brimstone witch 11 - grotesque murder

by April Fernsby

  “I certainly did not!” He lifted his lizard face higher. “I didn’t even know his brother, so why would I kill him? He didn’t live in Brimstone. I think he was still doing his training in Bronze Hollow.”

  I shared a look with Stanley. “Bronze Hollow? That’s a coincidence. We were about to go there.” I put my arms around Budomm and lifted him. He was just as light as his brother. “Stanley, we’ll take him over to Dr Morgan’s. Then I’ll collect my broomstick and we’ll head over to Bronze Hollow.”

  I felt a prod on my knee. It was Relloc. He said quietly, “Should I be worried? Is there a murderer on the loose? Someone who hates gargoyles?”

  “No gargoyles have been hurt yet,” I pointed out. “But before we leave, I’ll have a word with the guardians of the town. I’ll tell them to keep an eye on you.”

  “They won’t listen. They’re too busy watching the little grey man,” Relloc said with a pout.

  “They’ll listen to me,” I reassured him.

  Chapter 7

  When Stanley and I left Relloc, we took Budomm’s shell of a body over to Dr Morgan. She raised her eyebrows in surprise but didn’t say anything. She aimed her pencil at the space next to Nitoth’s body and said, “Put him with the other one.”

  We left the doctor’s office and located Luca near the front of the crowd who were listening to Quinn Ocean. We asked him politely to come with us. He nodded while keeping his eyes on Quinn. He didn’t move a muscle, so I gave Stanley the nod. I pulled on Luca’s arm and Stanley pulled him by his leg.

  “Hey!” Luca protested.

  We ignored his cries of protest and moved a good distance away from the crowd. I explained the suspicious deaths to Luca and told him about Relloc’s concern for his own safety.

  Luca listened politely while a Whorled Black Flicker butterfly perched on his head and settled there like a hair decoration.

  When I’d finished explaining, Luca cast a wistful glance at Quinn Ocean and said, “Can’t this wait? Quinn’s going to talk about some brave guardians he came across in another town. I’ve been waiting to hear about them.”

  I pinched the bridge of my nose and tried to force some patience into myself. I always knew this was going to be a problem. Being a justice witch meant I had authority over the guardians of Brimstone, and that included Luca. I would have to exert that authority now, but I wasn’t looking forward to being harsh to the person I loved so much.

  Before I could think of the kindest way to form my words, my lovely cat came to my rescue.

  Stanley declared, “Luca! Never mind about Quinn and his long-winded tales! We are dealing with two possible murders here. Two! Cassia and I are getting no help from anyone because you’re all too engrossed in what Quinn has to tell you. You should be ashamed of yourself. After all Cassia has done for this town!”

  “And what you’ve done too, Stanley,” I added.

  “Exactly,” Stanley said with a nod. He waved his paw at Luca and continued, “Cassia and I are going to leave Brimstone in a minute and follow-up on the only lead that we have. We could be putting ourselves in grave danger by heading into the unknown. But that’s what we do. That’s what we’ll always do! We won’t rest until we find the murderer.” He looked Luca up and down. “And all Cassia has asked you to do is to keep an eye on Relloc and his colleagues. That’s all. But it seems that is too much for you. Is that right? Would you rather be listening to far-fetched tales than helping your good friends? Well? What do you have to say for yourself?”

  The butterfly on Luca’s head closed its wings and dipped its head as if embarrassed on Luca’s behalf.

  Luca stared down at Stanley. “I…I… Stanley, I’m so sorry.” He looked at me with eyes full of shame. “Cassia, I’m so sorry. Stanley’s right. I should be ashamed of myself. I don’t know what’s wrong with me today. Of course I’ll keep an eye on the gargoyles. I’ll get a group of guardians together and we’ll station ourselves at every building. We won’t let anyone else get hurt. Do you want me to come with you now to wherever you’re going? I can do.”

  I gave him a smile. “No, thanks. Stanley and I can manage.”

  Luca dropped to his knees and faced Stanley. “My friend, forgive me. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  Stanley chuckled. “It’s okay. Sorry for being tough on you, but it had to be done.”

  “I understand. No hard feelings?”

  “No hard feelings.” Stanley moved closer to Luca. Luca picked him up and gave him a cuddle.

  “Come on you two, we don’t have time for this,” I said.

  Luca put Stanley down, gave me a quick hug and said, “There’s always time for a hug.” He released me. “Take care. Keep out of danger. Let me know how you get on. Okay?”

  “Okay. If Gran and Blythe come to their senses, will you let them know what’s happened?” I asked.

  “I will. Where are you going now?”

  I explained, “To Bronze Hollow. We’re going to meet a Life Giver.”

  Stanley added, “She’s the opposite of the Grim Reaper, but she only works with certain creatures. Dr Morgan told us about her.”

  Luca nodded. “I’ve heard about Life Givers, but I’ve never met one.”

  We said goodbye to Luca and watched him walk away, the butterfly still on his head.

  We nipped back home to collect my broomstick which was in Gran’s cellar. Oliver was asleep in his basket in the corner, so we didn’t disturb him. Oliver liked to know about our cases and I told Stanley we’d come back later to talk to him.

  We flew over Brimstone and took one last look at the residents below. They were still sitting spellbound in front of Quinn Ocean as he waved his arms around. Spellbound? I wasn’t sure why that word came to me. Despite Quinn’s protests, I suspected magic was at work somehow. I’d have to deal with him later.

  It didn’t take us long to reach Bronze Hollow. Dr Morgan had told us how this used to be a mining village. Once the metal had been mined, great reserves of clay and mud had been discovered. Not the ordinary kind of clay and mud, but these substances had magical properties. Quite what those magical properties were was a closely guarded secret.

  As we descended, we got a good look at Bronze Hollow.

  Stanley said, “It’s not very big, is it? Look at the buildings. There are loads of them all lined up and down the streets, but there’s something weird about them.” He craned his neck as he looked closer. “There are doorways and openings at the side, but no doors or glass windows. That’s strange.”

  “It is. Look at how different the buildings are, Stanley. They’re all tall, but they’ve got different roofs. Some of them are very fancy looking.”

  We landed on the widest street and looked around us. We couldn’t see any beings anywhere.

  “Hello!” I called out. “Is anyone there?”

  I heard a sniggering coming from somewhere above us. I looked up but didn’t see anyone.

  I called out again, “Hello! I’m Cassia Winter.”

  “And I’m Stanley. We come in peace.”

  The dust around our feet began to swirl. It gathered momentum and then rose in a column. The mini cyclone slowed down and the dust settled into a shape.

  A creature appeared before us.

  Stanley gasped and sat down heavily. He whispered, “It’s an angel! A real angel.”

  Chapter 8

  The creature in front of us did look like an angel. She had long hair which flowed over her shoulders. There was an expression of calm on her kind-looking face. Her wide eyes were full of wisdom. She was wearing a robe over a long dress. She was pale white with threads of black running through her as if she was made of marble, but her face was flesh coloured.

  Stanley recovered, got to his paws and bowed his head. He mumbled, “Hello, angel. I’m Stanley. A cat.”

  The creature let out a gentle laugh. “I’m not an angel. I’m a Life Giver. My name is…” she emitted a high-pitched sound. It was like the sound you’d make if you ran a wet
finger around the top of a glass. The sound ceased and she said, “But you can call me Yolanda. I’ve heard about you two, but we’ve never had the pleasure of meeting. Tell me, why have you come to this place?”

  I said, “I’m afraid this is a business matter.”

  Yolanda nodded sadly. “I suspected it might be. Has it got anything to do with one of my grotesques? One of them left here a while ago and never returned. His name is Budomm.”

  I took my phone from my pocket. I’d taken photos of the stone brothers. I had a feeling I might need an image of them. I held the photo up to Yolanda and said, “Is this Budomm?”

  Yolanda’s delicate hands flew to her chest. “It is. And that’s his brother, Nitoth with him. I can see their life force has been taken from them. How has that happened?”

  “That’s what we’re trying to find out.” I put my phone away and told Yolanda about the circumstances surrounding Budomm and Nitoth’s deaths.

  Yolanda moved over to a marble bench and sat down. Stanley and I joined her.

  “I can’t believe it,” Yolanda said. “This has never happened before. Never. And for them to be turned into grains of sand after they died speaks of black magic. Who would do that to them? And why?”

  “We’ll find out,” I reassured her. “But we could do with your help. Can you tell us more about Nitoth and Budomm, please?”

  She cast a sad smile our way. “They were made from the same mould. Their facial features were slightly different, though. Their personalities were similar. Both were hardworking and conscientious. Both were ambitious and excellent at their jobs. They had wonderful observation skills. Would it help you if I showed you how gargoyles and grotesques come into being?”

  “Yes, that would help,” I said. I wasn’t sure it would, but I was the nosy kind.

  Yolanda stood up. “Follow me. Would you like anything to eat or drink while you’re here? I could arrange for one of my workers to get you some human food.”

  “No, thank you,” I replied. “Stanley? Would you like anything?”

  “No. I’m okay,” he replied. He looked up at Yolanda. “You have beautiful skin. What are you made of? If you don’t mind me asking.”

  “I don’t mind at all. I’m made of a flexible marble which was formed by a series of seven volcanoes in the region of the Eastward Seas. Have you heard of those volcanoes?”

  Stanley shook his head. “Does that mean your skin is hard or soft? Sorry, I’m being very nosy.”

  “Don’t apologise for your curious nature, Stanley. If you’d allow me to pick you up, you can experience my soft exterior for yourself.”

  Stanley sat back on his rear legs and held his front paws up. Yolanda scooped him into her arms. Stanley immediately let out a purr.

  I gave him a sideways glance. Had he been angling to be picked up all along? He really had no shame sometimes.

  Yolanda walked down the street with my happy cat in her arms. She inclined her head towards the buildings at our side and explained, “These buildings are used for training. As you can see, we don’t have glass windows or doors because they’re not needed. We are only interested in the roofs as that’s where the gargoyles and grotesques live. We have many roof shapes and sizes, some more difficult to manoeuvre than others. Our trainees are taught to deal with all of them. They won’t be allowed to leave until they can deal with every kind of roof.”

  I nodded. “That makes sense. What do the trainees do on the roofs?”

  “They practise sitting, of course. That’s the main aspect of their job. It has to be the perfect kind of sitting. No talking or fidgeting, no scratching or wobbling. And no falling asleep on the job. That is forbidden. Some of our trainees do take up a standing position, but most of them sit.” She looked upwards. “You can see some of our trainees now.”

  I looked upwards and was startled to see many pairs of eyes looking my way. Stone creatures in many shapes and sizes were lined up on the roofs. A few of them were pulling faces.

  I pointed them out to Yolanda. “Are they supposed to look like that?”

  “It depends what our customers require. Some want a creature who will scare away a neighbour. Some want more decorative faces. When I began this business, it was all about gargoyles and the function they provided on the roof by directing the rainwater away. They were mainly hideous creatures, often monsters. That’s how my customers saw them, but I didn’t. They’re all beautiful to me. I’m dealing with grotesques mainly now, and my customers prefer a more pleasing image. Some customers like their grotesques to look like family members.” She stroked Stanley’s head. “You would make an excellent grotesque with your regal-looking features.”

  Stanley purred deeply and nestled his head into Yolanda’s chest.

  We reached the end of the street and stopped at a cave opening.

  Yolanda said, “This is where I get the clay and mud from. My moulds are in here too. Once I’ve made a mould, I give them a name and bring the creature to life. Then they begin their training. Once trained, they can leave here and go to their chosen town. Those who have been ordered by customers will be collected at some point. Nitoth and Budomm were never made to order, so they were free to go where they wanted.”

  “How do you know which names to give them?” I asked.

  Balancing Stanley in one arm, Yolanda reached into her pocket and pulled out a small blue book. She said, “The names are already in here. I was given this book by my creator. Once I give life to the mould, I whisper their name and they take on their own personality. Sometimes their features change a little too. Nitoth and Budomm were identical when I made them, but then they changed slightly after I’d given them names.”

  I said, “How many names are in that book?”

  She handed me the book. “See for yourself.”

  I began to flick through the book. Names written neatly in ink were squashed on every page. Even though it was a small book, the pages continued to flick under my fingers. I couldn’t get to the end of it. Names continued to appear on every page. I flashed a look of confusion at Yolanda.

  She laughed gently and took the book back. “It’s a never-ending book. My work will never be finished.” Sadness crossed her beautiful face. “I’ve never lost anyone before. I don’t know what to do about this situation. Are any others in danger? Is there something I can do to help you?”

  “You can make sure no one leaves Bronze Hollow,” I said. “You mentioned Nitoth and Budomm as being observant. I wonder if they saw something which they shouldn’t have? Perhaps they witnessed a crime being committed.”

  Stanley said, “Budomm might have seen something around here and then he went to Brimstone to tell his brother about it.”

  “That is a possibility. Yolanda, do you have any visitors here?”

  “We get customers now and again. But I stay with them at all times.”

  “Did Budomm ever leave this area?”

  “Not that I know of.” A smile flittered on her lips. “But he was very curious about the outside world. He might have sneaked off to another town without me knowing. I can speak to the other gargoyles and grotesques about that and see if anyone knows anything.”

  “Thank you. Stanley and I will speak to the gargoyles and grotesques in Brimstone.” I thought about Brimstone and its present visitor. “Yolanda, have you heard of Quinn Ocean?”

  “The storyteller? Yes, I’ve heard of him.”

  “Has he ever been here?”

  “No. Why are you asking?”

  I gave her a wry smile. “He’s in Brimstone at the moment. He’s having a peculiar effect on the residents.”

  Yolanda smiled. “I’m not surprised. That’s what storytellers do. They can’t help it. Do you think he’s got anything to do with Nitoth and Budomm’s deaths?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t think so, but I’m keeping him in mind. Thank you for your time. I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news.”

  Yolanda looked down at Stanley who was now asleep. “I’m gla
d it was you who told me. And I’m glad you’re dealing with this investigation. You and Stanley have kind hearts; I can sense it. Let me know how you get on, please.”

  I tucked my broomstick under my arm. “You’d better give Stanley back to me. Although, I’m sure he’d like to spend more time with you if you let him. You’ve got an admirer in my cat.”

  Yolanda handed Stanley over and then we said goodbye. She headed into the cave and I walked back along the street. I looked up at the stone creatures on the roofs. Some of them gave me shy smiles.

  I reached the end of the street and was about to wake Stanley when something fluttered past my face. It was a small fairy made of stone. Her wings were constructed of glass.

  She flew next to my ear and whispered urgently, “Come with me! Quickly. There’s something you have to see. Budomm saw them, and you have to see them too.” She swiftly flew away.

  Keeping Stanley in one arm, I got on my broomstick and followed the fairy.

  Chapter 9

  I followed the fairy across a field and over a hill. She came to a stop in mid-air above the opening of a small cave. She floated to the ground and waited for us.

  I landed next to her and said, “Who are you, and what do you know about Budomm?”

  Her arm trembled as she raised it towards the opening. “Go in there. You have to go in there right now.”

  “I’m not going anywhere until you explain yourself.”

  Stanley was still in my arms and he woke up at this point. He blinked and looked at the fairy on the ground. “Hello. Who are you? Are you made of stone?” He looked up at me. “Where are we? Where did Yolanda go? What did I miss?”

  “Not much,” I told him. I placed him on the ground. “This fairy asked us to follow her. She knows something about Budomm.”

  The fairy swallowed nervously. “I do know something. I know what he saw. He showed me. You have to see it too.” She waved her hand at the opening.

  “We’re not going in there,” I said. “It could be a trap. What’s your name?”