Page 72 of A Spell of Midlife Mayhem

‘Look, I’ve got a few days free. I can help you. How about you let me take you to dinner, and we can talk about getting together as a team?’

‘I don’t know about that, Elvis.’

‘What have you got to lose? It’s just for a few days. You said you were new in town and didn’t know anyone.’

Did I say that? I couldn’t remember.

He continued. ‘I’m close by. Let’s meet up and discuss it.’

‘Where are you, exactly, and where are you suggesting we go?’

‘I’m here in the car park at Chirtlewood.’

I froze. He must have watched me walk to the car and get in before calling. That was creepy.

‘We’ll go somewhere local and make a plan,’ he continued. ‘As I said, I’ve got a few days free. If we talk about it, we might come up with a few leads. Maybe I’ll even remember something important after all.’

That was possible, and I didn’t want to pass up the chance of uncovering any new leads, especially as I’d gotten nowhere so far. Despite my unease, I agreed. ‘All right, let’s do that.’

‘Great! I’m in the hire car to your left. Come and join me.’

When I got into the car, I barely recognised Elvis because he wasn’t wearing the elaborate get-up he’d been wearing yesterday. Now he was dressed in casual black trousers, a collared checked shirt and a dark blue sweater.

He grinned at me. ‘I’m glad I convinced you. This could be fun.’ He backed out of the park and accelerated, scattering gravel. I grabbed the door handle for safety. Elvis continued grinning. ‘I know a good place for dinner in Richmond.’

To my astonishment, he parked near the Italian restaurant Raven had taken me to on our date. Surely, Le Amore can’t be the only reasonable eatery in the area. ‘Isn’t this a bit upmarket? This is quite expensive for me. We’re going to chat about the investigation. Maybe a pub meal would be better?’

‘Upmarket suits me,’ he said. ‘Besides, we’re here now.’

My unease remained, though I couldn’t pinpoint why. Elvis seemed like a nice enough man, and he’d offered to help. Why did I have a spinning sensation in my stomach and a tension headache coming on?

A waiter showed us to a table. Elvis ordered wine and a meal for both of us, which I wasn’t expecting and didn’t appreciate.

‘I can order for myself, you know.’ He’d not bothered to ask what I wanted to eat and presumed he knew best.

‘Sorry. Old habit.’ He gestured with his hand as if sweeping away the subject.

I regretted taking him up on his offer, but I wanted to find out if he remembered seeing or hearing anything that might help me find Ronald’s killer and locate the stolen spell book, so I said no more about his rudeness. In the back of my mind, my daughter’s voice echoed, admonishing me for not saying ‘no’ to joining him for dinner.

Elvis launched into a monologue about how he saw himself as a bit of an amateur detective, having learned everything there was to know about investigation through watching detective shows and reading crime novels. I hardly got a word in before the meals arrived, and then, while we were eating, he propounded his theory about how someone must have sneaked in unseen to commit the crime, then sneaked out again.

‘That’s not possible,’ I said. ‘One of us would have seen them.’

‘It’s the only logical explanation, unless it was someone in the house itself.’

I hadn’t fully accepted it before now, but someone in Chirtlewood House at the time must have murdered Ronald and stolen the witch’s spell book. It was the only plausible explanation.

But who?

We finished our dinner. Elvis offered to fill up my wine glass, but I declined. He refilled it anyway, his eyes gleaming at me.

I didn’t drink it. He was on his third glass and shouldn’t be driving. This whole meeting had been a complete waste of my time. Elvis hadn’t any new information. All I’d learned was that he had a high opinion of himself.

‘Thanks for the meal and the conversation. I’ll get a taxi back to Chirtlewood to retrieve my car. I’ll pay for my meal on the way out.’ Though I could scarcely afford it, and I hadn’t chosen to come here. Why hadn’t I insisted we go somewhere cheaper?

I stood.

Elvis motioned for me to sit. I did so, in case he was about to reveal something useful after all.

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