The Chocolate Magic Cozy Mystery Box Set Books 1 to 7 Read online

  “You mean that --?” Branna left the question unsaid as they all took in that maybe some not so nice things had taken place in the cave.

  “We found a rusty dagger as well,” Sam said.

  “Miaow,” and Magda jumped as Jezebelle rubbed against her legs. The cat was absolutely dry.

  “How on earth did she get here?” Sam asked. “There must be a small entrance somewhere that she found.”

  Barbara put a hand to her head and stood still.

  “If we did a séance in here, we might find out about Belinda.”

  “Is she here?” Jenni asked.

  “Well, someone is here. I can feel that.”

  “How do you all feel about it?” Sam asked and they all agreed that it would be interesting.

  “We need something to sit on,” Magda said.

  “And I need my crystals,” Barbara added. They agreed to go back to the cottage and work out a plan. Magda handed the cat up to Alison because it just didn’t seem right to leave her down there. Jezebelle shook herself in a very affronted way and stalked off.

  They agreed that this had to be very confidential.

  “Seriously. You will have newspapermen camped at the door if it leaks out. This is a major find for this area.” Jenni said. “I get enough bad publicity as it is.”

  “Tomorrow evening at about seven,” Magda said. “We can organize seats.”

  “And I can bring the candles and crystals. Thank you.” Barbara told them.

  There was a knock at the front door, and they all jumped.

  8

  Alison went to answer it and came in with Irene who was looking very shaken and in tears.

  “Heavens, what has happened?” Magda asked and went over to the woman. “Come and sit down.”

  “I’ll make us something to drink,” Alison said as Magda sat beside Irene.

  “Has something else happened?” Magda asked.

  “I am interrupting your get together,” Irene said. “It’s okay. I can come back tomorrow.”

  “You are frightened of something,” Jenni said and came over to go down on her knees in front of Irene. “I’m Jenni. I counsel people sometimes and I can tell something is making you afraid.”

  “You are with friends, Irene.” Branna joined in. Alison came in with cups of tea and coffee and some chocolate cookies.

  “Have a drink. Take a breath and tell us.”

  Irene looked around and Sam added that they would sort out whatever was wrong.

  “Does Ricky know you are upset?” Jonno asked and she shook her head. “Shall I call him?” She nodded and started to cry again. Magda took her hand.

  “I was upset because Patrick died and then I found out that he was murdered. He was suffocated, I think.”

  Magda patted her hand. “That is an awful lot to take in.”

  “Then I thought I was having bad dreams because I heard noises in the night. There was nothing there, so I left the lights on but when I woke up this morning there was a funny sign painted on the door. My neighbor knocked and asked what it was. It was a sort of star painted in black.”

  She paused and then told them that she had told the Garda and they had come and brushed for fingerprints.

  “Then just about an hour ago, a dead chicken was left on the doorstep.” At that point she broke down properly and Magda wrapped her arms around the woman.

  Jonno got off the phone and said that Ricky was on his way. Jenni had found a scrap of paper and scrawled a drawing on it.

  “Was this on the door?” she asked, and Irene gasped and nodded and started to cry again.

  Jenni looked at Barbara and held up the paper.

  “It’s a pentagram.”

  “Oh, Lord,” Magda said. “Did you see anyone around when the chicken was left?” Irene shook her head. “We need to find out the time and see if anyone noticed anything.”

  “Do the police know about the chicken?” Sam asked and Irene said that she had not even touched it. “I just grabbed my coat and came here.”

  “I think Jonno and I should go, take photos, ask the neighbors and tell the police.” Jonno nodded and Ricky arrived, taking off his helmet. They explained what they were doing and Jonno and Sam left to see if the dead chicken was still there. It was and looked particularly gruesome with the entrails spread around on the step and splashes of blood on the door.

  The roughly painted pentagram was still on the door and paint dripped down from the lines of the diagram.

  “Looks like a scene from one of those awful horror movies,” Jonno said.

  “This is no movie though,” Sam replied.

  They both took photos and looked at their watches.

  “Must have been about two hours ago,” Jonno said and looked across the street to where the house had a view of the entrance. “Let’s ask there.”

  The man who answered the door was a bit suspicious but eventually brought his wife who said that there had been a few cars stopped from time to time, but she couldn’t say she remembered any of them.

  “Don’t suppose there are any cameras about,” Sam queried, and he was right.

  “Tell Irene, I am sorry not to be of more help,” the woman said. They went to ask neighbors if they remembered any vehicles in the last two hours or so. The next-door neighbor was concerned and said that a black car had been parked for a little while. They went back to the gruesome chicken and rang the Garda. When he said he was at the house of Irene, whose husband had been murdered, they put him through to Donnelly who said to stay there, and he would come straight over.

  It was only minutes before Donnelly and his assistant arrived.

  “Tell me what happened and where is Mrs. Carty?”

  Sam explained where Irene was and that she was safe but very upset.

  “The pentagram was drawn sometime during the night because the neighbor spotted it in the morning and told her about it. I know she told you about it, but the chicken must have been dropped off just a couple of hours ago.”

  “Looks like a warning,” Donnelly remarked and asked his officer to call for forensics and a crime scene team. “Why would anyone warn her off? The woman is upset enough.”

  “Maybe she knows something about his death,” Sam suggested.

  Donnelly briefly smiled and nodded.

  “Can you go and tell her I’ll come and talk to her. We’ll need keys to get inside to check the place out.” The two men agreed and drove back to Waterside Cottage.

  As Jonno and Sam entered, they both said in unison, “I’m not surprised that you were frightened. It looks horrible. We called the police and Donnelly is coming to talk to you.”

  Ricky asked if his mum wanted him to come and sleep at the house with her, but she just looked scared. Alison stepped in and said that Irene was welcome to stay with them. Perhaps Ricky would be allowed in to collect clothes and things for her.

  “Thank you,” Irene said simply. They talked around it until Donnelly came to ask her all the questions that they had already asked each other. Ricky said that he had keys and asked if he could collect some clothes for his mother.

  He stayed until the questions were done and then went off with the Garda to open up the house.

  “I am sorry we can’t help at all,” Barbara said as she and Jenni were leaving.

  “If I think of any connections with pentagrams, I will call you,” Jenni told them. “Are we still going for tomorrow night?”

  “Why not? It will give us something else to think about,” Sam answered. The two women left, and Irene started to apologize for spoiling their holiday.

  “Rubbish,” Alison told her. “I have a spare bedroom and we will enjoy your company.”

  “And if we can help, we will,” Sam added.

  Ricky came back with his mother’s clothes and some other things that he thought she might need.

  “I brought your box of documents in case anyone got in when the place was empty,” he told her, and she started to cry again.

  “Mum,�
�� he said and gave her a cuddle. “I think that we will keep an eye on the place. Just a run past on the bikes but we might spot something.”

  “If somebody is trying to frighten you, they will stop when they realize that you aren’t there,” Magda added.

  “Why would they want to frighten me?” Irene asked. “I haven’t done anybody any harm.”

  “There’s always a few nutcases around,” Branna answered. “Maybe we should try and find out.”

  “How?” Sam queried. “The police – Garda - will be looking at that anyway, I think.”

  “Because it is a connection to the murder,” Magda said and then apologized to Ricky for bringing the subject up. “It must be a shock to you as well, to know that somebody killed your dad.”

  “Yes,” he admitted. “I have really grown up since there has been peace in Ireland. We just take it for granted. Somebody killed is unusual these days.”

  “We came along and seem to have stirred up something to do with witchcraft,” Sam speculated. “The pentagram definitely has to do with witches.”

  “And the chicken,” Irene added.

  “But nobody knows that you are trying to find out about the cottage history,” Branna added. “We haven’t mentioned it to anybody, and Barbara and Jenni just found out tonight.”

  “And why would it matter what happened in a cottage two hundred years ago?” Alison asked, but nobody could explain it.

  “I think we should all be on guard, just in case someone does mean Irene harm. It might be totally unrelated,” Sam said.

  “You haven’t had a fight with anybody, have you, Mum?” Ricky asked and she shook her head.

  “I will look up Belinda Carty on the internet and see what I can find. It will all be useful for tomorrow night anyway and it might just give us a clue,” Magda said.

  Branna and Jonno said they would go but to call them if they needed help. Ricky asked what was happening the next night.

  “This is top secret, Ricky,” Alison said. “Sam found the well that was always talked about.”

  “Wow,” Ricky said. “Was it in the garden?”

  “I used a crystal and it twirled when it was near water,” said Sam. “The woman from the crystal shop is going to try and do some ghost hunting tomorrow night.”

  “Good heavens,” he answered. “That should give you something to keep your mind occupied, Mum.”

  “I’m not going down the well,” Alison shivered. “I will stay up on solid land and make sure Irene is okay.”

  “Well, the boys and I will keep an eye on the house. You have a whole lot of guardians here. Call me if I can help.” Ricky kissed his mum on the cheek. “Thanks everyone,” he added as he stepped outside.

  Alison readied a bedroom for Irene and asked if she would like a nightcap.

  “Have you got hot chocolate by any chance?” Irene asked and Magda laughed.

  “Tomorrow, I will get the ingredients and make you one of my specials.”

  Alison brought an instant chocolate drink and a couple of aspirin. “There’s a television in there. Watch something soothing and get some rest.”

  Irene thanked them again and went off to bed.

  “Well,” Alison said when she came back and found Magda was making more chocolate. “What a day?”

  “And who frightened her and why? It’s a horrible thing to do,” Magda said.

  They talked quietly about it for some time but got no further forward. Magda said that she would sit in bed and look up the local stories for a while.

  “I feel so guilty,” she confessed to Sam later when they were in bed. “This all started since we arrived.” He kissed her and said that they were only buying a house from their aunt.

  “Does somebody else want it do you think?” Magda wondered aloud.

  “Nobody else knows,” Sam reasoned. “Good luck with the web. I am too tired.” He laid his head against her and was asleep very quickly. Magda looked at the door and her heart gave a little jump as it moved and then she smiled as Jezebelle came inside.

  “Little minx,” she said. The cat jumped up and looked at the screen.

  9

  Magda found some stories about local witches but nothing that seemed connected and eventually she put the tablet to one side and fell asleep. The next day was taken up with making sure that Irene was happy and not worried about anything. Ricky called his mum several times and the Garda called to say that they had finished with her house if she wanted to move back. Alison and Magda could tell at a glance that she did not want to do that.

  “I need a bit of time, I think,” she said and asked if she could do anything to help around the house.

  “We need some seats for tonight,” Magda said, “Any idea where we might find them?”

  Alison had four folding chairs in the outbuilding and Irene added that there were cheap ones at the local garage.

  “Direct me and I can drive you down there,” Sam said and asked his aunt if he could use the car.

  “Left hand side of the road,” she said with a smile and handed him the keys. He and Irene set off.

  They bought four and when they returned, he announced that he had also bought two pairs of rubber boots for himself and Magda.

  Sam pulled his on and went outside to open up the well.

  “I’ll go down and then you can pass the chairs down to me,” he told them. After the chairs were all at the bottom, Magda also decided to go down.

  “There will be six of us,” Magda said and unfolded six chairs. Jezebelle appeared as if by magic again and jumped onto one of the seats. “Come on, Jezebelle. Up to the garden again,” and she reached up and popped the cat onto the paving stones.

  “Pretty chilly down there,” Sam said. “We need warm jackets tonight.”

  “I think you should take your new crystal as well,” Magda said. “Barbara seemed to think they built up some sort of power.”

  “What about the pendant?” he replied. She nodded and said it was in her pocket anyway.

  Irene seemed to settle through the day and when the others arrived in the evening, she and Alison were content to sit with drinks in front of the television.

  “I am so excited,” Branna said and did a little dance. Jonno dropped an arm around her shoulders.

  “Steady girl,” he said. Barbara confessed to excitement as well. They made their way down the well shaft and into the cave. Jenni had candles with holders for each of them and Barbara had brought crystals of various sorts. They laid the crystals on the stone ledge and lit the candles. The flickering lights gave an unreal effect and it was enhanced when the flashlight was switched off.

  Magda had brought the rusty dagger and laid that on the stone shelf as well.

  “Seats everyone,” Barbara told them. “Hold hands and I will ask for protection.” Magda noted that it was very similar to what she had seen Merle do back at the café and it made everything seem normal. She laughed and told them.

  “Fancy, thinking sitting in a séance in a cave is normal.” Then Jezebelle appeared as before and sat on Magda’s knee. “I must find out how she gets in here.”

  “I will call out and see if any spirits are here and want to come forward,” Barbara said. They all settled down and waited. There was no sound except the trickle of water and the flames of the candles were not affected and went up in straight lines. The air was still and there was no breeze.

  “Are there any spirits here that want to come forward?” Barbara asked. “I think there is someone. Come and talk to us. We don’t mean any harm.” There was no response and she tried again.

  “Can you make a noise to tell us that you are around please?” Again nothing. “I can feel there is someone, but she is staying back.”

  “She?” Jenni queried.

  “She is definitely feminine but quite nervous. I don’t think she is frightened of us.”

  “Any idea where she is?” Sam asked and Barbara said that she thought at the very back of the cave.

  “Shall I ca
ll out?” Magda asked. “I did that before in the café.”

  “Yes please,” Barbara said.

  “Hello, whoever is out there. Come and talk to us please. We are here from across the sea and we love the cottage. Did you live here?”

  “There was a response there. Try again.”

  “Please come out and make a sound to let us know you can hear us,” Magda said and Jezebelle jumped down from her knee and went to the back of the cave. As soon as the cat was near the back, there was a sound like a stone dropping on the floor and the people in the circle gasped.

  “It’s the cat. She likes the cat,” Magda said. “Hello, the cat is called Jezebelle. She has come to meet you. Please make the noise again to prove that it really is you.”

  A stone fell from the ledge onto the floor and made the same sound.

  “Oh Lord,” Branna breathed and clutched Jonno’s hand. “Is it Belinda or someone else?”

  “Are you Belinda?” Barbara asked. “Make a noise if you are.” They waited and there was no sound at all. “Did you live in the cottage by the waterside?” Barbara asked and there was a faint bang that sounded beneath their feet.

  “Did you know Belinda?” Magda asked on impulse and she didn’t know why but was rewarded with another noise.

  “Belinda that was burned as a witch?” Barbara asked and there was another bang.

  “But she wasn’t a witch, was she?” Jenni joined in. “I make creams and burn candles, but I don’t do any bad things. Was Belinda like that?” Another faint bang.

  “Ye gods, we are having a conversation with a ghost,” Branna whispered to Jonno.

  “Were you her friend?” Another faint noise and Barbara said that she could feel the sadness from the girl. “I wish we knew your name.”

  Then everything changed.

  “She is suddenly terrified and has faded away completely,” Barbara said. “Hold onto each other and if you have a crystal hold that as well. This is not a pleasant feeling.”