Oscar Blaketon is on his way home late one night when he sees strange lights around St. Michael's Church, but he is knocked down before he can investigate any further. Nothing appears to be missing, but a few days later a grave is desecrated and a human skull has been removed from it. Are there witches and black masses in Aidensfield? It seems so, because the farmer Mr. Follet is just wasting away as if he is bewitched and a voodoo doll and other signs of witchcraft are found on his farm. Greengrass is doing some gardening for Dorothea Cliveden, who is a queen in the cosmetic world. He surprises her one day with her face all covered in mud and learns, that people will pay a lot of money for mud intended for beauty care. Of course he cannot resist an opportunity like that.

Jackie's uncle and boss Henry Tomkinson has been in Aidensfield to take care of the testament of a client. On his way home he runs down a boy on a bicycle in the pouring rain, but instead of helping him he chooses to drive off and denies any knowledge of the accident and even makes his wife lie for him. David Stockwell saw the accident, but caught only part of the registration, and Tomkinson brings discredit to David and his testimony because he is somewhat backward. PC Bradley gets help with his investigations by an old friend from the Met, Rodney Marshall. Greengrass is commissioned with sorting out the ground for a new graveyard. He finds some lead pipe and decides to make an extra quid or two by selling it.