An Isle of Man Ghostly Cozy Collection - ABC

by Diana Xarissa

  “He’s just lazy and unfocused,” Shelly told her. “He never quite worked out what he wants to do with his life.”

  “I still don’t know what I want to do with mine,” Fenella replied.

  Shelly laughed. “There is that,” she said. “I always thought I would teach for a few years and then something amazing would happen, and I’d do something totally different with the rest of my life. As it happened, I retired from teaching, and I’m still waiting for something amazing to happen.”

  “You met me,” Fenella teased.

  “That was amazing,” Shelly said, laughing again.

  The ground floor of the Tale and Tail was about half full of customers.

  “Let’s go upstairs,” Shelly suggested after she and Fenella had taken their first sips of wine. “It might be quieter.”

  Fenella followed her friend up the steep spiral staircase. As they went, Shelly was busy waving and shouting greetings to various people she knew.

  “You’re very popular,” Fenella said as they sat down together on one of the comfortable couches. A large white cat jumped up and settled himself between the pair, rubbing his head against Fenella until she began to pet him.

  “When you teach in the island’s largest primary school for your entire teaching career, you meet just about everyone,” Shelly replied. “And I’m a friendly person. I love people and I make a point of learning all about them and remembering them.”

  “Whereas I taught at a huge research university,” Fenella said. “With two hundred undergraduates in a class, I never really got to know anyone.”

  “I’d hate that,” Shelly said.

  “I did get to know the research assistants and at least some of the young men and women who majored in history,” Fenella told her. “There are even a few I’ve kept in touch with over the years, but not many.”

  “The US is such a huge place, though,” Shelly said. “The island is so much smaller and more, well, friendly, I suppose.”

  “It certainly seems quite friendly to me,” Fenella said. “At least so far. I lived in the same house for many years in Buffalo and never even met my neighbors. Here, you and Peter have already become good friends.”

  “Speak of the devil,” Shelly said, laughing.

  Peter was standing at the top of the staircase, looking around the room. Shelly waved and he smiled and crossed to the couch. He sat down next to Shelly.

  “I was wondering if you two were here,” he said. “I stopped to see if you were okay,” he told Fenella, “but you weren’t home.”

  “Shelly and I went out for pizza before we came here,” Fenella explained.

  “I really need to stop working so hard,” Peter said. “Then maybe I could join you two for pizza once in a while.”

  “Why were you working on a Sunday, anyway?” Shelly asked.

  “I told you about my meeting last night,” he replied. “It ended with my being offered something considerably different to what I’d been expecting. I had to do a great deal more research than I’d intended, including talking to a number of people.”

  “And is it all good?” Fenella asked.

  Peter grinned. “It’s all very good,” he told her “The advantage to doing all of the hard work over the weekend is that now I’ll be ready first thing tomorrow morning with my counter-offer.”

  “I hope it all goes well,” Fenella said, wondering what he was talking about, but feeling as if asking him to explain would be a waste of time.

  “It all sounds incredibly complicated,” Shelly said, putting Fenella’s thoughts into words. “I just hope it’s profitable for you.”

  “It should be,” Peter said. “As long as I can get the deal I want. It’s good either way from my perspective. If they won’t agree, I’m happy to walk away.”

  “I’m sorry, but what do you do?” Fenella felt she had to ask.

  Peter smiled at her. “I used to own my own small business,” he said. “Or rather, I owned a succession of small businesses. A few years ago I got tired of the day-to-day hassle, so I sold up and started investing in other people’s businesses instead. Thus far, I’ve had pretty good luck in selecting with whom to invest my money, I must say. I don’t just invest money, though; I also work with the owners, offering advice and assistance. As I said, so far it’s all been very profitable.”

  “Like the program on telly?” Shelly asked.

  “On a much smaller scale,” Peter laughed.

  Another cat, this one black and white, decided to join them. He jumped into Peter’s lap and then surveyed the others. As Peter scratched under his chin, he studied both Fenella and Shelly. After a moment, he stepped off of Peter and snuggled into Shelly’s lap.

  “Well, that’s gratitude for you,” Peter said. “While I was giving him a good scratch, he was picking out a better prospect.”

  “We don’t usually attract two cats,” Fenella remarked. There were maybe half a dozen animals that called the pub home. For the most part they kept to themselves, lolling around on the various pillows and beds that were scattered around the building. Occasionally one might demand a bit of attention from a willing customer, but to have two sharing the couch with them was out of the ordinary.

  “Maybe we smell like pizza,” Shelly suggested.

  As if on cue, both cats suddenly sat up straight and looked around the room. They exchanged glances and then they both jumped to the floor and raced away, down the stairs and out of sight.

  “And that’s the end of that,” Fenella laughed.

  “As my lap is now free, I’ll go and get us a second round,” Shelly said. She walked away before Fenella could decide whether she wanted to object or not. Peter slid closer to her and took her hand.

  “How are you?” he asked. “I hope yesterday’s events haven’t upset you too much.”

  “I’m doing okay,” Fenella answered. “Shelly has been keeping a close eye on me and keeping me busy.”

  “I feel as if I’m letting you down somehow,” Peter said with a frown.

  “You’re busy with work. I understand. Besides, it isn’t your job to entertain me.”

  “But you’ve had a huge trauma. I feel, as your friend and neighbor, that I should be doing something to help.”

  Fenella felt a pang of something she didn’t want to think about as her brain processed his words. “Friend and neighbor” was a long way from potential romantic partner, she thought sadly. “I’m fine, really I am,” she said after a moment.

  “You must let me take a turn at distracting you, though,” Peter said firmly. “You haven’t been to Peel Castle yet, have you?”

  “No, the only historical site I’ve managed thus far is Castle Rushen,” Fenella said, blushing. “I’m embarrassed to admit that I haven’t even been to the Manx Museum, well, aside from the one time I went and it was closed.”

  “And you call yourself a historian,” Peter teased.

  “I know. I said I was embarrassed,” Fenella replied. She didn’t even have a good excuse to offer. She wasn’t working and she spent most of her days curled up in her apartment with a good book, watching the sea crashing on the promenade and enjoying not having to be anywhere. Now that she’d had to change her plans for the week ahead, maybe it was time to start exploring her new home a bit more.

  “Why don’t I take you to Peel Castle tomorrow?” Peter asked as Shelly stepped off the elevator with three very full wine glasses in her hands.

  “I thought you had your big deal to sort out tomorrow,” Fenella reminded him as she took a glass from Shelly.

  “It might be best if I’m unavailable,” Peter replied. “I’ve given them my best offer. It’s up to them to decide what they want to do with it.”

  “But what if they have questions?” Fenella asked, not sure why she was arguing, as she really wanted to see Peel Castle.

  “That’s one of the things I pay my advocate for,” Peter told her. “He’s more than capable of answering any questions that might come up. If you don’t wa
nt to go, you can simply tell me that. You needn’t try to find excuses for me to back out.”

  Fenella shook her head. “I do want to go,” she said. “As long as you’re sure you can take the time off.”

  “I’m quite sure,” he said firmly, giving her hand a squeeze.

  “Where are you going?” Shelly asked from where she’d sat down in Peter’s former place.

  “Peel Castle,” Peter told her. “Would you like to join us?”

  Shelly shook her head. “No offense. I’m sure it would be great fun, really, but I took class trips there for many years. Having seen the ruins through the eyes of everyone from five-year-olds who simply wanted to roll down the hills to bored teens who kept trying to sneak away and snog in the crypt, I’m not in any hurry to visit again.”

  Peter laughed. “I’m sure seeing it with Fenella, through the eyes of a historian, will be fascinating,” he said. “But I can understand your not wanting to join us.”

  Shelly glanced at Fenella and then shook her head firmly. “Thank you for inviting me, but you two should go and have fun.”

  “We will,” Peter said. “We’ll have a good look around and then I’ll buy Fenella lunch somewhere nice. If my deal has gone through, it will be a celebration, and if it hasn’t, she can commiserate with me over something delicious.”

  “That sounds like a plan,” Shelly said.

  “It does,” Fenella agreed, trying not to mind that Peter had invited Shelly to come along. Clearly the man simply wants to be friends, she told herself. And never mind why he’s holding your hand. Maybe it’s a British thing.

  The trio talked about local news for a short while as they finished up their second round. “I think that’s enough for me,” Fenella said as she put down her empty glass. “I’ve been drinking more than I should lately. This pub is just too tempting.”

  “You can come in and drink something fizzy, you know,” Peter teased.

  “But the wine is so good,” Fenella told him. “And I’m so weak-willed.”

  Everyone laughed. “It isn’t all that late,” Shelly said, glancing at the clock as they headed for the elevator. “I’d completely lost track of the time.”

  “It’s only eight,” Peter said. “Really too early to be heading home.”

  “I’m ready for home and bed,” Fenella said stoutly. “Katie woke me at six this morning, which is her worst habit, really.”

  “And I suppose you got up and fed her,” Shelly said.

  “Of course, otherwise, you’d have heard her complaining in your apartment,” Fenella replied.

  The walk home was a short one, and Fenella found herself breathing deeply as they walked. “I love the smell of the sea,” she told the others.

  “The air is especially good for you, too,” Shelly said. “I sleep better here, right on the sea, than I ever have anywhere else.”

  “I usually sleep well here, too,” Fenella said. “I hadn’t thought about it, but I’m happy to credit the sea air for that.”

  Katie was chasing her tail when Fenella walked in. She blinked at her owner a few times and then jumped back onto her favorite chair, curled up and went to sleep.

  “I suppose that was your idea of quality time with me,” Fenella said to the pet. “Or maybe you’re just angry because I was petting another cat at the pub.”

  “Maybe you should take her with you once in a while,” Mona suggested.

  Fenella jumped. “I didn’t know you were here,” she said.

  “Obviously,” Mona replied. “How was your evening?”

  “It was good,” Fenella said. She told Mona about dinner and the conversations she’d had with Justin Newmarket. “I l feel as if I ought to tell the police about the things he told me,” she concluded. “But that feels, well, as if I’m betraying his trust or something.”

  “He didn’t ask you not to repeat the conversation,” Mona pointed out. “Maybe you’d be doing him a favor, getting the information to the police without him having to be the one who told on his friend.”

  “Maybe,” Fenella said doubtfully. “I don’t know what to do.”

  “Why not ring Daniel and ask him how things are going?” Mona suggested.

  “I couldn’t possibly,” Fenella replied quickly. “Anyway, he won’t be at work this late at night, or he shouldn’t be.”

  “You have his mobile number,” Mona pointed out.

  “That’s only so we can let one another know when we’re going to be at the pub,” Fenella said. “And we aren’t doing that right now because of the investigation.”

  “Maybe you should text him and let him know that you’ve already been to the pub tonight. If he was thinking of going, then he’ll know he can, without having to worry about running into you,” Mona said.

  “I’m going to bed,” Fenella announced.

  “It’s only eight o’clock,” Mona said.

  “It’s nearly nine,” Fenella countered, glancing at the clock that showed eight-twenty.

  “And to think, when I left you my estate I thought you’d be having parties in here every night,” Mona said with a sigh.

  “I’m sorry if I’m a disappointment to you,” Fenella snapped. “Maybe if I can go a few weeks without finding any bodies, I’ll start to make some friends.”

  “Yes, I’m sure your reputation is somewhat off-putting for people.”

  Fenella bit her tongue and shook her head, her eyes prickling with tears she simply would not allow herself to shed in front of Mona. “Good night,” she snapped, spinning on her heel and stomping into the master bedroom. She slammed the door and then leaned against it, fighting back tears of frustration. When her phone began to ring a moment later, she took a deep shaky breath.

  “Hello?”

  “Fenella? It’s Dan, er, Daniel Robinson. I just wanted to see how you are.”

  “Oh, I’m fine,” Fenella answered, trying to sound carefree.

  “You sound upset,” Daniel replied. “What’s wrong?”

  My aunt is making me crazy, Fenella thought but didn’t say. “Yesterday was difficult,” she said instead. “And tonight I ran into Justin Newmarket, which didn’t help.”

  “Did you talk to him at all?”

  Fenella sighed. “I may as well tell you the whole story,” she said. She sat down on the edge of her bed and took a deep breath. When she finished several minutes later, Daniel was silent.

  “That’s all,” she said eventually. “I mean, then I went to the pub with Shelly.”

  “I asked you to ring me if you spoke to any of the suspects,” Daniel said after another awkward pause.

  “I was going to ring you tomorrow,” Fenella lied. “It seemed too late tonight.”

  “It’s not even nine o’clock,” Daniel said. “And I work all hours when I’m in the middle of a murder investigation. Next time, ring me as soon as you can, okay?”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t think the chat was important,” Fenella said. “And I didn’t want to bother you.”

  “I don’t know if it’s important or not,” he told her. “But everything is relevant at this point in the investigation. I’ll need to have another word with young Justin and then I’ll need to track down his friend. Thank you for telling me about the conversation.”

  “You’re welcome,” Fenella said quietly.

  “I’m not meant to socialize with witnesses during murder investigations,” Daniel said. “But maybe we could accidently bump into each other tomorrow around midday? We could get lunch somewhere, I suppose.”

  “I’m sorry,” Fenella said. “But I’m going to Peel Castle tomorrow.”

  “Oh, that should be fun for you,” Daniel said. “Are you going alone or is Shelly taking you?”

  “Actually, Peter is taking me,” Fenella said. She held her breath, wondering how Daniel would feel about that little detail.

  “Peter?” he echoed. “Well, as I said, have fun.”

  When she’d put the phone back on the desk, Fenella sat on the edge of her bed an
d tried to work out why the man had called. His suggestion that they have lunch together had confused her. Was he asking for a date or simply being friendly?

  She got ready for bed on automatic pilot and crawled under the duvet before Katie joined her. Men were too darn complicated, she thought as Katie jumped onto the bed and curled up in the center. Feeling as if she was better off with her cat, Fenella fell into a restless sleep.

  8

  She was falling and she couldn’t catch herself. When she hit the water, she began to swim as quickly as she could, but she didn’t know which direction she should go. The person who had been chasing her had hit the water right after she had, but Fenella didn’t know where he or she had gone.

  Heading toward the shore seemed like the best idea, but first she had to get around the ferry. As she swam desperately forward, the ferry seemed to move alongside of her, never allowing her to get around it. She thrashed out, hitting the water as hard as she could.

  “Yyyyyooooowwwwww,” Katie shouted as Fenella slammed her hand hard into the duvet.

  Fenella’s eyes flew open and she gasped. Robert Grosso’s killer had been chasing her around the ferry, she remembered. With nowhere to hide, she’d jumped off the boat and tried to swim to shore. She rubbed her eyes and looked at the clock. She didn’t have to be up for many hours, but the nightmare had left her heart pounding.

  “Merrow?” Katie said, rubbing her face against Fenella’s cheek.

  “It’s okay,” Fenella told her. “I just had a bad dream.”

  Katie sat down and began to pat the top of Fenella’s head gently. After a minute, Fenella felt a tear run down her face. She took a deep breath and then rolled over on her side. Katie snuggled up against her chest and seemingly fell asleep almost immediately. Not wanting to wake her sleeping pet again, Fenella laid very still, wondering if she’d ever be able to sleep again. When her alarm went off a few hours later, she was shocked to find that she’d slept well and neither she nor Katie had moved.

  Katie protested as Fenella switched off the alarm and sat up. “I do have to get up, I’m afraid,” Fenella told her. “I’m going to Peel Castle with Peter today.”