Page 30 of Death at Inishmore Castle

“And just like the letter opener, strangling takes tremendous strength. She wasn’t very large, but still, it isn’t easy to crush someone’s throat like that. We’re looking for a fair-sized man, I’d say.”

My mind was already rolling with possible suspects. Mostly of the male variety. I shivered again, and it had nothing to do with the cold. Whoever had done this was knocking people off, and we were stuck on the property with them.

“No one has left, right?”

“The bridge still isn’t passable. The only way off the estate is in one of our boats.”

I chewed on my lip. “That means the killer is still here.”

Kieran sighed. “They’re about to serve lunch. Go back to the house and take Mr. Poe with you. You need to warm up before you catch your death.”

Mr. Poe yipped as if he were happy to do just that. Even though he liked the frigid ocean waters, he also appreciated being warm and well-fed. We had that in common.

“I guess we aren’t wanted,” I said, as I pulled the blanket tighter around my shoulders. “Come on, boy.”

He followed me back to the house. Since my wellies were covered in mud, I left them in the passage that led outside from the kitchen. I used one of the towels left out for guests to dry off Mr. Poe. Then I put it in the laundry bin provided.

Lizzie was in the kitchen wrapping up a loaf of bread in some cloth.

“Can you give me a slice?” I asked. “I’m starving.”

Without missing a beat, she gave me a piece. Then she went to the fridge and pulled out some butter. I slathered it on. I had a fondness for Irish bread, and it was even better just out of the oven.

“Why were you gone for so long and why is Mr. Poe so damp? I thought the rain had paused.”

“Mr. Poe ventured a bit too close to the pond.”

Her eyes went wide. “Is he okay?” She knelt and scooped him up off the ground. He snuggled into her.

Then she glanced up at me with a worried look. “What really happened? Why is he so wet? Why is your face so white? You’ve had a shock.” She glanced from me to him as if I’d done something to him.

“It’s nothing,” I said. “I need to go take a quick bath and find my warmer socks. My feet are freezing. Is it almost time for lunch?”

“In a half-hour,” she said. Then she cocked her head. Not unlike what Mr. Poe did when he had a question. “You aren’t telling me something.”

Several people came in at once for which I was grateful.

“Oh, the loaves are done,” Nora said.

“I was wrapping mine up,” Lizzie said. “I took them out of the oven like you said.”

“Aren’t you a dear,” Nora said. “Well, lunch is ready in thirty, if you want to freshen up. I’ll wrap these up for the rest of you. I’m sure you’re famished.”

I was. All that had been left in the basket in Kieran’s makeshift office had been bran muffins. It was the only kind I didn’t like. So, I’d missed breakfast. Like Mr. Poe, I wasn’t one for missing meals.

“I’ll meet you in the dining room,” I said. “I need to change and find my other socks. Save me a place at the table.”

I raced off before my sister could give me another questioning look. Being twins made it close to impossible to hide things from her.

Lunch was a cottage pie, with buttery mashed potatoes on top. The meat pie was one of my favorite dishes. For dessert Nora’s staff brought out Irish cream bundt cake, which I’d never had before. Lizzie asked her for the recipe, for which I was grateful. It was some of the best cake I’d ever eaten.

Every time I asked the other guests what they’d been doing earlier in the morning, my sister gave me a suspicious look.

I needed to stop. If she suspected something was up, so would the others. But everyone had been in the classes that morning. Though, I had no idea when Sister Sarah had died. It could have happened the night before.

Once again, we were back to having a castle full of suspects.

“I’ve never been on a vacation where I feel like I’ve learned so much and enjoyed it at the same time,” Brenna said. While Rob and Scott knew what had happened to the priest, I’d begged them not to say anything to the rest of our crew. Well, Brenna and Lolly.

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