The Chocolate Magic Cozy Mystery Box Set Books 1 to 7

by Olivia Swift

  “This,” Katie was saying as he went back inside, “is rapidly becoming a railway café rather than a chocolate café!” Sam went to make a space to slot through the electricity at the back of the kitchen.

  “I was thinking about what you said,” Magda told her. “I think you can get molds for engines and we could make some chocolate ones.”

  Two security men from the bank came in for hot drinks and something to eat to take away. Rula served them and asked if they had heard anything about the man that was killed. They shook their heads.

  “Looks like in the wrong place at the wrong time,” one of them said. “No replacement yet and we are doubling up.”

  “No elf suits today?” Magda asked.

  “Got them back on tomorrow. I feel like such a fool with a crash helmet on top of a Christmas outfit.”

  Katie went back into talking about rail-related things to sell when the two men picked up their to-go orders, paid and left.

  “You can take some photos of the model railway and the one outside. Postcards are easy to do, and visitors will pick up something cheap as a memento.”

  “And a few special paintings would be good if you can find the time,” Magda asked.

  “You know that Declan was enthralled with the outline of the station he made for the model railway?” Magda nodded. “I think he has been secretly trying out various train shapes as wall hangings and painting them.” Magda took the chance offered and asked if Katie saw very much of Declan.

  “I know you, Magda Barnes, and you are matchmaking.” Magda sighed and admitted she had been caught.

  “You like him though, don’t you?” she asked. Katie smiled.

  “Yes,” she said simply.

  “But he needs a push,” Magda said. “I told Sam that, but he won’t say anything.” Katie told her that Declan just needed time.

  “I’m a patient girl.”

  “I did notice that he didn’t like it when Miles was looking at you.”

  “So, there is hope,” Katie smiled. “I’ll find out about the wall hangings.”

  They closed up for the day and planned to meet at the train depot.

  The hustle of the railroad was a lot less in the evening. There were one or two trucks waiting to collect things from the next train through and also some passengers waiting. The evening homeward rush had finished so the place was pretty quiet.

  Inside, those that had not seen the railway setup before were suitably impressed.

  “It is just exquisite,” Katie said. “These houses are works of art. Almost like gingerbread houses.”

  “Now there’s a thought,” Magda said. “Gingerbread engines that you can eat.”

  Branna and Jonno were entranced.

  “So much work,” she said.

  “I am always amazed at how much talent there is in the community that you know nothing about. I love it,” Merle said. “It has a good feel to it. I am not picking up anything and that worries me.”

  “Come around to where the train is for the outside of the café,” Declan told her and led the way behind the model landscape.

  “What a difference,” Katie exclaimed. They went to examine the engine and tracks for the café and then Declan pointed. Bart nodded and said that he could see a light mist at floor level.

  “Jeff’s dog. Molly.” Declan pointed with his finger to follow the dog as it raced to Jeff and sat promptly at his side.

  “Let us just stand in a circle,” Merle said. “Hold hands as I go through a protection.” She gave a few words to Miles who looked a bit worried and they stood in the circle with the lights switched down low.

  “Hello, Molly,” Merle started. “What a good girl you are.”

  “She’s wagging her tail and looking up at Jeff,” Declan said.

  “Jeff, can you speak to her and ask her why she is worried?” Merle asked. Jeff looked vaguely alarmed but cleared his throat and gave it a try.

  “Hello, girl. I’m glad you’re there.” He dropped his hand down by his side and then rubbed it with the other one.

  “Did you feel something?” Merle asked.

  “Like cobwebs or a feather against my hand.”

  Merle smiled.

  “Enjoy it. She loves you. Ask her what worries her.” Jeff looked around the circle and tried to keep the tears from showing in his eyes.

  “Molly girl,” he said. “What is it? What’s wrong? Show me. Show me what is wrong. Good girl.”

  “She heard you,” Declan said.

  “I can feel her anxiety now,” Merle said. The sound of a train pulling into the depot was heard outside and the Labrador pulled at Jeff’s jacket. Jeff held onto the edge of his jacket as it gave a slight movement.

  “She is tugging you away from here,” Declan said. “She wants us to get away from this place.”

  “Yes,” Merle agreed. “Good girl, Molly. Show us. Show us what is wrong.”

  Bart broke in to say that he could see the mist moving away and coming back again.

  “That’s what a dog would do if it wanted you to follow,” Jonno said.

  “Where does she want us to go?” Mikey asked.

  “Round to the side where the model railway is,” Jeff answered. “I don’t know how I know that, but I do.”

  “She is tugging at you and then running around the wall and coming back to do it again,” Declan told him.

  “Everybody follow,” Merle said. They went back to where the model landscape was and suddenly it felt better.

  “There must be a danger there of some sort. It feels much easier now that we are away from that area,” Branston said. They formed another circle and Declan said that the dog was sitting pressed against Jeff’s legs and wagging her tail.

  “She got us away from there, but I have no idea why.”

  “Do you think it happens when the trains arrive outside? It sort of coincided,” Branna wondered.

  “She wasn’t frightened of noises when she was alive,” Jeff said and dropped his hand to his side.

  “I can feel the cobwebs again.”

  “There doesn’t seem to be any danger that we can see,” Miles observed. “Maybe we should load the engine and tracks onto the truck and then see if the dog feels the same.”

  “That’s a good idea,” Merle said. “I’ll close down quickly and then we can try once again.” She went through the steps to bring them back to normal life and they all moved to the place where the engine was stored.

  “Nothing apparently dangerous here,” Sam said as he and Declan lifted the engine between them. The coaches were not so heavy, and the tracks had everyone taking a few at a time. Sam locked the back of the truck.

  Back inside there was nothing to see. The place was swept clean and nothing else was stored there. Sam looked at the structure of the place very quickly, but the building was a modern industrial space made from metal beams with wooden insulation panels. It seemed safe enough.

  “Make another circle,” Merle instructed and went through a brief protection. “I get no feeling of any danger or trouble.”

  “The dog is by Jeff again, but she keeps looking around,” Declan added. Jeff dropped his hand to his side and asked Molly to show him what was wrong.

  “She is doing the moving away thing again and coming back,” Bart said. “I can see the mist moving about.”

  They all knew that Molly was pulling them away from that area of the building. As soon as they were all in the middle of the place, she was settled and happily wagging her tail beside Jeff.

  “I don’t see what we can do other than be aware there might be something strange in that area,” Merle said.

  “We can keep an eye out and not put anything around there,” Miles said.

  “At least I know Molly is around and can still hear my voice,” Jeff said. “That means a lot, folks. Thanks.”

  “And we have the engine, coaches and rails. I can store them until you have time to set it up,” Sam told Miles.

  “I love this setup,” Bart to
ld Jeff. “And I honestly won’t publish anything. I am fascinated by the electronics. I hadn’t realized that model railways were so up to date.”

  “Bluetooth, cell phones and Wi-Fi – wonderful,” Jeff answered. “Have a look at the control panel.”

  Declan was examining the detail on the houses and the stations. Katie was pointing out the detail on the trees and natural areas. Magda joined them.

  “I love it!” she said. “When we take the Christmas decorations away, can we make some background for the overhead trains?”

  “It has given me a lot of ideas,” Declan said. Magda managed to ask about the wall plaques he was trying out and he said he would bring one in the next day.

  “You and Katie are a great team,” Magda managed to get in. “Artwork, Incorporated.”

  “I will never be the artist Katie is. She is just so talented.” Declan dropped an arm around Katie’s shoulders and gave her a hug. She slipped an arm around his waist and Magda was well pleased with the result of her interference.

  The group broke up and left for their separate homes.

  17

  “So much to think about,” Magda said. “Can we take the engine into the house and have a good look at it?”

  They carried the engine into the living room and put it down. The cats approached with caution. They sniffed and stalked and looked at Magda as if she was mad. Then Crystal went to a set of books that were arranged in a pile. She jumped up behind them and managed to push the whole group down with an enormous crash.

  “The cats are still trying to tell me something. Just can’t work out what it is. Things falling down, pictures of Christmas.” Magda shook her head and picked up the books. “Definitely something about railroads as well. These were books I had looked at to give me ideas.”

  “Maybe that’s all that it is,” Sam suggested. He had made a hot drink and brought one to hand to Magda. “It’s a beautiful piece of engineering and worth a lot of money. I think we should do the insurance right away.”

  “I am going to try gingerbread trains tomorrow. Katie has a lovely steady hand with an icing bag and she can outline them.”

  “Bart is very taken with the electronics. I bet he is back down there offering to help them out,” Sam smiled.

  “Apart from driving the thirty miles or so to see Gina all of the time,” Magda added. “And I’m glad that Jeff knew that Molly was still around.” She looked at Crystal. “I know who will still be trying to tell me stuff from the other side.” Crystal stared back at her with those lovely blue eyes and then came over for a bit of loving. “She’s worrying about something,” Magda added. She went for the treats and the cats all sat around her feet. “Love you guys,” she told them.

  “What about me?” Sam asked and she told him that he could have a cat treat as well if that was what he wanted. The two humans and four cats settled in the bedroom and all seemed peaceful.

  The café was the same the next morning. There were regular customers, folks on their way to work and some who just enjoyed a chocolatey breakfast. Sam was helping again and went to the truck to look for the electrical parts to connect the train setup in the café. He came back to say it was not there and he would call Jeff later.

  Magda started on gingerbread trials and asked Katie if she would like to read a poem.

  “Oh, I don’t know. It’s a bit scary.”

  “I’ll pop these into the oven and then do one and you can think about doing another,” Magda said. She looked at the people sitting at the tables and saw they were different from her last audience. “I think I’ll do that railway one again. I liked it.”

  The firelight flickered. She switched off the music and told the diners that she was into all things railway these days and there was a reading to accompany their drinks. She cleared her throat and read the poem again. Again, there was a short silence when she almost panicked and then a round of applause.

  “Do a Christmas one!” someone called out and she looked at the ones she had on cards.

  “I know everyone likes ‘The Night Before Christmas’. I’ve got the ‘Fright Before Christmas’ here. It might scare you.”

  “Give it a go,” someone said, and another suggested a free coffee if it was an awful poem. Magda laughed and read it out. She realized halfway through that there was no sound in the café. She had everyone’s undivided attention and enjoyed reading the spoof poem to the end. There was an appreciative round of applause.

  “Thanks,” she said into the microphone. “If anyone would like a free refill, come up and claim it.” The sound of chairs scraping back on the floor told her that the offer was appreciated.

  Katie had pulled the gingerbread engines from the oven and put them out to cool. The lunchtime rush started to build up and kept them busy. Then there was the blessed hour afterward when they managed to eat something themselves.

  Sam called Jeff to ask about the electric box for the engine and found out that Bart was down there at the depot playing with the controls.

  “The part was kept in the office,” Jeff said. “Come and pick it up anytime.”

  “Be down shortly. Thanks,” Sam answered and asked Magda if she wanted to come along.

  “If we can stop to pick up some things I need at the supermarket,” she said and made sure Katie and Rula were okay to carry on.

  “We need extra food coloring. Green is completely out,” Katie told her. Magda said she would pick up what they needed. She and Sam went off together. The visit to the supermarket was easily dealt with and they arrived at the depot with everything very busy and very noisy.

  “It’s not the trains that make the noise. It’s the people and those big trucks that collect and load.” Stepping inside and closing the door was a relief. Miles, Jeff and Bart had been all clustered over a new piece of technology and the screen was filled with what looked like gobbledygook, but Magda assumed that the three enthusiasts knew what it said. They broke off to demonstrate how they could control a new way of trains avoiding crashing into each other and Miles picked up the piece that they needed to make the outside engine work.

  “You know the dog is still around you, don’t you?” Bart said to Jeff who smiled and nodded.

  “I like knowing she is there.”

  “But she is moving about a lot. I can see the mistiness and I think she is very agitated about something,” Bart went on.

  “The noise outside is deafening,” Magda said as they opened the door to leave.

  “For some reason, on the days when the security units arrive for the banks, it’s always really busy,” Jeff said.

  “That’s our two elves over there with crash helmets on,” Magda said. “They’re from the bank next to the café. They’ll be glad when Christmas is over and they can wear normal clothes.”

  “I think it’s a bit sinister,” Miles said. “You don’t really know who is inside those crash helmets.”

  “That one on the left is easy to recognize because he has an odd way of walking. One shoulder is lower than the other,” Magda said. “He took over from the poor man that was killed.”

  The sound of the train approaching could be heard.

  “There’s another security van. Must be more than one delivery,” Jeff observed and rubbed at his hand. “Maybe Molly has spotted the little dog over there on its own. I wonder why it’s loose like that. Maybe I should try and catch it.”

  “Doesn’t seem to be anyone searching for a dog,” Sam said and made his way to the truck with the electric transformer when there was sudden movement on several fronts. The mother of a family waiting for the train shouted out in fear.

  “Carly, come back here.”

  A little girl about eight years old ran toward Magda and was pointing at the little dog.

  “Carly, get back here!” her mother shouted but Carly took no notice. The girl was running fast and without even thinking about it, Magda grabbed at the hood of her coat and pulled her backward. The girl fell over and cried out in pain, but Magda saw what was
also heading their way and threw herself on top of the child to prevent her getting away.

  A huge and thundering truck ran out of control down the side of the rails. People leapt out of the way. The mother of the child screamed as Sam and the others ran for where Magda was already holding on to the girl and covering her body. Sam threw himself on top of both of them and scooped them toward the mother who clutched the child to her chest but kept on screaming. At least her mouth was still open and there were sounds but they were lost in the ensuing crashing sounds that sounded like a bomb had gone off. Everyone in the area was showered with debris.

  The train arrived and added to the amount of noise and confusion.

  Some of the pieces flying through the air were large planks of wood and did some damage. The enormous wagon had crashed into the building with the model train and gone through the wall. The wall was metal girders and finished with wooden cladding. It was the cladding that was flying in every direction. Sam covered Magda with his body, and they had their backs to the crash to protect them from anything that might hit them in the face. The little girl’s family was doing the same and as the noise started to decline a little, they all turned to see what had happened.

  The truck was halfway inside the railway building and half outside. People were on cell phones to call emergency services and some men were trying to climb to the cab to see if the driver was hurt. People leaving the train and those waiting to board all rushed down to try and help. It was sheer chaos.

  Bart was running video and taking shots of everything in sight and had already told his editor what was happening. The reporter in him had taken over and he was going all out to get every possible shot that he could.

  “Are you okay, Mags?” Sam asked and brushed her hair away from her face. She nodded without speaking and the mother of the little girl came across holding her daughter firmly by the hand.

  “You saved her life. I cannot thank you enough,” the woman said to Magda and tears started to stream down her face. “I’m sorry to be crying like this.”

  “It’s the shock,” Magda said. She looked at the girl. “Sorry if I hurt you pulling you over like that.”