She gave me a hard look. “I don’t like having to repeat myself, but I will. Ivan Snapnert caused damage to my back garden. He trampled on my plants and destroyed my favourite bench. He caused similar reckless damage to my neighbours’ back gardens too. You can ask them. They’ve made reports about it. You’d know that if you’d read the reports.”
“When did he cause the damage?”
“In the night, under the cover of darkness so no one could see him. The sneaky thing.”
I held in my sigh of exasperation. “Mrs Tarblast, did anyone see Ivan causing the damage?”
“No, but we all know it was him. It had to be.”
“Why?”
“Because his garden wasn’t damaged. Well, he wouldn’t ruin his own garden, would he? He destroyed ours because he was jealous of how beautiful they are.”
I asked, “Can I see your back garden, please?”
“This way.” She turned around and walked around the side of her house. She had little legs but she moved fast. Stanley and I had to jog to keep up with her.
“There!” she pointed triumphantly to her rear garden. It was long and had amazing views of the countryside.
I blinked. “Am I missing something? Your garden looks beautiful. I can’t see any damaged plants.”
“Of course not. I replaced the damaged ones and fixed the broken bench. I couldn’t have my garden looking messy. I had to fix it.” She looked down at Stanley and said, “Why’s your cat shaking his head like that?”
“Because you’ve destroyed any evidence,” I told her. “Also, you don’t have any witnesses who saw Ivan causing the damage. I’m sorry, Mrs Tarblast, but I can’t arrest Ivan Snapnert based on this.”
“What?” Mrs Tarblast exploded. “You have to. He doesn’t belong here. He’s not our sort!”
I felt a stab of anger at her words. I’d met people with biased opinions before, but I thought residents in Brimstone were supposed to be more accommodating. I kept my voice firm as I continued, “Mrs Tarblast, we have a complaint against two centaurs who ran havoc through gardens along this terrace. Do you know anything about that?”
“Centaurs? No. Why would they be running through my garden? Who made the complaint?”
“Ivan Snapnert.”
“Pah!” She threw her hands up in disgust. “It’s a ruse. He’s blaming someone else to take the heat off him. The sneaky, good-for-nothing lover of fish. Are you going to evict him from his house?”
“I think she should,” a voice said at our side. A bearded gnome in a blue hat was looking at us over the garden fence. “Then your Beryl can have that house. She’s been after it for years.”
Mrs Tarblast shot him a filthy look. “Dirkem Mudworthy, mind your own business. This is my time with Cassia, not yours. You can talk to her when I’ve finished.”
I looked at Dirkem. “Was your garden damaged too?”
“Aye.”
“Have you fixed any broken items or replaced damaged plants?”
“Aye.”
I nodded. “Did you see Ivan Snapnert committing the crime?”
“Not exactly. But I know it was him. He’s got a sneaky look about him.” Dirkem cast his glance over Mrs Tarblast’s flowerbeds. “Have you got any of that stuff in yet, Mrs T.? That stuff for my back?”
Mrs Tarblast’s cheeks turned red, and she made a shushing motion with her hands. “Dirkem, I’ll talk to you later about that. I’m busy telling Cassia about Ivan. She needs all the facts. Go back inside your house. Go on.”
He lowered his voice and went on, “Have you got that stuff or not? My back’s really playing up.”
Mrs Tarblast snapped, “Dirkem, there’s no point whispering like that. We can all still hear you!” She frowned at him and looked back at me. “Ivan lives in the last house. He’s in now. Go round there and have it out with him. You’ll soon see I’m right about him. I expect you’ll make an immediate arrest.”
“I’m not sure about that, Mrs Tarblast. Before I go, I’d like to take some photos of your garden if that’s okay?”
She smiled and puffed up her hair. “Photos? Of course. Where would you like me to stand? Next to my roses? Reclining on my bench? Perhaps an action shot with my hands in the dirt?”
Dirkem said, “Can I be in the photos too? I’ve combed my beard today.”
I explained, “I only want to take pictures of your gardens, not you. Not that there’s any evidence of vandalism left.” I took my phone out and held it up. I heard gasps of shock coming from both gnomes. “What’s wrong?” I asked.
Mrs Tarblast’s finger trembled as she pointed at my phone. “What sort of black magic is that? That’s not a camera. It’s too small. Are you going to cast an evil spell on us using that thing? Is it true what that centaur is saying about you? What’s he called? Treto?”
“There’s nothing magical about this,” I waved my phone in the air. “It’s just a device for taking photographs. As for Treto, I wouldn’t believe a word he says.”
I quickly started to take pictures of the beautiful garden. I took a few shots of Dirkem’s garden too. It was just as beautiful as Mrs Tarblast’s.
Mrs Tarblast moved closer to Dirkem as I snapped away and started to mumble something to him. My trusty feline partner secretly sidled up to them and listened to their conversation.
As soon as I’d finished taking the photos, I said goodbye to the gnomes and said I’d be in touch soon. Stanley and I walked down the path, out of Mrs Tarblast’s garden and along Rose Garden Terrace.
I said to Stanley, “What were they whispering about?”
“She was telling Dirkem off for talking about that stuff for his back. She said Dirkem knows she shouldn’t be bringing certain plants into Brimstone and that she’d be in serious trouble if you found out.”
“Really? Did she say what the stuff was? I’m presuming it’s a plant.”
Stanley shook his head. “Neither of them mentioned a name. Are you thinking the same as me? Do you think Mrs Tarblast has been growing that plant which killed Alan?”
I nodded. “Screaming Devil’s Fungus. I don’t like how insistent she is on blaming Ivan Snapnert for damage that was possibly caused by the centaurs. She’s hiding something.”
We stopped outside the last terraced house.
I said to Stanley, “Let’s see what Ivan’s got to say for himself.”
Chapter 26
I almost didn’t spot Ivan Snapnert. He was wearing green clothes and sitting in a green chair in his front garden. I only noticed he was there when he raised his hand in greeting. He stood up, walked over and peered at us through small, round spectacles.
He blinked and said, “Are you here about my neighbours’ gardens?” He was soft-spoken and I had trouble catching his words.
“We are,” I answered. “May we come in?”
“Yes, please do.” He opened the gate for us and we entered the garden.
His garden was a stark contrast to the others in the street. The grass was patchy and a sickly shade of green. There were a few plants dotted around the side of the grass but they looked as if they’d given up the will to live a while ago.
Ivan scratched his bald head. “I know it’s a sorry sight. I’ve tried my best, but I guess some of us don’t have green fingers. I should have listened to my neighbours. They’ve been telling me I’m not cut out for gardening ever since I moved here.”
“You shouldn’t listen to them,” I said. “Gardening is a skill, and like any skill, you’ll get better if you practise.”
“I’m not sure I’ll get the time to practise. I think it might be time for me to move on.” He looked along the row of gardens to his side. “I’m letting everyone down. They’ve been patient with me, but I know what they’re saying about me. I’m not a natural gardener.” He pointed to one of the withered plants at his side. “I don’t even know what that is. Do you?”
I shook my head at the sorry plant. “I’ve just spoken to Mrs Tarblast. She claims you damaged h
er back garden and that of the other residents on this street. Is that true?”
He shook his head. “I’ve told Mrs Tarblast several times that it wasn’t me. She won’t listen. I suspect she’s using the vandalism as an excuse to force me out of my house. I think a relative of hers wants to move in here.”
“Yes, she said. How long have you lived here?”
Ivan gave us a small smile. “About two months. I love it here. Apart from my gardening mishaps, I feel at peace here.” He tugged at his green shirt. “I’m supposed to be a fishing gnome, but I was never suited to it. I didn’t like catching fish. It seemed too cruel. When I first became a fishing gnome, I voiced my opinions to the other gnomes and they mocked me relentlessly. I tried again and again to be a good fishing gnome, but my heart wasn’t in it. In the end, the other gnomes told me to clear off. So I did. I came here and was lucky enough to get this house.” He shook his head sadly. “I don’t fit in here either. I’m trying my best, but I can’t get the hang of this gardening malarkey.”
I felt sympathy for the little gnome and said, “It’s just practise. Making mistakes leads to success. Eventually.”
He gave me a hopeful smile. “Do you know anything about gardening? Could you help me?”
“I’m sorry, I don’t know anything apart from how to mow a lawn. My gran will know more. I could ask her to have a talk with you.”
Ivan’s face lit up. “Oh, that would be wonderful. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Can I ask you about the complaint you put in against Selo Cezerus? I got your details from his brother.”
Ivan nodded. “Yes, I didn’t want to make it official, but I had to do something. Selo was becoming more reckless, and the damage to my neighbours’ property was getting worse. Would you like to see where it happened?”
“Yes, please.”
Stanley and I followed Ivan to his back garden. It was a long area with a lovely view of the countryside, just like Mrs Tarblast’s. That’s where the similarity ended. Ivan’s garden was in a poor state. It was lawned, but the grass was almost brown. There was the odd circle of green in the lawn which contained clumps of daisy-like flowers.
Ivan’s cheeks coloured and he said, “I must apologise for the condition of this area. It’s a disgrace, I know that. I did plant some rose bushes when I first arrived, but they withered away.” He pointed to the clumps of white and yellow flowers. “I don’t know what those are, but I’m thankful for them. I do hope they’re not weeds. Do you think they’re weeds?”
“I’ve no idea,” I replied. “But they look pretty.”
Ivan smiled at them. “Yes, they do.” He turned around and pointed to the top window of his house. “That’s my bedroom. I prefer the rear of the property because I can watch the sunset from there on an evening. I find it relaxing. I’ve never slept well, but seeing the sunset helps to calm my mind. Or it did until Selo started to gallop along the back here.”
“Where did he run?” I asked.
Ivan turned to the fields. “At first, he used to run along the outer fields. I thought it was strange as I’d never seen a centaur so close to my house before. I thought it was a one off and maybe the centaur had taken a wrong turn. But the night after, he was here again. Closer this time. He was only one field away. Even though I had my window closed, I could hear him galloping along.”
“Did any of your neighbours hear him?”
“I asked them that. They said no. I thought I was imagining it until Selo started running with another centaur. They made the most tremendous noise as they raced along. They yelled insults at each other and whooped loudly when one of them was in the lead. I’m surprised my neighbours didn’t hear anything. I thought those races were bad enough, but I wasn’t prepared for what happened a few nights after that. Those reckless centaurs galloped through my neighbours’ gardens causing such a lot of damage on the way. I opened my window and yelled at them, but they laughed and sprinted away.”
I nodded. “How often did they do that?”
“About three or four times. Enough to cause a considerable amount of damage.” He pointed to the low hedge at the side which separated his garden from his neighbour’s. “They didn’t run through my garden because they leapt over this hedge and right over my garden. They landed on the road out there. As soon as everyone saw the damage, they became highly suspicious and claimed I had something to do with it. I tried to explain to them what had happened, but they wouldn’t listen. I suspect they’ve had enough of me and my lack of gardening skills, and will use any excuse to get rid of me.” His shoulders dropped and he looked defeated. “I suppose I’ll have to find somewhere else to live.”
“Don’t be so sure about that,” I said. I moved over to the hedge and examined the side of it. “This has been damaged several times. It could be from centaur hooves. It does sound feasible that they would leap over this hedge as part of their racing game.”
As I examined the hedge, I could feel someone watching me. I looked up and saw Mrs Tarblast studying me from her garden. When she saw me looking straight at her, she jumped and turned away.
I said to Ivan, “You made a complaint against Selo Cezerus. How did you know it was him?”
“The other centaur kept shouting his name when he insulted him. And Selo yelled the other’s name back. I think it was Treto or Trenton. Something like that. It didn’t take me long to track down Selo Cezerus. His brother was very kind when I went to their ranch and made a complaint. He told me he’d look into the matter urgently.” He frowned. “I heard about Selo dying. Do you think it had anything to do with the other centaur? They were extremely hostile to each other during their races.”
“I am going to speak to Treto again and I’ll mention these incidents. I don’t understand why none of your neighbours heard the noise the centaurs were making.”
Ivan cleared his throat and looked embarrassed. “I hate to say this, but Mrs Tarblast did know about them. She spoke to one of them. Treto? Is that what his name is?”
“It is. When did she speak to him?”
“It was the last time the centaurs came galloping through our gardens. Treto fell over something in Mrs Tarblast’s garden and collapsed to the ground. She came running out and started yelling at him.”
“Did she now?” I said. “I asked her about centaurs running through here, and she denied all knowledge of them. What did she say to Treto?”
“He was moaning about his damaged leg. She told him to stop grumbling and said she could fix it using her special plants.” He looked even more embarrassed. “I’m not supposed to tell anyone outside the gnome community about Mrs Tarblast’s plants.”
“I’m dealing with a murder investigation,” I reminded him. “You must tell me everything. Please.”
He gave me a nod. “Mrs Tarblast grows plants for medicinal purposes. She’s never given me anything, but I know she gives remedies to her neighbours and friends.”
Stanley said, “That must have been what Dirkem was asking her for.”
Ivan continued, “I don’t know if the plants grow locally, but I do know she often goes out travelling for days on end. I asked her once in a friendly manner where she goes on her trips out. She said it was business and had nothing to do with me. I’ve barely spoken to her since. She scares me.”
“I can appreciate that,” I said. “Do you know the names of the medicinal plants?”
He held his hands out helplessly. “I don’t even know the names of the few growing in my garden. Sorry.”
I looked over again at Mrs Tarblast’s garden and saw her attempting to hide behind a red rose bush. She was much wider than the rose bush and it was easy to see her.
I called over, “Mrs Tarblast! Can I have another word with you?”
She leapt out from the bush and shouted, “It’s not convenient right now. I’m on my way out.” She scuttled away looking very guilty.
Ivan twisted his hands together. “I do hope I haven’t got her into trouble.”
&n
bsp; I replied, “I think she’s got herself into trouble. I’ll catch up with her later.”
We said goodbye to Ivan and headed back towards the town square. I looked towards the far end of it and saw Blythe flying back to her house.
I said to Stanley, “Blythe’s back. I hope she caught up with Jane before she caused any more mischief. Come on. Let’s have a talk with Blythe. I’ve got a lot to tell her.”
Chapter 27
As we made our way over to Blythe’s house, I noticed someone scurrying across the town square. It was Mrs Tarblast. She had a bright red scarf over her head and she was carrying a large, empty basket. She kept looking left and right as she hurried through the square. If she was trying to look inconspicuous, she was doing a terrible job. I made a mental note to catch up with her later.
Blythe was waiting at her open door as we arrived. She said, “I saw you heading this way from my window. Come in. Let’s have something to drink before I tell you what happened with the creature who’s calling herself Jane.”
Blythe led us into the living room and over to the seating area. She swept her hand through the air above a low table. A teapot, milk jug and cups appeared along with a saucer of a clear liquid for Stanley. I hadn’t got to the stage in my magical abilities where I could make food and drink appear. I suspected that when I did, it would make me a very lazy person.
We took a seat on the sofa and Blythe poured us a cup of strong tea. She placed Stanley’s bowl on the carpet next to the table and told him she’d added extra vitamins to it as she was concerned that he was looking tired.
She passed me a cup and said, “You’re not looking any better either, Cassia. I know you want to solve this case, but you need to take care of yourself.” She took a sip of tea and sighed with happiness. “That hits the spot. Drink your tea and I’ll tell you what happened when I left you earlier.”
I did as I was told. The strong taste of the tea revived me on the first sip and I sat up straighter. My eyes lost that tired, achy feeling and I took another drink. I had no idea what Blythe had put in this tea, but I was a fan of it.
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