The Ghost of Kathleen Murphy

by Vickie Carroll

  The next morning at breakfast Bernadette was sitting at her usual table when Cassie and April went down. She was alone so they took the opportunity to find out more about what happened to her the night before. They hurried to get their plates and join her at her table.

  “Good morning Bernadette, we missed you last night at the dessert party for the class,” Cassie said.

  Bernadette looked up and smiled. Her actions all seemed to be in slow motion. “I wasn’t feeling well and took a nap. Then I had the oddest dream. A small child came to me and told me a girl rested under the feet of the Virgin.”

  April looked at Cassie and leaned in toward Bernadette. “Oh, interesting. Was it a girl you know or have dreamed of before?”

  “Why yes, yes, it was. She looked like the ghost-child but it wasn’t her.” She mouthed the last few words so no one could hear her.

  Cassie leaned in and whispered, “What do you think it means?”

  Her mouth worked but no words came out. Then she looked around and it was as if someone pushed a button in her brain because she seemed surprised to see them sitting there. “If you will excuse me, I have things to do.” She pushed her chair backward, almost tipping it over.

  They watched her walk away, staggering a bit as if she were dizzy. She left her food untouched. Cassie glanced around the room and saw several pairs of eyes watched Bernadette too. “She looked drugged to me,” April whispered.

  Cassie nodded in agreement, and they tried to make small talk as they rushed through their breakfast so they could make their escape. After the final meetings with the class participants they worked for two hours in the archives but several others were around so they could not discuss anything but the work. When their time was up, April went to her room to begin packing, and Cassie, having much less to pack, went back to her room to write and to gather up things to take to Jacob’s house.

  Just minutes later, Cassie heard a tapping on her door and thinking it was April, called out, “Come in.”

  Bernadette came in and closed the door behind her.

  Cassie stood and closed her computer. “Bernadette, hello, what can I do for you?”

  “I think I know what the girl was saying to me. They want to shut me up and they give me pills, but I tricked them this morning. I hid the pills.” Her eyes were glassy and huge in her stark white face.

  “Sit down here, please. I’ll get you some tea.”

  Bernadette sat, and took the tea cup. Cassie watched her look around the room as if this was a normal social visit between them. Cassie was afraid to say anything to break the mood. She sat quietly while Bernadette sipped at her tea.

  “You must know; I am not crazy.” She sat her tea cup down with a thump.

  “Of course you aren’t. Why do you say that?”

  “I can see things others can’t. Oh, not all the time but often. They think all spirits are bad things and this is not true. They thought I was not good enough to be a Sister at the monastery so they turned me away, but then they felt bad and gave me a job in the school as teaching assistant and part time Librarian. I saw a ghost child, she still walks here, and she is here to avenge her sister’s death. This I know.” She stood and walked out to the balcony.

  Cassie followed her out on the balcony trying to make sense of what she was saying. “Bernadette, Lydia saw her too didn’t she, the ghost child?”

  “Yes, she did, and they claimed she was insane. They will say the same about me.”

  “Who else has seen the ghost child here? Who else knows about Kathleen and Maeve?”

  She turned and looked at her sharply. “Cassie, I know you have seen her and you know the story, don’t you?”

  “Yes, I have seen her, but can’t say I know the whole story. Do you?”

  “I don’t know if that demon of a priest or his evil assistant killed Maeve, if that’s what you mean, but I think he did, the assistant I mean. The priest helped or at the least, he knew about it. We all heard some bad stories about the priest when I was first here as a postulant when I was pursuing a vocation at the monastery. I think Maeve’s body is still here on the land, buried somewhere close by, very close. The child is trying to tell me where. If they would stop giving me the pills maybe I could remember what she tells me.”

  “Can you tell me again what you remember about your dream, the one that made you scream and woke you from your nap?”

  “She was hovering in the corner of my room. It was no dream, Cassie. It was a spirit and she said the girl lay at the feet of the Virgin. She said it over and over. Then a darkness entered my bedroom and I felt the presence of evil. The spirit left and only the darkness remained and I was afraid. I guess I screamed then. That’s all I can recall.”

  “Thank you for sharing this with me. Bernadette, I know you are not crazy.”

  “Thank you, Cassie. I know you are going to cause us trouble and I told Jacob as much, and I am sorry, but I had to say it. I know you will dig out the truth. I was afraid for a while, but now I want it all told. I want the truth out now. I know you care about Jacob and he cares for you. He deserves happiness, and I think you can give him that. I will stand behind you the best I can during what is to come. There are those who do know things who live around here, and were once in the monastery, though they are getting pretty old now. I think someone here at The Haven has also run across some information. Maybe these new owners know about the abuse and plan to cover it up, or keep it covered, I should say. They will keep quiet about it because if they don’t, the scandal will stop their big business deal, and all the investors will pull out of the big expansion project. They need the land from the church to go forward. There is a lot of money at stake and they will try to stop you. Be careful because the investors are local government people too.”

  “I will be careful, and you do the same, Bernadette. I appreciate your concern and know it has been hard for you to come talk with me about all this.”

  Bernadette stood, hands on her hips. “I need to go now. I am supposed to be working in the archives not talking to you.”

  Cassie walked her to the door and locked it behind her. She then called Jacob and told him about the conversation.

  “I need to get her out of there Cassie but she will never go willingly. She has latched on to the place as her rightful home. She never got over the fact they would not take her in as a Sister back when it was a monastery. I’m afraid when all this comes out it will break her. She seems more fragile and fractured every time I see her.”

  “She mentioned they are giving her pills, Jacob. Do you know if her doctor has her on something?”

  “She was on mild antidepressants for a while but I thought she came off those last year. I don’t know. She is so secretive about everything in her personal life, and that includes what she may have known about the abuse cover-up.”

  “All these secrets have caused a lot of pain for a lot of people, her included. Why don’t you invite her for dinner at your house and see what she will tell you there where she might feel safer?”

  “It’s our house, Cassie. It is your house now too, remember? But Aunt Bernie won’t come. I have invited her countless times. But I can try again.”

  “I need to change my clothes and put some things in the car. What time do you want me at your house, I mean, our house?” She couldn’t suppress a little smile.

  Jacob laughed. “Any time you get there is fine. I’m going to the market when I leave here in about an hour, but I’ll be home straight afterward. I have set aside house keys for you so remind me to give them to you this evening. I have some for April too.”

  “Sounds perfect. I’ll see you around six. I’m bringing my copies of the files and my notes and a few clothes but I’ll keep my laptop until I make the final move out.”

  “Tell April to go ahead and secure any notes she has or give them to you. We don’t want to make it look like you went in there to find a scandal to sell your book.”

  “Oh, no, Jacob, I never thought of that. Do
you think they would suggest it?”

  “Yes, I do, and they may even believe it, Cassie, so you must be ready for it. I have set up a meeting for you with David for tomorrow, if you are agreeable. He is a good attorney and can help you prepare and protect any work you do that comes from all this…this mess.”

  “I’m sorry I got you involved in this, Jacob.”

  “Don’t be sorry; I was already involved and just didn’t know it. Besides all the rest, the mayor’s son called me, Joseph O’Neill, and wants to meet. He is heavily connected to the outcome of this project. His uncle is the local priest, and one of his aunts or great aunts was a Sister at the monastery during all the troubles.”

  “What do you think he wants?”

  “I think he just wants to get a bigger commitment from me and any inside scoop he can get because he knows my aunt works there.”

  “Oh well, great, another complication.”

  “Don’t worry about it yet, and I can handle Joseph for now. Though I hear he will be at The Haven for lunch any day now.”

  “Why is he coming to The Haven?”

  “Checking in with Emily and Rose to make sure all is going well. Maybe if you are still around you can meet him.”

  “No thanks, I have enough to worry about.”

  “No worrying tonight. I will see you for dinner and we can talk more, or not talk at all, if you prefer.”

  “Maybe not talking. Bye, handsome.”

  “Shamus is eating me out of house and home by the way, tell April.”

  Cassie laughed and hung up the phone.

  Cassie spent the next two hours gathering her paperwork, backing up her computer, and packing things in her suitcase so she could leave in a hurry once things got started. And now, a new problem loomed. Would they really think she came here to dig up a scandal so she could write a book and profit from the event? How could she ever prove them wrong? She couldn’t tell them she was visited by a ghost child speaking Gaelic. They would think her crazy, and what would that headline do to her reputation as a writer?

  April brought her some things to take to Jacob’s and reminded her to be careful loading up the car so she didn’t look suspicious. Cassie used the biggest tote bag she could find. She couldn’t be seen dragging luggage to the car at this point.

  “April, just so you are prepared, Jacob mentioned I may be accused of coming here solely to stir up this scandal to sell my book. I’m not sure how I can prove it’s not true, but I am meeting the attorney tomorrow to discuss things.”

  “But Cassie, we know you would never have known about it all unless Kathleen—oh, I see what you mean. You can’t tell them about Kathleen, or talk about ghosts. They will think you daft.”

  “Exactly, and you can’t say so either if you are questioned. We have to stick to our story. We ran across some information in the archives by accident. As for my book, I was looking for myths and legends to start when we ran across the story of the missing girl, Maeve.”

  “What if they find out Professor Roland was here?”

  “They won’t, unless he tells them. I don’t think he would.”

  “Speaking of the professor, we need to get his other recording device back to him.”

  “It’s in my closet, and April, could you call him and let him know about what we have decided?”

  “Yes, of course, and I am sure he will be helpful and as discreet as we need him to be.”

  Cassie stood and paced. “I wonder if we could sneak him back in here to try to get a reading about where a body might be buried on the property. Does he do that kind of thing as well?”

  “I am sure he knows how or knows someone who does. But isn’t it risky right now with what is coming?”

  “Yes, you are right, of course, April. I am just so anxious to locate Maeve’s body and I am so afraid they will get things all held up in the investigation, and it will take years before her body is found.”

  “I know, Cassie, and I feel the same. It’s this feeling of waiting on a big explosion we know is coming but not knowing how to be ready for it.”

  “I’ll see what Jacob thinks about it all. It’s good to get input from others about this as best we can. You and I are involved so deep it might be hard for us to be objective. Oh, but we do need to get the recorder back to the professor. I’ll try to get it in the car and to Jacob’s tonight or tomorrow and ask Jacob to return it. We only have two more days to get everything in place.”

  “I decided to call my family once we have left here. I know they will be upset, but if I phrase it just right, maybe they will let me stay with you at Jacob’s and not insist I come home,” April said.

  “Jacob and I will be glad to talk with them if you like, April. We want your life to go on as you had planned.”

  “Thanks, I know you both care, and it means the world to me. You have become the big sister I always wanted.”

  Cassie gave her a big hug. “And you are the sister I never had. Well enough of our mutual love fest now. Let’s get some things to the car. Did you find the old grounds and buildings plans?”

  “Yes, I did, but I’m not sure they will help you much. I copied them the best I could, but they are old and faded and the copier was not built to copy those big pages. I tried to get the outlying sections, and the old cemetery, and the current cemetery.”

  Cassie stopped in her tracks. “Old cemetery? What old cemetery?”

  “There is an old cemetery from back when it was a castle or manor house, whatever it was. I had totally forgotten about it until I started looking at the older plans. I was just a young girl when I found it the first time I was here.”

  “Oh April, where is it?”

  “Just through the woods past the vegetable garden. It’s so ancient; there are no readable markers. Some are crumbling as I speak, and others have been totally destroyed. There are only two statues left, one of the angel, Michael, and one of—of the Virgin Mary!”

  “That’s it, April, it’s where he buried Maeve, in the old cemetery, at the foot of the Virgin! April, we have to go there, right now!”

  April looked at her watch. “If we hurry we can get there and back in forty-five minutes or so, I think.”

  “I’m taking my camera. But taking pictures is all we can do today, unfortunately. I will tell Jacob tonight and see what he thinks. This is it, I am sure of it.”

  “Put on your rain boots, Cassie, it is a bit overgrown and marshy in some areas. I’ll go get mine and meet you at the door.”

  Cassie pulled her small digital camera from her purse and stuck it in her jeans pocket. If they were being watched they must look as if they are out for a walk.

  Cassie found April waiting for her at the side door. They could see no one around but April cautioned that some employees worked in the garden regularly so they needed to take a different route. Going off the trail meant rougher terrain, and they were both glad of the boots as they stumbled along through the brambles and branches.

  Cassie let April lead the way and she took a few photos along the trail. April slowed her pace suddenly. “We are getting close. Do you hear the little stream?”

  Cassie could hear the sound of water ahead. “So now we have to cross a river?”

  April laughed. “No silly, it is just a little stream, and it runs about a quarter mile through the property. It is not deep. The Sisters used it to irrigate their gardens when the rain was lower than normal and so they didn’t have to carry water from the monastery.”

  The sound of the water was louder now and April picked up the pace. “Just ahead we can cross at the top of the stream and then it’s just over the little hill.”

  They walked on for about ten minutes, and as they got to the top of the stream the path cleared and they could see a small grassy hill ahead. Wild flowers grew all around, and if any other day, Cassie would have stopped to enjoy it all. If she believed in the “little people” she would be looking for them here, she thought. They climbed the small hill and as they got to the top, s
topped to look around and to take a moment to enjoy the beauty of the place. Then below they saw it, the remains of an ancient burial ground, perhaps several hundred years old, maybe more. It lay on a flat piece of land sunken down and protected in the little valley.

  “Oh April, this area, though wild and overgrown now, is still so lovely. I can see why this spot was chosen for a cemetery. I’ll bet it was even more beautiful back when they set it up.”

  “I found it by accident when I first starting coming here to the monastery during the holidays. It was my first summer here, and I was working in the garden with the Sisters and I ran off chasing butterflies. I got lost, and they found me here. I was discouraged from returning, but I always wanted to go back. It was so peaceful here in this area. It was as if you could walk back in time because there were no buildings, cars, noise, nothing but nature as far as you could see. It was heaven.”

  They walked on down the hill toward the grave site and they both grew quiet as the past rose up to greet them. Cassie stopped. “It looks so protected. I wonder who else is buried here that no one knows about? If you didn’t know this place was here it would be very hard to find. He picked a perfect place to bury Maeve, didn’t he?”

  “Yes, he did—Oh, Cassie look!”

  There at the foot of the statue of the crumbling Virgin Mary were flowers—fresh flowers.

  Chapter 16

  Later at Jacob’s house, Cassie tried to rein in her excitement as she paced around the room updating Jacob on their latest news.

  “Oh Cassie, of course! I don’t know why it didn’t occur to me. I’ve been to the old cemetery many times playing around there when I was younger. When Aunt Bernie first went to work for them she would let me come with her on Saturdays when she had half days. I would do my homework if it was a weekend, and read on holidays while she worked, and then have lunch with the Sisters. I would sneak off and go exploring for an hour or two. Even though they only opened for spiritual retreats and holidays, they kept the place in perfect condition. It was wonderful around there for a kid. An old castle, a creepy looking monastery, tons of woods and streams to play in, it was grand. Sorry, for a moment I went back in time.”