Shamrock Shenanigans (Zoe Donovan Mystery Book 19)

Shamrock Shenanigans

By

Kathi Daley

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2016 by Katherine Daley

Version 1.0

All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

This book is dedicated to my son Danny, who currently lives in Dublin and is attending Trinity College.

I also want to thank the very talented Jessica Fischer for the cover art.

I so appreciate Bruce Curran, who is always ready and willing to answer my cyber questions.

And, of course, thanks to the readers and bloggers in my life, who make doing what I do possible.

Thank you to Randy Ladenheim-Gil for the editing.

Special thanks to Nancy Farris, Pamela Curran, Vivian Shane, Della Williamson, Teri Fish, and Janel Flynn for submitting recipes.

And finally I want to thank my sister Christy for always lending an ear and my husband Ken for allowing me time to write by taking care of everything else.

Come for the murder, stay for the romance.

Zoe Donovan Cozy Mystery:

Halloween Hijinks

The Trouble With Turkeys

Christmas Crazy

Cupid’s Curse

Big Bunny Bump-off

Beach Blanket Barbie

Maui Madness

Derby Divas

Haunted Hamlet

Turkeys, Tuxes, and Tabbies

Christmas Cozy

Alaskan Alliance

Matrimony Meltdown

Soul Surrender

Heavenly Honeymoon

Hopscotch Homicide

Ghostly Graveyard

Santa Sleuth

Shamrock Shenanigans

Zimmerman Academy Shorts

The New Normal –
January 2016

Paradise Lake Cozy Mystery:

Pumpkins in Paradise

Snowmen in Paradise

Bikinis in Paradise

Christmas in Paradise

Puppies in Paradise

Halloween in Paradise

Whales and Tails Cozy Mystery:

Romeow and Juliet

The Mad Catter

Grimm’s Furry Tail

Much Ado About Felines

Legend of Tabby Hollow

Cat of Christmas Past

A Tale of Two Tabbies –
February 2016

Seacliff High Mystery:

The Secret

The Curse

The Relic

The Conspiracy

The Grudge

Road to Christmas Romance:

Road to Christmas Past

Zoe Donovan
– amateur sleuth

Zak Zimmerman – Zoe’s husband and plus one

Jessica Fielding
– mystery writer

Cassandra Fielding – Jessica’s niece and plus one

Sam Spalding
– private detective

Susan Langtree – Sam’s assistant and plus one

Millie Monroe
– psychic who has helped authorities solve crimes

Piper Belmont – Millie’s plus one

Armand Waller
– history professor and relic hunter

Luke Sutton – Waller’s teaching assistant and plus one

Brent Silverwood
– actor doing character study

Drew Baltimore – reporter covering event

Lord Fergus Dunphy – host

Bonnie – cook

Liza – maid

Liam – stable hand

Byron – server/bartender

Catherine Dunphy – was married to Carrick Dunphy in the mid- to late-1600s

Meghan Dunphy – was married to Aiden Dunphy in the 1800s

Birte Dunphy – was married to the lord in the mid-1700s

Rowena Dunphy – Lord Dunphy’s mother, who passed away ten years ago

Finnian Newton– Rowena’s brother, who passed away six years ago

There were twelve of us sitting at the table waiting for our host, Lord Dunphy, to arrive. I can’t tell you how excited I was to be spending Valentine’s Day at a real Irish castle. Talk about a dream come true. And the best part: the castle was purported to be haunted by not one but several distinct ghosts.

“This is so exciting,” I said to Piper Belmont, the woman behind my invitation to this very special murder mystery event. “I wonder if we’ll see any ghosts this weekend.”

“When Poppy and I were here last I’m certain we were visited by Birte Dunphy. She was married to the lord back in the mid-seventeen hundreds. They say she really ran things and the old lord was merely a pawn. According to some, she is still in charge, imposing her will from beyond the grave.”

“You think she’s controlling the new lord in some way?”

“It would seem that she might be,” Piper answered. “The man is a bit loopy at times. Poppy doesn’t really care for his tendency to blunder his way through life, but I think he is just trying to run things in the twenty-first century while attempting to keep Birte happy at the same time.”

“I can see how that might be difficult.”

“Especially when you throw Rowena into the mix.”

“Rowena?” I asked.

“Lord Dunphy’s overbearing mother. She passed on about ten years ago and has been haunting him ever since. It you ask me, the struggle between Birte and Rowena to control the goings-on in the castle has driven poor Fergus insane. Literally.”

“Fergus is the first name of the current Lord Dunphy?” I clarified.

“Yes, dear.”

“Are all the ghosts female?”

“Not at all. Fergus’s Uncle Finnian has been known to make an appearance from time to time. He died five, no, maybe six years ago. In life he was browbeaten by his sister Rowena. He never married or did much of anything. After Rowena passed he attempted to sow his wild oats, but he really didn’t know how to manage himself without his sister manipulating his every move. He drank himself to death in just a few years. I personally have not had the opportunity to be haunted by the man, but I hear he’s a hoot.”

“So if the current lord’s mother and uncle are still haunting the place is his father here as well?”

“Dear lord no. The man couldn’t wait to die to make his escape. I’m pretty sure he headed toward the distant light before his body was even cold.”

I tried to sort things out as Piper turned to speak to the woman sitting next to her. Zak and I had met Piper and her husband Charles (Poppy) while we were honeymooning on Heavenly Island. We’d invited them to lunch so Zak and I could interrogate them about the death of another visitor to the island who, at the time, I had been suspected of killing. During the course of that lunch we’d established their innocence and moved on to talk of the world-traveling couple’s recent escapades. Charles and Piper had visited a haunted castle—a different one—– and I had been fascinated by the idea of visiting such a location. When Piper had heard about this murder mystery party, which had been organized as a game to pit five contestants with crime-solving backgrounds against one another, she’d remembered our conversation and scored Zak and me an invite.

Charles hadn’t wanted to attend, and neither Piper nor Charles had any sort of mystery-solving tendencies, so Piper had asked Lord Dunphy to invite her psychic, an older woman named Millie Monroe. Each contestant was allowed to bring a guest, so Piper had come along as Millie’s plus one. It seemed this eccentric ghost whisperer had helped law enforcement to solve crimes on more than one occasion.

Everyone quieted down when Lord Dunphy entered the room. He took his seat at the head of the table. He looked at each person in turn, snarling at some and winking at others, before he began to speak. “Welcome. What a fascinating lot. It’s not often there are so many conflicting auras in the room. This should be interesting.”

Everyone sat silently while the lord pulled a flask from his jacket pocket and took a swig of something I assumed was alcohol-based. I glanced at Zak. He shrugged. What did the man mean by conflicting auras? He really was a bit of a kook.

“First of all I must inform you all that the rain has caused the river to breech its banks and flood the bridge. I am afraid we are quite isolated on Dunphy Island until the water recedes. But not to worry; this happens quite often and we have plenty of food and drink for your enjoyment.”

A huge clap of thunder vibrated through the old stone walls of the castle, as if on cue. I noticed that several of the guests began to whisper among themselves. I guess there was an extraspooky factor when you considered that we were not only staying in a haunted castle but were trapped with a loony host and a handful of ghosts.

“Before we serve the meal, I’d like to introduce everyone,” Lord Dunphy continued.

The man looked directly at me.

“To my right is Zoe Donovan, amateur sleuth, from Ashton Falls, in the United States. She is accompanied by her husband, Zak Zimmerman, and her little dog Charlie, who, I assume, is waiting for you in your room?”

“Yes, he’s in the room,” I verified.

“And the room is to your liking?”

“Yes, it’s lovely. I understand it used to be Catherine Dunphy’s room when she was alive.”

“Yes, that is correct,” Lord Dunphy confirmed. “Catherine was married to Carrick Dunphy in the mid- to late-sixteen hundreds. Unlike many of the Dunphy brides, who were brought to the castle in arranged marriages, Catherine loved her husband very much. She bore him twelve children, all sons.”

Yikes.

“It is said that Carrick gifted Catherine with a precious gem on the birth of each son. History tells us that Carrick obtained only the most valuable gems, and legend tells us that the gems are still hidden somewhere in the castle,” Lord Dunphy continued. “While I would like to think that was true, I’ve not been able to find any of them, and believe me, I’ve looked.”

“How did Catherine die?” I asked.

“She contracted a fever not long after the birth of her twelfth son. I imagine an infection of some sort developed. She died in the room in which you are staying, surrounded by her husband and surviving children. By all reports her passing was peaceful. I’m not certain why she did not pass on at the time of her death, although there are those who say she couldn’t bear to leave the man she loved so very much.”

“That’s so sad. Did Carrick remarry?”

“He did not. He went to his death honoring the woman he considered to be the love of a lifetime.”

I thought I might cry. How sad and romantic. “Is Carrick still haunting the castle as well?”

“Not as far as I know.”

“I’m surprised Catherine didn’t move on once Carrick passed,” I commented.

“I can’t claim to know Catherine’s motivation for staying, but she does appear to still be about. She tends to become more active when there are guests in the castle, especially when there are people staying in her room. I think there is a very good chance you will receive a visit from her during your stay.”

Awesome.

Lord Dunphy turned his attention back to the table as a whole. “To Mr. Zimmerman’s right is Jessica Fielding, and her niece and guest Cassandra Fielding. Jessica is a
New York Times
best-selling mystery writer who likes to take a stab at solving cold cases in her spare time.”

Jessica was an older woman, a little on the plump side, with a friendly face, which, in my opinion, provided a stark contrast to the eagle-sharp look of her eyes. She smiled and chatted with those around her, but it seemed obvious to me that she was sizing everyone up and making judgments as she worked her way around the table.

Her niece, Cassandra, was probably around my age, late twenties, with a friendly smile that seemed to be genuine and an easygoing way about her. She had thick dark hair pulled back with a clip, and a smattering of freckles across her nose, giving her the simple look of the girl next door. I hadn’t as of yet had a chance to speak to her, but of everyone in attendance she appeared to be the most approachable.

“Does the room I am staying in belong to a ghost?” Jessica asked.

“As a matter of fact, the room you are in belonged to Meghan O’Brian Dunphy. Meghan came to the castle as the young bride of Aiden Dunphy, the eldest son of the lord of the castle in the early eighteen hundreds. I’m afraid Aiden and Meghan did not enjoy a marriage based on love, as Carrick and Catherine did. Less than a month after she arrived at the castle she was found dead on the stone walkway below her bedroom window. Some say she was so unhappy in her role as wife to a man she detested that she jumped, while others claim her new husband grew tired of her and pushed her to her death.”

“Poor dear,” Jessica commented. “Living with a man of your choosing is bad enough, but being forced to spend time with a man you barely know would be unbearable.”

I watched as Jessica whispered something to Cassandra, who gave Jessica a knowing glance, barely suppressing a chuckle. I could only imagine that neither woman was a fan of marriage.

“To Ms. Fielding’s right we have Sam Spalding and his assistant and guest, Susan Langtree,” Lord Dunphy continued. “Sam is an accomplished private detective who works out of San Francisco in the state of California.”

Sam was a short, thin man who was dressed so stereotypically that it had to be a ruse. He not only wore the standard fedora and trench coat, which was completely inappropriate for dinner, but he had a huge cigar that he played with but, fortunately, didn’t light.

His assistant, Susan, was a good foot taller than he was but also on the thin side. She wore a red evening gown that was as out of place at the dinner table as Sam’s hat and trench coat. I didn’t know this for certain, but it almost appeared that Sam Spalding had worn the goofy outfit to appear as a less than serious person in an attempt to throw everyone off.

Neither Sam nor Susan asked about a ghost.

Lord Dunphy turned his attention to the opposite side of the table. “Across from Sam and Susan we have Professor Armand Waller and his teaching assistant and guest, Luke Sutton. Professor Waller is a world-renowned scholar, who, in addition to teaching, travels the world tracking down lost artifacts.”

Professor Waller looked to be in his late fifties or early sixties. He wore a pair of dress slacks and a corduroy jacket that was very outdated but of good quality. He was of average height and build and wore little round glasses that gave him a constant look of surprise.

His teaching assistant was tall and muscular and looked to be in his early thirties. I couldn’t help but notice him noticing Sam’s assistant, Susan. She appeared to be giving him flirty glances as well. If I had to guess, there would be more hanky panky than investigating going on between the two of them.

“Sitting next to Mr. Sutton is Brent Silverwood. Brent is not a contestant in the game but rather an actor, here to do a character study for a film that will be set in a castle much like mine. He promises to observe and not get in the way, as does the woman sitting next to him, Drew Baltimore. Drew is a freelance reporter, here to cover the story of our little murder mystery.”

If Brent hadn’t been introduced as an actor I would still guess him to be one. Tall and fit, with bleached blond hair, a spray-on tan, teeth so white they almost blinded you, and a cocky, killer smile, Brent looked exactly like the type of man Hollywood fantasies were made of.

Likewise, Drew tended to look her part. She was dressed conservatively and wore minimal makeup. Her dark brown hair was neatly pulled away from her face and large glasses gave her a look of intelligence.

“And last but not least,” Lord Dunphy concluded, “we have Millie Monroe, a popular psychic, and her guest, the delightful Piper Belmont.”

I couldn’t help but notice the way Lord Dunphy smiled at Piper. Were the two of them involved in a fling? I would be surprised if Piper was cheating on her husband, who she seemed to adore, but I couldn’t deny the way the sophisticated woman was lustily staring at our host. Maybe there was more to this murder mystery weekend than I’d thought.

I looked around the table one more time as Lord Dunphy signaled the server, whose name I had discovered was Byron, to bring the first course. Although there were twelve people present—thirteen if you counted Lord Dunphy—there were only five contestants: myself, Jessica Fielding, Sam Spalding, Armand Waller, and Millie Monroe. It was my guess that none of us, or our guests, would be either the victim or the killer. I had to admit I was excited to get started. I’d solved more than my share of real murders in the past, but a fake murder would be just as much fun without all the angst. Or so I thought.

“So what do you think?” I asked Zak after the group retired to the parlor for drinks and conversation once the five-course meal had been consumed.

“I think it’s late and we’ve had a long day. Would it be rude to excuse ourselves and head up to our room?”

I looked around the gathering place. Byron had taken off the uniform he’d worn to wait on the table and slipped into the bartender role. Everyone appeared to be having a wonderful time. Piper had disappeared shortly after dinner, as had Lord Dunphy, who’d announced that he needed to see to the final arrangements for the game, which would begin the following day. Maybe they
were
having a fling. Charles did travel a lot, and I imagined Piper got bored when he was away. Still, I was surprised that she would be so obvious as to sneak away minutes after Lord Dunphy, if she was heading for a secret rendezvous. Perhaps she was part of the game and had simply gone off to prepare.