by Nancy Warren
He looked at me strangely. “That’s how you cracked this case? Because of a pair of shoes?”
I shook my head. “No. It was also about addictions and the lies we tell ourselves, which I suppose is an addiction all its own. Sophie Wynter was addicted to Charlie. Rupert was addicted to betting on the horses. Everyone laughed about it and thought it was a harmless pastime. They didn’t know that he was going to another town and betting all his money, then borrowing and betting more. Charlie’s parents paid for Alistair’s schooling. I wonder how many of his Rupert’s friends helped him, not realizing they were enabling an addiction. That addiction was passed on to his son, who’s also a gambler. Alistair has a problem. I hope now that he’s seen the devastation it can cause that he’ll get some help. Maybe Philip Wallington can give him some intensive counseling.” I hoped so.
“No doubt you know where we’ll find Alistair Grendell-Smythe?”
“My guess is that he’s heading for his hotel where he’ll pack up as fast as he can and get out of here, unless you get there before he leaves.”
“Oh, we’ll have him in minutes. I’ve already sent someone to his hotel after I got your message.”
“Good. Giles admitted he killed Rupert in front of both Alistair and me.”
“I’d like to give you a lift home, but—” He looked around the parking lot and clearly saw I didn’t have my car with me. If he noticed an old broom leaning beside the church tower it meant nothing to him. There was a black cat sitting in the shadows watching, but there are black cats everywhere. “I’ve got to get to the station.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve called a friend. I’ll be heading out soon.”
Ian shook his head. “I have to tell you, Lucy, my job seemed a lot more straightforward before you got here.” He took a few steps and then turned back, “and a lot less interesting.” He said the last bit softly enough that a normal woman probably wouldn’t have heard the words. Since I always pretended to be a normal woman around him, I didn’t let on that I’d heard them.
I didn’t relish what I had to do next, which was to tell Violet that tonight’s date wasn’t such a great catch after all.
However, Alice and Charlie could now start their honeymoon, and, with Giles in custody, I could spend less time tracking down killers and more time practicing flying.
I was about to get back on my broom when a black car pulled into the lot and rolled to stop beside me. The driver’s window slid open. “Care for a lift?”
I wasn’t a bit surprised that Rafe had appeared. He had an instinct about me that was both annoying and, at times when I really needed him, comforting. “How did you know I was here?”
“Theodore drove by and called me. He said there were police and sirens at the old church in Moreton-under-Wychwood and a man being arrested. I suspected I’d find you here.”
Nyx sat beside the broom, staring. “Nyx and I were going to fly back home.”
“You could, of course, though I see the temperature’s dropped, and William was baking something when I left that smelled like chocolate. You could come back to my house and tell me all about your evening.”
I looked over at Nyx, who seemed happy to ditch the broom in favor of riding in comfort.
As we purred off into the night, Rafe turned to me. “Unless you had other plans. Then I could drop you off in Oxford.”
I’d text Violet and let her know that Alistair was safe. Tomorrow, I’d tell her everything. Now? “You had me at chocolate.”
Okay, chocolate wasn’t the only attraction, but he didn’t need to know everything.
I hope you enjoyed Bobbles and Broomsticks. Read on for a sneak peek of Popcorn and Poltergeists, Vampire Knitting Club Book 9.
A Note from Nancy
Dear Reader,
Thank you for reading the Vampire Knitting Club series. I am so grateful for all the enthusiasm this series has received. I have plenty more stories about Lucy and her undead knitters planned for the future.
I hope you’ll consider leaving a review and please tell your friends who like cozy mysteries.
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Your support is the wool that helps me knit up these yarns. Turn the page for a sneak peek of
Popcorn and Poltergeists, Book 9 of the Vampire Knitting Club.
Join my newsletter for a free prequel, Tangles and Treasons, the exciting tale of how the gorgeous Rafe Crosyer was turned into a vampire.
Until next time,
Happy Reading,
Nancy
Popcorn and Poltergeists
© 2019 Nancy Warren
Excerpt from Chapter 1
I went upstairs to my flat. Rafe had laid the table for me and even opened a bottle of red wine. It looked both old and expensive which suggested that it was from Rafe's cellar and not the cupboard above my fridge where I kept my meager supply. He said, "William wanted you to try the meal with the wine he's planning to serve. He’s very serious about his new catering business."
"I am so glad I didn't have time for a proper dinner tonight."
While we chatted, Rafe served lobster bisque. He didn't join me in any food, but he poured himself a glass of the wine and kept me company.
While I sampled the delicious soup, I asked about his work. He had an interesting job restoring and evaluating manuscripts ranging from papyrus scrolls to much more recent first editions. He said, "At the moment I'm working on evaluating the collection for a women's college here in Oxford."
I looked up at him. "For insurance purposes?"
"That's what the college is saying, but I suspect they're going to sell the collection. The college is financially strapped and word is they’re about to lose one of their biggest supporters."
"Why?"
He settled back and stretched his long legs out in front of him, crossing one ankle over the other. "Two reasons. One, the most precious items in the library's collection are missing."
I gulped my soup by accident and coughed. "What?" Only since I had known Rafe had I realized how precious some of these old books and manuscripts were. "Was it stolen?"
"That's the question." He looked into his glass where the light played off the surface of the red wine as though he found it fascinating. "The collection contains a copy of Frankenstein with Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's hand written notes."
"Wow." Even I could figure out that that was worth a pretty sum.
"There is also a first edition of Jane Eyre. Again, it's valuable in itself but also because it came with a collection of letters written by Charlotte Brontë."
"So they have research as well as monetary value."
He looked me approving. "Exactly. It's bad enough to lose a valuable manuscript, but the additional notes and letters by the authors are irreplaceable."
“Are there any clues as to what happened?"
Once more he turned his attention back to his wine. "The principal, a woman named Georgianna Quales died. After her death the treasures were found to be missing."
"And nothing was found in her things? There were no letters? Nothing in her will?"
"It was a sudden death."
The way he said the words sudden death made me look up. There was sudden death by accident or illness and… "What happened to her?"
"Her neck was broken. She was found dead at the bottom of a stone staircase that led up to the library."
"That's a nasty trip and fall."
"It was. Worse, after a blameless tenure during which she’d done a lot to improve the college there is now a cloud of suspicion that taints her memory."
I felt there was a lot that he wasn't saying. "You knew her, didn't you?"
"I did. I would've said Georgianna was devoted to the college and to her students. There are very few women's colleges left. There were no lands except what the college sits on, so she always said that those precious manuscripts were like an insurance policy. They could be sold if needed to save the college."
"It's a funny thing. One
of my knitting customers is a professor there. In Victorian literature in fact. Her name is Fiona McAdam."
He smiled slightly. "Actually that's not a coincidence. I met Professor McAdam and, since she was knitting at the time, I told her about your shop and suggested she come by."
"That was nice of you. She's been a good customer too. She was supposed to be at my knitting class tonight, but she never showed up."
“That’s odd. I saw her earlier and she said she was looking forward to tonight.”
Students flaked for all sorts of reasons, but I’d call Fiona tomorrow and make sure she was okay. "You mentioned two reasons why a major funder might back out. What was the second?"
“That is the more interesting reason." He glanced up at me. "A poltergeist has been reportedly causing havoc in the library."
I burst into surprised laughter. "A poltergeist? Are you kidding me?"
"Lucy, I am a vampire talking to a witch. What is so amusing about a poltergeist?"
Order your copy today! Popcorn and Poltergeists is Book 9 in the Vampire Knitting Club series.
Bobbles and Broomsticks, Vampire Knitting Club Book 8, Copyright © 2019 by Nancy Warren
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Thank you for respecting the author’s work.
ISBN: ebook 978-1-928145-64-6
ISBN: print 978-1-928145-63-9
Cover Design by Lou Harper of Cover Affair
Ambleside Publishing
Also by Nancy Warren
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Vampire Knitting Club
Tangles and Treasons - a free prequel for Nancy’s newsletter subscribers
The Vampire Knitting Club - Book 1
Stitches and Witches - Book 2
Crochet and Cauldrons - Book 3
Stockings and Spells - Book 4
Purls and Potions - Book 5
Fair Isle and Fortunes - Book 6
Lace and Lies - Book 7
Bobbles and Broomsticks - Book 8
Popcorn and Poltergeists - Book 9
Six Merry Little Murders novella collection
Toni Diamond Mysteries
Toni is a successful saleswoman for Lady Bianca Cosmetics in this series of humorous cozy mysteries. Along with having an eye for beauty and a head for business, Toni's got a nose for trouble and she's never shy about following her instincts, even when they lead to murder.
Frosted Shadow - Book 1
Ultimate Concealer - Book 2
Midnight Shimmer - Book 3
A Diamond Choker For Christmas - A Toni Diamond Mysteries Novella
The Almost Wives Club
An enchanted wedding dress is a matchmaker in this series of romantic comedies where five runaway brides find out who the best men really are!
The Almost Wives Club: Kate - Book 1
Second Hand Bride - Book 2
Bridesmaid for Hire - Book 3
The Wedding Flight - Book 4
If the Dress Fits - Book 5
Take a Chance series
Meet the Chance family, a cobbled together family of eleven kids who are all grown up and finding their ways in life and love.
Kiss a Girl in the Rain - Book 1
Iris in Bloom - Book 2
Blueprint for a Kiss - Book 3
Every Rose - Book 4
Love to Go - Book 5
The Sheriff's Sweet Surrender - Book 6
The Daisy Game - Book 7
Chance Encounter - Prequel
Take a Chance Box Set - Prequel and Books 1-3
For a complete list of books, check out Nancy’s website at nancywarren.net
About the Author
Nancy Warren is the USA Today Bestselling author of more than 70 novels. She’s originally from Vancouver, Canada, though she tends to wander and has lived in England, Italy and California at various times. While living in Oxford she dreamed up The Vampire Knitting Club. She currently splits her time between Bath, UK, where she often pretends she’s Jane Austen. Or at least a character in a Jane Austen novel, and Victoria, British Columbia where she enjoys living by the ocean. Favorite moments include being the answer to a crossword puzzle clue in Canada’s National Post newspaper, being featured on the front page of the New York Times when her book Speed Dating launched Harlequin’s NASCAR series, and being nominated three times for Romance Writers of America’s RITA award. She has an MA in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University. She’s an avid hiker, loves chocolate and most of all, loves to hear from readers! The best way to stay in touch is to sign up for Nancy’s newsletter at www.nancywarren.net.
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