He looked disappointed.
“Bishop owns the house on Estate Road. Well, her and her very successful and rich husband.”
“Aye, the sexy ones are always taken. Here I just wanted some pat and tickle.”
“How about punch and kill?”
He grinned. “Feisty. I love it.”
“Anyway,” Laird said, sliding a matchbook across the table to him.
“My matches? You want to talk about them? Why?”
“We had another victim, and she’s been known to come here. You told me yourself.”
“Who?”
“Tierney Sweeney.”
“Oh, Jaysus! She’s been killed too? What is going on here in Adare?” he asked. “It’s the end of the world when people are doing this kind of shit to each other.”
Nate watched him.
He wanted to question the man in the worst way.
This bar was the epicenter to something. He’d put his money on it.
“Was she in here again last night?”
He thought back to it. “Yeah, she was. She came in about eight, and she stayed until eleven. She said something about heading home, and she wanted one more drink with us. She bought a round.”
Well, at least she had peace. Bishop would have to accept that.
There was no way they’d know if she stayed inside if she’d be alive. They didn’t know how the killers were picking people.
They were falling behind.
“Did anyone bother her?”
“My sister had words with her, but she always has words with people. Jenny thinks she’s so smart and funny, but that mouth of hers…it’s going to get her in trouble.”
“Had she shown up to stop my marriage, it would have gotten her killed,” Bishop stated.
“She also hit me, so you can tell her if she’s going to stir the pot against my wife, she’s going to jail too.”
He patted him on the back.
“Jenny is young. She’s at home, licking her wounds. You have nothing to worry about. Trust me. She’s going to avoid you and your wife, since she’s shit out of luck. If she won’t listen to me, then she’ll listen to our father.”
That was good enough for him.
“Okay, Sean, thank you for your time,” he said, going to toss money down.
“Don’t! These coffees are on me. You’re hunting a killer. It’s the least I can do.”
He pocketed his money, and they headed out.
“Three victims and they were three people who hung out here,” Nate said.
Laird knew what they were thinking. “He’s not that kind of guy,” he stated. “I’ve known Sean for the last seven years I’ve been here. He’s a good egg, and his father is a pillar of the community.”
“Well, someone is then using his pub to pick up people and kill them.”
Did they really know that?
Not really, but for now, that’s all they had.
“Are we hitting the adult shop?” Bishop asked, getting all giddy.
Nate gave her the look.
“What?” she asked. “Maybe I want to buy something for my husband,” she teased. “You should pick up something kinky for Avalon. You are newlyweds.”
“Are you?” he asked Nate.
“We got married the day before you did.”
He didn’t explain how.
The man didn’t need all the dream walking details.
“Well, then we should both shop,” he said, buckling his seatbelt.
“Don’t encourage her. She’s a menace.”
She leaned forward and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “And you would be lost without me.”
“Great. Bishop cooties.”
Spoken like a true brother.
* * * O R A C L E * * *
Avalon and Brianna were having a really good time together. They were around the same age, they were both newlyweds, and they were able to relate.
It was a good day for them, and for the people tasked to watch them. As Molly scratched at the one door, Brianna figured that she had to go out to use the bathroom.
“I’ll be right back,” she said, leaving everyone sitting in the living room.
As she opened the door for Molly, the dog took off without warning, racing into the field where all the creepy trees were found.
“MOLLY! Come back!”
She didn’t like the way this felt.
In fact, the hair on her arms were standing up.
Lucian and Avalon came out of the room. “Something is going on,” he offered
“The static is kicked up,” Avalon offered, going really still.
Maura was there, and she was carrying a shotgun from Lucian’s collection. Even she felt it from the other room.
They all headed out onto the front porch, and they could see the dog in the distance.
“Molly!” Avalon was using Lucian’s eyes, and she knew exactly where the dog was heading.
This wasn’t good.
“She’s at that evil tree!” she said.
That was all Brianna had to hear. There was no way in hell that Brianna was going to let Laird’s dog be killed or hurt. He loved Molly.
She had no choice.
Brianna raced off the porch and into the land surrounding Lucian’s home.
“Get back here, Brianna!” Maura yelled, and then realized she was going to have to go after them.
“Well, there’s safety in numbers,” stated Jagger, as they all started running after her.
When they finally reached Molly, she was under the tree, digging to China.
She was furiously throwing dirt everywhere, and she didn’t look like she was going to stop.
“Molly, stop that!” Brianna begged.
The dog ignored her.
“It’s like she’s on a mission,” Maura stated, staring down at the dog.
Then, her head popped out of the hole, and she had a bone.
A femur bone.
“Uh, that’s human,” Roxy said, running her hands over her baby belly.
“WHAT?” Lucian asked.
Did he just hear her right?
“Laird’s dog just found a body.”
This couldn’t be good.
It was as if the uncovering of the body set something off. Suddenly, there was the sound of crying not far from them, and the vines on the trees began moving again, this time, going for Roxy.
Jagger shoved her toward Lucian, and stood between her and the vines.
One grabbed him by the foot and pulled him into the tangled web of vines.
He fought the entire time as it dragged him past the hole, and up the gnarled old trunk of the tree.
Maura pulled her blade and began hacking at the cover of vines that undulated around his now cocooned body.
Roxy began screaming bloody murder.
She couldn’t get to him.
They had to do something.
“I’ll go,” Avalon said, walking toward the tree. When she put her hands against it, she could hear Jagger’s shouts.
Then his heartbeat.
It was as if the tree was trying to consume him, making Jagger part of itself.
Avalon couldn’t let that happen.
Lucian tried to hold her back.
“Stay in my head,” she said, looking back at him. “I’ve got this.”
Avalon closed her eyes and went into the trance to set Oracle free on this tree. All she could hope was it would work.
She slipped into the static, past the voices, and to the space where the dead would be.
She saw Jagger on the ground, a woman standing over him.
“Who are you?” she asked.
“Polly. You have to set us free. This is a bad place. We are all trapped here. My love and I can’t escape. He’s good, and we need to be found,” she whispered, trying to not panic.
Avalon moved closer.
“They like you here,” she said.
“Why?” Avalon asked.
“You’re light, and t
hey are dark. It’s opposites. They want to make everyone pay. They are all buried here.”
“Who?”
“Her victims.”
Avalon kept scanning the sounds around her, trying to pick up the vibrations.
“We are all here, trapped by the darkness. The spells and magick have locked us here.”
“There are so many dead,” Avalon stated.
“This is haunted ground, awoken because the killing continues.”
She moved closer to Jagger who wasn’t moving.
“He’s okay,” she said. “I just needed to talk to you. This was the only way to get you here. You have power. You can stop this. Set us free.”
“How do we find who is doing this?” she asked.
“It’s all related by blood.”
“I need more,” Avalon said, touching Jagger’s chest. She could feel his heartbeat. It wasn’t as strong as it should be. She needed to hurry.
“Find his family. If you find that animal’s kin, you’ll find who’s started this all over again. The evil has been reincarnated back into another man. You have to hurry. Time is running out!”
She was aware.
“Who is this buried beneath the tree?”
“Sarah.”
“What’s her last name?” Avalon asked.
“You have to go! They are coming. Take your friend, and get out of here. Burn this tree. Burn the bones. Find the killer, and leave before you are trapped here too!”
With that, Avalon was yanked back to the present. She could see Jagger’s hand. She grabbed it, and he took hold of hers. She began pulling on him, and he slowly slid out, covered in a black slimy residue from the vines.
Roxy was weeping.
Maura didn’t know how Avalon did it, but she wasn’t going to question it.
“Jagger, are you okay?” Maura asked, kneeling beside him.
“I hate fucking Ireland,” he said, when his wife began checking to see if he was okay. “Why the hell did we come here?” he asked.
That was a good question.
One all of them were beginning to ask.
At that point, they all wanted to pack their shit and get on the next flight anywhere but there.
“We need to tell Laird,” Brianna said. “He’s going to need to see the bones,” she offered.
Roxy agreed. “Those bones aren’t that old. Maybe ten years.”
Avalon was exhausted.
Lucian swung her up and into his arms. He’d been in her mind the entire time, and he knew how hard she’d tried to hold up.
“We’ll call him, after we get away from this tree,” Luke said. “I can’t say I like being anywhere near it.”
Avalon whispered, “We need to burn the tree.”
Yeah, that would probably be a damn good idea. Ireland plus dead spooky shit equaled a massive bonfire. This estate was out of control.
Meanwhile, Molly kept chewing on the femur.
“Can someone stop her? She’s eating a person,” Maura stated.
“So, no dog?” Avalon whispered, trying to break the tension with humor.
Maura wasn’t having it.
“NO DOG.”
This time, she wouldn’t even fight.
* * * O R A C L E * * *
Frisky Business
Wednesday
Noon
The place was just opening when they arrived there. Laird headed in first, his badge out. He didn’t want to waste any time, and he didn’t want Bishop torturing Nate too much.
While amusing, they didn’t have time.
Honestly, he wanted to get back to the office, get the autopsy report, and call it a day.
He was thinking about what Oracle had said.
If Brianna stayed at his home, she’d die.
He wanted to be as close to her as possible, and at the safest location. Since there was safety in numbers, Lucian’s estate was the likeliest place.
Once inside the shop, there was a skinny older man working behind the counter. “Hello! I’m Doyle Byrne! I own the place. Would you like to try our flavored lube?” he asked, pouring some in a little tiny thimble sized paper cup.
“Uh, no,” Laird stated.
That didn’t stop the man.
“How about you, lad? You look like you could use some loosening up.”
Nate opened his mouth.
Bishop was waiting for him to say something.
Well, he’d get the last laugh.
He actually tried it.
“Strawberry.”
“Good call. You know your lube.”
“You’re the killer of fun,” Bishop muttered. “You did that on purpose.”
Yeah, he was well aware.
This wasn’t his first time playing this game.
“If you’re not into lube, what can I help you three with?” he asked.
“You had a woman who came in here a lot. Her name was Tierney Sweeney.”
“Yeah, she works here.”
That had their attention.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“What did she do here?” Laird asked, pulling out his notepad and badge to officially begin.
“Is she in trouble?” Doyle asked.
“If you call trouble being deceased, then, yes.”
He looked upset. “Oh, poor Tierney. She was a good girl under all that rage.”
“Why was she working here?”
“Hooking doesn’t pay the bills. She was struggling, and she really knew her product. She was my best sales person. She could sell Butt Butter like no one.”
Nate lifted a brow.
“Think about it,” Bishop said, before he could ask. It looked like she was going to have fun after all.
He went red.
Her day wasn’t lost after all.
“Was anyone bothering her?” he asked. “Did she mention anyone harassing her?”
Doyle shook his head. “Well, I pestered her a lot. I called constantly, trying to get her to work here full time. I didn’t want her turning those tricks. That’s not good.”
“You sell sex.”
He agreed. “I sell things to use during sex, but I don’t promote the ladies being used for animalistic uses. That’s just wrong.”
They got it.
“I wish I could help you more, but that’s all I know. She was supposed to be here tonight to work. She’ll be missed.”
Bishop started walking around. She found a leather whip, and picked it up.
“Stop, Bishop. I won’t be able to look at Lucian without laughing,” Nate teased.
“I was going to give it to Avalon as a gift.”
That shut him up.
Laird saw some pretty lingerie in the corner on a rack. That was more his thing. He didn’t want to freak his wife out on day one. He was drawn to it.
“I can wrap it up for you,” the man offered, as Laird handed him a few things.
“Yes, please. It’s my wedding night.”
The man smiled, and patted him on the back. “I’ll throw some of the fun stuff in for you, Detective.”
Bishop picked out something, and she paid.
“What did you buy?” Nate asked, the curiosity getting to him.
“None of your business, Mr. Prude.”
He sputtered.
“I can fire you.”
She laughed. “Yeah, okay. That scares me. I didn’t get anything for me,” she admitted. “It’s all for Avalon.”
He was worried. “Bishop.”
“Chill out. She’s like Maura’s and my sister. We’re going to help the girl out.”
He didn’t know what to say.
Panic.
Yeah, that’s what he was feeling.
“I think we’re good,” Laird said, taking the prettily wrapped gift for his wife. “Thank you, Doyle, and if you think of anything.”
“I’ll call. Come back!”
In the car, Nate stared at her. “Seriously. What did you buy?”
“I’m
not telling you. Why do you have to be such a stick in the mud? Avalon will have fun, and you will too.”
“Because it’s weird.”
“Really? Your wife is a psychic, who uses my husband as a receptor, and she’s picked up a ragtag team of people along the way, including a new pair of psychics who will have the next Oracle.”
Laird turned in his seat. “What?”
And then she realized what she’d done. Bishop spilled the beans.
“Oops.”
“Bishop!” Nate said, giving her the look. He’d told the team what Avalon had told him, and he didn’t think she’d blurt it out.
What the hell?
“What do you mean our child will be the next Oracle?” he asked. “I think I need to know.”
“You’re going to have to ask Avalon. I wasn’t supposed to say that.”
Nate closed his eyes. “Bishop, you’re a pain in my ass.”
This time, she didn’t disagree.
She’d screwed up.
* * * O R A C L E * * *
Before they headed home, Laird had to stop at the bed and breakfast to get Brianna some of her clothes. When he went in, Quinn Murray was behind the counter, doing his books.
“Hello, Detective. What brings you here?” he asked.
“I’m here to get some of Brianna’s things,” he said. “She’s going to be staying with me.”
“Oh, is she now? You shouldn’t be fooling around with a woman like that unless you’re going to make an honest woman of her,” he said.
“I did. I married her today.”
Well, that changed everything.
“Someone moves fast,” Quinn stated, patting the man on his back after he saw the wedding ring on his finger.
“When you see someone you want, and you know it’s right, you can’t wait.”
The man smiled.
“That’s how I felt about my wife until she left us. Anyway, Miss Collins is a good girl. You picked a gem. I’m going to miss her. Mary has really taken a shine to her.”
“I tell you what. You can have Mary come see her at our house any time.”
“She’d like that, son.”
“I don’t need all her things, but just a few for overnight. We’ll grab everything in the next couple days.”
He was good with that.
Oracle Haunting (The Phoenix Files Book 4) Page 32