A Nice Clean Murder Part 17

Well, sheas an honest liar anyway.

Chapter 24.

Honest liar or not, I was getting very impatient. aWell, somebody killed Brian. Somebody tossed his body over that cliff.a I got up and paced. aThe murderer had to know Brian was changing his will. Why else would someone want him dead?a I asked absently, almost to myself. I put my hands in my pockets and once again felt that bothersome key. aBridget, youare sure no one else knew about the will?a aNo one. Brian was adamant about that. He said no one would ever know till the time came, when he died.a aWhen did he have it changed?a Mac asked.

aSix months ago,a she answered.

aBefore that, what was his will?a I asked.

aIam not quite sure. I have a copy of it in my office. Iall check tomorrow,a she offered in a hesitant voice.

aOkay, enough for one night,a Maggie ordered. She walked over to Peter and felt his forehead. aOff to bed.a Peter got up and smiled. aYes, maaam.a aBridget, I apologize, but weare short one room,a Teri said.

Tim, whom I had forgotten was even there, said, aI was going to tell ya, Sean and Mary asked me to spend some time with them. I told aem Iad spend the night. So Bridget can have my room if ya like.a aWell, thatas settled,a Teri said as Tim put on his coat.

aIall be goina, but Iad like to go to the cave with you if you go. Iall come by about eight in the morning.a Teri got Peter and Bridget settled back in their rooms and came downstairs.

aThis is too bizarre. Buried treasure, murder,a Mac groaned helplessly and looked at me.

aAm I the only one, or is it odd that Tim is staying all this time? Now heas staying at the Farrells.a I shrugged.

We sat for a while not saying much. Teri had her head on Macas shoulder, he had his head against the back of the couch, sleeping. Maggie was already asleep in one of the chairs by the fire. Charlie was fading in the other. I looked over at Teri and whispered, aWhat the h.e.l.l is going on?a She shook her head. aI donat know. We need to figure this out fast.a I shrugged and Maggie stirred and sighed. Teri looked up at Mac. He was still asleep.

aHow can they sleep through this?a she whispered, chuckling, and we laughed quietly.

Teri looked over at Maggie. aHow did she react when you told her about Liz Eddington?a I heard the name, and my stomach clenched, as it usually does. Perhaps it always will. I gazed at Maggie while she slept and smiled. Perhaps not. aLike I should have knowna"kind and sympathetic, understanding laced with logic. Sheas a good friend to me, and I donat have anyone like that.a aIt was nice of both of them to come all this way,a Teri said softly. aCharlie has helped so much.a I looked over at Charlie; he too was fast asleep. aHeas a good guy. Look at them, they look like bookends.a I got up and put the ottoman under Charlieas feet and did the same for Maggie. She stirred and woke.

aIam sorry. Go back to sleep.a She sighed and smiled. aAre you okay?a she whispered and closed her eyes.

I looked down at her and watched her for a moment. I reached over and smoothed her hair back. aIam not sure,a I whispered almost to myself. I bent down and lightly kissed her forehead. I grabbed the afghan off the back of the couch and covered her.

aSomeone went through the cottage, looking for something. What?a I asked Teri as I settled back on the couch. I pulled the small key out of my pocket and looked at it. aIt fits something. I know it does. I have a feeling this is important.a She took it from me and whispered, aIt doesnat look like a regular key.a She handed it back to me.

I looked at it and remembered something. aMaggie was saying something about the key, but we got distracted.a I looked over at Maggie. aI hate to wake her again.a aItas okay, Iam awake,a she answered and lazily opened her eyes.

I walked over and knelt by her chair. aRemember when you looked at this key and started to say something, what was it?a She nodded and said dreamily, aIt looks like a key to wind up something. I had a music box when I was a girl.a aWind up something?a I asked and looked at the key. I couldnat think anymore.

aLetas go to bed. Itas late,a Teri said firmly, stood, and woke up Mac. Maggie and Charlie followed like zombies.

aIall be up in a little while,a I said absently, looking at the key.

Teri patted my shoulder as she yawned. aGood night, you bloodhound.a I sat there staring at the key. aWind up something,a I whispered.

The next morning, I looked out at the fog, which was getting annoying. The little key sat there on the table challenging me. Maggie said it looked like a key to a music box. I decided to take a walk. It always helps me to think. Putting the key in my pocket, I headed out.

As I walked down the path, I thought about Brian and how he died. What a horrible way to go, being tossed over a cliff. My mind went to Russell. He must have been promised a pretty penny from someone. If The Omega Group was behind this, it was well hidden. As I walked farther, the cottage came into view.

Entering the cottage, I looked around. aWhat was someone looking for?a I looked around the room again and walked into the kitchen, then the bedrooms. Nothing was out of place, so whoever was here was satisfied that what they were looking for was not in the cottage. I sat at the table and looked around and thought of Tim Devereaux. He seemed at first a very nice man, coming to dinner on Friday, despite Jamesas disapproval. He believed Brian was murdered and seemed certain it might be Russell. That wasnat so far off. I had the same thought myself.

Tim bothered me now and I didnat know why. I looked around the room again. G.o.d, something was here, I could I feel it.

I looked around the cottage. My mind wandered. A little paint here and there would spruce it up, and a phone would be nicea A phone.

aThe phone!a I looked to the heavens. aThatas it.a Tim said he called James from Sean and Mary Farrellas house. However, Sean came to use our phone, saying his was out for several days. I stood and paced. Why would Tim lie? Why lie?

I sat back down and took the key from my pocket. I thought of Maggie and her mentioning a music box. Now with the Tim train derailed for the moment, I hunted in each room of the cottage. No music boxesa"nothing that even resembled one.

aOkay, Ryan, think.a I looked around the small living room. Maggie had also mentioned it looked like a key to wind something up. Okay, I thought, what do you wind up? A music boxa"none. A wind-up toya"thatas dumb. A watcha"too small.

Then it dawned on me. A watchamy heart raced as I thought I might be right. I looked across the room at the grandfather clock. I walked up to it with high expectations. As I examined it, I noticed the clock wasnat working; the pendulum was still. I knelt down and saw the small keyhole in the gla.s.s door. With a deep confident breath and a shaky hand, I put the small key in and turned it. The door instantly popped open. I pulled it opened and saw the pendulum and the chimes, but nothing else, and my heart sank.

I immediately thought of that movie. ah.e.l.l, whatas the name of that movie?a I closed my eyes and tapped my forehead. Think, Ryan, think. Whatas the actressas name? Gene Tierneya"the grandfather clock.

aLaura,a I exclaimed. aG.o.d, this has to be it!a With a deep grunt, I pulled the clock away from the wall; it was heavy, but I managed to get behind it. There it wasa"another keyhole.

I slipped the key in, turned it, and a small trap door opened in the front of the clock at the bottom. aIall be d.a.m.ned,a I whispered.

There were papers lying in there. I looked around making sure I was alone and took the papers. There was one letter, well, scribbling actually.

I a.s.sumed it was Brianas writing. He talked about Peter, Bridget, Russell, and Professor Carroll. As I read, I realized what Bridget and Peter had said was true. Brian totally supported them and their quest for the treasure. He knew it would take only a few more visits to the cave and the treasure would be found. He figured it was right under the mill.

He wrote how he couldnat wait to see Mac and his family. Couldnat wait to find the treasures so he and Peter could hand it over to the museum and put Ireland on center stage.

As I looked at the letter, I was excited at the thought of all of this being true. I looked at the other papers that were in the clock. I opened an envelope and was once again shocked. It was a contract, the same contract that The Omega Group had given Mac. It offered a million euros to sign over the shares of the Oceanview Woolen Mill.

A million? They offered Mac four million. I looked at the bottom of the contract. It was signed by Timothy Michael Francis Devereaux. All the copies were intact. It looked as though they were never forwarded to The Omega Group. My eyes widened as I stared at the signature. It was dated one month before Brian was murdered. I sat back and whistled. aWhat in the h.e.l.l is going on?a How did Brian get this?

My mind raced as I looked at my watch, it was seven thirty. Tim would be at the house at eight. I scrambled and put the contract and the letter back in the trap door, closed it, and pushed the clock back to the exact spot.

My instincts took overa"I looked at the floor, making sure there were no marks. No one could see that the clock had been moved. I made sure the key was safely in my pocket. I pushed the chair back and looked around the room, confident everything was intact.

I ran all the way back to the house. Mac, Teri, and Maggie were in the kitchen. aI was at the cottage,a I started and looked at my watcha"almost eight. aLook, I donat have time. Maggie, go tell Peter and Bridget to stay in their rooms and not to come down till we get them.a She gave me a curious look, but without a word, she ran from the kitchen.

I looked at Mac and Terias startled faces. aTim will be here any minute. We cannot go to the cave today with him.a With that, we heard a knock at the front door. aPlease, trust me, you guys,a I said when I saw the confused looks.

Maggie came into the kitchen and stood next to me. aThereas someone at the door.a aItas Tim. Trust me and follow my lead. I donat have time to explain,a I said.

Mac went to answer the door. It was indeed Tim. He looked a little tired but smiled affably when he saw us.

aGood mornina,a he said.

aGood morning, Tim,a Maggie said. aHow about some coffee?a Teri set the coffeepot on the table. Tim smiled his thanks. aItas foggy, but I expect youall go down to the cavern,a he said simply, stirring his coffee.

aI donat think so,a I started and took a drink of my coffee. aPeter had a bad night. I donat think heall be doing any climbing this morning. We might wait till tomorrow,a I said and looked at Maggie.

aKateas right. Peter has a fever. I donat want him climbing all over today. Itas best he stay in bed. The cave will be there tomorrow,a she said.

aThatas too bad, but tomorrow is another day,a Tim offered and finished his coffee. aIf ya donat mind, I think I might go back to Sean and Maryas for the day. I suspect Iall be goina home soon.a He looked me in the eyes and my blood ran cold. aI hope you find out who killed Brian. Iad like to be there when ya do.a aI hope so, too,a I said evenly. aI think Iam closer.a aI say we go shopping. We havenat done much, with all this happening. Itall take our minds off of this for a little while, anyway,a Teri offered.

Tim looked around the table. aI think Iall be headina to Seanas, thanks for the coffee. Iall see ya later.a Mac walked him to the door.

As soon as he left the kitchen, I let out an enormous sigh and put my head down with a heavy thud.

Mac came back into the kitchen and sat down. aOkay, Sherlock, give.a I told them about the clock, Brianas letter, and finally the contract. They all sat there mesmerized. aIt doesnat mean Tim killed Brian, but it certainly is a motive. I need to see if Bridget has the original will. That might prove interesting.a aSo Peter was right all along,a Mac said. aWe better go get them.a He got up and walked out of the kitchen.

Soon after, Peter came in with Bridget and Charlie, and we all sat around the kitchen table. When I told them what I had read in the letter, Peter and Bridget were encouraged by the fact that Brian was so positive about the treasure. So much so, they started planning their next trip to the cave.

aWhy donat we go down there today?a Peter offered.

I heard the enthusiasm in his voice. As we watched Peter and Bridget, I could feel the excitement in the air, trying to understand the magnitude of what was about to happen.

However, it was about to get much worse before it got any better.

Chapter 25.

As we helped Peter prepare for the trek to the cave, Constable Reardon phoned. The news was disturbing to say the least. aMiss Ryan, I know you and Bridget were asking about that Dublin car,a he started. I listened with a feeling of doom. aI have some bad news. We found a body in the car this morning with no identification. I thought perhaps you or Bridget might recognize the gentleman.a I stood there and looked at Bridget and Peter. aWeall be right down,a I a.s.sured him.

Maggie came to my side as I set the phone down. aWhat is it?a aWe need to go to the police station. It appears they found the Dublin car, with a manas body in it. He thinks we might be able to identify him.a Bridget froze and Peter turned white. Mac and Teri offered to stay back along with Charlie. Without saying another word, I grabbed the keys, and Maggie, Bridget, and Peter followed me out the door. It was a quiet drive to Duncorrib.

It was indeed Russell Devine. aApparently, someone struck him over the head and killed him,a Constable Reardon said. He took off his cap and ran his hand across his face. Bridget and Peter were horrifieda"I was dying to see the body.

Maggie must have read my mind; she said, aIam Dr. Winfield, Mr. Devineas physician. Would you mind if I had a look at the body? Iall need to make a positive identification.a Constable Reardon hesitated. aNo, I donat see why not. The doctor has finished. Weall wait outside.a They turned to leave; I stayed behind. Maggie pulled at my sleeve to join her. Maggie looked around and after locating them, she snapped on a pair of surgical gloves. aYouare not squeamish about this, are you?a she asked quickly.

I looked down at Russellas body covered with a sheet. aN-Not usually. Why, what are you going to do?a I asked, not entirely sure I wanted to know. I saw an odd gleam in her eye.

aIam no forensic expert, but maybe I can find something. You never know,a she said.

I stood back as she examined the body as much as she could. She picked up his hand and examined his fingers. Then she took a closer look. aKate, look.a She showed me his fingernails. They were broken and the tips of his fingers had been bleeding. aWhat do you make of that?a she asked and looked the door.

aCheck his other hand,a I said quickly. It looked the same. aIt looks like he was clawing at something.a aLike rocksa"a Maggie said.

aThe cliffs,a I said in agreement. aI wonder if Constable Reardon will let us take a look at the car.a aOne way to find out,a she replied and snapped off the rubber gloves and tossed them into the nearest wastebasket.

Bridget and Peter were answering questions with Constable Reardon. When he had finished, he came over to me. aI take it you didnat know him. He was a friend of Bridget and Peteras,a he said professionally.

aThatas correct,a I said. aMay I see the car?a He nodded. aItas in back. Iall take you.a Maggie and I examined the interior of the car under the watchful eye of the constable. aJust as I suspected, not much blood on the seat or headrest,a I said.

aWhat does that mean?a Maggie asked.

aIt means he was. .h.i.t somewhere else,a Constable Reardon offered and looked at me.

I agreed. aAnd either he made it back to his car and died or someone killed him and put him in his car.a I could feel Constable Reardon watching me. aWhat are ya thinkina?a he asked. aPeter told me of your exploits, Miss Ryan. If you have any idea what happened, let me in on it.a aWhat was he wearing?a I asked.

aNothing out of the ordinarya"trousers, sweater, boots. Although, his clothes were damp,a he said. aWeave got them bagged for the Donegal police. Weare kinda small here, not used to murder.a We walked back in and I opened one of the bags, careful not to touch the contents. As I peered in, I instantly smelled seawater. Maggie sniffed and I knew she thought the same. I gingerly closed the bag. I itched to examine them closer but realized I would contaminate any evidence they might contain.

aOkay, this is now two murders,a I said.

aHold on there. Two?a the constable asked. aYa still think Brian was murdered?a aYes, and I think Russell Devine was part of it, as is Tim Devereaux. But I have no proof.a I explained what I had found in the clock.

Constable Reardon was amazed. aIall need to talk with Tim Devereaux.a aIn the meantime, Iall go back and get the contract. Iall give it to you and you take it from there,a I said and looked at Maggie. aWhy donat you all stay put? Heas over at Seanas, so at least we know where he is.a Constable Reardon gave me a curious look. aSean Farrell isnat at home. He and Mary left yesterday afternoon. They went to his brotheras, said he called from your house and they decided to drive there. I saw them on their way out of town.a Maggie gave me a worried look. aKate, that means Tim isaa aA liar and G.o.d knows what else,a I interrupted her. aYou all stay put. Iam going back for the contract.a Maggie reached for me and grabbed my arm. aNot alone, Iam going with you.a I shook my head. aNo, please stay here.a aNo,a she insisted. aYouare not going alone.a aMaggie, donat argue with me,a I said.

We all went.

They stood behind me in amazement as I opened the clock. aPretty clever, huh?a I asked as I presented the doc.u.ments.

Bridget and Peter looked stunned. Constable Reardon took the doc.u.ments and shook his head. aUnbelievable.a I glanced at Maggie who smiled. aYes, you are.a I gave a shrug. aLaura.a Maggie frowned deeply and put her hand on her hips. aWho is Laura?a aA movie. When I couldnat find where this key belonged, I looked at the grandfather clock and remembered the movie. See, Clifton Webb was secretly in love with Gene Tierneya"Lauraa"who doesnat feel the same. He kills a woman in her apartment, thinking it was Laura, and hides the shotgun in the clock, then waits for a time to come back and get rid of the evidence. Itas a great film noir movie. Nineteen forty-four, I think. Dana Andrews is the cop whoa"a Maggie placed her hand on my arm. aThanks, weall wait for your review,a she said dryly.

aNow what?a Bridget asked as she sat at the small table.

Peter sat opposite her. aItas early still. Iad like to get back down to the cave. Itas really there.a aIt looks like it,a I said. aWhatever it is.a aIam not sure itas wise for you to be going down there with Tim Devereaux on the loose,a Constable Reardon said. aBut I canat stop ya. Duncorrib is a small town. Heall show up.a As he walked out, Peter stood. aIam going down there. Anyone what to join me?a he asked and I saw the gleam of excitement in his eyes.

aIam in,a I said wholeheartedly.

aAnd me,a Bridget concurred and stole a glance at Maggie.

Only I saw the left eye twitch. She looked at me. aI have a feeling youare going to need a doctor.a Peter gave me a curious look. aAre ya sick, Kate?a he asked as he leaned into me.

I glared at him. aCan we just go?a Charlie, Mac, and Teri agreed to stay at the house and wait for us. The four of us drove to the cliffs and unloaded our gear. Peter had suggested we take a shovel and a pickax along with the backpack that contained the flashlights. Tying them to a heavy rope we found in the cellar, we lowered everything down the cliffs to the rugged sh.o.r.e below. We then made the trek to the cave with no problem. The midday sun was warm enough and the waves were not crashing against the rocks so violently, as before.

Peter turned on his flashlight, and in cold ankle-deep water, we trudged through the opening of the cave and followed the same direction.

With Peter in the lead, Bridget followed with Maggie and I taking up the rear; this was their treasure hunt, after all.

At one point, Maggie stumbled and I grabbed for her arm. aEasy,a I said and held onto her. aWouldnat want anything to happen to the doctor.a I laughed quietly at my sarcasm.

aYouare such a child,a Maggie whispered and pulled her arm away.

aThis is the end,a Peter called out ahead of us.

We stopped and looked around the eerily illuminated cavern. aThis has to be it,a Peter said. aThere are no other entrances and nowhere else it could be.a I stood next to Peter at the smaller entrance. aNone of us can fit through that small opening,a I said and felt Maggieas presence right behind me.

aI can,a she said and walked ahead of us. Peter followed.

aMaggiea"a I started and stopped when I got the look of certain death. She looked scary in the high beam of the flashlight.

aOkay, letas try this,a Peter said and handed his flashlight to Bridget.