A Nice Clean Murder Part 14

We looked at each other for a moment. The memory of Maggie lying next to me flashed once again through my mind. aIf during the night, thereas a storm and youa"a I stopped and had no idea what to say.

Maggie raised her eyebrow and gave me a sarcastic grin. aPerhaps someday, Miss Ryan, you wonat need a tropical storm, hail, and damaging winds,a she whispered and kissed my forehead. aIall wait for that day. Good night.a Perhaps somedaya

Chapter 20.

The morning offered the usual weathera"damp and foggy. I strolled down the path toward the cottage. When it came into view, I got a little nervous thinking about the events of the day before. I opened the door and noticed the smell of kerosene had dissipated. I took the burnt rug and tossed it outside, then took a broom to the small pieces of gla.s.s.

The room didnat look right. Scanning the area, I realized a chair had been moved and the desk drawer opened. I cautiously walked through the rest of the cottage. Each room was in some stage of disarray: mattresses slightly moved, drawers opened, kitchen cabinet doors ajar.

It didnat take a finely honed ex-P.I. to know someone had been in here. Someone carefully searched the cottage, but didnat take the time to make sure all was back in order. Then I shivered at the thoughta"perhaps I interrupted someone.

aI thought you might be here,a Maggie said from the doorway. aGood morning.a aSomeone was in here,a I said quickly.

aWhat do you mean?a she asked as she looked around. aWhat were they looking for?a I showed her all the little differences.

aI have no idea, but look around. The desk, cabinets, and dresser drawers look as if someone was looking neatly through them, not merely ransacked. Whoever it was knew what to look for.a She followed me down the hall to the bedrooms where I showed her the mattresses.

aSomeone looked under the mattress. What do you keep under a mattress?a I asked, scratching my head.

aMoney, for one,a Maggie said, fixing the bed.

I helped her with the mattress. aYes. Maybe letters, doc.u.ments,a I said as we remade the bed.

aThatas the reason for the fire,a I said. aIt got us out of here. A small fire would do the trick. Scare us into staying in the house, so they had a chance to look around. Dammit, but for what?a Maggie looked around, as well. aIam stumped and Iam starving. You have the honor of making me breakfast,a she said decisively.

aYou deserve it, after taking care of me for the past couple of days. I appreciate it,a I said. aSo whatall it be? Ham and eggs? Bacon?a aAll of the above.a Mac and Teri were sitting at the kitchen table. They both looked up when we walked in. aWhere have you two been?a Teri asked, smiling.

Maggie sat down. aAt the cottage. Kate thinks someone was in there looking for something. I think she may be right.a I poured both of us a cup of coffee and sat next to Maggie. aSomeone was definitely in there nosing around.a I explained how the cottage looked and Teri shrugged.

aYouare the expert. I bow to your expertise.a She lifted her coffee cup.

aThank you, milady,a I said and raised mine.

Mac was drawing something on a piece of paper. Maggie looked on. aColor by numbers?a Mac snorted. aVery funny, youave been hanging around Kate too long.a aWhat are you drawing?a I asked, looking across the table.

aIam trying to get the distances correct. Whereas Charlie?a Mac asked.

aOn the phone,a Charlie called from the hallway as he entered the kitchen. aI called Jess, are you ready for this?a aNo, but go ahead,a I said eagerly.

aOkay. Russell Devine is from Dublin. Heas twenty-seven, single. He went to TrinityCollege during the same time Peter did. He didnat graduate. And he has a police record. Six arrests, no convictions. All for a.s.sault. This boy has a temper. He beat a man in Cork so badly that the man was in traction for two weeks. Jess, G.o.d love her, called a friend at the Dublin police. Someone with money and a good lawyer got him out each time. Thatas the police version anyway.a He took a drink of coffee and continued. aHe has no permanent address but is seen frequently in Dublin. Jess canat find whom he works for or even if he works.

aAlso, Peteras last known address was in Dublin with an elderly gentleman, who pa.s.sed away six months ago of natural causes. His name? Daniel Carroll, and guess what he did for a living.a aAnother history professor,a I said.

aRight. He taught ancient Irish history at Trinity. And,a he added smiling, ahe did work for the NationalMuseum in Dublin in his spare time,a he finished and closed his notebook.

aJess has done a fine job, Charlie. Please thank her for me.a I looked out the window, the clouds were rolling by and the wind had picked up, but no rain yet. It was seven thirty. We all sat there in silence. I didnat know what to do next. I needed to organize my thoughts.

Charlie looked down at Mac. aWhat are you doodling there?a We watched as Mac concentrated on his work. aCharlie, look at this. Itas a scale drawing,a he said and handed him the paper.

Charlie studied it. aThis looks good. I donat know if the mill is that close, though,a he looked up and handed it to me.

Mac had drawn a map of the cliffs and the mill. He had marked the distances above ground and below to see how far we had gone in the cave. It appeared that we were at least two hundred feet from the mill.

aIam not sure how much farther we could have gone. Maybe fifty or sixty feet,a I said. aAlthough it was getting narrow.a Charlie agreed. aA shorter, skinnier person would have no problem, but that ainat us,a he laughed and I agreed.

Maggie coughed and we looked at her. aIam shorter and skinnier.a aNo,a I said quickly.

aNo?a she repeated slowly.

Mac and Charlie took their coffee cups off the table and sat back.

aMaggie, youare not going down there,a I said.

She took a deep breath. aThe last time I looked, I was an adult. I donat need your permission.a aYouare not going down there. Itas too dangerous,a I said calmly.

When will I learn to watch for the telltale signs like the twitching left eye?

Her face was turning a scary shade of red. aItas too dangerous,a she repeated calmly. aBut not too dangerous for you,a she added and gave me a challenging look.

aIam used to this. I wonat allowa"a aYou wonat allow?a she asked slowly. Wrong word. She had her hand on her coffee cup and I wasnat at all sure she wasnat going to bounce it off my forehead. aDonat pull this machoa"Iam in chargea"with me, Kate. If I can help with this, Iall go. You donat have the right to tell me not to.a I leaned forward on the table. aIn charge? When am I in charge? You bossya"a Maggie stood and nearly sent the chair across the room. aIam going!a she announced angrily and stormed out.

I got up and looked at my comrades. aNot the wisest thing I could have done.a As I dashed out of the kitchen, Maggie was at the top of the stairs. aWait a minute,a I said.

She turned and said rather rudely, aOh, go blow it out your a.s.s.a She went into her bedroom, slammed the door, and locked it.

aBlow it out my a.s.s?a I repeated. I dashed into my room and got to the connecting door before she locked it.

aDonat come charging in here like a bull,a she said, her eyes blazing. aI will not be treated like a child,a she said with her hands on her hips.

I was about to tell her she looked like said child but thought better of it. aLook, Iam not treating you like a child. I was down there and itas dangerous. I donat want you hurt, thatas all,a I said with my voice raised as I continued. aHowever, youare right. You can do anything you want, and I donat have a right to tell you not to.a I took a deep breath. aIam sorry.a She softened and ran her fingers through her thick hair. aIam sorry. My temper always gets the better of me.a aYes, there is that.a aI have a chance to contribute. If I can help, donat you think I should take the chance? You would.a I walked to the window and tried to come up with one good reason why she shouldnat help. She was right, and I had to admit it. I was being protective and wasnat being fair; she had a right. aWhen we go down there, you follow me and stay close,a I said as I turned around to face her. aI mean it.a aI will,a she said too quickly. aWhatever you say.a I looked down into those d.a.m.ned blue eyes. aItas a gifta"that you can stand right there and lie with a straight face. It is a gift,a I said and avoided the innocent beguiling smile.

By the time we got everything together, it was nearly eight thirty. Tim was helping Mac and Charlie, making sure we were prepared for our expedition.

Teri and Maggie were talking as I bounded down the stairs. I stopped in my tracks when I heard Teri.

aWhat are you going to wear?a she asked.

aGee, I donat know,a Maggie said thoughtfully.

I groaned and pinched the bridge of my nose. aWeare not going to the prom, Maggie. What you have on is finea"it goes with your eyes. Do you have boots?a She nodded. aYes, but not as good as yours.a I believe she was trying not to aggravate me, which I thought was sweet since I wanted to wring her neck.

aFine,a I said. aPut them on and weall meet you both by the car.a Tim and Charlie were checking the flashlights as I walked up to them. aI donat know about this, Charlie,a I said.

aI know, but you canat tell Maggie anything. Seriously, though, she might be able to get farther than we can. Donat worry, among the three of us, nothing will happen to her,a he said.

It was still foggy and damp and my neck ached horribly as we finished packing the car. I stretched my neck back and forth.

aPretty bad this morning?a Mac asked.

aYeah, this stinking weather,a I said miserably.

The fog was very dense and the eerie silence was deafening when we pulled up to the cliffs.

Mac finished placing the flashlights into the small backpack and slung it over his shoulder as we started down the rugged path.

I led, Maggie followed. Charlie and Mac brought up the rear. We had a relatively easy time of it; without the wind, the waves were calmed. It didnat hurt that we were in an alcove and the rocks blocked some of the wind off the ocean. I was relieved and glanced back at Maggie. She gave me an encouraging nod. She was having the time of her life, the goof. There were no slips or faltering as we finally got to the opening of the cavern.

aOkay, all set,a I said as I looked at Maggie. aStay close to me.a The waves washed in and out of the mouth of the cave. It was not as deep as the day before, but still the seawater was cold.

As we waded through the entrance of the cave, Mac handed each of us a flashlight. Maggie said from behind me, aBoy, it is dark.a aI know, so far no bats,a I said.

As we walked into the cave, the water now was only ankle deep. We walked for another hundred feet or so. Even through the beams of our flashlights, it was dark as pitch in front of us. The only sound was the water sloshing around our ankles.

aWe should be there soon, shouldnat we?a Macas voice echoed behind us.

aI think so. It canat be very far ahead.a I looked up. aAt least no bats.a Maggie instinctively scratched her head.

aI know the feeling,a I said.

We kept ona"thatas when we saw him.

aWhat in the h.e.l.l?a I exclaimed and ran ahead of everybody. It was Peter. He was lying on his side, almost completely in the water. He looked terribly still.

I knelt beside him, he was freezing. aMaggie!a I called, but she was already by his side.

Mac and Charlie lifted him out of the water. His head was resting on Macas lap. aIs he alive?a Mac asked.

Maggie checked the pulse in his neck and wrist. She opened his eyes and did the doctor thing. aHeas breathing, but heas ice cold. We need to get him out of here quickly.a She checked his limbs for signs of injury. aNothing appears to be broken. Letas go and be careful.a Mac and Charlie lifted him up and Mac slung him over his shoulder in a firemanas carry. We went out as quickly as we could.

I led and Mac was right behind me, followed by Maggie and Charlie. Soon we were at the entrance and out onto the sh.o.r.e. We looked up and Teri and Tim waved, then saw Peter. Tim yelled, aAre you all right?a The wind of course had picked up and whirled around us as I gave Tim the thumbs-up sign. Now the waves started.

aDammit, great timing,a I said.

Mac had laid Peter down, he was groaning but still out of it. The waves crashed around us. Maggie yelled over them, aWe need to get him out of here!a aWe have to get moving,a Charlie yelled out. Mac once again carried Peter over his shoulder.

We all stayed close to one another and started across the slippery rocks. Mac was undaunted. How he carried Peter, I will never know. We slowly reached the bottom of the path. The waves still came on sh.o.r.e, but in our little cove, they subsided.

We all sat there for a moment, completely drenched, surrounded by fog. As Mac laid Peter down, Maggie knelt and checked him. She looked up at Mac and said, aHow in the h.e.l.l are we going to get him up there?a aDonat worry, Iall do it,a Mac vowed.

He and Charlie lifted Peter once again onto Macas shoulders. It seemed to take forever, but we made it to the top quickly enough.

Teri was immediately at Macas side. aWhere did he come from?a she asked.

Mac fell to his knees, completely breathless, and laid Peter down. aHe was in the cave, almost dead, Iam sure,a Mac said, gasping for air.

Maggie knelt beside Peteras still body. aOkay, we need to get him warm quickly. In the car, letas go,a she ordered.

An anxious feeling rippled through me as we got Peter into the car. I gave the cliffs a backward glance as we pulled away. What was in that cave?

Chapter 21.

Back at the house, we put Peter in one of the remaining rooms. He looked awful.

aKate, please get my bag,a Maggie said firmly.

I ran down the hall, my boots squishing all the way. When I got back, Mac and Charlie had stripped Peteras wet clothes off him and wrapped him in several blankets.

aWeave got to maintain his body temperature,a Maggie said in a worried voice. We rubbed his body and dried his hair; he looked ashen.

He opened his eyes and smiled. aMy angel,a he whispered.

aLay still, Peter.a Maggie checked his pulse and his eyes once again. Thank G.o.d for her. She was calm and rea.s.suring as she sat on the edge of the bed and examined his neck. aHeas got a nasty gash,a she said to no one in particular. She opened her bag and got to work. A few minutes later, she had cleaned and dressed his wound.

aThatas about all we can do. Itas imperative that he stay warm.a Maggie ran her fingers through her wet hair. She looked around at all of us. aWe all need to get dry and warm, no one needs to get sick,a she ordered and ushered us out of the room.

I was in dry clothes but was still chilled to the bone. I stood by the fireplace playing with the odd little key. I had tried every lock I could find in this b.l.o.o.d.y drafty house and nothing. It fit no door, desk, or cabinet. What the h.e.l.l is it for?

aWhatas wrong, Kate?a Maggie asked. I jumped and put my hand to my heart. aSorry, you looked deep in thought,a she said, watching me play with the key. aFound the lock yet?a aNope, but I will,a I said stubbornly. aIt has to fit something in this house and Iam gonna find it. Besides, this business with Peter has got me stumped.a I went to the window.

The fog was now as thick as pea soup, as the saying goes. I turned back to Maggie, who was giving me a worried look. aI have a bad feeling. Somethingas about to give here. I can feel it. If what Charlie said is true, the British Excavating company feels certain Mac will sell. How can they know this?a I asked, rubbing my neck.

I paced back and forth. aBridget and Peter,a I said absently, trying to think.

aWhat about them?a Maggie asked.

aWhen we first met Bridget, there were a few times I thought they exchanged glances, as if they knew a secret. I pa.s.sed it off, though, at the time. Then I remembered being in her office, looking at her diploma. Dammit, what did it say?a aWhat did what say?a she asked.

aHer diploma on the wall,a I said thoughtfully. I had an idea and ran to the phone.

Maggie had a puzzled look on her face as I picked up the phone. It was then Mac, Teri, and Charlie came in and looked at Maggie, who shrugged and said, aI have no idea.a I looked at her and winked. I got the operator. aCan you connect me with TrinityCollege in Dublin, please? Registraras Office.a I looked at them. aI want to make sure...a I started and a voice came over the phone.

aRegistration, may I help you?a I cleared my throat and said in my best Irish brogue, aYes, Iam from Bridget Donnellyas office. She graduated from the law school there not too long ago. Shead like to continue her education in the history department, but she canat remember the professoras name. Is there anyway ya could find that out for me?a I asked sweetly and waited.

aIf ya can hold a moment, I can pull up Miss Donnellyas records. Youare from her office, you said?a aYes. Sheas an attorney in Donegal now. Iam her personal secretary,a I added. She put me on hold. aSheas checking her records,a I whispered to the questioning faces.

Maggie looked at me with raised eyebrows. aYouare very good at this, itas scary.a Mac nodded. aShe shouldave been a cop.a I shook my head. aI hate guns.a Teri gave me an exasperated look. aYou carried one for nine years.a aBut I never used it,a I said defensively and noticed Maggieas horrified look. aMaybe once, but the d.a.m.n squirrel was bothering Chance.a The womanas voice came back on the line. aWell now, you say Miss Bridget Donnelly, you mean Miss Bridget Donnelly-Devine correct?a she said and I went cold.