No 12966, Friday 19 Jun 2020, Anon

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ACROSS
1   These beers have strong finishing flavours (6) STOUTS {STOUT}{f...rS}

4   Folds torn pleats (6) PETALS* Folds/Petals? Soemthing wrong here?
9   Harmful to return, dwell (4) EVIL<=
10 Advertising support for Imam with confidentiality document (10) PROPAGANDA {PROP}{AGA}{NDA}
11 Woodlouse dead in Salvador boundaries (6) SLATER {LATE} in {Sa...oR}

12 Wait! He is returning from famous art gallery (8) HESITATE {HE}{IS<=}{TATE}
13 German Chemist to run and deal in small wares (9) HABERDASH {HABER}{DASH}
15 Past, for one, is stressful (5) TENSE [DD]
16 A communion returns from Indian state (5) AMASS {A}{SSAM<=} Communion on Double duty
18 Odd podium at vicarage has address book (9) DIRECTORY {DaIs}{RECTORY}
22 A raw mash cooked is a Middle Eastern dish (8) SHAWARMA*

23 Prejudiced one in headquarters started dating (6) BIASED {B{1}ASE}{Da...g}
25 Firm amplification device for partial performances at musical drama (5,5) COMIC OPERA {CO}{MIC}{OPERAtions}
26 Piece starts off proclaiming unsung soldiers (4) OPUS Acrostic
27 Visitors start escaping in blasts (6) GUESTS {GU{Es...g}STS}
28 Comment about cross (6) REMARK {RE}{MARK}

DOWN
1   Regularly seek house in Spanish city (7) SEVILLA {SeEk}{VILLA}
2   Towel wrapped around hooter (5) OWLET*
3   Pointed record for revolutionary (7) TAPERED {TAPE}{RED}
5   Go by circuits in Erode outskirts (6) ELAPSE {Er{LAPS}odE}
6   Neat tramp tidied flat (9) APARTMENT*
7   Tranquilises Oriental escort in ship (7) SEDATES {S{E}{DATE}S}
8   Doctor ditches patois for something cultured (13) SOPHISTICATED*
14 At one time, reels with surprise (9) ERSTWHILE*
17 Mag John edited has game (7) MAHJONG*

19 Anon returns to support clasp (7) EMBRACE {ME<=}{BRACE}
20 Loudly quarrel, resist deer (7) ROEBUCK (~row){ROE}{BUCK}

21 Taste bit of yam in fish (6) TRYOUT {TR{Yam}OUT}
24 Scent of a gypsy? (5) AROMA {A}{ROMA}

Reference List
About = RE, Oriental = E, Ship = SS

Dr RKE's TalePiece

I had once bought an APARTMENT in a SOPHISTICATED gated community. May be, I had fallen for the brain-washing PROPAGANDA by the promoters. May be,  it was the fulsome REMARKS made by the GUESTS in the visitor’s book in the mock-up flat that had BIASED my thinking. They say of all the senses the most primal one is olfaction- so it might have been the AROMA of fresh rose PETALS in that model flat that mellowed my mood. I did not HESITATE for a moment to pay the advance amount that very day. Months ELAPSEd before the developer handed over the keys to my new flat.

The trouble began for me the very night I moved into my apartment. I had just won a game of MAHJONG with my wife and two daughters. They had retired for the night and  I was slouching in the comfort of the new plush sofa watching TV. I was about to be EMBRACEd by the arms of Morpheus, when I was suddenly jolted by a strange sound. It sounded like the hoot of an OWLET. After initially becoming TENSE about what is considered a bad omen, I allayed my fears saying “oh, it must be the sound of my neighbour’s phone, he must be a nutcase to have this as a ring tone”. I looked up the DIRECTORY of all the owners and tenants supplied by the builder and was surprised to see that no one had occupied the flats in my vicinity. I just managed a few hours of fitful sleep thereafter.

The next morning on a walk outside on the street I met a bearded old man. As soon as our eyes met, he asked “so you are the new apartment owner? You heard the owl’s hoot last night, didn’t you”. I felt an uneasy turn in the stomach. How on earth does he know? He went on to say “this place was an ERSTWHILE cremation ground in my grandfather’s days. He used to say this place is haunted by an EVIL spirit that accounts for all these strange things. The spirit is angry that the builder has encroached on its territory. In C-304 there were splattered blood stains on the window last Monday. In D-1206 there were SLATERs all over on their fresh furniture just yesterday. I don’t know where all this will lead to”.

More similar reports were heard over the week and I could no longer sleep unless I took a swig of the STOUT or a pill to SEDATE me. Serves me right for not doing the due diligence before buying and letting me be influenced by impulse.  I want to desperately sell my gleaming new flat. I am offering it at less than what it cost me. Any one ventures to TRY OUT?