Author: Erica Drayton Writes

EPISODE 3 of 12 – Sleight of Hand

Flossie has ambitions to be a great detective. So, when a body drops dead on her best friends living room floor, she sees this as an opportunity to uncover who committed the murder. But with the king’s guardsmen on high alert looking for a stranger, first, she must work with Felix to hide the body.

TOLD FROM THE POV OF FLOSSIE

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Charisma and Flossie returned to the main room with mere seconds to have a look round for any incriminating evidence of a once dead man lying on the floor before the front door was forced open.

“Excuse us, but what is this all about?” Charisma asked, folding her arms in defiance as half a dozen guardsmen filed into the room. Their leader stood out only by the cleanliness of his uniform. His beard and mustache matched the auburn color of his hair, all curls that bounced about when he removed his helmet.

“Begging your pardon, misses, but the king has ordered us to search every flat, starting with lower Wondermere and working our way back towards the colosseum. This will only take a moment.”

“And what, may we ask, are you looking for? We might save you the trouble of tearing apart my friend’s flat,” Flossie interjected, standing shoulder to shoulder with Charisma.

“A very dangerous man,” he answered, eyeing the two women suspiciously. “Are you saying this isn’t your flat?”

“It is not. We’re here to check on a sick friend. We live next door, you see. Her father is the wand maker—” Flossie started but was cut short.

“Your father is Chester Price? THE Chester Price?” The gentleman’s eyes lit up at the mention of her father’s name. Charisma was used to this happening and although she hated to use it, she knew that now was the time to set her personal feelings aside and use it to her advantage.

“That is indeed her father—” Flossie said, trying to interject but was again cut short.

“That means you’re Charisma Price. Well, blimey. You probably don’t remember me, but the first time I ever entered your father’s shop you were no higher than me knee,” he continued, gesturing the height with his hand beside his leg.

Charisma took a closer look at him and realized he was older than he looked. His facial hair hid the signs of aging evident in his eyes. Though his smile was so large and bright when he realized who she was that it managed to take considerable age off him as well.

She spent many hours at her father’s shop when she was a child as he could not afford to pay someone to look after her and she was much too young for school. Those were happier times.

“My father had many customers and I was just a child. Were you there shopping for yourself?” Charisma asked, raising one hand to scratch the side of her head awkwardly, nudging Flossie in the process to try and get her to notice the guardsmen were getting closer to the closed bedroom door at the other end from where they stood.

“Not me, miss,” he chuckled. “I could no more pull a rabbit out of a hat as my own wife could cook one.” He threw his head back and guffawed louder than was necessary considering how close they were standing to each other. Flossie startled at the sound but she and Charisma managed to return a smile at his flat joke just the same.

“We didn’t catch your name?” Flossie asked. 

“Sir Gareth Ravenswood,” he said, extending his hand to Charisma to shake, even though it was Flossie who asked him his name. “Pleased to make your acquaintance.” Charisma reluctantly extended her left hand. She was surprised at how soft and smooth it was. She was expecting it to be not unlike her father’s hands. Calloused and scared. A true craftsman’s hands he would often say. She knew straight away Sir Gareth likely received his rank within the king’s guardsmen by inheritance. This meant the men under him did all the grunt work while he stood around talking to ladies of the house, as he was doing now.

One of the guardsmen approached Sir Gareth and whispered in his ear. His eyes examined Charisma then Flossie before nodding and dismissing the young guard.

“The bedroom door is closed. May we enter it? Just a routine search, of course.”

Flossie stepped forward defensively. “Is it absolutely necessary? It’s just that we just put our dear friend down for the night and he may not appreciate all of you barging in there unannounced.”

“I will be the only one to enter. You have my word,” he said and stood beside the bedroom door, waiting for either Charisma or Flossie to open it. The last thing he wanted was word of how he treated Charisma to reach her father. His rank could be taken away just as easily as it was given to him.

Charisma opened the door slowly then stepped to one side for Sir Gareth enter first. The room was dark so little could be seen by anyone entering. It contained a four poster bed tucked away in the farthest corner, tattered and faded drapes hung all around, concealing whoever was sleeping within. The shuttered windows made it reek of dust and dampness. It was a smell most unpleasant to Flossie when she assisted in carrying the corpse into the room. But she remarked how it would at least serve to mask the presence of death in the room. 

Beside the bed was a desk with few personal effects covering nearly every inch of it. There were papers with scribbled notes and illustrations, half melted candlesticks, and more dead rose stems than anyone should have in their possession, let alone an elderly man. Nearest the bed was one solitary candle, it was lit but it barely illuminated the table it sat upon as it flickered in the stillness of the room. In front of the bed was a large chest with neatly folded blankets and extra pillows on top.

As Sir Gareth entered, his heavy boots thudded across the hardwood floor. He walked to the middle of the room and looked around at every shadow and furniture before his eyes stopped on the bed. With all the curtains drawn he could not see who was inside.

“I assure you, he is fast asleep,” Charisma said. He raised his hand to silence her as he approached the bed. He leaned in close before carefully pulling back the curtain just as a low snore emerged from within.

Thick blankets covered Felix who was fast asleep, his nightcap still on his head. Sir Gareth looked around the bed that appeared to only occupy one person. He let the curtain return to its original place and gestured back towards the bedroom door. He, Charisma and Flossie exited together.

“Satisfied?” Flossie asked, putting on an air of agitation by the invasion of privacy, hoping it would get them to leave sooner.

“Not quite,” said Sir Gareth, letting a hint of frustration towards Flossie show. “Have you ever been to Ember Hall?”

“What are you insinuating? You know that would never be allowed let alone possible. Her father would have her head if he caught wind of his daughter—”

“I can answer for myself, Fliss,” said Charisma, cutting off her best friend from coming to her defense as usual. She can tell when Flossie has been pushed just a hair too far and she was afraid that point had been reached long time ago. If she didn’t intervene she may be visiting her childhood friend Fliss within the palace walls, their prison wing. “No, Sir Gareth, I have not been to Ember Hall. As you well know, it is for members of magicianary only and their assistants. I’m afraid I cannot have the privilege of such an honor and as for working for an act? Well, as my dear friend Fliss here pointed out, that is indeed out of the question. Why do you ask?”

“The stranger we are after was last sighted leaving there, headed in this direction. I simply want to make sure you steer clear of places like that at night.”

“You can rest assured I go to work at the colosseum every morning and come straight home in the evening. There is little time for late night dalliances at halls or pubs for the daughter of Chester Price.” The way she spoke her father’s name made Sir Gareth realize their relationship wasn’t as close as he expected. He only wish he had a father like her’s, who got to work with magicians all day, fitting them with a wand in the evening hours. Instead, he was left with a family legacy that was relegated to service and duty to the crown for his life and the life of his children and his children’s children.

Sir Gareth bowed his head slightly to Charisma to signal his departure. When he reached the door he spun on his heels and asked, “Does your father know you’re spending time with strange men at night?”

“Felix isn’t a strange man. He’s my friend. And of course my father knows I check in on Felix from time to time. Living alone can be lonely sometimes. Fliss and I like to keep him company when we can. Will that be all, Sir Gareth?”

“Yes,” Flossie said, “we must see what mess your men made of our flats while we weren’t there to observe them. I’m sure they’ve left us with quite a lot of work to do before we can retire for the night.” She pushed past Sir Gareth and waited for him on the other side of the front door threshold. He whistled to his men who, upon hearing it, stopped whatever they were doing, wherever they were, and filed outside immediately to await further instructions.

“It’s not safe out here at night, miss,” said Sir Gareth, taking a step towards Charisma, whispering so only she could hear his words. “This stranger is believed to be dangerous. I’d hate for something to happen to Chester Price’s only daughter on my watch. If you see anyone suspicious just scream. My men are posted everywhere. You may not see them, but they are there. One of them will be sure to hear you.”

He held a hand out for hers. She hesitated and that was enough for him to know his instincts that she was hiding something was right. “I shall be sure to tell my father of the care and interest you’re taking in his only daughter at night. I’m sure he’ll want to extend his thanks.” She placed her hand in his and they locked eyes as he raised it to his lips, placing a kiss upon her fingers before letting go. 

“No need. It is a public service I am commanded to provide to everyone of Wondermere.”

Once he and his men were out of Felix’s flat, Flossie reentered and slammed the door behind her. 

“We’ll have to keep an eye out for him. I don’t like the way he said my father’s name,” said Charisma. Flossie peeked out the window beside the front door to confirm there was no one in sight before pounding on the bedroom door. “And why tell us about Ember Hall so freely. A trap to see if we’ll go there?”

“If it was then he’s smarter than I give him credit for,” Fliss said, stepping back from the window before shouting, “All clear. You can come out now!”

“Fliss, we can’t,” Charisma said, recognizing the smirk on Flossie’s face all too well. The last time she saw that smirk was when it was her first day working at the colosseum. Charisma got the job through her father and vouched for Flossie who was in desperate need of money after her aunt and only means of support became too ill to work. She was given the task all new members of Miss. Pomroy’s staff are given, to sweep the entrance of the colosseum. It was a right of passage that Flossie nearly failed had Charisma had not caught her scheme first. There Flossie was, availing herself of a cigarette, leaning against the entryway of the colosseum, while a couple of vagrant children she’d met only that morning were busy doing her job. When Charisma confronted her about it she explained Miss. Pomroy would be pleased with her initiative and that perhaps Charisma needed to take up smoking to relieve the strain she was clearly under. It was then that Flossie understood why Charisma was Miss. Pomroy’s protege and her best friend. She finally relented, once the children were done and properly paid, of course. And as it happened, Miss. Pomroy arrived not a moment later to congratulate Flossie in her exemplary work and in half the time that anyone else, including Charisma, had done it on her first day.

“Can’t what?” Fliss asked with a wink.

Felix came bounding out of the bedroom, filled with excitement. “Do you think they suspected anything?”

“He didn’t even bat an eye at your chest in front of the bed. Stroke of genius having us put him in there. I just hope he won’t be too much trouble to get out. We had as tough a time as any getting him inside,” said Flossie, her heard racing from the excitement.

“Just a moment, Felix,” said Charisma, trying to keep her line of questioning from getting changed to the subject of the body in the chest. “Flossie, we are most definitely not going to Ember Hall tonight or ever.”

Felix’s eyes widened at the mention of Ember Hall. He knew it very well. “What is this about Ember Hall?”

“Sir Gareth of the king’s guardsmen saw fit to inform us that’s where our gentleman friend in your chest was last sighted before headed this way. I can think of no better place to go next if we ever hope to find out who he is and why he dropped dead at your feet after giving you this,” said Flossie, pulling out the deck of cards she had hidden in her pants pocket and holding it in the air.

Upon seeing the deck Felix staggered back. “I don’t believe it. I mean, I had a feeling he had it but not until now did I truly believe it. You two have no idea…none at all…”

Flossie furrowed her eyebrows in Felix’s direction. She knew he was hiding something and now was as good a time as any to come clean. “I’ve had about enough of your cryptic words and behavior, Felix. Out with it. What exactly do you know about all this?”

Felix took a deep breath and tried to straighten his back before looked only at Charisma. “If he is who I think he is, then I know him very well. In order for you two to understand I have to show you something. Wait here please,” he said, and disappeared to his bedroom, returning only a few moments later with a book  that he gripped with unsteady hands. “This book and that deck belong together. That is to say, the owner of the deck wrote this book.”

Flossie handed the deck to Charisma. “You mean…That’s the lost Magic Codex of Cards?” Felix nodded his head before taking a seat at his table nearby. “I don’t believe it. That book is a thing of legend.”

“So is the deck you hold in your hands. Both believed to have been destroyed long ago. And yet, here they are. Not only very much real but back together as they were meant to be. Now, that I do not believe is coincidence or chance luck.”

“No Felix, it surely isn’t,” said Charisma. “It’s a damn reason good enough for going to Ember Hall.”

“Thank you, Charisma. Here I thought I’d have to talk you into you. I do believe being my friend this long has brought about your curiosity too.”

“Don’t thank me yet, Fliss. You forget how difficult it is to gain entry to a place like Ember Hall. As women we can’t simply walk in. We need to have employment with an act that is a member of the hall. We neither have employment nor know what acts are members of that particular hall.”

“I do. I know an act that should still be members of Ember Hall,” Felix said, shifting his eyes away from Charisma and Flossie.

“Now Felix, why would you know such information? That’s usually kept very much a secret within the inner circles of magicianary. Not even a magician would divulge that kind of information to another magician for fear their performance and tricks could be stolen. Unless…I don’t believe it.”

“What?” Charisma asked, looking from Flossie to Felix and back again.

“My dear Charisma, we are standing in the presence of the Great—no, the SHAMED Carnelian.”