Enchantment

The sun beamed through my windows heating the house to the perfect temperature. Making it that much harder to leave my sanctuary to brave the cold world outside. Slipping on my toffy coloured trench coat, stuffing mittens in the pockets just in case, I stepped through the threshold of my front door. The cool air hit me like a slap in the face. The crunch of fallen leaves echoed with each step I took. Something was comforting in the change of seasons. Especially when fall was poking its head around the corner.

It was a quick drive to the town of Evergreen. Despite it being a small town, it always seemed to be humming with some kind of excitement. The shop owners were selling their wares and tourists from all over coming to enjoy our beautiful hiking trails or our delicious roasted in-house coffee at Zings coffee house. The roads were lined with cobblestone paths and old cast iron street lights that seemed to always be glowing no matter the time of day. There was something magical about this place. Though, I wasn’t in the mood to enjoy it today. There were more urgent matters at hand.

Walking through the doors at the police station, the atmosphere seemed to only dampen my day even more. Florescent lights sputtered overhead casting a greenish hue over the entire room. Officers were sitting at their desks with scowls on their faces, glaring at the computers in front of them. The smell of stale coffee and cigarettes had permeated every surface in the station. How could anyone work in this place?

“Ophelia? Ophelia Bishop?”

I turned around to see who I presumed was detective Cooper. His hand was outstretched towards me. Despite his gruff exterior, there was a gentleness in his eyes that made me want to trust him.

“Hi, how are you?" I shook his hand.

“I’ve had better days,” he says running his fingers through his slicked chestnut hair that must have been held into place by some sort of grease or oil.

“Same,” I said quietly. There was an awkward silence as the detective realized the inappropriateness of his previous comment.

He gestured me to his office. We walked down the windowless halls passing many doors that had black nameplates with gold lettering sitting perfectly at the top. The office we arrived at was pretty much four walls and a desk. Books and papers were strewn everywhere. What a mess. Although, It didn't smell like cigarette smoke, so I called that a win.

“excuse the mess” he grabbed some papers on his desk shuffling them around, setting them right back where they were. Not making his office any cleaner even though he seemed satisfied with his efforts.

“So, you wanted to speak to me about my grandmother.” I pulled the chair across from his desk out and took a seat placing my hands neatly on my lap.

“Yes, well, you see...” He mirrored my movements, pulling back his worn-in leather office chair seating himself across from me. He leaned forward placing his elbows on the desk his fingertips resting on those of the opposite hand.

“get to the point detective”

He faltered at my comment and readjusted himself to sit more comfortably. “I’m going out on a limb here, but after reviewing the coroner’s report I noticed something a little odd. There were toxins found in your grandmother's bloodstream. They were from a plant called Aconitum, commonly known as,”

“Wolfsbane?” I cut him off. Putting two and two together “You think she was poisoned?”

“Well, that is what I wanted to speak to you about Ophelia. I know your grandmother was into botany and made remedies and such. Did she ever grow wolfsbane in her gardens?"

“No, she would never. My grandmother only grew plants that were beneficial to the human body. Wolfsbane was proven too dangerous to use in any type of remedy that my grandmother would make”

“I see” Detective Cooper leaned back and spun himself around his back now facing me. “So, there would have been no way for her to come in contact with wolfsbane on her own?”

“No. Not a chance”

“Then I believe Ophelia,” He spun himself back around “We have ourselves a murder investigation”

My heart skipped a beat. Thinking about her passing was too much for me to handle for it just felt too soon. Now with the knowledge that she was likely killed by some mystery person, it felt as if someone had ripped the bandage off a not quite healed wound.

“Is there anyone you know or have come across that may have wanted to hurt your grandmother?”

“No, not in a million years.”

“No unsatisfied clients? Rivals? Enemies?”

“Detective Cooper, I do not know what you want me to tell you but my grandmother was the kindest most gentle human on this planet. I have not come across a single person that would wish harm onto her nor have I known her to go and make enemies. We’ve always kept to ourselves unless it was to help our clients. She wanted nothing more than to help the people of Evergreen.”

“Well, Ms.Bishop” the detective stood up placing his hands on that table, his eye contact unbreakable. “I suppose you don’t know your grandmother as well as you think you do.”

His words hit me like a blow to the chest. What hurt more was that perhaps he was right.