by Sam Short
“He’ll be sore when the demon is cast from his body,” said Henry, raising his voice to compete with Peter’s continued screams. “But a few cuts and bruises are a small price to pay to be relieved of a parasite which would cause its host to perform all manner of evil deeds.”
“How will you remove the demons from Peter and whoever the other possessed person is?” said Millie.
Straightening his dicky bow, Henry pointed at the cliff on the far side of the bay, where Spellbinder Hall stood, its many windows reflecting the orange glow of the dawn sun. “I’ll take them beneath the hall,” he said. “To the gate which separates this dimension from The Chaos. We will force them to step into the gateway, and as it is impossible for a human to pass between dimensions, the demons will be ripped from within them and cast back into the dimension from which they crawled. With no harm being done to the humans they violated.”
Sitting in the sand dunes, the sun rising higher by the minute, Millie stared off into the distance, the pearl of wisdom digging into her leg as the pocket it was contained in stretched tight over her thigh. “Which way do you think it will come from?” she said. “If it comes?”
“I do not know,” said Henry, retrieving his timepiece from his breast pocket and glancing at the dial. “I’m more interested in discovering who it is that the demon dwells within.”
“Somebody strong,” said Judith. “That shovel went deep into Tom Temples’s skull.”
“So not somebody like that?” said Graham Spalding, pointing along the track which led from Millie’s cottage to the country lanes beyond.
“Why does she walk in such a queer fashion?” asked Henry, shielding his eyes from the sun. “She wobbles from side to side.”
Mille stared at the figure approaching them at speed. The white hair, swept back by a pink headband, and the matching shorts and training shoes gave the woman’s identity away almost immediately. “It’s Mrs Raymond,” she said. “She’s power walking, Henry. It’s a form of exercise.”
“But she can’t be possessed by the demon,” said Judith. “Surely?”
“She does exercise on the beach,” said Millie. “And Henry surmised that because the other demon was found dormant in the sand dunes, then the other one would have been nearby. It could have happened upon poor Mrs Raymond as she exercised, and possessed her.”
“We’ll know soon enough,” said Henry. “She’s almost upon us. She moves with great speed for such a frail old lady.”
Millie got to her feet, wiping sand from her legs, and smiled at Mrs Raymond as she crested a sand dune and headed for the crashed campervan. “Good morning, Mrs Raymond!” she called.
“Oh!” chirped Mrs Raymond, coming to an abrupt halt. “I didn’t see you all, hiding there in the dunes! Good morning, everybody! And what a lovely morning it is, too! It’s a shame that man next to the campervan is making such a racket. I heard him from the other side of town and rushed here immediately to see what all the fuss was about! He seems to have quietened down a little in the past few minutes. How kind of him!”
“The demon has full control of her,” whispered Reuben in Millie’s ear. “Don’t trust her. She may look sweet and fragile, but she killed Tom Temples. The thing within her is evil.”
Henry Pinkerton studied Mrs Raymond over the rims of his glasses. “Are you certain you only hurried across town, with a vigour normally displayed by women sixty years your junior, because you heard some shouting? And just how good are your ears, anyway, Mrs Raymond? I happen to know your home is at least two miles away. Are you sure there isn’t something you’d like to tell us? Something we should be aware of? Something within you, perhaps?”
Mrs Raymond stood on tiptoes and pointed her fingers at the sky, arching her back a little as she stretched. “Are you sure there’s not anything you’d like to tell me, Henry Pinkerton? After all, it’s you and your little community who have been keeping secrets from the rest of the town for longer than I’ve been alive!”
“What secrets are you referring to?” asked Henry.
“Oh,” said Mrs Raymond, bending easily at the waist and touching the toes of her bright pink training shoes. “Just the fact that the town is full of people of a… paranormal nature, shall we say?” She stood upright, and stared Henry in the eyes. “And you’re the ringleader! I know everything. The things I’ve learned in the last week about this town are shocking.”
Sergeant Spencer’s hand closed on the handle of the Taser protruding from the pouch on his belt. He leaned closer to Millie, and spoke in hushed tones. “When it turns violent, don’t use magic unless you have to. Let me use the Taser. I didn’t have time to use it on Peter — it all happened so fast. I think the Taser will be kinder to Mrs Raymond than magical tentacles of sand strangling her.”
“I heard that, Sergeant Spencer,” said Mrs Raymond, stepping closer to the policeman. “You’re thinking of using your Taser on me? And you’re normally so kind — giving me lifts home from the shops with my groceries.”
Henry stepped between Mrs Raymond and Sergeant Spencer. “Don’t come any closer, Mrs Raymond. And let’s stop this little game, shall we? We know your true nature. Reveal yourself to us!”
Mrs Raymond’s face seemed to crumple, and she gave a soft sigh, her hands forming tiny fists. “Help me,” she whimpered. “Help me.”
Henry stepped forward. “Mrs Raymond?” he said. “You can hear us! That’s good news! Keep fighting the demon within you! We’re going to help you. You’re going to be okay, but you must remain strong!”
“I’ll try,” whispered Mrs Raymond, her voice becoming husky, “but can we hurry? I want to be home in time for my morning TV programmes.”
“Pardon?” said Henry.
Mrs Raymond’s face broke into a wide smile, and she shook as she laughed. “Oh, ignore him,” she smiled. “He’s got such a great sense of humour for a creature that came from such a dark place, haven’t you, Baskillazarataman?”
“What’s happening?” said Judith.
“I’d like to know that, too,” said Graham Spalding. “I don’t mind admitting I’m scared. It was all fun and games when I thought I was hunting for lizard people, but this town is something else. Something else altogether.”
Her voice deepening slightly, Mrs Raymond spoke again. “I have indeed got a great sense of humour, Hilda. Although a sense of humour is a concept I’ve only just begun to understand. Thanks to you.”
“What’s happening?” repeated Judith.
“I’m just having some fun with you all!” laughed Mrs Raymond. “Baskillaza – Basil, and I are having some fun with you!”
“Basil?” said Millie.
“My new best friend,” said Mrs Raymond. “From the other dimension! He’s a wonderful companion! We got off to a rocky start when he tried to possess me as I was enjoying a walk along the beach last week, but I soon put him in his place! I went through rationing during the war. Preventing a demon from possessing my mind was child’s play in comparison. Anyway — it transpires that he’s a very nice… being. And he’s explained everything about the paranormal nature of this town to me.”
“Are you trying to tell us that you have control of the demon within you, Mrs Raymond?” said Henry.
“Call me Hilda, please,” smiled Mrs Raymond. “And yes, I do — although control is not the word I’d use. Basil and I cohabit — we share my body. Since he’s been inside me, I’ve developed such vigour! I’m far fitter than the other members of the pensioner’s fitness club, and I’m going abseiling next week! From a cliff! Wearing a helmet! I’m having such fun!”
“I’m not sure I believe you… Hilda,” said Henry. “How do I know I’m not speaking to the demon? How do I know that Mrs Raymond is still in there?”
“Because it’s the truth,” said Hilda, her voice deep again. “I attempted to take control of Hilda, but she was too strong. I had no chance, and I’m glad I didn’t. I’d always wondered if the whole thing about sneaking into this dimension, and takin
g control of a human, was morally justified, and it seems it wasn’t. It’s quite an evil idea, if I’m being honest, and I’m not evil. I was led astray by a demon who is evil. That one over there! In the body of the man who was screaming! He’s evil, not me.”
“Not evil?” said Sergeant Spencer. “You’re a demon! You’ve possessed a woman!”
Reuben gave a little cough. “Excuse me, Sergeant Spencer. I’m a demon, and I’m not evil. Not all demons are innately evil. And I’ve technically been possessing the body of this bird since Esmeralda brought me from the other dimension and placed my energy within it. It’s very possible that Baskill — Basil, and Mrs Raymond are sharing a body. Peacefully.”
“It’s entirely possible,” said Mrs Raymond, her voice her own again. “And I’m having a wonderful time with Basil inside me. I’ve never felt healthier, and I have the senses of a superhero! Basil and I could hear the cries of his rowdy companion all the way from my garden, where we were doing early morning yoga. We were in extended puppy pose when we heard the screams. We rushed here straight away.”
“Why did you rush here?” said Henry, narrowing his eyes, his pupils magnified by his spectacles. “To come to the aid of your fellow demon, perhaps? To set him free? Or to revisit the scene of your heinous crime?”
“Crime?” said Hilda, confusion furrowing her brow. “What crime, Henry Pinkerton?”
“The murder of Tom Temples!” snapped Henry. “You can’t fool me, demon. I’m not stupid! This is an act. Hilda is not speaking to us! We are listening to the false utterings of a demon.”
“It’s me,” said Hilda. “Really. It’s me.”
“I don’t believe you, demon,” said Henry. “And this isn’t the first time you’ve been back to this spot since the two of you malevolent entities arrived from The Chaos. Is it? You came back looking for your partner on Tuesday night, didn’t you? Under the cover of darkness. And when you discovered his skeletal remains, you couldn’t control your rage! When you stumbled upon poor Tom Temples digging for gold in the dunes, you took your anger out on him, and bludgeoned him to death with his own shovel! And when I’ve cast you from Hilda’s body, demon, the poor woman will have to live with the memory of what you forced her to do to a fellow human being, for the rest of her days. You’ve taken Tom’s life, and you’ve ruined Hilda’s!”
“Of course I didn’t kill Tom Temples!” said Hilda. “I wasn’t even aware that the poor man was dead! I’ve been very busy this week, becoming accustomed to Basil’s presence in my mind. I haven’t had the time to keep abreast of town affairs. Poor, poor, Tom. I liked him. You must believe me, Henry! You’re talking to Hilda — Basil does not control me, and we certainly did not kill a man!”
Henry turned to Sergeant Spencer. “If she moves, use that Taser. I shall return momentarily.”
“Where are you going?” said Millie.
“To get the stone of integrity,” said Henry. “The same one I used on you, Millie. It doesn’t work on humans, but Hilda has a demon within her. She is, at the moment, a paranormal person. The stone will work on her and allow us to get to the truth. It will tell us if she speaks honestly, or lies to our faces.”
“Go and get your silly stone, Henry,” said Hilda, adjusting her headband. “Basil and I have nothing to hide!”
A whip crack marking his departure, Henry was gone, leaving Hilda staring at the space he’d been standing in. She glanced around at the rest of the people watching her, her eyes travelling to the pouch on Sergeant Spencer’s belt. “I did not kill Tom,” she said. “And you won’t need that weapon today, Sergeant Spencer. Not to use on me.”
“Why did you come here today, Hilda?” said Judith.
“Because we heard the screams,” said Hilda. “I told you. The demon in that man’s body over there is emitting high pitched sounds, along with the shouts and screams that you could hear. He was calling to Basil.”
“And you came to help him?” said Sergeant Spencer.
“No!” said Hilda. “We came here to make sure he didn’t do any harm to anybody. Basil had hoped that his bones would have been dust by now! We were shocked to hear his screams — it could mean only one thing — that he had possessed a human host! We rushed here when we realised! Basil wants to send him back to the dimension he came from, don’t you, Basil?”
Hilda’s voice deepened once more. “I do indeed,” she said. She moved towards Peter Simmons, and raised her voice. “Did you hear that, Krackanagromit? I’m going to make sure you return to where you belong. You’ve always led me astray! I’ve tried to be a good demon, but you wouldn’t let me be good. Well, now I’ve found a new companion. A kind and caring companion, and I won’t be needing you any longer! You can go back to the dark and find another idiot to manipulate!”
Peter Simmons’s face darkened, and he opened his mouth wide, struggling against the handcuffs and emitting an angry screech which hurt Millie’s ears.
“He’s not happy,” said the demon within Hilda. “He’s promising vengeance.”
Another whip crack echoed across the dunes, and Henry appeared with a pouch in his hand. “I can assure you that he won’t be getting his vengeance,” he said, opening the leather pouch and retrieving an orb from inside. “Hold out your hand, please, Hilda,” he ordered.
Hilda did as Henry asked, the stone glowing amber as it touched her palm. “I can feel it vibrating,” she said.
“That’s because it’s working,” said Henry. “And soon, it will give us the truth.” He pushed his glasses along his nose, and stared into Hilda’s eyes. “Are you in control of Hilda’s body, demon?” he asked.
Hilda frowned, and answered in a deep voice. “No, and neither do I wish to be. She is my friend and can speak for herself. I have no control over her.”
Reflected in the thick glass of Henry’s spectacles, the stone glowed a bright blue, shimmering and flickering as Henry asked a second question. “Did you kill Tom Temples?” he said.
“No,” said the voice of Basil. “Hilda and I did not kill Tom. We killed nobody, and we have no intention of ever harming anybody. You need not fear our relationship. You need not fear me.”
Emitting a gentle hum as it throbbed an even brighter blue, Henry plucked the stone from Hilda’s outstretched hand, and placed it back in the pouch. “You speak the truth. The stone is never wrong. I am sorry I doubted you,” he said.
“And Basil can stay? In this world? In my body?” said Hilda.
“I see no reason why not, Hilda,” said Henry. “It is with your consent that he dwells within you. It is nobody else’s right to tell you what you may do with your life, and as Basil seems benign, I believe he poses no risk to this world or its occupants. The stone was quite adamant that you spoke the truth.” He looked at Peter Simmons, as the captive man gave another angry shout. “The demon within him, on the other hand,” he said, “must be banished from this dimension. I will arrange to have him transported to Spellbinder Hall, where I will free Peter from his unwelcome guest, and send the demon back into The Chaos.”
“Do you think he killed Tom?” said Hilda. “The other demon, I mean?”
“No,” said Millie. “That would be impossible. The demon had already begun to decompose before Tom was killed, and it would have been dust by now if Peter Simmons hadn’t touched it and become possessed by it. The demon didn’t kill Tom.”
“Then who did?” said Hilda. “Do you have a suspect, Sergeant Spencer?”
“No,” said Sergeant Spencer. “We don’t. We have no suspects, and no leads. It’s still a mystery. A mystery I want to solve as soon as possible, but until we do, life must go on as normal.”
Chapter 20
Reuben woke Millie from a deep sleep, his beak cold on her ear. “Time to get up,” he said. “Judith is here, and she needs your help.”
“Help with what?” Millie said. “It’s Saturday, and Sergeant Spencer said that until he had any further leads on the Tom Temples’s murder, he was focusing on routine police work.
What does Judith want?”
“You’re supposed to be the mind reader, not me,” said the bird. “You tell me.”
“I can pick up on some thoughts, Reuben,” said Millie. “I’m not a mind-reader, and anyway, it’s not a gift I like to use. It can be upsetting, sometimes.”
“I didn’t want a speech, Millie,” said Reuben. “I was saying it in jest. I just want you to get out of bed so you can make me breakfast. Everything’s back to normal — I’d like to revert to normal meal times again, if that’s not too much trouble?”
“Everything’s not back to normal, really, Reuben,” said Millie, swinging her legs from the bed. “We don’t know who killed Tom.”
“Apart from that little detail,” said Reuben. “Everything else is, though. There’s not a campervan in sight. There are no skeletons in the sand dunes. Mrs Raymond and Basil seem very happy together, Henry removed the demon from Peter and sent it scurrying back to The Chaos, you and George still haven’t spoken since that ridiculous argument, and I have a belly which is going to rumble its way out of my ears if it’s not fed soon. That’s normality enough for me.”
Millie smiled. “Me too. Come on then, let’s go and see what Judith wants, and then I’ll make some bacon.”
“And eggs?”
“And eggs,” said Millie.
Reuben fluffed up his plumage. “And tonight? Are we going to do… our thing?”
“Pizza and wine?” said Millie.
“No,” said Reuben. “You know what I mean. The pearl of wisdom. I think we should use it tonight. You said we’d use it last night, but then you said you were too tired. I really think you need to do it, Millie. I think it will change your life. For the better.”
“Maybe,” said Millie, glancing at the envelope propped up against her bedside lamp. “Just, maybe.”
Throwing her dressing gown on over her favourite sleeping shirt, Millie entered the living room to find Judith standing next to the fireplace, dressed in a white hoodie and shorts, with an apology in her eyes, and a police file in her hands.
