Page 43 of Fatal Thrill

“’Twas abandoned long before I was born.” She removed the glasses from her nose. “They say a spirit woman lives there, singing to the ghosts of the dead men she lured into the castle and killed. The tinkers sometimes use it as a halting spot, but that came to a screeching halt when Mr. Ferris bought it from the government. Apparently, that damned ghost is still luring men there, stupidknob.”

Ghost stories. Perfect. “This Ferris fellow, has he been around since Seandisappeared?”

She paused, chewing on the end of one ear piece. “Come to think of it, no. I usually see him coming and going from Kilroy’s, but I haven’t seen him allweek.”

“Does Mr. Ferris have a firstname?”

“Dunno.”

Liar. Like Colton had mentioned, it was a small town. Jon suspected not much went unnoticed under the watchful eyes of Mrs. Doyle. “Did Mr. O’Sullivan leave anything behind in hisroom?”

“Not a thing. He cleared out and didn’t pay up. That’s all Iknow.”

“Where exactly is this castle Ferris bought?” Jonasked.

She gave them directions to Blackrock and Jon left his cell number with her with instructions to call him if she saw Ferris around. She looked dubious, but he hoped after she was reimbursed for Sean and Finn’s rooms, she might suddenly remember more and contacthim.

Outside, Colton pointed at the pub. “Sure you don’t want to go in and have a pint? See if this Ferris character is inthere?”

“Let’s check out the castle first. If nothing turns up, we’ll come back and talk to the barkeep. Might be more customers by then, maybe even Ferrishimself.”

Once they were situated in the truck, Colton turned on the mic and they listened for several minutes for conversations going on inside the B&B. They heard Lorna call Rory and ask for payment. A minute or so after hanging up, she started humming a happy tune, and Jon assumed the funds had come throughalready.

But nothing else went on. She spoke to another guest about breakfast and then they heard noises that sounded like she was washingdishes.

“Where’s the husband?” Coltonasked.

About that time, a guy in gray pants and a dark green coat exited the rear of the pub and walked with his head down to the back door of the Red Hen. He must have stumbled into the kitchen because next thing they heard was a sharp rebuke from Lorna and the man mumbling about ashower.

The woman might not be in on whatever had happened with Sean and Finn, or know all the details, but Jon had the distinct feeling her husbandmight.