October Octagon Occult: A Xara Smith Mystery

OCTOBER OCTAGON OCCULT

A Xara Smith Mystery by Bill McGrath

Copyright 2012 Bill McGrath

Smashwords Edition

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

All Rights Reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the permission in writing from the publisher.

Other Xara Smith Mysteries by Bill McGrath

available on Smashwords:

January Juggling The Jentons

February At Feldman's On Fifth

March Of The Mustangs

April At The Antique Alley

May Might Mean Murder

June Jumping The Jaguar

July Jill's Justice

August Avenging Arlene

September Surgeon Shamed

October Octagon Occult

November's Naughty Nurse

December Deadly Dolls

Also by Bill McGrath:

Virika - Maiden

Bill McGrath Web Site:

WWW.WIX.COM/WGJM53/BILLMCGRATH

To contact author please send email to WGJM@Yahoo.com

CHAPTER-01.

Buzz Littlefeet was a good reporter, but he knew for sure now that he would never publish the story he was working on. Rather than sending the story via internet to his publisher at the Dallas Morning News, he would die tonight. He had fought the thought for a few minutes, but now he was sure of it. Tonight, he would die.

He desperately struggled trying in vain to get his hands free but the rope that held them together behind his back was too strong for him to break and he could not untie the knots. In addition to his hands being tied, his ankles had also been tied together and then his knees had been bent so his tied ankles could be further tied to his bound wrists effectively hog tying him. The bonds of rope were not all that confined him. His entire body had then been shoved into a huge canvas laundry bag. The laundry bag was one that had a drawstring top, and just his head had been left out of the sack when the string had been drawn tight and tied off. He was well bound. He would not be escaping. He was at their mercy, and they were digging his grave.

As he struggled, and waited, and watched the witches make their preparations digging his grave, he reviewed in his mind the last three hours of his life.

Buzz was at a tourist attraction about sixty miles north of Dallas, Texas called Octagon Occult. It was a large piece of property that had a rich history of mayhem and legendary tales, but was basically used now as a theme park and spa. He had checked in just about a week ago for a vacation, and while he was there he would be expected to write just another in a long string of investigations about the place. Of course, with Halloween just around the corner, it was an assignment the reporter had half expected. The trouble was, that during his investigation he had found out the real truth, and apparently those involved had found out that he knew. Therefore, he would die tonight.

Just three hours ago he had stepped out of the shower in his room at the Octagon. He had quickly dried himself off and wrapped a towel around his waist. He picked up the television remote and turned it on. Before he had even finished flipping through the channels there had been an expected and anticipated knock on his door.

When he opened the door one of the resident witches, Ruby Gindy, stepped through the door. In her left hand she was carrying a bucket of ice chilling a cold bottle of champagne. With her right hand she reached out and took the towel from Buzz. Her smile matched his own. Quickly she got naked while he poured them each a glass from the wine bottle.

Before she took a sip, she asked Buzz if she could order them dinner from room service. Buzz, of course, was in no hurry to leave the room so he quickly agreed. While she was on the phone he drank down his first glass of champagne. It was good, sweet. He poured himself another glass and took it over to the bed. Sitting on the bed he drank about half of the second glass, and then laid down on his back to await his witch.

Of course he knew that she was not a real witch. She was an actress hired to play the part of a resident witch. Octagon Occult employed four such resident witches sort of like other theme parks that hire folks to pose and act as a princess or a super hero or a cowboy. Ruby Gindy though was gorgeous and the only one of the four resident witches that Buzz had lured into his room. Now he stretched out on the bed and patiently waited as she completed their dinner order on the phone. He had thought at the time it a bit ironic that the cost of the room seemed a bit high, but he had gotten for free the companionship of the young actress playing the part of the witch.

The cute young witch finished up her phone call and placed the telephone back on its stand. She seductively walked the few steps to the bed and climbed upon it straddling Buzz facing him. She verbally and slowly reviewed in detail their activities in this same bed the previous evening, activities Buzz had enjoyed immensely. She looked so inviting sitting there atop him naked and available her breasts pendant, swaying with her slight movements. He wanted to reach up and pick them like a pair of ripe oranges.

Buzz willed his hands to move at the same time, but they did not. He tried a second time, but neither arm would move at all.

Touch me! the lovely witch whispered.

I can't, Buzz slurred, What is happening?

Speaking those words had been very difficult for Buzz, and they barely came out a whisper. All of a sudden he felt quite dizzy.

What is happening Mr. Littlefeet is Rohypnol. Ruby answered.

Oh lover, I see you have drunk your wine. I, myself, have not yet had a sip. I'll bet the drug was in the wine. she laughed.

Ruby had then gotten off of him and started getting herself dressed. Buzz remained fully conscious, fully awake. He tried hard to move any parts of his body, and they just would not respond. He was happy to notice that, so far, there was no pain. While Ruby was still dressing herself there had been a quiet knock on the door. She opened it and in walked the other three resident witches. It was at that time that Buzz realized that Ruby had not actually called room service, she had called her sister resident witches. They wheeled in one of those large laundry baskets that motel maids would use to collect soiled sheets and towels, and closed the door behind them.

The four witches went right to work with short pieces of rope. They turned his limp body over and got his hands tied behind his back. His feet were next to feel the rope, and when he was helpless and secured one of them had shoved a washcloth into his mouth which they then secured with rope wound around his head effectively gagging him.

One of the witches, not Ruby, said to him Breathe through your nose Mr. Littlefeet. We don't want you to die quite yet.

The four witches struggled a bit sliding his bound body into the laundry sack but then they were able to lift his body and successfully dump him into the laundry cart. He was in the laundry basket for a few minutes while the four resident witches were busy in his room, but he could not see what they were doing. He seemed to remember one of them getting on the telephone, but could not remember whom she had talked to or what she had said. They spent a few minutes going through his room tossing other things into the cart with him. His laptop, his wallet, and worst of all the tiny flash-drive all his research and story were stored on. He noticed also that they tossed in the two wine glasses and the bottle from which the wine had been poured. The glasses and bottle were now empty so Buzz supposed they had emptied them in the sink or toilet, but he could not confirm that. Most of his clothes they left in the room but the sheets were stripped off the bed and tossed in the laundry cart to cover him. He remembered to try to struggle. His muscles still would not respond.

The four resident witches had then rolled the laundry cart with Mr. Littlefeet in it out the door of the room, down a hall to an emergency exit. They had used one of their pass keys to open the door without setting off the alarm. They had then wheeled the cart onto the back of a small truck.

Buzz felt the movement of the truck and knew he was being driven but did not know to where. The ride was but a few brief minutes. As they unloaded him Buzz felt the effects of the drug wearing off as he was able to command his arms and legs to move, and they would respond, but only to the extent that the ropes allowed, and that was not much at all.

The four young girls got Buzz out of the laundry basket, but he was still bound in ropes and his body still confined by the canvass laundry sack. They laid him down on the ground and he was able to look around at his setting. They were in a large open field that would normally be covered in tall grasses but it appeared that the grass had been recently cut. It was the time of year when the second cuttings were done for hay. It was dark out, and there was very little dim artificial light glow off to one side that would have been coming from the theme park and hotel, but it appeared to be a long way off. There was though much light in the area as Buzz got a look at a gorgeous full moon. The air felt brisk on his features, not cold, but cooler than it had been inside the hotel.

The four resident witches had a lot of work to do so they got right to it. The first thing they did was set up a small metal bowl which they poured full of charcoal. They used a lot of starter fluid and quickly had a roaring fire going. Buzz watched as the fire quickly burned through the starter fluid, the flames died down, but the charcoal started to glow.

One of the witches took out a branding iron and stuck the business end into the fire bowl letting the long handle stick out of the bowl. Another of the witches then took a large ax out of the truck and laid it alongside but not in the fire bowl.

It was at that point that Buzz first realized that these four were not merely actresses hired to play the parts of resident witches. If they were simply actresses, out here with all the privacy they needed, they would have gotten on with their grim task. Only real witches would have done as they did next. They went skyclad.

When a witch removes all of her clothing it is said that she is skyclad. Being skyclad while a ceremony is performed is said to increase the magic of the ceremony.

Naked as the days they had been born, and one at a time, the witches then called the four corners.

First went the witch they all called Golden Gunterall. Buzz was quite confident that her real first name was not Golden, but admitted that her last name might or might not have truly been Gunterall. She was tall with long flowing blond hair and spoke with a slight German accent. She started where Buzz lay on the ground and walked eleven steps directly north. Then she faced away from Buzz and spoke the words Hail, Guardian of the Watchtower of the North; Powers of Mother and Earth. I greet you now in perfect love and perfect trust. Changeless power of unending change, in steadfastness and strength, I bless the elements of Earth, and call upon you to gather here with us.

Second went the witch they all knew as Ruby Gindy. Her red hair flowed and sparkled in the moon light. She too started where he lay in the grass but took her eleven steps directly east where she remained facing that direction as she called the second corner muttering the words Hail, Guardian of the Watchtower of the East. Powers of Air and Intuition, I greet you now in perfect love and perfect trust. As you carry the seeds of the plants across the land; as you bring the moisture of the storms to the shore; join me in all your gentle and powerful ways. I bless the elements of air and call upon you to gather here with us.

Third went the lovely Raven Glenn. Her hair, black as coal and worn quite short was a stark contrast to her pearly white smooth skin. Without question she had the best body of the four and Buzz had a brief irrational wish that if he was to die this night it was too bad it had been Ruby instead of Raven that he had made the liaison with. Raven called the south corner by marching eleven steps from Buzz in that direction and repeating the well learned phrases Hail, Guardian of the Watchtower of the South. Powers of Fire and Feeling, I greet you now, in perfect love and perfect trust. Flaming One; Apollo, Bright Warrior, Wild courage, Lion-strength, I bless the elements of Fire, and call upon you to gather here with us.

Finally there was but one corner left to call. The lovely witch they all knew as Tawny Henderson stepped forward just as lovely and just as free in her nudity as the rest. Her brown curly hair cascaded down her back as she walked her eleven steps west of Buzz and spoke the incantation "Hail, Guardian of the Watchtower of the West. Powers of Water and Intervention, I greet you now, in perfect love and perfect trust. Water - soft and yielding, formless and flowing, You are the blood coursing through my veins. I bless the elements of Water