The Potion Commotion by Constance Barker

Author:Constance Barker [Barker, Constance]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Constance Barker
Published: 2019-09-12T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

“Let’s leave the car here,” I told Tessa. We were about half a mile from Windermere Manor, driving through a stretch of lakeside road that was flanked by thick, viney trees. Tessa pulled off the road and turned off the car.

“What is this?” she asked. “Some sort of stealth mission?”

“Sure is.” I said, climbing out of the car.

We walked into the woods, just far enough off the road to stay out of sight, and began walking toward Windermere Manor. The rain had dissipated as we were driving and the afternoon sun shone down in slits through the trees, washing the green tones of the forest in golden light. Tessa swatted at flies and tripped over stumps as we walked, cursing everything from the squishing moss underfoot to the sheets of kudzu that clung to the trees. I urged her on with promises of fresh produce.

“Strawberries,” she muttered, flicking a mosquito off her arm. “I want all the strawberries you’ve got. I’m going to make jam...it’s going to be legendary, Sam. I have the recipe all planned out...”

She went on about sugar, boiling points, and pectin for the next few minutes. It seemed to distract her from the minor perils of the outdoors. She was just getting around to bread pairings when we spotted the dark outline of Windermere Manor though the trees.

“So what are we gonna do,” Tessa whispered as we crouched behind a moss-covered log. “Stake it out for a bit?”

I pointed to the shimmering, pearl-colored Mercedes parked in front of the manor.

“Lily’s home. We need to figure out some way to get her to leave so we can look around.”

Tessa scowled at me.

“What’s gotten into you?” she asked. “And, more importantly, why are we sneaking around like a couple of teenagers playing ding-dong ditch?”

“Mr. Lichen said something that got me thinking.” I said, studying the front gate. If we could manage to climb over the gatehouse wall...

“Mr. Lichen,” Tessa repeated. “You mean the guy who brings a chicken everywhere he goes?”

“It’s a rooster,” I said. “And yes.”

Tessa rolled her eyes. “Sam, darling, that man once made off with a full barrel of the brewery’s pale ale. Rolled it right down Main Street hollering something about how “the beer fairies” had to be appeased.”

“He gets confused,” I admitted. “But he was going on about something...bad...about the Windermere house. And he mentioned Ronald Williams. Maybe he’s heard something we don’t know. Could be a lead.”

“He’s been listening to some kids, is all,” Tessa scoffed. “Rumors of Windermere Manor being haunted have been around since before the war.”

“Maybe it is.” I suggested.

Tessa looked skeptical. “I pity the souls who got stuck haunting the Windermeres. Who are you calling?”

“Mara,” I said, putting my cellphone to my ear. Mara and Lily were yoga buddies...she would know what to say to get Lily out of the house for a bit.

As it turned out, Mara was just then putting the final touches on the memorial article that the Goodsprings Gazette was preparing to print about Amelia.

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