by Debbie Mason
Cherry helped Jenna off with her coat, glancing at Shay as she did. Shay knew Cherry well enough to read the silent message in her eyes. Are you taking that biatch out, or am I?
Great, another member to add to Shay’s merry band of misfits. She gave Cherry a relax, I’ve got this look. At about the same time she did, she remembered who Jenna was. It wasn’t a surprise that Shay hadn’t been able to easily access the memory, and it had nothing to do with the changes to Jenna’s appearance that her stepsister had so unkindly pointed out, despite being sort of true.
Jenna had been a good friend to Shay, one of the best she’d ever had, really. Though she wouldn’t hurt Cherry by sharing that little tidbit. Shay and Jenna had pretty much been inseparable, and then her friend had moved away…two weeks before social services arrived at Charlie’s door. By the time they’d released Shay back to Charlie’s care, months’ worth of letters had piled up on her bed. Jenna had written her every day.
“I’m sorry I never wrote you back. It wasn’t a great time,” Shay admitted.
Jenna reached over and gently squeezed Shay’s hand. “I know. I got worried when I didn’t hear from you and made my mother call your uncle. He told us what happened. I would’ve kept writing, but…” She glanced at her sister and lowered her voice. “My mom died nine months after we moved.”
“I’m sorry. She was a sweet lady.”
“She was, wasn’t she? Remember how she’d bring us to high tea at the manor? We’d pretend we were princesses visiting the castle, and we were going to marry a Gallagher prince.”
Cherry, who’d just taken a sip of her Blue Mermaid, choked on the drink.
Heat rose to Shay’s cheeks, and she quickly changed the subject at the same time shooting Cherry a don’t even look. “So, what brings you back to Harmony Harbor?”
Jenna gave her a dimpled smile and held up her hand. “I finally found my prince.”
“Whoa, he must be a real one,” Cherry said, grabbing Jenna’s hand, practically salivating over the pink diamond.
“He certainly is.” Jenna glanced at her sister, who was rolling her eyes, and then said to Shay, “We’re getting married in June at Greystone Manor.” Her mouth fell open, and she pressed a hand to her chest. “You can be my bridesmaid! It’ll be just like we talked about when we were little girls. It’ll be wonderful.” She clasped her hands in prayer. “Please, please say yes.”
“Of course, she will,” Cherry said, throwing an arm around Shay’s shoulders. “Who knows? If she gets her head out of her butt, you two could have a double wedding.”
Shay stopped paying attention to the women’s conversation when she spotted movement from the other end of the pub. Charlie’s best friend, the man she’d been intent on tracking down, had found her instead. He peeked out from the back hall, around the edge of the wall, motioning to her with a frantic wave. She gave him an almost imperceptible nod as she glanced around the bar and came to her feet.
As soon as she got inside her office, she locked the door and then turned to Don. He was sitting slumped in the chair across from the desk, rubbing his hands over his face.
Afraid he was about to tell her Charlie was dead, she slowly lowered herself onto the chair behind the desk. She stayed quiet, giving herself time as much as him. Two minutes later, she couldn’t hold out any longer; she had to know. “What’s happened, Don? Where’s Charlie?”
He lowered his hands from his face. He looked like he hadn’t slept in a week. “No clue. He says it’s safer that way.”
She let go of the arms of the chair. There were fingernail prints in the leather. “When was the last time you saw him?”
“Yesterday. I dropped off some food and cash at a park. I’ve been doing it every couple days since he took off.”
“Okay.” She nodded, feeling tension release that she hadn’t even known she’d been carrying around. “Okay, that’s good. But, Don, it might’ve been nice if you’d let me know. I’ve left at least thirty messages on your phone.”
“Lost it that first day we were on the run. I’m not cut out for this sort of thing.” He pulled a burner phone from his pocket. “Charlie said I’ve gotta get rid of this one. He’s paranoid.”
“It’s kept him alive so far. Do you have a number for him? I need to reach him.”
He shook his head. “No, that’s why I’m here. He wants you to go back to Vegas. He doesn’t want you hurt on account of him, Shay. He’d never forgive himself if the FBI puts you away. He knows they’re looking at you for the murders.”
“I’m not leaving. When’s your next meet? I’m coming with you.”
“There isn’t going to be one. Charlie says Costello’s men made me. He wants me to go into hiding too. Only I don’t know where to go.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it. There’s a room above the pub. You’ll be safe, and I’ll be able to keep an eye on you. But you have to do exactly what I say, Don.”
“I will. Charlie’s not going to be happy, though.”
“He'll have to deal with it. I’m not going anywhere until this over.” She leaned back in the chair, trying to figure out her next steps.
“You’re a good girl, Shay. Charlie’s real proud of you. He thinks of you as a daughter, you know. He may not be a great role model, but he loves you something fierce.”
She nodded, unable to speak. Afraid she might cry if she did.
Don leaned across the desk to pat her hand. “He’ll come home in one piece, darlin’. Charlie’s real good at hiding. He’s had lots of practice. No one will find him unless he wants them to.”
Chapter Seventeen
There was trouble afoot at the manor in the form of a big-haired, buxom blond woman wearing hot pink from head to toe. She’d been on the prowl for the last hour. And speaking as an expert snooper herself, Colleen knew how to identify whether someone was snooping, curious, or lost. She’d seen her fair share of curious and lost hotel guests and tourists over the years.
It was one of the consequences of living in a mansion that had been built to be the exact replica of a medieval castle and all that entailed, including turrets and towers and stained-glass windows. Every stick of furniture, the chandeliers and wall sconces, the oriental rugs, and decorative pieces were all antiques—both authentic and replicas. There were even secret panels in some of the rooms that led to passageways and tunnels in the basement.
Decades before they’d been overrun by treasure hunters, but the rumors of buried treasure had eventually died away. If she remembered correctly, and she was prone to remembering incorrectly or not being able to remember at all, it was her son Ronan who’d squelched the rumors.
The big-haired woman was definitely of the snooping variety. Only ten minutes before, Colleen had caught her with her ear pressed to the closed library door where Maura and Kitty were interviewing potential matches for Michael. It was somewhat surreal for Colleen to see the two frenemies working together. Now that they had a common goal of seeing Michael wed, they were bosom buddies.
She looked back at the library but the buxom blonde was gone. Kitty and Maura were in the hall seeing off one of Michael’s matrimonial candidates. Sadly for the young woman, it didn’t look like she’d made the cut.
And it certainly wouldn’t bode well for Maura and Kitty if Michael knew what they were up to. It hadn’t taken long for them to come to the conclusion that he wouldn’t agree to date the women they’d chosen for him so they’d gotten creative. The money raised at the auction would be split between Michael’s two favorite charities. Second Chance Inc., an organization that helped to reintegrate ex-convicts back into society, and the Steppingstone Foundation, which provided programs for underserved students so that they stood a better chance of going to college.
The contenders in the matchmaking war, and it did indeed qualify as a war since the entire Widows Club was involved and had their own candidates in the running, would have an advantage in the auction, as the older women would be funding their candidates
’ bids. For the charities, it was a win-win situation. Not so for the matchmakers of Harmony Harbor. Some of whom stood a good chance of going broke.
Maura ushered the forlorn-looking woman to the entryway while Kitty hurried another woman, who’d been waiting in the wings, into the library. Colleen checked the hall and study for the blonde. There was still no sign of her. When Maura returned to the library, Colleen followed her inside.
“Maura, this is Serena Bell,” Kitty said of the attractive thirtysomething woman sitting in the leather wingback chair in front of the window. “She and her sister, Arianna, own Tie the Knot, a fabulous bridal shop in town. Arianna’s an incredibly talented wedding dress designer. Olivia’s hoping to convince them to expand into wedding planning. Olivia is Finn’s wife, you know. They’re expecting sometime in May, and he wants her to cut back on her workload,” Kitty explained to Maura, who had no interest in any member of the Gallagher family save her own. Which she proved by sighing.
Colleen angled her head with a frown. She could’ve sworn she heard an echo of Maura’s sigh coming from behind her. She turned. The walls of the library, right up to the third story, were covered with dark oak shelves lined with books—some priceless first editions and some timeworn favorites. A brass ladder on wheels granted access to the books on the first and second levels, while a narrow oak walk circled the perimeter of the third.
Odd, the ladder was off kilter. It looked like…Colleen gasped at the sight of pink fabric poking out from between a row of books. She walked through the bookshelf and through the buxom blonde on the other side. Colleen shivered like she always did when she walked through a live human being. Not that she’d walked through any dead ones.
The sensation was as disconcerting as always, however, not as disconcerting as discovering there was a hidden panel in the library. Though she had to admit, there was a possibility she’d known about it and forgotten.
She studied the woman who had her eye pressed to a small opening and wondered how she’d known about the hidey-hole. To Colleen’s mind, there were two possibilities. One: that the lady in pink was another spy sent by the developer who wanted to buy the manor. Or two: that the woman had panicked at the sound of Serena and Kitty adjourning to the study and fell into it by accident.
Colleen was betting on the latter. She prayed to the good Lord and the Holy Ghost that was the case. She didn’t think she could withstand another fight with the developer.
She shuddered as she once again walked through the woman and into the library. Given her ghostly limitations, she needed Simon’s help to gain Jasper’s attention. She glanced at the three women before walking through the door and out into the hall. Serena appeared to be having more luck than the previous candidate. Little did the woman know what she was up against.
Colleen was determined that Michael and Shay be granted a second chance at love, and Kitty and Maura had nothing on her in the matchmaking department. Especially when Colleen’s ghostly talents were cooperating. “Simon,” she called as she made her way to the entryway and came upon Jasper greeting Colleen’s great-grandson instead.
“Welcome back, Master Michael. I trust you made some headway in your investigation?”
As Colleen had gathered from listening in on Kitty and Jasper’s conversations, her great-grandson had been out of town following up on a promising lead as well as interviewing the six members of the Costello’s old guard. She’d kept in close proximity of Kitty and Jasper after learning about the debacle with Maura yesterday morning. She imagined Michael was anxious to get home to Atticus and to make things right with Shay.
“Not as much as we’d hoped, I’m afraid, Jeeves.”
“And with Ms. Angel? Any news to report there?”
“I’m afraid I’m striking out on all ends. She still won’t take my calls. I’ll head over to the pub after I’ve spent a few hours with Atticus. Cherry’s making sure Shay’s at work.”
Jasper looked around. “I’m sure I saw Ms. Blossom here not long ago. She was passing out flyers to a business she and Ms. West have recently begun. Strippercise with the North Shore Pole Dancers.”
Colleen thought about the woman in the library and smiled, relieved. It looked like she wasn’t alone in her bid to get Michael and Shay back together again. Too bad Ms. Blossom couldn’t see her or hear her.
“You’re sure it’s just Cherry and Libby? There was no mention of Shay?”
“Not that I’m aware of, which is something to be thankful for. Your mother and Ms. Blossom had a run-in. Maura collected the flyers and threw them out while sharing her opinion of the business and exotic dancers with Ms. Blossom.”
“I didn’t see any ambulances or squad cars when I pulled in, so I’m taking it a fight didn’t break out?”
“It might have if your grandmother hadn’t intervened. She signed herself and the Widows Club up for an introductory lesson.”
“You look pleased with the outcome,” Michael teased with a grin.
“I am, as should you be. If Ms. Blossom puts down roots in Harmony Harbor, I’d take that to mean Ms. Angel will think of doing the same.”
“Which won’t be much use to me if I can’t get her to talk to me.”
“I have no doubt that you’ll be able to convince Ms. Angel to give you a second chance. After all, you’ve never had a shortage of charm and were always able to talk your way out of any situation as a boy. I believe our immediate concern is why your mother has moved into the manor. And how we can get her and your father back together. She’s interviewing future brides for you as we speak, Master Michael.”
Colleen thought it interesting that Jasper didn’t mention that Kitty was doing the same.
Her old friend continued despite Michael’s groan. “And not that I wish to remind you, but I hardly see Ms. Angel wanting to renew your relationship with Maura in town.”
“Thanks, Jeeves. I could’ve done without the reminder. But you’re right, and maybe if my dad would open up and my brothers would take the time to respond to their messages, we could come up with a workable plan.”
“I have some good news on that end. It’s why I asked you to stop by before you went home. Master Logan should be arriving any moment now. His plane landed in Boston two hours ago. Master Connor is at the bar awaiting your arrival. I should warn you, though, he’s had a rather distressing day.”
“He can get in line. The past two days haven’t exactly been a cakewalk for me. I should probably go home first and decompress before I talk to him. I’ll take Atticus for a walk and then—”
“I’ve just returned from taking him out. Simon remained to keep him company. I believe Atticus thinks the cat is actually a dog.”
Colleen smiled, pleased that Simon had taken her lecture to be kind to Atticus to heart. At times, the black cat acted as uppity as any lord of the manor, but underneath he was a good soul. She cocked her head at the thought, wondering if Simon did indeed possess a soul…a human soul. It was something Colleen had considered of late. Cats were smart, but Simon had passed smart a long way back.
Connor came into view in the grand hall and ended any further ruminating on the matter. The lad paced in front of the stone fireplace with his phone pressed to his ear. Like his brother Michael, he wore a black bespoke suit, the glint of what was no doubt an expensive watch on his wrist, and equally expensive brown shoes. With their similar height and build, dark hair, and bright blue Gallagher eyes, Michael and Connor could pass for twins. But that’s where the similarities ended.
A high-powered attorney with a passion for all things expensive, including fast cars and even faster women, Connor reminded Colleen most of his father. Like his son, Sean liked the good life. They were equally addicted to power and control, and just as stubborn to boot. Although as the years passed, Sean had mellowed as much as his ambition. Something that Colleen imagined hadn’t gone over well with his social-climbing wife.
“Maura,” Colleen murmured as a thought passed through her brain so fast that it
left only a faded shadow of memory behind. It had something to do with when Sean first met Maura.
Colleen had the feeling that, if she just remembered what it was, she’d have the key to solving the couple’s martial problems. Though for the life of her, she didn’t know why she’d want to. She’d never thought Maura and Sean belonged together. She straightened. Bejaysus, maybe they didn’t. Maybe her grandson’s true love was out there waiting for him, and Colleen had written her name in her book. Somehow, she had to get Jasper to look up Sean and Maura’s stories in The Secret Keeper of Harmony Harbor. After all, it wasn’t just her great-grandchildren’s lives she had to straighten out before she could take the magic carpet ride to the Pearly Gates.
The medieval door leading into the manor creaked open, and she was greeted by a sight she hadn’t seen in years. Of course, she had seen Logan when he’d come to her funeral, but she’d been living betwixt and between then.
“You ninny, where do you think you’re living now?” she asked herself. The point was legitimate, but she’d been in a spectral state for fifteen months now, so she wasn’t as out of sorts as she’d been in the beginning.
Yes, she realized she was having the conversation with herself. It’s what happened when you were straddling the land of the living and of the dead with only a cat to hear you. A cat who might very well be a human spirit trapped in a feline form.
“Master Logan, welcome home,” Jasper said, clapping Colleen’s great-grandson on the back. Michael greeted his big brother warmly, giving him one of those manly hugs the younger set were so fond of. Logan, the oldest of Sean and Maura’s boys, reminded Colleen of his uncle Colin. The strong, quiet type, steady and dependable. Always willing to step up and step in. The lad had a true warrior’s spirit that she imagined served him well as a Secret Service agent.