Page 66 of A Spell of Midlife Mayhem

‘It’s so nice to find another witch. There aren’t many of us around. Only a few descendants of the old witch families remain.’

I had a sudden thought. ‘Do Penny and Melissa know?’ I whispered.

‘No. And we shouldn’t tell them either. You’ve heard of the Salem witch trials, haven’t you?’

I nodded. ‘I know they had similar horrors here, too. Burning witches at the stake and drowning them. But that was centuries ago. It’s not like that now.’

‘No, but memories run long and pain runs deep. Witches keep to themselves for safety.’

‘Makes sense.’

‘Penny and Melissa might suspect that I can see the ghosts,’ Lydia said, ‘but neither of them has ever said anything. In this village, and in this house and others like it nearby, supernatural things occur. Bumps on the stairs. Doors slamming when no one is nearby. Sometimes, a ghostly figure appears to visitors. I’m sure they accept the paranormal exists. And the library contains many books on those subjects.’

Melissa called out from the other side of the door. ‘We’re opening the entrance! It’s time. What are you two up to in there?’

‘I was giving Heather a bit more training,’ Lydia called back. ‘We’ll be there in a tick.’

I wanted to talk to Lydia more about this, but we needed to get on with managing Chirtlewood for visitors.

Penny and I went upstairs, leaving the others downstairs. The library was closed off, as the police had instructed. Penny took up a position on the landing near the top of the grand staircase. I moved from room to room, checking that nothing was out of place and keeping tourists in sight. The first of them were already coming upstairs, a young couple with Canadian accents. I watched as they entered the countess’s bedchamber.

I followed them inside and answered their detailed questions about the countess and her life. Charlotte made that easier by pacing around behind them—without alerting them to her presence—and telling me most of the answers.

‘Oh, you’re so knowledgeable,’ the young woman said afterwards. I grinned. I’d learned almost as much as them, like the countess had died at age forty-seven by breaking her neck after tripping on her dress at the top of the stairs, cutting short her career of manipulating people for political influence.

Once they had gone, Charlotte drifted over to me. ‘I hast assembled the party,’ she said. ‘Shalt we commence the hunt for the villainous knave? Pray tell me, to what direction shouldst our inquiry lead us?’

I had no plan beyond the idea of forming a plan. How did private investigators get started on a case? They had leads. I didn’t have any leads apart from Elvis, and I no longer considered him a suspect.

‘Tarry nay longer!’ The countess crossed her arms. Her ghostly foot tapped silently.

She clearly wasn’t used to being kept waiting. My mind raced, searching for ideas. If I had no clues to track down the murderer, I could try to find the book. Maybe the killer had sold it, and if I could find it, I might solve the murder at the same time.

My priority was the book, anyway. I could leave the murder for the police to tackle.

‘Are you able to leave Chirtlewood house and grounds?’ I asked Charlotte. ‘Or are you tied to this area only?’

‘Chirtlewood and nearby is our earthbound centre, though we can venture to Richmond and Ham House and Hampton Court and Kingston and a few other nearby places. Pray tell, art we to journey forth on an adventure?’

‘The murderer stole one of the library books. A witch’s spell book. Finding it might help solve the mystery.’ And help Aunt Ruth.

‘Splendid! I know just the shop in Richmond. ’Tis the Apothecary’s Potions and Scrolls. ’Tis said they buy and sell ancient occult tomes.’

‘Really? Doesn’t it attract attention from the public?’

‘Most of the common folk pass by the store with nary a glance, for they perceive it to be nothing more than a trifling curiosity shop. Only witches know the sooth of its intent, that the inside is filled with potions and tools used by witches.’

‘All right. Let’s go there as soon as I finish here for the day.’

‘Heather, as I already hast said, I hast assembled the party. They await thee at the front steps.’

‘Near the entrance? They’re not frightening the tourists, are they?’

‘Who can say what they may do? The time drags, and ’tis yet too long in tarrying. We wilt be off forthwith.’ She swept off towards the grand staircase, tossing her long hair over her shoulder.

I followed as fast as I could, struggling to keep up.

Charlotte breezed past Penny, who shivered.

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