by Olivia Swift
“I’ll burn this if you don’t stop,” she shouted. The wind stopped instantly but a strong gust swiped at Magda and knocked her to the ground. The wood flew out of her hand and she lay still.
10
Katie reached out and Sam helped her onto the ladder, and then he almost slid down the rungs himself.
“Magda,” he shouted and ran to where she had fallen. He dropped to his knees beside her and held her in his arms. “Wake up, sweetheart.” He saw with relief that she was opening her eyes. Katie and Declan both rushed over as well and Katie took Magda’s hand.
“Oh, Lord above,” she said. “That stupid Viking. Why can’t we have a couple of days without him?”
“I’m okay, folks,” Magda said and struggled to sit up properly. “Are you all right Katie? That certainly gave the tree house a test run.” She looked around. “What happened to that flippin’ lump of wood?”
Declan went and retrieved the wood from where it had fallen and turned it in his hands.
“You know when Mikey said the whisky tasted of the ocean? I think this piece of wood gives me a feeling of the sea as well. It is a lovely shape. It would turn beautifully on the lathe and look really special.”
“Maybe it was washed up on the shore and never came from the castle at all,” Magda pondered.
“I don’t suppose we’ll ever know for sure,” Katie replied.
“What do we do with it?” Sam asked the rest of them. “He seems to follow it if we move it but when it was in the trunk of the car, he was happily climbing on Mikey’s wall. It doesn’t make any sense.”
“I stinkin’ well wish he was back in Scotland,” Magda said a bit grumpily and then looked around as a sudden gust of cold wind swept around the clearing. “I know you’re out there, Utric,” she added in a louder voice. “I don’t like being knocked over.” The wind subsided and they decided to make some food and sit around the campfire. The place was calm and the prototype tree house swung gently on its supports.
“I know that the connection to the trees on all sides will hold up in a gale force wind,” Sam observed. “I suppose he gave us a test run.”
“If we ignore him and don’t mention anything to do with where he came from, he might just stay hidden,” Declan remarked and added some wood to the fire.
“I’ll put the wood in the other truck from the one you are sleeping in and hope that keeps him happy,” Sam added and went to do what he said. Magda drank some water and said she felt much better and was really quite hungry.
Declan glanced at Katie. “You are a bit shaken up by that, aren’t you?” She admitted that she did feel a bit wobbly and would just have a coffee.
“How much have you got to do tomorrow?” Magda asked Sam and Declan.
“Just an hour or so to check the fittings and then we take it all down for safety’s sake,” Sam told her.
“Maybe we could take the wood to that rock formation we found and see if he goes climbing,” Magda suggested.
“And leave it there?” Katie whispered. Magda nodded.
“It’s worth a try,” Declan answered.
“I could get a few more photos,” Katie added. They talked about all sorts of other things.
As the light disappeared, it was very dark among the trees. Magda shivered.
“I don’t know how Katie and Declan feel,” she began, “but I would feel better if we were all in the truck together.”
“I have to admit, I feel the same,” Katie added, and Declan said he was happy to go along with what they all wanted. They put out the fire and packed anything edible away in case of wild creatures helping themselves, and then climbed into the bigger truck with sleeping bags and a lantern.
Magda giggled. “Like a teenage sleepover,” she said and gained a smile from Katie. “I don’t suppose anyone would like to tell ghost stories?” she added mischievously.
“No thanks,” Katie answered, and Declan said that his ghosts were real enough so he would pass on that one.
“What happened at the brandy place?” Sam changed the subject, and Magda took the hint and told them about the raspberry brandy and how it all had to be sterile.
“Thing is, it sounds good to say ‘local, wild raspberries,’ but yesterday I saw how difficult that would be. I think locally sourced raspberries will have to do instead.”
“And the distillery is making the syrup for you?” Declan asked, and pointed with his head at Katie. Magda smiled and saw that Katie had drifted off to sleep. Still smiling, she said that the distillery would try the recipe and see if it would work.
“He seemed to think that it might be something he could sell. He’s working on quite a small scale for a niche market”—she glanced at Sam—“and his wife’s favorite truffle is the pecan and marzipan.”
“A woman with good taste,” Sam answered and said that he would turn out the lantern. “’ Night folks,” he added. Declan and Magda said good night.
Sam woke first and saw that the others were still asleep. He nudged Magda and they climbed quietly outside to light the fire and set up the coffee pot to brew. He managed to steal a good-morning kiss and then they carried cups of coffee to the truck.
“Come on, you two. Time to rise and possibly shine,” Sam called, Magda passing out the coffee before climbing back inside with the others.
“Not like me to oversleep,” Declan said as he sat up to take the coffee.
“That is because you have four cats that jump on you as soon as daylight arrives,” Magda told him. Katie rubbed her eyes.
“Do you feel better now?” Declan asked Katie, and with a small smile she said that she was fine.
“I’m sorry I was a bit shaken by the wobbly tree house.”
“Wasn’t your fault,” Magda told her. “That stupid Viking lost his temper again.”
“If we just do a final check and dismantle everything, we can go and find that rock face,” Sam suggested and they all agreed. “The tree house will work. We have found that out.”
Magda took some photos of the two men in the tree taking down the prototype, and they packed up everything to be ready to leave when they came back from the walk.
They took small backpacks with some food and bottled water. Declan picked up the piece of wood from the truck and they set off. The little pathway was easy to follow, especially as the girls knew where they were going. It was a pleasant morning, an easy walk, and the four of them chatted as they went.
The path widened out as they reached where the land started to rise, and the rocky wall stretched up on their right with the fantastic view across the land on the left.
“You don’t realize that you’ve been climbing,” Sam said as he looked out at the view. He turned and looked up at the side of what was really the start of a mountain. Declan laid the wood against the rocks and looked around.
“Has he come with us?” Magda asked, but Declan couldn’t see the ghostly man.
“Maybe he has stayed where we were before,” Katie remarked, and Magda decided to call out like Merle did.
“Utric, are you there?” she asked. “Can you see this wonderful mountainside? We thought you might like to climb here.” There was no response and Sam said that Merle sometimes had to ask two or three times. Magda called out again and tried a third time. Declan said nothing but pointed to the piece of wood.
“Utric, are you beside the wood and the mountain?” A slight breeze disturbed her hair and she knew that he had heard her. “That looks like a difficult climb. What do you think?”
“I can’t climb,” said Sam as he realized what she was trying to do. “Maybe you could get up there.”
“Mikey would find it easy,” Declan added and nodded as he saw the Viking look at the mountainside.
“Give it a try,” Magda suggested and a warm breeze drifted across her face. “You like climbing.”
Declan said quietly that the man was starting to climb. “He certainly knew how to scale a rocky cliff,” Declan said as they saw that Declan was lookin
g at something that was moving higher and higher. “He’s enjoying that.”
Katie took out a camera and took several shots at where Declan was pointing his gaze.
“Let’s go,” Sam said quietly, and the four of them tiptoed quickly back the way they had come without saying a word. They got back to the campsite, climbed aboard the trucks and drove away from the estate.
“I really hope he stays in the forest,” Magda said. “I have enough to think about without a bad guy around from hundreds of years ago.”
With the two trucks parked as near to the café entrance as possible, they went in to report what had happened. The place was packed to bursting and Branston had a huge white apron wrapped around him. Rita and Josh were serving and Rula was directing operations. The most amazing sight to see was Mikey adorned with an apron like Branston and carrying orders out to the customers. Then they realized that at least half of the customers were climbers and hikers who frequented the camping shop.
“I guess the wall has had an opening day,” Sam suggested as they wound their way through the tables. Magda spoke to her regular customers and said that she should go away more often.
Mikey said that he had offered to help because there had been such a rush of interest in the wall.
“You haven’t had any ghostly climbers then?” Magda asked, and he said that he wouldn’t know anyway.
“Because he followed us to the forest,” Declan said. Rula and Mikey both stopped what they were doing to listen, and Josh stopped as he went by as well.
“Did you say the Viking followed you?” he asked, and they related what had happened.
“We left him climbing the mountainside and we left the piece of wood there as well,” Katie added. Magda said that she sincerely hoped that was the end of it.
“Wouldn’t bank on it,” Josh said and went off with his tall concoction of hot chocolate and marshmallows.
I need a good shower before I can help out here,” Magda said.
“Do not worry, cousin of mine,” Branston said. “We are a good, hard-working team here.”
“Go home and take it easy,” Rula told them.
“Thanks,” Magda said and gave her a quick hug. “Katie can go home and have the rest of the day off.”
“I’ll drive you,” Declan added, and the four campers left the café team coping admirably.
Sam and Magda carried the sleeping bags and other things to the door, opened up, and could not see any cats at all.
“That is strange,” Magda said. “Crystal, Abigail, Pushkin, Irina—where are you?” Then she felt panic start to rise inside her chest and rushed into the other rooms. There was no sign of any of the cats.
“The doors were locked and Rula was here to feed them,” Magda cried as she dashed back and forth through every room.
“They have got to be here,” Sam said as he started a more systematic search.
Magda started to really worry when she heard a very slight noise. She dropped to her knees and looked under the bed.
“Oh, cats,” she cried. “Come out. It’s all right. We are here now.” She lay on her tummy and reached out a hand for Abigail who was the closest, and when one cat came out, the others crept out after her and huddled together against Magda.
“They are terrified. Look at Irina shaking,” Magda said and picked up the little black-and-white kitten.
“What on earth could have happened? Then she felt the wind across her face and knew with a certainty what it was.
“Did you feel that breeze?” she asked Sam. He nodded and put his arm around her shoulders.
“He’s back here, I think, and not still climbing the mountain.”
They calmed the cats down with cat treats and then changed out of their camping clothes.
“What do we do now?” Magda asked and wrapped her arms around Sam’s waist. “It is just not fair that a bad-tempered spirit can spoil our lives and maybe ruin the wedding and the business. I can’t have the cats terrified like this.”
“Let’s close up the café and see what Merle thinks,” he suggested. “We can beat this. You and I can do anything, Magda.”
11
The café was reassuringly cheerful. One last customer was paying for truffles and Branston was taking off his apron and waving goodbye.
“Thanks, Branston,” Magda called after him as he disappeared down the alleyway to the main street. Mikey straightened up the wiped-down chairs and tables. Rula had let Rita and Josh go already.
“You have been marvelous,” Magda told Rula and Mikey.
“Did it all work?” Mikey asked. Sam nodded and explained that the prototype had been slung between the trees, but then Magda explained about the way the storm had whipped up and frightened Katie.
“That Utric is proving to be a real nuisance,” she said. “We thought we left him behind but when we got home, the cats were hiding under the bed and we could feel the breeze in the room.”
“Oh, no,” Rula exclaimed. “So, he’s still around. I wonder what we can do about it.”
“Did you leave the piece of wood in the forest?” Mikey asked, and they said that they had.
“Talking of wood,” Rula mentioned, “Did you notice that two of the carved wooden pieces are gone? We sold them.”
“That is wonderful,” Magda replied and looked at the shelf. “I put a high price on them as well. Declan will be amazed. He thought it was just a hobby he enjoyed.”
“I’ve got the money ready for the bank,” Rula told her. “Everything is ready just to lock up.”
“I’ll close up next door,” Mikey said. “Would any of you like to go for a bite to eat?”
“I am a bit hungry,” Sam agreed. “What about it, girls?”
Magda and Rula nodded and started to pick up their belongings and switch off lights. Mikey went off to finish at the shop. They followed him and locked the wrought iron gate to the street. There was no feel of any breeze or suggestion that Utric was anywhere in the vicinity.
Mikey’s shop was super clean and tidy and stocked from just inside the door, to the back, and from floor to ceiling.
“You are so well-organized,” Rula told him. He smiled and told her that it was all quite expensive stuff and he had to make sure it was all accounted for.
“The staff are very careful and look after things really well,” he answered and waved goodbye to Janey who had been looking after things for him. Then they locked up and the four of them walked to the Italian restaurant on the main street, having dropped the day’s take into the night depository on the way past the bank.
They spent a comfortable and friendly hour having an evening meal and then parted company.
“That made me feel better,” Magda said as she held Sam’s hand on the way back to the truck.
“I guess if we carry on, and don’t get too worried about Utric, it might all just settle down,” Sam answered. They drove back to the house and found the cats happy and contentedly purring on the couch. The rest of the evening was undisturbed. Sam said he had to get away early to take care of some paperwork.
Magda happily made her own breakfast. As she ate, she thought about asking Declan for more sculptures. She called Sam for a quick chat before setting off for work.
Rula was waiting outside the gate and very agitated.
“What’s wrong?” Magda asked immediately.
“Look in Mikey’s,” Rula told her. The inside of the camping shop was a scene of total devastation.
“Oh, my Lord,” Magda said and tried to step inside the shop but was held back by a uniformed police officer. She then realized that Mikey had called 911.
“So it wasn’t Utric?” Magda whispered to Rula as she stepped back, and Rula shook her head.
“Expensive stuff stolen and everything pulled out to find what they wanted,” Rula answered.
“Poor Mikey,” Magda said. “I had better open up and he can come in and have a hot drink after the police go.” She opened the wrought iron gate and they both noticed t
hat some of the chairs were moved around.
“I thought we tidied this place up yesterday,” Rula muttered and then stopped short as Magda pulled back from the double doors with key in hand. The door had been forced and was splintered beside the lock so that the catch could not engage.
“Oh, no,” Magda whispered and gingerly pushed open the door and put one foot inside. The chairs and tables had been moved and the boxes of truffles which had been stacked in the display unit were all gone. As she walked around, she decided that they should touch nothing and go and tell the officers next door. Rita, Katie, and Josh all arrived and stood looking at the mess.
“Don’t touch anything,” Magda told them as she hurried off. There was a slight delay as the man at the door found the officer in charge. Once found, he brought a uniformed officer along with him to the café. The two of them surveyed the café and then called for extra people as they now had two robberies.
Magda told them that the bottles of expensive whisky had been taken, plus all of Katie’s pictures. She gave the police a rough estimate of the value and looked around at the mess.
“Looks like somebody wanted to ruin the place as well as steal anything saleable,” the officer remarked.
“Same next door,” Rula added. “I was with Mikey when he opened up and it looked like it was more than just grabbing things and getting out.”
“I think you’ll have to close for the day until forensics tries to find some prints,” Detective Rodriguez told Magda, and she nodded. “The same goes for the camping shop.”
“Can I use the machine to make drinks?” Rula asked, adding that the officers were welcome to drinks as well. He looked at the coffee maker which appeared to be untouched and then nodded.
“Don’t touch anything else.”
Magda phoned Sam and told him what she had discovered.
“Are you all right?” was his first question, and said he was on his way. She looked around and knew that there was nothing she could do but wait for the police to do their job.