The Chocolate Magic Cozy Mystery Box Set Books 1 to 7 Page 31

  The candle flames started to flicker and make wild shapes as if a wind was blowing and in fact, a gust of wind rushed around the cave. The candles went out and it was pitch black. There was a sort of groaning noise as Sam reached to switch on the flashlight. They saw the cat had stalked back beside Magda and was looking at the entrance where the water ran past. Jezebelle had all four legs as stiff as sticks, her tail was rigid and pointing upwards and she was hissing fiercely. They watched her as her head followed whatever she was looking at and she came around to Sam. Sam shouted and grabbed at his neck. The cat rushed towards him and passed him by as she ran at whoever or whatever was there. She was still hissing as she ran.

  Then the wind ceased and Jezebelle came back, licked her paws and jumped back onto Magda’s knee. She nosed at the jacket pocket and Magda felt the slight vibration of the crystal and stone pendant in her pocket. She took it out.

  “The cat is nosing at the pendant,” she said.

  “Maybe you should wear it when you are in the circle,” Jenni suggested, and they all took a breath and talked about what had happened. Sam was very quiet, and Magda asked him if he was okay.

  He took his hand away from his neck and showed her by the light of the lamp that he was bleeding.

  “I think that is enough for one night,” Barbara said.

  “Look at that,” Jonno said and pointed to where the rusty dagger was now on the ground.

  “I think I’ll take it up and put it away again,” Magda said and picked it up and then she looked at the others. “It’s warm.” She tucked it away.

  “Let’s have a look at that in a proper light,” Jenni added. They picked up crystals and candles and climbed back up the footholds to the garden and into the fresh air.

  “Thank goodness for normality,” Branna said. “That was quite an experience.” They covered over the well and went inside.

  “Let’s have a look at that,” Jenni said. Sam took his hand away and there were four sharp scratches right across his neck. They were bleeding slightly, and he said they were stinging. Alison asked what he had done to get that, and they all explained at once about the spirits and the scratches.

  “The cat was on the floor and nobody was near enough to touch his neck,” Jonno told them.

  “Those marks are too far apart for the cat,” Barbara said. “That was a nasty entity, whatever it was and that was what she was afraid of.”

  Jezebelle walked across as if nothing unusual had happened and rubbed against Alison’s legs.

  “She was magnificent and fearless,” Magda said and pointed at the little cat. “She seems to think that the cave belongs to her because she always turns up when we go there. She must have a little entrance upstream a little bit and a walk down the side because she never gets wet.”

  Alison brought some absorbent cotton and disinfectant and wiped cautiously at Sam’s neck.

  “The cuts are real enough,” she said.

  “Why target Sam?” Jonno asked. Nobody could find an answer.

  “Is it strange that a pentagram was painted on my door and now some nasty spirit has hurt Sam?” Irene asked. They all looked at her and Barbara shook her head.

  “I think it was coincidence. That pentagram was done by some nasty human to frighten you.”

  “Do we need to try again in the cave?” Jenni asked.

  Everyone looked at Barbara who said they should give it a couple of days and try again.

  “Maybe we can find some reference to a woman who was known to Belinda. I would like to find out her name.”

  “I wonder if the bad entity was the nasty husband who turned his wife in.” Magda mused. “Do you think we could get rid of him, Barbara?”

  “Maybe,” Barbara said. “It would be good to do that and might let the girl find some rest as well.”

  “I am sorry,” Magda said to them all. “We seem to have come along and uncovered something that might be better left where it was.”

  “Don’t be silly, Magda. I am really glad you are here and taking over the cottage. We made a great discovery with the well. It tells us some of the history of the place,” Alison answered.

  “Can we take photos of your neck please?” Jenni asked with a smile and Sam bent forward so that they could get shots of the scratches.

  “I have heard about wounds and marks appearing on people before but have never actually seen it.” Barbara said as she clicked away on her cell phone. “It looks more animal than human, but I felt that it was a woman and not an animal.”

  Magda took a picture as well and thought that she would tell the folks at home when the others had gone. Barbara, Jenni, Branna and Jonno all left. Magda took another look at the marks on Sam’s neck.

  “They are starting to fade,” she said. “Can you remember what it felt like when it happened?”

  Sam rubbed at his neck and thought back.

  “It seems sort of unreal now that we are out of there and sitting in the living room. I felt it actually scratch me and it was a sharp pain. I grabbed at my neck like you would normally if you hurt yourself.”

  “I’m going to email it all to the others back home, but they are about six hours behind us here. We won’t get any feedback for a little while. Merle might have some ideas about it,” Magda said. Sam explained to Irene that Merle was a friend who owned a dude ranch and could sense spirits as well.

  “What’s a dude ranch?” Irene asked and the two Americans both laughed.

  “She has a ranch that is not a real ranch anymore but a vacation place where people go and pretend they are living like cowboys,” Magda answered. Sam added that he didn’t think real cowboys had hot tubs, saunas and top-quality restaurants.

  “My cousin Branston is the manager and they run a really good business,” Magda added.

  “That sounds like a great holiday,” Irene said with a smile.

  “Branston loves riding and really only went to help in his spare time and to be able to show off his riding skills, but they have done so well that he is now full time.”

  “My bedtime,” Irene said and stood up to go to her room. “Thanks again for letting me stay, Alison.”

  “We’ll have a look at your house in the morning,” Sam told her, “and get that sign painted off the door.” He rubbed his neck again and when Magda looked the scratches had disappeared.

  10

  Magda did write everything in emails which she sent off to Rula, Merle, Declan and Katie. They would be able to talk about it themselves and she said that she would talk to them the next day. She attached the photo of Sam’s scratches and forgot that it was still late afternoon back at home. Her Facebook called when she was in the bedroom and Merle wanted to talk immediately.

  “Let me see your neck, Sam,” Merle demanded, and Sam obligingly let Magda focus the camera onto the spot.

  “It has disappeared,” Magda told her and then heard Branston’s voice in the background.

  “You two cannot be trusted not to cause trouble anywhere.”

  “Wish you were here to help us,” Magda answered, “even with the oversize Stetson on your head.”

  “I have seen marks like this before and it could happen again. There must be something in the history of the place that has left an opening for some sort of bad spirit to exist there,” Merle told them. “Take every precaution and protection that you can. Remember to imagine yourself in a ball of blue, protective light.”

  “Could the place be cleaned, and the entity sent away?” Sam asked.

  “Yes, but it could resist. The cat seems to be able to see it and did you say that the pendant sort of shivered in your pocket?”

  Magda said that it had done that.

  “Wear it around your neck and hold it up to the nasty spirit if you have to. It obviously gives you some sort of protection,” Merle told her.

  “What if Sam wore it?” Magda wondered. “He seems to be the target.”

  “You could try it,” Merle answered. “I know it seems remotely unlikely but Crys
tal, your ever-loving psychic cat seems to be showing Rula lots of things to do with water. Where does the stream come from?”

  “Now that is a thought,” Sam replied. “I might try and find that out.”

  “Thanks for helping,” Magda told her. “How are things back home?”

  “We’ve been in to see if Rula needed a hand, but she’s coping brilliantly,” she paused and smiled, “Mikey is almost full time I think. Spends more time in the café than in his own shop. We’ve fed the cats a couple of times to help out.”

  “You will all love this place when you get to visit. We have arranged to buy it and Sam is planning a loft conversion like something from New York City,” Magda laughed.

  “Declan might get to meet his long-lost family,” Sam added. “I sent him what I had in mind.”

  “I’ve got loads of photos. I’ll send them when we finish,” Magda said. “Thanks again for helping.”

  “My pleasure,” Merle replied. “Wish I was closer.”

  They chatted for a few more minutes and then closed the call. Magda sent photos of the garden, the house and the shops that she had seen then put the tablet away.

  She took another look at Sam’s neck. It was as if nothing had been there. They climbed into bed and held each other.

  “Love ya,” she whispered. “That whatever it is will have to go. I can’t have you hurt even by a ghost.” They went to sleep twined together and woke up in exactly the same situation. Sam woke first as the rays of light spread across the room and he kissed the tip of her nose. He brushed away the long strands of vivid plum-colored hair that Magda sported. She stirred and smiled.

  “How many spooks will we have to fight today?” she murmured.

  “None but we might be able to do some stream searching.”

  “I really would like a lazy day,” Magda stretched and turned over.

  “I’ll go and make you a coffee,” he said and slid out of bed. Jezebelle moved into the warm place that he had just left. Sam grinned when he came back. “I’ve been replaced.” Magda lifted the cat on to her knee as she sat up and reached for the mug of coffee. Sam balanced his own mug and managed to regain his spot.

  “You would think,” he said, “that old maps would show streams and small rivers, but I pulled up some of the area and nothing is shown.”

  “If it has always been underground, it might never have been recorded,” Magda said. “It seems to come from open country because that is uphill and that is where Jezebelle comes from. The pipes and electricity lines would all come from the town side.” She sighed. “You see, you’ve got me working it out now.” Then she told him that if he was planning an exploration up the stream, she would come because she didn’t want him to go on his own.

  They both had emails from everyone back home and sat and answered them before Alison called that breakfast was ready.

  “You are spoiling us something rotten,” Magda told her and wished Irene good morning. They were talking about exploring the stream and Magda suggested they go outside the garden and see if the cat showed them where she found the way in when the doorbell sounded.

  Donnelly was there with his second in command. Magda felt Irene’s jolt of fear as the Garda came inside.

  “Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, Mrs. Carty, but your house was broken into and searched. Your son saw the open door and called us. He is still over there, and we are looking for fingerprints.”

  Magda went and put her arm around Irene.

  “I’m afraid we need you to see if anything is missing. They pulled out drawers and things and were obviously looking for something. Maybe you can work out what it was.”

  “I’ll come with you,” Magda told her. “Give us a minute to tidy up please,” she added to Donnelly, who nodded and accepted a coffee from Alison. His officer did the same and both of them took a seat. They stood up when Magda and Irene came back and then drove them to Irene’s house.

  Magda could feel a little shake from the woman at her side and took her hand.

  “This is just a mess, we can clean it up,” she whispered as they got out of the car and walked to the door where the pentagram was still visible but dry. The chicken had been cleared away. Ricky came out and gave his mum a hug. He told her he had paint and was going to paint the front door.

  Irene braced herself but it was not as bad as she thought. Drawers were pulled out and contents spilled but it didn’t look like anyone had deliberately caused a mess.

  “Try not to touch anything yet,” Donnelly said. “Just have a walk through and see if you notice anything.” Irene did as he asked, and Magda followed her. There was nothing but opened cupboards and wardrobe doors and a few things pulled out as someone had searched. The carpets had been roughly pulled up in places and the mattress on the bed was overturned but not ripped. She checked her personal things like jewelry boxes and bathroom paraphernalia, but nothing seemed to be taken.

  Then she straightened her back and went through to the kitchen. There was a mat at the back door that was set into a recess in the floor and she picked up the mat. There were floorboards underneath and it looked innocuous. Irene found a knife and slid it under the wood. The whole recess lifted like a trapdoor and underneath was a box.

  Magda gasped. Ricky looked at his mum in amazement and Donnelly stepped forward with rubber gloves on to lift the box from the hiding place.

  “I guess they never found this,” Magda whispered.

  “Can I open it?” Donnelly asked courteously and Irene nodded.

  “Feel free. I had forgotten about it. It is not important but it’s the only place they haven’t looked. Patrick put it there years ago. I don’t even know what it is. I think he even forgot about it himself.”

  “Your husband hid this?” Donnelly asked and she nodded again.

  “I don’t want any of this now. I’ll sell the house as soon as the funeral is over and not come back.” Ricky slipped an arm around her shoulders.

  “Find somewhere closer to me,” he said.

  Donnelly laid the box on the table. It was relatively flat and about the same size as a case that a businessman might carry but it was a child’s case from years ago. Donnelly released the catch and lifted the lid. Everyone leaned forward and wondered what they would find. In it was a pile of dusty papers and a ball of string.

  “You think somebody killed him for this?” Irene asked incredulously. Donnelly didn’t reply but lifted the first paper out and blew the dust away. Underneath was an old newspaper and he picked it up gingerly and read the date.

  “Nineteen twenty,” he read out loud.

  “So, we have a date, sir,” the second officer said and took the newspaper in gloved hands to lay on the table. Magda stretched her neck to see what was written on it and saw the date at the top. She made a mental note to go to the newspaper website and see if there were records.

  Donnelly lifted the next sheet of blank paper and put it to one side. Then everyone that could see the next piece gasped because clearly at the top of the page was the same pentagram that had been drawn on the door.

  “Stupid people still believe in this stuff,” he said and lifted out the sheet. There was nothing more in the box and he said that forensics would have to work on the thing to see if there were any clues.

  “There isn’t anything here to link to a murder of just a few days ago but maybe a pointer to where to look next. My officer will give you a receipt for it Mrs. Carty and we will let you have it back when it has been tested and recorded.

  “I don’t want it back,” she said.

  “Can we clean the place up?” Magda asked and he said that it would be the afternoon before the crime team had finished.

  “Can I paint the door?” Ricky asked and was given the go ahead.

  “Let’s drive you both back home,” Donnelly said. “We’ll drop off the house keys later.”

  “I’ll come over when I’ve done this,” Ricky said as he waved the paintbrush in his hand.

  The two women
climbed back into the car and were taken back to Waterside Cottage. Magda left Irene to tell Sam and Alison about what they had found and opened her tablet.

  “Leinster Times,” she muttered as she put it into the search engine. “Records for June nineteen twenty.” Sam came to see what she was doing. “Got it!” she said with satisfaction. “Bet I’m quicker than the forensic folk.” She pointed at the screen. “There are records that far back. Thank heaven for those folks who spent time recording everything.” Sam sat beside her and watched as she pulled up the sheets for that month.

  “Look Irene, that is the same page, isn’t it?” Irene came and looked over her shoulder and agreed.

  “Have you a printer, Alison?” Sam asked. Alison did, so they printed off several copies of the page and then picked them up to read.

  “You see what I see?” Sam asked and Magda pointed and read out loud.

  “Jeremiah Carty was sentenced to go to prison for stealing artifacts and historical documents from his cousin. These included jewelry and stone garden ornaments.”

  “Stone garden ornaments or stone altar?” Magda said.

  11

  “And if he stole the altar, what happened to it?” Alison added and wondered who Jeremiah Carty was related to. “He wasn’t Padraig’s ancestor. He knew the names of his grandparents and great grandparents.”

  “Did he ever look up his family tree?” Sam asked and she shook her head.

  “The ancestry sites are pretty good, and I do subscribe to one of them,” Magda said. “We had to look up my own grandparents at one point.”

  “So, if we put in Jeremiah Carty would we find out who his children were?” Alison asked

  “We might,” Magda said. “Worth a try.” Irene had been reading the whole article as they talked and pointed out that the paper never said who his cousin was that he robbed.

  “Maybe they got the articles back.” She added.

  “We might be able to find out who is descended from both Jeremiah and his cousin. Somewhere the altar might just be a bird bath in somebody’s backyard.” Sam said. “But first, I am going to find a dendrochronologist.” He had put the location and request into Google and came up with a selection of three. “Which of these are closest?” he asked Alison and she took the tablet.