by Amy Boyles
Milly shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
I scowled. “What makes you say that?”
Milly eyed the coins. “Hand one to me.”
I palmed the heavy disc before slipping it into her hand. Milly placed it on the edge of her thumb and tossed it into the air. The disc spun as if suspended from an invisible string. A sliver of smoke wafted from it, and a hissing sound filled the room. After a moment the disc fell back to the floor, clattering to a stop.
“What was that all about?” I said.
“That,” Milly explained, “was an agreement placed on those coins. There was magic surrounding whatever contract had been struck between the person who owned the coins and whoever was being paid off.”
“So a magical agreement,” I said.
Milly nodded. “Exactly. And who would be in this room and would possibly also have made an arrangement that would cause the coins to be sealed in their blood?”
I quirked a brow. “That came out strangled and weird, but I think you mean, who would possibly have been paid off with magical coins?”
Milly tapped her cane on the floor. “Exactly, who?”
“Angelique.” I stared at the image of the face. “But who did the coins come from?”
Milly leaned over. “Those coins belonged to one person.”
“Who?” I said.
Milly’s face hardened. “Esmerelda Pommelton, Queen Witch of the South.”
CHAPTER 15
“I ain’t, I repeat—I ain’t had nothin’ to do with that crazy lady.”
Milly and I had found Em in one of her many private rooms. She sat on a couch, her crimson and cinnamon colored curls swirling around her face. Lounging on and beside her were five Yorkshire terriers.
“I’ve never seen you with dogs before,” I said. “When did you start liking them?”
“Dylan Apel,” Em said with a click of the tongue, “you just think you know everythin’ there is to know in the whole wide universe, but you cain’t know everythin’ and you don’t. I have always been an animal lover. I just didn’t let you see my little poochie poochies because I was afraid you’d scare them away.”
I laughed. “If they can deal with you, I’m pretty sure they can deal with me.”
Em’s eyes glittered with dislike.
“Come on now, Em, we’re trying to solve a murder here. You insulted me first.”
She hugged one of the miniature bodies to her chest. The dog licked her chin as Em stroked its head. “I don’t know where those coins came from.”
I raked my fingers through my hair. “They came from here. From somewhere in this castle. Now I know you want to free Roman as much as I do. So try harder.”
“I didn’t give them to that woman.”
“No one is saying that, toots,” Milly said. “And if you remember correctly, I was once queen of the South. If I need to, I can go into the vault and find out what we need to know.”
Em smooshed her lips. “Fine. How about we all go together? Hold hands and such?”
I smiled. “Sounds like a great plan.”
Em led us to the eastern wing of the castle. At the end of a long hall stood a wooden door. Her little dogs trailed behind her, weaving around my legs to keep up with their master.
“You know, I like this whole dog thing. It’s a good look for you, Em.”
She shook her hair over her shoulders. “I don’t need your sarcasm, Dylan Apel.”
I shrugged. “I’m not being sarcastic. Having animals almost makes you seem human—you know, like an actual caring person.”
“I am a queen. I care about my subjects. Even you.”
“I’ll remember that sometime when I’m lonely. Can I call you just to chat?”
Milly swatted at me. “Don’t mind her. She’s under a no-filter spell.”
Em shrugged. “Seems like regular old Dylan Apel to me. Nosy and impudent.”
“Big word.”
Milly elbowed my ribs, which I took to mean shut up, so I did. Em pulled a long golden chain from a pocket in her jeans. The chain was ridiculously long. Clearly it only existed by magical means. After a good ten seconds of pulling thin, almost threadlike links from her jeans, Em dangled a golden key for all to see.
It was diamond etched with edges that ended with curled flourishes. Light glinted off the surface, sending a spray of constellated pixels shooting onto the wall. It was almost as if the thing was composed of hundreds of crystals instead of gold.
It was strange, eerie, and completely magical.
Em slid the key into the lock and twisted. She pushed the door open. A man behind a desk quickly tossed something into a drawer. I saw a quick flash of a gemstone before he greeted us.
He rose. “Your highness.”
Em nodded. “Graham Cents, please meet Dylan Apel.”
Graham pushed his small spectacles to the top of his head. He was middle-aged with a handlebar mustache. He was dressed like a banker from the Old West in a dress shirt with a white collar secured tightly at his throat and armbands wrapped around his biceps.
“How do you do?” he said. “And Milly Jones, a pleasure to see you again.”
“Thank you, Graham,” Milly said.
He clasped his hands behind his back. “What can I do for you ladies today?”
Em nodded toward me. “Dylan has found currency from the bank in a rather suspicious manner.”
Graham adjusted his spectacles. “May I see it?”
I handed the pouch over to him. “Here you go.”
He opened it and peeked inside. “How very interesting. Where did you find this exactly?”
I glanced at Milly. She snorted. “Near the balcony where Angelique was thrown from. We believe it’s payment to her for services rendered.”
Em turned to him. “Can you tell me who this money was paid out to?”
“Of course,” Graham said. He pulled a tome-sized ledger from a drawer. He dropped it on the desk and cracked it open. “We do everything by hand in this room, as magic doesn’t work here. You know, with all the money and such.”
I raised my eyebrows appreciatively. “No magic. Wow.”
Graham lowered his spectacles to his nose. “The serial numbers on these coins are out of sequence, so it may take me a few minutes to see who they were paid to.”
“We’ll wait,” Milly said.
Graham smiled. “Of course,” he said.
He ran a finger down one side of the ledger and up the other. I stepped back, taking a look at the room. It was pretty indistinct, looking like nothing more than a storeroom. I wasn’t sure if that was by magical means or actually how it appeared. One thing I was certain of was that there was a lot of gold somewhere in this room.
“How long have you worked here, Graham?” I said.
“Many years,” he said without looking up. “So many I’ve almost lost count.”
“Graham was here when I was queen,” Milly said.
Graham sniffed. “Yes, I am a servant of the castle.”
Em coiled a strand of hair around her finger. “How’s your mother?”
Graham cleared his throat. “Her last scans have come back clear. She appears to be cancer-free, thank goodness.”
Em smiled. “I’m so glad.”
Graham pushed up his spectacles. “The money the castle raised helped with her expenses immensely. Thank you.”
“The least we could do,” Em said.
“Aha, here it is,” he said. Graham’s thin fingers tapped the ledger. “I found every coin dispensed at one time.”
“Great,” I said, “who were they paid out to?”
Graham blinked at the ledger as if he couldn’t quite figure out what he was seeing.
“What is it?” Em said. “You cain’t keep this to yourself. You’ve got to tell us.”
Graham nodded. “I know. It’s just…hard to believe. Could there be any mistake as to why you found the coins? Or who they belonged to?”
Milly snorted. “No. Not on
e chance there’s an issue with that. Now. Who’d you give the coins to?”
Graham grimaced. “I’m afraid the coins were handed out to our good Dr. Spell.” Graham leveled his gaze on me. “He’s the man you’re looking for.”
CHAPTER 16
We found Jonathan Pearbottom in his office. “You’re gonna have to let Roman and his dad go,” Em said, leaning in the doorway.
Terriers bounced around her. It was so surreal to see Em surrounded by nipping little dogs. I figured her to be more of a snake gal than a furry dog lover.
I smiled to myself. Well, I hadn’t said that out loud. Maybe Helga’s curse was wearing off on me.
“Great. Then I can get the heck out of here and away from all you crazies.”
Everyone stared at me.
Oops, maybe not.
Pearbottom shifted his gaze back to Em. “Why am I supposed to let Roman go?”
Em picked up one of her dogs and let it lick her chin. “Because we have evidence that Angelique was paid off by Dr. Spell.”
Pearbottom blinked. “Dr. Spell, the good doctor who delivers babies and keeps us all well?”
I nodded. “That’s the one.”
Pearbottom scratched his forehead. The pinched expression on his face told me that he was doing everything he could to keep from throwing us out of his office. “Why would he do that?”
I shrugged. “That’s your job—to build the case. We just deliver the guilty party to you.”
Pearbottom shook his head. “No. That’s not the way it works here. I do the investigating.”
Em cocked the dog on her hip. “Then do your job. We’re saying we have evidence that points to the doctor.”
He leaned back in his chair until the springs creaked. “What evidence?”
Milly tossed a gold coin in the air. She thumbed her nose at it, and the coin shimmered. A wave of power emanated from it, making everything in the room still to slow motion. It was like standing behind the shock wave of a small explosion.
My clothes fluttered; my hair lifted. Even the dogs whimpered. Well, they were little dogs and needed Queen Em to protect them from vicious predators like Jonathan Pearbottom.
Everyone was staring at me again. “Did I say that out loud?”
“Yes,” he said. “I’m doing my best to ignore you.” Pearbottom flicked a hand at Milly. “You’re saying these coins were magicked, signifying the securing of an agreement?”
Milly nodded. “That’s exactly right. And we found them at the scene of the crime.”
His eyes narrowed. “Why didn’t my people find them?”
“Because they ain’t been lookin’ for clues,” Em said. “They been tryin’ to hang Roman.”
Pearbottom slid a hand down his face. “We’re not trying to hang anybody. Fact of the matter is, the case looks pretty open-and-shut.”
“It did,” I said, “until we found the good doctor’s coins in the room.”
Pearbottom shook his head. “I’m still not convinced he had anything to do with it.”
I shook my head. “But will you at least talk to him?”
I tapped my toe while Pearbottom chewed his bottom lip. After a few seconds he said, “I’ll talk to him. Ladies, thank you for your help. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got an investigation to get underway.”
We started to leave the room. I turned back. “When are you going to talk to Dr. Spell?”
A glint of anger flickered in his eyes. “I’ll have him sent for. Would you like to be my second on the interview?”
I nodded enthusiastically. “Yes. Is that a real offer?”
He shook his head. “No.”
My hopes crashed and burned. “All right. Well, will you at least tell us how it turns out?”
“Yes. You’ll know something when Roman is freed.”
“Thanks,” I said drily.
That did not help. In fact, I had the sneaking suspicion that Pearbottom wasn’t interested at all in really interviewing Dr. Spell; he was just putting us at ease.
“Stop talking to yourself,” Em whispered.
I scoffed. “I’m not trying to. I need to get back to my room to work some things out. How long do you think it’ll be before he calls for the doctor?”
She shrugged. “Who knows? Half hour?”
“Hmm.”
One of Em’s dogs nipped at her cuff. “Why? You want me to tell you when Spell’s office is empty?”
I knew my eyes shone with delight. “Yes? Would you?”
“Sure. I ain’t got nothin’ better to do than watch you crash and burn.”
“Em, I thought we were friends?” I said, nudging her arm.
She pulled away. “More like tension-filled acquaintances.”
“Okay. I’ll take it.”
We reached the bottom of the grand staircase. “I’m going upstairs. Em, you’ll call me?”
She quirked her lip. “Why don’t we just sneak in tonight? When it’s dark and for sure empty?”
I clapped my hands. “Perfect. See you at ten?”
She nodded. “I’ll pick you up then. And chickadee, don’t think this means we’re friends.”
I ran a finger down my nose. “Don’t worry, I don’t.”
I followed Milly up the stairs. She gripped the handrail tightly. People passed up, climbing quickly and descending even faster. “What do you think about this whole thing?”
She rubbed at a whisker on her chin. Lord, please don’t ever let me get old. Milly stroked the single hair and said, “I think it’s all strange, and I think you definitely need to search Spell’s office. He doesn’t live at the castle, which makes that a bit harder, but see what you can find.”
“But you think it was him, right? Had to be.”
Milly shrugged. “Could’ve been. Could’ve been made to look like he hired Angelique.”
“But not by Angelique,” I said.
Milly shook her head. “No. By someone else. The real person who hired her.”
We reached the bedroom. Reid had the leather book in her hands, still appearing to study it.
“How’s it going over there?” I said.
“I think I’m making some breakthroughs,” she said.
My eyes flared. “Really?”
Sera sat in a chair, twirling a strand of hair between two fingers. “Yeah, if you consider a Twizzler and a Disco Mirror to be people.”
I toed off my shoes. “Is that more code?”
Grandma pumped a stream of lotion into her palm and started rubbing it in. “Dylan, in my day, Twizzlers could sing and dance.”
I rolled my eyes. “They still can if you get ahold of them.”
“Thank you,” she said.
“Not sure that was a compliment,” Reid said. “Anyway, I think Twizzler and Disco Mirror are actually code names for people. I think I’ve cracked it; it’s just we don’t know the nicknames that Angelique herself had for her clients.”
I chewed the inside of my lip for a moment. “So we have to ask someone who might know, which means we go back to Dyon and see what she knows, if anything.”
Reid cracked her knuckles. “Of course, Twizzler could also be swizzle stick.”
I scratched my scalp. “So you’re really not sure about decoding? Do you think it’s even worth me asking Dyon about?”
Grandma came over and slapped my shoulder. “Buck up, kid. Of course it’s worth it. And on the way back it’ll be suppertime. We can interrogate the doctor.”
I frowned. “How do you know about that?”
Grandma tapped her head. “I have lots of secret knowledge in here.”
I smirked. “You mean you listen in.”
She shrugged. “Possibly. But if you want to go see the girl, come with me. We’ll track her down and find out who Tic Tac is.”
“Twizzler,” I corrected.
“Same thing,” she said.
Grandma grabbed my arm and whisked me back down the stairs. “Listen, can we grab a bite to eat before we find her? I�
��m getting a monster headache and could really use some grub.”
Grandma pushed up her sleeves. “Whatever you want. You’ve got to keep your strength up if you’re going to crack this case. Goodness knows I have no idea what the witch police would do without you.”
I frowned. “I’m not with the witch police.”
She shrugged. “Maybe that’s their problem. They need you.”
“Grandma, come on, let’s go find some food.”
Kitchen staff buzzed all around us. I was asked what I wanted, and told them a ham sandwich, something simple. It was prepared quickly, and I took it into a side dining area where I could sit and eat.
But someone was already sitting there—Dr. Spell, actually.
My heart jumped into my mouth. Apparently Pearbottom hadn’t gone to search him out yet, which meant I could get to him first. I supposed technically I could’ve gotten to him first because we didn’t have to tell Pearbottom at all, but hey, I wanted to do things right.
“Dr. Spell,” I said, sitting across from him, “good to see you.”
He scraped the edge of his sandwich over his plate, scooping up a glob of mayonnaise. “How’s the non-filter going?”
I nodded. “It’s okay. I think it’s beginning to wear off.”
Grandma cuffed my shoulder. “Any granddaughter of mine laughs in the face of a silly spell like that.”
Dr. Spell smiled. “I can understand. Throw something real at you, why don’t you?” he said.
I cleared my throat and let the conversation settle for a moment. “You’ve worked at the castle a long time, haven’t you?”
Spell nodded. “Very long time.”
“So you’ve seen a lot? Knew Roman and his family when he lived here.”
Spell nodded. “Of course. I have to say Queen Catherine was one of my favorite queens of all time. Your grandmother Milly was a close second, but there was something special about Catherine. We all loved her, and when she was murdered so brutally—”
His face pinched as if he was reliving the experience. “It was horrible. Of course, I never believed for one moment that Richard Bane committed the crime, but what can I say? I’m only the doctor.”
