Witch Hunt

by Morgana Best

“Are you the guest from room 218?” she asked me.

  “Yes, I am,” I said.

  “I’m so sorry for the inconvenience. Because the suite’s now a crime scene, the police will need it until their investigation’s closed. We’ll transfer you to another room as soon as we have it ready for you. It shouldn’t be much of a wait. We’ll let you know as soon as your new suite is prepared.”

  “Okay,” I said. “Thanks.”

  “Again, I’m so sorry. Here’s a voucher,” she said, extending a small, bow-wrapped envelope towards me. “And here’s a map of the hotel. You can use it to find several dining areas, events, and even day spas, if that’s your thing.”

  I thanked her again, taking the voucher and map and sliding them into my handbag. I watched the clerk walk away until she disappeared into a back office behind the reception desk. As I stared off into the distance, images of the body flashed back into my mind.

  “Misty?” a voice called, startling me.

  I turned to see Cordelia running across the room towards me, arms out wide like she was about to lift me off my feet. I gasped as I braced for impact.

  Cordelia then collided with me, wrapping me up in her arms and hugging me tightly. “What happened in your room? I came down to see you, but the corridor was full of police and people in white HAZMAT suits or whatever they are.” She frowned deeply. “They said something about a dead guy in your bathroom. They said it was…” She broke off as a woman walked past.

  I shook my head. “The clerk gave me this voucher and a list of what’s in this hotel.” I said, opening my bag and showing Cordelia the envelope and brochure. “We should go somewhere else to talk.”

  “Okay, well let me see that brochure.” Cordelia took it from me. “Okay, how about we get some tea at the Salon du The? We can talk about it there.”

  “All right.” I was still in a bit of a daze. Everything felt surreal.

  We walked along, following the map. As we approached the bar, I noticed the magenta walls that lined the Salon du The and led into an open space referred to as Cat’s Alley, according to the brochure. “I think this is the place,” Cordelia said.

  “I think so,” I looked around the room with awe. “Look at the carpet! It’s so beautiful, isn’t it?” The dark carpet was filled with bright red flowers set off by the vibrant magenta walls and off-white ceilings.

  “It sure does have one of those exotic vibes, that’s for sure.”

  I nodded to a table. “Let’s sit back here in the corner.”

  “Great,” Cordelia said. “I’ll go get us some drinks. What would you like?”

  “I’ll just have a regular tea for now, please. You should grab a menu, though. It smells amazing. I wasn’t hungry until now.” I sat on the chair closest to the wall. “I’m not sure what it is, but I want to try some of it.”

  Cordelia chuckled as she took two menus from the counter. “It kind of smells like spring rolls to me. Would make sense given the Oriental theme.” She sat across from me and handed me a menu.

  As I flipped through the menu, thoughts of the body came again. I sighed, shaking my head in an attempt to rid it of the haunting memory.

  “Hey, you!” Cordelia called, “Wake up! Here’s our tea.”

  I looked up to see Cordelia pouring the warm liquid into the small teacups before us. The steam billowed from the cups and the delightful aroma wafted through the air, a pleasant fragrance that helped keep my mind off unpleasant things.

  “So, tell me what happened up in your hotel suite,” Cordelia insisted, sipping from her cup of tea. I watched as her lips puckered as she yanked her head away from the teacup. “That is hot!”

  I laughed, despite the way I was feeling. “Did you need a written warning?”

  Cordelia shot me a glare. “It’s not funny. Anyway, go on with the story. What did he look like?”

  “You mean what did the dead body look like?” I asked, flinching as the image of the dead man came flooding back.

  “You know what I meant! Was it Lucas Wallace, the guy we’re writing about?”

  “I think so,” I said. “I can’t be sure, but from what I can remember from TV, I think it was him. And when I asked one of the police officers if he was someone famous, there was a strange look on his face.”

  “And? How did he die?”

  “That’s something I don’t know,” I said. “I didn’t exactly give him a full health exam. I walked into the bathroom and when I saw the corpse, it scared the life out of me. I couldn’t see any obvious signs of trauma or any injuries, but then again, I didn’t really get a good look. I did manage to send Skinny a few pictures I snapped with my phone, but I haven’t heard back from her yet.”

  “I don’t know. It’s just kind of strange.” Cordelia looked around the room. “Don’t you think it’s odd we were sent here to investigate this guy’s disappearance, and then you find him dead in your suite? That’s like something you’d see in a horror movie or something.”

  “Yeah, it’s almost like Skinny had this planned,” I said in a sarcastic tone. “Well not really, but she sure will benefit from it,” I added.

  “Did the hotel say what they were going to do about your room? Considering it’s kind of off-limits for the time being,” Cordelia said.

  I took a sip from my tea before speaking. “This is delicious.”

  Cordelia snorted. “Maybe when it’s not scalding hot on your tongue it’s delicious! Anyway, about your room?”

  “Oh yes. They have to move me, of course. The clerk said that they’ll contact me as soon as the new suite is available.”

  “Excuse me, ladies, but I overheard you talking about a problem with one of the rooms. Is that the case?” The voice was familiar.

  I looked up, right into a smug face. It was Douglas.

  What on earth was he doing here? My jaw fell open. What was Douglas scheming? Clearly, he didn’t want to let on that he knew me, and I could hardly alert Cordelia to the fact that I knew him. “What we’re discussing is our business,” I snapped. “Could you please find another table to bother?”

  Cordelia looked shocked.

  “Forgive me for not explaining,” Douglas said, “I’m with the Tourism Board. My name is James Taylor.” He flashed a smile. “I’m asking some of the guests of the Hydro Majestic how their experiences have been. May I sit with you ladies and ask you both a few questions about your stay?”

  “No,” I said. Just then, a sharp pain thrust into my shin. “Ouch,” I said, wincing in pain and staring at Cordelia.

  Cordelia glared at me, raising her eyebrows and pressing her lips tightly together. It was obvious Cordelia thought I was being rude.

  “Yes, we’d be happy to answer questions. I’m Cordelia,” she said, extending her hand towards Douglas. As they shook hands, I glared at him.

  “And my name’s Misty. Can we get on with the questions, please?” My remark earned me another glare from Cordelia.

  “So, what are you ladies doing here in the Blue Mountains?” Douglas asked.

  “Okay, we’re just on holiday, here to explore the area,” I said in a sugary sweet tone. “I heard the tours were recommended and I wanted to experience everything firsthand.”

  “That sounds lovely,” Douglas said, pulling out a notepad and a pen. He turned his attention to Cordelia. “Are you in one of the grand rooms?”

  “The rooms are beautiful, but I think we have one of the smaller ones,” Cordelia replied, a sheepish grin on her face.

  He nodded. “Are you staying near the room the police were hovering around earlier? I haven’t been told everything, but they mentioned something about a death in one of the rooms.”

  I glared at him. “We don’t know anything about any deaths in the rooms. I thought you were going to ask us questions about the hotel and the tours, not about the police reports,” I snapped.

  “I think my friend has just had a rough day,” Cordelia interjected, glancing at me with a shocked expression on her face. “The hotel s
taff and the police asked all the guests in that area to leave until the investigation was complete. They’re being very secretive about the entire thing.”

  Douglas nodded. “Ah, very well. Hopefully, it was just a natural death, not that any deaths are nice.”

  I struggled to keep my composure. “It’s none of our concern. We’re just trying to enjoy our trip and take in the sights.”

  Cordelia agreed. “It’s sad, but we can’t do anything about it. I’m sure they’ll soon figure out what caused his death and the hotel will get back to normal.”

  Douglas nodded. “Well, enough about such a depressing topic. How about we discuss this bar? Is the tea delicious?”

  “Actually, it is,” I said.

  “I see you have a menu.” He nodded at the folded booklet on the table. “Is there anything you would like to try? I’m buying.”

  “Thanks, but…”

  Cordelia interrupted me, pointing at the item’s entry on her own menu. “I think Misty and I would like more L’Oriental Tea please.”

  Douglas pulled out his wallet. He handed Cordelia some money and smiled. “Would you mind getting the drinks for us?”

  As Cordelia disappeared from sight, Douglas pulled his chair closer to mine and leant towards me. “Hey, I need to talk to you without your friend around.”

  I clenched my teeth. “I don’t believe we have anything to discuss.”

  “It’s about The Orpheans,” he whispered. “They have a job for you.”

  I snorted rudely. I didn’t trust Douglas for a single second, yet I couldn’t deny I was curious.

  “They want you to find Lucas Wallace’s journal,” he continued.

  “Are you really enough of a fool to believe I would ever trust you again?” I shot him my best glare.

  “He was murdered for the journal,” Douglas whispered urgently. “There are evil powers about, powers that don’t want us to find the journal.”

  “What evil powers?” I whispered back.

  Before Douglas could respond, Cordelia returned. “I was right! They have spring rolls. They smell so good.”

  Douglas pulled his chair away from mine and leant back in it. His eyes fixed on something down the hall. When I turned to follow his vision of sight, I saw John walking into the Salon du The.

  I gasped too, and so did Cordelia.

  “I thought he was in the UK!” she hissed, none too quietly.

  I was gobsmacked. “What are you doing here, John?” I exclaimed, jumping to my feet. “I thought you weren’t coming for another month!”

  “Plans changed and luckily some free time found its way into my schedule,” he said, extending his arms for a hug. “I wanted to surprise you. Your magazine told me you were here.”

  I hugged him, closing my eyes and enjoying the warm embrace. It was great to see him again. When I opened my eyes, John was shooting Douglas an angry look, but soon after, both men had blank looks plastered on their faces.

  I turned to John and motioned for him to sit beside me. He pulled out the last chair at the table and sat down. “Is everything okay? You’re not here on a case, are you?” I whispered.

  “Not exactly,” he said quietly, shaking his head. “We can talk a bit later when we have some privacy. I heard what happened to you. Are you okay?”

  “Yes,” I said, plastering a false look of cheerfulness on my face.

  Douglas interrupted us. “So, I was just going to wrap up the questionnaire. Maybe I could ask a few more quick questions?”

  “Sure,” Cordelia said.

  I sighed and shook my head.

  “Are you a guest at the Hydro Majestic as well?” he asked John.

  “Yes, I am.” He extended his hand towards Douglas. “I’m staying here for a few days to visit my girlfriend.”

  Douglas grimaced. I suspected John had shaken his hand a little too firmly. “And one last question, do any of you keep a journal?” Douglas asked, winking at me.

  I glared at him.

  “About your trip, I mean,” he said, offering a fake chuckle. “A lot of guests keep daily journals of their day-to-day adventures while visiting the Blue Mountains. We like to get a consensus of how our guests are feeling while staying here.”

  Douglas was reminding me about Wallace’s journal, but did The Orpheans really want it, or did he? “He just got here,” I said, nodding to John, “and none of us keep journals, sorry.”

  “Fair enough,” Douglas replied, standing up and pushing the chair in behind him. “Thank you lovely ladies for your time—and John,” he added, as he stepped towards the exit.

  “It’s about time he left us alone,” I said, as soon as he was out of earshot.

  “He didn’t seem all that bad,” Cordelia said. “I think you’re just a little too suspicious sometimes.”

  “Yeah, he’s probably a regular Prince Charming,” I said with exasperation.

  Cordelia’s face changed. “John, have you heard what happened to Misty? She…”

  “Yes,” he said. “I asked the reception clerk where to find Misty, and she told me everything.” He put a protective arm over my shoulders.

  I leant into him. “It was unnerving,” I said, my hands trembling as I remembered the man’s face. “The last thing I needed was to answer a barrage of questions.”

  Just then, my phone vibrated.

  Cordelia pulled a face. “Uh oh, you spoke a moment too soon.”

  I looked at the incoming caller’s I.D.: Skinny. I rolled my eyes.

  “She’s getting back to you about those photos you sent her,” Cordelia reminded me.

  “Oh, yeah,” I said, finally remembering that I had been awaiting my boss’s call in the first place. I sighed as I answered the phone and set it on ‘loud.’ “Hello?”

  “Misty? Is that you? Hello? Stop mumbling, please,” the woman said, not giving me any time to respond.

  “Yes, it’s me,” I replied, resisting the urge to point out that it was my phone. “Did you receive the photos I sent you earlier?”

  “Of course I did. Why do you think I’m calling you?” she barked.

  I hated being belittled by such a hateful woman, but I ignored her remarks just like I normally did. “I’m sorry. I was just wondering what our instructions are now, since it seems like the victim is Lucas Wallace.”

  “Okay, you know what we’re looking for here at the magazine. Anything sensational and original is our forte. In the pictures you sent, it looks like there are no signs of blunt force injuries, no large, open wounds, and nothing else that shows trauma, correct?”

  “Yes, from what I saw, that’s right.”

  “Perfect,” Skinny said. “Then go with the supernatural theme. I want you both to stay in that hotel as long as you have to, to ensure that you miss nothing. Take it to the next level!” she said in an imperious tone.

  I thought for a moment and chose my words carefully. I did not want to make Skinny angry. “You sent us here to write a story on his disappearance. He’s been found, so he’s no longer missing.”

  I winced as I heard Skinny’s sharp intake of breath. “Do I need to connect the dots for you every time? It should have been obvious, even to you, that Lucas Wallace didn’t walk out of that hotel on his own accord. Now we know that for sure, what is the problem? All you need to do is to imply heavily that ghosts caused his death. Oh, and elaborate on how anyone could be at risk,” she added, cackling maniacally, or at least that was how I imagined her laughing after making that remark.

  The tone of her voice grated on my nerves. I fought to keep the irritation from showing in my voice. “Yes, whatever will benefit the magazine,” I answered in a robot-like tone.

  Skinny snorted. “Where are you and your partner in crime at the moment?”

  “We’re drinking tea at the Salon du The. I was shocked after finding the body.”

  “Oh, so all you’ve charged to our tab so far beside the rooms was some tea? No food?”

  I glanced down at the spring rolls lying
on the snack tray. Wrapped around one of them were the fingers of my friend. Cordelia looked up at me as she lifted the roll to her mouth and bit into it. “They’re good,” she whispered.

  “We did get an order of spring rolls…”

  “Well, don’t go eating yourself into an early retirement,” Skinny chided me. “You’re already overweight and the magazine doesn’t need to go bankrupt just to satisfy your appetite while you’re on assignment.”

  Biting my tongue, I shook my head and glanced at Cordelia, who was trying hard not to laugh.

  “Just make sure you get enough good information for the article,” Skinny continued. “Any pictures you can get of spooky things like dripping pipes and broken glass would add to the scare factor.”

  “Yes, Sk—, err, Daisy,” I said. I raised my eyebrows and looked over at John as he sat in silence, waiting for my call with the evil master to end.

  “Don’t let me down,” Skinny added. “Earn your keep for once.”

  With those last words, the line went dead. I sighed. “That woman has some nerve.”

  “Work is never easy, is it?” John asked with a smile. “You’ve had a long day. Just ignore her for the night and you can get back to work tomorrow. There’s something else we need to discuss anyway.”

  “Oh, is that my cue to leave?” Cordelia asked.

  John looked a little embarrassed. “No, you don’t have to go anywhere.”

  “It’s fine,” she replied. “You can stop by my room when you need me,” she said, looking at me. “Or just text.”

  “I’ll talk to you soon,” I replied, before turning back to John.

  Chapter 7

  I sat on the edge of Cordelia’s bed.

  “Where are you going?” Cordelia asked, emerging from the bathroom with her toothbrush in her mouth, sudsy white bubbles at the corner of her lips.

  “John just texted me,” I said. “He wants to talk.”

  “I don’t get you two,” Cordelia said with a laugh. “He lives a hundred miles away, and all you guys ever do when you’re finally together is talk.”

  I smiled. I’d had a long talk with John the night before. He told me he had been following Douglas for the last few weeks. John’s British government organization, SI7, was sure that Douglas and the Black Lodge were up to something far worse than usual this time.