I tightened my grip. My muscles howled in protest. Even as my mind closed off and my vision blanked, I swung my arm up and slammed the glass jar into Angus’ face.
“Aaaaargh!” He screamed, releasing me. I fell to my knees, gasping for air. Angus staggered back, slapping at his skin. In the darkness, I could just make out a trail of red dots marching over his skin.
“Get them off! Get them off!” he yelled, falling to his knees. “It burns!”
“Meeeorrw!” Grimalkin strode over to him, stepping daintily over the bugs, and swiped him across the face with her claws.
My ears rung. I knew I had only moments before I passed out. I fumbled in my bag, trying to get to my phone, but I couldn’t find it amongst all the jars. “Grimalkin, get help… find Morrie…” I gasped, every word tearing at my throat. I leaned my cheek against the bars as tiny baby birds danced in circles inside my head.
Everything went black.
Chapter Thirty-Four
“Ican’t believe our killer was brought down by fire ants.” Morrie leaned over and planted a languid kiss on my cheek. “You really are something, Mina Wilde.”
“Don’t crowd her!” Heathcliff boomed, shoving Morrie back into the wall.
Morrie brushed himself off and flashed Heathcliff his signature pout. “Such rough treatment from the man who’s been hovering over her like a bad smell for the last two days.”
“Can you two just hurry up and kiss again,” Quoth rolled his eyes. “It’ll cheer Mina up.”
“I agree with Quoth’s suggestion,” I said, even though the words tore at my throat. Angus had done some damage to my vocal cords, and I was supposed to be taking it easy for the next few weeks. It was going to be a difficult feat with this lot constantly in my face.
Morrie leaned forward and puckered his lips. Heathcliff tore himself away, flattening his back against the wall. Morrie’s mock-hurt expression was so adorable that I burst out laughing, whichreallyhurt my throat.
After two days in this hospital I was going a little stir-crazy. We all were. Heathcliff, Morrie, and Quoth hadn’t left my side, taking turns to fall asleep in the hard plastic chair beside my bed while someone stayed on duty at the shop. When visiting hours were over, Quoth hid under my bed and then flew up to perch above the door, watching over me all night.
A nurse poked her head into the room and rolled her eyes at me. “Mina Wilde, you haveanotherguest.”
I grinned. I had been pretty popular. My room was filled with bouquets from all over the village. Mum had been in every day, covering my arms in Flourish patches which the nurses removed as soon as she left. Beverly had come in to thank me for clearing her name, and brought with her several hideous scarves from the charity shop which I would never ever wear (because they are a) hideous and b) after being nearly garroted to death no way was I wearing a scarf again). Jo came by with a giant chocolate cake made in the shape of a locust. Several villagers had stopped by to thank me for finding the murderer. Richard left me an entire case of cider (which Heathcliff insisted on taking back to the shop ‘for safekeeping’). Even Penny Sledge had been in to thank me stiffly for finding her husband’s killer. I was glad that I wasn’t supposed to talk, so I didn’t have to tell her I’d mistakenly convinced myself she was the murderer.
“You’re already over the limit,” the nurse frowned at the guys and Grimalkin hovering around my bed. “Rules are rules. I’m not letting her in until—”
“Young lady!” A familiar voice barked from the hallway. “I’ll have you know I left a rather nubile young Greek god in my hotel room on Santorini in order to visit my friend. I don’t care one whit for your rules!”
The door slammed open and Mrs. Ellis bustled inside. The nurse made a ‘hrrrmph’ noise, but retreated from the room, pulling the door shut behind her.
“Mina, dear.” Mrs. Ellis leaned over the bed and planted a hundred wet kisses on my face. “I’m so glad you’re all right. How do you always get yourself into these pickles?”
I smiled at her and managed to croak out, “I think I’ve learned a few tricks from a certain old lady.”
Mrs. Ellis grinned back, then turned to the three guys. “You boys should be watching out for her. You can’t just let her run around getting strangled.”
“No, we shouldn’t,” Heathcliff growled. “We should wrap her in cotton and lock her in the shop. It’s the only way she’ll learn.”
“That’s true.” Mrs. Ellis stepped forward to embrace Heathcliff and Morrie. As she moved toward Quoth, she noticed Grimalkin in human form luxuriating on the one comfortable chair in the corner of the room. “Who’s this?”
“I’m Mina’s grandmother,” Grimalkin simpered.
“Grandmother?” Mrs. Ellis peered at Grimalkin’s perfect skin. “Would you care to join my knitting group? The ladies and I would love to hear about your skincare secrets.”
Grimalkin looked like she’d rather take a bath with a puppy than endure Mrs. Ellis’ knitting group. She stood up and ducked under Mrs. Ellis’ outstretched arms. “If you’ll excuse me, I think I hear a mouse in the hallway that needs attending to.”
Mrs. Ellis settled into Grimalkin’s vacated chair. “I had to take two separate flights to get here, and I left behind a distraught Greek pool boy. So I expect a grand tale. Tell me all about the murders.”
“It was Angus Donahue, Danny’s friend,” Morrie explained. “It turns out that he’s a bit of a serial killer nutjob. All those years ago, Angus killed Beverly’s daughter, as well as another girl in Barchester, and two more a couple of years before that in Stoke-on-Trent where he did his police training. He confessed everything to the police.”
“Please, Mr. Moriarty,” Mrs. Ellis beckoned for him to continue. “I demand every sordid detail.”
