by Katie Penryn
“Felix, it worked, but it’s a different color from the witchdoctor’s. Can you see it?”
“I can. It suits you. It’s probably got something to do with your personal aura. The rainbow colors have gone. But I don’t know much about that mumbo-jumbo.”
“Don’t be disrespectful. You don’t want to be a toad, do you?”
We had only one spell left to learn and cast but that had to wait because Audrey called us for supper. I walked into the kitchen wondering if my cone of protection would cause a stir but I should have known better. No one apart from Gwinny said anything. She drew me aside to ask me what had happened to make me seek such protection. Of course, being a witch even if not one of much talent, Gwinny could see the light. I didn’t want to upset her unnecessarily, so I fobbed her off with some story about Felix being worried after the episode the week before.
Chapter 20
With supper over and re-energized after one of Audrey’s superbly cooked meals, Felix and I returned to the study to complete the final spell of the day — the one to close off the portal to the witchdoctor. This time we had to repair to the portal in question, the mirror in the brocante, and cast the spell while brushing the frame of the mirror with branches of rosemary and sprigs of basil. Fortunately, a straggling rosemary bush had survived in the far corner of the yard next to the bay tree and Audrey had a pot of basil on the kitchen window sill. Not as expensive as silver but I hoped the herbs would be as effective.
Once we had finished our magic business and Felix was happy that I would be protected, we watched a couple of hours of silly television and went to bed.
I had just put my foot on the first step when remembered I hadn’t opened the letter box to check for the mail.
“You go on up, Felix. I’m going to see if there was any post.”
I walked back into the kitchen and asked Jimbo if Martine the postwoman had been.
“I don’t know. Sam and I have been going backwards and forwards all day.”
“Gwinny? Audrey?”
“We were cleaning and remaking beds upstairs until late. If she came we missed her. Why don’t you check the mailbox?” Gwinny answered.
I found a couple of bills and a small package. I wasn’t expecting anything. When I touched it an ice-cold frisson of apprehension ran down my back. I didn’t like surprise packages and this wasn’t stamped. It had been hand delivered.
I stared at it as it sat on the kitchen table. I did not want to open it.
“Aren’t you going to see what it is?” asked Jimbo jumping about around the table.
“No, not yet. I’m thinking about it.”
He reached out his hand to pick it up but snatched it away again. “Wow! It’s freezing. Like a giant ice cube.”
“Fetch Felix for me please, Jimbo,” I said at last.
I wanted my bodyguard there with me. Small as the package was, it might be a bomb.
While we waited the dogs began to show interest. Piffle buried himself in his blanket. Although it was past their bedtime Zig and Zag left their baskets and came to nudge against my legs. Zag put his front paws on the table and sniffed at the package from a distance of about a foot. He shook his head and landed back on the floor again with a whine.
Zag spooked me. Dogs sense things we don’t.
I was allowing past history and the advent of the witch doctor to unnerve me. I gave myself a mental shake. I was on the point of opening it when Felix came hurrying in.
“Don’t touch it, Penzi. That’s my job,” he said grabbing hold of the package. “It’s not heavy and it’s not ticking. I’d better open it.”
He snipped through the tape and peeled back the brown paper to disclose a plastic bag filled with cotton wool. He opened up the swatch of padding and let out a shriek, a masculine shriek but still a shriek. And dropped the contents onto the table.
“What on earth…?” I began and then I saw what it was.
An eye, a real eye, not plastic or glass. Three darning needles transfixed it right through the pupil.
“Yuck,” said Jimbo. “Is it human?”
Felix examined it. “No, it’s from a cow or a sheep.”
I had shrunk back against the wall as soon as I’d seen the disgusting object. Like the onions the week before I knew at once it was a warning.
“Felix, it’s from the murderer. He’s trying to frighten me off. Saying he will damage my eyes if I don’t look away.”
“I warned you, Penzi, but you wouldn’t listen to me. You shouldn’t have taken this case on.”
My thought exactly, but Felix’s scolding put my back up. Plus I’m not a quitter.
“He’s not putting me off. I shall find the scoundrel and make him answer for his crime. For now, I’m off to bed. Felix, get rid of that nasty thing. I don’t like the thought of it in the house overnight.”
Jimbo followed me up the stairs.
“Can I sleep in your bed tonight, Penzi?” he asked me.
“Darling, I’m exhausted. If you get scared, do me a favor and creep into Gwinny’s bed. She is your mum.”
I gave him a hug and a kiss when we reached my room and sent him on up to the next floor.
*
I undressed and put on my giant T-shirt ready for bed, but I wasn’t ready to sleep. I sat down in front of my dressing table to brush out the day’s dust and turmoil from my hair. When I saw how drawn my face was my stomach muscles knotted even tighter. They hadn’t relaxed from my first shock at the sight of that horrible missive. The rotting eye had scared me down to the depths of my psyche. Perhaps I was being foolhardy in insisting on continuing with the investigation when my gut was telling me it was dangerous to do so.
A light knock sounded on my door and Felix put his head round.
“Just checking you’re all right, boss,”
“Don’t call—”
“Sorry Penzi. Can I come in for a minute?”
“Sure,” I said, watching him in the mirror as he walked up behind me in that smooth feline way of his and took the brush out of my hand.
“Let me,” he said drawing the brush through the tangles of my frizzled hair.
After a few strokes he looked up from his task and caught my eye in the mirror. “You look solemn tonight. Are you worried about that nasty warning?”
“Yes. Anyone who goes to that much trouble and takes that much risk of being seen is a threat to be reckoned with. I know I said I would carry on, but do you really think we should stop?”
“Would you be true to yourself if you did?”
“No. But I am discouraged. We didn’t get anywhere today, did we?”
“I don’t agree. I’m hoping to find something useful when I hack into the bank account and the phone records.”
“Do you think the murderer would really do something to me?”
Felix laughed. “Take a good look at yourself in the mirror. What do you see?”
Of course. How stupid of me. I had magic on my side. The protective semper tuens shield shimmered around me.
“I’d forgotten about that. If it works against the witchdoctor it should work against the murderer.”
Felix nodded and resumed his brushing of my hair. “There’s only one problem. We don’t know how long the spell works for. So don’t go doing anything stupid without me there to look after you.”
“So we need to press on as quickly as possible before the spell runs out. Is that what you’re saying?”
Felix nodded again.
“But Felix, I’m out of my depth here. No one seems to have all three: motive, means and opportunity. I’m not sure I’m up to the job. What if my success in finding Edna’s murderer was a one-off?”
“It won’t be, you’ll see.”
Butterflies started up in my belly. “Why the mayor thinks I’m the person who can sort out this muddle, I don’t know.”
“Yes, you do. You’ve done it once and you can do it again.” He chuckled. “With my help, of course.”
“So we plo
d on tomorrow. First thing, we’ll have a planning session.”
“That’s more like the Mpenzi Munro I know. Shall I stop brushing?”
I relaxed back against the chair and smiled at him in the mirror. “No, do some more. It’s incredibly soothing.”
Felix brushed on and after a few more strokes touched the brush to my arm. Yikes. I leapt up stung by the discharge of static.
“That was mean,” I said punching his torso.
He caught my hands in his and drew me towards him. My heart pitter pattered, but he did nothing more than drop a kiss on my hands and point me towards my bed.
“Sleep tight, Penzi, and don’t forget to scream if that witchdoctor fellow reappears.”
“As if I would.”
“What scream or forget?”
The slipper I threw at him hit the door as it closed behind him.
I pulled the sheet up and snuggled down happy to know Felix was in the room next door and that semper tuens would allow me a good night’s sleep.
Chapter 21
Felix
When I took Penzi her tea next morning, I found her sitting up against the headboard with her arms braced around her knees as if to take up as small a space as possible.
She opened her bleary eyes as she heard me come in. “Felix, I'm so glad to see you.”
“What's wrong? You look as if you haven't slept a wink.”
“I haven't. The witchdoctor came back. He lunged at me with his machete but it bounced back off the semper tuens shield. He tried again and when that didn't work he moved to stand at the foot of my bed. After that we spent the night in a weird staring contest.”
“Why didn't you call me? I would have come running. You know that.”
“I didn't want you to have another disturbed night. It was bad enough that I couldn't sleep.”
“But, Penzi, if he couldn't get though your protective shield, why didn't you try to sleep?”
“Felix, sometimes you really annoy me. Of course, I tried to sleep. The first time I dozed off I snapped to with a jerk when he moved to the side of my bed. Every time I moved an arm or a leg he would snap to attention with his machete poised. He was waiting for me to stick a toe out of the area.”
“I see. A three foot radius gives a diameter of six feet and you are five foot seven. So any wriggling you might do could send you outside the limit.”
“Exactly. So I had to stay awake all night to make sure I didn't accidentally go outside the ring.”
I put the tea down on her bedside table and sat down on her bed. “But why doesn't the aura move with your foot, for example?”
“I don't know. I spent all night trying to work it out and the only thing I can come up with is that the ring is centered on my heart or my belly. I can't tell you how unnerving it was to have to stay in such a small area, not stretch my legs or my arms for fear of being chopped to bits.”
“We'll have to find a stronger spell, one that gives you a larger area of protection. Get dressed and bring the Book of Spells down to the study. I'll meet you there.”
As I was leaving the room, I remembered the portal.
“Penzi, he got through the portal even though we blocked it. His magic must be too strong for ours. We need some advice. Why don't you ask your mother Gwinny to join us.”
Life was becoming over complicated. Not only did we have a murder to solve while the murderer was threatening to do harm to Penzi, but we had to deal with the Wazini witchdoctor travelling though spacetime to reach Penzi and try to kill her. No wonder Penzi was feeling inadequate. I can't say I was more confident than she was. I hoped Gwinny would have some constructive advice to give her daughter.
*
Penzi came into the study with her mother and the Book of Spells.
Gwinny hovered just inside the doorway wringing her hands. “Felix, I've told Penzi I can’t be of any help. It's a long time since I practiced any magic and I was never much good at it, anyway.”
Penzi put her arm around Gwinny and led her over to a chair and told her to sit. “When I asked you for advice before — when you were in prison — you helped me.”
Gwinny took a deep breath. “I can only try. I understand you need a stronger spell to protect Penzi and a more powerful spell to block the portal in the brocante. I never knew there was a portal there. I can't see the mirror. I suppose that means Penzi has more natural witchiness than I have.”
Penzi laid her hand on top of the Book of Spells. “So what do you think?”
Gwinny rose from her seat to stand next to Penzi and look down at the book. She flipped open the cover letting loose the bright white light from the jewels.
“I always hated that bit,” she said shielding her eyes for a moment. “Now, let me refresh my memory by glancing down the index.”
No one said anything while she leafed carefully through the pages. She shut the book with a thump. “I'm sorry, but I couldn't find another spell for either problem. Speaking of problems, the real one here is that my book is only a Level One book. I never reached a higher level. I was an awful witch. The spells you need must be Level Two or Three, maybe even Four. You have to work your way through this book first and then apply for the next.”
Penzi let out a wail of disappointment, “Oh no. It's taking me ages to learn the spells. There are hundreds in this book and I don't have the time or the mental energy to go any faster.”
I thought for a moment. We had to find a solution. “Gwinny, would there be any point in appealing to the High Council of the Guild of White Witches for help?”
Gwinny stopped frowning and looked up. “Anything's worth a try. If they want Penzi to succeed, they will want to help but I don't know whether there's any precedent for allowing novices to jump levels.”
“We'll have to try it,” I said. “This witchdoctor means business. He has to use up a lot of magic to travel all this way from Africa and he's done it twice so far.”
“Until you get it sorted out, Felix, you should sleep in Penzi's room. He won't try anything if you're here to stop him.”
“Thank you, Gwinny,” Penzi said. “Felix and I have some planning to do now. We'll see you for lunch.”
She gave her mother a hug and showed her out.
“So plans, Felix?” Penzi asked.
“We've interviewed all the suspects we had on our list. Anyone you think we should see again?” I asked her.
She surprised me by saying we should revisit Tidot's mother now that everyone knew Tidot had been in the bakery and that the police suspected he had been murdered.
“Now?”
“Yes. And I think you should visit the cats at the bakery tonight. They could have seen something on Saturday night.”
“Right, I'll do that. But when shall I do the hacking?”
“It can wait until tomorrow. You never know Dubois might save you the trouble and tell me what the police have found.”
“Pigs might fly, Penzi. You know he’s too frightened of Madame Fer-de-Lance to help you any more.”
Chapter 22
When we reached the retirement home, the nurse on duty told us that Madame Tidot Senior was too distressed for visitors. I reminded her that we were operating on orders from the mayor.
“I'll check,” she said and left us in the reception area while she went to ask Madame Tidot.
While we waited Felix asked me why I thought it was so important to interview Madame Tidot again.
“I can't really say,” I said. “Something just doesn't ring true. I can't put my finger on it. Call it instinct, call it magic intuition. She didn't seem upset enough when the issue was insurance fraud. You'd think she would have found that appalling.”
The receptionist came back to say Madame Tidot would give us five minutes but in her room.
We found out why when we walked in. She hadn't left her bed. Her thin grey hair, which on our first visit had been in a neat chignon, lay lank and uncombed on the pile of pillows propping her up against the bed head. Gone was the
self-confident woman with perfect make-up. She had rubbed her nose raw and her eyes were almost closed they were so swollen.
“Our condolences, Madame Tidot,” I said taking up position at the side of her bed.
She waved me to a chair, and I sat down not wanting to intimidate her by remaining on my feet.
“You have questions?” she asked me.
I nodded. “If we may. Now that we know that your son was killed in the explosion and now that the police think the explosion was deliberate, do you have any idea if your son had enemies? Has he ever spoken to you of trouble with anyone?”
She closed her eyes and didn't answer.
“Madame?”
She sat up and stared at me. I repeated my question.
Her eyes flicked wildly towards the ceiling, up to the cornice in the corner of the room, before she answered me.
“I can't think of anyone. Everyone loved Jerome. Now, would you go, please? I cannot cope with all this.”
“Madame?” said Felix.
But she didn't open her eyes or answer him.
Felix indicated the door, and we left the old lady behind to her grief.
“What do you make of that?” asked Felix as we walked back down the corridor.
“She's lying,” I said. “Her eyes gave it away. But I don't know what she's lying about.”
“I think we should search her room.”
“How are we going to do that?”
“Find a spell to make yourself invisible. When she leaves her room, you make your way into the home and let me in through the window. I'll be in cat mode. She has to leave her room sometime.”
“All right. At least my portfolio of spells will be larger by the time we visit the Guild.”
Felix chuckled. “There's always that. Don't want them to think you're slacking.”
Chapter 23
Felix
As soon as we returned to Les Dragons Penzi fetched her Book of Spells. We followed what was now becoming our routine when Penzi had to learn a new spell. She opened the book and I checked the index.
