Witch Is Why Time Stood Still (A Witch P.I. Mystery Book 13) by Adele Abbott Read Free Book Online

you won’t say a word to your grandmother.”
    “What have you done now? Have you broken something in the shop?”
    “No, I haven’t done anything wrong. I’ve been offered a job.”
    “In another wool shop?”
    “No. At Wool TV.”
    “Doing what? Making the tea?”
    “Cheek. No. Somebody saw me on the reality show they filmed in Ever. When one of their presenters left recently, he suggested me as his replacement. They called, and asked me to go in for a chat, but it sounds like the job is as good as mine.”
    I was lost for words. My sister was about to become a TV presenter, and I’d thrown away the opportunity to be a rich superstar. Things kept on getting better and better.
     
    ***
     
    I’d promised Alan that I’d investigate what he was convinced was the poisoning of his two friends. He’d given me their names and contact details. One of them was still in hospital.
    It was the first time I’d visited the Candlefield Hospital—it was an impressive building located a couple of miles from the centre of town. I started at the reception desk.
    “Could you tell me where I can find David Warren?”
    “Warren, you say? Is that W-A-R-R-E-N?”
    “Yes, that’s him.”
    “And you are?”
    “I’m his sister, Isabelle Warren.”
    The woman, a young werewolf, checked her computer screen.
    “Oh yes. He was brought in a few days ago. He’s on Cosmo ward; that’s on the third floor.”
    “Will I be able to see him now?”
    “Yes. Visiting times are anytime between ten am and seven pm.”
    As I was supposed to be this guy’s sister, I could hardly ask one of the nurses which one of the patients was David Warren. Instead, I walked down the ward, glancing left and right at the notes that were attached to the end of each bed.
    When I was halfway down the ward, I spotted his name. The vampire was probably in his early twenties, but looked much older.
    “David! David! Are you awake?”
    He opened one eye. “Who are you?”
    “Alan sent me. My name is Jill Gooder, I’m a private investigator. I’m cousin to Amber and Pearl, the twins.”
    “I know them.” He pulled himself into a sitting position. “They own the cake shop.”
    “That’s right. I wondered if I could ask you a few questions?”
    “I’ll try, but I’m not feeling too great.”
    “That’s really what I wanted to talk to you about. According to Alan, you’re the second member of his BoundBall team to have been affected.”
    “Really? I didn’t know. Who’s the other one?”
    “Bobby.”
    He nodded. “Poor old Bobby. Is he in here too?”
    “No, I believe they’ve let him go home. Can you tell me how this all started?”
    “I was perfectly well; in fact, I’d been playing BoundBall. Then, I started to feel weak and a teeny bit dizzy. The next thing I knew I woke up in here. I must’ve collapsed.”
    “Had you eaten anything unusual?”
    “No, but then I’m a bit of a fussy eater, so I tend to stick to the same diet all the time.”
    “The doctors are saying it’s a virus.”
    “That’s what they told me too, but I don’t buy it. I reckon it was the blood.”
    “Blood?”
    “The synthetic blood. All the vampires in Candlefield drink it. No human blood allowed.”
    “Of course. What makes you think it might be that?”
    “I’d had a new batch delivered that day, and it was not long after I had my first drink that I began to feel off it.”
    “Delivered? You don’t get it from a shop, then?”
    “No. All synthetic blood is delivered to the door.”
    “Did it look or—err—taste—any different?”
    “No. It was the same as always.”
    “Okay. Thanks, David. I’ll let you get back to sleep. I hope you feel better soon.”
     
    ***
     
    I’d only been back at the office for a few minutes when Mrs V popped her head around my door.
    “There’s a detective to see you. He says he’s taken over from Jack Maxwell.”
    “Ah, right. Send him straight in, would you, please?”
    So, Lee O’Reilly had decided to pay