Chapter 1: We return from Dodge

After the unexpected impact, the little girl gave me a huge hug, and a rather sloppy kiss. I spoke over her shoulder to John who was wearing a grin from ear to ear!

"Well John! This certainly is a surprise!" I said.

I looked back and addressed the little girl who was hovering in front of my face.

"Now Mistress Samantha, would you find it easier if I held you?"

"No. thank you, Uncle Robert. I want to give a hug to my new aunt. Then I must go upstairs to finish my lesson."

"And what lesson is that?"

"It's telep ... tel ... Umm, it's mind reading."

"Oh and do you know what I'm thinking?"

"Oh, yes! You believe Uncle John when he thinks that I'm a sorcerer and you think that I can't have that much talent."

I suddenly thought of Saratoga Springs, where I had once vacationed with my parents.

Samantha screwed up her eyes. "Sarah's toga? What's that?

"Just something I thought of, and how old did John say you were?"

"I'm four. I'll be five in two months. No! I'm not an old lady of twenty-five. I've told you. I'm only four."

She had caught my thoughts exactly.

After that, she floated across to Karen and gave her a hug, much to Karen's amusement. Samantha then floated down the hall and up the stairs.

Two days later, this amazing young girl approached me and asked, "Uncle Robert?"

"Yes?"

"Can you tell me? What is a dark mailman?"

"A what?"

"A dark mail man, or could it be a dark letter writer?"

"I don't know. Why do you ask?"

"Oh! There's a man from the Sheriff's office who is on his way here, to ask you to catch a bad man. That's who he is."

"Well we'll have to wait for him to turn up and then he'll explain who the bad man is. Now shouldn't you be at your lessons?"

"Yes. I'm on my way. 'Bye now." and she floated off.

We must teach her the meaning of being grounded!

Sure enough, twenty minutes later, there was a knock at the front door which heralded a Sheriff's Deputy. After introducing himself, he said that the Sheriff had sent him to request our help in a most circumspect inquiry. This gave me the clue I needed to solve Samantha's pronouncement.

I asked him, "Would it be a case of blackmail?"

You see my reasoning?

"How did you... ? Yes, Sir."

"My young apprentice told me to expect you. I'll get her to come with us. I think her presence will give us an air of not being an investigative team. Where does the Sheriff want to meet us?"

"At the house of Apothecary Prescott, Sir. It's just a couple of blocks down the road."

"Let me get my bag and my apprentice, and I'll be at your disposal." I left him and called upstairs, "Samantha! Samantha could you walk down the stairs, please."

The thought hit me as she replied. 'Yes, Uncle Robert. Why do you want me to walk when it's easier to float?'

'Because we have a guest!'

We heard her running down the staircase and then she swung round the post at the bottom.

"Yes, Uncle Robert? Here I am. What do you want?"

"I want you to come for a little walk with me."

"Shall I get my coat?"

"No! I think it's too nice a day to wear a coat. Right, Deputy. Lead on."

As we left the house I picked up my bag. Samantha held my right hand and had the Deputy on her other side. We set off down our road until we came to the main road. We turned left and walked for another three blocks, coming to the Apothecary's house. On the way I mentally spoke to Samantha asking her not to do anything that an ordinary little girl wouldn't do. I asked her to listen to what the others were thinking in case I missed something. She gave me a slight grin and a 'Yes, Uncle.'

The Deputy knocked on the door, which was opened by the Sheriff. The Deputy left, as Samantha and I entered.

"Ah! Welcome Investigator MacLeod, and who is this?" he asked as he led us into the drawing room.

"This is Demoiselle Samantha Boon. I thought a little bit of camouflage would be in order. Now, what is the problem?"

"Blackmail. Apothecary Prescott has been seeing a Mistress Goodwin on a daily basis for treatment of a condition which requires regular testing and injections until the Healer can effectively kick-start the production of the missing ingredient in Mistress Goodwin's body. This morning he received this!"