by A. M. King
“He had a heart attack, I think. He was just dead. Earlier he complained about chest pain.”
“Oh, no! How awful.”
Febe hugged her instinctively. She knew how close they were. Bruce always got along with staff. Well, maybe except for the Gosniks; but with the regular team, he had a reputation of being friendly.
“Febe, I’m surprised to see you here,” Trey said, puzzled.
Febe sighed. “I was just coming to see Bruce and I heard that he died.”
“Yes, we’re still investigating, but it looks like he had a cardiac arrest. CPR wasn’t administered soon enough. By the time the ambulance arrived, he was gone.”
“Oh, no.” Febe then looked around and saw one ambulance drive off. There was another ambulance.
“Why are there two ambulances?” Febe asked.
“One of the staff fainted when she saw him.”
“That’s terrible. Is she all right?”
“We’ll see. Anyway, what were you coming to see Bruce about?” Trey asked.
Crap.
What was she going to say now? That she suspected he might have had something to do with Tulip’s death over the weekend?
“I was just coming to see how he was doing, given that Tulip died.”
“Yes, of course. It’s very sad. What a coincidence. The newspaper lost two staff members in one weekend. Well, in the space of two days.”
“Do you really think it’s a coincidence, Trey?”
“Febe,” Trey said, arching his brow, “what are you getting at?”
“Oh, nothing. It’s just that it’s quite a coincidence.”
“It looks as if Bruce’s death was natural, Febe.”
“Natural? You think so?”
“Febe, let’s not go starting anything now. We’ll obviously know for sure after the autopsy, but we don’t suspect any foul play right now.”
Febe frowned.
No, of course, he wouldn’t. But Febe felt something strange in her blood. Her inner witch was speaking to her. She knew better. There was something funny going on.
* * *
“Dead? Heart attack?” Aunt Vanity sobbed into her handkerchief after Febe broke the news to her.
“That’s terrible,” Aunt Eartha added.
“I know. I’m so sorry Aunt Vanity. I knew you were fond of him.”
“Yes, me too,” Aunt Trixie said. At least Aunt Trixie wasn’t making any snide remarks this time around. Given the seriousness of the situation, Febe didn’t think she would. The sisters bickered like crazy, but deep down they were fiercely protective and supportive of each other.
“This heart disease thingy really is a killer,” Febe said.
“Heart disease?” Aunt Vanity stopped sobbing. “What are you talking about? That man had a heart as strong as an ox. There was no way he had a heart attack?”
“Are you sure about that, Auntie? I mean...”
“Yes, I’m sure. His heart was like iron.”
“I guess it had to be with all the activities you two did together,” Aunt Trixie murmured under her breath.
“What do you mean by that?” Aunt Vanity said, her hands on her hips. Her tears seemed to dry up real fast.
“You know what I mean. I’m just telling it like it is. I’m agreeing with you. He must have had a strong heart.”
“So you’re thinking what I’ve been thinking,” Febe said to her aunties. “That this was way too much of a coincidence. I feel something went wrong. I just wished I could go back to the newspaper, but it wasn’t the right time. By the time Trey found out I was there to see Bruce, it would have looked fishy if I’d stuck around and snooped around his office.”
“Why don’t you try the invisibility spell and go back there?” Janvier chimed in.
“No can-do Sis. With my luck, I’d have people bumping into me and exposing our little secret. Or worse, the spell would wear off while I’m in the room with someone. How on earth would I explain reappearing in front of someone? Remember what happened to Jonathan’s cell phone when I made it disappear by mistake, and then reappear in front of the sergeant?”
“Sheesh, that was a close one. I can’t believe you managed to talk your way out of that one. Making him doubt his senses.”
“I know, right? But I may not be so lucky the next time around. Madam Techer’s right. I need to be careful about practising witchcraft until I become fully licenced to do so.”
Febe was desperate to get back to the newspaper office. She had a strong feeling whirl around her when she was there. The answer to the two deaths had to be linked. And she had an eerie suspicion it had something to do with that tabloid newspaper.
Chapter 10
On the following Monday, Febe was back at the Victorian on top of the hill for her next magic class. The house actually burned down more than half a century ago, but because Febe had a special sight, she still saw it as it was in its prime.
“You seem pre-occupied, my dear,” Madam Techer said as she floated through the wall to the living room. “Your energies traveled here before you did. Remember what we spoke about in our last session about your energies. One must keep them focused and pure in order to carry you. Energy is fuel to your soul, to your body. Don’t allow anyone or anything to drain you.”
“I know, Madam Techer. You’re so right,” Febe sighed heavily. “I’m so sorry. It’s just that I haven’t had a good night sleep in so long with all the house guests we have, and on top of that, I’ve come to a roadblock with a case I’m trying to help the police solve, only they don’t know I’m helping them, because they don’t think there’s a case.”
“Ah. I see. One of those complicated situations.” Madam Techer was dressed in her Victorian-era dress and shawl, just as she’d worn when she was alive. Bless her heart. She was a sweet lady. Febe didn’t know when they’d first met that she was a ghost, but by now, she was used to seeing ghosts as if they were real people.
“Two people died from natural causes who worked at the Gosnik newspaper. But my witching instinct is telling me otherwise. I can’t prove it, but I just have a gut reaction that something’s off. That someone or some entity did this to them, but why?”
Febe thought about the newspaper. What did Bruce and Tulip have in common besides working at the Gosnik papers? Who did they tick off?
“So you’ve been thinking about what might have happened to them,” Madam Techer said.
“Yes, but it’s been difficult to focus with the noise at the house. Why does the Festival of Witches have to be a two-week celebration? Why? I have two weeks of guests to deal with...lack of sleep. I didn’t know I’d be sharing my room with several ghosts. Why do they need to linger around me? Don’t they have accommodation on the other side?”
“They have to be present, dear.”
“Present? At the Victorian?”
“Yes, dear. They’ve come to visit you and your family.”
Febe’s heart squeezed in her chest. Maybe she could be a bit more receptive to them. Even though they kept spooking her out by appearing through walls unannounced. She was talking to a ghost right now for her lesson—who was helping her to get her witching licence, after all.
“I’m sorry, Madam Techer. I didn’t mean to offend you. I love ghosts.” Sort of.
“No offence, dear. People often don’t want us around because they don’t understand us. Every soul living and dead has a purpose,” Madam Techer grinned. “Oh well. We’ll get by.”
Febe smiled appreciatively.
“Now we need to learn about objects and how to move them purposefully,” Madam Techer continued, “but before we do that. I just want to tell you that I’m pleased with your home study assignment and your levels. Well done.”
“Thank you, Madam Techer.”
“You remind me of your mother. She excelled quickly, too. She was a fast learner.”
Febe swallowed hard. She had to keep her mind clear so that an image of her mother didn’t appear.
Elephant. Picture an elephant.
Picture a blue sky. A clear sky.
“Is there a reason you have an elephant in the sky running through your mind, Febe?” Madam Techer looked stunned.
Crap.
“Um, no.”
“You’re avoiding something.”
Could she lie to her teacher? No. But she could be evasive. She had to for the sake of safety for her family. Not that she didn’t trust Madam Techer, but right now a lot of strange things were happening in the town, including two suspicious deaths. She had to keep her mind clear. Who knew who could be lurking around?
For all she knew, she could be watched right now. Maybe someone was down at the bottom of the hill wondering why she was alone in the old ruins of a Victorian House by herself, not realizing she was conversing with the spirit of the dead owner.
You’re being watched, Febe. Be careful.
The warning slid into her mind like a haunted whisper. Who was it from?
It was the anniversary of the ending of Salem Witch Trials. What a time for there to be a great witch hunt now, if that’s what it was. Tulip Gosnik might have been a witch, but Bruce sure wasn’t. Or was he? Was he a warlock? No. Couldn’t be. She never picked up on any strange energies around him. He was all human as far as Febe could tell.
“Your mind is not clear, Febe.”
“Yes it is.”
“You’re worried about someone.”
Oh, no. Mom.
“Your mom died over a year ago now. You miss her terribly. You loved her, didn’t you?”
“Yes.” Febe’s heart squeezed in her chest.
Please don’t read my mind. Please. Blocking spell, blocking spell. Commanderio Shield My Thoughts.
“Good. You’ve used your blocking spell to shield your mind from anything getting in or from anyone penetrating your thoughts. You’re motivated by something great. Motivation is the grease that makes things move. The determination. You are determined for me to not read your mind. Good job.”
“Thank you.”
Well, if she didn’t figure out how to do it, she’d be toast. She owed it to Mr. Dawes—to her mother, to the Summer bloodline.
“You see our mind is our greatest asset,” Madam Techer continued. “As I always say, you want to use it, but don’t ever lose it.” She laughed.
“Use it but don’t lose it?” Febe wanted to do a face palm, but resisted.
“We feed our minds junk and let people in and wonder why we feel miserable later. Good for you. Protect your mind, for it is the master of your life and your body. Everything happens in there. It’s how we perceive the world around us. It is our center of command. Our control center.”
Of course. Just like the security control center.
Just then an image flashed into her mind about who was there on the camera. There was someone that she’d never thought about before. She was going to have to check on something later.
Madam Techer continued, “Life is like a jigsaw puzzle. Every piece fits somewhere to make the big picture. We get signs all the time. The other realm is always trying to tell us things. Our instincts come into play but we’re too busy to hear it. You need to practice calm. Be calm. The answer will flow through you.”
“You’re right,” Febe said. “It was there all along. “
“What was, dear?”
“The answer. The answer was there.”
Madam Techer froze for a moment. A car pulled up to the curb. “It’s time for us to end our session now, dear.”
Febe glanced down the hill. It was someone who stopped to look at a map. The person then drove off.
“Febe, I sense something around you,” Madam Techer then said.
“What is it?”
“The realm is telling me something. Be very careful from here on. Your life is in grave danger.”
Febe froze.
Chapter 11
Her life was in grave danger?
That thought never left Febe all week, but she didn’t want to alarm her sister or her aunties or Mr. Dawes, so she kept it to herself and remained vigilant, paying attention to her surroundings while at the café and at the house.
It was Friday night before the parade, the grand finale. Bruce and Tulip’s memorial was going to be the following week.
Febe‘s mind still reeled from her last lesson with Madam Techer. She took everything to heart.
Keep your mind clear, Febe. Clarity leads to results. Focus. Use your energies. Focus.
The women were at home trying on their outfits for the parade. They had already attended the rehearsal for the parade earlier in the day.
She was part elated to be a part of the historic event and at the same time drained. Still, after this long weekend, their home should be back to normal and their visitors would be gone back to where they came from. She was beginning to miss them already. Sure, it had been annoying to have them creep up on her every hour of the day, but still they were her dead relatives and ancestors, right?
The scent of freshly-baked apple pie permeated the kitchen as Auntie Eartha prepared her evening snacks.
“Your costume looks positively grand,” Febe’s ghost aunt told her.
“Thank you. I love your costume too. I mean your attire,” Febe corrected herself. She had to remember that they really were coming from that time period back in the late 1690s. Still, they really knew how to dress back then. She always marveled at how, in the absence of modern day technology, the clothes of past centuries looked more intriguing, regal and rich compared to some of the basic, simple stuff sewn together on an assembly line. Perhaps it was the human touch that made the difference.
“What are you doing?” her ghost grand auntie said.
“Oh, nothing. I’m just looking up something,” Febe said, scrolling on her phone. “My teacher told me to always keep my mind clear and the answers will flow.”
“She’s right. I’ve observed you modern day witches and mortals. You have so much cluttering up your brains. It’s a wonder you get anything done.”
Febe grinned. “We have more distractions than you had back then, I guess.”
Febe kept picturing a blue sky, no elephant this time. She then beckoned her inner witch to take over.
For some strange reason, maybe because she was dressed in her 1690s costume, she felt as if she were from that time period. She had a flash in her mind, something to do with a magical experience. Then it left her. She wondered what that could be.
Febe then picked up her laptop and opened up her web browser. She scanned the Gosnik newspaper website, glancing at a few articles.
Focus, Febe. Clear your mind’s web browser. Close your eyes and concentrate.
Febe felt a strange sensation swirl around her. Her fingers then clicked on the mouse and as if it was taking her somewhere, she landed on an article from the archive of the Gosnik tabloids. Then she saw it.
The answer.
She knew who killed Tulip and she had a sneaky suspicion that person killed Bruce, too.
Chapter 12
The following afternoon, Saturday, the festival was in full swing. The Summer Sisters had one of the most elaborately decorated floats.
The local news crew were there to cover the event as they’d done over the years.
Febe’s costume was a gown with large cuffed sleeves and a shawl around her neck and shoulders. She also wore a mobcap tied under the chin with a ribbon. Talk about style. She still felt quite stifled in this grand thing, ever so thankful she didn’t have to dress like this every day, though she appreciated the beauty of the style.
Her sister Janvier wore a solid colored gown with embroidery at the opening of the overskirt and bodice. Janvier also wore a quilted underskirt underneath. Her sleeves flared at the elbow and her hair was powdered and curled. Talk about chic.
Febe glanced around nervously. She held onto her cell phone. She’d sent a text message earlier for someone to meet her at the dock before the show.
Would he show up?
“You all right,
sis?”
“Oh, yes. I’m just going to be over at the dock,” Febe told Janvier. I’ll be right back.”
“We’re supposed to be going on in an hour.”
“I know. Don’t worry, we have plenty of time. I need to see this person before we go on the float.” Febe had a terrible suspicion that it would be the end of the Summer Sisters once they got on the float. She had to see this person before that to stop them from doing whatever they were planning.
“Febe, we’re just a click away.”
“I know. I’ve got my phone with me.”
“Yeah, I’m talking magic, darling Sis. I wish you’d let us come with you right now.”
“No. I’ll let you know when.”
The music played loud as the other floats started on the parade route and the crowds cheered. Febe saw her aunties all dressed up in the fine costumes, looking dapper. She saw no sign of Mr. Dawes. Her heart sank. Would he be there? Probably not.
Febe glanced around, then she left. Her heart pounded hard in her chest.
Be calm, Febe. Focus.
The area by the dock was a tad quieter. The music sounded in the distance. It was foggy, yet she could still see well. Too bad it was an overcast day.
Then...
She saw him. So he did get her message. She’d sent him a daring text to meet her there, telling him that she knew his game.
“This is where you like to have your victims,” she told him as she saw the figure walking toward her in the fog. “By the water. Like you had my Mom.”
“How did you know it was me?” the man said as he neared Febe.
He stood a few feet from her. Her heart pounded harder.
Be calm, Febe. You’ve got this. You’re a witch. You’re a Summer.
“Intuition,” Febe answered. There was nothing better than a witch’s intuition.
“Oh, really now,” he said with a smirk. His dark eyes penetrated her.
“I also went back to the Gosnik newspapers and read a few of their reviews.”
“So what?”
“I figured it had to be you. Someone who knew where everyone was. You were always at the café. Then I saw you at the Kitty Fashion Show, innocently spinning the turntable as a disc jockey. I asked myself what was a street performer doing working as a DJ? I thought it was an odd mix. But now it makes sense. You had to be at the Macy Auditorium—it was a perfect cover. I looked over the footage of the security cameras and it came to me. You were everywhere. You cast a spell through your sound system that travelled like an energy force. Music is energy. It affects people’s moods, their behaviour.”