Cozy Mystery Ghost Story Collection: The Complete Shannon Porter Mystery Series

by Haley Harper

  The authorities had no doubt questioned him but there was no way Shannon could know what they had learned. Was he being considered a suspect? What motive would he have? Shannon couldn’t think of any benefit Aiden would receive by murdering his mum other than hurrying his inheritance along.

  And he had called the lawyer about changing the will. He would have wanted Maeve to remain alive in order to accomplish that. With her dead, the will would have to remain as it was. No, it couldn’t be Aiden.

  Shannon’s thoughts returned to the butler and maid. In spite of the fact that they believed they had fooled Maeve, they still might have wanted her gone.

  The maid would have been the most likely one to bring Maeve her tea before bed. Was the poison delivered that way? And where would a maid get poison? Was there a toxic chemical of some sort in printing money that could do the trick? Shannon didn’t know but she would find out.

  For the rest of the afternoon she scoured the internet for articles on counterfeiting, but in the end she came up empty handed. This wasn’t accomplishing anything. She needed to get down in that basement again and have a look around.

  There wouldn’t be any time today for digging around. It was already getting onto dinner time and the kitchen would be too busy. With the maid and the butler gone, the chef had enlisted the help of some staff from a temporary agency and, thankfully, was planning on serving dinner tonight. He was also hoping to keep them on to help with food service for the memorial that was planned for Maeve tomorrow.

  That probably meant that exploring would also be out of the question tomorrow. Maeve’s final request had been that no funeral service be arranged, and that a celebration of her life with friends and family be held instead. That was to take place here at the castle at eleven.

  Shannon didn’t plan on attending, so at least for the morning she would be sequestered in her room. It would be a good time to organize her notes for this trip and call the airline. With the way things had turned out, she couldn’t see any real benefit to staying on for another week. She could use the information she had gathered thus far for her book and call it done.

  Thinking about home helped her forget all the doom and gloom that had shrouded her stay thus far. With the exception of meeting a few nice people like Sean, Winston and Martha, this trip had pretty much been a bust. She hadn’t even had a chance to really experience the culinary delights she usually enjoyed. Hopefully her flight could be changed and she’d be on her way home by the end of the week.

  With a slightly lighter heart, she showered and changed for dinner. Sean and Aiden would both be there along with Gus, the family lawyer. Shannon hadn’t met him yet, but if he was like everyone else involved with this family, he should be interesting. She just hoped there weren’t any fireworks over dinner!

  When she arrived in the dining room, Aiden and Sean were already seated at the large oak table. Another man was there as well, and she assumed it was the lawyer. All three men stood when she came in and Sean introduced her.

  “Shannon, allow me to introduce Augustus Corrigan, family attorney and friend. Gus, this is Shannon Porter, visitor to the castle, writer and friend.”

  “Pleased to meet you, Mr. Corrigan,” Shannon said as a huge hand took hers and squeezed it tight.

  “Please, call me Gus. I understand you are here to meet our Lady in Grey.”

  Shannon shook her head. “More to interview Maeve, really. Spirits seldom reveal themselves to me. My mom says it’s because I’m too skeptical, not open minded enough.”

  Gus chuckled, making his mutton chops wiggle like some kind of fuzzy creature with a life of their own. “Can’t say as I’ve ever seen her myself either. But I know Maeve saw her plenty, or at least she believed she did.”

  When the conversation took a different turn among the men, Shannon sat quietly and observed her new acquaintance. Gus was just as interesting as she had expected. He was a large man well over six feet tall which helped him carry his rather surplus weight without appearing obese. His well manicured mutton chops were totally silver and matched the small fringe of hair that circled the back of his head.

  His voice was just as bold as the rest of him, and his hearty laugh filled the room when something struck his fancy. He had mentioned that he had relatives in Texas. If those members of his family were anything like Gus, she was sure they would fit right into the Texas lifestyle. She had never been there, but she had heard the expression “Everything is bigger in Texas.” and Gus Corrigan certainly was.

  The chef had prepared a simple meal of hearty Irish stew and warm soda bread, followed by a delicious apple cake with custard sauce. Shannon could have eaten the entire thing herself.

  Dinner proceeded with everyone having a good time until Aiden brought up his intention to contest the will. At that point, words between the brothers became heated. Thankfully Gus was able to calm everyone down by simply stating facts.

  “First we will see how things stand when the will is read. Then we will decide where to go from there.”

  Sean refused to even discuss the issue and Aiden, unable to initiate an argument, remained sullen through dessert and tea. Shannon felt enormously out of place with the three men and excused herself as soon as dinner was over.

  “It’s a beautiful fall evening. Would you like to take a walk?” Sean looked pleadingly at her, anxious to escape the tension that had suddenly filled the room.

  “I’d like that very much,” she replied. “I’ll say my goodnights to you gentlemen then,” she said turning to Aiden and Gus. “Aiden, it was nice to see you again and Gus, it was a pleasure to meet you.”

  They both stood to shake her hand, Gus looking as pleasant as ever, and Aiden looking just as sullen.

  They walked for a time in silence, and then Shannon asked the question that had been eating away at her since this whole nasty mess began.

  “The one curse of being a writer is an unrelenting sense of curiosity. Do you mind if I ask a rather personal question?”

  “Not at all. What is it that you are so curious about?”

  “I find it a little strange that your mother would leave a third of her estate to a family friend. It seems a little, well, over the top. I can understand a little something in appreciation for his years of service but a third of the estate seems like a lot.”

  Sean remained silent for a time, lost in his thoughts.

  She hurried to apologize. “I’m sorry if that was too personal. You don’t need to answer if you’d rather not.”

  “No, it’s alright. I just got lost in thought there for a moment. Let’s see, where to begin. As you know, Aiden and I are only half brothers. Mum married Braden O’Toole when I was nearly ten. Aiden was born shortly thereafter.

  My father, Colin Shepherd was not such a nice person. When he found out my mum was having a baby, he up and disappeared. He wanted no part of the responsibilities of fatherhood.

  Alone, and afraid, mum sought out Dr. Winston Winthrop to oversee the pregnancy. He took care of her, delivered me and watched over the two of us for years. I think maybe they were even in love at one time, although nothing official ever came of it. Eventually Winston married a local woman but remained a good friend to mum and he was always like a father to me.

  His marriage quite short-lived however, his wife taking ill and passing away in the second year. They had no children and mum was by his side to help him through that difficult time.

  Then one day, when I was about eight years old mum received word that my father had been beaten and killed in brawl of some sort. Mum married Braden O’Toole, owner of the Castle Moran not too long after and had Aiden.

  Winston stayed on as our family doctor after mum married Braden O’Toole, and they remained close. Then when mum went through the loss of a husband once again, Winston was there for her. I really don’t know what she would have done without him.

  When Braden O’Toole passed away he left everything to mum, and she decided to include Winston in the will and divide th
e estate between the three of us.

  I have never had an issue with it because Winston was such an important part of my life. He wasn’t that to Aiden, however, and to him, Winston being an equal heir is just incomprehensible. Plus, my brother is rather a greedy soul.

  And so there you have it. Does that put your devilish writer’s curiosity to rest?”

  Shannon nodded. “Wow. That’s quite a story. And yes, it does. It certainly explains Aiden’s animosity towards Winston too”

  “It’s been a burr in his side for years, but mum was steadfast in her desire to have Winston in the will as an equal heir. Now that she’s gone, I suppose he’ll do what he can to get things his way.”

  “Having met Gus tonight, I have no doubt he will handle things professionally and do what’s right.”

  Sean nodded. “Yes, thank goodness for Gus. I’m just going to stay out of the way and let him deal with it. Now, changing the subject a bit, will you be attending the service for mum tomorrow?”

  “I don’t think so. I would feel very out of place. I hope you understand. I certainly mean no disrespect.”

  Sean nodded. “I totally understand. I myself would prefer to stay away, but I don’t think that would be quite right. In all honesty, I will be glad when the whole thing is over.”

  When they were back at the castle, Shannon reached out to give him a sympathetic hug. “Your mum knows how much you loved her. These kinds of things are just arranged to help others pay their respects and find closure. Soon you’ll be able to just get on with life, and start cherishing fond memories of your mum. I’ll see you after the service.”

  Sean thanked her and watched as she headed up the stairs. How he wished he could just walk away too. Instead he headed back into the dining room to say goodnight to Gus.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Shannon watched from her window as cars appeared in the circular drive to drop guests at the front entrance. From the looks of things, there was going to be a fine turnout for Maeve’s memorial.

  Movement from the side of the castle caught her eye and she could see Sean making his way up the lane. He looked so uncomfortable in his dark suit. Her heart went out to him and the day he had to face. But she knew that in just a few hours he would be back among his sheep and his gardens where he felt so much more at home. She wondered what would ultimately become of the Castle Moran and its owners.

  But first things first. While the service was underway she planned to get a lot of work done on her book. She had a slew of handwritten notes that needed to be copied to her computer and then came the grueling task of editing it all into a document that flowed together. Generally, she loved her work, but at times like this, when she had other things on her mind, it was hard.

  She forced herself to concentrate and be productive for the next two hours. When she heard the sounds of the first car door closing outside, indicating that the service was over, she started to pack things up. As soon as everyone was gone, she intended to get back down into that cellar. There had to be some evidence there that would lead her to Maeve’s killer.

  After she watched the last car make its departure, Shannon waited to give the kitchen staff time to clean up. When she stood at the top of the back staircase and heard no sounds, she figured it was safe to proceed. Even if she ran into the chef or some of the temporary help, they wouldn’t take any interest in what she was doing. She just wanted to be sure that she didn’t run into Sean, Winston, or heaven forbid Aiden. They would question what she was up to for sure.

  It would be hard to explain to anyone else what she was looking for when she didn’t really know herself, but her writer’s instinct was telling her there was something in that cellar.

  She made her way quietly down the back staircase. Fortunately, there was no one in the kitchen and she headed directly to the cellar door. She froze momentarily when the old warped wood creaked loudly on its ancient hinges. Still no one appeared.

  The main room of the cellar was lit by a single bare bulb overhead hanging by a long string. Shannon pulled the string to turn it on and the dusty bulb cast a very pale light over the floor. The three doors that she had found on her last visit stood wide open.

  She passed by the fruit and wine cellars and headed straight to the room that previously had been locked. The police had removed all of the equipment involved in the counterfeiting operation and had closed out that investigation. The room stood empty now except for a couple of long scarred wooden tables.

  In this room there were three very bright bulbs hanging from the ceiling over the tables. She presumed the maid and butler had installed them to provide better lighting for their little business. In spite of their illumination she couldn’t see anything in this room that would help to find a murderer.

  Shannon explored every nook and cranny of the room and was about to give up when she noticed a little alcove off on the far side of the room. There was a low arched wooden door that sat slightly ajar and Shannon pushed it open easily.

  She had to duck to go through the doorway and for a moment she felt like she had stepped into an Alice in Wonderland scenario. The room was dank and musty, and a single overhead bulb hung over a rocking chair in the center of the room.

  Several baskets of what looked like clothing sat on the floor and a rack along one wall held hanging garments. An old rickety looking ironing board stood on tired legs at one end of the room, and at the other, a wooden table held an even more ancient looking sewing machine.

  Shannon deduced that this was some kind of work room for mending and altering clothes, but she wondered why it was located down here while very modern laundry facilities were located just off the kitchen upstairs. She supposed the maid had been too busy of late with her other “business” to tend to the mending.

  She poked through some of the garments in the baskets but found nothing of interest. Not wanting to leave any stone unturned, she started rifling through the hanging garments as well. These all seemed a bit newer than those in the baskets. There were a few flannel nightgowns, perhaps stored here until winter, and several long gowns that looked as though they might be for parties or fancy dinners.

  She was about to give up and head back out into the main room when the last gown on the rack caught her eye. It was a long old fashioned looking gown with a large bustle and layers of lace on the sleeves and collar. It was a dark shade of grey exactly like she had seen flash past her in the darkened staircase the day she fell.

  She slowly pushed all of the other garments out of the way and reached in to pull this one from the rack. Her hand stopped in mid air when she finally got a good look at the front of the gown. A dark red stain ran from the neckline down the entire front of the gown.

  Shannon stood staring at the gown, wondering what it could mean. Maeve’s words echoed in her head. “Her gown was smeared with blood and she was carrying a bloody knife in one hand.”

  Shannon’s heart began to pound as she let go of the garment. Her eyes scoured the room again for any other objects that she may have missed. When a search of the tables and shelves revealed nothing unusual, she returned to the baskets of clothing.

  One by one she pulled garments from each basket. It wasn’t until she emptied the last one that she found what she had been looking for. Buried in the very bottom of the last basket was a long brown wig and a large long handled knife smeared with red.

  If her suspicions were correct, these items had been used to scare Maeve and the other guests. It was also quite possible they could implicate someone in her murder. Shannon knew that they would be needed as evidence, so she left them where they were.

  But before she revealed what she had found to the authorities, she wanted to investigate a little more on her own. The more information she had when she finally turned things over, the better.

  She turned off the light and ducked back through the tiny doorway, closing the door firmly behind her. She hurried back up the stairs and through the kitchen, thankful that again, there was no one in s
ight.

  In her room, she changed out of the clothes that were now covered in dust and grime from the cellar. She pulled oh a clean pair of jeans and a simple blue sweater. She had someplace she needed to go and she needed to go now.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Trying to drive on the opposite side of the road was challenge enough, but trying to do it fast was almost impossible. Shannon made her way through the narrow streets as quickly as she could, following the instructions she had jotted down. According to the town map she had used, the county jail should be straight ahead on her left.

  She squinted through the rain covered windshield at the old brick building. Yes, this was the place. She eased her rental car into as close a spot as she could find and pulled her umbrella from the back seat.

  Grumbling under her breath at the rainy Irish weather, she hurried through the parking lot. An elderly gentleman was leaving the courthouse as she ran up the stairs and he held the door for her.

  “Thank you so much,” she said gratefully. The man tipped his hat and smiled.

  She collapsed her umbrella and sat it in a corner beside the door. A young woman with dark hair and striking blue eyes sat behind a desk in the main lobby.

  “Can I help you?”

  “I’m here to see a Miss Kerry Hastings.”

  “Are you her lawyer?”

  “No, just an acquaintance. I need to ask her something.”

  “Very well. I’ll ring your arrival through. Just follow this corridor all the way to the end. The room you want is the door on your left. An officer will meet you there to take you in.”

  Shannon thanked her and headed down the hall. Her heart was racing. How did she always manage to get herself into these situations? Before she had time to dwell on the subject, she was in a small stark room sitting opposite the head maid from the castle.