Witch Is Why Two Became One (A Witch P.I. Mystery Book 16)

by Adele Abbott

  “No problem. Nice to meet you.”

  “I need to have a word with Reggie,” he said, already walking away. “But if you’d like to climb aboard the ‘hoverette’, these pupils will give you a quick tour. Then you can meet up with myself and the headmistress a little later.”

  “Sure. That’s fine.”

  I climbed aboard the hoverette. “Morning, guys.”

  The pupils nodded, but seemed more pre-occupied with what the deputy head was doing. He was now in conversation with Reggie who, if I wasn’t mistaken, looked more than a little concerned about something.

  Without warning, the hoverette sprang into life. After a quick one hundred and eighty degree turn, it began to speed towards the house.

  “Who’s driving this thing?” I asked.

  “No driver required,” one of the boys said. “It’s all controlled by magic.”

  We were approaching the wall of the building at an alarming speed, and the hoverette showed no signs of slowing down. What an irony if I’d survived the airship journey only to be killed in a horrific crash in some silly little hovercraft.

  “The wall!” I yelled, but none of the pupils seemed to be at all concerned.

  We were only a matter of feet away from it, so I closed my eyes and waited for the impact, but there was none. A section of the wall had slid up to allow us to enter the building. We were now speeding along inside a clear plastic tube. Moments later, we came to a sudden halt, and my stomach lurched.

  The pupils climbed out of the hoverette, and I followed them. We were standing on a platform—a kind of miniature version of a London underground station. The name plaque on the wall read ‘North Tower’.

  As soon as I’d disembarked, the hoverette shot off along the tube.

  Chapter 23

  “Wow!” I glanced around the platform. “I really hadn’t expected anything like this.”

  “The hoverettes have been around for a while,” one of the boys said. “But the underground tube system was only added quite recently. It’s the quickest way to get around, but we’re not normally allowed to use it. It’s for the staff to get from one side of the building to the other. And, of course, for visitors such as yourself, Ms Gooder.”

  “Please, you must all call me Jill.”

  They looked a little unsure.

  “The headmistress said that we should call you Ms Gooder,” one of the girls said.

  “I won’t tell if you don’t.” I hoped my smile might reassure them. “And, it’s about time I got to know your names.”

  “I’m Wendy Makeright,” the young witch with the dark brown hair said. “I’m in Wrongacre house.” She pointed to her tie, which had green and black stripes.

  “I’m Jerome Wurlitzer,” the young wizard standing next to her said. “I’m in Nomad house.” He was wearing a red and black striped tie.

  “I’m Terry Crabday.” The other young wizard’s tie had blue and black stripes. “I’m in Longstaff house.”

  “And I’m Sissy,” the second young witch said. “Sissy Pontoon. I’m in Capstan house.” Her tie had yellow and black stripes.

  “Is something going on that I should know about?” I asked. “Everyone seems rather nervous. Including the four of you.”

  They exchanged glances, and I could sense that they were unsure how to respond.

  “Please, if there’s something wrong, I’d rather know.”

  “We were told not to say anything.” Jerome Wurlitzer pulled at the cuff of his blazer. “And besides, we’re not really sure what has happened.”

  “Tell me what you do know, please.”

  “About thirty minutes before your airship arrived, the alarm went off.”

  “A fire alarm?”

  “No, that’s a different kind of alarm altogether. This is the ‘general emergency’ alarm. I’ve only ever heard it sound once before, and that was just a practice drill. Originally, we were meant to meet you in the headmistress’s office later this morning, but then we got a message to say that we had to join the deputy head, and that we were to show you around the north tower. That’s all we know, honestly.”

  “Okay. No problem. I guess we’ll just carry on until we hear from the headmistress. How do you all like it at CASS?”

  “I love it here,” Sissy said.

  “Me too.”

  “And me.”

  “Yeah, it’s fantastic.”

  “And which is the best house?”

  “Wrongacre, of course.”

  “Rubbish. Nomad is by far the best.”

  “In your dreams. Longstaff puts the others to shame.”

  “Obviously, it’s Capstan.”

  They all seemed a little more relaxed now.

  “We’re supposed to take you up to the third floor,” Wendy Makeright said. “That’s where they teach the history of magic.”

  “To be honest, I’d rather see the Dragon Club.”

  “How do you know about that?” Terry Crabday looked surprised, as did the others.

  “I’ve spoken to someone who attended CASS. She used to be a member of the Dragon Club. She’s a rogue retriever now.”

  “I want to be a rogue retriever,” Jerome Wurlitzer said. “I’ve even picked the name I’ll use: Jaze.”

  “With a name like that, you should fit right in.”

  “We can’t take you to see the Dragon Club,” Sissy said. “It’s held in the basement, and the doors are locked during the daytime. Only the headmistress and the head of dragon studies has a key. We could show you the library though. That’s in the north tower, and it’s pretty spectacular.”

  “Okay, why not? Lead the way.”

  I followed the kids up a narrow, winding staircase.

  “No one is allowed to speak in the library.” Terry Crabday hesitated as he turned the door handle.

  “Sure. No problem.”

  Huge bookcases stretched from floor to high ceiling.

  “How do you reach those up there?” I pointed to the books on the top shelves of the ludicrously tall bookcases.

  “Shush!” Someone called out.

  “Sorry.”

  “Shush!”

  The woman, seated at the desk at the far side of the room, stood up, and walked over to us. The kids looked terrified, and when she got closer, I could see why. She made Grandma look attractive. The woman beckoned me to follow her, and led the way to a door located between two of the huge bookcases.

  “I’m sorry about that,” she said, once we were inside the small office. “My name is Natasha Fastjersey. I’m the head librarian. No talking is allowed in the library.”

  “I’m very sorry.”

  “You’re Jill Gooder, aren’t you?”

  “That’s right.”

  “I knew you were visiting today, but the headmistress hadn’t warned me that you would be dropping into the library.”

  “It wasn’t planned. The headmistress seems to have some kind of emergency on her hands.”

  “Yes, I heard the alarm.”

  “What’s going on?”

  “I don’t know. I doubt it’s anything too serious, or we would have heard by now.”

  “Is it okay if I look around the library?”

  “Of course, but I must remind you again that there is strictly no talking.”

  “Understood.”

  I spent the best part of an hour exploring the library. Every book appeared to be a leather bound first edition. Huge ladders were located at the far end of each bookcase—these could be slid back and forth to provide access to the books on the higher shelves. I ventured half way up one, but went no further—I never did have a head for heights.

  High on the wall, in between two of the bookcases, hung two large paintings—portraits of a man and a woman. It was obvious that at one time a third painting must have hung there, but now there was only an empty picture hook.

  When it was time to leave, I waited until we were out of the library, and then asked about the paintings.

  “T
he man is Charles Wrongacre,” Sissy said. “The woman is his wife, Agnes Wrongacre—she died in childbirth.”

  “What used to be on the empty picture hook?”

  “A portrait of Charles Wrongacre’s only child, a son, once hung there. After his son died, Charles couldn’t bear to see the painting—it broke his heart to do so. He had it taken down, and put into storage. When CASS took over the building, a search was made for the painting, so it could be rehung, but it was never found.”

  “Does anyone know how his son died?”

  “Not as far as I know. It’s something of a mystery. I’ve only ever heard it described as ‘tragic circumstances’—whatever that means.”

  “Where would you like to go next, Jill?” Jerome Wurlitzer asked.

  “I’d quite like to see your dorms, if that’s possible.”

  The four kids looked at one another. My request had obviously taken them by surprise.

  “I don’t see why not,” Wendy said, eventually. “They’re in this block.”

  “Lead the way, then.”

  The dorms were not what I’d expected. The kids shared—two to a room.

  “These are nice,” I commented.

  “It all depends who you’re sharing with.” Terry Crabday pulled a face. “I have to share with Scabby Davies.”

  “Have any of you seen dragons flying overhead?”

  “It rarely happens, “Jerome said. “All the walls have audio defences which are triggered automatically when a dragon approaches. The noises are designed to scare them away, and they do a pretty good job. I haven’t seen a single dragon overhead all the time I’ve been here.”

  “I’ve seen one,” Terry said.

  “No, you haven’t.” Sissy scoffed.

  “I have. Just before the end of last term.”

  “How come no one else reported it?”

  Terry shrugged.

  “You must have dreamt it,” Wendy said.

  “I did not dream it.”

  “Okay, guys!” I intervened. “Let’s not fall out.”

  Just then, a voice came through the many speakers mounted along the corridors.

  “Will Jill Gooder, and the pupils accompanying her, please make their way to my office immediately.”

  The voice was unmistakably that of Desdemona Nightowl.

  The four kids looked panic stricken.

  “She’ll kill us,” Wendy said. “We weren’t meant to bring you in here.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll tell the headmistress that I insisted. Come on, we don’t want to keep her waiting.”

  Jerome led the way up to the top floor of the north tower. Sissy knocked on the double doors.

  “Come in!” The headmistress was obviously annoyed. “Where have you children been? I told you to accompany Ms Gooder to the history of magic classroom.”

  The four kids looked terrified.

  “It’s my fault, headmistress. I asked them to show me the library and their dormitories. I hope you don’t mind?”

  “I suppose not.” She took a deep breath. “You’ve probably already realised that we have an ‘incident’ on our hands.”

  “The librarian mentioned something about an alarm?”

  She turned to the kids. “Children, off you go. Straight back to your rooms and stay there.”

  “Thanks for showing me around,” I called after them.

  They’d no sooner left than an alarm sounded; it was deafening, but thankfully only lasted a few seconds.

  “What’s going on, Headmistress?”

  “I’m really sorry about this, Ms Gooder. It couldn’t have happened at a worse time.”

  “What do the alarms mean?”

  “Shortly before you were due to arrive, the first alarm sounded because there had been a breach of the outer wall. That’s why I couldn’t be there to meet you.”

  “A breach? What does that mean?”

  “We’ve been trying to establish exactly what happened. Occasionally a creature will damage the wall without actually getting into the grounds. We were hoping that was the case today.”

  “But it wasn’t?”

  “It seems not. The second alarm means that a creature has been seen inside the grounds.”

  “What kind of creature? A dragon?”

  Before she could answer, two wizards, dressed in overalls, came rushing into the room. The look on both of their faces was the same—terror.

  “What’s happened?” the headmistress demanded.

  “It’s a pouchfeeder,” the first wizard said. “It’s got one of the boys.”

  The colour drained from the headmistress’s face, and I had to grab her arm before she fell. “Who is it?” Her voice was weak now.

  “Tommy Bestwick.”

  “We have to get down there, and stop the creature before it gets back out through the wall.”

  “We’ll never make it,” the second wizard said. “The wall was breached near the East Tower. The creature will be long gone before we can get there.”

  “Can’t we just magic ourselves there?” I suggested.

  “All magical powers are suppressed within the walls of CASS to stop the children misusing them. The only place you can use magic is in the magic labs, but they are at the other end of the school.”

  “Will the boy still be alive?” I asked.

  “Yes, but only until the pouchfeeder gets him back to its nest. What will I tell his parents?”

  “There’s still time to save him!” I rushed out of the door, and back down the corridor that I’d walked along with the kids. When I reached the stairs, I took a left and followed another corridor to the end. Just as I’d expected, there was the suit of armour.

  “What are you doing, Miss Gooder?” The headmistress and the wizards were coming up behind me.

  “No time to explain. Just follow me.” I grabbed the knight’s axe, and then pressed his shield in the centre. As I did, the wall behind it slid open, and I stepped inside. After a few steps, the ground disappeared from under my feet, and I began to slide down a steep chute. I could hear voices behind me. The headmistress and the wizards were still following.

  After no more than a few seconds, I saw a wall looming ahead of me. When I was only feet away, it slid upwards, and I shot through the gap. A little winded, I picked myself up off the grass. In front of me, no more than a hundred yards away, was the damaged section of the wall. I picked up the axe, which had fallen from my hand when I’d tumbled out of the chute, and ran towards the wall. Unless I was already too late, this would be where the creature was headed.

  Moments later, the pouchfeeder appeared; it looked like a giant Tasmanian devil. The creature was coming towards me at a rate of knots. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the headmistress and the two wizards heading my way too, but the creature would be upon me long before they covered the distance between us.

  I cast the ‘propel’ spell, took careful aim, then launched the axe. It struck the creature between its eyes, stopping it dead in its tracks. The wizards and the headmistress got to it before I did. One of the wizards reached down, and pulled open its pouch. I held my breath, and hardly dared to look.

  A small boy’s head appeared.

  “Tommy!” the headmistress shouted. “Are you all right?”

  “I think so, Miss. It smells really bad in here.”

  The two wizards helped him out. The poor boy was coated in a gooey, smelly substance, but other than that, he appeared to be unharmed.

  “Take Tommy inside and get him cleaned up,” the headmistress said. “And get this wall repaired before anything else can get through.”

  The two wizards carried the boy towards the building.

  “How did you know about that chute?” the headmistress asked. “I’ve never seen it before, and I thought I knew most of the secret passageways in CASS.”

  “I honestly don’t know.”

  “We need to get you back to the airship.”

  “Can’t I stay here and help?”


  “There’s nothing to be done now except for repairing the wall. The emergency is over, but we’ll leave the pupils and staff in their rooms until that’s done. I’m afraid we’ll have to reschedule your talk. I doubt anyone will be in the mood for it today.”

  “Don’t give it a second thought. I’ll be happy to come back again any time.”

  “Walk with me, Jill. I’ll take you back to the playing fields. And thanks again for what you did for Tommy.”

  Chapter 24

  “Planet Earth to Jill!” Jack’s voice snapped me out of my daydream.

  “Sorry?”

  “What’s wrong with you this morning?”

  “Nothing, I’m not really awake yet.”

  “I can see that. Look, I should get going. See you tonight.” He gave me a peck on the cheek, and was then out of the door.

  I could hardly tell him that I’d been thinking about CASS. I still couldn’t get my head around everything that had happened. The airship journeys, there and back, hadn’t been the ordeal I’d expected, and I hadn’t been able to give my talk. But I had rescued a young boy from the clutches of a creature, the likes of which I’d never seen before. I could still see the look on Tommy’s face when he’d been pulled out of the pouch. But the thing that was still playing on my mind was the secret passageway—the chute which had allowed me to intercept the pouchfeeder. I’d known exactly where to go, and that pressing the shield would open the wall.

  How?

  I’d been over and over it in my mind, but it still made no sense. I hadn’t even heard of CASS until recently, and I certainly had never been there before. So how had I known the secret passageway was there?

  I couldn’t afford to dwell on it any longer because today was the day of the NOCA conference. I’d been worried I might find it difficult to hire a clown’s costume at such short notice, but it proved not to be a problem. Presumably, most of the attendees of the conference had their own costumes, and didn’t need to hire one.

  I changed into it in the outer office before Jules arrived for work.

  “Why on earth are you wearing that, Jill?” she said when she walked in.

  “I’m going to a clown conference.”