Episode 5: Don't Judge a Book By the Cover

Previously:

Suzanne Carroll discovers an old book in a guest bedroom.

Noelle Armand thinks she gets a well deserved rest.

Pierre Armand is sideswiped along Ottawa's Queensway.



The red cloaked men slowly paraded around the fire, chanting as they went. Their chants seemed to make no sense to anyone.  Except themselves.

    Bystanders, innocent or otherwise, weren't allowed.

    As their volume increased, the putter of a motorcycle got closer and closer, its own volume competing with that of the masculine circle.  This was the yang to the seemingly abundant yin of the rest of Claypool.

    The cycle parked in the shade of a maple tree next to the fire.  Its rider wasn't among the Chosen Few, but soon he would be an Initiate.  That is, if the Great Leader approved.

    "I did as I was told, Elder," Patrick declared, bowing at the waist to show respect.  "Noelle Armand is out of our hands."

    "Very good," the Elder responded.  "One down.  You may take your place among the circle, Brother MacPherson."


    "Look a little closer, Suzanne.  It's more than just a cookbook."

    Blaine turned the pages of the book very slowly, with Suzanne looking on, until they stopped at a section detailing a complicated home remedy.

    Suzanne smiled gently. "I wonder if Grandma actually used this one."  She read on. "To Prevent a Cold."   She looked at Blaine strangely, but all he did was stand there, as if there was something else he knew.  "I sure could have used this last week."

    Blaine nodded. "So could I.  Perhaps we should let Louisa know about this."


*****

    Louisa and Seth finished their crèmes brûlées amid candlelight-dotted tables and the Canadian sunset outside.  The combination of the two painted the dining room at the Vineyards a soft pinkish-orange, complementing the subtle grape décor of the tablecloths.  A sudden chirping interrupted the ambience, and Seth reached into his pocket to answer the electronic summons.

    "Ryan?  What's going on?"

    "We're going to need your help,"  Ryan replied. 

    "We?"

      "Noelle Armand was assaulted earlier this evening. The police may come to the winery, and  they'll want to ask us questions."

     "Ryan, let's leave the police out of this."


      Who, indeed, could be visiting Noelle at this time of night?  Maria had already advised Noelle’s parents, and Ryan, to have a good night's rest.
     
       Noelle thought she’d get that,  but all she faced was a terrible splitting headache. She pushed the call button at the side of her bed.

"Nurse...could I have some aspirin? Please?"

 Or something?  Make this pain go away.

The door swung open, and she felt a tap on the shoulder.  A woman in a dark pinstripe suit and short brown hair approached her, accompanied by a man wearing a ponytail and a similar dark suit.  Both looked like they’d be better off at home watching The X-Files. 

One thing was for sure.  This wouldn't be a social call.

"Ms. Armand?"

Noelle nodded with what little strength she had. She buried her head in her hands and pretended not to notice the strangers. 

"Where's my aspirin?"

"On the way."

"How do you know?  Who are you?”

The woman produced identification from her pocket, the man repeating the action with his own documents.

Mulder and Scully,  they weren’t.

"I'm Detective Elise Jarrett, and this is my partner,  Detective Rene Gauthier. We're with the Ontario Provincial Police, and we'd like to ask you a few questions."

   
*****

Suzanne poked her head out of the kitchen and motioned wildly to Seth and Louisa.  “C’mon!  You’ve gotta come here and look at this!”

Blaine pored over the contents of the cold remedy recipe and smiled to himself.  He could get the herbs from the garden at La Cuisine easily enough, and could get some wine from the cellar downstairs.  Seth helped keep the Vineyards Inn well stocked.  That way, visitors would be sure to also visit the MacPherson winery when they were in Claypool.

He hadn’t had much chance to plant any herbs himself, but he’d convince Louisa that an herb garden would make a great addition to the inn once spring came around again.

“Hmm.  Grandma really knew what she was doing.  This is wonderful!”  Blaine smiled, and turned the page.

Louisa and Seth walked in, first thinking disaster struck in the kitchen.

“Are you out of the ’96 Merlot already?”  Seth asked.

“I thought we had plenty of that one,” Louisa replied. “Wasn’t it the Chardonnay we needed?  Or are you going to supply us with last year’s ice wine?”

“No,” Blaine shook his head.  “I think the wine cellar is in good supply.  But I think this may make for some interesting reading.”  He handed the book to Louisa.  She studied its contents as carefully as he did.

Turning the page, Louisa came across yet another mysterious formula.

To Guard Against Evil.

She scoffed at first. 

“What in the world was Grandma thinking?  Evil.  Really!”