A Nice Clean Murder Part 8

Peter was standing there amazed as the bald kid tried to hit Mac. He grabbed the young man, and that was all she wrote.

BedlamaNever have I seen such flailing arms and flying fists.

Teri screamed for Mac to stop and started for the middle of the foray. I grabbed for her as she flew by me.

Mac had the redhead and as he reared back, he hit Teri in the face with his elbow. She let out a yelp and Mac turned toward her. As I got to her, I noticed the redhead coming for Mac again.

aMac, behind you!a I yelled and took a chair and quickly threw it at the manas feet.

He tripped over the chair. Mac whirled around, hauled off, and punched the redhead dead in the face. His eyes crossed and he stood there a second, teetered back and forth, and fell to the floor.

Peter had the bald one in a headlock, the poor kid looked like he was about to pa.s.s out.

aPeter, let him go. Heas turning blue,a I informed him.

Peter unceremoniously let him go and the young man fell to his knees, grabbing his throat and coughing.

Mac was breathing like a bull as he wiped the blood from his cheek. He picked up the young man. aNow pick up your friend and get the h.e.l.l out of here.a We watched as both staggered out the door. I looked at Teri in amazement. aOh, G.o.d, Teri,a I said and covered my mouth, trying not to laugh. aYour cheek is turning purple, Lady McAuliffe.a Peter sat down at the table. His lip was cut and bleeding, but he was smiling. aI havenat been in a brawl like that since I was at university,a he said proudly.

aItas been that long for me, too,a Mac said as Teri put a wet towel against his face. aSorry, honey,a Mac said quietly and touched Terias bruised cheek. aA little makeup will hide it.a aA little?a I asked and avoided the glare from my sister.

Bridget was sitting there clearly amazed. aWell, I have to admit, Iam impressed with all of ya.a aThanks, Kate, that was quick thinking,a Mac offered.

I found Bridget smiling at me. aThat was quick thinking. You couldave been hurt, though. Youare reckless, Kate Ryan.a She smiled wickedly.

The bartender came up and slapped Mac on the back. aYou did fine. Those two are a couple of ruffians. Iam glad to see someone take care of them. The drinks are on the house,a he said and turned away.

The little man called after the bartender. aAnd itas high time, too.a He roared with laughter. aWait till the village hears about this one.a He laughed and walked away.

Within ten minutes, the bar was filled with villagers.

I felt Bridget at my side. aIave got to be going. Walk me to my car?a she asked and I followed her out, avoiding Terias motherly look.

I was humming as we walked to Bridgetas car. aYouave had an interesting day, Miss Ryan,a she said as she opened her car door.

aYes, and I wasnat even hurt. Iave got to tell Maggie about that one,a I announced.

Bridget grinned, and out of the blue, she leaned over and kissed me. I heard a soft moan as she pulled back. I think it came from me.

aTell her about that one.a She winked and drove off.

I stood there for a moment, then walked back into the tavern to see Mac, who looked like the mayor, shaking hand after hand, as did Peter. The Guinness was flowing freelya"we all made sure it pa.s.sed the taste test.

I watched Peter and thought of what he had just said about his college days. Then I looked over at the old man who had said something about Peter being down by the sh.o.r.e. Something wasnat right here. I walked up to the bar and the little guy looked at me and smiled; his Guinness definitely pa.s.sed the test. aWell, there, la.s.s, you should be proud of Mac and young Sully.a aI am. Iam sorry, I donat know your name,a I said, smiling.

aMurphy, Patrick Murphy at your service,a he said with a bow and gave me an inquiring look.

aKate Ryan,a I said.

He smiled broadly. aAnd a fine Irish name it is, Kate,a he said and drank his beer. aI was impressed when ya threw the chair at the redhead.a aPatrick, what in the world was Peter doing down by the sh.o.r.e? Iave told him it was dangerous, too,a I said as I took a drink.

aI know. Heas daft that young Sully. Heas always down there looking for something. Heall break his fool neck if heas not careful. The Atlantic wind plays tricks on those cliffs and on the rocks below. He goes down there at the most peculiar times.a He leaned in and so did I, as he whispered, aI told him to bring his young woman here. That way head have something to occupy his time instead of going down there in the wee hours of the morning and late at night. The young fool.a aI see your point. Wonder what heas looking for.a I drank my beer. I noticed his gla.s.s was empty. aCan I get you another?a aThank you. One more, then I should be gettina on home.a I motioned for Seamus to get another round for everybody. I made friends quickly. Soon I had three or four local men standing around talking about Peter and his cliffs.

I listened as they argued back and forth, about when and why he goes down to the rocks below. As they argued, I looked over at Peter, who was laughing with Mac and Teri and feeling no pain, drinking another black beer. I turned back to the conversation.

aIf you ask me, the young boy is a bit touched,a one man said and put a finger to his temple.

aHeas down there no matter what the weather,a another agreed.

aWhatas down there that could be so fascinating?a I asked, and they all looked at me as if I had run out of Guinness. aWhat?a aDonat tell me ya donat know about the legend?a Patrick asked.

aWhat legend?a I asked, completely intrigued. aTell me.a One old man coughed, holding his empty gla.s.s.

aOkay, okay,a I said and called Seamus over for yet another round.

Patrick cleared his throat and looked around as if to make sure no one else was listening. The others huddled closer; I leaned in, as well.

aThe pot oa gold is down there,a he said and looked at me.

I leaned back and gave him a sarcastic look. aWell, if youare not going to be serious, Patrick.a He grinned wildly. aI am serious. The legend has it that thereas a cavern deep down inside the cliff. However, no one can find it. The wind whips around the rocks somethina fierce and the waves and tides have taken many a man with them. I am serious about that,a he said and drank his beer.

aYou think thatas what Peter is looking for? A pot of gold?a I asked, extremely disappointed. I thought it would be a real legend. This was a great Irish tale to be told at the pub or around the fire on a cold night.

The Irish blarney was flowing better than the Guinness, if that were possible. After a few hours, we were ready to leave. Mac and Peter had their arms around each otheras shoulders singing some obscure Irish rebel song.

We dragged the hero of Duncorrib grudgingly home to his castle. We no more than opened the door and the phone rang. It was Charlie. I told him about the day and he roared with laughter. aI missed it!a aSo, Charlie, what did you find out?a aPlenty, but I canat go into it on the phone. Iam done here and was going to fly home. Could you stand a houseguest for a couple of days?a he asked.

aOf course. When?a aTomorrow I can get a flight and be at Shannon by midday. Oh, do you think I might bring a guest for the weekend?a aCharlie, you devil, of course. Weave got plenty of room, thatas for sure. Terias having a dinner party on Friday,a I said cheerfully. aWait, let me ask Teri.a I turned and jumped, startled. Teri was standing right behind me. aGeez, donat do that!a I said. aCharlie wants to come for the weekend and bring a houseguest,a I said and wriggled my eyebrows.

She gave me an exasperated look. aGive me the phone.a I frowned and handed it over. I listened as Teri talked to Charlie. aNot a problem, Charlie. Should we pick you up? No. Okay.a She gave him directions. aSee you about one or so.a We went into the kitchen to find Mac sitting there. Teri put on the coffee and sat next to him.

aWell, Sherlock, what did you find out? I saw you talking to the locals,a Mac said.

Teri put coffee in front of Mac. aDrink this, my hero.a Mac blushed and drank it. aIam sorry about hitting you, sweetie. It was purely accidental,a he finished with a weak smile.

The black and blue of her cheek was not as bad as Macas jaw, which was turning a wonderful shade of purple. I got some ice, put it in two different towels, and handed one to each of them. They sat there drinking coffee with the ice on their faces. I put my hands on my hips in a motherly fashion.

aDonat ever tell me I get into strange situations again, children.a They both scowled at me. aIt would take us a lifetime to catch up with you,a Mac said.

aThis is true.a I hate it when theyare right. aPeter said today that he was at the stables. I found out he was down on the sh.o.r.e skulking around. Heas been doing it for a few months now.a aWhatas he looking for?a Teri asked.

aA pot of gold. Thatas the legend anyway,a I said rather disappointed.

aWhat legend?a Mac asked.

aApparently, thereas gold buried in them thar cliffs,a I said, laughing.

Mac shook his head. aOh, brother, another Irish tale.a aProbably, but remember after the fight, Peter said he hadnat gotten into a brawl like that since college?a I asked.

aSo?a Mac asked.

aI thought he was a poor kid and has been around horses all his life? How does a poor kid in this country go to college and wind up a horse trainer, making little or no money at all? Thereas something not right with him, Mac.a Mac shifted uncomfortably. aI donat know. Thatas a good point, but he fought like a son today.a aMaybe Iam way off. I hope so,a I said, rubbing the back of my neck. It ached horribly. aMy barometer is working. I bet it rains tomorrow.a aHey, what did Charlie find out?a Mac asked.

aOh, I nearly forgot. He couldnat talk over the phone but asked if he could come for the weekend and bring a houseguest,a I said and raised my eyebrows.

Mac laughed. aThis should be interesting.a aYes, it will be,a Teri said absently while drinking her coffee.

I noticed she looked like the proverbial cat that ate that poor canary. She looked far too much like our mother at that momenta"it scared me.

Chapter 12.

I woke on Friday morning stiff as a board. It had to be raining. I looked out my windowa"cloudy and damp but no rain. I thought about Peter and the rocks as I made coffee. Legends. Those old guys thought it was amusing, Iam sure, to get the goofy Yank, and I fell for it. I sat there at the table and shook my head.

It was peculiar, though, that head been down there so much. Maybe Iad take a trip and see what was so fascinating. I went upstairs, put on some heavy clothes and my boots, and grabbed my camera bag. I left a note for Mac and Teri and left.

The cliffs were so close I probably could have walked. The mill came into sight and I took the small road as far as I could. The ocean was magnificent. Indeed, a small rugged path led down to the sh.o.r.e. It was about a forty- or fifty-foot drop. It was steep but not impossibleasort of. I stood for a moment. If Maggie were here, shead say noa"I grinned childishly and started down the rocky path.

I made my way down little by little, slipping a couple of times. I looked back and was amazed at how little I had accomplished in ten minutes. This was steep, and for a moment, I thought of going back. However, I continued slowly. It took me the better part of an hour, and I was only halfway down and breathless. If I went any faster, I would surely slip and fall at least thirty feet. The wind was fierce, whipping and swirling around. I stopped and leaned against the cliffs. I need to get into better shape.

Finally, I reached the bottom. There certainly wasnat much sh.o.r.e to walk along. The huge rocks and boulders made for precarious maneuvering. I slipped on several occasions, sc.r.a.ping my shin badly. I looked down to see my jeans torn at the knee. Why does this always happen to me? I winced and looked at the blood running down my leg. I took the bandanna out of my pocket, tied it around my shin, and continued. There was a small clearing, and all at once, a huge wave crashed on the sh.o.r.e and I was soaked with the icy Atlantic. At that moment, I was glad I left my camera equipment in the car. This was a mistake. I felt and looked like a drowned rat.

I saw a small cave opening. I stared at it and walked closer. The opening was about seven feet, as high as it was wide. I looked closer and thoughta"bats.

aYuck,a I said openly and shivered.

I tried to get closer, but the waves were crashing and there was no way I could make it the thirty feet. Huge rocks and boulders surrounded it. Looking up, there was a sheer wall. No one could possibly come down here any other way but the path. Unless they rappelled like a mountain climber. I shivered and decided to make my way back. It took me the better part of an hour to get off those rocks, all the while being soaked by the icy waves. When I got to my car, I was freezing. Mac and Teri are going to be so p.i.s.sed. Fine, now I felt like a ten-year-old.

Maybe Iall plead insanity. People tend to be nice to the insane.

I pulled up in front of the house and saw a strange car. It must be Charlie, I thought, smiling. It will be good to see him. I was freezing and soaking wet. I looked down at my shin and cursed myself for my clumsiness. I shivered and couldnat wait for a warm shower. Maybe theyare out and wonat even know.

I tiptoed into the foyer and headed for the stairs with my boots squishing. If I could only get to my rooma aWhere the h.e.l.l have you been?a I stopped dead in my tracks. Mom? aSo close.a I sighed helplessly and turned to Teri. aHey, youall never believe what happened,a I started innocently when Mac and Charlie walked out of the library.

aWhat happened?a she asked and noticed my makeshift bandage.

I chose to ignore her. I am an adult after all. aIall fill you in later. Right now Iam freezing,a I said and looked at Charlie. aHi there. How was the flight and whereas your houseguest?a I asked and winked. He motioned to the top of the stairs.

I was stunned. There stood Maggie sporting a wicked smile. aSurprise,a she said flatly.

No longer stunned, I stood there dumbfounded and shivering. My heart raceda"she looked good. She was wearing an Irish sweater, a green turtleneck, and brown wool slacks.

aWhat are you doing here?a I asked as I walked up the stairs.

aTeri invited me,a she answered dryly and looked at my shin. aWhat did you do?a I stopped and looked down at myself. aOh, I slipped.a She rolled her eyes and stepped aside. aGo take off those wet clothes.a As I pa.s.sed by, she lightly touched my shoulder. aAre you all right?a The d.a.m.ned soft voice sent a chill through my already chilled body. I wish shead stop touching me. aYeah, Iam fine,a I said. aIall be right out.a aDo you need me?a For an instant, our eyes locked. aI think so, but not for this,a I said and motioned to my sc.r.a.ped shin. We both let out a nervous laugh as I walked by.

After getting warm and dry, I headed downstairs. They were all in the library and looked my way when I came in from the hallway.

aSo where did you go? You had us worried,a Teri asked.

aI thought I should see for myself if there was anything to this pot of gold business, so I went down there. I got a little bath from the Atlantic, so I turned back. However, I did see a cave entrance,a I finished, and Mac gave me an astonished look.

aYouare kidding.a Teri put her hands on her hips. aYou went down there alone?a aYes, Teri. I went down there alone. Now for a second, stop being Mom and listen. Why would Peter be playing around down there? Thereas something to this, I can feel it,a I said. I turned my attention to Charlie. aSo, Charlie, what did you find out?a We all took places around the fire. Maggie sat on the hearth and leaned over. aCharlie told me whatas been going on. Youave been busy,a she said, and I could hear the worried undertone in her voice. I looked into her blue eyes and smiled.

aI like being busy,a I said as I reached over and held her hand, giving it an affectionate shake. aThereas something going on here, Maggie.a Charlie cleared his throat and took a note pad from his breast pocket. aWell, Kate, this is strange. The Omega Group, based out of London, is a company that does pretty much the same as we do. They buy smaller companies and sell them for a profit, blah, blah,a he started.

aHowever, this is a big company. Much bigger than ours, itas worldwide. They donat usually go after small potatoes like Oceanview Woolen Mill.a He looked at Mac. aNo offense, Mac, but your millas real worth is to the village. Youall make a nice living, but I donat see the attraction to a mega business like Omega.a Mac nodded in understanding. aI donat, either.a He picked up the proposal and handed it to Charlie. aSee for yourself. I donat know what theyare thinking.a Charlie frowned as he read it, turning the pages back and forth. aWow, thatas a chunk of money.a He handed the proposal to Maggie.

Maggie read it and agreed.

aDid you take this to a lawyer?a Charlie asked.

Mac nodded. aBridget Donnelly was Brianas lawyer. Sheas taking care of us now. She read it and canat figure out why they want the mill, either.a aBridget did say that this Mr. Collins has been up here on several occasions in the past year or two, bugging Brian to sell. I personally think his family knew and thatas why they wanted him to sell.a I paced in front of the fire.

aWhat would a multi-bazillion-dollar company want with a tiny woolen mill? Brianas family wanted him to sell. They donat have the sentiment that Brian had. They want the money pure and simple.a I thought for a moment and continued to pace. aThe more I think about it, the more I donat believe Brianas death was an accident. I have a big hunch that somebody tossed him over the cliff because he wouldnat sell. Whoever killed him didnat know he made Mac his beneficiary. Thatas why we got the visit back home and why I was attacked in the street. Someone wants us out of here.a aWait a minute, what happened to you?a Maggie asked.

I explained simply as she and Charlie listened in disbelief. aSo you see why Iad like this solved soon,a I said earnestly. aThis company is the key. Charlie, how much more can you find out?a aIave got three people working on it. Thatas how big this company is. I gave them twenty-four hours to come up with something. Theyare burning the midnight oil. I should be hearing from them by tomorrow.a aIam going to get dinner ready,a Teri announced. Maggie offered to help and Teri shook her head. aOh, no. Youare a guest for the next few days. Besides, itall keep my mind busy. Kate, take Maggie out to see the horses. We showed them around a little this afternoon while you were swimming, but I didnat get to the stables.a Maggie and I strolled across the field to the stables. It was still bright. The sun hadnat fully set over the ocean.

aMy G.o.d, it is beautiful. Iave never seen so much green,a Maggie said as she looked around the landscape.

aI know. Itas because the weather is so foul,a I said and rubbed my neck.

She looked at me. aYouare not upset that Iam here?a I stopped and looked down at her worried face. aOf course not.a aCharlie said it was my duty as a wealthy woman to hop on a plane at a momentas notice.a I grinned at the sarcastic tone. aWell, heas right. You have an obligation to throw your money around,a I replied. I looked into her eyes. aI should have never told you to go home. I wanted you here. I-I should have thought of inviting you, Iam sorry.a I could tell she was caught off-guard by my statement. To tell the truth, so was I. The dimpled grin started and my heart skipped. Suddenly, I felt the need to explain.

aWell, I mean you needed a little getaway, too, after six months straight in an emergency room.a I took a deep breath.

aS-So itas good that you can relax anda"a

Her warm fingertips were suddenly against my lips. aDonat say another word, Kate. What you said was perfect. Thank you.a I was sweating. My mouth was dry. My heart was pounding and my hands were shaking. What a mess.

She grinned slightly and walked toward the stable. I obediently followed, when my legs stopped shaking, and pulled the heavy door open. Maggie was still grinning as she walked by.

aOh, quit your grinning,a I grumbled and pushed her into the stable.

She was amazed, as I knew she would be. The Connemara ponies were in their stalls. She immediately went to them, took a handful of oats, and fed them. I watched in quiet amazement.