Shamrock Shenanigans (Zoe Donovan Mystery Book 19) (2 page)

“Do you think Piper might be part of the game as either the victim or the killer?” I whispered.

“I suppose she might. She does seem to have a relationship of some sort with his lordship.”

“You noticed that too? And she did disappear shortly after Lord Dunphy excused himself.”

“True, but she wasn’t the only one to excuse herself,” Zak pointed out. “Armand claimed to have a headache and went up to his room immediately after dinner and I saw Susan and Luke sneak off a little while ago.”

“Based on what I observed when they were introduced, I’m going to guess they headed off for a little hanky panky.”

“Hanky panky sounds good,” Zak whispered. “I can’t wait to make love to my wife in that antique bed. Perhaps we should head upstairs as well.”

I couldn’t help but think of Catherine’s twelve sons and wonder if the room hadn’t been cursed with a fertility spell. Not that being able to bear children was a curse. Exactly. But twelve? In the back of my mind I couldn’t help but wonder if staying in the room Catherine had shared with the love of
her
lifetime, with the love of
my
lifetime, wouldn’t result in a similar outcome.

“Do you think our room is cursed?” I asked Zak.

“Cursed?”

“Never mind.” I knew I was being ridiculous. I was sure there had been dozens if not hundreds of people who slept in that room over the past three centuries. I doubted any of them had ended up with twelve sons. “We can go up in a minute. I want to take this opportunity to size everyone up. It seems like there really are five contestants, and each of the five has brought a guest. I doubt any of us is either the victim or the killer and I don’t think any of the guests are either. It would be too hard for the guest of one of the contestants to keep from giving their identity away. That just leaves Brent, Drew, or a staff member to play the two roles, unless Piper is in on it, in which case Millie must be in on it as well.”

Zak sighed. I could see he wasn’t thrilled that I wanted to talk, but I really needed to work this through in my mind before I could relax and enjoy the evening.

I looked around the room. Jessica was speaking to Sam Spalding. Based on their body language it seemed possible they may have been acquainted prior to their arrival at the castle. Jessica’s niece Cassandra was chatting with the psychic, Millie Monroe, and the reporter, Drew Baltimore. Neither Armand, Piper, Luke, nor Susan had returned to the group, and Brent had left a short while ago to make a phone call.

“Did you notice that Armand seemed particularly quiet during dinner?” I asked Zak.

“He did claim to have a headache. I suppose that could be the source of his disinclination to participate in the conversation.”

“Yeah, I suppose.”

“I think it’s too early in the game to start looking for clues in the behavior of the others. I think we should get a good night’s rest and once the victim is revealed we can take it from there.”

“I guess you’re right. There doesn’t seem to be much that can be learned from this evening’s gathering. Besides, we still need to let Charlie out. Perhaps we should make our excuses and head upstairs.”

Zak smiled a wicked little grin.

Luckily, both Zak and I thought to bring raincoats and waterproof boots. The introductory letter we’d been sent when we’d signed up for the weekend informed us that the area received a lot of rain on an annual basis. It had been pouring since we’d arrived at the airport, and it seemed to be coming down even harder since we’d arrived at the castle. Part of me wanted to be concerned about the velocity of the storm, but the old stone structure had been standing for centuries and I was sure it had weathered worse.

Charlie was happy to get outdoors to stretch his legs and didn’t seem to mind the rain in the least, although he did growl every time thunder rolled in from the horizon. Zak and I followed from a distance as he ran around sniffing everything in sight. It always made me happy when he was happy, but I hoped he’d take care of things quickly this evening. I had the hood of my waterproof slicker over my hair, but there was still rain running off my head onto the saturated ground below my boots.

“I bet there’s a gorgeous view when the sun is out,” Zak commented as we looked out over the raging sea. It was so dark that we couldn’t actually see the water, but the sound of waves crashing on the rocks below left no doubt that the ocean was nearby.

“Maybe it will be sunny tomorrow. I heard one of the others mention that the castle has a stable that allows guests to borrow horses to ride on the beach. I’ve always wanted to ride a horse on the beach.”

“I’m afraid the forecast is for rain for at least another twenty-four hours,” Zak informed me. “But maybe it will clear by Saturday. I wonder how long it takes for the water to recede enough to open the bridge once the precipitation stops.”

“With the ocean literally at the back doorstep of the castle, I bet it runs off pretty quickly. It’s a good thing the castle sits up here on the bluff, however. Based on the sound of the waves I bet they’ll be huge tonight.”

I pulled my rain slicker more tightly around my body as the wind began to pick up. “I think Charlie has had enough time to do what he needs to do. Let’s head in before the lightning in the distance makes its way onshore.”

“Good idea.”

“Charlie,” I called as I peered into the distance. He’d been just a few feet in front of me a minute ago, but now I was unable to see his furry little body. “Charlie,” I called louder.

The wind had picked up to the point that my voice didn’t seem to carry at all. I cupped my hands around my mouth and called for my little buddy as loudly as I possibly could. He couldn’t have gotten too far away in such a short amount of time, but even though I looked in every direction, I couldn’t see him.

“Where could he have gotten off to?” I asked Zak, who was looking around as well.

“I don’t know, but he couldn’t have gotten far. He probably just can’t hear us over the wind and waves.” Zak cupped his hands around his mouth and called for Charlie.

I stood perfectly still and continued to look around the area. It was dark and becoming darker as the velocity of both the wind and the rain increased. Charlie was a light-colored dog and he had a flashing green light on his collar that usually could be seen from quite a distance. I have to admit I was beginning to get more than just a little bit worried.

“You don’t think he got too close to the edge?” I said with fear in my voice.

“No. He’s too smart for that. Charlie!” Zak yelled again.

I heard the faint sound of a bark in the distance. “He’s over there.” I pointed toward a small cottage that was most likely used as a guesthouse, or perhaps it was a groundskeeper’s residence.

Zak and I hurried toward the building, which was actually farther away than it initially appeared. Like the castle, it was a stone structure, just a lot smaller.

“Charlie,” I called again as I got closer.

Charlie continued to bark but didn’t come as I commanded. Charlie was well trained and usually obedient, except when…

“You don’t think—” I commented as I picked up my pace.

Zak, who had longer legs and therefore beat me to the cottage, stopped walking and knelt down. I immediately saw a body lying on the ground near the front door of the small cottage.

“Is it?” I asked.

“It’s Brent Silverwood.”

“Is he dead dead or fake dead?”

“I’m afraid he’s dead dead,” Zak answered.

To my mind, Brent had been a likely candidate for the role of the fake body, but who would want to kill him for real?

“Are you sure?” I found myself asking.

“I’m sure.” Zak leaned away from the body. “It’s raining hard enough to have washed away most of the blood, but if you turn him over there’s a large pool of blood beneath the body.”

Brent was lying facedown. Based on the blood on his shirt, it appeared as if he had been shot in the back.

“Should we call someone?” I whispered

“The bridge is closed,” Zak reminded me. “We can’t get off the island, but the local law enforcement can’t get onto the island either.” Zak tried the door to the cottage. It was open. “The water level in that creek over there is really coming up. I’m afraid if we leave the body where it is it could get washed out to sea. Let’s drag the body inside and then head back to the castle to fill in Lord Dunphy.”

Zak and I pulled the body into the cottage and then tossed a blanket we found over the top of it. We then closed the door, grabbed Charlie, and headed back toward the castle. When we arrived there, we were greeted by Byron, who was speaking to a man I assumed was the butler. We asked to speak to Lord Dunphy but were informed that he had retired for the evening and could not be disturbed. We filled the men in on what we’d found and then went in to our own room. Zak started a fire in the old stone fireplace while I drew myself a hot bath. If there was one thing I’d already learned about centuries’ old castles it was that they were cold and drafty.

By the time I finished my bath the fire had warmed the bedroom and Zak, my poor, tired husband, was sound asleep in the big antique bed. I tossed my robe at the foot of the bed and was preparing to slip in next to him when I heard a humming sound that I couldn’t identify. I wondered if it was coming from the bathroom, so I changed direction and headed back inside to look for the source of the sound, which had since stopped. The tub had emptied, the toilet wasn’t running, and the sink was empty. It must have been something in the walls, or perhaps even something coming from the exterior of the castle. I stood quietly and listened, but the sound was gone.

I returned to the bedroom and was preparing, once again, to climb into the big bed when I noticed my robe was no longer lying across the end of the bed. I looked around the room to find it lying on one of the chairs that was situated in front of the fire. I glanced at Zak, who was still snoring softly. He hadn’t moved since the first time I began to approach the bed. Charlie was still curled up in the same spot next to Zak.

“Catherine?”

When Zak and I came downstairs the next morning everyone knew Brent was dead. I assumed the staff members we’d spoken to the previous evening had, at some point, filled Lord Dunphy in on the murder. I’m not sure what I expected the mood of the group to be once everyone found out, but I know I expected it to be different from the general atmosphere of excitement that greeted me when Zak and I joined the others for breakfast.

“I’ll grab us some plates if you want to get a couple of cups of coffee,” Zak offered. The meal had been set up buffet style. “I’ll meet you at our seats.”

I agreed to the plan and headed over to the coffee table, where the cook was refilling the coffee urn.

“Has Lord Dunphy come down this morning?” I asked.

“No, ma’am. The phone lines are down and the cell service isn’t working on account of the storm. He is trying, unsuccessfully I believe, to reach someone via an old ham radio system he has in the workroom.”

“I’m sure he wants to inform the authorities that a murder has occurred.”

“Yes, ma’am, I believe so.”

I poured two cups of coffee after the cook finished replacing the supplies she’d brought out from the kitchen. “Have you heard how long the storm is supposed to last?” I asked.

“I believe through the weekend, although there should be a temporary clearing on Saturday. I hope the forecast is wrong and the weather clears sooner, but I’m not holding out much hope because it seems to have intensified since last night.”

I nodded. “When I took my dog Charlie out this morning even he was reluctant to venture into the sheets of rain. I noticed that all the small tributaries are spilling onto the grounds. It seems like the castle is almost completely surrounded by water.”

“It gets that way at times. The outbuildings will most likely flood, but the castle was built up on the highest land mass in the area. We will be fine.” The woman glanced around the room, as if looking for someone. “I should get back to the kitchen. Let me know if you need anything else.”

“I will. And thank you. The food looks delicious.”

I glanced toward the buffet table, where Zak was chatting with Armand. Both men were frowning, which I assumed wasn’t a good sign. I continued over to the dining table with the coffee and sat down across from Millie. Apparently Piper hadn’t come downstairs yet.

“I guess you heard we had a real murder,” Millie informed me.

“Yes, I heard.”

“I was afraid this weekend was going to be boring, but a real murder… Now, that is something I can get excited about.”

I frowned. I got that Millie didn’t personally know Brent, so I guess I could understand why she might not be experiencing distress at the man’s passing, but the glee she was exhibiting was just wrong.

“Have you heard whether there’s a suspect?” I wondered.

“I haven’t, but as far as I’m concerned, until I sort out all the clashing energies in the castle, everyone is a suspect, including the ghosts.”

I did remember that Lord Dunphy had mentioned conflicting auras the previous day and had to wonder if Millie was picking up on something similar.

“Clashing energies?” I asked.

“Everything is inside out and backward. What we see is not what we know.”

“We?”

Zak joined me and Millie turned her attention to Cassandra, thereby putting an end to the conversation before she answered me. Who was this
we
she was talking about?

“Everything okay?” Zak asked. He must have noticed my frown.

“Yeah, everything is fine. I spoke to the cook and she said the storm is predicted to continue through the weekend.”

“Armand mentioned that as well. I’ve been thinking about the location of Brent’s body in relation to the flooding. Based on the amount of precipitation this morning, it seems obvious to me that if we hadn’t found Brent’s body last night it would have washed away and ended up in the ocean at some point during the night.”

“Do you think someone intended that to happen, figuring that no none would come along and find it during the storm?”

“Maybe. But if that had been the intent I’m not sure why the killer wouldn’t have just dragged the body to the cliff and tossed it over.”

“Do you think Brent was killed in the spot where we found him?” I asked.

“It would be my guess that he was based on the amount of blood beneath the body. If he had been washed out to sea the blood his body was protecting would have washed away as well. It’s doubtful anyone would ever have discovered what had become of him.”

“So maybe the killer was unable to move the body for some reason,” I suggested. “Brent was a large man. A small killer, like say Piper or Millie, might not be able to drag a man of his size and weight to the edge of the bluff. Perhaps they realized Mother Nature would take care of disposing of the body in a few hours and simply left him where he fell.”

Zak took a sip of his coffee. “I suppose if that were true it would narrow down our suspect field, although neither woman seems the type to kill a man in cold blood.”

Piper wandered into the room along with Jessica, so Zak and I paused our conversation until we were alone. At this point no one was talking about the game, which I assumed would be canceled, because everyone was talking about Brent’s murder. Chances were the killer was in the room strategizing and building theories with everyone else. I decided it gave him or her a distinct advantage to know what everyone was thinking. Zak and I were going to keep our own ideas to ourselves for the time being.

I noticed Armand sat down at the opposite end of the table with Sam and Luke. I figured it was best to divide and conquer, so I nodded for Zak to join the men. Luckily, he understood my unspoken request, picked up his plate, and moved to the other end of the table. I looked around the room, taking a mental roll call as I did.

Piper, Millie, Jessica, and Cassandra were all sitting near me, Sam, Armand, and Luke were chatting with Zak, which left Susan and Drew unaccounted for in terms of the guests.

Turning to the staff, the cook had said Lord Dunphy was in the workroom trying to establish communication with the outside world, and both the cook, whose name I’d learned was Bonnie, and Byron were in and out of the kitchen, bringing out more food. I hadn’t seen the maid who had been on the premises when we first arrived or the man we’d spoken to the previous night.

At this point I supposed the killer could be anyone. The main question in my mind was what Brent had been doing at the cottage in the middle of a rainstorm in the first place. I remembered he’d left dinner to take a call, or maybe it was to make one. It was possible someone could have arranged to meet him at the cottage for one reason or another. The lack of lines on my own cell confirmed that service was still out, but perhaps we could find Brent’s phone and look up his recent call history.

Looking back, perhaps Zak and I should have looked around a bit better after we’d found the body.

“So, what do you think?” Piper asked me.

“Think?” I really hadn’t been listening to the conversation going on around me.

“About putting together a card tournament of some type this afternoon. It’s clear the rain isn’t going to stop, which is too bad, actually. There is a lovely little footpath leading from the castle down to the most beautiful beach. Poppy and I spent quite a bit of time walking along the waterline when we were here last summer.”

“A card game sounds good, although other than poker and old maid my card-playing repertoire is pretty limited. Still, I’m willing to learn.”

“Perhaps bridge,” Jessica suggested.

“Or canasta,” Cassandra countered.

The discussion of which card game would make for the best tournament continued and I once again tuned out. The man who had been with Byron in the hallway the previous evening came in. He said something to Byron and the two men hurried away. They had a look of urgency about them, so I decided to follow them. I excused myself from the women and scurried off in the direction I’d seen the men take. At first I thought I’d lost them, but then I heard the sound of voices from below and realized they’d gone down into the workroom. It took me a few minutes, but eventually I found the entrance and, as quiet as a mouse, I tiptoed down the stairs.

“What do you mean he’s gone?” Lord Dunphy shouted.

“I went to the cottage to check on the victim, but there was no body,” the man who was not Byron explained. “The place is clean. If there ever was a body, there isn’t a sign of it now.”

“Have the two of you been keeping an eye on the guests as I asked you to?” Lord Dunphy asked.

“We have. Neither of us has seen anyone leave the castle.”

“Take a look around,” Lord Dunphy instructed. “If there is a body it has to be somewhere.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And Liam…”

The man we’d assumed was the butler paused.

“Let’s keep this between the three of us until we get things sorted out.”

I quickly crept back up the stairs and hid in a small closet at the top while Byron and Liam hurried past. As soon as I was certain they were gone, I slowly opened the closet door and snuck back down the stairs. Lord Dunphy was still working on the radio. What I found odd was that he was having a conversation with someone, although as far as I could tell there was no one else in the room.

“I tried tightening the wires, but I’m still not getting a signal,” Lord Dunphy said to the person I couldn’t see.

“Yes, I tried that as well.”

I took a silent step forward to see if I could identify the person his lordship was speaking to, but the room appeared to be empty.

“Of course I am concerned that a real murder has occurred. We both know this couldn’t have happened at a worse time.”

I watched as Lord Dunphy tossed the screwdriver he’d been using to work on the radio across the room in frustration. “Stop nagging me. I’m doing the best I can.”

With that, Lord Dunphy stood up. I headed back up the stairs. I still hadn’t seen or heard anyone, but his lordship seemed to be pretty mad at someone. Or perhaps something. Could he have been arguing with a ghost?

When I returned to the dining room Zak was gone, but Drew had shown up and was speaking to the other women. Susan was still missing. Of course based on her figure I was willing to bet she didn’t eat breakfast, which led me to believe she was most likely sleeping in.

I decided to head back to our room. If Zak had left the dining room that was most likely where he had gone. If the castle really was now cut off from the rest of the world—and it appeared that was the case at least temporarily—it was time for Zak and me to get to work tracking down the killer. A man was dead, and I for one intended to find out who had killed him.

I found a note from Zak, saying that the rain had temporarily slowed and he was taking Charlie out to stretch his legs. The poor little guy had been spending a lot of time in our room. I pulled on my waterproof boots and slicker and headed downstairs and toward the exterior door. Zak was right; the rain had slowed to a light sprinkle, although the dark clouds on the horizon seemed to indicate that there was more rain on the way.

I could see the yellow of Zak’s raincoat in the distance, so I headed toward the bluff. Even though Lord Dunphy’s men had reported that the body was gone I figured it couldn’t hurt for Zak and me to take a look for ourselves. I was willing to bet we had a lot more experience investigating murders than the men who worked at the castle did, which meant we might stumble across something they’d missed.

“Good; you found my note,” Zak greeted me when I caught up with him. “I looked around and you were gone.”

I explained about following the men into the workroom and the shocking discovery they had revealed to Lord Dunphy. I didn’t mention the conversation I’d overheard between his lordship and what might have been a ghost. Zak never has said as much, but I don’t think he believes in the existence of ethereal beings the way I do. He tends to depend on logic when viewing the world, where I like to delve into the realm of the possible.

“If someone moved the body we’re going to have a heck of a time creating our suspect list,” I concluded.

Zak frowned. “I guess we should have looked around a little more carefully last night.”

“My thought exactly.”

“The castle is filled with people chosen to be here because of their ability to solve crimes,” Zak pointed out. “Doesn’t it seem odd to you that we seem to be the only ones interested in investigating?”

“Maybe we
aren’t
the only ones investigating. Maybe the others are keeping things to themselves the same way we are, although the women
were
arranging a card tournament for later.”

“If I were the killer I might arrange something like that as a diversion to keep people occupied,” Zak suggested.

I tried to remember who’d initially suggested the card game, but I really couldn’t remember.

Once we arrived at the cottage we tried the front door, which was now locked. Figured. We didn’t have any tools with us to pick the lock, so we decided to look around the building for another way in—perhaps a back door or an unlocked window. We walked around the building several times, but there was no way in.