Page 16 of The Tides of March (Moon Murder Mysteries)

Fifteen

T ony’s change of heart came courtesy of a surprise visit from Captain Winslow. She appeared at the townhouse on Saturday morning, to Nelson’s delight.

“Tony, you have company,” he called from the foyer and was holding a puppy when Tony came down the stairs.

“Captain Winslow?” he asked and offered his hand. “And who’s this?” he said as Nelson allowed the squirming ball of fluff to lick his face.

Winslow chuckled as she watched them. “He was meant to be a delivery for Ronan O’Sullivan but he wasn’t around when I stopped by Pooles yesterday.”

“He wasn’t there?” Tony winced, not liking the pit growing in his stomach. Just about the only thing guaranteed to bring Ronan out of hiding would be another dog. “Did you see his boat?”

“It was docked and the pack was in the cottage but he didn’t answer the door.”

“And Ronan wasn’t around?”

“I knocked several times and peeked as well as I could in the windows but I couldn’t see him. I waited around in case he was in his orchard or on a walk, but he never showed up.”

“He wouldn’t go without his dogs,” Tony said but Winslow wasn’t paying attention, she had noticed the rolling board. It had been turned so the photos weren’t showing but something had caught her eye.

“I didn’t think so either… I got your name and address from your statement about the kid Ronan found. Your mom told me you were here. Why is the victim’s name there?” she asked as she pointed at it.

Nelson raised his free hand. “Let me,” he told Nox and Tony. “I’m Agent Grady Nelson, of the FBI. Nox and I have been investigating a string of murders, similar to the victim Ronan found.” He turned the board around and Winston whispered a swear, moving in for a closer look.

“Do you think there’s a chance that whatever did this could have gotten to Ronan?” she asked, grimacing at Nelson.

“We are concerned that that’s a possibility,” he admitted and she nodded, casting a nervous glance at Tony.

“I came here hoping to hear that Ronan was recovering in a hospital somewhere.”

“A hospital? Why?” Tony asked, his heart dropping through his stomach.

“There was blood on his doorstep and there were large handprints smeared on the knob and the jamb. I was hoping he had an accident and you rushed him to the mainland.”

Tony looked at Nox, suddenly frantic as he saw Ronan stumbling into his cottage, beaten and bloody. “Okay, you might have been right about the oracle thing and I think we need to go now. ”

“I’ll call it in,” Winston said but Nelson stopped her.

“Could you extend me a little professional courtesy and let us take this one? I can give you the number for the attorney general’s office, if you have any concerns,” he said as he guided her to the door.

She was hesitant but followed. “If you’re sure you have this under control… I have a feeling this might be above my pay grade.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” Nelson replied, returning the puppy to her care. “But thanks for stopping by and giving us the benefit of the doubt.” He closed the door behind Winston and shook his head. “Let’s hope her trust isn’t misplaced. What do you want to do?” he asked Nox.

He was checking his watch. “I agree with Tony. We need to go now.”

Two-and-a-half-hours later, the whole team—minus Nelson—was racing across the bay to Pooles Island. Nelson was waiting back on dry land with his Continental but Fletcher, the twins, and Everly had joined in the mission and Merlin was at the wheel with Nox. The weather was cooperating and the current was relatively calm but everyone was on guard for any sign of a kraken.

“There’s Pooles!” Nox called and pointed when the island came into view.

“Where the hell is Ronan?” Tony searched the beach and the path to the cottage but there was no sign of the miserable merrow. “He has to know we’re coming. Where is he?” he shouted but Nox shook his head.

“He should be there.”

The closer the boat got without any sign of Ronan, the more concerned Tony became. He had convinced himself that he didn’t care, that Ronan deserved to rot on Pooles by himself. But Tony was beginning to suspect that he had been sent away for his own protection. His conscience was almost as loud as his fears by the time Nox sidled into the shallows and Tony felt guilty for not catching on sooner.

Of course, Ronan would send Tony away if the island wasn’t safe. And he’d be sure to burn every bridge between them so Tony never looked back. Remorse and dread filled Tony as the little boat approached the shore but he was too furious with himself to wait any longer.

Tony grabbed the rail and leaped over the side, ignoring everyone’s cries. He landed, up to his neck in icy water, but pushed against the waves that threatened to wash him back out to sea.

“Tony!” Nox yelled above the howling winds. “Wait for us!”

But Tony swam and trudged forward until he reached the beach, stumbling and freezing in his soaked layers. He didn’t care that his legs were burning or about the wet wind, stinging his cheeks. All that Tony cared about was that Ronan was alone and hurting and he begged the gods, pleading with them to make his merrow hold on for just a little bit longer.

“I have to go! Ronan needs me!”

A few moments later, Nox and the twins had the boat tied up next to Ronan’s and there were more shouts as everyone disembarked and raced after Tony. He didn’t slow down or wait for them to catch up. He staggered up the sandy path, his lungs burning as his entire body shook from the cold and the fear. He didn’t know what he’d do if Ronan was dead and he had wasted months believing the worst.

“Ronan, I’m coming!” he called when he came over the last dune and reached the grass. Finally able to run, Tony sprinted the rest of the way and bounded over the two steps to Ronan’s door. “Ronan, it’s Tony. I’m here!”

The excited barks and whimpers from inside the cottage were encouraging but Tony detected several frantic notes within the chorus. He beat his fist against the heavy wooden panels but there was no answer.

“Come on, Ronan. I know you’re home and can hear me. Please open the door,” Tony urged, shaking his head when Nox and the others reached him.

“Anything?” Nox asked.

Tony shook his head. “He’s not answering,” he said and didn’t wait, he turned and slammed his shoulder against the door. It didn’t budge but Tony gave it another try. “We’re here to help!” he said, then stopped when Bryn eased him aside.

“Allow me,” he said with a cocky bow, then gave the door a firm shove with his shoulder. There was a loud crack as it split from the jamb. “As you were,” he drawled, gesturing grandly for Tony to proceed.

“Thanks.” Tony offered him a quick nod before rushing inside. It only took a moment to find Ronan despite the canine pandemonium their arrival had caused. The entire pack was elated to see Tony but were also on high alert, growling and circling the strangers in their midst. “Ronan!” Tony hurried to the armchair by the fire, alarmed to find a gray and motionless heap by the empty hearth. “No, no, no! You have to wake up!” he begged as he gathered Ronan’s face in his hands and patted his cheeks. “Please!”

“Is he still alive?” Nox asked as he weaved around the dogs and joined Tony while the twins got the pack in hand.

Tony shook his head, his fingers were too frozen and were trembling too hard to find a pulse beneath Ronan’s beard. “I can’t tell. Help!”

Arawn crouched next to the chair, taking Ronan’s wrist. “He’s still alive but barely,” he said and laughed as Fergus and Myrtle nuzzled and licked him. “Good job keeping him safe, gang,” he told them softly.

“Get that fire lit!” Merlin ordered when he finally caught up and fell through the cottage’s front door. He was hugging his carpet bag, breathless and sweating beneath his cape. “He should do better now that Tony’s here but he’ll need soup and salve,” he said as he looked around, taking stock of the amenities.

“No…” They heard Ronan mumble and everyone went silent, listening. “Ye have to go. Now! ” he rasped weakly and swung his head toward the door.

“We’re not leaving!” Tony laughed, incredulous but relieved to his core. “You stubborn, asshole. Why didn’t you tell us you were in trouble?”

“No.” Ronan shook his head harder, seeming to muster some strength. He opened his eyes and they swam as he blinked and swayed until he located Nox, snatching his sleeve. “Not me. Him . It’s a trap.”

“A trap for me?” Nox guessed and Ronan nodded.

“Go before the tide rises,” he said, then smiled up at Tony. “I’m glad… Never thought I’d see yer beautiful face again but ye need to get out while there’s still time.”

“I’m not leaving you again, Ro?—”

Ronan let out an anguished but wheezing roar as he tried to push Tony away. “Go!” he ordered, but almost fell out of his chair.

“Stop it,” Tony said calmly, righting Ronan and guiding him back so he was reclining again.

“Agreed,” Nox said as he pulled the footstool into place and hefted Ronan’s boots onto it. He dusted off his hands before aiming his palms at the stack of cold logs in the hearth. A spark jumped from them and Nox murmured something in Gaelic until a healthy fire warmed the room.

“That’s better!” Merlin declared while Arawn and Bryn carried a full, steaming cauldron from the bag to the hearth.

“The evenin’ tide…” Ronan groaned as he became more alert. “Ye don’ understand,” he managed in a mumble and Merlin hummed knowingly. “Ye have to go before it returns.”

“We most certainly do, young man. You’ve been dealing with one of Balor’s children and it’s nearly done you in,” he said and there was another groan and a nod from Ronan.

“Someone sent it for the witch god. Thought I could handle it but the bastard’s been toyin’ with me, like a cat with a trapped mouse, while it waited for him to come.”

Nox was shaking his head and filling one of Ronan’s coffee mugs with Irish whiskey from a flask. “We finally figured it out and we’ll deal with the sender as soon as we’ve dealt with this kraken and you’re on the mend.”

“Thas good. D’you know how to kill a kraken, then?” Ronan asked as he accepted the mug. He took a long drink, sighing gratefully. “Ye might be the good god after all.”

“Bah!” Nox waved dismissively. “Let’s get you settled before the tide rolls in and this thing kicks off.”

With that, Nox and Merlin went to work, preparing salves and ointments while Fletcher volunteered to raid Ronan’s pantry and prepare some soup for the patient. It took some serious negotiation but they were eventually able to convince Ronan to relocate to the bed.

“Still think of this as yers,” he told Tony. “Didn’ disturb it after ye left. The pillows and the blankets still smell like ye,” he confided as Tony tucked him in.

Tony’s books were still stacked on the bedside table and a handkerchief had been draped over his glass of water. “You’re a real knucklehead, you know that?” Tony whispered and pressed an angry kiss to Ronan’s lips. “So am I for believing you and for staying away.”

“Had to be extra convincing. Ye know how irresistible I can be,” Ronan replied, earning an eye roll from Tony.

“I’ll deal with you after we get rid of this kraken. We’re going to have a long talk, you and I,” he promised Ronan.

“Aye… If there’s one thing yer good at, it’s talkin’ a man to death,” Ronan said, then smirked at Merlin as he arrived with a tonic and a spoon. “Maybe ye should let Tony have a go at it first.”

Merlin and Tony exchanged pleased smiles and the older man chuckled as he filled the spoon and held it out to Ronan. “I had a feeling you’d start to recover your energy with Tony here. Take this and let’s get a look at your injuries.” He narrowed his eyes, then hummed in approval when Ronan obeyed, taking the tonic.

“Gah!” Ronan gagged and shuddered. “Go on with yer evil potions, ye wee pervert.”

“Be nice,” Tony scolded, giving Ronan’s forehead a flick but Merlin tittered and waved it off.

“I’ll take it as a compliment and good sign. The big, bad merrow is on his way to making a full recovery and will be his unpleasant self in no time. Nox and I can manage him but someone should keep an eye on Everly while the twins are doing reconnaissance,” he said with a nod at the door.

Everly came in with an armful of firewood and there were hisses and sympathetic grunts when he tripped, dumping the logs and scuffing his chin on the stone floor. The twins had taken the dogs for a quick run around the island to see what they could find and Everly had offered to mind the fire and assist Nox and Merlin.

“I have a better idea, Ev,” Tony said as he headed for the door. “Let’s do a little exploring and see if there’s anything around the cottage or inside the lighthouse that might be useful for fighting a kraken,” he suggested earning an enthusiastic thumbs up from Nox.

“Great idea,” he said, nodding quickly. “Just stay together and don’t go too far. The tide will be coming in soon and there’s still some old, undetonated explosives on the interior of the island,” he reminded them. “If the kraken doesn’t get ya,” he teased.

“Not funny,” Ronan grumbled but Tony was comforted by how much his color and shitty mood had recovered.

“We won’t be long,” Tony said but Ronan gestured for him to wait.

“If ye go in the lighthouse, look in the tall cupboard, behind the rakes and brooms and spare lumber. Ye may find somethin’ useful in there,” he rasped.

Tony flashed him a cheeky smile as he took Ronan’s keys off the hook and opened the door. “Will do. Just do me a favor and remember that you don’t have to be the world’s lousiest patient and give Nox and Merlin a shitty time while I’m out.”

There was a disgruntled snort from Ronan and he tossed a hand at the door. “Why don’ ye do me a favor and bugger off? I didn’ ask all o’ ye to come, did I?” he muttered but there was no bark in his bite and Ronan’s stormy gray eyes glittered as they held Tony’s.

“I’ve missed you too, you ridiculous asshole. I’ll be right back.” Tony blew Ronan a kiss, then left with Everly, giving Nox and Merlin a little more room to work and less chance of a calamity.

The adorable changeling was learning witchcraft and had shown real promise from all Tony had heard, but Everly was the most accident-prone individual he had ever encountered. And while Everly’s heart was always in the right place, his feet rarely were and he was usually the one in need of medical attention.

“Have you ever been inside a lighthouse?” Tony asked, making Everly gasp.

“No! This was only my second time being on a boat and I’ve never been on an island before or inside a lighthouse,” he babbled excitedly as he followed Tony down the cottage’s front steps.

“Neither have I,” Tony confided, taking the path away from the shore and up to the lighthouse. “Ronan says it’s haunted and wouldn’t give me a tour,” he said over his shoulder and Everly skidded to a halt, his eyes huge as he stared up at the lighthouse.

“It’s haunted?”

Tony shrugged as he continued up the path. “From what Ronan said, back in the 1850’s, two brothers’ ship went down in the bay. One brother washed up on Pooles Island but the other brother was never found. Ronan buried the body in the orchard, so the other brother could find his way safely to shore. Supposedly, the young man haunts the lighthouse, protecting it and waiting to be reunited with his brother.”

“That’s so sad,” Everly said.

“Yup,” Tony agreed, distracted as he searched for the right key. The lock was old-fashioned and had a giant keyhole so it wasn’t hard to find a match. It took all of Tony’s strength to get it to turn and he had to lean against the tall, metal door to get it to budge. With Everly’s help, they were able to open it enough to slip through. “Easy enough,” Tony panted and used his phone’s flashlight to illuminate the space around them.

Ronan wasn’t kidding when he said there wasn’t much to see. The inside of the lighthouse was damp, musty, and rusty. An ancient, creaking metal staircase was riveted to the chipped, flaking concrete walls, and various tools and trunks filled the narrow room.

“Want to run up and take a look?” Tony asked but Everly shook his head, eyeing the staircase nervously.

“No thanks. I think we better make this quick.”

“That’s probably a good idea,” Tony said with a chuckle, aiming his light along the curved wall until he spotted a beat-up metal cupboard. “There it is,” he said and made his way through the maze of old wheelbarrows, a honey extractor, and other beekeeping and gardening odds and ends. Tony moved the shovels, rakes, and pickers out of the way and heaved the rusty, crumpled doors open. “Okay! Let’s see what we’ve got in here…” he said and Tony’s face fell at the rotted and corroded selection. Several of the implements had been harpoons long ago and there were two shotguns that looked as old as Ronan and a musket. “We’ll take one of the guns—I’ll take the gun—and you can take this box of ammo,” he amended when he found a box in a leather pouch, hanging from a hook. There was also an old flare gun. Tony tucked it into the back of his waistband and checked for more shells.

“Can you kill a kraken with bullets?” Everly whispered.

Tony opened his mouth to reply but a loud, ominous “Noooo…!” filled the lighthouse as the wind stirred around them, kicking up the moldy leaves and debris on the floor.

“Let’s go!” Everly was suddenly plastered against Tony’s side and he nodded.

“Good idea. I’d run but you’re standing on my foot,” he whispered back.

“Sorry!”

Everly grabbed Tony’s wrist and Tony grabbed the sturdier looking shotgun and they shoved their way past any obstacles as they fled the lighthouse. Tony pulled and this time, the door swung easily, slamming behind them. His hands were shaking as he quickly locked it before he and Everly raced back to the cottage.

They crashed through the door, chests heaving as they fell back against it. “Any luck?” Nox asked, turning from the bed.

“Nope. None,” Tony replied with a hard look for Ronan. “And I will never, ever ask to look inside that lighthouse again for as long as I live,” he added, making Ronan erupt into a hacking, sputtering cackle.

“I tried to tell ye, didn’ I?” he said, then sobered. “There ain’ nothin’ in there but Elijah’s sorry soul and some old junk. But it’s too late for ye to escape now. The tide’s rollin’ in and it’s comin’ for us all.”