The Chocolate Magic Cozy Mystery Box Set Books 1 to 7

by Olivia Swift

  “Job done,” Sam said.

  “And a good one,” Magda added. “The attic is superb.”

  “Now you have to start on the whole bank building,” Katie laughed.

  “She has done sketches and mood boards,” Declan said.

  “And the railway cellar is a great idea,” Magda added.

  “Can I go back to the bungalow and sleep for a day?” Sam asked and she took his arm.

  “You both deserve it. Let’s be lazy for a day or two.”

  They locked up the cottage and took their personal tools and equipment back to the holiday home. They did some sightseeing, caught up with Barbara and Jenni, spent some more money and made sure they had gifts for everyone back home. Magda found some cat treats that she thought the gang would like and they laid about in the bungalow doing nothing in particular.

  After two days, the willow circle was enclosed with a white fence, the trees had been cut back to allow an actual circle and the ready-made plastic pool was disguised with stone and plants. There were steppingstones because the ground was boggy and the landscaper, under instruction as to what the place was about, had found some stone ornaments that were just right to add a little atmosphere. He had included a solar powered small fountain that was dropped into the pool, which gave a gentle sound of trickling water.

  Magda and Katie were leaning on the fence. Branna came to join them.

  “What do you think?”

  “I love it,” Katie replied. “It could almost be my painting.” Branna smiled and said that she had shown it to the landscaper, and he had made some great suggestions.

  “I did run off a few copies in case anyone would like it.”

  “I can sign them if they want me to,” Katie told her.

  “I have mentioned to one or two of the visitors, that I might have an introductory get together. They are quite keen. What do you think?”

  “Not a séance,” Katie answered. “I think Declan has had enough for the time being.”

  “Finger food and drinks,” Branna said, “and Jonno will explain what we are doing.”

  “What can we do to help?” Magda asked, and the three of them went to the kitchen to plan what they could produce for the evening. Branna said that she would send out for some things from the local bakery and the two girls added that they would make sandwiches.

  “We have plenty of practice at that,” Katie added.

  “We’ll go and eat something, and then come back to make up the buffet,” Magda suggested. Jonno popped in to say he would see to drinks and make a speech at the circle. He had already drafted Sam and Declan to take the tables across.

  After eating, the girls went to make sandwiches. Later on, they changed into warm clothes and sturdy shoes. They helped carry food and drink to the circle and found that most of the visitors from touring caravans and holiday homes were all hovering around. Tom and his family had moved on with the next stage of their trip.

  Jonno had a portable microphone and told everyone they were welcome to the food and drink that they had made to celebrate the opening of the magic circle, fairy glen and ancient mystical pool.

  “You can decide for yourselves,” he grinned. “It was an ancient willow tree place and my friend over there,” he waved at Sam, “dowsed with a crystal and found the underground stream. We do intend to have ghost walks, Bronze Age picnics, séances and other events. This pool is a modern one, but the magic of the trees might work its spell. Any coins you throw in there to make a wish will be given to charity.” He invited them to walk around the pool and make a wish. “Then come eat, drink and be merry. It’s all on the house.” He then declared the magic circle open. Everyone clapped and went inside the fence. The children jumped from stone to stone and then ran to see what was available to eat. There was wine for the grownups and beer if anyone wanted one. It was cold and dry, and everyone seemed to enjoy the chance of something different.

  Branna had brought prints of the painting and they were quickly snapped up. Katie was congratulated and asked to sign them. When it was done, and some of the folk were wandering away, she took Declan’s hand.

  “This place is annoying you. Let’s go back to the bungalow.” She told Magda where they were going.

  As they walked back Katie said, “Tell me.”

  “He’s there, that Hoffstander. He is very grumpy looking, almost angry. I have no idea why, but I hope he doesn’t spoil the attraction,” said Declan.

  “He annoys me, and I couldn’t even see him. The man was a cheat and a liar and left his wife and daughter. He still seems to want us to do something but what and why and why should we?”

  Declan laughed and put an arm around her.

  “It’s a good job he isn’t here in real life. He would really be told what was what. Thank you,” he added.

  “For what?” Katie asked.

  “Making me smile and forget about him.”

  “The opening went well. I’m sure they will make this place work,” Katie added.

  A bit later, Magda and Sam arrived at the bungalow and immediately wondered if something was wrong. The four of them talked about why the man could be there but came up with no answers.

  “We have one more day tomorrow and then back home,” Sam said. “I think we should leave well enough alone, check on the cottage, pack and get ready for the flight.”

  “Agreed,” Magda said.

  “One last computer game?” Katie asked Declan and he went into the other room. After a little while, they heard him shout. The game had obviously cheered him up.

  After showing Branna and Jonno the cottage and going through the booking system, they had one last stroll around the shops and dropped in to say goodbye to Barbara. They decided to stop at the button shop as well.

  They had a stroll around the holiday home site with Jonno, took countless photos and were packed ready to travel the next day. Hugs and thanking the Lord for being able to video chat, they set off for Dublin and the airport.

  Despite the long journey, upon arrival at home, they all headed together to the café and familiar surroundings.

  Rula shouted out loud as she saw the four of them come down the alleyway and into the courtyard. She rushed out to hug them and even two of the customers stood up to give Magda a welcome home. She had Rita working and had even persuaded her mom, Melissa, to come and help out. Mikey had an apron tied around his waist and was collecting dishes.

  Everything stopped as the travelers were welcomed home and plied with questions.

  “Can I have a proper hot chocolate please?” Magda asked and sank onto a chair. They managed to serve customers, call Bart, and listen to the tales of Ireland and the Spookydown holiday home.

  “Branna has gone to town on the spooky aspect and taken into consideration what Merle told her and made it luxurious. We found a bronze age burial site, an underground stream that wove through a magic circle of willow trees and an ancient cottage with a turf roof,” Magda told them.

  Declan produced a copy of the painting that Katie had done of the magic circle.

  “It really is magical,” Rula said and looked at both of them, “but not as magical as you two have found this trip?” Declan looked slightly embarrassed, but Katie reached up and kissed his cheek.

  “What about séances and stuff?” Mikey asked.

  “The strangest thing was that Mr. Hoffstander turned up as soon as we tried to reach someone. His great granddaughter is lovely, and I brought you some of the handmade buttons she embroiders.” She had some old photos and it was definitely the same man.

  “So, he had families in America and in Ireland,” Mikey mused.

  “But,” Declan said. “He was there the day before yesterday when we opened the magic circle officially. I said nothing to spoil the occasion, but he looked quite angry.”

  “I just hope he leaves them alone, now that we have come home,” Magda added.

  “The attic and cottage look great,” Katie said and flicked open her tablet.

 
; “First booking next week,” Sam told them.

  “Glad to be home though,” Declan sighed.

  “Café fine. Cats fine. Stocks are low,” Rula added.

  “But,” Mikey said triumphantly and rattled the huge bunch of keys. “We have access.”

  “I hope you were waiting for me,” Bart called out as he arrived at a run down the alley.

  “Go on, you guys,” Rita called out. “Melissa and I can manage here.”

  Magda heard someone ask where they were going, and she knew the grapevine would spread the news to everyone by the next day.

  Mikey took a breath and ceremoniously turned the key in the main doorway. He held an arm out and they all filed past him one by one. They switched on all of the lights and went from room to room pointing out what they would do and where things would go.

  “We haven’t got the planning permission yet, but I don’t see why they would refuse it,” Sam said and led the way down to the cellar. “It’ll be some operation to get this vault out of here.”

  “We could paint it and pretend it’s a cottage or something,” Magda joked.

  “Could the door come off and be changed to a normal door? It would be useful storage,” Rula verbally considered. Sam and Declan looked at it and decided it would be better to find a specialist firm that would take it away. They looked at where the outline of the door told them that the steps were on the other side and Declan stepped back.

  “What?” Katie asked.

  “He’s here,” Declan told them. “Mr. Hoffstander has come back with us, I guess.”

  “Let me tell you, Mr. Hoffstander,” Magda started firmly. “You are a bad-tempered man who left his wife and daughter. Why on earth do you want to follow us around? I hope you have left the people in Ireland in peace.” She glared at the spot that Declan indicated the man was appearing. “Your great grandchildren are both good people. This is our building now and we will make it a cheerful place. No need for you to hang around.”

  “She’s right, Mr. Hoffstander. We will take out this vault and run the model railway through. We don’t need your help. We found your families for you. They are happy to get to know each other. No thanks to you, I might add,” Sam dropped his arm on Magda’s shoulders.

  “Say that you are taking out the vault again, Sam,” Declan said. Sam looked at him and repeated what he had said about the vault.

  “This big heavy safe is just in the way. We will get it removed.” He looked at Declan.

  “He is smiling as he is fading away and sort of raising a hand in a sort of farewell gesture. He certainly likes the idea of taking away the vault.”

  “Maybe he will go along with it,” Katie suggested. “At least that made him smile.”

  “This gets more mysterious by the minute,” Rula laughed. “Maybe there is a treasure trove underneath.”

  14

  “Thing is,” Sam looked around the space. “To remove the vault, we do not need planning permission. It’s not part of the building. We could find a company to do that while we wait for the planners.”

  “And,” Declan followed, “we can break through the doorway because new law says that we have to have a second exit to comply with safety regulations.”

  “Oooh,” Magda said. “We could get started.”

  “Mmm,” Sam smiled at her. “I do have to start my next commission.”

  “But it can wait a day until you set this in motion.”

  With a smile, he shook his head and looked at the others.

  “She’s right as usual.” As he lifted his hands into the air, everyone started talking at once with ideas about possible changes that could be made.

  “The restrooms upstairs can be extended because they are already there,” Declan observed as they went through the whole place.

  “The bedroom doors all have locks,” Rula added. “We would need to keep them locked if they are being used for storage because the public will be using the restrooms.” Mikey looked at the bunch of keys.

  “We need to work out which is which and label them.”

  They completed their walk around and went back to the café.

  “If you all want to take your luggage home and speak to your cats, we can manage here for one more evening,” Rula told them. “Tomorrow we need to make truffles like crazy.”

  “I won’t say no to that,” Sam said. He laughed. “I’ll look up the company that could take out the vault when I get home.” Rula clapped her hands.

  The cats were in a huff, as Magda knew they would be. They were never pleased to be left behind if Magda was away. She found the new treats from Ireland and shook the bag in the kitchen. The two black and white kittens came straight through. Then Abigail, and finally Crystal, came to try out the new delicacies. They were very much approved and the four of them crouched to eat.

  Magda found the jacket with the buttons had been pulled onto the sofa and shook her head.

  “She’s still on buttons,” she said and hung up the jacket. “Oh, it’s good to be home again.” She put her arms around Sam’s neck and enjoyed a long kiss.

  “If you make a drink, I will look up the company for the vault removal.”

  On the return from the kitchen, she put his drink down beside Sam and then got comfy on the sofa to enjoy a real Magda Barnes chocolate drink.

  “Remember Barney Jericho?” Sam asked. Magda said that she did, and he told her that he had hired men to cut up some huge metal shipping containers.

  “They were good workers apparently. I’ll give him a call.” He spoke to Barney and after a bit of builder chat, he wrote down a number and name. “Thanks, Barney.” He made another call to a man called Jefferson Dunn and explained what he needed. As the talk had become very technical, Magda had switched off listening and closed her eyes. She was awoken by the feel of Sam joining her on the sofa and kissing her nose.

  “I must have been really tired,” she said.

  “Jet lag,” he replied and told her that Jefferson Dunn would come and view the vault the next day.

  “I need to sleep first,” she yawned, and he obligingly carried her to the bedroom but dumped her unceremoniously onto the bed. She laughed, wriggled out of her clothes and was asleep again almost before she made it under the covers.

  Waking up the next morning, she found that Crystal had spent two weeks making use of the bed and there were a lot of tell-tale cream hairs on the throw. As she pulled the covers over for a few more minutes in bed, buttons appeared amidst the cream fur.

  “Where on earth did the little minx get these from?” she asked out loud and Sam turned to see what she was asking about.

  “Cream hair on bed, Crystal. No brainer but where did she get these wooden buttons?”

  He picked them up and told her they were not buttons but the ends of woodwork.

  “They were in a box I left in the kitchen.”

  “Thank goodness we are back to keep an eye on her,” Magda said and went to shower. Then she decided just to have a smoothie for breakfast. They fed the cats and then left for the café.

  The others were thrilled to hear about Jefferson Dunn. Bart came and settled on his stool. He looked a bit pleased with himself and pushed across the tablet.

  “I wonder,” he said, “if Hoffstander had brothers or cousins or something. He had a daughter so the name would be lost but there are other Hoffstanders in the area.”

  Magda read the pieces that Bart had found and passed them to the others.

  “They probably hated the man even if they were his relatives. I will be glad when the vault is out, and we can start making our mark on the building.”

  Magda had brought the gifts that she had purchased in Ireland and was glad when Branston and Merle turned up for a coffee because she had mementos for them as well. In fact, she had bought a brilliant emerald green shirt for Branston with shamrocks on the collar lapels. For Rula a green handbag shaped like a shamrock. There was a crystal ball for Merle. Other gifts in the same vein were passed out and en
thused over. Then Elsie and Rosie came in for their usual coffee and were overwhelmed when Magda gave them both a gift from Dana’s button shop. They were very sweet pictures made entirely of unusual buttons.

  Declan arrived just before Jefferson Dunn and the men went off to the bank building. Magda sat beside Rosie at the table and flicked her tablet on to show them the button shop, the cottage and the Spookydown Holiday Homes pictures.

  “The odd thing was,” she told them, “that when we had a sort of ghost walk, who should appear but Mr. Hoffstander. I guess we had seen the name on the shop and maybe that was what attracted him. He seemed pleased that we had found his two great granddaughters but grumpy about something else that we couldn’t figure out.”

  “What is she like, my new relative?” Rosie asked and Magda told her about Dana and her friend Michael and the archaeology.

  “She would like to talk to you on video if we set it up. Is that alright?” Magda asked. Rosie nodded and Elsie said it was exciting. “I had better start making truffles,” Magda laughed. “Will try and get a video link in the next couple of days. Dana has no other relatives. She was really pleased to find out about you.”

  “How odd, isn’t it, that I have nobody else either,” Rosie answered. Elsie put her hand on her arm.

  “You can’t get rid of me though, Rosie.”

  Magda laughed and went away to start on truffle centers. Katie had made some already and went off to the chocolate vat.

  Merle wanted to know about the ghost walk and the séances as she sat in the kitchen beside Magda. Branston wandered off to see what was happening in the bank.

  “I am glad they are making the place work in Ireland,” Merle said. “That gate is so original.”

  “The willow circle is lovely.” Magda handed over a print of the picture. Merle put her finger gently on the figure in the picture and smiled.

  “I think Katie modeled that person on you, Magda. There is just a hint of the plum colored hair.” Katie smiled at her.

  Between Katie and Magda, they told her about the appearance of the boy from long ago, the tiny cottage and about Mr. Hoffstander.