Fatal Roots

by Sheila Connolly

  “How’s it goin’ with her?”

  “Good, I guess. I think the hotel stuff keeps her busy, which makes sense if she’s trying to save the place, but at least she trusts me with Susan. I’m kind of surprised Susan doesn’t hate me, but she seems to be happy to spend time with me. But it’s all pretty new for all of us—I’m taking it one day at a time.”

  “The girl seems to be enjoyin’ herself.”

  “I think you’re right, Mick. I hope it lasts.”

  “Why wouldn’t it?”

  “Maybe she thinks I’m taking Helen’s attention away from her.”

  “Or maybe she likes you.” Mick smiled.

  It was just past nine when they parked up the street from the pub. The front door was open, and as they walked toward it, Maura could hear the noise of Rose clanging around, cleaning up. When Rose walked in the door to the bar Maura said, “Don’t you have a class this morning?”

  “I do, yes, but I was worried when you weren’t here.”

  “We got sidetracked at the old ring fort. It seems a badger family lives there, and I’d never seen one, so I wanted to watch it. Mick, can she use your car to get to Skib? Or one of us could drive her over.”

  “No worries,” he said. “We’ve enough to keep us busy fer a while, so take the car, Rose. Is anything new here?”

  “Uh, Helen said she’d be here by ten, with Susan. That’s all I know.”

  “Well, enjoy your class. I’ll keep an eye out for Helen and Susan.”

  “Thanks, Maura. I’ll be back by noon. Mebbe if we’re lucky we can get some more done on the kitchen.”

  Mick handed Rose the car keys, and Maura called out, “See you later!” as Rose left.

  Opening time was ten thirty, but Helen and Susan arrived closer to ten. “I can’t stay long,” Helen said, somewhat breathlessly, “but Susan and I measured what appliances were stashed in the hotel basement, so you can look to see what fits. They don’t exactly match each other, but they won’t be visible to your patrons, so I guess it doesn’t matter what they look like. I’m told they all still work, and I won’t charge you for them, if any of them are right for you.”

  “Helen, you don’t have to do that!” Maura protested.

  “It’s fine, really. They’re no good to us, and we need to clear out our own storage area at the hotel. Rose’ll be doing the cooking?”

  “Mostly. She’ll need some help, but we’ll have to see how it goes before we think about hiring somebody else. Sophie and her brother Niall—I don’t think you’ve met them yet—are possible employees, but they only just arrived in Ireland, and they may want to see more of it. I found out earlier this year that it’s hard to find people to hire around here—mostly younger people leave for someplace more exciting. I’m glad we have Rose, but I won’t stop her if she finds a better job, or one in a better place.”

  “I like her,” Susan volunteered suddenly. “I mean, she’s not much older than me, but she works hard, she knows this business, and she really is a good cook. You should try to keep her around.”

  Maura smiled at her. “Believe me, I will, but I won’t stand in her way. Did the two of you have plans for today? She just left for her class, but she’ll be back before lunch.”

  “Just working on the kitchen. You know when you want to start serving food?”

  “When the kitchen is ready to cook in. Hey, you haven’t been to the farmers market, right?” When Susan shook her head, Maura explained, “It takes place every Saturday in the middle of Skibbereen, and you can find just about anything there. I go looking for used cookware and china, because I know we’ll need them soon, and they’re cheap at the market. The food is as fresh as it can get, usually picked in the morning. And there are nonfood things too, like used clothes and old books and a guy who sells live chickens and ducks. It’s fun to wander around and look at stuff.”

  Susan turned to her mother. “You mind if I go on Saturday, Mom?”

  “It sounds great! I might want to go myself, to see what’s available—but you can go your own way without me.”

  “Thanks. You want me to start something, Maura?”

  “Let’s go measure.”

  Half an hour later Helen had penciled in measurements next to rough sketches of appliances in a notebook she was carrying. Maura wished she could give her more information about what the Sullivan’s kitchen needed, but she had no idea—Helen was likely to know more than she did.

  “I really appreciate your doing this, Helen,” Maura said.

  “You don’t really have to thank me, you know. The stuff is just going to waste in the storage rooms, and I’d be happy if you have a use for it. And you don’t have to pay for it. Just tell some of your customers to eat dinner at the hotel and I’ll be happy.”

  Rose arrived then, and Susan volunteered to show her what they were thinking about for the kitchen. Maura enjoyed watching the two girls—they seemed so young!—talking about kitchens and what they might need. She was left alone with Helen in the main bar—she could catch up with Rose later.

  “How’s it going with the hotel, Helen?”

  “Inconclusive. I know you haven’t been here long, and you aren’t exactly an expert on ‘fine dining’”—Helen made air quotes—“but I’m not sure which way the economy’s going around here. I’ve been told things are better than they used to be, but that’s not the only issue. Skibbereen is a nice town, and more upscale than I expected, but that doesn’t mean many people go searching for a high-end meal, or even a hotel, and I know there are a couple of decent hotels in town, like the West Cork Inn or the Eldon. So I’m feeling my way along, talking to the current staff, things like that. But I’m getting mixed responses, from both staff and patrons. I’d hate to see the place shut down, or turn into a private hospital or investment firm or something like that, but I don’t know if it will survive as a hotel. And since I’m not particularly familiar with how to promote places in Ireland, I’m a bit lost. Do you have any suggestions?”

  Maura did her best not to snort in amusement. “Helen, I am so not the person to ask. I haven’t been here long, and pubs have their own traditions and patterns, so I didn’t really have to change much. Well, except to clean the place up. That was not Old Mick’s strong point. But my experience with fancier places is nil. How long have you got, this trip?”

  “I haven’t really decided, except to get Susan back to school. Would it make a difference?”

  “I think so. Look, this is supposed to be prime tourist season, and Skibbereen is one of the main towns in this area. If I was you, I wouldn’t decide anything too quickly. Stick around, get to know how the hotel and the kitchen work, watch who comes in and how they react. Talk to the staff and ask questions. What works? What doesn’t work? The board doesn’t need a decision tomorrow, do they?”

  “No. They left it up to me to make a recommendation. You aren’t just saying this because you want to get to know me better, are you?”

  “Well, I do, but it’s a business suggestion, based on what little I know about the area and the market. And I’d like to get to know Susan. How’s she handling having a big sister?”

  Helen looked around before answering, but clearly Rose and Susan were having fun in the kitchen space and not paying any attention to Helen and Maura. “I wish I’d told her more and sooner. But she’s a teenager and she’s lived a very different life compared to rural Ireland. I didn’t know how she’d react. Or if she’d be mad at me for hiding my past from her for so long.”

  “She isn’t?”

  “She was at first, but I think she’s used to the idea now. In a strange way I think it’s made me more interesting to her, the fact that I had a different life before she was even born.”

  “Does your husband know all the details?”

  “More or less. He’s never been all that interested. But we get along fairly well, even with the kids.”

  “Good to know. Will he be visiting here?”

  “Depends on a lot of things
.”

  Maura hesitated for a minute before saying, “Helen, I’d like to know more about my father, if that’s all right with you. Gran never talked about him. She didn’t talk about Ireland, or Leap, or the people she’d known here. I figured she was mourning her past life, and I didn’t want to pry. But you knew my father. I’m not saying we have to do it now—pick a time that works for you, and we can find some privacy somewhere. Is that okay?”

  “I’d like that, I think. I loved your father, and then I was angry that he died and left me with few choices. Not that I resented having you so young, because we both wanted you, but then I was left alone to take care of you. I didn’t feel I had a lot of options, and I needed to make money just to support myself. I know it wasn’t fair to dump you on your grandmother—she had enough to worry about without my adding that. But I was desperate. I apologize, to you, and to her memory. I’ve been trying to make up for it ever since. I guess coming here, getting to know you, and letting my daughter get to know you, is the last step in apologizing. And I really appreciate your not throwing us both out at the sight of us. I know it’s going to take time, but I want to try.”

  “That works for me. Look, I’m still learning how to run this business. I really like it, but I know I can do better. So maybe we can work together. I know we’re talking about very different places, but we’re in the same neighborhood, so at least we can compare notes. So, are we going to have appliances?”

  Helen smiled. “I think we can make things work. But you do keep pretty busy here.”

  “I know, and I’ve tried to find more staff, but it’s not easy around here. You’ll probably find the same thing. But I’m sure we can figure something out.”

  “Uh, you mind if I ask where Mick fits? Not that I mean to pry.”

  “We’re taking things slow, but I think we’re in a good place together. Not that it hasn’t taken a while. He’s a big help here, even though he’s qualified to do more and different things. But I’m not telling him to go.”

  “I’m glad to hear it. You two seem comfortable with each other.”

  “Thanks. I guess.” Things would probably be even better if they didn’t keep tripping over crimes, but she wasn’t going to complain. It was nice to have someone to lean on—something she’d missed for much of her life. “Why don’t we go see how Susan and Rose are doing, before they redesign the whole kitchen?”

  “Good idea. And I have to be back at the hotel by one, but that should be enough time.”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  It was past noon when Sean Murphy came in the front door of Sullivan’s. Helen had just left for her midday meeting, and Rose and Susan had headed up the street to find some lunch. They seemed to be having a good time, and Maura didn’t begrudge them some fun. That left Maura and Mick to handle the small crowd of customers—and Sean.

  He did not look happy. “A word wit’ yeh, Maura?” he said.

  “Sure. Back room?” she told him.

  “That’ll do.”

  Maura led the way into the back room and pulled the door closed. “No news or bad news?” Maura asked.

  “More like none, I’d say. The gardaí recovered the body from yer fairy fort and took him to Cork for an evaluation. From what we’ve seen, he appears to have been male, around fifty years in age, Irish rather than foreign or dark-skinned, and the cause of death was a combination of strangulation and a broken neck.”

  “No ID on him?”

  “None. His clothes were ordinary, not new, and with no identifying features. He had brown hair and was clean-shaven. Nothing in his pockets. No scars or other obvious injuries.”

  “Do you know how long he’s been dead?” Maura asked.

  “Hard to say, what with the damp soil, but we’d guess mebbe twenty, twenty-five years? Could be longer.”

  “So, he’s been dead for a while,” Maura said, more to herself than to Sean. “He was killed well after the whole Irish Independence thing, so he’s not exactly ancient. And with the way you describe his neck, he was killed—I mean, it wasn’t an accident. It’s kind of hard to fall down and break your neck, isn’t it? Any idea who buried him, and why there?”

  Sean slumped on a bar stool. “Hard to say. There’s plenty of folk around here who won’t go near a fairy fort, and there could well have been more of ’em that long ago. Else they felt sure nobody else would be looking there, so they thought it was a good hiding place. There’s plenty of other places to hide a dead man—wooded areas or open land. Odd that he was found in the center of the ring, though.”

  “Do the gardaí know of anyone missing from that time? There aren’t a lot of families or houses out in Knockskagh.”

  “There’s no official record, but there’s plenty that disappeared in the past.”

  “So what do you do now?” Maura asked, with some sympathy.

  “I don’t know,” Sean said.

  “I’m sorry,” Maura told him. “Should I have left him alone there and not mentioned the body?”

  “Nah, I’m glad yeh didn’t do that. That wouldn’t have been right. Yeh said it’s yer land?”

  “That’s what the deed says. I didn’t know until Ciara and friends showed up with an old map. Have you seen anything more of them? Or did they go back to the university? At least we know the body we found isn’t Darragh’s, but none of us seem to have heard from him.”

  “The university claims they’re registered, but that’s all they know. A lot of people are gone for the summer, and I wouldn’t know who else there to ask. I hate to keep askin’ around here, since there’s no crime that we know of and I’m busy enough already. But no one’s seen them around here. Did they mention if they’d brought any camping gear?”

  “No, they were staying at the hostel. Do you think they just got fed up and went back to Cork?”

  “That I don’t know. Mebbe they took off for Dingle or some other place to look at forts there, since this one seems to have turned out so poorly.”

  “Ciara seemed more worried about finding Darragh than learning something about the archaeology of the place, last time I saw her. And you know that body’s not Darragh’s, but Ciara wouldn’t be thinking about that, because she doesn’t even know about the body. And I can’t imagine she’s imagining something awful happened to him. She’s probably ticked off that he’s just wandered off without telling her.”

  “Ah, Maura, I could’ve phoned all this in to yeh. Don’t know who it is, don’t know who put him there, don’t know when or why. All we know fer sure is that he’s dead.”

  “Can I talk about it now with people who come in here, or would you rather I didn’t?”

  “Hold off on it fer a bit longer, if yeh don’t mind. Mebbe if we get an identity fer him, it’d help.”

  “Do you guys do DNA stuff around here?”

  “Depends. Fer a stranger this long dead, it’s unlikely there’d be anyone to match him to.”

  “I’m sorry, Sean.”

  “Why? You probably weren’t even alive when he died, whenever that might’ve been.”

  “I know, but it’s one more problem that you have to solve. You can’t just fill out a form that says ‘Unknown’ and leave it at that, can you?”

  “That’s not a choice.” He stood up. “Just thought I’d let you know that we don’t know anything. Sorry.”

  “Hey, you tried. I wish I could tell you anything, but it’s all new to me.”

  “I understand.” Sean managed a brief smile. “I’ll let yeh know if I learn anything. Ta.”

  He left, and Maura slid behind the bar in the front room.

  “Anythin’?” Mick asked.

  “Nope. We all seem to agree that the guy in the fairy fort was male and he’s dead, but that doesn’t help much. Oh, and we agree he’s not Darragh, which you probably already guessed. This whole mess is ridiculous! People appear and then disappear again, without a trace. A body pops up from the ground, on land I didn’t know I owned, in a
monument that’s hundreds of years old. Nothing makes sense. I mean, you don’t find bodies every day around here, do you?”

  “More often a dead cow. There’s not much yeh can do, Maura.”

  “Yeah, I know. Hey, aren’t we getting near a solstice or something?”

  “End of the month. Why are yeh askin’?”

  “Because things are just weird, and I’d like to know if there’s a reason. Will there be fairies dancing in the meadows by moonlight?”

  “Not that I’ve ever seen. But I won’t say no.”

  “You’re not helping, Mick,” Maura told him.

  Business picked up after lunch. Rose and Susan came back, loaded with a hodgepodge of food, which they handed out to Maura and Mick, then disappeared into the kitchen again. Maura admired their enthusiasm but was beginning to wonder if the improvements would ever be finished. But it wasn’t as though they needed them, since there weren’t a lot of people asking for food. Yet. She reminded herself to talk to Rose about creating some publicity, whenever the kitchen was ready.

  There was no further word from Sean, but Maura wasn’t surprised. He was too young to have any memory of a missing man now found dead. He’d done all he could with the body they’d found, but there was little to work with to identify him. No one who had come in for a pint had asked any questions about finding a body, and true to her word, Maura wasn’t going to bring it up.

  Past midafternoon, Rose and Susan emerged from the back of the building. Rose slid behind the bar to do her shift. Susan, on the other hand, made a beeline for Maura. “Mom said she’d be back this afternoon to pick me up, and she’s found a guy at the hotel who has a truck and who’s going to bring over whatever appliances Mom thinks will fit.”