Everyone watched, of course. Some were shocked. Some impressed. Others just wanted to follow because they needed to use the toilet or wanted some fresh air, or have a craving for chocolate from the vending machine at the end of the hall.
The only other person who did make a move, though, was Sergei.
Seeing that Joachim had been able to leave unaccused, he knew he could do the same. This was his chance. He had to make a move or run the risk of being stuck here forever. And that just wouldn’t do.
“He’s right,” said Sergei loudly.
His voice was so loud in the small space that he made Mona, who was standing next to him, jump in fright. She laughed and patted her heart when she realized she had nothing to be afraid of.
“Ooh don’t do that, Sergei!” she teased.
But the male witch had already left the room. He was fast, and he was on a mission.
Mrs. Mogridge watched the two men leave with interest. Although she couldn’t quite remember who had hit her so hard over the head, she was quite sure it was neither of those two. She could vaguely remember a shadowy figure rummaging around the room, trying to open the drawer with the book of shadows in it. She thought the drawer might even have opened, despite Christelle’s powerful spell. The book was lifted, crumbs from the muffin dropped from the cover on the man’s hands and chest – yes, it was a man, she was certain of that – and then he saw her. He stalked across the room and smashed her over the head with the book.
How it had ended up back in the drawer Mrs. Mogridge wasn’t quite sure, but it had. And the person who had hit her... Henry.
It was Henry.
Henry was the one who had been trying to steal the book.
But why?
Mrs. Mogridge felt both relief at her memory coming back and confusion as to why the whole event had taken place at all. The book was important, yes, Henry had tried to take it, yes, he had held it even... so what had happened after she was knocked unconscious? How had he died?
A terrible feeling stole over Mrs. Mogridge. One of the two people who had left the room had a reason for killing Henry, and she thought she knew who it might be. Everyone was in danger.
“Everyone,” Mrs. Mogridge shout-whispered across the room. “Quickly! Alice is in danger! So is Christelle! Let’s move!”
No one said or did anything at all to begin with. And then Leif shook himself.
“Okay, where?”
“I’ve no idea! We’ve got to search!”
Evie nodded.
“Okay, why not? If we’re altogether in a group we’ll be safe, right?”
Slowly but surely – far too slowly for Mrs. Mogridge’s liking – the contestants, remaining judges, and even a handful of crew moved as one out of the room. It was time to catch a killer. That is, if they weren’t too late.
CHRISTELLE AND DAEGAL had to stand at opposite sides of the room to talk. The anti-love spell was getting stronger and it was hard to concentrate through the sickness and headaches that it was causing. This was something that needed to be dealt with, but there was so much to investigate first. It would have to wait.
“What do you know about Joachim?” asked Christelle out of the blue.
“Excuse me?”
“Joachim. He had a show before this, didn’t he? And it flopped, badly. Why?”
Daegal thought back.
“I don’t know for sure. It was canceled because people weren’t watching. I mean, does there have to be a specific reason?”
“Weren’t watching? Weren’t watching Joachim who can charm the birds out of the trees? Does that sound right to you? He could make anyone do anything, and if he wanted them to watch his show, they would. It’s why you hired him, isn’t it? He’s a guaranteed ratings winner.”
“Well, I guess...”
“So,” said Christelle, “There must have been another reason. Something that meant the producers took the decision to cancel the show, and a rumor was put out about the low figures because it was less embarrassing than the truth. Do you see?”
Daegal was beginning to.
“I suspect you know what that reason was?”
Christelle nodded.
“I think Joachim has lost his sense of taste.”
“Ha! That’s insane!” shouted Daegal. “He’s a famous chef! To have no sense of taste would be the end of him. Oh. Wait. I see.”
“Yes. I remember Henry making some pointed remarks about taste and tasting. And what about when Joachim couldn’t identify the ingredients in Mona’s dish? Or when he didn’t realize Leif had over-peppered his food? It all comes back to an illness. Something that would mean, if discovered, his career was over.”
“That’s certainly enough to kill for if you’re as ambitious as Joachim,” said Daegal. “And if you’re right, Henry must have known.”
“He did, I’m sure of it. And I think Henry was blackmailing Joachim. He was praising his food so much, really going out a limb to say how good it was. I think Joachim was going to make Henry win overall if the shapeshifter stayed silent about his little... problem.”
It all made sense. It was unpleasant, certainly, but it did all knit neatly together.
Except...
“What about Wade?” asked Daegal. “Why did he get killed?”
Christelle had no answer to that. Not yet. But it would come to her, she knew it. She just had to have a chance to think. In the meantime, they had to get to Joachim before anything else happened. Before he tried to escape, or-
“Oh no!” cried Christelle. “Alice! She’s all on her own, and she’s a healer!”
“A healer? Yes, but why is that an issue?”
“Because Joachim is ill, Daegal. If he can get his sense of taste back, he can have it all again. She’s in danger. We’ve got to go!”
Christelle flung open the door and shrieked. There was Mrs. Mogridge and everyone else standing there.
“It was Henry!” yelled Mrs. Mogridge.
“What? What are you talking about, it was Joachim!” yelled Christelle back at her. “Henry’s dead!”
“Oh, Christelle, it was Henry who tried to steal your grandmother’s book! He was the one who hit me.” Mrs. Mogridge carefully rubbed her head in memory of the pain. “And then the book was put back. I think Wade did it. I think Wade found the book and replaced it. The crumbs, do you see? They both had crumbs. Henry from stealing it and Wade from putting it back.”
And there it was.
The answer Christelle had been looking for.
The final piece of the puzzle.
“Let’s go. We’ve got to find Alice,” said Christelle as she pushed out of the room. “Come on, I’ll explain later!”
They didn’t have to go far. At the end of the corridor, just by the closest fire exit, was Joachim. He was dragging a terrified Alice with him, and he had a large carving knife pressed up against her neck.
“No one move!” he roared, “Or I’ll do it. I’ll kill this one too – I’ve already done it once!”
“Twice,” whispered someone from the back.
Christelle held her hand up to silence them. Two bodies, yes, but, she thought, maybe two killers. Someone could have taken the opportunity in the confusion to blame Joachim for both deaths. But that would wait. She had to pretend all was well. The second killer was a long game to play if she wanted to catch them too.
In the meantime, she had to help Alice.
“Don’t do it, Joachim,” she said, taking one step forward.
“I will! You don’t know how desperate I am!”
“Oh, I do,” said Christelle. “I understand about your problem. I know the reason Henry had to die in your eyes. But what I don’t understand is why you had to take my book? Why run that risk?”
“What?”
“You told Henry to get my book for me, didn’t you? One last deal and then you would let him win.”
“No! Your book? I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Joachim looked truly confused.
H
e jerked an exhausted Alice to her feet. She struggled but couldn’t get away.
It was as Christelle had thought. Two different crimes happening at two different times for two different reasons. They had become entwined, but they were separate. Henry had been coerced into stealing the book, but not by Joachim. It was someone else who had done that, and Henry must have been being paid handsomely for it. And why not go for it? If he got caught, Joachim would ensure he would win. If he pulled it off, he’d win and get some kind of money out. He just couldn’t lose.
What Henry had failed to consider was Joachim and his need for fame and fortune.
The book was a separate matter. Poor Wade. He must had found it and brought it back where it belonged which would have enraged whoever had paid Henry to retrieve it in the first place. Hence the killing. A crime of passion perhaps, taking the inspiration from Henry’s death, or maybe just a coincidence if the nail gun had been found lying around.
Not that this mattered. The whys and the wherefores were irrelevant in this moment.
Now it was about Joachim and Alice.
But that knife was getting closer to the girl’s neck.
“Alice, can you help him?” called Christelle. “I know he doesn’t deserve it, but if you do, you’ll be safe.”
Alice shook her head.
“I used everything on Mrs. Mogridge. It will take me hours to recharge enough for this. I just can’t, and I know it’s my life but that won’t make the magic work any faster!”
What happened next happened in a blur.
A shadow rushed from the doorway to the left of the hostage scene and tackled Joachim to the ground. It happened so fast that Joachim didn’t have a chance to respond, or even to cry out. He was lying motionless on the floor in moments, and Alice was left sobbing, the knife having spun away out of reach.
Christelle ran forward to help her, and Dermott stood up, brushing himself down and grinning.
“Where did you come from?” asked Christelle.
She hugged Alice while keeping her eyes on Joachim, who appeared to have been knocked out by his fall.
Dermott pointed to the room behind him.
“Bathroom,” he said. “I didn’t even have to open the door – ghosts can float through, you know. Surprise!”
“Ghosts can... use the bathroom?” asked Christelle.
You certainly did learn something new every day.
Chapter 10
When Joachim was safely taken away, and the bodies had been removed, there was a stillness to the studio. Everyone was sad, quiet, but they still wanted to know who had won. Or if there would be a winner.
Christelle and Daegal were chatting with Martine and Zach. Something was about to happen.
Christelle nodded.
“Is everyone ready?” called Daegal.
There was a shuffling and movement from the shadows as the crew took their places.
“Good. It would seem churlish of us to eliminate anyone this week. And we won’t be bringing in anyone new next week, although we will be losing more than one of you then. In all honesty, Dermott’s mistake would have cost him his place, but his heroics have saved him.”
There was a groan form Zach over at the judges’ bench, now depleted in the absence of Joachim’s presence. Except for the cakes, of course. Six massive baked versions of the disgraced judge loomed over the benches. “But,” continued Daegal, “We will crown a winner, and that’s what’s about to happen. Smile everyone, you’re on camera. Aaaaannnd.... Action!”
“Yes,” said Christelle. “That was certainly an experience. Everyone was wonderful, and we’ve got some good news. We do have a winner for this show, the winner who will be able to wear the coveted witch’s hat crown in the next show.”
Christelle held the crown up high. It sparkled and shimmered in the studio lights.
“The winner is... Alice!”
Alice grinned. She was still shaken by her ordeal, but her strength was returning, and she was able to stand unassisted. She bent her head to receive her reward. The witch’s hat shimmered and turned a gorgeous shade of emerald green.
“Alice, you have created magic in the kitchen and are being crowned Kitchen Witch for this episode. You will gain an advantage in the next round, but you’ll have to wait and see just what that is. In the meantime, congratulations!”
“Congratulations! Congratulations!” said Sol happily.
“Now, Martine,” said Christelle quickly. “About this anti-love spell of yours...”
The End
THANKS FOR READING
How to Become a Contestant on Kitchen Witch Wars
You’ve read the book; now how would you like to get a chance at becoming a contestant? All you have to do is leave an honest review of this book on Amazon or Goodreads. Christelle just might select you from your review to be invited on the show next season. Thanks, and good luck!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
AS A CHILD, HEATHER Pherris's big dream was to own a chain of libraries. She often communes with the ghosts of the last novel she read while playing her flute and summoning the fairies. Her writing process always starts with a belly rub offering to her cat Buddha to bring her luck. She is genre-fluid in her reading and loves a good crossword puzzle.
OTHER BOOKS BY BOMBSHELL BLISS
Fable of Two Stars: A Twin Flame Love Story
Unabashed Bliss: 5 Minutes to Happy
Make It Stop: Get a Grip and Get A Life
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Kitchen Witch Wars and the Chef Who Nailed It Page 9