by TJ Green
“Well, considering what's happened over the past few days, I‘ve decided I will look for mine,” Briar said. She had a streak of dirt across her cheek, and as she brushed her hair back from her face, she added another one. “We can’t run away from our past, especially since it seems to be insistently knocking on our door.”
“Do you know where to look?” Gil asked, finally sitting again.
“Not yet. Do you?”
“Well, it seems our mad great-uncle hunted everywhere for it, so I’m wondering if it’s on our grounds at all. What about you, Avery?”
“I know where my old ancestor used to live. It doesn’t mean it’s still there, though. And besides, someone else is living there now.”
El had returned to looking at her grimoire, but now she stirred. “You know where Helena lived?”
“Yes. Well, I think so. I presume it’s where she lived.”
“Have you ever been to the witch museum?”
“Er, no. Well, not since I was a child,” Avery said, wondering where El was going with this. “I feel self-conscious there. Why?”
El looked thoughtful. “There’s something about Helena there—I visited the place when I first moved here. We should go tomorrow.”
“Yes, I’m sure there’ll be instructions for the hidden grimoire on display,” Gil said with a note of impatience.
“Actually, it has a detailed history of the Witchfinder’s visit. There may be more there than we realise, now that we’re looking at it with fresh eyes.”
“Awesome. I’ve got plenty of staff on tomorrow so I can get out for a few hours.” Alex said, interrupting them. “Food’s up. And while we eat, we can discuss our witches’ day out.” He grinned at Avery and she felt her stomach flip again. He really was too damn sexy for his own good.
15
In the end only El, Briar, Alex and Avery met at the museum. Reuben had persuaded Gil that it was time to search their grounds for the grimoire, and reluctantly, Gil had agreed.
The museum was a solidly constructed stone-walled, low-roofed, sixteenth century building that looked like a pub. It was close to the quay and had a small car park next to it. They had agreed to get there early so it would be quiet, but had a shock at the entrance to find a police car and yellow tape across the front door.
“Oh no, what now?” Briar said, worry creasing her face.
Avery felt fear pricking its way up her spine. “It could just be a break in?”
“Let’s hope so. I think we should get out of here,” Alex said, and he started to walk away, pulling Avery and El with him.
Unfortunately, before they could go anywhere, a dark sedan pulled up and DI Newton stepped out, the silent Moore exiting the other door.
“What a surprise to see you here,” Newton said, his tone accusatory. Despite the early hour he looked freshly showered and shaved, and very sharp in his well-cut suit. “Revisiting the scene of your crimes?”
“Not funny,” Avery said, bristling. She pulled free of Alex and stepped up to Newton, sick of his bullying tone. She wanted to slap him. “We haven’t committed a crime.”
“Here for a visit, were you?” he said, his eyes narrowing suspiciously as he eyed them all in turn. His gaze lingered on Briar. “I haven’t met you yet, but I think you own the potion shop.”
“It is not a potion shop!” Briar said, almost spitting. Wow, Newton had a real knack for getting under their skin.
“Let me introduce DI Newton and Officer Moore,” Avery said, gesturing with a flourish.
“Newton?” Briar repeated, puzzled. She looked as if she was about to say more, when Newton interrupted.
“Now that you’re here, I‘d like your opinion on what happened in the museum.”
“Why?” Alex asked immediately. He had also stepped closer to Newton, as if challenging him.
“Calm down, Bonneville. I just want your opinion. And I’ll get your alibis later. Wait here,” he said, as he stalked off into the museum, Moore close behind him.
“Alibis!” Avery huffed, feeling like she wanted to rip Newton’s head off. “Why should we need to provide an alibi? He clearly wants to blame us for anything and everything! That supercilious bastard.”
“But what if the demons have attacked again?” El asked, worried. “What if someone else is dead because of us?”
Alex shook his head and sat on the stone wall that edged the car park. “Not because of us. We didn’t cause this. We didn’t summon demons.”
Avery was too annoyed to sit, so she paced restlessly. “Who is out there, doing this? We need to find them!”
“We need to do lots of things,” El said wearily.
Briar was sitting quietly on the wall next to Alex, but she finally broke her silence. “Is the name Newton familiar to you?”
“Er, the DI?” Alex asked, looking at Briar as if she’d gone mad.
“No! I mean, other than him. I’ve read the name somewhere.”
Avery now felt her annoyance turning to Briar. “Haven’t we got other things to be worried about?”
Briar looked at her, ignoring her tone. “It’s an old name in this town, isn't it?”
“It’s not an uncommon name anywhere,” Alex said. “Besides, lots of people have lived here for years.”
Briar looked perplexed. “I think I know the name from some of that info we got from Anne. I think he’s from one of the old families.”
Avery glanced at the other two, and was relieved to find they looked as confused as she felt. “Briar, please explain. It’s too early, and my brain’s full of other crap.”
Briar remained unruffled by Avery’s sarcasm. “I mean the old families with magic.”
El laughed. “What! Newton and magic?”
“He might not have magical abilities, but I’m sure his ancestors have.”
“It might explain why he’s anti-witch, and has an unhealthy interest in our habits,” Alex said.
Their conversation was broken by a shout. They looked around to see Newton beckoning them from the open door.
“Yes, sir,” Avery muttered under her breath as they walked over.
“I’m breaking protocol by letting you in, so don’t touch anything!” he ordered. Without another word he headed inside, and they followed him in.
The inside of the museum was lit by the unnatural glare of overhead lights. The windows were small and let in only a small amount of daylight. Small, yellow spotlights lit up the displays, and Avery presumed that would normally be the only light source when visitors were here.
For a few seconds Avery gazed around the museum, taking in the numerous displays in glass cabinets, both against the walls and in the middle of the floor. They were filled with old maps, manuscripts, and lots of other objects, but her attention was swiftly drawn by a display that had been smashed, and on the wall was a large, complex sigel written in what looked like dried blood. Avery felt her skin prickle as she recognised it and all her annoyance at Newton drained out of her.
She could sense the power from the sign, and all four them had stopped in the middle of the room.
Newton stood next to the sign, looking at them curiously. “So, what is it?” he asked.
Alex spoke first, and he walked closer to the display. “It’s an ancient ward, essentially a warning to stay away.”
That was an understatement, Avery thought. She swallowed her fear and joined him, with El and Briar close behind.
Newton looked sceptical. “Really? Because you have all gone very pale. Now is not a good time to be holding something back.”
Alex glanced at her, a questioning look on his face, and she felt something shift within her. This wasn’t a time to be keeping secrets, and Alex knew it, too.
Avery looked at Newton, trying to gauge his reaction. “It marks a doorway, and within it is a warning to stay away. It essentially says this place is claimed.”
To give him credit, Newton wasn’t at all fazed by that statement. Instead, he narrowed his eyes and folded his arms
across his broad chest. “A doorway to what? And claimed by who?”
“A doorway to another dimension. One in which unnatural, non-human forms live. And it is claimed by whoever made the sign.”
“How does the doorway work?”
“I can’t speak for the others, but I don’t know how it works. I just know what it is. But it’s powerful, I can sense that.”
Newton looked at them one by one, as if trying to read their minds. “I’ll rephrase the question. It’s a doorway, you say. Will it open? Or is it just some gimmicky sign that someone with a weird sense of humour has put up.”
“In theory,” Avery said, “if you say the right words, it will open.”
“And then what?”
“It will allow things—beings—to pass through to our dimension. And back again. But no human would ever survive there.”
“So it’s more for something to come through?”
“Yes. But someone may be taken through as a type of... sacrifice.” Avery could scarcely believe she’d said that.
Newton’s tone changed, and he ran his hand through his hair, looking worried. “The cleaner’s missing. There’s blood in the kitchen, and blood in that sign. Could something have taken the cleaner through there?”
Avery felt sick. “Maybe, yes. But Newton, you have to understand—we don’t do this. I know you don’t like us for our interest in the esoteric and natural magic, but this—” she gestured towards the sign. “I really don’t know how this works, only the theory.”
Alex was looking at the destroyed display, the glass smashed and the objects beneath it scattered. “How do you know the cleaner is missing? He could have had an accident and gone to the hospital.”
“There’s far too much blood there for anyone to have survived. Haven’t you noticed the blood?” He pointed at the floor, and for the first time, Avery saw the smear of blood that ran from the door at the back to under the sign, and beneath the musty smell, she could detect the sharp, metallic odour of blood. “There’s more in the kitchen.”
“But who called you?” Alex asked.
“The lady who manages the place on Sundays. She’s out the back with Moore. She’s in shock and we need to get her out of here, but I wanted your opinion first.”
“What was in the display?” El asked.
“You’d better come and ask her. I’ll take you around the long way—I don’t want you walking in anything.” Newton headed back across the museum and they trailed after him as he led them around the back of the building to the kitchen and storage area.
Moore was sitting in a small stock room with a uniformed police officer and an older lady who sat on a stool, looking tearful and clutching a cup of tea in a paper cup that someone must have gone to fetch her. A doorway showed a glimpse of the kitchen, and Avery saw a lot of blood on the floor and splashed up the walls. She shuddered.
Newton put his hand on the lady’s shoulder. “I’m sorry Mrs Gray,” he said, gently, in a tone Avery had never heard him use before. “I need to ask you another question. I have some people here who I’ve asked to help.” He nodded towards them. “What was in the display that was destroyed?”
She looked at them, clearly bewildered by the turn her day was taking. “It was a display about the Witchfinder and his visit to White Haven back in the 16th century. There are also some things relating to Helena, the witch who was hanged here years before.” She looked at Avery sadly. “Sorry, my dear, I know she was your ancestor.”
Avery experienced a moment of shock. She hadn’t realised anyone outside of their circle had connected her to Helena. She was amazed this woman could show any compassion, considering what she’d witnessed in the kitchen. She thought she’d be accusing her, not sympathising.
“Was there anything new in the display, Mrs Gray?” Briar asked, surprising them all. She was normally so quiet.
The old woman shook her head. “No. That display has been like that for years.”
Newton interrupted. “Any other questions? I’d like to take Mrs Gray to the station now, for her statement.”
“No, thank you.” Alex answered for all of them.
“I need a few more words with Mrs Gray. Can you wait outside for a minute?”
It wasn’t really a request, and they filed out, blinking in the warm sunshine. Avery felt as if she’d been in a cave and had forgotten it was a beautiful summer morning. She headed to the stone wall that looked over the harbour and sat down, vaguely aware of the others next to her.
The harbour was filled with boats grounded on the sand. The tide was edging out, and pools of water gathered in the sand beneath the harbour wall. The sound of gulls mixed with the passing of cars and the occasional barking dog. Everything seemed so normal.
“Do you think the cleaner has really gone?” Briar asked. She sat next to Avery, her hands clasped in her lap.
“Yes,” Alex answered. “I don’t think they’ll ever find a body.”
“We need to seal that doorway,” El said. She was pacing backwards and forwards. “If we leave it open, it can keep coming back. It’s right in the middle of the town!”
“How do we seal it?” Alex asked, annoyed. “I haven’t even seen one before, except in illustrations.”
Avery thought about the books she had in the store and in her attic. “I have some old books about necromancy. I’ll look as soon as we get back. What about you two? You have the oldest grimoires. Is there anything in them?”
El shook her head, bewildered. “I don’t know. I’ve barely begun to look at it. I’ll check it as soon as I get in.”
“Well, you know there are demon and spirit related spells in mine, but I’m inexperienced when it comes to that type of magic, and if I’m honest, I’ve avoided studying them,” Alex said. He looked across the car park to the museum. “They’ll surely close the museum. I guess we won’t see inside there again.”
“I can’t believe Newton let us in at all!” Avery said.
The sound of a door slamming made them turn. The uniformed officer and Moore were escorting Mrs Gray to a police car, and Newton was heading their way.
He stood in front of them, looking far calmer than Avery felt. Maybe he was just better at holding it together than them. He smoothed his tie down, patted his pocket, and brought out a packet of cigarettes. He swiftly took one out and lit it, inhaling deeply.
“So,” he said, watching them carefully, “What are we going to do about that doorway?”
Avery looked at Newton with new appreciation. He said ‘we’ and he didn’t argue with the notion of the other dimensions or beings. “You’re not going to arrest us, then?”
“Not unless I find your fingerprints everywhere. SOCO’s on the way now,” he said, referring to scene of crime investigators. “And if it reassures you to hear me say it, I don’t think you’re murderers, anyway.”
Briar still sat next to Avery, watching the exchange. “You’re one of those Newtons, aren’t you?”
Newton took another long drag on his cigarette and exhaled slowly. “What do you mean by those Newtons?”
“There are several old families in this town, Detective. We know some of them have a more diverse history than others. I’m pretty sure you do, too. And your family is one of them.”
“I’m aware of my personal history, Briar,” he said softly. “I stay away from it. But yes, I know all about it, and about you, too. It’s my business to know. And I know it wasn’t an animal that attacked that woman the other night, either. What’s going on?” He watched her intently, his eyes sweeping across her face.
Avery had the distinct impression that this was a test of honesty. Of trust. He was gauging how much he could trust them, and they were wondering the same about him.
“Honestly,” Briar said, “we really don’t know. But we know someone wants something badly enough to call on any type of help they can.”
“You’re lying—all of you. You know more than that. But that’s okay. You’ll tell me eventually. I just hope
it’s before there are more deaths, because whatever’s happening here, you’re probably the only ones who can stop it.” He took one final drag from his cigarette and threw it on the pavement. “You have my number. Call me when you decide to help.”
16
Avery sat in a cafe around the corner from the museum with a large coffee and a plate of bacon, eggs, and toast in front of her. She sipped at her coffee appreciatively, wishing there was brandy in it.
“My day is not turning out the way I’d planned,” Avery said, in between mouthfuls of food.
“That cleaner’s isn’t, either,” Alex replied. He’d ordered a full breakfast, and Avery was amazed at the speed with which he was putting it away.
“Cheers, Alex. I was trying not to think about that.”
“That’s all I can think about,” Briar spoke up. She was picking at her toast. “I keep smelling that blood.”
El had ordered a large slice of chocolate cake with her coffee. “As soon as I’ve finished this, I’m off to look at my new grimoire.” She lowered her voice conspiratorially. “We have to at least find a spell that will prevent whatever comes out of that doorway from going any further.”
“I’ve been thinking about that,” Avery said. “We could use a protective circle like we cast last night.”
“It needs to be stronger,” El said, dipping some cake in her coffee. “That wouldn’t have lasted long. And we’re not going to be there when it comes back. I hope.”
“We have to find out who's causing this,” Briar said. “I wonder how Gil and Reuben are getting on?”
Alex pushed his plate away. “Better than we are, I hope! Anyway, I’d better go. I’m on the lunchtime shift. I’ll call you later,” he said to Avery as he pushed his chair back, and then he disappeared out the door.
Avery watched him go, wondering what his final comment meant. Was there something more to, “I’ll call you?” When she turned back to the table, El and Briar were looking at her speculatively.
El broke the silence. “He’ll call you?” She grinned. “Is there something going on we should know about?”