Page 78 of Death at Inishmore Castle

I sighed. At least, as long as I kept him talking, he wasn’t hurting us. I didn’t care so much about myself, but I had to save Lizzie.

“Okay. So not Maximillian. But the priest and the nun.”

“Blasphemous, those two pretending to be what they weren’t. Saw my picture in an article about the castle, didn’t they? Then they threatened to expose me to the O’Sullivans if I didn’t work with them. And they wanted to steal from them. The O’Sullivans have been kind and given me a chance to change my life for the better. I wasn’t about to let those two ruin my life again.”

“So, you worked with them before?” I tried to see if I could find another weapon, but there was very little light. I was on my own against a man who outweighed me by a good fifty pounds and was several inches taller than me too.

I had Krav Maga training, but I was worried my sister might be injured if I went on the attack. I needed a plan.

“Years ago. I had a different name, and I was a different person. I tried to change my life. I was going straight, and then they came and ruined everything.”

“I can see how you might have been frustrated. What did they want you to do?”

“Carl read some story about a treasure being hidden in the castle. He wanted to find it. I tried to explain none of it was true. It would have been found long ago. But he wouldn’t let up. Came up with a scheme, didn’t he?

“Then she showed up.” I assumed he was talking about the would-be nun. “Carl wasn’t happy with her being here as she was supposed to come later when he’d tracked down the treasure. They threatened me, said if I didn’t help them search for the storage room, they’d out me.

“It’s not my fault they are dead. The pair of them left me no choice. I had to protect the O’Sullivans. They have given me purpose and a new life. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt them.”

“But you did hurt them. You smashed a whiskey bottle on Gordon’s head.”

“I didn’t mean to hurt him. My nerves were in tatters and he surprised me in the distillery and I lashed out without thinking. Then I couldn’t summon help as I shouldn’t have been in there and didn’t want to draw any suspicion my way.”

“That makes sense,” I said softly. “You killed Carl and Sarah because they were ruining everything for you. But why then did you steal the diamond necklace from Sarah’s puzzle box in the incident room?”

“I knew she had kept that trinket in the box from the last job we did together. Enough time has passed now that I could sell it and make myself a little money at the same time. Something for all my trouble. I just want to be left alone to tend to my gardens.”

“I understand. But my sister and I had nothing to do with any of this. Please, let us go.”

“Can’t do that now, can I? You know the truth. Have to do you both in. I don’t want to. I take no pleasure in hurting women and you seem like good people. But I’m not giving up my life here for anyone. I need my gardens.”

“Then that’s two more murders added to your count, and why? I bet with the others, since they were criminals, you could plead self-defense. I write a lot of mysteries, and I’ve seen that happen before.”

I was grasping, but it wasn’t my life I was trying to save. I had to do whatever it took to protect Lizzie and Mr. Poe. I glanced down at him. He was still pulling on the leash, trying to get to Lizzie, but it was as if he understood the danger.

My heartbeat double-timed in my chest, and I could barely breathe because of the nerves.

The gardener didn’t say anything. Maybe, he was thinking about my crazy plan.

Then an arm snaked around my neck, and he pulled me tight against him. Had he been behind me the whole time? So much for my detective skills. And where was my sister?

“Run, Lizzie,” I screamed hoarsely as the arm tightened around my neck.

What is he, some kind of ninja?

I hadn’t heard or seen him move in the dark.

He squeezed my neck so hard that there were black spots in my eyes. But I couldn’t give in. If he killed me, Lizzie would be next.

I let go of Mr. Poe’s leash, and he darted off.

My training kicked in. Using all of my strength, I twisted in his arms and shoved the fist that wasn’t holding the rake into his throat.

He grunted and stumbled back, and I followed, swinging the rake with all my might. It hit him hard and the tines scraped his face. As he reached up, I kicked at his knees, first one and then the other. He fell.

I roundhouse-kicked at his head, and then swung the rake again. Just as he hit the ground flat, a light blinded me.

“It’s me,” Kieran called out. “You’re under arrest,” he said to the lump on the ground.

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