The Mystic Cove Series Boxed Set (Wild Irish Books 1-4)

by Tricia O'Malley

  Getting out of her car, Cait stretched and pulled her phone from her messenger bag to pull up the Google app. She knew that Shane had an apartment building right on the main square, but had forgotten the name of it. Cait leaned against her car as she did some sleuthing.

  "Aha, of course he would name his building that." Cait rolled her eyes as she read her phone. The Baron was located just steps from where she had parked and Cait considered it a good sign. Cait straightened and tucked her phone in her back pocket. Her stomach twisted and she stopped to think about her approach. Did she know what she was doing? Cait shrugged her shoulder. She was used to improvising on the fly being a pub owner and she trusted her judgment to lead her in the right direction.

  Cait followed the sidewalk down a small hill and came to stand in front of the Baron. Shane couldn't be faulted for his taste, Cait thought. A rustic brownstone of a building, the Baron had the charm of yesteryear mixed with the sleekness of modern windows and iron fixtures. Cheerful blooms spilled out of several window boxes and the front stoop was clean. Cait imagined that there was quite a waitlist to live in an apartment building such as this one.

  The large double door opened and an elderly gentleman stepped out. The lines of his face sagged down and he stooped over the large box he was carrying. Instinctively, Cait ran up the steps to hold the door for him.

  "Thank you, miss," the old man said tiredly.

  "Hi, I'm Cait," Cait said impulsively.

  The old man turned, his startling blue eyes lost in the wrinkles of his face, and he nodded at her. "Seamus."

  "Can I help you?" Cait offered impulsively.

  Seamus shrugged and motioned with his head towards a van parked in front that Cait had missed. The back doors were thrown open and an assortment of boxes, lamps and furniture were tucked in the back.

  "Are you moving?" Cait asked and took one end of the box.

  "I am, at that. Not by choice," Seamus huffed as they maneuvered the steps carefully before walking to the back of the van. Cait helped him to ease the box onto the floor of the van and then turned to examine Seamus' face more closely.

  "Why? What happened?" Cait asked. She was tempted to read his mind but decided to let him speak first.

  Seamus shrugged and pulled a small pipe from his pocket. He eased down on the back tailgate of the van and lit the pipe, puffing several times before exhaling a plume of smoke.

  "I'm being forced out. Raised the rent," Seamus said.

  "Shane raised the rent?" Cait questioned.

  "You know Shane? Haven't seen him in half a year. No, Ellen did," Seamus said.

  "Was it the typical yearly increase?" Cait asked. Her stomach twisted even further into knots.

  "It certainly was not! I was astounded. I've been here for years and never seen such a price hike as this one," Seamus said angrily.

  "How much did she raise it?"

  "Two hundred euros more a month!" Seamus exclaimed.

  "What? That's madness," Cait said, just as angry as Seamus was. With every fiber of her being she knew that Shane had not authorized the rent increases.

  "I can't afford that. I'm retired and have a budget. I…I love this place though. Breaks my heart to leave it. I feel like I am still alive living here. I can walk to the pub, meet up with friends for lunch, or get my daily shopping done. If I have to move out of the city I'll be dependent on public transportation. I don't want to give up this life," Seamus said and Cait caught a glimpse of tears in his eyes.

  "Seamus, look at me," Cait said. The old man turned and met her eyes. Cait reached out and put her hand on his arm.

  "I will make this right. Don't pack anything else, okay? Go grab a pint and I'll have this fixed by the end of the day. I promise," Cait said.

  Seamus' eyes lit up.

  "Can you really do that?"

  "I can. I'm good friends with Shane. I'll make it right. Here's my phone number and all of my information," Cait said as she recited her personal information and watched the old man write it on a small notebook he pulled from his coat. "But, I'll need your help."

  "Anything at all," Seamus said as he stood up and straightened his shoulders proudly.

  "I'm going after Ellen. Do you know where she lives? I suspect that we won't be able to find her after today," Cait said.

  "I do, actually. I fixed some wiring in her apartment a few months back. I used to be an electrician," Seamus said.

  "Perfect," Cait said.

  "She manages and lives in one of the other buildings. It's off the square, down towards the water. A lovely building as well, but I like this location better," Seamus said and rattled off the address for Cait.

  "Thank you, Seamus. Now, I just have to figure out how to get in," Cait murmured.

  "Ah, that I can help you with. I still have the building key as Ellen wanted me to come back for another apartment." Seamus smiled cagily.

  Cait leaned down and kissed the old man's cheek enthusiastically.

  "Can I borrow it or do you want to come with?"

  "Wouldn't miss this for the world. She's a nasty one," Seamus said.

  Cait smiled at him and waited for Seamus to close up his van. It looked like she had gotten herself a sidekick.

  Chapter 21

  "So, she's stealing from Shane, isn't she?" Seamus said as he strapped himself into Cait's car. Cait nodded at him and glanced over her shoulder before jutting the car into traffic.

  "She is at that. Though I hadn't realized how much," Cait said.

  "She owes me almost a thousand euros then," Seamus said as he shifted in his seat and gestured towards a street for Cait to turn on.

  "We'll get it for you. I promise," Cait said.

  Cait jumped as her phone buzzed in her back pocket. Keeping an eye on the road, she shifted to one side and pulled the phone out, groaning at the name on the display.

  "Who is it?" Seamus asked.

  "Shane," Cait said. She silenced the phone and put it on her lap.

  "Aren't you going to tell him what is going on?"

  "It's complicated," Cait said.

  "Doesn't seem that complicated to me. It's his business, isn't it?" Seamus said.

  Cait nodded and kept her eyes on the road while a million thoughts ran through her head. Shane rarely called her. He must have heard about the fight and was probably calling to yell at her. Determined to see this through, Cait ignored the message indicator on her phone and steered her car to a stop in front of a large, sleek building by the waterfront.

  A far cry from the Baron, this building was all glass and sleek metal lines. Cait could see the appeal as the views of the water had to be wonderful. She suspected that she would be happier in the Baron though if she had to pick.

  "Yuppie building," Seamus muttered as he got out of the car.

  Cait looked both ways before weaving them both through the busy traffic that ringed the street.

  Seamus led the way up the steps to a glass sliding door. Pulling his keys from his pocket, he picked through the ring until he found the one he was looking for. Slipping it in the lock, he eased the door quietly open and motioned for Cait to step into the cool lobby.

  Here, white was the dominant theme. White walls, a low white couch and a white side table comprised the medium-sized lobby. A white panel of mailboxes and stainless-steel elevator doors took up much of the wall to the left. Seamus gestured towards the elevator doors and pressed the up button.

  Cait felt a sheen of sweat break out on her forehead and she tried to stay still as they quietly waited for the elevator.

  "Do you have a plan?" Seamus said.

  "Nope," Cait admitted.

  "Ah, well. Probably better," Seamus said easily and surprised a laugh from Cait. She swung her arm over his shoulders.

  "I'm glad you’re here. Um, just, listen, if some weird stuff goes down…don't judge me too hard, okay?" Cait asked.

  Seamus turned his bright eyes on Cait.

  "I've seen a lot of weird in my life. I can't imagine you'll s
urprise me too much. Just don't kill anyone," Seamus said.

  "That I won't. I'm really not the violent sort." Cait smiled at the old man and they stepped into the elevator together.

  Cait stared at the silver doors as they whooshed closed in front of them. Taking a few deep breaths, she tried to steady herself.

  "Ellen's got the penthouse, naturally. Which doesn't make sense to me as Shane could make more money if he rented it out. I suppose it is probably part of her salary," Seamus said.

  "I'm sure she negotiated every last thing she could from Shane," Cait murmured.

  "Is Shane your boyfriend?" Seamus asked.

  "It's complicated," Cait said again and stepped into the hall as the elevator doors opened on the top floor. Cool gray tones were prevalent here. A darker gray carpet lined the hall and complemented the dove gray of the paint color. A large white door was the only door in the hallway. Taking a breath, Cait stepped up and put her finger over the peephole.

  "Ready?"

  "Let's get her, girl," Seamus whispered. Cait knocked briskly on the door and heard voices stop talking and then the sound of soft footsteps approaching the door. Cait knew that she was peering through the peephole. She dropped her shields and reached out with her mind.

  Who is at the door? Why can't I see out? Ellen thought.

  Cait knocked again and reached out further, finding another mind to read further in the apartment. This must be Jason, the boyfriend, Cait thought as she scanned his mind and realized that he was shoving money into a duffel bag.

  Open the door, you bitch, Cait thought and waited until she could read that Ellen had decided to open the door. With a soft click, the lock slid open and before Ellen could open the door, Cait moved.

  She turned the knob and slammed the door into the room, hitting Ellen in the head and rushing into the apartment, Seamus quick on her heals.

  "What the hell!" Ellen screamed.

  A man ran into the room and stopped, staring in confusion at Cait and Seamus. This must be Jason, Cait thought. Tall, ripped, and blond, he was a good match for Ellen's beauty.

  The door opened up into the main living space. It was a contemporary condo with a compact kitchen that lined one wall and a marble breakfast bar that separated the eating area from the living area. A wide expanse of windows offered a view of the harbor and Cait could imagine curling up before the windows with a cup of tea and a good book. A separate hallway led away from the room presumably to a bathroom or a bedroom, Cait thought. Jason had come from there.

  Boxes covered every available surface in the room. Walls were bare, lamps stood next to boxes with their cords wrapped around the bases, and a pile of shoes lay next to a large suitcase.

  "Going somewhere?" Cait said as she moved away from the door and into the kitchen, putting the breakfast bar between her and Ellen. Seamus followed suit, staying a step behind her, a rotund, angry sidekick.

  "Who is this?" Jason gestured to Cait.

  "She's some freak that has a crush on Shane," Ellen said and rubbed her forehead. Cait derived a distinct level of satisfaction from the fact that there was a blaring red welt forming on her perfect skin.

  "Why is Seamus here?" Jason said.

  "Hi, guys!" Seamus said cheerfully.

  "Seamus, you need to leave before I have you evicted," Ellen said fiercely.

  "Ah, I don't know about that. Seems as though it's best that I stay here with Cait," Seamus said easily.

  "You don't know what you are talking about. I'm your landlord. She's just…a freak of nature," Ellen said and moved into the kitchen.

  "Don't try to change the subject," Cait said and gestured around the room. "Does Shane know that you are leaving?" Cait raised an eyebrow at Ellen.

  "Of course he does," Ellen said. Cait reached out and scanned her mind.

  Shit, shit, shit. We were so close to getting out. We need to get the money that is in the bag in the living room and in the bedroom. Hide the evidence. Then we can go, Ellen thought.

  Cait turned and scanned the room, looking for a duffel bag. She found it sitting next to the suitcase of shoes, a non-descript black duffel bag.

  "That's a lie, Ellen," Cait said smoothly as she eased herself slowly around the counter.

  "Get out before I make Jason force you to leave," Ellen said softly.

  "Is that a threat?" Cait turned and eyed Jason. "You going to toss me out, big boy?"

  Why did I get involved in this? I should just go be with Mary. She's easy to be with, Jason thought. Cait smiled widely at him.

  "I don't think that Jason is going to do anything," Cait said.

  Moving quickly, she ran to the duffel bag and snatched it up, running back to the kitchen to stand by Seamus.

  "So help me God, if you open that I will throw you from this window," Ellen said, her voice low and just a bit crazy.

  "Aye? You want to add murder to embezzling?" Cait asked and drew the zipper down on the bag.

  "Holy…" Seamus whispered as stacks of euros tumbled onto the counter.

  "Seamus, why don't you count out your thousand that she owes you," Cait said. She braced her hands on the counter, her heart pounding. "The jig's up, Ellen. Turn yourself in."

  "Like hell I will. Jason and I have a flight to London tonight. We're going to start a whole new life and get the hell away from this dumpy country," Ellen seethed and moved towards the breakfast bar. "Jason, get rid of them."

  Jason moved forward and hesitated on the other side of the breakfast bar.

  "What are you going to do, Jason?" Cait taunted him.

  "Um, you are going to have to leave," Jason said.

  "Try it," Seamus said easily and Cait laughed as the old man pulled out a pocketknife.

  "Am I? I don’t think so. Your girlfriend here is going to call Shane and turn herself in," Cait said.

  "This is ridiculous, Jason. You are going to let an old man brandish a toothpick of a knife at you and you're not doing anything? Seriously!" Ellen fumed and moved closer.

  "Listen, Ellen, I didn't sign up to hurt anyone," Jason began. Ellen cut him off.

  "Stop being such a weakling. Do something!" Ellen shrieked at him, the veins in her neck standing out unattractively.

  Jason took a step closer and Seamus held up his knife.

  "It may be small but I've gutted many a fish in one swipe with it. I imagine gutting a man is much the same," Seamus threatened. Cait felt her heart soar at the old man's gumption.

  "Here's what's going to happen, Ellen. You're going to confess to Shane and do your time and hopefully, many years from now, you'll start a new life far away from all of this," Cait said carefully.

  "Nice try, you freak. Jason, get the bag from them," Ellen demanded.

  Cait grabbed the bag from the counter and upended the stacks of cash all over the floor.

  "Oops," Cait said and smiled as Ellen began to wheeze.

  "Jason, get the other bag. Forget this crap. We have more than enough to start over," Ellen instructed. Jason hesitated and Cait pounced.

  "Bet you'd rather be with Mary," Cait said demurely. Jason's eyes widened in surprise and Ellen whipped her head around to stare at Jason.

  "Mary? Mary! You've been seeing that bitch behind my back?" Ellen shrieked.

  "What? No, I mean, maybe a little. Shit, how would she know that?" Jason said.

  "You have? I knew it. I knew it! Lord knows what you see in that mousey woman," Ellen shouted.

  "Well, she probably doesn't live a life of crime, so, you know, that's a point in her favor," Cait said mildly.

  "And you…you freak. What is it? Can you read minds? How do you know this?"

  "It doesn't matter how I know it," Cait said.

  "Bullshit. You're a stupid freak from small-town Grace's Cove. I'd always heard that place was cursed and everyone in it was weird. Now, I know the truth," Ellen said. Cait felt heat creep up her cheeks. She jutted her chin out as both Jason and Seamus turned to eye her warily.

  "Listen very carefully,
Ellen. You are going to confess to Shane or I will ruin you. Do you understand that?"

  "I'd like to see you try," Ellen scoffed.

  Cait sighed and reached out to dig into the far corners of Ellen's mind.

  "I know that you plan to ditch Jason once you get to London because your man…Heath, is it? Yes, Heath lives there. I know that you have stashed another 10,000 euros in a separate account under your mother's maiden name of Murphy. Your boobs are fake, you used to be fat, and you have always thought that you were better than everyone else and deserved a better life. Yet, you've never managed to marry into a rich circle, have you?" Cait said softly as she circled the counter, keeping her eyes on Ellen. "Your family wants nothing to do with you and you have no real friends as your only focus is on yourself. You can't even manage to keep your violet plant alive."

  Ellen drew in a deep breath as her face flushed with shame. She stood there, looking like a fish out of water, as her mouth struggled to form a sentence.

  "Heath? What the hell, Ellen?" Jason shouted at her.

  "I…I," Ellen gasped. Jason whirled away from her and grabbed a coat from the counter.

  "I'm done with you. I'm done with this. You can get in trouble on your own. I never asked for this. I want a nice, easy life. And yes, I've been seeing Mary and she's twice the woman you are," Jason shouted in Ellen's face. He moved past her towards the door. Ellen's face turned ugly.

  "You'll never get good sex from her. Have a nice, mediocre life," Ellen shouted at Jason's back. Jason stopped short at the open door and the people that blocked his way.

  Cait felt her heart drop into her stomach and she bowed her head, wondering just how much he'd heard.

  "Am I interrupting something?" Shane asked from the door, two guards standing behind him. Ellen froze for a moment before turning a charming smile on Shane.

  "Thank you so much for coming, especially with the Gardai. These…people have broken into my apartment." Ellen sniffed at Cait and Seamus.