Witch Is Where Magic Lives Now Read online

  Witch Is Where

  Magic Lives Now

  Published by Implode Publishing Ltd

  © Implode Publishing Ltd 2020

  The right of Adele Abbott to be identified as the Author of the Work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  All rights reserved, worldwide. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

  The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, dead or alive, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 1

  (Author’s note: This is the first book of season four.

  It picks up the story SIX YEARS after the previous book)

  “Mrs V!” I had to shout in order to be heard over the noise of the vacuum cleaner.

  “Sorry, dear?” She turned it off.

  “The office is fine now, honestly. You don’t need to do any more cleaning.”

  “I just want to do another dust over in that corner.” She grabbed the feather duster, went over to the filing cabinet and began to give it the once (or, as it turned out, the twice) over.

  Ever since I’d told Mrs V that I was expecting a visit from Lady Tweaking, she’d been like a woman possessed: Vacuuming here, vacuuming there. Tidying here, tidying there. Dusting here, dusting everywhere.

  “Honestly, Mrs V, the office looks fine now.”

  “Alright dear. I’ll just get out the best cups and give them a wash.”

  “Best cups? I didn’t realise we had any best cups.”

  “I keep them for special occasions.”

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen them, have I?”

  “Probably not. I’m not sure they’ve been out since your father died, but you can’t expect Lady Tweaking to drink out of those horrible mugs that you normally use, can you?”

  “Err—no, I suppose not. Where do you keep these best cups?”

  “In my super-secret drawer.”

  “Where’s your super-secret drawer?”

  “In my super-secret filing cabinet.”

  “I didn’t know you had a super-secret filing cabinet.”

  “That’s because it’s—”

  “Super-secret. I get it.”

  Mrs V glanced over at Winky, who was lying on the sofa, watching all the comings and goings. “What about him?”

  “Winky? What about him?”

  “What kind of impression will it give her ladyship when she sees him? Cats do not belong in the office environment. Shall I throw him outside for a while?”

  I glanced out of the window; it was pouring with rain. “You can’t do that, he’ll get soaked. I’ll make sure he stays out of sight, under the sofa.”

  “Very well. I’ll go and wash the best cups.”

  “The old bag lady has finally lost it, wouldn’t you say?” Winky commented when Mrs V had left the room. “Super-secret drawers in super-secret filing cabinets? The woman is clearly nuts. You should get her locked up in some super-secret padded cell and throw away the super-secret key.”

  “She’s only trying to help. I have a prospective client arriving shortly.”

  “Lady what’s-her-face? So what?”

  “Mrs V is doing everything she can to make sure we make a good impression on her ladyship.”

  “Shouldn’t you be the one doing that?”

  “I can’t see the point. I’ve always believed people should take me as they find me, regardless of who they are.”

  “I can see that course you went on recently did you the power of good. What was it called again?”

  “Developing a customer-focussed business.”

  “That was it.” He laughed. “Is that attitude something they taught you on the course?”

  “That course was a waste of time—they always are. I only went on it because Kathy twisted my arm. She said it helped her to grow her business.”

  “Sounds like another epic fail to me.”

  “Just make sure when Lady Tweaking arrives that you stay out of sight, under the sofa. Understood?”

  “What’s it worth?”

  “I’ll tell you what it’s worth. It’s worth not being thrown outside in the rain.”

  Fifteen minutes later, Lady Tweaking arrived.

  “This way, your ladyship,” Mrs V said in her Sunday-best voice. “Can I get you a drink? Tea? Coffee?”

  “Tea would be splendid. Thank you.”

  “We have biscuits too if you’d care for one.”

  “Just the tea, please. A splash of milk, but no sugar.”

  “Very well, your ladyship.” Mrs V practically curtsied as she backed out of the room.

  Lady Tweaking wasn’t exactly what I’d been expecting. I’d assumed she’d be wearing designer clothes and lots of jewellery. Instead, she looked like a bag of rags tied round the middle, more charity chic than designer. In her late sixties, she had thinning grey hair and was wearing no makeup whatsoever.

  “Mrs Maxwell, I assume?” Her firm handshake belied her frail frame.

  “That’s right, but there’s no need for formalities. Please call me Jill.”

  “And you may call me Caroline.”

  “Caroline? I couldn’t possibly do that. It would feel disrespectful, your ladyship.”

  “None of this ‘your ladyship’ nonsense either.”

  “Sorry, I don’t understand.”

  “The title isn’t real.”

  “But I thought—”

  “My ancestors have owned Tweaking Manor for centuries. Over that time, the locals have always referred to the owners as the lord and lady of the manor, but there’s no basis in law for them to do so. Some of my predecessors revelled in the title, but frankly I find it rather embarrassing, so Caroline will do nicely.”

  “I see. Caroline it is, then.”

  Lady Tweaking took a moment to study her surroundings and, if her expression was anything to go by, she was none too impressed.

  By way of a distraction, I said, “I believe we’re neighbours, Lady—err—Caroline.”

  “Neighbours? Really?”

  “We moved into the old watermill a couple of months ago.”

  “I’m not sure I know it.”

  “It’s in Middle Tweaking.”

  “Oh yes. I remember now. Didn’t that Turtle woman used to live there?”

  “Myrtle, yes she did. She moved to the coast about six years ago.”

  “I thought it was strange that I hadn’t heard from her in a while. She had a bad habit of sticking her nose where it wasn’t wanted. Tell me, Jill, are you familiar with Tweaking Manor?”

  “Only in as much as I’ve driven past it several times. That’s all.”

  Mrs V came in with the tea. “Is there enough milk in there for you, your ladyship?”

  “Yes, that’s splendid. Thank you.”

  I did a double take at the china cups.

&n
bsp; After Mrs V had left us alone, Winky came out from under the sofa and jumped onto the windowsill.

  Memo to self: Kill him later.

  “I see you have a cat.” Caroline looked up from her tea.

  “Err, yes.”

  “He only has one eye.”

  “That’s right. His name is Winky.”

  “I have a few cats of my own; five at the last count. Although, Arthur probably won’t be with us for much longer.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. Is he very old?”

  “No. Barely more than a kitten. He’s too lively for me so I’ve found him a good home with a friend of mine: Lorna Warner. You probably know her.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “You must do. She’s one of the Sussex Warners.”

  “Oh, right. The Sussex Warners.” I had no idea who she was talking about. “Of course.”

  “Your young man looks full of life too.” She gestured towards Winky.

  “Too much sometimes. So, Caroline, what is it that I can do for you?”

  “Some blighter has stolen the Tweaking Goblet.”

  “From Tweaking Manor? Is it very valuable?”

  “Not particularly. It is silver, but it’s quite small. I doubt it would fetch much as scrap, and you certainly wouldn’t find a buyer for it as it is. Between you and me, it’s an ugly thing, but it has been in the family for centuries and is rich with tradition.”

  “Oh?”

  “As the estate passes from one generation to the next, the name of the new owner is engraved on the goblet. The thought that it should disappear on my watch is simply unbearable.”

  “And you say it went missing from Tweaking Manor? Where exactly was it kept?”

  “In the games room.”

  “Is that room normally locked?”

  “No, it has never seemed necessary.”

  “Was there a break-in? Was anything else stolen?”

  “There are no signs of a break-in and as far as I can ascertain, nothing else seems to be missing. Just the goblet.”

  “Have you contacted the police?”

  “No. I’d prefer to keep them out of this if I can. Our family likes to maintain a low profile. If people were to see police cars milling around the manor, well, you know how they gossip.”

  “I understand. If the goblet isn’t valuable, can you think of any other reason why someone might want to take it?”

  “No, I can’t. I’ve racked my brain, but I haven’t come up with a single reason. It doesn’t make any sense.”

  “When was it taken?”

  “It must have happened sometime between midnight on Wednesday and six o’clock on Thursday morning. That’s when I noticed that it had gone.

  “And you’re positive it was there on Wednesday at midnight?”

  “Absolutely. I was up much later than usual that night because we’d had a family gathering. It was my birthday.”

  “Not the best of birthday presents.”

  “Indeed. To be honest, at my age, I’d prefer not to celebrate my birthday, but the family insisted, so I was forced to go along with it.”

  “And you went into the games room before you retired for the night?”

  “Yes. I’d told Mulgrave he could call it a day at ten o’clock. He normally finishes after dinner at about seven, but I’d asked him to work later that night. After everyone had left, I checked all the rooms downstairs before retiring to bed. Just to make sure the lights were out—that kind of thing. The goblet was definitely in the games room then.”

  “Who is Mulgrave?”

  “My butler.”

  “Who was at your birthday party?”

  “It was hardly a party. Just a dinner for the family: My brother, my sister, and my son and his wife. That was pretty much it, really.”

  “Was there anyone else in the manor at the time? Apart from Mulgrave?”

  “Mrs Jones was there, but she’d gone by ten too.”

  “Who’s she?”

  “The cook.”

  “Do both she and Mulgrave live on the premises?”

  “Mulgrave does. Mrs Jones lives in Lower Tweaking. I’ve known them for many years—they’re both extremely trustworthy. I can’t believe they had anything to do with the theft.”

  “Where is Mulgrave’s room?”

  “In the east wing. It’s the only room that hasn’t been boarded up in that wing.”

  “Does he spend most of his time at the house?”

  “Yes. He doesn’t have any relatives as far as I can make out. Or friends. He seems to prefer his own company. The only time he goes out, other than to run errands for me, is when he takes his evening walk.”

  “Into the village?”

  “No. He usually just walks around the grounds. He must be a hardy soul because he does it in all weathers. So, tell me, Jill, do you think you’ll be able to help us to find the goblet?”

  “I’ll do my best. I will need to pay a visit to Tweaking Manor. I assume that’s okay?”

  “Yes, provided you don’t turn up in a car with flashing lights and a siren.”

  “Could we possibly arrange my visit now? How about this afternoon?”

  “I’m afraid I’m busy for the rest of the day. I have lunch with the Leadbeaters and those usually stretch out for the whole afternoon.”

  “What about tomorrow?”

  She took a diary from her handbag. “I’m tied up in the afternoon, but I’m free all morning.”

  “Great. I’ll pop over first thing if that’s okay. I’d like to take a good look around the games room, and perhaps have a brief look around the rest of the house too.”

  “That’s fine.”

  “Also, if you could prepare a list of names and contact details for all the people who were at the birthday dinner. That would be really helpful.”

  “I’ll have that waiting for you.” She stood up. “Right, if there’s nothing else, I must be making tracks.” On her way out, she walked over to Winky, and gave him a little scratch under the chin. “What a handsome boy you are. And so brave with just the one eye.”

  As soon as Caroline was out of the door, Winky said, “I thought she was supposed to be rolling in it. She looked like she’d been sleeping rough.”

  “That’s a little harsh.” True, though.

  “I reckon you owe me a tin of salmon.”

  “For what?”

  “Didn’t you see the expression on her face when she first saw your office? She was clearly not impressed, but then she spotted me, and her attitude changed. If you ask me, I’m the only reason you got this case.”

  Mrs V came into my office.

  “How did it go with her ladyship, Jill? Was she impressed?”

  “She must have been because she’s given me the case. She looked a little rough, don’t you think?”

  “Not at all. I thought she looked quite sophisticated.”

  “She looked like a bag of rags.”

  “Jill! You really mustn’t speak about her ladyship like that. Just because you don’t understand the fashion sense of the upper classes, doesn’t mean you should criticise.” Mrs V noticed Winky on the windowsill. “I thought he was going to stay under the sofa.”

  “It’s okay. It seems that Caroline is quite fond of cats.”

  “Caroline?” Mrs V looked horrified. “You can’t call her ladyship by her first name.”

  “She isn’t actually a lady.”

  “Jill!”

  “I mean the title isn’t real. She told me so herself. She prefers to be called Caroline.”

  “Really? And to think I brought out the best cups.”

  “She seems quite nice. Very down to earth.”

  “Hmm.” Mrs V was clearly unimpressed. “While you were with Caroline, there’s been some coming and going down the corridor.”

  “In Clowns’ old offices?”

  “Yes. It looks like someone might be moving in.”

  “I didn’t think they were ever going to let that place ag
ain. How long has it been now since Jimmy and Kimmy moved out?”

  “It must be almost eighteen months.”

  “Any idea who’s moving in?”

  “No. I couldn’t tell from the boxes, but I’ll keep my ear to the ground.”

  ***

  Aunt Lucy had been a little poorly over the weekend, so yesterday she’d contacted me to ask if I’d pop over this morning to take Barry for a walk.

  When I magicked myself over to her house, I was surprised to find her in the kitchen, tidying the cupboards.

  “Aunt Lucy, what are you doing? You’re supposed to be resting.”

  “Good morning, Jill. It’s okay. When I woke up this morning, I felt back to my old self.”

  “And you decided you’d have a spring clean?”

  “You know me. I like to keep busy.”

  “You should be resting.”

  “I’m not on my last legs yet. It was just a twenty-four hour bug. You’re as bad as the twins. They were over here first thing this morning, to check up on me.”

  “I’m not checking up on you. If you remember, you asked if I’d take Barry for a walk.”

  “Sorry, I’d totally forgotten about that. There’s no need now. I’ll be fine.”

  We were interrupted by the sound of paws on the stairs. Moments later, Barry burst into the room, and almost knocked me off my feet.

  “Jill, are we going for a walk? Please, Jill!”

  “Yes, Barry.”

  “I love to go for a walk, Jill.”

  “I know you do.”

  “Can we go to the park? I love the park.”

  “Yes, Barry, we can go to the park.”

  “Can we go now? Please!”

  “I just need a couple of minutes. Why don’t you sit in the hall and wait for me?”

  “Okay. Don’t be long. I love the park.”

  “I won’t be long, I promise.”

  “I’d like to come with you if you don’t mind,” Aunt Lucy said, rather sheepishly.

  “You’re supposed to be resting.”

  “I’ve been stuck in this house for two days and I’m going stir crazy. And besides, I could do with the fresh air. Once we’re there, Barry can have a run around while we have a sit down. Please, Jill.”

  “Okay, but if you start to feel poorly, you must tell me, and we’ll turn back.”