Free Witch Is When the Penny Dropped by Adele Abbott Page A

Daze said. “There’s little doubt that Alicia is working for, if not with, TDO.”
    “Are you going to bring her in?”
    “It wouldn’t do any good. People like Alicia would rather die than talk. But at least now we know, we can keep her under surveillance. I have people on that now.”
    “Anything else of interest in there?”
    “The most interesting thing was what wasn’t in there.”
    “How do you mean?”
    “Well, considering the file had your name on it, there was no mention of you in any of the papers. But then, my people believe that some papers have been removed.”
    “What do you think that means?”
    “I have no idea, but we did get a few other names though, and they’re now under surveillance.”
    “So are we any closer to TDO?” I asked.
    “Right now? No, but I’m hopeful the surveillance on the names we uncovered might turn up something.”
    “What are you and Blaze working on at the moment?”
    “Don’t mention that useless lump to me.”
    Whoops. I’d obviously said the wrong thing. Blaze was Daze’s little sidekick—a kind of apprentice Rogue Retriever.
    “What’s he done?”
    “Fallen asleep, that’s what he’s done. When he should have been watching a werewolf who’s been killing humans. We’d had him under surveillance for some time, but he got away—so we’re back to square one.”
    “You’re not having a good day then?”
    “I’m not having a good month. Apart from that useless article, I’ve got the ‘UO’s’ to put up with.”
    “UO’s?”
    “Unlicensed Operators. There’s only a small number of licensed Rogue Retrievers, but there’s an ever growing army of amateurs who think they can make a quick buck by going after Rogues. They cause all kinds of problems. I don’t much care if they put their own lives in jeopardy, but they’re a danger to others—sups and humans alike.” She took a deep breath. “Anyway, you don’t want to listen to all of my problems. What’s new with you?”
    “Just the usual stuff. I’m currently negotiating a publishing deal for my cat.”
     

Chapter 10
     
    I hadn’t been expecting Dot Comm, but she was waiting for me at the office. Mrs V had given her a scarf, and was trying to persuade her to take a pair of socks when I arrived.
    “I don’t really need this.” Dot held out the scarf once we were in my office.
    “Take it with you would you? Mrs V gets upset if people reject her scarves. There’s a charity shop just around the corner. You could drop it off there on your way out. Last time I checked, they’d got quite a few of Mrs V’s creations in there.”
    Dot nodded, and put the scarf in her bag. “I’ve come to tell you to drop the case, and to let me have your bill.”
    “Oh? I heard they were exhuming the body. What happened?”
    “Ron wasn’t happy about it, but I’m glad they did it. The body was Reg’s, so that means the police were barking up the wrong tree. Ron is in the clear.”
    “Right. Well I guess there’s nothing more for me to do. I’ll get Mrs V to post the bill on to you.”
    My father had always insisted that you should only work on a case if someone was paying you. He was right—I knew that. But in a case like this, it was hard to let it go. Despite my father’s words ringing in my ears, I was determined to get to the bottom of Gina Peel’s murder. What did it matter if I wasn’t being paid, anyway? I’d soon be raking it in with my ten per cent cut from Winky’s bestselling book.
     
    It seemed it was a day for unexpected visitors. Colonel Briggs showed up not long after Dot Comm had left. He was carrying an enormous wooden box with what appeared to be jokers painted on each side.
    “Do you need a hand?” I offered.
    “It’s okay. Do you mind if I put it down over there?” He pointed to the sofa. “It’s heavier than it looks.”
    “Of course.”
    It took him a few seconds to catch his breath. “What do you think to it?”
    “Err—it’s very nice. What is