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SEVENTEEN

That night I begged off dinner. I’d planned to do some snooping and I didn’t want my sister or Kieran to worry. Though, if I got lost behind the walls of the castle, I was going to be super mad at myself. I’d thought I might take Mr. Poe with me for safety, but that would have made Lizzie suspicious. Besides, Mr. Poe didn’t like to miss opportunities for treats from the meals.

I wondered what that necklace in the incident room could have told us. Or, perhaps, the necklace was part of the payday. We hadn’t asked Nora if she was missing any jewelry. Well, maybe Kieran had. I would have to ask him later.

Or it could have belonged to Sarah. It had been hidden in that box with her passport. Maybe she’d planned to hock it and get out of Dodge.

Again, while I could make up scenarios as much as I wanted, Kieran would insist on proof.

One thing we knew was Sarah hadn’t been the only one who knew about the diamond necklace. Someone had gone straight for the puzzle box and taken it.

After sneaking downstairs while everyone was at dinner, I looked through the guest book at the front desk and made quick notes of the room numbers. Then, using the map, I tried to figure out how to get to each room from behind the walls.

With my map in hand, I skipped the rooms where our neighbors on the court were staying. It turned out finding the secret entrances was easier behind the walls as there were easy to see levers.

The first room I checked was Maximillian’s. Of course, it was by accident. I thought I was heading into Sally and Alex’s room. My map was the opposite way round from what I’d thought.

He had several stacks of papers on his desk. After putting on my gloves, I carefully went through them.

The spreadsheets showed investments for the O’Sullivans. It appeared they were doing well, and I didn’t understand why he was so worried about them.

His laptop was sitting on the desk. I opened it and was surprised to find it wasn’t password protected. Some people weren’t very bright when it came to protecting themselves from identity theft.

It didn’t take me long to find the accounting program and to pull up the spreadsheets for the O’Sullivans. Numbers were my sister’s thing, but the program was simple enough that I could figure it out.

I stared at them for a few minutes, before I realized that the numbers on the computer weren’t as positive as the ones on the printouts. It looked like the O’Sullivans had taken some big hits financially. I compared the printouts to the computer. I was no forensic accountant, but things didn’t match up. The question was, which set of records was the right one?

Was he stealing from them? If so, why would that lead him to kill the priest and the nun?

I took pictures with my phone of both sets of records. I was careful to put everything back the way I’d found it. Then I quietly went through his clothes and baggage searching for the necklace.

I didn’t find anything.

I’d closed the secret passage door, and it took me a panicked minute to figure out that I had to push against the wall to open it again. Then it took two wrong turns and another twenty minutes to find the room that belonged to the Airendales.

Except for a few toiletries, nothing was left out in the room. Everything was so tidy it made me wonder if one of them might be OCD.

There were no electronics or papers. But when I pulled open one of the suitcases from the closet, I found several items that looked as though they’d been pilfered from around the castle. Nothing looked too expensive. Most of it was just trinkets.

After carefully putting everything back, I searched through some of the drawers in the wardrobe. I’m not sure what I hoped to find.

I was just about to slip out the secret passageway when a key jostled in the door. I dove under the bed because it was the closest place to hide.

Thank goodness the housekeepers here at the castle were great, as there wasn’t a single dust bunny to be found.

“Why are you crying?” Alex asked, as they came into the room.

“Did you not notice?” Sally answered.

“Notice what?”

“How they were all staring at me? I’m certain they think I’ve done something.” She sounded hysterical. And technically, she had stolen several items.

“Take a breath,” he said. “I’m sure it’s your imagination.”

“Don’t do that. I know what I saw and felt. Especially that couple from Shamrock Cove, Rob and Scott. They were watching me like hawks eyeing prey.”

“I was right there beside you and didn’t notice any of it.”

“Because you were distracted by that beautiful supermodel sitting beside you.”

He sighed. “She isn’t a model. She’s a photographer. We were talking cameras.”

“Still, you didn’t notice how those two men kept staring at me like I was a criminal.”

“That is your guilty conscience,” he said. “And you have been stealing. They may have seen you.”

She sobbed. “You aren’t helping.”

“You’re lucky the detective inspector hasn’t arrested you,” he said. “I thought the therapy was helping. I certainly spend enough on it.”

“It was. At home, I could control it. But here there are so many shiny things…and it isn’t like they will notice.”

“Oh, no. We are not going home with all that stuff. Can you imagine what will happen if you are caught by customs trying to sneak those items into the U.S.? You have to claim it all. And if anything is reported stolen…you’ll be in jail for a long time. And then what will your ladies who lunch crowd think?”

“You’re just trying to scare me, and you know that doesn’t work.”

“I’m being honest with you. Maybe, a stint in jail is what you need.”

She sobbed. “Why are you being like this?”

“Because I’m embarrassed, Sally, and I’m tired of covering up for you. I love you, but this has got to stop. Don’t you realize this could ruin our business if you’re found out? What will Nora and Gordon think? They’re good people, who are trying so hard to do great things. How disappointed and angry do you think they would be if they knew what you’d done?”

She cried more, and then sat down on the bed.

I was embarrassed too, that I was privy to such an intimate conversation. I also worried about how I’d be able to get out from under the bed.

“Go clean yourself up,” he said. “They’re playing games tonight and I want to go.”

“I don’t feel like it,” she said.

“Too bad. I mean it. The very least you can do is go play a game with me. Besides, I’m not leaving you alone again. There is no way I can trust you.”

His tone was mean, but it was more like he was disappointed. I couldn’t imagine what the stress of living with someone who stole the way Sally did. I’m not sure I could have held my temper either.

They didn’t speak for several minutes, but then water started running in the bathroom.

I took a deep breath when I heard the door click closed. Then I waited to make certain they had really left.

After nearly being caught, I decided to head back to my room. But, of course, I got turned around again. I was about to give up and just go through whatever room I found next when I finally found the right stairwell. I headed upstairs and turned to the left.

What I didn’t see coming was the man, who grabbed me and put his hand over my mouth.