Bewitching Boots Read online

  “How was it at home?”

  Manny was from a small kingdom in Africa where he was the crown prince, as wild as that sounded.

  “It was odd after being gone for so long. I kept expecting storybook characters to go in and out of the mansion each day. There were elephants trumpeting during the night, however, so I felt at ease. How is the cobbler exhibit progressing?”

  “Thank you for knowing that you don’t have to eat a cobbler.” I laughed and hugged him again. He was so much more than just my assistant. We’d become good friends. “I’m still hearing jokes about it.”

  “People find the oddest things humorous here,” he remarked. “On my way in, I saw a woman dressed as a spider. Everyone was laughing and taking pictures of her.”

  “It’s the week we take on new actors for the Village.” We walked toward the museum. “You’re going to see all kinds of strange costumes and acts.”

  He adjusted his large glasses. “As though that doesn’t happen every day here, Lady Jessie. Where is everyone going?”

  “We may have a problem with the cobbler.” I told him quickly about Princess Isabelle and my belief that Bill had been at the castle.

  His dark eyes widened. “Magic from elves? Can this be true?”

  Manny was a little naïve after spending years out of touch with the world. Growing up as a prince was isolating. He’d had to run away from home to experience the world without the royal cotton batting his parents had used to protect him.

  “I doubt it—though anything is possible. He believes it.”

  The Big Bad Wolf joined us. The costume was hot so he’d removed the headpiece. “I s’pose you two know about Isabelle?”

  “We know.”

  “It’s a tragedy.” Manny sighed. “She was so beautiful.”

  The new bookstore and print shop owner, Paul Samuels, gave us each a single sheet of paper. His shop was called Rare Books. “Have you seen the latest issue? It’s the first edition of my Village newspaper.”

  The wolf examined it closely, perhaps needing spectacles. “Princess Isabelle murdered by Shoemaker? What shoemaker?”

  Manny stared at me. “Is that true?”

  “No. Of course not. Bill didn’t murder anyone.”

  Paul grinned. “People saw him with her only moments before she died. It’s a scoop!”

  “My good man,” Manny advised. “Scoop is not the proper term for this news, not here at the Village. I’m not sure what would be. You should consult a historian.”

  “I think scoop is okay,” the wolf said. “What do you think, Jessie?”

  “I think I have to find Bill. I’ll talk to you later.” I continued on my path. There was no one at the museum. Bill’s stall was closed.

  “Wait for me!” Manny was huffing along behind me. “Do you think something happened between Isabelle and Bill?”

  “I don’t know yet. I have to talk to him. He’s going to be a perfect suspect if Detective Almond decides to call Isabelle’s death a murder.” I changed course and headed for Peter’s Pub. I had to find Bill and talk to him before the rumors got any worse—and to assure myself that everything was okay with him.

  “I’ll be happy to be of assistance. I could take the pubs on the left side of the Village, and you could take the pubs on the right.”

  “Thanks. Sorry to get you caught up in everything right away before you even have a chance to settle in.” He was still holding the canvas bag he’d traveled with. He had to be the least prince-like person in the world. Our Village royalty could learn a few things from him.

  He smiled. “It feels like home now, Lady Jessie. What would the Village be without a bit of intrigue and the aroma of roasted turkey legs in the air?”

  “Okay. If you find Bill, let me know. We can use our cell phones since the Village is closed. I’ll stop by the Dungeon and get mine.”

  He frowned. “I did not buy a cell phone while I was gone. I’m sorry. It simply seemed impractical since we can barely use them here.”

  “All right.” I thought about it. “There’s bound to be someone you can send to find me. Or bring Bill with you. Just don’t let him out of your sight!”

  He made a beautiful bow. “Your servant!”

  I was happy with that plan since it meant I wouldn’t have to check for Bill at the Lady in the Lake Tavern. The new owner and I had a few hard feelings between us. I avoided it like yesterday’s mutton.

  Manny and I separated, and I went into Peter’s Pub.

  The tavern and eatery was crowded with residents—it was half-price drink night besides the Village closing early. There was bound to be a ton of free food left over. Many of the pubs and restaurants would welcome hungry residents.

  Peter Greenwalt hailed me and set up a tankard of ale. He was the owner of Peter’s Pub. “Will Chase be joining you?”

  “Probably not.” I tried to scan the interior of the pub without being obvious about it. “He’s busy with Princess Isabelle’s death.”

  Peter’s broad face lost color. “I hadn’t heard. That’s a terrible thing. Princess Isabelle was the jewel of the castle.”

  I tried to hide my skepticism at his remark. I wasn’t as successful with my words. “Really? I don’t know anyone who felt like that about her, except people who didn’t know her well. I think the two of you knew each other very well.”

  He blushed down to the roots of his brown muttonchops and beard. “That was a long time ago between me and Isabelle. She really was a good woman—at heart.”

  I knew that he and Isabelle had once had a thing. It was over before I was at the Village all the time, but gossip had a way of continuing. “It’s okay, Peter. If every man in the Village who slept with Isabelle is questioned about her death, the police will be here all month! I know you didn’t have anything to do with it. Have you seen Bill Warren?”

  “You mean the new shoemaker?” He used a large white cloth to wipe the glossy wood bar. “Not recently. He was here after lunch. Tomorrow’s his big day, huh? Think he bugged out because he was nervous?”

  He obviously hadn’t heard the rumor about Bill killing Isabelle yet.

  “Yeah. That’s probably it. Thanks. I’ll talk to you later.” I drank down the ale he’d so kindly poured for me and walked quickly out of the pub.

  I knew the next place on my side of the Village was the Pleasant Pheasant where Chase and I mostly hung out. It was close to the Dungeon where we lived. They served leftover food and drinks into the night. Residents ate for free many times.

  There was only coffee at the Monastery Bakery or tea at the Honey and Herb Shoppe between Peter’s and the Pleasant Pheasant. Bill liked something stronger.

  Manny had definitely taken on the bulk of possibilities of where Bill could be hanging out. At the other side of the Village was not only the Lady in the Lake Tavern, but also Baron’s Beer and Brats, Peasant’s Pub, and Brewster’s.

  I decided not to feel too bad about the disparity. Manny had just come back from vacation.

  I walked past the Dutchman’s Stage where a few comedians were still practicing. Luke Helms, the owner of the Jolly Pipe Maker’s Shop, was sitting on his steps, working on a handful of new pipes. The scent of his tobacco floated through the air.

  “Good evening to you, Lady Jessie.” He tugged at his cap. His silver-colored glasses glinted in the light from his shop window. “Thought I’d sit out on this lovely evening. It’s too hot to sit inside.”

  “It is indeed, sir. Have you seen the new shoemaker?”

  “You mean Bill?” He squinted up at me. “Certainly. He was here earlier. We shared a few pints, and he said he had to go.”

  “Did he mention where he was going?”

  Luke put down the pipe he was carving. “Is something wrong?”

  “Not at all. Just a few last minute things for the museum opening tomorrow.”

  He smiled. “Wish you’d have me at the museum sometime, Lady Jessie. My work could use a kick in the pants. People just don’t smoke p
ipes like they used to, you know? Maybe if you run out of artists, you could have me up there.”

  “You are an artist, Luke. And I’ll find a date for you to show your pipes at the museum.”

  He grinned. “Thank you. Have you heard the news about Princess Isabelle? That new fella from the bookstore says she was murdered. I can’t imagine who would want to kill her. She was the sweetest thing ever. She’ll be missed, she will.”

  I jumped as I felt a strong arm go around my waist. “I have to borrow my wife for a moment, Luke. Have a good evening.”

  “You too, Bailiff. Good luck catching that killer.” Luke saluted him.

  Chase started walking away, taking me with him. “I saw you at the castle, you know. Where’s Bill?”

  “I don’t know. I was looking for him. It’s like everyone has seen him, just not recently. Why are you looking for him?”

  “Pretty sure we’re looking for him for the same reason. It sounds like he was the last one to see Isabelle alive.”

  “Bill didn’t kill Isabelle,” I told him. “Maybe she killed herself.”

  “Detective Almond doesn’t think that’s the case since she was thrown an extra twenty feet over what she could have jumped from the terrace. I’m sure you know that too.”

  “How would I know? I leave that stuff to you and Detective Almond.”

  He laughed. “Sure you do. Where’s Bill?”

  “I don’t know. That’s why I’m looking for him.”

  “Because you know he was with Isabelle?”

  “No. Although even if he was with her, that doesn’t mean he killed her. I admit that I don’t know him very well, but what I know of him, he seems harmless. He’s always good-natured, and he works very hard.”

  “Let’s go back to the part where you don’t know him that well. He’s only been here about a month.” Chase stopped walking and stared at me. “Where do you think he might be? Detective Almond isn’t necessarily going to arrest him. He just wants to talk to him.”

  “You know Detective Almond always takes the first available suspect. I don’t want that to be Bill. What about all the other residents of the Village who disliked her?”

  “Like who? Everyone loved Isabelle.”

  It was my turn to laugh. “Only if you’re a man. I don’t know any women who even liked Isabelle, much less loved her. She took Adora’s knight last year. She made a play for one of the Three Chocolatiers. She even went after Bawdy Betty’s boyfriend. There were more than a few women who wouldn’t have minded killing her.”

  I didn’t mention myself because I didn’t want him to know she bothered me that much.

  “It had to be someone who was strong enough to pick her up and toss her over the rail,” Chase explained. “I suppose I could think of a few men who weren’t happy after she broke up with them. I can’t think of any women strong enough to lift her, except maybe Daisy, but I don’t think she and Isabelle ever had a run-in.”

  “All right. That’s a place to start anyway. At least you’re willing to admit it could be someone besides Bill.”

  “Except that he was probably the last one with her before she died. Three or four of her retinue saw him with her at the castle when he delivered her slippers. Maybe he had nothing to do with her death. But he might have seen something that can help Detective Almond find out who did kill her.”

  “Manny and I have been searching the pubs.” I gave up trying to stall him. He was only trying to do his job. “Bill likes visiting the pubs and having a few ales. Manny is on the other side of the Village. I’ve already been through Peter’s Pub. Luke said he was at the pipe shop until he ran out of ale. I’m headed for the Pleasant Pheasant.”

  “See?” He grinned, sliding his arm around me again. “That wasn’t so hard. I’ll come with you in case you find him. I’d like for Detective Almond to question Bill tonight, if he can. We can get this entire preliminary investigation over while the Village is closed. We don’t want to drag it into tomorrow and risk being shut down again.”

  “All right.” We walked past the tree swing and the privies that were near the Dungeon. I could hear laughter and music coming from Stage Caravan. Maybe someone there had seen Bill. “Let’s try the stage. It sounds like a party. There’s bound to be booze.”

  “I’m with you.”

  It was starting to get dark. Tiny fairy lights were coming on around the Village. There were two large stadium lights in the Village Square that were sometimes turned on for maintenance but not tonight. Every restaurant and shop had candle-like electric lights glowing from their windows.

  There was electric lighting, and other modern conveniences in the apartments and shops. Everyone tried to use them only when the Village was closed. We loved our homes and wanted to preserve the ambiance of the Renaissance as much as we could.

  Stage Caravan knew how to throw a party. There were huge torches burning at the four corners of the stage. I could smell the tequila before we got to the bar. A big banner had been hung to mourn the loss of one of the dancers who was leaving the Village—Bye-Bye Sheena! The party was in full swing with the male and female dancers in skimpy clothes grinding and shaking to the pulsing strains of exotic music. The regular stage musicians were enjoying themselves with a few other musicians from around the Village.

  I asked a few of the dancers if they’d seen Bill. Most of them didn’t know who I was talking about. There were hundreds of residents in the Village. One man could easily go unnoticed for a few weeks. Bill was new and didn’t have many relationships yet.

  “Anything?” Chase asked as we met again at the side of the stage.

  “No. Lots of tequila and fruit, but no sign of Bill.”

  “Other ideas? You know him a lot better than I do, Jessie.”

  Manny came riding up on one of the tall bikes from Simon’s Spokes, the new bicycle shop. The bike was at least six feet high, a masterpiece of ingenuity. “I located him! He’s at Brewster’s, deep in the middle of a dart game. I asked Merlin to keep him there until our return.”

  There wasn’t much I could say. I’d wanted Manny to keep an eye on Bill so we could keep this quiet. Merlin was the Village wizard who lived and worked at the apothecary shop near the castle. But he was also the CEO of Adventureland. He’d certainly have an interest in Bill—and in Isabelle’s death.

  “Don’t worry, Lady Jessie,” Manny assured me. “I told the wizard that you needed the cobbler to complete a project before the museum opened tomorrow. I don’t think word of Isabelle’s death has reached those at the tavern yet.”

  Manny was relatively new, too. He didn’t realize that everyone would know about Isabelle, and about Bill’s visit to her. There were probably already wagers on his guilt or innocence.

  “There’s nothing you can do to protect him now,” Chase added, making it worse. “Let’s get him over to the castle while Detective Almond is still here. Where’s your belief in the system, Jessie?”

  “I don’t have one. Let’s go.”

  We walked quickly across the King’s Highway as Manny tried to keep his seat on the tall bike.

  “This is wonderful,” he exclaimed as he almost lost his balance. “I want to purchase one of these. It would be so much better than walking all the time.”

  “I guess King Harry was right,” Chase said. “Everyone else hates the bike shop rentals, but they’ll probably be popular.”

  We passed Roger Trent from the Glass Gryphon. He was standing on the cobblestones talking with William Shakespeare. As soon as he saw Chase, Roger said goodnight to Shakespeare and quickly fell in with us.

  “You’re after Princess Isabelle’s killer, I presume?” Roger was an ex-police officer who had been Village Bailiff before Chase. He still liked to take part in any chaos that occurred. He was a stocky, muscled man who worked out regularly. It was hard to imagine him as a cop, looking at his Village clothes of blue cotton shirt and black britches.

  “Just asking questions and interviewing people to find out who saw wh
at,” Chase said.

  “I’ve heard a few rumors.” Roger glanced at me. I knew what he was going to say. “Some people say Bill Warren, the new shoemaker, was with Isabelle when she died.”

  Chase shook his head and kept walking. “We haven’t confirmed that yet. We’re talking to him—and several other people from Isabelle’s retinue at the castle. Bill may not have been the last one to see her alive.”

  “You’re not trying to protect him for Jessie’s sake because his new exhibit starts tomorrow at the museum, are you? No offense.”

  “None taken.” Chase gazed down at Roger, at least a head taller than him. “We have to talk to everyone. You know that.”

  “I’m taking offense at that,” I told Roger. “Chase wouldn’t look the other way for something so serious. He’s been Bailiff a long time. How long are you going to pester him because he took your job away?”

  “Pester him? Chase wouldn’t have been able to solve half the problems he has without my help.” Roger glared at me.

  “I suppose I could say the same thing. So could Detective Almond. But we’re not jealous of him.” I glared right back at him.

  “Jessie,” Chase said. “Not now. Let’s stay focused. If Roger can add to the investigation, that’s what’s important.”

  Manny took a spill off the bike as we reached Brewster’s. The lights were bright coming from inside the tavern. Laughter rushed out into the evening as Chase opened the door.

  I helped Manny off the ground and brushed off his dusty tailcoat. He was unhurt but voicing a few drawbacks to riding the tall bike now that he’d tried it. We followed Roger and Chase inside where the dart tournament was still going strong.

  I quickly scanned the crowded room. There were dozens of men and women with pints of beer in their hands, but no sign of Bill. Chase nodded at Merlin who stood in one corner wearing his signature purple, starred robe and pointed hat. We pushed through the crowd to reach him.

  “Where’s Bill?” Chase asked him.

  Merlin cupped a hand to his ear at another bout of raucous laughter. “What? What’s wrong, Bailiff? Have you located Princess Isabelle’s killer yet?”