Back Room Bookstore Cozy Mystery Boxed Set: Books 1 - 12

by Susan Harper

  Monica crossed her arms. “I know we came here to help Roderick with the case, but honestly, that’s not our job, Brian. I want to know more about Abigail. I feel like there is something more going on here than what she’s letting me in on.” She knew she had let her anger get the best of her, but, frankly, she didn’t much care.

  “Yeah, but you didn’t learn anything more than what you already knew,” Brian said. “You knew all that about the Salem witch trials.”

  “Yes, I suppose,” she said. “I just wish I knew what I’m missing here.”

  “Let’s just get back to the inn,” Brian said, holding out a hand to Monica to help her stand.

  She took it, feeling increasingly frustrated. “Fine,” she said, her mind fixated on the conversation with Sarah. Sarah bothered her tremendously. Monica was used to prejudice—she was an unnatural witch, after all—but she had never come face to face with someone so willing to tell her that she thought her mere existence was evil.

  When they arrived back at the inn, Roderick, Isaac, Holly, and Abigail were standing outside the building looking as though they were about to leave. “Where have you two been?” Isaac asked.

  “We went and talked to Alexander and Sarah,” Brian said. “Can’t really say that it was particularly beneficial to your case, I’m afraid, Roderick.”

  “It’s all right,” he said. “Cases that overlap between mortals and mystics tend to move a bit slow. I’m going to meet with Cornelius again.”

  “Cornelius?” Monica asked.

  “Yes, according to the information Madam Hort gave me, he might be able to tell us a bit about Remembrance,” he said. “Looks like the case of your missing time coin and the murder investigation are overlapping a bit here. Might be able to kill two birds with one stone, as they say.”

  “Excellent,” Brian said. “We’ll all go.”

  They walked back to the center of town. Monica hoped that this time when they spoke to Cornelius, it would be a bit more beneficial than the last. If he couldn’t help them with the case, maybe the man could tell them something that would lead them in the right direction to finding the coin. Monica wanted to get out of this time period as quickly as possible. It was getting a bit too much for her to bear. She kept glancing down at Abigail as they walked. As she had been since arriving in the 1600s, Abigail was being uncharacteristically quiet. Monica wanted the talkative, loud-mouth Abigail back that she had grown used to be around since she was a small girl. There was something about this time, something more Abigail wasn’t telling her, that was making her this way, and Monica didn’t care for it.

  11

  Monica saw Cornelius’s office building come into view, and Roderick clasped his hands together as they approached. “I’m hoping that this lead pans out,” he said. “If we can find what happened to that Remembrance group, we will hopefully be able to track down that time coin they stole from you lot.”

  “What happens if we don’t find the time coin?” Isaac asked, sounding rather antsy about asking the question. “Do we just get stuck here?”

  “Oh, I’m sure we can figure something out if that’s the case,” Roderick said. “Time coins are but one means of traveling through time. It’s the easiest, of course. If we are unable to locate the time coin, we’ll go to the Sorcerer’s Council. They might be able to help create some sort of portal back to your time, but that will be quite difficult and time consuming. It’s best if we can try to find that time coin or find another time coin, though I don’t know how likely it is to locate another one. They are quite difficult to come by.”

  “What if that Remembrance witch has blasted herself to another time?” Brian asked. “Then what?”

  “Impossible,” Roderick said. “No doubt that witch only took that time coin to spite you lot. The coin won’t work for her. A time coin is a roundtrip. It’ll take you there and back again.”

  “So it’s like a time yo-yo,” Isaac said.

  “That’s quite accurate,” Abigail said softly.

  They entered the investment firm, where they spotted Cornelius chatting with a gentleman in the corner, talking about some grand scheme they should be putting money toward. The man scowled slightly in their direction when they entered and then put out a hand to Cornelius. “Let me think about it, Cornelius,” the man said. “We’ll talk more later.”

  “Have a good day, Stephen,” Cornelius said, tipping his hat. Once the man was gone, Cornelius rolled his eyes. “Forgive Stephen. He’s not too partial to warlocks.”

  “Believe me, Cornelius, I’ve been hanging around Boston long enough to have gotten used to that sort of behavior,” Roderick said, stepping forward.

  “What can I do for you, Roderick? I’ve already told you lot everything I can about Edward,” he said.

  “Yes, and we appreciate your cooperation with the investigation, Cornelius,” Roderick said. “Though I’m here on another matter today. I’m looking for a time coin that was stolen by a local Remembrance sect. I’ve been told you’ve had a few interactions with them in the past. I’m hoping to find out where they are boarded up so that we can get this time coin back and send these poor folks home.”

  Cornelius frowned, crossing his arms and furrowing his brow for a moment—thinking hard before opening his mouth. “I’m not friends with them, you must know,” he said. “But, yes, I’ve interacted with a handful of them before. I’m mortal, of course, so Remembrance doesn’t like me by default, but back when I was blacksmithing, before Edward and I opened up this firm, they had purchased a handful of items from me.”

  “Have you continued to have contact with any members since you sold your business?” Brian asked.

  “A bit here and there,” Cornelius said. “I never liked them much. They’ve got this idea of a hierarchy. They put mortals above some mystics—goblins, dwarves, that sort of thing—but still think we’re monstrous compared to maybe an unnatural witch or a half-breed, and that’s saying something since they hate unnatural and half-breed wizards. They treated me decent because of our business dealings back in the day—not like a friend but more like they think I’m an amusing pet. Ticks me off, but I’m not about to smart off to a group of angry wizards who don’t mind blasting me to bits and risking prison with the Sorcerer’s Council.”

  “Understandable, Cornelius,” Roderick said. “You’re not in trouble for being civil with them. What sort of interactions have you had with them recently?”

  “I think I annoyed them the last time,” Cornelius said. “Alexander has had a few run-ins with them, and I like him all right. Told them if they were going to keep harassing Alexander that they needed to stop coming by for visits. Alexander is a friend.”

  “Why are they harassing Alexander?” Monica asked. “He’s a warlock. They like warlocks.”

  “Yes, but he’s pretty vocal about criticizing their tactics,” Cornelius said. “So I told them to stop coming by because I didn’t like them harassing him, you see. I don’t care for it one bit. He’s a good chap. Edward never cared for him—not that Alexander knew that.”

  Roderick raised a brow at this. “You’ve never mentioned that.”

  “Well, it’s not like Alexander knew,” Cornelius said. “You were trying to figure out if Alexander killed him, and the man didn’t know Edward had a distaste for him.”

  “But why did Edward not like him?” Holly asked.

  Cornelius sighed. “Well, it has to do with Sarah. Edward broke off their engagement finally.”

  “Cornelius!” Roderick exclaimed. “Why are you just now telling me this?”

  “Didn’t think it was important,” Cornelius said.

  “Why did he break off the engagement?” Brian demanded.

  “She was flirting with Alexander,” Cornelius said. “Always very flirty with him. Thought he was a handsome mortal, I think. I think they used to fancy one another, but she always said they didn’t ever have anything to do with one another before.”

  “That’s because Alexander erased
her memory of their relationship,” Monica said. “Because when she found out he was a mystic, she lost her head about it.”

  “Ah,” Cornelius said. “That explains a bit. Well, Edward never cared for the way she talked about mystics like they were filthy creatures. Edward liked mystics, even with her batting her eyes at Alexander from time to time. He finally told her that he was done with her. That she needed to go back to Salem. Told her that he didn’t want nothing to do with her because she obviously fancied Alexander. Told her that he didn’t want nothing to do with her because she was such a hateful little lady.”

  “Why didn’t you tell us this before, Cornelius!” Roderick snapped. “This makes Sarah looked rather suspicious, don’t you think?”

  Cornelius laughed rather loudly. “Oh, that’s ridiculous. Sarah is a woman.”

  “So?” Holly asked.

  “So? That was an awfully violent murder, don’t you think? What’s a little lady like that doing hurting someone like that?” Cornelius asked. “Women don’t do that.”

  “Oh my gosh, I really hate the sixteen-hundreds…” Monica said, shaking her head. “Cornelius, you idiot. Do you have any idea how guilty this makes her look?”

  Roderick wasn’t listening. He had walked through the room and was now standing by the office’s fireplace, staring up. “Brian, come here, would you?” he called.

  Brian came over. Monica, Holly, and Abigail weren’t too far behind. “What is it, Roderick?” Brian asked.

  “Look at that sword,” Roderick said, pointing toward one of the swords above the mantle. “Odd-shaped sword.”

  “Very narrow,” Brian said.

  “Think something like that could have made that wound we saw on Edward?” he asked.

  “Possibly,” Brian said. “This sword been here all week, Cornelius?”

  “Of course it has been,” Cornelius said. “It’s nailed to the wall. It hasn’t gone anywhere, if you’re wondering if I or someone else could have used it to hurt someone.”

  “You make that sword?” Roderick asked. “I know you were a blacksmith once.”

  Cornelius shrugged. “Edward made that one actually. Made another one just like it not too long ago. He was still doing a bit of smith work on the side. It was still a part of his blood, you know? Even after we got out of that manual labor, he still liked to keep himself sharp by staying in practice.”

  “Where is the other one?” Roderick demanded, spinning around.

  “Well, he made it for him and Sarah,” Cornelius said. “So, Sarah would have the other one still. Don’t think she returned it to him after they ended things. She might have been meaning to, but he was killed same day he ended things.”

  “Honestly!” Monica exclaimed. “You didn’t bother telling us any of this before now because, what, she was a woman so therefore she couldn’t possibly have done something like this?”

  “What lady do you know who knows how to handle a sword?” Cornelius asked. “That’s just ridiculous.”

  “You’re ridiculous,” Holly said. “If you ask me, it looks like Edward was killed by a scorned woman! A woman who used his own gift to take him out.”

  “And a woman who hates mystics,” Roderick said. “She probably framed Alexander just for the hell of it.”

  “That or she remembers,” Monica said. “What if she remembers being with Alexander and feels spiteful over him not telling her about being a mystic right away?”

  “Either way, it looks like we know who killed Edward,” Roderick said.

  “Who?” Cornelius asked.

  “Are you serious?” Monica snapped. “You’re an oaf. Honestly. Sarah, Cornelius. Sarah killed Edward.”

  Cornelius still did not seem so sure even with the evidence quite clearly presented before him, but that didn’t matter. He wasn’t the one they were going to have to prove this to. “We need to find Sarah,” Roderick said, turning to Cornelius. “Is she still staying at that bed and breakfast?”

  “Far as I know,” Cornelius said. “She hasn’t left town yet. She would probably have come by to tell me farewell if she was planning on leaving.”

  “Then let’s go,” Roderick said, hurrying toward the door.

  Monica and the others followed him. She was rather frustrated that they couldn’t fly there. Instead, they hurried through the streets back toward the bed and breakfast where Sarah was staying, hoping to catch her before she decided it was time to get out of town.

  12

  When they arrived at the bed and breakfast, they learned that Sarah was currently in town having lunch with a friend. Roderick had to persuade the owner of the bed and breakfast to allow him to search Sarah’s room, but she eventually relented when he started talking about bringing down more officers to investigate, throwing around phrases like “harboring a fugitive” to intimidate her. Soon, they were all standing in the middle of a small room covered in pink wallpaper and decorative flowers.

  Roderick opened the trunk in the corner, digging through the belongings Sarah had brought along with her from Salem. Brian searched the wardrobe where Sarah had hung a couple of dresses. Isaac looked around the various drawers in the dresser along with Holly while Monica sat herself on the bed with Abigail, thinking back on her conversations with Sarah. Sarah hated witches, clearly, but was she so hateful that she would try to frame a wizard? Monica saw a slight shimmer on the far side of the wall, and she realized something from under the bed was reflecting.

  She jumped down and got on her hands and knees to look under the bed, and she saw the gleam of a sword. “No way,” she said, pulling the sword out. It was just like the sword from Cornelius and Edward’s investment firm with one major modification—there was a handle and some sort of vial added to it.

  “What on earth did she do to that thing?” Abigail asked.

  “What is that thing she’s got strapped to the sword?” Roderick asked.

  “I’m not sure,” Monica said as she gripped the handle. As soon as she held the handle, something clicked. The sword erupted into flame like a flame thrower, and Monica yelped. She dropped the sword in surprise, and it extinguished itself when she released it. It landed on the carpet, still smoldering from the fire that had blasted from the tube fashioned along the side of the blade.

  “She made a freaking flame thrower!” Isaac exclaimed. “That’s pretty impressive for this time period, isn’t it?”

  “We found the murder weapon,” Roderick said. “She fashioned the sword to cause a burn when she stabbed Edward so that it would look like a wand blast. She was very intentional about framing a wizard, it seems.”

  “She must have really felt scorned after Edward dumped her,” Abigail said from where she sat on the bed, looking over the edge at the sword that was still smoking a bit. “If he broke up with her the day he was killed, she sure did work fast to get this thing put together. It’s almost like she had already planned to do it, don’t you think? That day we were in town, she and Edward were very friendly with one another, remember? Like he hadn’t broken things off just yet? Then just a few hours later, he’s dead. Do you think she could have put something like this together that quickly?”

  “Doubtful,” Roderick said. “It’s like she was already planning on killing him…”

  “She was,” Brian said as he emerged from where he had been rummaging around in the wardrobe. He had pulled out a small leather-bound journal from one of her dress pockets. “Look at this right here. She’s got a list of mystics living in Boston with names scratched off. And on this page, she’s got some names of mortals. She’s titled it Mystic Lovers, and Edward’s name is scratched out.”

  “Let me see that thing,” Roderick said, taking the journal. Monica came and stood by him, glancing over his shoulder to see what it was they were looking at. There were pages and pages of names, addresses, and other information written next to each one. Some of them had names scratched off. “Tamara Long… She was found dead last week… A witch…” Roderick said, noting that the name was
scratched off. “We arrested a mortal named Adam. Look, Adam’s name is on this list. She’s written his prison cell number next to his name.” Roderick flipped the page. “She’s a hitwoman. She’s trying to add fuel to the fire.”

  “What do you mean?” Isaac asked.

  Roderick shook his head. “She’s not the first of her kind, I’m afraid. We’ve had a few incidences like this we’ve dealt with before. I can’t believe I didn’t see it!”

  “Incidences like this?” Monica asked. “Like people hunting witches?”

  “Exactly,” Roderick said. “Look at what she’s done. She’s killing mortals who trust and speak up for mortals and framing wizards. And she’s attacking wizards and framing mortals. She’s creating resentment between mortals and mystics on purpose.”

  “You’re telling me people have done this sort of thing before?” Monica asked, horrified at the thought.

  “Yes,” Roderick said. “There’s a handful of men who came out of Salem who were arrested two years ago for this same thing. Sarah is the first woman I’ve heard of doing this, but she’s not the first person who just wants to see the world burn.”

  “That’s just sick,” Isaac said. “She’s trying to start a fight—trying to make people scared of each other.”

  “Look,” Monica said, snatching the book from Roderick suddenly. “Abigail’s on the list.”

  “Who? Abigail Williams?” Roderick asked, taking the book back. “She’s got a lot of notes about her.” He flipped through the book. “Oh, she’s written a bloody manifesto! This is a confession if I’ve ever seen one. She’s got a whole page of scribblings talking about Abigail Williams and Alexander—how Alexander tried to wipe her memory but didn’t do so permanently… She does remember. Good call, Monica. More notes on Williams, I see… My goodness! She has a lot of hate for that girl in particular… Not that I’m a fan of Abigail Williams after what she did in Salem, but good Lord! She’ll be lucky if I find her before Sarah.”