A Nice Clean Murder Part 11

Tim Devereaux showed up, alone and apologetic. aItas nice to see everyone again,a he said and shook hands with Sean and Peter. aIam sorry, James couldnat make it,a he said a little embarra.s.sed.

I watched Tim curiously. Hmm. Translation: He didnat want to come.

Mac shook Timas hand. aI understand. I appreciate you coming.a aJames has no manners at all,a he said and handed Mac his hat and coat. aItas a fine soft night out there,a he said and rubbed his hands together as Mac took him to the fireplace.

aSoft night?a I asked with a grin. aTim, itas pouring rain. I donat understand why the Irish insist on calling that a soft night.a Tim and the others laughed. I watched them and glanced Maggieas way. She was ignoring me completely. I knew her well enough to know when she was irritateda"her left eye twitched.

Not wanting any part of Dr. Winfieldas glare, I followed Teri into the kitchen. I wanted to tell her about Anne. As I walked in, Charlie followed me.

He was smiling and stood there with his hands on his hips. aAre you two-timing my sister?a Teri looked at both of us. aWhoas two-timing who?a She looked at me.

aNo one is two-timing anyone. Iam not even one-timing your sister,a I said and pinched the bridge of my nose.

Charlie gave me a suspicious look. aAre you sure?a aYes, Iam not doing anything with anybody,a I said, feeling very rankled. aAnyway, the reason I came into the kitchen...a I explained about Anne.

Teri listened and was very intrigued. aTomorrow, letas go into the village and check out her shop. Iam very curious. Iall bet your log cabin that she knows something about the people in the woods.a Dinner was ready. Mac and Teri sat at either ends of the tablea"that was the only arranged seating. I sat at the end next to Mac and Tim sat next to me. Then Sean and Mary Farrell. Directly across from me was Peter, then Bridget, Rory and his wife, and Maggie all the way at the other end next to Teri. I glanced at her and smiled and she gave me a slight grin, well more of a smirk.

The young girl had come out and served a delicious-looking soup. I had my spoon poised for a taste when Mac raised a gla.s.s of wine. aI would like to say thank you to all of you for coming. You donat know my family or me, but I would like that to change. You were dear friends to my uncle. I only hope I can keep this land as he would have wanted it.a Sean Farrell smiled. aWell, Mac, Iall tell ya. If youare half the man Brian was, youall do fine.a aI couldnat agree more,a Peter said.

Everyone concentrated on dinner and the conversation that goes with ita"which was no murder, no mayhem. As the girls came out and cleared the bowls away, I had a chance to watch Sean. My fatheras words haunted mea" aEverything is important, discount nothing.a What did we know of Sean and Mary?

I glanced at Tim, who looked sad in a way, as he looked around the dining room. Everyone was having his or her own conversations, so I asked Tim, aDid you grow up here, as well?a He nodded. aIn Duncorrib, yes, though I was never home. When I was young, I joined the Merchant Marines. I was away from this place up to two years at a time, only home long enough to get another ship. Brian was the homebody. He never left this country. I doubt he ever went to a big city like Dublin or Cork in his life,a he said. aHe deserved this place. He worked hard for it. Jamesaa he stopped and continued eating.

aIam sorry he couldnat make it,a I said while eating.

aHeas a dark one, James is. Heas bitter, and to be honest with ya, he doesnat think your brother-in-law has a right to it, but that shouldnat come as a surprise to ya,a Tim said.

aI understand where heas coming from, but Mac has no intention of ruining the mill. He plans on keeping it as it has been. You will still make good money from it.a He looked at Mac while speaking to me. aYa know, I donat know him at all, but thereas something about Mac. I think itas the eyes. He does look like Brian. James said as much and it spooked him. Anyway, James is a greedy one. When the man from London came, he was so excited he almost fainted. He thought for sure Brian would sell. When he didnat, there was a tremendous fight and Brian told James never to speak of it again,a he said and drank his wine. aThey liked to fight, those two.a He looked at me. aHe and I argued about me comina here tonight. He didnat want me to come, but I couldnat refuse after he was so rude to Macas wife the other day.a aHeas been through a lot. This has to be hard on him,a I said.

aDonat waste your compa.s.sion on James, he has more money than he knows what to do with,a he snorted and continued eating. He leaned over to me. aIall be honest with ya, Kate. I donat think Brian stumbled over any wall in the dark.a Everybody at the table stopped talking. Tim looked around and said, aWell, I donat. He knew every inch of this property and those cliffs. He lived here all his life. Donat be tellina me he stumbled.a He looked at Sean and Mary.

aWe tried to take him home, Tim. He had too much to drink that night. He was upset with James,a Sean said defensively.

Mary put her hand on Seanas arm. aItas true, Tim. We tried to drive him back, but you know how stubborn he could be.a aHe knew every inch of this place. I donat care how drunk he was. Someoneaa he stopped and drained his winegla.s.s. He looked at Mac. aI apologize, Mac. This is unpleasant dinner conversation.a I thought it was fine dinner conversation, but thatas me.

aItas all right. We all understand,a Mac said.

Rory Nolan coughed and stood and raised his winegla.s.s. aIad like to be sayina a couple of things. Iad like to say thank you to Mac and Teri. Theyare gracious hosts and a welcome sight to this house,a he said and looked at Tim. aNo offense, Timmy.a He continued, aI think Brian made a grand choice in Mac. Youare a fine man, from what little I know of ya, that is.a He winked at Mac and we all laughed. aItas a grand meal. G.o.d bless ya both,a he said. aAnd youare the talk of the village now that ya took care of those two young fools.a aSpeaking of which, does anyone know who they are?a I asked.

Rory shook his head. aNo, but Iave seen them with another fellow on occasion. Come to think of it, I saw him today in Donegal,a Rory agreed. aHe drove a black car. Dark curly-haired fellow in a dark coat?a aWhere in Donegal?a I asked.

aComina out of the Donegal Inn, where you were staying.a I thought for a minute. Mr. Collins was staying at the Donegal Inn. aI may take a drive to Donegal tomorrow,a I said absently.

It was getting late, and the Farrells were at the front door saying good night to Teri and Mac. aWe had a fine time, Mac,a Sean said and gave Mac a hearty handshake. aI think your sister-in-law is a bit of a detective, maybe she can figure this out.a He patted him on the shoulder and was gone.

The Nolans soon departed and I walked Bridget to the door.

aWell, Kate, it was a grand night,a she said and once again kissed me lightly on the lips, then winked and walked out the door.

Tim sat by the fire nodding off. Teri knelt down by him. aTim, why donat you spend the night? We have plenty of room.a He looked at her and patted her hand. aI would like to stay. Iave missed this house. Thank you,a he smiled.

He got up slowly and followed Mac and Teri upstairs. I watched them, wondering what Tim knew about Brian and what, if anything, he might be holding back. And where was James?

Peter had left, leaving Maggie, Charlie, and me sitting by the fire.

aTimas almost sound asleep,a Mac announced as he walked into the room. aThis was a lot for him, poor guy. However, I think the evening went very well.a aIt was a fine time, Mac,a Maggie said and stifled a yawn.

Teri came downstairs and sat next to Mac and rested her head on his shoulder. aI agree,a Teri said with a yawn. aIt went well. Rory Nolan likes you, sweetie. I can tell.a Maggie agreed. aAll of them complimented both of you. You did a fine job, Lady McAuliffe.a aDid you find out anything?a I asked.

Among the four of them, they found out a good deal. I was impressed. They all knew about the man and woman who were impeccably dressed and first came almost two years before to see Brian and returned on several occasions, but no one had any idea why. Then Mr. Collins showed up from time to time to offer Brian money for the mill.

Maggie eagerly sat forward in her chair. aI was talking to Rory and Anne about the mill. He said this Mr. Collins came on several different occasions. Rory remembers Brian laughing, saying something like, aIt gets bigger and bigger.a He thought it might be the amount of the offer.a Mac joined in. aI was talking with Bridget, and she told me about the car and the man from Dublin. She has someone checking it and should have something by tomorrow. She hopes.a I sat and listened to each of them. Maggie retold her conversations with enthusiasm. I could tell she was enjoying herself; she wanted to make sure she remembered everything. When they had finished, they all sat back and looked at me.

aWhat do you think?a Teri asked.

aThey all saw the same thing. Now Iad like to find out who these people are. Bridget said she had Reardon check the license tags and theyare from Dublin. Thatas a big city, by Irelandas standards anyway. I wonder if he knows in whose name the car was registered. That might be a help.a I stood and paced in front of the fire. Suddenly, there was a flash of lightning. We all looked out the window. Great, yet another storm.

aNow as far as Peter goes,a I started and a clap of thunder rang out. aI definitely think he knows more than he lets on. I know he told you that Brian sent him to make sure you got over all right, but something doesnat ring true. I have a feeling he isnat all he appears.a Mac looked disappointed and I didnat blame him. Peter was involved in this somehow. aMac, we donat know what heas doing.a aIave become fond of him, thatas all,a he said.

Charlie glanced at his watch. aIam going to give Jess a call,a he said and headed for the phone.

He was on the phone for a few minutes. As we heard him ring off, another clap of thunder shook the house, and the lightning flashed.

Charlie came into the room frowning. He glanced at Mac and stood by the fire.

My impatience showed horribly. aWhat gives, Charlie?a He took a deep breath and started. aFirst of all, British Isles Excavation has only been used by Omega on two other occasions. Ten years ago, they were used in Egypt. Omega bought some company and completely leveled it and excavated it for four years, digging. Jess canat find one reason why Omega purchased the company or what they were looking for.

aThen five years ago, Omega spent another vulgar amount of money for a nearly bankrupt family business in Greece. They did the same thing there. Everything was legal, they obeyed all environmental laws, but they leveled the business and excavated the land for two years. Again, Jess could find no reason why they bought the business or why they were digging up the property. Jess said it was as if it never existed.

aTrust me, folks, we have a marvelous research department. If Jess canat find it, it either never happened or someone with a superior information system is keeping it hidden. This may be the case with The Omega Group. I told you they had millions,a he said, frowning, but continued. aHowever, other companies also use this British Isles Excavation. Mostly excavating and salvage,a he said, looking over the notes.

aSalvage?a I asked curiously.

aYep, used in the Mediterranean. Some ship sank and they salvaged what there was. Then they were in the South Seas, doing what appears to be the same thing: getting the contract to salvage whatever from a sunken vessel.a The phone rang again, Mac answered. It was Jess for Charlie.

He came back in a few minutes shaking his head. aThis is getting weirder. Kate, you have a nose for this, Iall give you that,a he said, looking at his notes.

aYou are amazing,a Maggie agreed. aWhat is it?a aJess had one of the staff call this British Isles, pretending to be from The Omega Group. This employee, who is probably being fired as we speak, told our staff, this is verbatim: The owners of the Oceanview Woolen Mill are dragging their feet, but steps are being taken to make sure the mill is sold within the week.a He looked at me.

I whistled and looked at Mac and Teri. Mac was frowning and holding Terias hand. aThis might be bigger than I had thought. We need to find out who killed Brian and fast. Once thatas in the open, I donat think this Omega Group will want any publicity. What do you think, Charlie?a I asked, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach.

aWell, you could be right. I donat know much about this company, but they have always stayed within the law. Jess was strong on that point. That doesnat mean they havenat bent the h.e.l.l out of it. However, no one has ever sued them or had any injunctions against them. Jess checked with our legal department, this company has never violated one international or environmental law. Whatever they do, itas legal,a he said. aYouave got to figure this out fast, Kate.a Now I was extremely nervous.

Mac looked uncomfortable. aWhat did you find out about Peter?a Charlie took a deep breath. aKate was right again. Mr. Sullivan,a he started and looked at his notes, awas not born in Kenmare, but Dublin. He grew up in the city, nowhere near the country. No family to speak of and has lived with an elderly gentlemen for the past three years. Heas twenty-eight, single, does have a girlfriend, and her name is Deirdre Morrissey, that much was true.a I was looking into the fire. aHe went to college, didnat he? Iall bet he knows why The Omega Group wants this land.a I looked up at Charlie, who was smiling.

aHow would you like a job at our research department? I could get rid of half the staff if you joined,a he said and winked.

Mac and Teri smiled. aG.o.d, Kate behind a desk.a They both shook their heads.

aTalk about having your wings clipped,a Maggie added with a hint of sarcasm.

aNo, thank you, Charlie,a I said and ignored Maggieas look.

aOh, well, it was worth a try. Anyway, youare right again. He went to TrinityCollege, graduated with honors four years ago. Earned his masteras andaa he stopped and gave me a prodding grin.

I thought for a moment. aHeas a teacher.a aBingo. A professor, actually. Give the lady a cigar,a Charlie said with a polite bow.

I stood and paced in front of the fire. A professor of what, I thought. He knew about the mausoleum and the architecture. Heas been hanging around the rocks, the cavern. My mind raced. I stopped and looked at Charlie.

Charlie grinned and said, aI can tell you know what kind of professor he is.a aHistory,a I offered confidently.

Charlie nodded. aHeas been teaching Irish history/archaeology there for four years. So far, heas as clean as a whistle. Not even a traffic ticket.a He closed his notebook and slapped it against the palm of his hand and sat down.

aWhy is he here? What does that mill have that would make a huge company want it?a I looked at Mac. aWe need to talk to Peter. Wead better be careful, Mac. He knows something and we have to find out quick,a I said and rubbed my aching neck. The thunder boomed and lightning flashed. I looked at the clock, one thirty.

Mac stood and stretched. aWell, this is enough for one night, letas get some sleep. I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be a busy day.a I couldnat sleep. I paced in my room and finally went downstairs and raided the icebox. I made a sandwich and poured a gla.s.s of milk and sat at the kitchen table. It was pouring rain as the lightning flashed and the thunder rumbled through the sky.

I was stretching my aching neck when I noticed the brochures that Mac had picked up. I looked at them, reading about Grace OaMalley and her exploits. I turned the page and read the history of the monks during the time before St. Patrick, how they had to hide their beliefs and their scriptures. There was a good deal of history in the west of Ireland. Then I thought about Peter, the archaeologist. Wait till I see him. What did he know? I felt close to something. I could smell it. I finished my snack and went back to bed. It was freezing and damp in this house.

I went into my room, yawing wildly, took off my robe, and walked over to the radiator. It was a little warm but not nearly as warm as it should have been. I rubbed my arms.

Just about in bed, I heard a soft knock at the door. I opened it and Maggie stood there rubbing her eyes.

ah.e.l.lo, little girl, have to go to the bathroom?a aHere. Itas for your neck.a Maggie glared as she tossed a tube of something at me. I plucked it out of the air and gave her a superior glance.

aFor my stiff neck or am Ia"a pain in the neck?a Her eyes flew open on that one.

aSpeechless and dumbfounded. I didnat think that was possible. I rather enjoy this look. Hold on, donat move. Let me savor it for a moment. I know it wonat last long,a I said and closed my eyes. aOkay, got it. Thank you,a I said triumphantly and waved the tube in the air. aGood night, Doctor.a As I closed the door, I heard a quiet aGood nighta from the other side.

Chapter 17.

The lotion actually helped. I woke for the first time since I got to this damp country without a pain in my neck. I remembered Maggieas blue eyes and her dumbfounded look and laughed openly.

Mac, Teri, and Charlie were in the kitchen. Teri was making breakfast. aHey there,a she said, smiling. aHowad you sleep?a aGood morning, all. Actually, I slept very well. Maggie gave me some kind of lotion for my neck, and it worked,a I said.

Maggie came into the kitchen looking like she hadnat slept at all. Charlie looked at her and said, aHey, sis, you look terrible.a She groaned and got a cup of coffee and sat down.

aDidnat you sleep well?a I asked with a grin, which she ignored.

aNo, I donat know why, but I tossed and turned all night.a She yawned and drank her coffee.

aYou should have used the stuff you gave Kate,a Mac said.

aReally, whatever that is, I slept like a baby,a I said.

She glared at me over her cup. aIam so glad,a she mumbled sarcastically. Maggie was not a morning person.

After breakfast, we tried to piece all of this mess together. We were sitting around the table drinking coffee when a voice came from the doorway.

ah.e.l.lo?a We all sat perfectly still and looked at one another. The kitchen door slowly creaked open and Tim Devereauxas head appeared. At first, none of us remembered that he spent the night.

aGood morning.a He looked out the window. aFog and damp. Iam sick of it,a he said and sat down.

aMe too,a I agreed wholeheartedly. aDoes the sun ever shine?a aIt will today. Iam sure,a he said. aI appreciate your hospitality, Mac.a aNo problem. Iam only sorry James didnat want to come,a Mac said sincerely.

Tim sighed and drank his coffee. aI am, too.a aTim, last night, you said you didnat think Brian stumbled and fell. What do you think happened?a I asked curiously.

He thought for a moment. aI think someone pushed him over the cliff. If youare thinkin it was James or me, we were together that night in Galway. With plenty of witnesses. It couldnat have been James,a he said. aBut I donat trust that Sullivan boy.a aWhy not?a Mac asked defensively.

aI mean nothing, Mac. He showed up and Brian took him right in. Horse trainer,a he snorted. aI came here a few months ago, he doesnat know a Connemara for a Shetland,a he smirked.

Well, he was right there.

aBut Brian trusted him for some reason. When I asked about him, Brian would get a smile on his face and say, aTimmy, donat worry about that boy, heas doina a grand thing. He means well.aa aI think Peter means well, too,a Mac said.

aDoing a grand thing,a I repeated as I looked out the window. aWhat in the world is he doing?a I turned back into the kitchen. aTim, did Brian say anything to you before he died about what Peter was doing?a aNot much. Brian wasnat much of a talker. It was hard to tell what in the world he was thinking. Ever known anyone like that?a he asked.

Maggie cleared her throat. aYes, and isnat it frustrating?a She avoided my glare completely.

aIndeed, Maggie. Iave smacked Brian on the back of the head on many occasions to get him to talk,a he said as if remembering fond memories of beating up his brother-in-law.

aDid it help?a Maggie asked with mock curiosity.

aOnce or twice.a Then he got serious. aBrian was up to something. The only thing he confided in me was the will. I remember he told James and me when he was going to change it. If my memory is correct, he died days before it was changed. So when we found out that Mac here was to inherit all of this, James was furious and I was shocked. I thought he died before he changed it. This is not the case. Thatas why I thought he was murdered,a he said, looking at all of us.

aWho else knew Brian was changing his will?a Charlie asked.

aBridget had to know,a I said and everyone agreed. I looked at Tim. aAre you sure about this time frame?a He nodded. aQuite sure. When I found out he died, itas the first thing that came to mind. Iall be honest with ya. I thought of James and thanked G.o.d he was with me. Then I prayed for his forgiveness for thinkina somethina so terrible about Colleenas brother.a Well, brother James isnat out of the picture yet. I looked at Tim who looked around the kitchen. aI remember Colleenas mother, G.o.d rest her, was always in this kitchen, cookina and hummina. She always had a song in her heart.a I looked over at Maggie who was remembering her own mother, Iam sure. She had a melancholy look on her face and tears sprang into her eyes. She looked at me and I gave her a rea.s.suring wink.

She smiled and blinked, sending the tears rolling down her cheeks. How does she do that? How can one look so beautiful and cry at the same time? She picked up a napkin and dabbed her eyes. Charlie put his arm around her and kissed her head.

aTim, how would you like to spend the weekend?a Teri asked, smiling. aWe have plenty of room.a aAnd you can help us solve this,a I said.

Tim gave us a suspicious look. aNow what would I be helpina ya solve?a aBrianas murder,a I said.

The boys wanted to check out the mill. We ladies went to Anneas shop at the corner of the street. She had a shingle outside that read, aAnnieas Corner.a The bell tinkled on the old wooden door as we walked in.

The shop was adorable. Lotions, healing herbs, and books on the topic artfully graced the shop. Three other people were at the counter, and Anne was ringing up their purchases.

I donat usually go for shopping, but I get a kick out of watching Maggie and Teri, so I walked behind them as they browsed. They stopped and I stopped, they continued and I continued. I was looking around and wasnat watching where I was going. The girls stopped, and I b.u.mped into Maggie who b.u.mped into Teri. They both looked at me.