The Cozy Conundrums Collection: Books 1 – 5 by T.H. Hunter

Author:T.H. Hunter [Hunter, T.H.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-07-02T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 4

She looked desperately at Val, Barry, and me. Somehow, it made the burden a lot heavier. It had felt a lot easier accepting the request in the form of a letter a few weeks ago. Now, however, the severity of the situation became a lot more pronounced.

“Of course, headmistress,” I said. “We’re here to provide any help we can.”

“I’m counting on it,” she said. “Your track record is indeed impressive. And some fresh pairs of eyes are what we really need in this dire situation.”

She took the list that had been lying in front of her on the desk and handed it to me.

“This is a list I’ve compiled – on a strictly confidential level, you understand – of all the known locations of necromancer signs that were spotted throughout the school. Most of them have been erased, of course, for fear of frightening the students even further, if that’s at all possible, that is. You will find the names of the missing people below. Two students and one teacher. In regard to the stolen supplies, you should better talk to our quarterwarlock, Henry Armbruster.”

“Thank you, this will help a lot,” I said, scanning the list. “Did the MLE find any leads?”

Headmistress Hall shook her head miserably.

“None at all,” she said. “The entire school was searched multiple times. No office, dormitory, or staff room was spared. Not even mine. But they couldn’t track down the missing people.”

“And you think they’re dead?” I asked.

“Yes,” she said miserably. “It’s the same pattern as… as last time when Wycliffe was active.”

“Can you tell us more about the people who’ve gone missing?” I said. “Were there any specific circumstances we should know about?”

“Neither I nor the MLE could find any link between them. Peter Hucklebee was our professor for water magic – hence the need for a replacement,” she said, inclining her head towards Barry. “He made no comment before he vanished. All of his things were left untouched. As for the two students, Robert Chesterton and Annabelle Swinton, were in their fifth and sixth years here, respectively. As far as we know, they had never even spoken to one another. We could find no connection between them in any dimension of their lives.”

“So, you think it’s a random selection of victims?” I asked.

“Well,” she said, hesitantly, “I cannot know for certain, of course. But the evidence so far certainly indicates that there is no particular reason why they were taken.”

“Does the MLE share your view?” asked Barry shrewdly. “That Wycliffe has somehow returned from the dead, I mean.”

“I-I don’t know,” she said. “I’m not even sure myself. It seems impossible and yet… All I’m saying is that the pattern is exactly the same as last time. Some of the agents are old enough to remember what it was like all those years ago. But without bodies, or evidence that foul play is involved at all, there is very little they can do apart from searching the school. But the answer, I’m sure of it, must be somewhere in there.

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