brimstone witch 10 - deal with the grim reaper

by April Fernsby

  Gran said, “That’s not going to happen. We’re going to solve this mystery somehow.”

  “I hope you’re right,” Blythe said. “Gertrude was a powerful witch, and the curse could even extend to me. If we don’t solve this case, I could forget about you two also.”

  Gran, Stanley and I stared at Blythe in astonishment.

  Blythe gave us a bright smile and added, “But that isn’t going to happen, is it? Between us, we’ll get this pesky problem sorted out.”

  Gran got to her feet and declared, “Right then! No more sitting about and worrying about what isn’t going to happen. Blythe, we’ll go through all the paperwork we’ve got on each and every resident in Brimstone. We’ll look into cases of any suspicious deaths or tragic accidents. We’ll see if there’s a possibility of a murder being covered up. You can get in touch with the guardians of the town and let them know what’s going on. They can help us. They know this town and the residents better than most.”

  Blythe stood up. “This is going to be a lot of work and I suggest we make an immediate start. Cassia, can you go over to the mines straight away? Of course, it goes without saying that you should take Stanley with you.”

  I stood up and gave her a nod. I remembered something. “I’ve left my broomstick in the human world. How will I get to the mine? Shall I order a flying unicorn taxi?”

  “There’s no need for that. I’ve got something you can use.” Blythe clicked her fingers and a broomstick appeared in her hands. It looked like mine and it took me a second or two to realise it wasn’t actually my broomstick.

  Blythe explained, “This belonged to your mum. The wood came from the very same tree that yours did. Witches don’t lend their broomsticks to other witches, but in this case, I’m sure Rosalyn would have encouraged you to use it.”

  I took the broomstick from Blythe’s extended hand and blinked rapidly to ward off my tears which were threatening to appear. My voice was thick with emotion as I mumbled, “We’ll get over to the mines immediately.”

  Blythe pointed to the broomstick, wiggled her fingers and said, “Just like you’ve done with your broomstick, Rosalyn was able to give her broomstick a location so it could take her where she needed to go. I’ve just sent the address of the Hammerhands Mine into the broomstick.”

  Stanley said, “Can you let us have the address anyway, please? If Cassia’s magic starts to fail, the broomstick might not fly for very long.”

  Blythe gave him an admiring look. “That is such a sensible idea, Stanley. Thank goodness Cassia has got you at her side.”

  It was a few more minutes before we left Blythe’s house as I felt the need to give Gran an enormous hug. She patted my back and told me everything was going to be okay.

  Stanley and I left Blythe’s house and stopped on the path outside.

  I held the broomstick out to Stanley and he jumped onto it. He said, “It feels just like your broomstick, Cassia.”

  I settled myself on the broomstick and agreed with Stanley that it felt as comfortable as mine.

  Stanley looked over his shoulder at me and said, “I’m glad we’ve got Rosalyn’s broomstick. It feels as if she’s close to us. Can you feel her presence too?”

  I gave him a quick nod. “Come on, let’s go. If there is an unsolved murder out there, we need to get on with our investigation as quickly as possible.”

  I tried to put as much determination and positivity into my voice, but I’d never been as scared as this before. What was going to happen in the next twenty-four hours? Was this my last day as a witch?

  Chapter 5

  We flew over Brimstone and towards the mountains in the distance. As we got closer, the broomstick headed downwards and we landed in front of an opening in the nearest mountain. The opening had images of butterflies engraved into a stone slab at the top of it. The butterflies were of the Brimstone variety and the town had been named after them. They were a comforting sight in the midst of this horrific situation.

  Stanley and I got off the broomstick and went closer to the opening. ‘Hammerhands Mines’ had been engraved below the butterflies.

  Stanley said, “Do you remember the last time we went into a mine? There was a glass elevator which took us down and it travelled really fast. It was awesome. Do you think there’s going to be a similar glass elevator here?”

  “I hope not. I left my stomach behind in that last elevator and I felt sick for ages afterwards. I don’t want to feel like that again. But, if it’s the only way down, then we won’t have a choice.”

  We went through the opening and found a set of train tracks just inside. A small, open wooden carriage was parked on the tracks. Inside it were four wooden seats.

  Stanley said, “Oh! Look! We get to go on a train. How exciting.” Before I could say another word, he hopped into the carriage and sat down in one of the seats. “There are some seat belts in here. Why would we need seat belts?”

  “I dread to think.” I looked around the opening and saw how the train tracks disappeared into a dark tunnel ahead. It was the only way into the mine. I climbed into the carriage and sat next to Stanley. “Let me buckle you up.”

  I’d only just managed to fasten the seat belts on Stanley and myself when there was a rumbling noise and the carriage began to move.

  Stanley looked to his left and right as we moved slowly along. He said, “This is quite lovely, isn’t it? A gentle ride into the mountains. Not too fast for you and your delicate stomach. I like it.”

  He spoke too soon. As soon as we entered the dark tunnel, the carriage shot forwards causing my head to jerk backwards. Stanley let out a startled cry.

  Darkness engulfed us and I couldn’t see a thing. I said, “Are you alright?”

  The carriage suddenly dropped and then twisted to the right flinging us sideways. Thankfully, the seat belts held us in place.

  “Alright?” Stanley declared loudly. “I’m more than alright! This is the best ride I’ve ever been on in my life! I want it to go faster!”

  I couldn’t reply as we were flung around a corner and then downwards at an impossible angle. I clenched Mum’s broomstick between my knees, gripped one side of the carriage with one hand, and kept the other on Stanley’s back. My stomach began to whirl around like a washing machine as we constantly changed direction. At one horrifying moment, we actually went upside down and I thought we were going to die. My adrenaline junkie of a cat hollered and whooped with inexplicable delight. At least one of us was enjoying this ride.

  Just as it occurred to me to use magic to slow the carriage down, I saw a light at the end of the tunnel and the carriage slowed on its own. There was a small platform up ahead and the carriage brought us to a stop at its side. As I gave my stomach a minute to settle, I looked at the tracks in front of me and noticed a turntable a short way ahead. Many tracks led away from the turntable in different directions. I could hear faint voices and the banging of hammers in the distance.

  On the platform at our side was a wooden office. The door was open. Through the door, I could see a female dwarf sitting at a desk.

  I looked at Stanley and wasn’t at all surprised to see his eyes shining with delight.

  He said to me, “That was amazing! When can we do it again?”

  “Never again, I hope.” With trembling hands, I unbuckled myself and then Stanley.

  We climbed out of the carriage and walked over to the wooden building. I ducked my head as I went inside. The dwarf who was sitting behind the desk immediately looked our way. I opened my mouth to introduce myself, but I never got the chance to utter a word.

  The dwarf jumped to her feet, clasped her hands together and declared, “You found him! At last! I knew you’d find him one day. I just knew it. Where is he? Where did you find him? When can I see him?” She peered around my side. “Have you brought him with you? Is he in the carriage? He’ll be so pleased to see everything is just as he left it. I haven’t changed a thing in here or at home. I knew he’d be back.”

&nb
sp; It was clear she was talking about her missing husband. She looked at me so expectedly and I was loathe to bring up the real reason for our visit.

  I said to her, “I am Cassia Winter, and this is Stanley.”

  Stanley raised a paw in greeting and said, “Hello. We’ve just been on your train. It’s amazing.”

  The dwarf gave me a confused look. “Cassia Winter? Of course, my mistake. You look just like your mum. When you first came in, I thought it was Rosalyn. Sorry. I knew she’d passed away.” Hope alighted in her eyes. “But you are here about Oddec, aren’t you? Why else would you be here? Have you come across fresh evidence about his whereabouts? Have you found him? Is he okay?”

  I shook my head slowly. “I don’t know anything about his whereabouts. As far as I know, he’s still missing.”

  “You haven’t found him?” The hope slowly died in her eyes.

  I shook my head again. “I’m sorry. I’ve only just found out he’s missing. May I ask your name, please?”

  “Mowibela Hammerhands.” Her shoulders dropped and she dragged herself back to the chair. She slumped into it, put her head in her hands and mumbled, “I thought you’d found him.”

  I decided at that moment not to tell her about the possible unsolved murder case. She didn’t need the extra pain.

  I walked over to her side and knelt down. I said gently, “I’m dealing with some of Mum’s old cases and your husband’s name came up. With your permission, I’d like to find out more about his disappearance. Perhaps I could help to find him.”

  Stanley added, “I’ll help Cassia too.”

  Mowibela moved her hands from her face and gave me a small smile. Tears glistened in her eyes. “Would you do that? Thank you. I’ve never stopped looking for Oddec, but knowing someone else is looking for him too will help me a great deal.”

  I said, “I know he went missing a long time ago, but could you tell me the details surrounding his disappearance?”

  Mowibela wiped her tears away and said, “He went missing after a business meeting one night. I waited up for him as he likes to talk to me about his business meetings. We’re not only marriage partners, we’re business partners too. I nearly wore my carpet out at home by pacing up and down all night waiting for him. When he didn’t return the next day, I asked the miners here to put their tools down and go looking for him. They searched for days but couldn’t find him.” She shook her head sorrowfully. “I still pay them to look for him. They do that once every month. I’m certain he’s out there somewhere.”

  “What do you think happened to him?”

  She replied, “I think he could have had an accident and banged his head. He might have lost his memory and now be wandering around a different town not knowing who he is. You hear about things like that, don’t you? For a while, I did think that he’d been kidnapped, but no one has been in touch with me about getting him back. It’s even possible someone could have cast a spell on him to make him forget who he is.”

  “Why would someone cast a spell on him?” I asked.

  “Oddec was highly successful at running our mine business. We made an excellent profit. He had many rivals who would’ve liked to have seen the back of him. If you know the right witch or wizard, you can obtain spells to use on your enemies. Since Oddec has been gone, I’ve done my best to run the mine, but my heart isn’t in it. I feel like half of me is missing. I won’t feel complete until Oddec comes back.”

  I considered her comments for a moment and then said, “If one of his rivals did put a spell on him, who do you think that would have been?”

  “I know who his bitterest rival was. It’s the same mine owner who Oddec went to see on the night before he went missing. It’s a goblin called Keftan Gubler. He owns the Grand Quarry Mines a few miles away. He’s been in touch with me regularly about selling this mine to him. I keep telling him I can’t do that, and I’m keeping it safe until Oddec comes back.”

  “And what does Keftan Gubler say when you tell him that?”

  She looked away from me. “He laughs and says I’m deluding myself. He says Oddec ran away because the responsibilities of running a mine had become too much for him.” She looked back at me. “I know my husband. He would never leave me to look after the mine on my own. Never. Something has happened to him, something that’s keeping him away from this mine and me.”

  I asked my next question as gently as I could. “Do you think it’s a possibility that Oddec could be dead?”

  Mowibela gave me a gentle smile, put her hand on her chest and said, “No. If he was dead, I would feel it in my heart. I told your mum all of this, and she said she’d do her best to find him. Cassia, do you think you’ll find him?”

  “I’m going to try. I’ll start by talking to Keftan Gubler. How can I get to his mine?” I hesitated a second. “Will any of the train tracks out there lead me to his mine? I’m not looking forward to another train ride.”

  Stanley announced joyfully, “I am! Let’s go.”

  Mowibela pushed herself off her chair and said, “The carriage you arrived in will take you to the entrance of his mine. I’ll move the levers to get you on the right track. It will be a smoother journey this time, and there won’t be any sudden drops or twists.” She walked towards the door and we followed her.

  Once out on the platform, I said, “What do you actually mine here?”

  Mowibela took a torch from her pocket, switched it on and shone it onto the surrounding rock. The beam picked up tiny bits of glitter in the light-coloured rock. I’d seen the same rock in many of the buildings in Brimstone.

  Mowibela explained, “We supply building materials to most of Brimstone, and we do it at half price. We also supply the same rock to other towns. We charge them full price. Brimstone rock is very popular. I think everyone likes the way it glitters. You two get into the carriage and I’ll sort the levers out.”

  I looked down at Stanley. He wasn’t there. I looked over at the carriage and saw him already sitting in his seat. I climbed in beside him and fastened us in. We heard a clunking noise as Mowibela moved some levers at the end of the platform. The carriage began to move slowly forwards.

  As we went past Mowibela, I said to her, “As soon as I have some information about Oddec, I’ll be in touch. If you can think of anything else which will help me, please let me know. You can use a butterfly to get a message to me. They always find me.”

  Mowibela’s chin wobbled slightly and she gave me a nod. “You will find him. I’m sure of it.” She raised her little hand in farewell as we trundled away.

  Once we’d gone a short distance, Stanley said to me, “This probably isn’t the right thing to say, but I hope Oddec isn’t our unsolved murder. I hope we find him alive somewhere.”

  I cast a backward glance at Mowibela and saw the hope on her face as she watched us leave. I said to Stanley, “Me too.”

  Chapter 6

  The ride wasn’t so bad this time and we were carried forward at a slower speed. There were still twists and turns as we went, but nothing quite as dramatic as before. Stanley let out the occasional whoop, but his whoops were much more subdued and I could hear the disappointment in his voice.

  The carriage took us ever upwards and we soon saw a light at the end of the track. We went through an opening and left the mine. We carried on travelling across a field. A warm breeze caressed my face as the carriage trundled at a slower speed around the side of the field. I looked over my shoulder to see the mountains behind us. A few minutes later, the carriage took us over a bridge. When I looked over this side of the carriage, I saw a quarry beneath us.

  Stanley looked over his side and said, “Who are those creatures down there? The ones working at the rocks? They look like trolls to me. Do they look like trolls to you?”

  “Yes, they do look like trolls.” I stopped speaking. An unpleasant memory came to me concerning a quarry and trolls. It was something I’d been told a while back about Mum’s death. I didn’t want to take that thought any furthe
r, so I pushed it to the back of my mind and concentrated on the scene in front of us.

  Once across the bridge, we were taken along the side of another field before we came to a mound of grass which had a sign on it. The sign stated we’d arrived at Grand Quarry Mines. The carriage came to a stop at the mound.

  Stanley said, “What do we do now? Is there an elevator somewhere to take us down to the mine?”

  I’d already spotted our next mode of transport and pointed to it. “Look, Stanley, there’s another carriage over there. I think we’re supposed to get into that one.” I took in the sight of the sleek, metal carriage and could see the upholstered seats inside. “The carriage is of better quality than this one. I can’t see any seat belts, not from here anyway.”

  “That’s a shame,” Stanley said. “I was looking forward to another fast ride.”

  I shook my head at him.

  We got out of the wooden carriage and walked over to the metal one. Once inside, we settled ourselves into the comfy seats. The carriage set off and we were taken towards another grass mound. As we got closer, it automatically opened inwards like a pair of doors. The carriage took us inside, and to my dismay, over to a glass elevator. Stanley pumped his paw in the air and let out a holler of joy.

  I sighed and said, “Here we go again. Just when my stomach had settled down.”

  The doors of the elevator opened as we approached and the carriage went inside. The doors closed behind us and I gripped the side of the carriage in anticipation of being forced downwards. To my surprise, images appeared on the glass walls surrounding us. The images were of a forest and I could see butterflies fluttering in and out of the trees. A gentle breeze ruffled my hair and I caught the aroma of roses and lilies. A slight motion in the carriage suggested we were moving.

  Stanley shook his head sadly at the pleasant images in front of us and said, “I am not impressed with this journey at all.”

  After a short while, the moving sensation stopped. A gentle voice came out from the glass walls and announced, “You have now travelled five thousand miles beneath the surface. Welcome to Grand Quarry Mines. Please stay in the carriage until you are asked to disembark.”