Death Has A Name

Chapter 10

“Okay Riddle – Man – Shop” Mel repeated. It had become somewhat of a mantra of late. At first she thought it was an actual riddle. So she tried changing the letters around to no avail. This had kept her busy for the best part of a week.

It wasn’t until she sat down, that an image of a shop popped into her head that Mel remembered that her Gramps had taken her to on occasion when she wanted something for a spell.  If she remembered rightly it was called ‘Riddle’.

She hastily opened the yellow pages and scanned for what she hoped would be, what she was looking for.

After searching she finally found an address, ripping out the page she set off in her car feeling better than she had done in weeks. She was finally getting somewhere.

The shop looked much dirtier and run down than she last remembered but it was definitely the place Gramps had taken her to when she was a child.

Mel opened the door and heard the tinkle of the overhead bell.

“Hello?”

“Come in dear, I won’t be a mo’. Just moving some stock, have a look around won’t you.” Replied a whiskery old voice.

Mel could smell the damp, and see that the place needed a good old fashioned clean. How it was still open was a mystery to Mel. Books upon books were placed haphazardly upon bookshelves. Dried herbs were strung from the ceiling and various jars were all lined up behind the dusty counter.

An old man, with a very whiskery beard appeared by her side. His blue eyes twinkling behind black rimmed glasses.

“Can I help you?”

“Oh erm, yes actually. Er do you remember anyone by the name of Brenda Murs?”

The man’s smile quickly turned into a frown, his apparent genial demeanour disappeared and she felt the atmosphere change rather quickly, from one of helpfulness to outright hostility. Even the room seemed to darken if that was possible.

“Who wants to know?”

“I’m her granddaughter, I was looking for some help.”

“Her granddaughter you say?” He stared at her disbelieving.

“Yes, I-“

“Proof – I want proof!” he barked at her.

Taken aback, she pulled her purse out of her bag and opened it. Pulling out a slightly faded photo of herself and Gramps taken a month before she died.

“Here.” She thrust the photo at him and waited while he scrutinised it. The atmosphere seemed to slowly lift, the oppressiveness evaporated as he handed it back to her.

“Melanie? My word – the last time I saw you, you barely reached the counter. How old are you now? Oh you must have been about eight the last time you came here with Brenda.”

“I’m twenty eight now, you know Gramps dies a few years ago?”

“Yes, I’m really sorry Melanie. Brenda was a wonderful woman, what I like to call salt of the earth type.”

“She was.”

“Come on back and I’ll stick the kettle on and you can tell me what it is you need.”

He led her through to the staff area, which was barely a cubicle that sat a small desk and two fold out chairs. A kettle and a mini fridge were situated on top of the small desk, which he switched on and pulled out two mugs as if from the air.

He motioned for her to take a seat as he busied himself making two cups of tea.

“I should have known you would have turned up one day. Your Gran always said you would.”

“She did?”

“Oh yes, she was certain of it – looks like she was right. Here you are.”

He handed a steaming cup to her, which she took gratefully. “So you know why I’ve come?”

“Well I have an idea, you see I knew what your Grandmother was. Not many women with her power about I can tell you. She was very secretive, but on occasion she would confide in me. In fact…” He moved through into the shop front, Mel could hear things being moved about and a few grunts. Five minutes later he came through covered in webbing and a fair amount of dust, carrying a small trunk.

“I completely forgot about this, but seeing as Brenda’s gone I reckon it belongs to you now.”

“What’s in it?”

“Damned if I know. But come on, I want to know how I can help.”

Mel took a deep breath and began to explain about the children’s murders and what her Gramps had warned her about as a little girl.