Free Witch Is When Life Got Complicated by Adele Abbott Page B

a cat burglar. They stole Blinky too.”
    “What?” Who in their right mind would want a one-eyed cat? Present company excepted.
    “What am I going to tell the committee? That cup has been in the competition for decades. I’ll never live it down.”
    “Take a deep breath. It’ll be okay.”
    “How?”
    “Have you forgotten what I do?”
    “Collect one-eyed cats?”
    “Apart from that. I’m a P.I. If anyone can find your trophy, I can.”
    Mrs V buried her head in her hands again. Another resounding vote of confidence.
     
    “Who cares?” Winky rolled onto his back, and then back onto his stomach.
    “I care. Mrs V cares.”
    “About a stupid trophy and a psycho cat? Good riddance if you ask me.”
    “I didn’t ask you. You must have heard something in the night.”
    “Nah. I was asleep. I had this fantastic dream about this hot little Persian. She was—”
    “Enough! I don’t want the sordid details.”
     
    I spent the next hour re-reading everything I had on the Digby case. It amounted to a big fat nothing. Harrison Scott had confessed, and Milly Brown was off the hook, so why couldn’t I simply let it be?
    “Do you think I should call that nice Detective Maxwell?” Mrs V had popped her head around my door.
    “Why would you call that clown?”
    “To report a serious crime.”
    “Do you honestly think that Maxwell will be interested in some stupid trophy and a one-eyed cat?”
    Oh no! What had I just said? This was all Winky’s fault.
    “Stupid trophy?”
    “Sorry, I didn’t mean that. I’m really sorry. It isn’t stupid. It’s very handsome, and prestigious, and top of my to-do list.”
     
    I knew people, who knew people, who knew other people you probably wouldn’t want to meet in a dark alley. I made a few phone calls, and put the word out about the trophy. If someone tried to fence it, in or around the Washbridge area, I was confident that I’d hear about it. All I could do now was wait and be patient. Unfortunately, Mrs V didn’t do patient.
     
    When Grandma had said I had to pass her tests or else , she’d been kidding—hadn’t she? This was worse than school, and I’d hated that with a passion. I’d never been good at exams, and it wasn’t because I hadn’t revised. Well okay, that might have had something to do with it. I shouldn’t have been expected to revise and keep my catalogue of beanies up to-date. I always used to freeze— exams terrified me.
    I had to be at Grandma’s at ten o’clock on the dot, so I didn’t have much time to spare.
    “Aunt Lucy?” I called through the open door. I’d noticed that it was common for people in Candlefield to leave their front doors unlocked and even ajar.
    “Jill? Is that you? Come on in.”
    We hugged. “You’ve caught me in the middle of cleaning.”
    “I’m sorry. I’ll leave you to it.”
    “Don’t be daft. Any excuse for a break is fine by me. It’s your first test today isn’t it?”
    “Yeah, I’m terrified.”
    “Don’t worry. Grandma’s bark is worse than her bite.”
    “Really?”
    “No, not really.” Aunt Lucy laughed. “But, you’ll be fine. Your mother may be a hussy, but she was a fantastic witch. Second only to Grandma, I’d say. You’ve inherited her abilities.”
    “I wish that was true.”
    “Just you wait and see.”
    “Are the twins at Cuppy C?”
    “Don’t talk to me about those girls.” Her face was like thunder. What had they done this time? Had Aunt Lucy found out about Amber’s engagement? I waited for more but she didn’t elaborate.
    A cup of tea did nothing to calm my nerves.
    “Barry misses you,” Aunt Lucy said.
    “I’ll try to make it up to him while I’m here.”
    “It’s a pity you can’t take him to Washbridge.”
    “The lease on the flat doesn’t allow pets.”
    Amber walked in.
    “Your hair!” I said.
    “Now you see why I’m angry,” Aunt Lucy said.
    “I like it,” I said to Amber. Blonde suited her.
    “I was fed up of everyone getting me and