Liar's Moon

by Kate Sweeney

  Through the rain and the wipers, she squinted, trying to get a look. It was odd to see them standing in the rain. One was obviously a man. He was tall, that was all Kathleen could see. The other, she couldn’t make out, could have been a woman. Her heart stopped when both turned and looked directly at her. With her paranoia in high gear, she quickly drove out of the parking lot and onto O’Connell Street. Her mouth was bone dry as she shifted gears and glanced in her rear-view mirror. Heading out of Dublin, she took the northwest road.

  As she neared the small town of Dungarin, she remembered Neala talking about the American’s birthplace. When she arrived in Dungarin, she stopped by the tavern, not exactly sure why. She rolled down her window; luckily, the rain had stopped.

  “Excuse me,” she called out. Two men and a woman turned to her. “Do you know Grayson MacCarthaigh?”

  The old woman peered into the window. “And who might you be?”

  “My name is Kathleen Moore, I work with Dr. Rourke. I was wondering if you knew where she lived.”

  “I do.”

  Kathleen waited, then hung her head. “Can you tell me where?”

  “Take this road, about a mile out of town. It’s the only thatched cottage.”

  “Thank you.” Kathleen started to roll up her window.

  “She’s not there now.”

  Kathleen stopped and looked to the heavens. “Can you tell me where she is? No, let me rephrase that. Would you please tell me?”

  “She’s with the historian.”

  “Tim Kerrigan?” Kathleen asked. The old woman nodded. “Fine, I know where Tim lives. Thank you.”

  It was later in the afternoon when she drove through County Clare. She took the coastal road north and headed for Tim Kerrigan’s. She hoped Grayson MacCarthaigh could help shed some light on Phelan Tynan.

  Chapter 14

  With her head against the cushion, Grayson stared at the ceiling while Corky looked over her translation. Sebastian sat on the windowsill, looking out at the gray day.

  “Did you take your serum?” Grayson asked.

  “Yes, Mother. How else could I be sitting here in the middle of the day?” Sebastian countered. She looked at Corky who was once again hovering over the book. “So tell us what we know.”

  “Well,” Corky said. “We have a traitor, or liar, who is marked, perhaps the same way as you, Grayson. This person is more than likely someone we know, and to put it bluntly, right now we’re being duped.”

  “What about the blackheart betrays the queen?” Grayson asked, still staring at the ceiling.

  “I would have to say the blackheart is our liar. And the queen? I don’t know. But look at this next stanza. Let me read it.” Corky looked over the translation and continued. “One emerges from the night, at the behest of ancient call. A star falls from a distant realm, uniting and revealing all.”

  Grayson turned her head and looked at Sebastian, who shrugged.

  “Okay, keep an open mind here, both of you,” Corky said. “One emerges from the night, at the behest of ancient call. I think that’s you, Sebastian, emerging from the night. And the ancient call might be Tatiana. She gave you the book, and this letter knowing you had to come here to have it translated.”

  Grayson sat up and turned around to Corky. “That sounds plausible.”

  “It does indeed.” Sebastian stood by the desk. “Go on.”

  Corky adjusted his glasses. Grayson could see he was trying to contain his excitement. She walked over and stood next to Sebastian.

  “Right then. A star falls from a distant realm, uniting and revealing all.” He looked up, waiting for a response. “Don’t ya see?”

  “No,” Sebastian and Grayson said simultaneously.

  “Oh, for godsake, you’re immortals.” Corky groaned and took off his glasses. “The star from a distant realm. Elinora. And what did she say to you, Grayson? All will be revealed.”

  “You’re right,” Grayson said in awe. “I’ll be damned. So we can eliminate Elinora from our list of liars?”

  Corky absently pulled at his eyebrow. “I wouldn’t do that too fast.”

  “She could be the one who reveals our liar by being the liar,” Sebastian said.

  Corky agreed. Grayson groaned deeply. “So we’re back to square one.”

  “At least we have something more to go on. I believe I’m right on this, though.”

  This time, Grayson agreed. “If you say it’s so, then I believe it.” She glanced at Sebastian, who had a very doubtful look. “What’s the matter with you?”

  “Do you remember when I told you someone is lying and asked if you felt it? You said yes.”

  “Right. I still do. What’s your point?” Grayson asked.

  “I find it curious that I cannot read any thoughts from Elinora. I get no read from her at all.”

  “She’s immortal,” Corky reminded her. “And she’s been around for quite some time. Perhaps she’s good at concealing her thoughts.”

  Sebastian was hesitant to agree. “Perhaps.”

  For some reason, Grayson agreed with Sebastian, which she was not willing to openly admit. She turned bright red when Sebastian quickly looked at her and grinned. “You can admit it, Grayson.”

  “Shut up,” Grayson said. “And quit reading my—”

  “Ladies, please,” Corky begged.

  Several sharp raps at the door had Corky jumping up to answer it. “Liam.”

  “Corky, is Grayson here?”

  Corky stepped back as Liam quickly entered, taking off his cap. “You must come quick.”

  Grayson heard the urgent tone; he seemed petrified. “What’s wrong?”

  “I-I found something, someone. I left Dolan with her. I…Come quick, please.”

  By the way Corky was breathing, Grayson figured they should have used the car, but she had no idea what Liam was talking about. They all took off in a mad dash after him. It was then Grayson saw it on the side of the road—a car with the driver’s door opened. She noticed Dolan standing by, frantically looking around. She also noticed Sebastian was nowhere in sight.

  “What’s happened?” Grayson asked, taking a quick assessment of the area: no one in the car, the motor stopped, but the keys still in the ignition, a purse on the floor of the passenger side.

  “Over there.” Dolan pointed away from the road, toward the oak trees that lined it.

  She saw Sebastian then, looking grim, but then she always looked grim. She stood by a tree, looking at the ground.

  “Who is that?” both men asked as they looked at Sebastian.

  “A friend,” Grayson said over her shoulder.

  She saw the thick trail of blood from the side of the road through the grass and followed it to where Sebastian stood.

  “This is not pleasant.” Sebastian motioned to the ground.

  Grayson sucked in some air when she saw the woman lying on the ground. As far as she could tell, her throat had been ripped out. Images of her mother lying in the path that night flashed through Grayson’s mind. She looked up at Sebastian. “Your handiwork?”

  Sebastian’s anger was evident. Grayson saw the clenched fists and regretted her words. “If it were, there would not be this mess,” she said in a dark voice. Grayson thought she heard a trace of sadness, as well.

  “That’s Kathleen Moore,” Corky said; he then looked away. “Neala’s assistant.”

  “Are you sure?” Grayson asked.

  Corky just nodded as he now stared at Kathleen’s body.

  Grayson looked back at Liam. “Tell me exactly what happened.”

  Liam took a deep breath before starting. “Dolan and me were comin’ back from town when we saw the car. Then the blood.”

  “Did you touch anything?” Grayson studied the surrounding area. All the concentration of blood was right here, except for the gruesome trail.

  “Nothing.”

  “You sure?”

  Both men nodded.

  “Why did you come to me instead of the pol
ice?” Grayson asked.

  Liam glanced at Dolan. “Because we know the way of it, Grayson.”

  Corky, Grayson, and Sebastian shared curious glances. “What do you mean?” Corky asked.

  “We know what happened to your mother. God rest her,” Liam said. “We remember your grandmother, as well. When the villagers had a curious problem, we’d always go to Deirdre first. It was just the way of it. So now with you here…”

  Grayson wasn’t sure what he meant, but it appeared Corky did. He nodded in agreement but said nothing.

  “Well, we’re going to have to call the police. Damn it,” Grayson said.

  “I’ll make the call.” Liam motioned for Dolan to follow. “We’ll wait by the car.”

  “Mind where you walk,” Grayson called after them.

  Corky waited until the men were back by the car. “Are you thinking it was Phelan?”

  “Who else could it be?” Grayson angrily ran her fingers through her hair. “Fuck.”

  “I take it it’s your shape-shifted friend,” Sebastian said.

  Grayson nodded. “Corky, you’d better get in touch with Neala and let her know. It’ll take her a while to get here from Dublin.”

  “Why do you think he killed her, Grayson?” Sebastian asked as Corky pulled out his cell phone.

  “I have no idea. What was she doing out here?” Grayson looked back at the car. “Why do it that way, though?” she asked absently.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Her car. There was no blood. No signs of a struggle.”

  “So?”

  “How did he stop her?” Grayson asked, then quickly went back to the car.

  She looked at the road from the back of the car. She looked inside the car once again. Sebastian and Corky said nothing as she walked around the area. “No blood around the car at all. The keys are still in the ignition, but the car was turned off.” Grayson looked behind the car. “If she came upon Phelan in his wolf state, she would have come to a screeching halt, I would think.”

  “Your point?” Sebastian asked.

  “No tire or skid marks.” Grayson absently scratched at her brow. “Now why would Kathleen just stop, turn off the car, and get out, but leave the keys in the ignition and her purse on the seat? Why would—”

  Dolan and Liam called to her as they came back. “They said not to touch anything. They’ll be here shortly along with an Inspector Gaffney.”

  Grayson hung her head. “Shit.” She was not looking forward to this.

  “Hmm,” Inspector Gaffney said as she crouched near Kathleen’s body. She looked up. “Another wolf?”

  Grayson stood outside the crime scene the police had taped off. Inspector Gaffney did not wait for an answer. She snapped off the rubber gloves, handing them to the forensics officer.

  “I’m assuming you didn’t touch anything,” she said.

  “No, we didn’t.”

  “And those two villagers found the car and the victim.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Have any idea what she was doing out here?” she asked as she looked around the area.

  “No, I don’t.”

  “And you say she was Dr. Rourke’s assistant at the museum…” she said absently, checking her notes.

  “Yes, she was.” Grayson fought the anxious feeling that swept through her. For the first time in her life, she understood how the bad guys felt—and she wasn’t even one of them.

  Inspector Gaffney looked at Sebastian. “And you are?”

  “A friend of Grayson’s.”

  “And a name?” Inspector Gaffney asked.

  “Oh, pardon me. Dr. Sebastian.”

  Inspector Gaffney nodded. Grayson hoped she would not pursue any more questions.

  “A doctor of what?”

  No such luck.

  “Hematology,” Sebastian said.

  Grayson silently begged Sebastian: Knock it off.

  She’s an infuriating mortal. It’s far too late, my friend. Sebastian smiled slightly, never losing eye contact with the inspector.

  “Well, all this blood should be right up your alley,” Inspector Gaffney offered.

  “One would think,” Sebastian agreed emphatically.

  Grayson closed her eyes and counted to ten in Gaelic.

  “Ms. MacCarthaigh,” Inspector Gaffney said. “What is your take on this?”

  Grayson shrugged. “I don’t know. I wouldn’t want to speculate. And I know what you must be thinking. It’s coincidental this is like my mother’s death.”

  “I’ve learned long ago that nothing is a coincidence. As I’m sure you agree, given your years of being a detective in Chicago.” Inspector Gaffney looked at her notes. “Which you left abruptly.”

  Grayson felt her anger rising as she stared back into the cool blue eyes. “To come here to take care of family business.”

  Ancient family business, you mean.

  Grayson vaguely heard Sebastian in her mind while she continued to stare into Inspector Gaffney’s eyes. She found it difficult to look away, which irritated her, and wondered if the inspector had the same difficulty. Given the fact Inspector Gaffney was still looking at her, Grayson could only surmise. She was also keenly aware of Sebastian’s intense scrutiny.

  She’s quite fetching, for a mortal.

  “Will you shut up?” Grayson said to Sebastian, who raised an eyebrow and looked at the inspector.

  Inspector Gaffney gave Grayson and Sebastian a cautious look but said nothing.

  “Look, Inspector, I’m not sure what you’re getting at, but my previous line of work means nothing here.”

  “There’s no reason to be upset.”

  “Who’s upset? I’m not upset.” Grayson stopped and rubbed her forehead.

  Inspector Gaffney raised an eyebrow. “I can see that. Well then, all right. I’ll be in touch if I need anything more. If you see any stray wolves, you let me know.” She nodded to Sebastian, who bowed slightly as she walked away.

  “She’s rather attractive,” Sebastian said. “I wonder what she looks like under that trench coat. I would assume she would be very fit and—”

  “Will you shut up?” Grayson said loudly. “Christ, you’re annoying. This is serious, you undead vampire.”

  “That’s redundant. A vampire—”

  “I can’t tell you how much I hate your guts right now.” Grayson grumbled and walked away. She glanced back and Sebastian was gone. “Good.”

  Grayson lingered for a few minutes, trying to piece this mess together. Damn it, she thought, what was Kathleen doing out here? Phelan had to see her; she must have had something, some information Phelan did not want known. As she walked back to Corky’s, Inspector Gaffney was nowhere in sight. Grayson took the opportunity and stood by the area on the road where they had found Kathleen’s abandoned car. She walked into the grassy area where the heaviest concentration of blood was found.

  “This is where you killed her,” Grayson said, then followed the trail of blood. “Then you dragged her off the road and left her by the tree.” She stood by that tree and crouched down. “Why, Phelan? Why kill her? What did she know?”

  Kathleen had left the keys in the ignition and her purse on the floor; perhaps it slid off when she stopped the car. There was no blood anywhere near the car. “She saw you, stopped, and got out. That’s why there’s no blood by the car. She came to you, and you morphed and ripped her throat out.”

  “Morbid curiosity?” Grayson whirled around to see Inspector Gaffney standing behind her. She swiped her dark windblown hair away from her face. “Once a detective?” She almost smiled—almost.

  “Something like that,” Grayson said, feeling uneasy around this woman. “I thought you left.”

  “I was about to when headquarters called. I’m staying in town for this.” She motioned to their surroundings. “Apparently, this is one wolf or rabid dog bite too many for Dublin. So I’m relegated to the country until this is solved.”

  “And you don’t like the
country?”

  “I have nothing against it. I’m just a Dubliner,” she said. “I detect a slight brogue. Were you born here?”

  “Don’t tell me you didn’t find that out?” Grayson heard the sarcasm in her own voice.

  Inspector Gaffney heard it, as well. “I suppose I could have.” She pulled the collar of her coat around her neck. “I’m off duty, Ms. MacCarthaigh. Can I buy you a drink?”

  Caught completely off-guard, Grayson nodded. “Sure.”

  This was so not a good idea.

  Grayson brought two pints of Guinness to their table, situated under the window of the pub. They were secluded for the most part; Grayson wasn’t sure if that was a good idea or not.

  “Thanks, but I said I’d buy you the drink.”

  “You can get the next round,” Grayson said, sitting opposite her.

  “Sláinte.” She raised her glass. Grayson did the same. “Now tell me why you were at the crime scene.” She took a drink.

  Grayson hesitated, then took a very long drink from the pint. “As you said. Morbid curiosity.”

  The inspector smiled slightly and nodded. She leaned in. “Ya want to know what I’m thinkin’?”

  “Not really.” Grayson took another drink.

  Inspector Gaffney went on as if she didn’t hear Grayson. “I think you know a little more than you either let on or than you realize. You’re a detective, and I can’t imagine you think these killings aren’t related.”

  “You’re like a dog with a bone.”

  “As you would be, I’m thinking.”

  It was this truth that irritated Grayson. Actually, she would be more insistent than Inspector Gaffney of the sparkling blue eyes. At any rate, Inspector Gaffney was not going to give up, and Grayson would try to keep ahead of her and anticipate her moves. However, in the end, Grayson knew she would run out of time. And if she didn’t stop nosing around, the attractive inspector would see more than she bargained for, and that worried Grayson.

  Out of everything, Grayson wanted to keep a low profile and not draw attention to herself, the monastery or… Oh, God, she thought, please don’t let her see Elinora. It was bad enough the inspector met Sebastian. Inwardly, Grayson laughed: an immortal and a vampire.