scarlett,’ I pressed, ‘I need you to tell me what happened to Gwen’s belongings.’

She nodded, but she didn’t seem to know where to start.

I prompted, ‘I assume your mother being ill is the reason that you stole the mug and grimoire?’

‘Hecate no!’ she recoiled. ‘Ididn’t take anything!’

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