‘Oh no’ she said, ‘it’s not him is it? It’s Grabsome. He must have heard us talking about him.’
The door was roughly opened and slammed shut by a thin, short man with shifty eyes and a mousy looking moustache. He was smartly dressed in bad taste. Loud checked sports jacket, striped shirt with a flower patterned tie, grey trousers and yellow coloured pull-on boots.
Mr Grabsome rudely pushed his way past Azel and barked loudly.
‘Packet of small cigars. Quick now, I’m in a hurry. Not those ones you sold me the other day. I know you want me to have the expensive ones - makes you a bit more profit doesn’t it? I want the cheapest you’ve got. Come on woman hurry up’
Nancy Snow sighed, reached for the cheap cigars on the top shelf, and passed a packet over the counter.
‘Will that be all Mr Grabsome, or can I get you anything else?’ she asked politely, but thinking to herself, ‘Disgusting habit. Not good for his health either’
‘Of course there’s nothing else. If there was I would have told you, wouldn’t I?’ snapped Mr Grabsome. He threw down some money on the counter, muttered something about it was all the cash he had on him and stalked out of the shop, slamming the door behind him.
Azel looked at Danial and winked. She was about to teach Mr Grabsome some manners.
***
‘My car won’t start. I shall have to use your telephone’
It was Mr Grabsome again who had returned angrily to the shop red faced with frustration.
‘There is a ‘phone box outside’ said Azel.
‘Phone box? Phone box?’ snapped Grabsome. He glared venomously at Azel. ‘How am I to use a phone box when you just saw me use all my spare cash to pay for cigars? Talk sense woman. Who are you anyway? I don’t remember seeing you before - or your boy friend’
Outside, the four wheel drive estate wagon parped its hooters and revved its engine. It had started by itself. At least that’s what it seemed like but only Danial knew it was Azel using magic. When Mr Grabsome heard it start he looked round in surprise and with a snort rushed out of the shop. The engine stopped running the moment he was in the driving seat and fastened his seat belt. Immediately, he stumbled out of his car and blundered back in to the shop, his face now purple with anger.
‘Can anybody tell me what is going on? Is this anything to do with you?’
He looked fiercely at Danial, jabbing his finger objectionably at Danial’s chest.
‘It might be.’ said Danial coolly. ‘Perhaps if you said sorry for being so rude to these ladies and behave like a gentleman, you might find your car will start’
Mr Grabsome stopped jabbing his finger. He looked warily at Danial. Here was a fit looking bloke who clearly meant what he said and was not to be messed with. In any case, like all bullies Mr Grabsome was a coward at heart. If there were to be trouble of this kind he would ask Mrs Vee to help him out.
‘Oh I see’ grimaced Grabsome ‘you’re here to teach me manners are you?’
‘If that’s how you see it’ replied Danial calmly looking him straight in the eye. ‘Just say you‘re sorry and there’ll be no trouble’
Mr Grabsome contemplated for a moment. He turned to Azel, Nancy, and Mrs Brick and whinged in a smarmy way, not sounding at all sincere.
‘Perhaps this young friend of yours might be right. If he is, and I’m sure he is, I am ever so, ever so sorry if I was rude to you. OK?’
The four wheel drive wagon parped its hooters again and started its engine. Mr Grabsome looked alarmed. He didn’t understand how his engine could start by itself. It was something he would have to tell old Mrs Vee about as soon as possible. She would stop these two strangers playing tricks on him and put the young whippersnapper in his place. He did a final glare at everyone, left the shop slamming the door harder than ever and wildly drove off, making the wheels of his car spin to throw up gravel and hit the shop window.
‘Well!’ exclaimed Mrs Brick ‘if he isn’t the most ill mannered, ignorant pig I’ve ever known. Well, really! I don’t know I’m sure.’
Azel smiled and was going to say something to her about not worrying about the likes of him when Nancy suddenly blurted. ‘I’m going to call Constable Thyme. If that obnoxious Grabsome can come in here and then drive off in a reckless way like that without any consideration for anyone else he should be cautioned before he causes an accident’
‘Constable Thyme?’ asked Danial.
‘Our local policeman, Justin Thyme’ said Nancy ‘very nice he is, very helpful’
‘Only just qualified, he is’ joined in Mrs Brick ‘but he’s very, very nice, I’ll agree on that one. For a copper, that is’ she added recalling for a moment the various brushes with the law experienced by her husband concerning certain missing building materials.
‘Hello? Hello?’
It was Nancy on the telephone.
‘Is that you, Justin? Yes, Constable it is me. Nancy from the shop. Can you come round? I’ve something to report. Yes, yes, there are witnesses here with me now if you could come straight away. You can? Oh that’s wonderful, thank you very much, Constable’
‘He’s coming now?’ said Azel ‘I must say that’s very good service. Does he have to come far?’
‘Next door’ said Nancy nonchalantly. “It’s the police station. He lives there actually”
The doorbell of the shop jangled and in stepped Constable Justin Thyme, still eating the piece of cherry cake from his break and adjusting his helmet to miss the top of the door frame.
‘Ello, ‘ello’ he said smiling at everyone ‘what’s the trouble ‘ere then?”
Nancy launched into the story of Mr Grabsome and told how Danial had stood up to him and how Grabsome had roared off, endangering the locals with his bad driving.
“Well now, let’s see ‘ere now’ said Justin getting out his notebook, ‘an who might you be Sir and you Madman? Ooh, sorry, I mean Madam’
“My name’s Azel Goodwill” said Azel “and this here is ...” she hesitated. What was she going to call crown Prince Danial? He had no surname to use in Lower Chantment. She certainly couldn’t call him Prince anything. It would attract too much attention. Danial realised her problem, and jumped in.
“And I’m Danial. Just call me Danial. Miss Azel’s my boss and we’re private investigators of peculiar things. You know, the sort of peculiar things going on here in the village’
‘Oh are’ said Justin ‘I’ve ‘eard about proivit alligators. I mean investigators. Will you two be cooperatin’ with the police, then?’
Danial and Azel exchanged a meaningful glance. Constable Thyme kept getting his words wrong.
‘We’ll do more than just co-operate.’ replied Azel ‘I can promise more help than you can possibly imagine.’
‘Oh are’ said Justin enthusiastically ‘I’ve been saying to my Sergeant, Ted Baggit up at headquarters that I need ‘elp ‘ere in the village, but do headquarters take notice of me? No chance. I’d be glad of your ‘elp though to get these criminals clapped into cufflinks. Sorry, I mean hand cuffs’
A meaningful glance again. They both wondered what word Justin was going to get wrong next.
‘Anyway’ said Nancy loudly ‘what are you going to about that ignorant Grabsome jerk?’
‘We’ll keep a close watch on ‘im’ said Justin
‘Is that all!’ exclaimed Nancy.
‘Mmm, afraid so. There’s nothing in my rude book of law, sorry I mean rule book, about what Mr Grabsome has just done but if he gives any more aggro I’ll have a word on account of the fact he’s been reported before.’
“He wants me evicted. It’s unbelievable, that’s what it is, unbelievable’ sobbed Nancy.
She looked hopelessly at Azel ‘I don’t know what Mr Snow would say if he was with us today. He’s dead you know. Left me
alone to bring up our lovely daughter. She’s grown up now but I could never have managed without her.’
‘I am sorry to hear about Mr Snow,’ said Azel sympathetically, ‘and stop worrying about the shop. Everything will be all right, you’ll see.”
Nancy dried her eyes and looked curiously at Azel and Danial. Who were these strangers? How was it they appeared so suddenly? How did they get here? How was this unusual lady able to predict that everything was going to be all right? So many questions to be answered. Then Azel posed one herself.
‘ Is there a B&B in the village? We have to find somewhere to stay for a few days?’
‘Why yes’ said Justin helpfully. ‘Hansome House up the hill at the junction of the road to Middle Bullock. Mr and Mrs Overwhite who run it are very pleasant. I’m sure they’d put you up. Would you like me to take you?’
Before Azel could answer, a crackly voice sprang from Constable Thyme’s walkie talkie radio clipped to the lapel of his uniform.
‘PC Thyme, in please, come in’
‘Thyme. ’ Answered Justin in a surprisingly official way. ‘Thyme ‘ere. Who is it? What do you want?’
‘Who is it? What do I want?’ said the indignant voice from the radio. ‘Who do you think it is? Batman or Robin? How many times ‘ave you been told to answer your radio in the proper manner, eh? How many times Constable?’
Justin went red. He immediately recognised the voice of Sergeant Ted Baggit.
‘Sorry, sarge’ he said ‘I wasn’t constipated - I mean concentrating. What’s up?’
‘It’s like we’ve got another of them peculiar things with that Mrs Vee woman’ said the sergeant. ‘ She shows up at the bell ringers practice this afternoon ‘an and turns all the bell ropes into rubber bungies. One of the ringers was catapulted to the top of the tower and on his way down hit one of the others coming up. Some of ‘em must still be bouncing up and down hanging on their ropes, ‘cos them bells is making an ‘ell of a row. Get round to the church soon as will you?’
‘Right away, sarge’ said Justin. He turned to Azel ‘sorry Miss Azel, I won’t be able to take you to Hansome House after all. I’ll let you know if it’s Mrs Vee up to her tricks again. Bye for now’
Justin hurried away, jumped into his panda car and drove off at speed, making the wheels of his car spin and throwing up gravel which hit the shop window.
‘Oh dear’ breathed Mrs Brick sadly ‘I’m sure he didn’t mean to do that. He’s such a nice young man really.’
***
‘I’ll ask Phemie to show you where Hansome House is.’ said Nancy as Justin disappeared up the village street ‘I‘m sure she would be happy to introduce you to Mr and Mrs Overwhite.
‘Phemie? Who is Phemie?’ asked Azel.
‘Phemie? She’s my daughter. Short for Euphemia’ laughed Nancy ‘She’s named after an Empress in the fifth century. I’ll call her through. Phemie? Are you there? Can you come a moment please?
Euphemia Snow was stunning, observed Danial. A petite, athletic figure in blue denims stepped lightly into the shop from the sitting room of the adjoining cottage where she and her mum lived.
Her blue eyes smiled widely. He felt himself going red.
‘Yes Mum?’ she asked.
‘Phemie, you know Hansome House B&B don’t you? Show this lady and gentleman and the way will you - Miss Azel Goodwill and, er Mr Dan isn’t it?’ Nancy paused.
‘Yes’ said Azel. ‘thank you. Dan and I would be most grateful. We’ve been travelling all day and feel shattered.’
‘Fine’ said Phemie in a way which made Danial’s knees quiver ‘shall we go?’
‘Oh.’ said Azel, ‘I’ll take ten bars of that orange flavoured chocolate you have on the shelf over there, please Nancy’
Ten bars! Nancy couldn’t remember ever selling ten bars of orange flavoured chocolate in one go. She gaped open mouthed as the till drawer jangled open and shut with the correct money, and all ten bars disappeared like magic into Azel’s cloak pocket. The arrival of Miss Azel and Dan was yet another peculiar thing happening in the village.
‘C’mon, Dan.” said Azel not realising how hard Nancy and Mrs Brick were staring at her.
***
They trouped into the village street leaving Nancy and Mrs Brick in deep discussion regarding the peculiar goings on that afternoon.
‘Where does Mrs Vee live?’ asked Azel as they walked along the road.
‘Oh, it’s that dump at the other end of the village. Not a fit place for anyone to live in my opinion’ said Phemie. ‘All overgrown and cobwebby if you know what I mean. It’s belonged to Mr Grabsome for years and he was only able to rent it out when Mrs Vee moved to the village. No one else would even think about making that grotty little hovel their home’
‘We would like to visit Mrs Vee.’ said Danial ‘I think Constable Thyme will be calling on too. Would you like to come and help us sort her out? That is if you are not doing anything more important’
‘Yeah! Great, I’d love to’ exclaimed Phemie ‘how exciting. Nothing special ever happens in Lower Chantment you know’
Azel glared at Danial and crossly hissed at him out of Phemie’s earshot.
‘What do you think you’re doing? Check with me before you invite other people will you. Venefica’s likely do something very nasty and now I’ve got Phemie’s safety as well as yours to consider. You are the crown Prince. Just remember that - and don’t let a pretty girl cloud your judgement. Do I make myself clear?’
Danial looked startled and nodded his head to show he understood.
‘Here we are’ said Phemie ‘Hansome House. Shall I introduce you to Mr and Mrs Overwhite?’
‘That would be good’ said Azel ‘it would save us the trouble of explaining who we are if you told them we were friends of yours’
Phemie ran up the pathway and pushed the door bell.
Hansome House had rather a grand name but was actually quite a modest building, apparently converted from an old farm shed. The window frames and door were sparkling white and shiny clean and looked as if they had recently been decorated.
‘It’s always like that’ said Phemie, noticing Azel’s close inspection of the paint work ‘and the same inside - everything kept perfectly clean and tidy. There’s a white carpet and lot’s of little china and wooden ornaments. Surprising they let anybody stay here in case they make a mess or break anything but I’m sure you’ll be made to feel at home.’
Mr Overwhite was well named. Answering the doorbell his large body filled the space left by the door. Mrs Overwhite was equally overweight and peered over her husbands shoulder to see who was there.
‘Hello Euphemia’ beamed Mr Overwhite ‘how are you? What a surprise - won’t you come in?’
‘Hello, Mr Overwhite, I won’t if you don’t mind. I’ve brought two friends who are looking for somewhere to stay for a few days’
‘Who is it?’ Mrs Overwhite was asking, pushing her face through Mr Overwhite’s bent elbow. She was a lot shorter than him, but equally wide.
‘It’s Euphemia Snow with two friends looking for rooms’ he said irritably. ‘I’ll deal with it my dear. You pop back to the kitchen and see what we can offer our guests for supper. They look as they could do with feeding up a bit.’ he said with a jolly laugh.
‘You have rooms available?’ said Azel.
“Have we got rooms available? Of course we’ve got rooms available for friends of Euphemia. Two singles is it? Come in, come in’
‘I’ll be going now’ said Phemie ‘catch you later’
‘Don’t rush off’ said Danial anxiously ‘are you sure you’ll be all right walking back by yourself? I mean may I see you safely home?’
Phemie looked slightly self-conscious. She’d noticed Danial watching her from the moment they had met.
&
nbsp; ‘That would be super’ she said smiling, giving him that funny quiver in his knees again. ‘To be honest, I‘ve never felt safe walking through the village on my own since that horrible old Mrs Vee moved in. I‘d be glad if you saw me home. Thanks Dan’
He managed to smile back and mumble ‘Well, no probs then.’
‘Your roya.... I mean Dan’ said Azel remembering just in time not to use his royal title. ‘Don’t forget what I said, now. By the time you get back I shall have gone to bed so we will meet at breakfast. By the way, Mr Overwhite, what can we have for breakfast?’
‘Mrs Overwhite and me always like to serve eggs and bacon’ he replied.
Azel’s eyes gleamed in anticipation. ‘Have you ever tried eggs and bacon with orange flavoured chocolate?’ she asked.
‘No, no, can’t say we have, have we Mrs Overwhite? We can give it a try if you like.’
Danial and Euphemia strolled away from Hansome House as if they had known each other for years.
Chapter Eight
Disaster strikes!
Azel was not at all pleased with the arrangements Danial had made. She would much rather work alone to find out for herself why this foul smelling old crony of Anniolate, calling herself sweet Mrs Vee of all names, had been causing trouble in the village. Now she was stuck not only with having to look after Danial, who seemed interested in girls all of a sudden, but also Euphemia and Constable Justin Thyme. Even the breakfast she had looked forward to had been ruined by the irritating way Mr and Mrs Overwhite had eaten all her remaining orange flavoured chocolate bars with their own eggs and bacon. Danial had overslept and had lurched downstairs to grab a quick bowl of corn flakes, half of which he spilled on to the floor much to the delight of Mrs Overwhite’s pet poodle. After that, Mr Overwhite kept feeding the dog tit-bits of bacon fat covered in brown sauce which made it throw up under the table.
It had not been a good start to the day, and to make matters worse, Phemie and Justin turned up late. When they eventually got on their way they were chattering so noisily that Venefica, who like all witches possessed an incredibly keen sense of hearing, would hear them coming and cover up any incriminating evidence. Even Danial had little idea of the seriousness of the situation and didn’t realise how quickly things could turn to evil of the worst kind. Azel decided to tell Euphemia and Justin the truth about Mrs Vee alias Venefica. For their own safety they must know.
The Secret of the Storm Cloud Page 6
