Witch Is When I Said Goodbye (A Witch P.I. Mystery Book 10) by Adele Abbott Page A

things were going at Ever, and if the new competition had affected takings.
    The shop was still very quiet, but the tea room was absolutely buzzing. When I managed to catch up with Kathy, she looked even more harassed than usual.
    “It’s crazy in here, Jill. Absolutely crazy!”
    “How come? What’s going on?”
    “It’s because Coffee Triangle is closed. A lot of the people who would normally go in there have come in here instead because we’re just up the road. Look at those people over there. They’re drumming the tables with knitting needles because they’re missing their fix of drums. Takings are through the roof.”
    “Grandma must be pleased.”
    “Not that you’d notice. She’s still seething about the competition across the road.”
    “My ears are burning.” Grandma appeared at our side.
    “Good morning, Grandma, I didn’t see you there.”
    “Are you interrupting my staff again?”
    “I was just having a few words with my sister, if that’s okay?”
    “Just make sure you’re quick about it. We’re really busy in the tea room today.”
    “So I see. Terrible business at Coffee Triangle.”
    “Not so terrible for us. We’re going to have a record day.”
    “That’s a bit heartless, Grandma; a man was killed.”
    “Yeah, well, business is business. Just don’t spend too long chatting. There are customers to attend to.” With that, she disappeared.
    “That woman is all heart.” I shook my head in disbelief.
    “What did you expect?”
    A horrible thought crossed my mind. Grandma was completely ruthless when it came to business, but surely even she would draw the line at murder just to close down a competitor. Wouldn’t she?
    If not, Miles and Mindy had better watch out.
     
    ***
     
    I knew I had to heed Mad’s warning. Battery might not have the strength to attack me just yet, but if I ignored the threat, he soon would have. I’d rather confront him on my terms, at a time and place of my choosing, rather than have him creep up on me out of the blue. I intended to end this right now, and to do that I’d have to confront him in the house which had once belonged to his ex-girlfriend, Hilary Vicars.
     
    The next door neighbour was out in the garden. At first, I thought she was weeding, but then I realised she was actually having a conversation with the garden gnomes.
    Oh boy!
    “I don’t care if you’re cold, Harold, you can’t come in the house. Look at Angela; she isn’t complaining, is she? Oh dear, John, have those horrible cats been peeing on you again?”
    “Hello?” I tried to catch her eye.
    She straightened, and began to rub her back.
    “Hello, dear. I didn’t see you there. I was busy seeing to my little ones.”
    “Right.”
    “They’re such hard work. Do you have any?”
    “Gnomes?”
    “Shush! Don’t call them that. They don’t like it.”
    “Sorry. No, I don’t have any.”
    “Take my advice. Don’t start. You buy one. Then another. And, before you know it, you’re overrun with them. They take over your life.”
    “I’ll remember that.” I’d have to make this quick before someone realised this woman had escaped. “Does Hilary Vicars still live next door?”
    “No, dear. Hilary moved out some time ago. The cat lady lives there now.”
    “Cat lady?”
    “She’s got thousands of them. Noisy, smelly things. They’re always peeing on the little ones—especially John. Between you and me, he’s beginning to smell.”
    “I’m sorry to hear that. You don’t happen to know if she’s in, do you?”
    “Who?”
    “The cat—the woman next door?”
    “She’s in most of the time, dear. Never goes anywhere. Just to the shops to buy cat food occasionally.”
    After I’d thanked her, she returned to the conversation with her little ones. Note to self: Never buy a garden gnome.
     
    When I knocked on her neighbour’s door, a thousand cats began to meow. After a few moments, an old woman answered the door; her grey hair looked as though it hadn’t