Chapter Ten

Bev didn't believe for one second that Etheldra Daws would send threatening letters to Ida and Vellora. The old woman was direct, a little cantankerous, but her tea shop was always busy with shoppers and sippers alike, and Bev couldn't see a scenario where she would even want gold from Ida.

But it was still a question—and she'd learned from Claude that no one was absolved of guilt until she'd made absolutely sure they had no ulterior motives.

So after a quick pop in at the inn, where she had the unfortunate task of telling her guests that the roads were still too snowy for them to leave, Bev checked on her bread, petted Biscuit, who was happy playing with the two little boys, and donned her things again.

"Going out so soon?" Bernie asked.

"I…uh…" Bev cleared her throat. "Running low on tea, so I'm headed to the local shop."

"Oh, I'd love to join you, if you don't mind," he said. "I've heard such wonderful things and…well, it's nice to stretch the legs."

Bev hadn't had a chance to get to know Bernie, so she readily accepted his offer and the two of them set off down the street. Some kind citizen had come through with a shovel again to make things a little easier, but the cold wind was brutal, and there were ice patches everywhere.

"I'd hoped things would be better by now," Bernie said, moving slowly to keep his balance.

"It's a strange year, that's for sure," Bev said.

"I worry about poor Estera. Hope she made it to her mother's house all right. We've been lucky it hasn't snowed any more, but it hasn't been exactly pleasant." He glanced at Bev, almost a bit eagerly. "What got her so intent on leaving? Do you know?"

Bev shook her head. "Nope. But I also hope she made it safely to wherever she was going."

"She really didn't say a word to you about—"

"So, you're from the south? What brings you up here?" Bev said, eager to get off the subject of Estera.

"Oh, this and that," he said. "I'm a nomadic sort of man. Never stay in one spot for too long—unless, of course, I'm snowed in!" He chuckled. "I fell into some nice work with a scholar in Sheepsburg who needed an extra pair of hands to do their annual accounting. Paid me handsomely and set me up for at least another month of lackadaisical travel."

"You travel from town to town in search of work, then?" Bev asked. "You know, our local archivist Max was telling me his nephew was unable to make it this year to help him with the accounting. If you get bored, you might find some work with him."

He nodded with a bit of a nervous laugh. "I find, actually, that if I don't have to work, I don't really want to. Part of my nomadic spirit, you know."

To not have to work? "I've never known such a life."

"No? Surely, you had some days in your childhood where you could lie in a field of flowers and watch the clouds go by?"

"If I did, I don't remember them," Bev said, briefly explaining her origin story. "So ever since I arrived here, I've been working at the inn. But the work gives me purpose and a reason to get up in the morning. Plus, I get to chat with interesting folks like yourself."

"I don't know," Bernie said with a shake of his head. "You do work awfully hard. You should give the leisurely life a try once in a while."

Bev nodded as they came into the town square. "It gets pretty quiet after the solstice. Everything really shuts down, and people stay in their houses. But I always get a guest or two and dinner needs making for those in town who want a hot meal. Plus, there's the mule and dog to tend to, and if I don't keep up with the floors and windows, they get filthy…" Bev rattled off more of her daily chores, earning a groan from Bernie.

"You should hire help," he said. "At one gold piece a night, you certainly can afford it."

"Sometimes," Bev said. "But I like having ownership of the place. I know things get done right the first time."

"Young Collin isn't cleaning up to your standards?" he said with a chuckle.

Bev snorted. After several nights of decent work, this morning she'd found the kitchen not quite as clean as she'd hoped. "If he wants a warm bed, he's got to pull his weight. Or cough up some gold."

"He's asking the wrong people," Bernie said. "Keeps sniffing around the cleric for a tip, but everyone knows the clergy have no money. Now, if he came to me, I'm sure I could find something for him to do for me."

"Like what?"

"Oh…" He tapped his finger to his chin. "Well, I'm sure I'd think of something."

Bev smiled as they came into the main square. The tea shop was beyond the schoolhouse, which was closed for the winter. It was a quaint little building that sometimes had tables outside. People came to buy their tea in bulk for their morning cuppa, but also to enjoy the day's special brew. Bev was especially fond of the solstice blend that made its appearance around this time.

Inside, the small tea room was warm and inviting, with a roaring fire in the hearth and five tables situated around the room. There were a couple of folks sipping on tea and talking, including Allen and his would-be girlfriend Vicky at one table, and the Silvers, Freddie and Hans, who seemed to be sharing one of Allen's sugar-coated pastries and staring lovingly into each other's eyes, at another.

At the counter, Shasta Brewer was helping a customer with a large order, pulling canisters off the shelf and scooping them into small bags. When the customer turned, Bev recognized Mayor Jo Hendry all bundled up in a smart tailored coat and perfectly clean boots that defied logic.

"And the solstice blend, too," she said before noticing Bev and Bernie standing behind her. "Oh, good morning. Surprised to see you out and about in this nasty weather."

"Likewise," Bev said with a nod. "Mayor Hendry, this is Bernie Shaffer. He's staying at the inn."

"Longer than I'd hoped," he said, eyeing her for a minute before brightening. "You're the mayor, Bev said? You've got a lovely town here. I'm sure it's much prettier in the spring."

"Much," Hendry said, taking the bags of loose-leaf tea from Shasta. "Bev, things all right at the inn?"

Bev hesitated, wondering if she should mention the Witzels' letters. "Things are lovely."

"Oh good, because Rustin said you'd stopped in to visit him yesterday," she said, running a long nail around her perfectly shaped lips.

What Rustin had told Hendry was anyone's guess, but Bev didn't want to discuss it in front of Bernie. "Oh, yes. Just wanted to check in with something about the Witzels' annual holiday party. I assume we'll be seeing you?"

"I'll try to make an appearance," she said with a long sigh. "But even getting out the door is so much trouble. We're lucky folks have taken it upon themselves to shovel some of the streets."

"No thanks to our hibernating mayor." Etheldra's grainy voice echoed from the stairwell behind them. Although she was old, Etheldra took the stairs sprightly, crossing the room to stand behind the counter with Shasta. "First time I've seen you out and about lately. Hope you've thanked Earl for doing your job."

"I certainly will if I see him." The mayor wrapped herself up in her scarf and swept out the door without another word.

Shasta shared a nervous look with Bev, while Etheldra glared at the door for a moment before turning her ire onto the next customers in line.

"What are you doing here?" she barked at Bev. "Here to convince me to return to dinner at the inn? Well, not until that loudmouth bard is gone."

"No, of course not," Bev said. "I needed to get a refill on some tea for the inn."

"You got a refill last week."

Bev forced a smile as they stared at each other in silence.

"I'd like to get a cup of this solstice blend," Bernie said, stepping forward. "It smells delicious."

"I'll get right on that," Shasta said. "Come with me. Would you like any honey or sugar?"

The two left Bev and Etheldra staring at each other across the counter. The other woman sniffed. "Now why are you really here?"

"I had a couple of questions for you, if you've got a moment," Bev said.

"Ask."

"Well, perhaps we could go somewhere a bit less crowded?"

She sighed. "Then why didn't you say so?"

Bev followed Etheldra out into what was usually a lush garden with hanging tree limbs overhead and more tables for sitting and enjoying the day. Now, however, it was covered in snow like everything else. Bev shivered for a moment, even though she still wore her cloak, but it was probably more due to Etheldra's frosty glare.

"Well? What is it?"

Bev decided it was better to ask the questions than beat around the bush. "You're related to Ida Witzel, aren't you?"

"Of course. Her grandmother was my first cousin. Why?"

"Well, I'm trying to figure out…" Bev cleared her throat. "Someone's been sending the Witzels threatening letters. Not quite sure what they're really after, but the letters indicate they want gold. I wanted to know if you had any idea who might be sending them?"

"Probably those dastardly Kloses," Etheldra said. "You know one of the Middleburg scum is in town? I try to avoid them if I can."

Bev cleared her throat. "But you're not related to them, right?"

"No, I just don't like them. That Grant is too nice for his own good."

"I see." She shifted. "I wonder if the letters have anything to do with Ida's strength."

"Don't be daft, of course they do," she said. "That or her wife's wartime service. Have you looked into that at all?"

Bev shook her head. "Vellora thinks it's Ida that they're trying to blackmail."

"Of course she does. Doesn't want to be blamed for the problems. I'd do the same thing."

They were getting off course. "I guess… Do you have any clue where this super strength came from? The Kloses don't believe it's from their line. But they thought it might…um. Might have come from the Daws side. Do you know anything about dryads?"

Etheldra adjusted her cloak. "Of course I do. Woodland nymphs. They say that a long time ago there was a nymph in the family line, but we all thought it was poppycock until Ida started carrying pigs three times her size when she was a little girl."

"Why do you think her parents didn't say anything?"

"Well, what's there to say?" Etheldra barked. "She's got curly hair, and she can lift heavy things. It's just another interesting fact about her." She paused. "Well, it was until that damn queen came into power. If you ask me, she ruined just about everything."

Bev nodded. "We think whoever's blackmailing the Witzels is planning to take what they know to the soldiers stationed to the north. Once the snow melts, of course. But it's got them spooked. Any insight you could give me…"

"Another mystery to solve, eh, Bev?" The woman eyed her. "You know you might as well add 'super sleuth' to your title at the inn."

"Just trying to help out my friends," Bev said.

"I'd start by investigating those no-good Kloses," Etheldra said. "You know, I hear that their business is failing. The latest generation seems to be mucking things up good."

Bev frowned. "Really? I hadn't heard that."

"Surprised Ida hasn't mentioned it, all the bad blood between them." She chuckled. "Would make a pretty decent motive, if you ask me." She adjusted her cloak. "Now if you'll excuse me, I must be getting back to work."

~

Bev returned to the tea shop where Bernie was seated at the table with someone who had his back to Bev. Bernie motioned for her to join them, and as Bev rounded the table, she stopped short.

A uniformed queen's soldier.

"Bev, this is Henry Markum," Bernie said.

"Hello," the soldier said, nodding at Bev.

"Bev," she replied, taking the empty third seat and watching him warily. "Traveling into town?"

"No, I was doing a quick inspection," he said, bringing the teacup to his lips. From his tone, he, like Estera, didn't want to say where he was coming from. "This tea is quite good."

"I agree," Bev said, wondering if Bernie might've gotten more out of the soldier. "Are you in need of a room tonight? We have one left—"

"No. I'm headed back as soon as I thaw myself."

"Back to where?" Bev asked.

"The rest of my regiment," he said, putting the empty teacup down. "I must be getting going. Thank you for the seat and the cuppa."

"Oh, regiment?" Bev said, hoping she sounded innocent. "Then you must know Estera Pongo."

He stopped. "I do."

"She was staying at my inn recently," Bev said. "Left to go home, she said. She'd thought her regiment had moved on, but it appears you're still nearby."

"Indeed." He nodded. "Good day."

With that, he left without another word.

"Hello and goodbye," Bev said, watching him with a frown. "Did he happen to say where he was staying? I can't imagine he's walking all the way to Middleburg in this weather."

"No, I got about as much information out of him as you did," he said with a chuckle. "I like queen's soldiers, you know? They've always got some good story to share about their journeys across this country. Though normally, they're much chattier when you buy them a cup of tea."

"Did he say what he was inspecting?" Bev asked, glancing out the window. The soldier was still visible, struggling through the high snowbanks farther out of town.

"The only thing in town worth inspecting is the snow," Bernie said. "You know, maybe he suspects someone's cast a spell and made it snow. The quiet ones tend to be more interested in magic."

Bev could attest to that. "I should've asked if he worked for Karolina Hunter. She passed through town a few months ago and had the same…uh…type of personality. Very interested in finding magic, much to the detriment of the town, I might add."

"Oh, well…" He nodded, as if this wasn't a surprise to him. "Did she find anything?"

Bev thought of the two amulet pieces buried in several inches of snow and dirt. "No, can't say she did. But we're certainly keeping our eyes open for any magical nonsense."

~

Bernie had brought a book to read and wasn't eager to get back out in the snow, so Bev donned her heavy cloak and trudged back to the Weary Dragon by herself. She still had a few chores left to do, not to mention putting in her meat order for the day.

She slowed as the Witzel Butchery came into view and chewed her lip. Ida and Vellora needed to know a soldier had been in town, albeit briefly, and Bev wanted to ask them about Etheldra, the Kloses, and what they knew of Ida's family tree.

Up ahead, Ida came trudging through the snow, sans cloak or coat, holding a letter as her breath pooled around her face, and Bev's heart sank.

"Another one?" Bev asked.

The longer you wait, the worse it'll be.

A hundred gold coins. Tonight. Or else.