Iris Pierce is Detective Howard Parker's assistant and being a detective's assistant means being thrust into a world of death and blood. Not to mention the fact that Iris is a psychic who can see the ghosts of the people who's death she is helping s...
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Howard leaned forward on the sofa clasping his hands together. He looked rather odd dressed in his pyjamas and robe. Our client, Miss Beatrice Banks, a prim and proper woman in professional dress with long spindly limbs, raised an eyebrow as she saw the bulging bandages on Howard's head.
'That looks painful, Detective Parker,' she said in an unsympathetic tone. Howard nodded slowly. 'Oh yes, very painful. Injured myself while chasing a criminal down Abercrombie street. Rat got away at the end.' Me and Hampton forced ourselves not to laugh. Maybe saying he fell down the stairs was too embarrassing for Howard. Rowena looked as ready as ever, maintaining her composure. 'But you're well enough to take the case aren't you?' Miss Banks asked. 'Yes, I'm perfectly fine. The bandage will be off very soon. Now enough about me, let's talk about you. What grisly tale have you for us today, Miss Banks?'
Miss Banks gave a sigh before she began, 'Me and my niece, Elizabeth Dougherty, live together in Glebe in a place called Black Lodge. It's a large house and we have guests stay upstairs. It's basically a lodge. We had been together ever since her father left and her mother passed away from grief. Elizabeth is a normal girl. Twenty-three years old, works at a restaurant. She's never been in any sort of trouble.'
'A day ago, Elizabeth set out for work like she usually does at nine thirty. I waited for her to get home in the evening but she didn't. After waiting a couple of hours I called her but no one answered. I then went to her workplace but they said she hadn't arrived at work today. I called her friends and her grandmother but none of them had seen her the whole day! She still isn't back!' Miss Banks's polished and prim manner had faded with every word she said and now she looked, in a sense, bedraggled.
Her story wasn't yet anything remarkable. We had had many missing person cases and to be honest murder was usually what had happened or kidnapping. I was noting down every little thing she said and when I looked across at Rowena who was sitting in between Hampton and Howard, I could see that she was doing the same thing, even though it was supposed to be my job. But then again she had taken all my jobs since she arrived.
'Did you inform the police, Miss Banks?' Hampton asked. 'Of course! They said they would call you to take the case because apparently they were too busy to look for young girls! Some man called Leo Jesperson. I said I'd go myself and tell you the story in case they missed any details. I will do anything to get Elizabeth back!' I saw Howard staring at Miss Banks in interest. I had no doubt he would take the case because Howard never liked to turn down cases, especially cases that were so important. 'Where is your house, Miss Banks? Do you mind if me and my friends stay at the lodge for a few days? Just until we're sure of your niece's whereabouts.'
➿
I could have been mistaken because we did arrive at nightfall, but Black Lodge was definitely that, black. It had a steep roofline, wood sliding, paned windows and lots of little neat green pot plants hanging from the ceiling. Very odd and very modern it looked, but I was dragged over into the lodge so fast, I couldn't really take my time in examining. Miss Banks greeted us at the door and welcomed us inside.
