Chapter 2
‘You’ve had pancakes, eggs, and toast, and still you’re hungry?’ Iris laughed at her sister Josie perusing the dining table for more to satisfy her appetite.
‘I always get hungry after a storm.’ Josie snaffled a slice of apple and grinned.
Cookie had her face practically glued to the window. ‘Ooh, it was a good one last night, wasn’t it?’
Iris narrowed her eyes, wanting to get to the bottom of the empty cabin mystery. ‘Hmm.’
‘Don’t look at me like that,’ said Cookie, turning. ‘I’ll hold my hands up and admit I occasionally dabble in witchcraft, but I can’t control the weather, love.’
Josie smiled at Iris. ‘Wish I could.’
‘So do I, then you’d be able to make sure the snow didn’t land on all the roads leading to your shop.’ Iris turned to her aunt. ‘And what are your plans today, seeing how we’re snowed in?’
Cookie approached the long dark table to pick up her coffee. ‘I told Magnus I’d help him paint his spare room. Might as well.’
Magnus Jones entered the dining room. His broad shoulders dropped on hearing Cookie’s remark. ‘Since when have I ever needed you to help me paint?’
‘You’re my best friend, and I’m being friendly.’
Magnus’s brown eyes held suspicion. ‘What are you up to, Cookie?’
‘Why is everyone so suspicious?’ Cookie took her hot drink and left the room, leaving her nieces grinning at the B&B’s maintenance man.
Magnus swiped a grape from the bowl closest to him. ‘I’m getting too old for her mischief.’
Iris offered him a plate, which he declined. ‘Nonsense. You’re only five years younger than Cookie.’
Josie giggled. ‘Yeah, you’ve got years left to put up with her mischief.’
Magnus scooped back his mousey hair. ‘Hmm.’
Josie turned as Rocco walked in. ‘Hi, you must be the new police officer.’
Iris took in his jeans and navy sweatshirt, thinking his causal look smart.
Rocco bobbed his head as he entered. ‘Pleased to meet you.’
‘Morning, Rocco. Hope you slept well.’ Iris warmed as he returned her smile, then she gestured at their company. ‘This is my youngest sister, Josie, and this is Magnus. He keeps this place in good health.’
Magnus chuckled as he shook Rocco’s hand. ‘Old house, old pipes. Always something needs fixing around here. Welcome to Butterbrook.’
‘Thank you.’ Rocco pulled out a chair and sat to pour himself a coffee.
‘Here,’ said Josie, handing him a plate. ‘Eat what you want.’
Iris laughed. ‘Yes, before Josie scoffs the lot.’
Josie twirled her long light-pink ponytail. ‘This is what happens when I’m bored, and seeing how I can’t get home or to my shop to open up, I’m afraid I’m just going to spend the day eating.’
‘What shop do you have?’ asked Rocco, adding pancakes to his plate.
‘It’s called Crystal Tree, but I sell more than just crystals. Everyone says it’s an enchanting spiritual shop filled with charm.’ She beamed proudly. ‘Pop in anytime.’
‘Oh, no offence, but crystals and spiritual stuff aren’t really my thing.’ Rocco added some maple syrup to his food. ‘I guess that doesn’t stop me popping by to say hello though.’
Josie grinned at Iris. ‘He’ll love my shop after just one peek.’
‘I think he’ll be busy with his new job,’ said Magnus.
Rocco looked at him. ‘I was going to go to the station today to have a nosey. I’m not due to start till March, but I wanted to come here early to settle in first. His gaze fell to the window. ‘The snow is pretty deep out there. If you like, I could clear the pathways out front.’
Magnus nodded. ‘I’d appreciate the help.’
Looking at the window, Iris sighed. Josie was right about one thing. They were all stuck at the B&B for the day, but at least she could spend some time getting to know Rocco.
After spending the morning shifting snow, Rocco went over to his new home to see what could be cleaned. The place held a lot of potential. With some care and attention it could be just as cosy as the B&B.
‘Hey,’ said Iris, poking her head around the doorway. ‘Thought I’d see if you needed some help.’ She waggled a yellow duster before revealing a plastic box of cleaning products.
Rocco smiled as she removed her long pink coat, thinking her cute in her blue trousers and long-sleeved white blouse. ‘Thanks. It does need a tidy, then I can add some furniture.’
‘The furniture is around here somewhere. Probably in the barn. We use it as a storage unit. I guess Vern didn’t have time.’
‘It’ll be quite nice in here when it looks more like a home.’ Rocco turned in a circle. ‘Anyone lived here before?’
‘No. We renovated some outbuildings on our land. My sister Norma has one, called it Puddle Cottage, due to the pond close by, and this one we called Cosy Cabin.’ She blew out a small laugh.
‘Not giving off those vibes just yet, but I assure you, it’s cosy.
’ She frowned towards the thermostat. ‘Let’s make a start right here.
’ She turned up the heating. ‘And there is a small nook on the porch where you should find some kindling for the wood burner.’
‘Have you always lived here?’
Iris nodded as she pulled out a spray bottle. ‘Yep, all thirty years of my life. Hardly seen the world, but I’m happy. I love Butterbrook. You’re from London, right?’
‘Yeah, but once my brother moved up north, there wasn’t that much for me there.
’ He gestured at the door. ‘My gran used to talk about this place. Came here before she met my grandfather, fell in love with some fella, but I guess it wasn’t meant to be, because she went home to London, and that was that.
Didn’t stop her talking about how this was the best place she’d ever visited. ’
‘Aww, I wonder who she fell in love with here?’
‘Some local. If he’s still around, he’d probably be in his eighties. No way of telling. She never mentioned his name.’
‘Sounds like a holiday romance. I sort of had one once.’
Rocco quirked his eyebrow in interest, as judging by her face, she had let that snippet of information slip out before thinking. ‘What happened?’
Iris wrinkled her nose. ‘The short version is, he pretended he was going to put down roots here, that he loved me, but as soon as I slept with him, he left. Told me he wasn’t really serious, but there was me thinking it the beginning of something wonderful, as you do. ’ She shrugged, then started cleaning.
‘Bit of a creep, if you ask me.’ Rocco plugged in the vacuum cleaner. ‘Men who lie to women just to get them into bed are manipulative abusers. Shame we can’t lock them up for their scheming.’
That seemed to cheer up Iris. ‘I quite agree.’
They shared a smile, then got to work, and before long, the Cosy Cabin was ready for furniture.
A tapping came at the wooden door, swiftly followed by Magnus entering. ‘Found the furniture that goes in here. I’ll start bringing it over.’
Since Rocco and Magnus had cleared some of the pathways around the estate first thing, it was easy for everyone to get around.
‘I’ll help,’ said Iris, putting the cleaning products away.
‘Have you heard what went missing?’ asked Magnus, walking off in front. ‘Half the village is texting about it.’
Rocco took in the snow-covered acres, thinking everything pretty, as fresh bitter air tingled his skin. ‘What’s missing?’
‘By all accounts, Lady Vic disappeared last night.’
Iris gasped, but Rocco spoke before she had time to open her mouth.
‘Is there a search for her?’
Magnus stopped to turn, a small twitch of his top lip showed Rocco his amusement. ‘Lady Vic isn’t a person. It’s the name of our good luck charm.’
Iris tapped Magnus on the arm. ‘You’re confusing him.
’ She turned to Rocco. ‘There’s a statue of an enchanted tree in Crescent Park in honour of the late Vic Townsend who wrote the Fanciful Fae Tree books right there in our park.
Well, one day, before my time, a small fairy appeared on one of the branches.
Just standing there, cemented on. Someone said it was magic, just for a laugh, and someone else said if you touch her head, you’ll receive good luck, so the little fairy ended up becoming a good luck charm for Butterbrook. ’
Magnus nodded. ‘And someone gave her the name Lady Vic.’
‘I can’t believe someone would take her.’ Iris seemed both angry and upset. ‘People are going to say we’ll receive bad luck now. There are a lot of superstitious people around here.’
Magnus motioned towards Cookie at the end of the pathway, waving a hand. ‘Yep, and there’s one of them. And by the look on her face, I’d say she’s just heard the news.’
The sky was clear blue, and a delicate whistle came from a nearby evergreen, catching Rocco’s attention.
He listened to the locals talk between themselves about the missing fairy and wished his time was spent at the police station doing something to help, as it was obvious Lady Vic meant a lot to the village.
‘We won’t win the Winter Star now,’ snapped Cookie, hands on hips and lips pursed.
Iris leaned a little closer to Rocco. ‘There’s an award each summer and winter that goes to the best kept village in the Cotswolds. We won the winter one last time, and that’s what it’s called.’
Cookie huffed. ‘And we were going to win it this winter as well, but not now we’ve been cursed with bad luck.’ She flailed her arms and stormed off, stating she needed to find a shielding spell to help matters.
Rocco thought it best he did his job and help find the missing item, even though he wasn’t officially on the clock. ‘When do you think the roads will be usable?’
‘Snowploughs are out already,’ replied Magnus. ‘Should be drivable come morning.’
‘If we don’t have any more snow,’ said Iris, glancing at the sky.
Rocco offered her a warm smile, which was a tad difficult seeing how his lips were turning blue from standing around in the cold. ‘I’ll head to the station first thing, and I’ll see about helping to get to the bottom of this, Iris.’
‘Thank you. And just know, you’ll have plenty of help, because the whole village will be out searching as soon as they can.’ She lightly nudged his arm. ‘Meanwhile, let’s get you settled in your new home.’
Heading off to pick up his furniture, Rocco felt very much at home already. He had a roof over his head, a case to solve, and a warmth that reached his heart each time Iris smiled his way.