by Adele Abbott
“You mean before you hid from the money-collecting clowns?”
“I wasn’t hiding. I just needed a shower.”
“Forty-three pounds and fifty-pence.”
“Sorry?”
“That’s how much you owe me for your half of the clownathon sponsorship money.”
“I told you last night. I don’t have much cash in my purse at the moment.”
“How very surprising.” He grinned.
“It’s true. I’ll need to call at an ATM today. So, are you going to tell me about this interesting case you were working on or not?”
“We caught a serial burglar who’s been eluding us for over a year.”
“That’s brilliant. I solved a murder and helped to close down a network that was peddling contaminated blood, which was responsible for killing a number of vampires. And I rescued a couple who’d been trapped in a ‘world generator’ spell. Oh yeah, and I got to ride on a dragon’s back. That was pretty cool. Anyway, you were telling me about the burglar?”
“It doesn’t matter. It wasn’t really all that interesting.”
***
Class five-gamma were a challenging bunch. They were in their final year before graduation, and were difficult to control at the best of times. It didn’t help that I’d turned up without a lesson plan, so I’d been forced to throw the floor open to suggestions for topics to discuss.
“Miss!” Sandra Sycamore, who was seated on the front row, thrust her hand up. “Miss!”
“Yes, Sandra?”
“What would you say is the best way to get a human husband?” Several of her classmates laughed, but Sandra was undeterred. “Are those dating agencies worth the money?”
“I don’t think you should be concerning yourself with that just yet. It would be much better to focus on your career first.”
“How did you meet your husband, Miss?” Veronica Reedmore called out.
“Jack and I met through our work. I’m sure you all already know that I work as a private investigator in the human world. Jack is a detective.”
“Was it love at first sight, Miss?”
“Not exactly. For a long time, we didn’t get along at all.”
“Did you ever try any of the dating agencies that specialise in matching witches with humans?” Sandra Sycamore wasn’t letting the subject drop.
“No, but I have done some work for one of them.”
“Which one, Miss?”
“Love Spell, but I don’t really think this is an appropriate subject for discussion in class. Does anyone else have any other suggestions for topics we can cover?”
Grover Grey’s hand shot up.
“Yes, Grover?”
“I heard that you talked to a dragon, Miss. Is that true?”
“I did. Her name is Sybil and she has a lovely little baby called Cora.”
“How come you can talk to dragons, Miss?”
“I’m not sure. I don’t seem to be able to talk to all of them. When a destroyer dragon was trying to kill me, he didn’t seem very interested in chatting. From what I can make out, not all witches and wizards can talk to animals, and even those who can, can’t necessarily talk to all of them.”
“Do you have any pets, Miss?” Carl Bestwick said.
“I have a cat named Winky. He’s called that on account of his having only one eye.”
“Is he cute, Miss?” Veronica asked.
“Winky is many things, but no one could ever accuse him of being cute.”
“Does he talk to you?”
“All the time. Unfortunately.” I checked my watch. “Only a couple of minutes to go. One last topic, anyone?”
“Are the rumours true about the headmistress, Miss?” Corinne Daylight called out.
“What rumours would they be?”
“We’ve heard that she might be retiring.”
I’d heard the same rumours, but I didn’t think it was my place to discuss it with the pupils.
“I wouldn’t take any notice of rumours.” Just then, the bell which marked the end of lesson, came to my rescue. “Okay, off you go.”
***
From the classroom, I went straight to the office of the headmistress.
“Come in!”
“Morning, Ms Nightowl.”
“Morning, Jill. How did today’s lesson with five-gamma go?”
“Okay, thanks.”
“I’ve been very impressed by the amount of preparation you’ve done for your lessons. What topics did you cover today?”
“Oh, err—mainly career related.”
“Excellent. A good proportion of our students will end up working in the human world, so that kind of information will be invaluable to them.” She walked over to the window and looked out. “You’re probably wondering why I wanted to speak to you today.”
“I am curious. Nothing bad, I hope?”
“I suppose that depends on your point of view.” She turned around to face me. “I’m sure you will already have heard the rumours about my retirement?”
“No,” I lied.
“It’s alright, Jill. I know it’s common knowledge in the staff room.”
“I did hear something, but I dismissed it as tittle-tattle.”
“Actually, it’s true. I haven’t been in the best of health for some time now.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. I had no idea.”
“I’ve done my best to keep it hidden from the staff and pupils, but recently it has been getting more and more difficult to fulfil my duties, so it’s time for me to step down.”
“I for one will be really sorry to see you leave.”
“It’s very kind of you to say so.”
“Have they appointed your successor yet?”
“Actually, that’s the reason I wanted to speak to you today. My replacement will be a wizard by the name of Cornelius Maligarth. I had hoped that I might be involved in the recruitment process, as my predecessor was in mine, but that hasn’t happened. He was appointed by the governors without any reference to me whatsoever.”
“Have you met him?”
“I have, and I’m sorry to say that I didn’t like what I saw.”
“Why is that?”
“I wish I knew. I’m not usually one to make snap judgements, but I disliked him at first sight. And the more I spoke to him, the more convinced I became that there is something not quite right about our Mr Maligarth.”
“Have you expressed those concerns to the governors?”
“I’ve tried to, but they seem to have fallen under his spell. They won’t have a bad word said against him.”
“What do you know about his background?”
“That’s the most worrying aspect. After meeting him, I decided to do some research in the hope that I’d find details of a glowing academic record that would put my mind at ease.”
“I take it you didn’t?”
“That’s just it. There’s no record of Cornelius Maligarth anywhere.”
“Nothing?”
“Nothing at all.”
“Isn’t that rather strange?”
“Unprecedented, I’d say. It’s as though he never existed until now.”
“I understand your concern, headmistress, but now that the governors have made their decision, there’s not a lot you can do, is there?”
“There is one thing. Would you come with me, please?” She walked to the back of the office and stopped in front of one of the many bookcases. “Watch carefully.” She pressed the spine of a book titled: The Myth and Magic Yearbook. As she did that, the bookcase slid to one side.
“Another secret passageway?”
“Yes, but this one is known only to the head of the school. Its existence is passed on from one head to the next.”
“Why are you showing me, then?”
“You’ll see. Please follow me, Jill.”
The passageway was cold, narrow and dark—illuminated only by a series of small gas lights mounted on the wall. We walked for a few metres
then came to a stone spiral staircase. After a long, steep descent, we reached the bottom, and found ourselves in a large, dimly lit room, which was little more than a cave cut from the rock. The room was empty except for a circular plinth in the very centre.
“Where are we, headmistress?”
“Deep below the school. This is the room of shadows. I was brought here on my first day in the job by the previous headmaster, Laurence Runemore, a great man and a renowned scholar. Come over to the plinth, please, Jill. Do you see the letters engraved around the edge?”
I nodded.
“I want you to take note of what I’m about to do. It’s essential that you commit to memory the precise sequence I use.”
When she touched the letter ‘V’, it illuminated for a few seconds. She then went on to press four more letters before taking two steps back from the plinth. I was about to ask what this was all about when the centre of the plinth slid slowly to one side, to reveal a bronze cube.
“What is that?”
“It’s called The Core.”
“What’s it for?”
“I’m not sure exactly, but I was given to believe that if it ever fell into the wrong hands, it could be catastrophic for the sup world.”
“How did it come to be here?”
“I assume you know that this building once belonged to Charles Wrongacre?”
“Yes.”
“It seems that he stole it from his arch-enemy, Braxmore. It’s been here ever since. The only people who know of its existence are the heads of this school.”
“Past and present, I assume?”
“All of the ex-heads are now dead. That leaves just me, and I don’t expect to be around for very much longer. That’s why it’s essential I pass on this information now.”
“I’m still not sure why you’re telling me?”
“Under normal circumstances, my successor would be the one standing where you are now, but I simply do not trust Maligarth. I’m afraid if I share this secret with him, something very bad may happen, but I cannot go to my grave without first telling someone—someone I trust. I’m sorry to burden you with this responsibility, Jill, but I don’t know who else to turn to.”
“I don’t mind. I’m just not sure what I’m supposed to do.”
“It is possible I may have misjudged the new headmaster. You’ll still be at CASS long after I’ve left, so you’ll be able to form your own opinion of him. If you conclude that my mistrust in Maligarth was unwarranted, you should share this secret with him.”
“That’s a big responsibility.”
“I realise that, and I’m sorry to drop this on you, but I felt I had no choice. Are you prepared to take it on?”
“Of course I will.”
***
My head was still spinning, with everything the headmistress had told me, when I magicked myself back to Washbridge. I hoped that her concerns about the new headmaster would prove to be unfounded, so that I could pass on the secret of The Core sooner rather than later.
Mrs V had a follow-up dental appointment, to replace a damaged filling, so I expected the outer office to be deserted. Instead, there was a young woman sitting at Mrs V’s desk.
“Can I help you?” I said.
“I—err—I’m here to read the meter.”
“Which meter?”
“The—err—water meter.”
“There isn’t a water meter in this office.”
“Sorry, I meant the electricity meter.”
“Do you normally find the electricity meter in a desk drawer?”
“I was just sitting here until someone came back.”
“Why is that drawer open, then?”
“I didn’t open it.”
“Could I see your ID, please?”
She took a card from her pocket and handed it to me.
“This is clearly a fake.”
“It isn’t. Honestly.”
“That isn’t even your photo. That’s a much older woman.”
“I’ve never looked good in photographs.”
“And your hair, it’s not real, is it?”
“Yes, it is.”
“No, it isn’t.” I pulled off her wig. “And those glasses don’t have any lenses in them, do they?”
“No.” She took them off and placed them on the desk. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to do this.”
“I assume you’re from the crocheters?”
“How did you know?”
“Just a wild guess.”
“Marjorie, that’s the woman in the photo, was supposed to do this, but she’s gone down with food poisoning. I told them I’d be no good at it; I’ve never been able to lie. Are you going to call the police?”
“Have you stolen anything?”
“No, of course not.”
“Have you read Mrs V’s notes for the knitters’ conference?”
“I couldn’t find them. I was still looking when you came in.”
“No harm done, then, I suppose.”
“Aren’t you going to have me arrested?”
“No, you’re free to go.”
“Thank you so much.” She grabbed her fake ID card, false glasses and her wig, and then bolted for the door.
Before I could go through to my office, Mrs V walked in. “Who was that crazy woman who just rushed out of here?”
“She was here to read the electricity meter.”
“Are you sure she wasn’t a spy after my conference notes?”
“I think you’re getting a little paranoid, Mrs V.”
***
Myrtle Turtle paid me a visit that afternoon.
“I have to say, Myrtle, you’re looking remarkably well considering your ordeal.”
“I’ve been through much worse. I wanted to stop by and thank you for getting me out of there.”
“My pleasure. I’m sorry it took as long as it did.”
“Don’t worry about it. I made a few useful connections while I was inside. What tipped you off to Freda?”
“I’d like to say it was great detective work, but to be honest, it was mostly luck. I knew she was one of the few people who had a key to your house, and when I discovered she was Sydney’s aunt, I just put two and two together.”
“I feel bad for Freda.”
“That’s very generous of you, considering she allowed you to take the fall for her.”
“I’m convinced she would have come forward eventually. I think she was hoping that I might be released anyway.”
“I’m afraid she’s likely to face a long stretch inside.”
“It’s a tragedy. Fundamentally, she’s a good woman.”
“She did kill a man.”
“I know, and I’m not trying to excuse what she did, but I do understand it. That young woman was like a daughter to her. It must have been terribly painful to see what she was becoming under the influence of that scumbag, Evans.”
“What do you think will happen to Sydney?”
“I don’t know. Although they’d drifted apart recently, she has relied on Freda for most of her life. I went to see Sydney before I came here, and told her she could call on me if she needed any help.”
“That was very generous of you. What did she say?”
“She told me to do one.” Myrtle smiled. “Maybe she’ll feel differently in a week or two. We’ll see.”
After I’d seen Myrtle out, I went back to my desk, and found a white envelope lying on it. It was addressed to me, and I recognised the paw-writing.
“What’s this, Winky?”
“Open it, and you’ll find out.” He was on the sofa, washing his paws.
“You’re invoicing me for the cost of the new blinds?”
“Yes, and you’ll note that I haven’t included any mark-up. I’m generous like that.”
“You offered to pay for those blinds. There was no discussion about me having to pay you back.”
“That’s when I was trying to keep hold of Crystal. Now that she’s dumped me for Bruis
er, I don’t see why I should foot the bill to refurbish your office. Don’t worry, though, you can let me have it by the end of the week.”
“Today is Friday. It is the end of the week.”
“You’d better get down to the ATM then.”
More mystery and magic await Jill Maxwell in the next book:
Witch Is How The Tables Turned
(Witch P.I. Mysteries #28)
ALSO FROM ADELE ABBOTT:
Whoops! Our New Flatmate Is A Human
Susan Hall Investigates Book #1
Take a shy werewolf, a wizard who fancies himself as a ladies’ man, and a vampire dying for her first taste of human blood. Then add a human for good measure.
Web site: AdeleAbbott.com
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