by Nhys Glover
So, no. I was no longer a selfless doormat. Maybe I’d get to heaven yet.
“Do you really think a fortune-teller at a fair could determine whether you got into heaven or not?” I asked.
Unless I could shift this belief, we’d be stuck with him forever. Or Jake would.
He looked a little surprised by my stand. “I thought with all your woo woo stuff you’d believe ‘er. Aren’t you all into spells an’ wards an’ shite?”
I nodded. “To a certain extent, I suppose I am. But only because it’s been proven to me. I think that when you just accept something without assessing its truth for yourself, you’re making a mistake. In a way, Mason made me do that by challenging me about ghosts and the dragon and Jake... all of it. He made me find evidence to support what I believed. Although he didn’t accept my evidence, I knew it to be true for me. My truth.”
Squib scowled for a few moments as he digested this. “Let me get this right, you’re saying she might’ve been conning me?”
“I’m saying she might have been trying to make a selfish little snot into a better person by threatening him with hell and damnation. It’s been done before.”
I was being flippant, but it seemed appropriate. This fortune-teller had taken on a glamor of omnipotence for Squib. Unless I could get him to see her as no more than a fairground trickster he’d forever be stuck between worlds.
The other direction I could go, if this proved too difficult, was to find one act in his long, misbegotten existence when he’d been selfless. There had to be one, didn’t there? Giving up a seat on a bus to a pretty girl? Would that qualify? Probably not, as he would only have done it to get into her knickers.
“She didn’t know what she was talking about. Is that what you’re sayin’?” Squib checked, seeming to be having difficulty making the switch to a new reality.
“But why didn’t I go to ‘eaven then? Why did I get stuck ‘ere?” he demanded, wanting to believe me, but also not wanting to think he’d been a gullible idiot his whole life.
“Because you believed her. Just like Maurice believed what others told him about being Gay: that he was an abomination who would never be welcome in heaven. I don’t know if there is a heaven, but there is something on the other side of the Light, and I think it’s somewhere good. The only thing that stops you from seeing it is your own beliefs about not being worthy. Or that’s what it seems to me. But I’m no expert.”
“No, you aren’t. So why am I even listening to you?”
And with that Squib disappeared yet again. But at least this time I felt like we’d made progress.
It was getting on towards lunchtime, and rather than leave it to Jake to prepare something for us, I decided to do it. It seemed rather rude to use his ingredients without permission, even if I was preparing a meal for him with it, but I fought that feeling down.
I could put together a salad as well as the next person. And with the bottle of homemade salad dressing Jake had made, I could have it turning out as tasty as the ones Jake put together.
By the time I had all the ingredients cut and combined and laced with dressing, Jake came in through the back door. His look of pleased surprise made it all worthwhile.
“I thought I’d make lunch today, as my session with Squib finished early,” I said with a smile.
As he washed his hands in the mudroom, he looked over his shoulder and gave me a wink.
“Happy to hear it. The food part, not the short session with Squib. Did he throw another tantrum?”
I explained what had happened, and I laughed at the look of utter incredulity on his face.
“He believed the old fraud, and that stopped him moving on? That’s do-lally!”
“Seems so. Unless he’s covering something else up with this excuse. But it feels right to me.”
Jake nodded. “It does. So, if he thinks about it and decides you’re right, I may never see him again.” His expression of satisfaction made me laugh.
“Don’t count your chickens. I’m not sure you can throw off a belief so quickly. Not one that has dug itself in deep over a long period of time. Especially if he believes it’s true on some level. Maybe she was a fraud. But needing to be selfless to get to heaven is a common enough belief.”
He nodded. “Aye, you’re right. I remember something like that in Religious Education at school. Back when I went to school.”
“Up to when you were ten?”
He nodded.
“Anyway, I’m making headway, so we have something to celebrate.” I placed the two plates of food down on the table. I’d already put out mugs of tea and glasses of cold water.
“I know losin’ Smart is a blow,” Jake said, after we ate in companionable silence for a while. “But it feels good to have him gone. Like a cloud has moved on.”
I smiled. It was how I felt as well. Now I felt free to be myself. No matter how much extra work I’d made for myself, at least I didn’t have to justify my every move anymore.
When the phone rang, I dashed for it. Daphne was there first, of course, looking expectant.
“I found a reference to our man, re-interviewed the neighbour who reported seeing him, and now have a clear path to finding him,” Jason told me without preamble.
I laughed. He was a detective first, no matter what.
“And you can find him by checking out CCTV footage of the three Ws workplace, right?” I asked excitedly.
“It’s not as easy as they make it look on TV,” Jason cautioned a little peevishly.
“But you’ll do something like that?”
“I’ll go to Watkins’ workplace and make a few inquiries. If I find someone matching the description, we can bring him in and go from there. But Alfie, you need to know. William Watkins was released on bail this morning.”
“Oh. Okay, well, that was to be expected, wasn’t it? I’ll stay vigilant.”
“Good. The last thing we need is something happening to you. I’d like to think they’re reluctant to kill you, given you’d die intestate. I’m right about that, aren’t I? Our people went through all Andrews files, and they found no Will of yours.”
“That’s right. I haven’t made one. Mr Andrews kept harping at me to make one. I think now it was probably at the Watkins’ insistence. But it sort of protects me now, doesn’t it? This place would be tied up for years as the next of kin had to be found. I’m not even sure what would happen to the inheritance tax liability.”
“A Will can be forged, so don’t get too smug about that. You could also be forced to sign over the house before you were killed. Remember, we’re talking about people who expect to gain a lot of power by owning the Way.”
“I understand. I’ll be careful.”
“I spoke to one of our leaders. We’re going to add a layer of protection of our own. Well, two layers.”
“You’re going to ward the house? Not against ghosts.”
“Against those who mean you harm. And we’ll also set up lookouts around the property. Day and night. Luckily, it’s warm enough for it.”
“Someone watching the house, do you mean?”
“Exactly. Well out of sight, just in case there’s already someone watching the house for Watkins. After all, you’d only left the place for a short while when someone tried to break in. That means someone was watching.”
“What about the dragon? Aren’t your people in danger from it, if they’re outside in the open like that?”
“The two fires were miles from you. I think we can safely assume the dragon won’t turn up there. If anything, our people are more likely to be in danger from Watkins. But I doubt it.”
I nodded, again without being seen. “All right, if you think we need it. Please thank those who choose to participate. I hate putting them out.”
Jason chuckled. “People are happy to do it. Not only are we all afraid, because of what’s on the loose, but we’re also up in arms that renegades from our own ranks would do this to you. Not to mention this is the most excitement
we’ve seen for generations. The gossip mill is on fast-forward, what with all the goings on an’ all.”
I laughed. “I can imagine. But all done hush-hush, am I right? Only for the right ears to hear.”
“Aye, only the right ears. But the network is strong.”
Once I ended the call I went back to the kitchen to fill Jake in on what was happening. He was pleased to hear we’d have people watching the house.
“I was considering calling in a few favours from back home,” Jake admitted. “To help me. I can’t be vigilant twenty-four-seven.”
“You mean criminals from Leeds?”
“Aye, that’s exactly who I mean.” His voice was hard.
Was it my reaction to the idea that hurt his feelings, or was it my use of the word criminals? Had I sounded judgemental?
“Oh,” was all I could come up with as a reply
He drew me into his arms and held me close for a few heartbeats. “I don’t need to do that now. But it’s a back-up plan, if worse comes to worst. I’ve already put out feelers about Watkins and his business partners.
That surprised me. “You aren’t leaving it to the police?”
Jake barked out a harsh laugh. “If you waited for the plod to do their jobs you’d be dead. No, sometimes it takes cuttin’ corners to get things done.”
“You haven’t put out a hit on Watkins, have you?” I cried in distress.
I know the man had killed my dog and burned my car, but I didn’t want him to pay with his life.
Jake kissed my forehead. “This isn’t the States, luv. No hits. Just a little pushin’ and shovin’, if it’s warranted.”
I wasn’t sure I believed him. But I wasn’t going to argue. I had too much else to worry about.
While I settled in at my desk in the solar with the Logos, Fred and Percy as my personal bodyguards, I felt oddly light. Was Jake right about Mason taking a cloud with him when he left?
Suddenly a frightening thought struck me. Mason was supposed to be the Knowledge Bearer. I was supposed to need him. How had I forgotten that in my haste to have him gone? Agnes had made it clear I would need the specific help she’d outlined. I needed the Knowledge Bearer.
But it was too late to worry about it now. It was done. Resolutely, I opened the Logos and began scanning the pages for what I needed to know.
An uneasy feeling settled over me, the longer I worked. Just in the short time I’d been studying the instruction manual, I’d uncovered useful information about how to create an energy grid. And it clearly stated in the section on powerful points in the year that it wasn’t necessary to have the celestial and planetary energies working with us for most spells that involved the Way. It was exactly as Jason had said.
So why had Mason had me wasting my time trying to calculate the optimum moment to take on the monster? Had he been stalling? Had he been intentionally keeping me from the information I really needed?
But why? To save me from myself or for a far less palatable reason? Was he trying to stop me? Had the accusations Jake threw Mason’s way been true?
When my head felt ready to explode with information, I put away the book and took my notes to the kitchen so I could go through them with Jake. He, Daphne and Squib were there, as were my two pets who had deserted me sometime during the afternoon. Though my body was stiff from sitting so long, and my heart was heavy with doubts concerning Mason, I felt joy fill me at the sight.
For once everyone seemed to be getting on well. Squib and Daphne were gossiping like old ladies. My pets were skittering around the floor, playing chasings. And Jake was stirring a pot on the stove, watching the scamps at play.
“Something smells good,” I said with a happy smile.
Jake grinned back. “Nothing special. Just a stew. You ready to eat?”
I nodded and sat at my place, as both ghosts shifted out of the way in a hurry. If I didn’t know better I’d think I had body odour. At least that wasn’t one of the jibes I got at school.
While I ate, I explained what I thought I’d discovered. To my great relief, Jake didn’t say I told you so. Not even Squib, who seemed to be on his best behaviour, pointed out how gullible I’d been to trust the man.
“So do you think he’s with Watkins, then?” Daphne asked, when I’d finished recounting my theories.
“I don’t know. Possibly. But what I can’t understand is why he pointed me in the direction of the standing stone in the first place. If he’s working with the enemy, wouldn’t he want all that to stay hidden from me?”
Squib spoke up first. “To scare you off, o’ course. Tellin’ you a monster could be loose on your land seems like a great way to scare you into sellin’. Or have you askin’ fer the kind of ‘elp ‘e could offer.”
For once he sounded intelligent. I looked at him with respect.
“That makes sense. He wasn’t to know Daphne would find the Book of Shadows or the secret chamber. When she did, he needed to keep control of the information. If he’s working with Watkins and hopes to tame the energies that are released from the underworld, then he’d need to read the books. And Daphne was the only one who could pronounce the spells.”
We all fell silent for a few minutes. In that time, I began eating the rich, tasty mix of beef, vegetables and spicy gravy. How did Jake turn even a staple English meal into a gourmet feast?
“When you get tired of beating people up for a living I think you should open a restaurant. You’re an incredible cook,” I exclaimed, keeping my tone light and teasing, especially when mentioning his current job.
Jake leaned back, crossed his arms over his broad chest and considered me. “Reforming me already, Princess? That’s usually way down the relationship path, isn’t it?”
“Oh... Jake used the ‘R’ word!” Daphne cooed, clapping her hands soundlessly. “This is progress!”
I frowned at her in confusion. “R word?”
“Relationship,” she said slowly as if I was a dunce.
Jake groaned and put his head in his hands. I couldn’t tell if he was playing or serious.
“Real men don’t have relationships, Daph. We hook up,” Squib pointed out airily.
Daphne poked her tongue out at him. “What would you know about being a real man?”
“Okay, okay, we were all getting on really well. Let’s keep it that way,” I hastily interceded.
“You know these two are no better than them.” Jake indicated the Despicable Duo who were now rough-housing across the floor knocking over everything in their path. Except the table and the occupied chairs, of course. Even the crate, which I hadn’t had the heart to remove because they seemed to love it so much, took a good thump.
“Excuse me, Jake. But I am not rolling around like that with Squib. He’s not my type,” Daphne snapped, her nose in the air.
“I thought you didn’t have a type,” I threw in, glad to have the thorny issue of relationships left behind.
“I’m a pocket-rocket, sweetness. And you know you want me,” Squib crooned sleazily. His hip thrusts made his point.
Daphne shuddered. “You mean you’re fast to explode? Please! I like men who take their time and appreciate me.”
Squib moved in close and whispered in her ear. “Oh, sweetness, if you want me to take my time, I’ll take my time. Because you are appreciated.”
That actually sounded almost sexy. And from Daphne’s reaction, she seemed to agree. The perplexed expression on her face told me that she didn’t quite know what to make of this little man anymore.
“You’re different. Why?” she said after a moment.
“I’m the same old lover-not-a-fighter that I always was,” he said playfully, but her incisive question had clearly unsettled him.
“No. Oh well, I suppose I should just enjoy it while it lasts,” she said with a flick of her hand.
Squib grabbed the extended limb and began kissing his way up it. For the first time I wondered if ghosts, that had no bodies, could have sex. Was Daphne actually feeling the
kisses Squib was raining all over her arm?
Not my business, I told myself in a hurry, not wanting to think about sex and my aunt. She might be my age and more friend than relative, but she was still my mother’s older sister. It was like imagining my mother having sex. Urghh!
Chapter Eleven
Later that evening, after Jake had called his repairs to a halt for the day and I’d finished with the Logos, Jason dropped in to keep us abreast of what was happening.
It was becoming almost pleasant having these visits from the detective. Now we had him on our side, and he let his naturally vibrant personality out, it was good to just be around him. Though his exhaustion was apparent.
We adjourned to the kitchen, which was the only room in the house with enough chairs to seat the three of us. While Daphne and Squib sat on the kitchen counter, and my pets dozed in the crate, we got down to business.
“I took Martin Watkins into custody late this afternoon after CCTV footage had him arriving in Wiggleswick the morning of the crime and leaving shortly after it. Combined with the evidence from the eyewitness that placed him on Andrews’ street around the time of the murder, it was enough to get a warrant for a search of his home. The search produced a bloodstained shirt in the wash-basket, a nightstick that, although cleansed with bleach, still had blood particulates inside the cylinder, and evidence that led us to a property in Wiggleswick where surveillance equipment had been set up. The property belonged to one of the local Watkinses. Our suspect’s DNA was all over the equipment, and it was clear he’d been one of several men watching Andrews’ study.”
He paused, and a little of his positivity faded. My heart lurched. Somehow I had a sense of what was to come, and I didn’t like it.
“There were not only surveillance records of Andrews’ property. There were also feeds from the kitchen, conservatory, and study of this house.”
My heart lurched again. This was bad. This was very bad.
“Someone was able to get inside my home and bug it?” I croaked. “But... But Rex stopped...”
