To Hatch a Thief (Movie Club Mysteries, Book 1.5): An Irish Cozy Mystery

by Zara Keane

  I went first. “So far, we’ve assumed that the theft of the necklace had two possible motives: financial gain and revenge. Under the financial gain list, we’ve put Mick and Enda Malone—Matt Malone’s sons and two of his direct heirs. We’ve also added Matt and Enda’s sons, Rob, Darren, and Brendan.”

  “And under the revenge list, we have Niall and Mary Driscoll and Mamie Byrne.” Lenny pulled a face. “Sorry, Mamie, but we can’t leave you off.”

  “I understand.” The older woman chewed the end of her pencil, deep frown lines etched across her forehead. “You’ve mentioned the possibility that the thief took the necklace as revenge against the Malones, but what if they wanted to get revenge against Jennifer Pearce?”

  “I considered that option early on,” I said, “but I dismissed it pretty fast. When I spoke to Jennifer at length about her recent cases, she claims she can think of no reason why any of her clients—or anyone connected to her clients—would want revenge. She’s a solicitor on a small island. She rarely deals with contentious matters, and an inheritance the size of Matt Malone’s is rare. Ditto for her boss, Aaron Nesbitt. The one person with a grudge against Jennifer is Sergeant O’Shea. The man’s an oaf, but I can’t see him resorting to theft to avenge his humiliation.”

  Lenny nodded. “I agree. O’Shea’s not a nice person, but he wouldn’t break the law.”

  “Let’s circle back to our original set of suspects.” I scribbled names on my notepad, more to help me think than because I needed to jog my memory. “If one of the Malones took the necklace, he’d have had to discover the combination to the safe in Aaron and Jennifer’s legal practice. The offices are protected by an alarm when the place is closed. So that person would have to be able to disable an alarm and crack a safe. Do any of the Malones have the tech know-how to do that?”

  Lenny raised an eyebrow. “How about all of them? The elder Malone brothers make their living dealing in technical goods. Enda’s catalog is enormous and almost certainly includes basic house alarms of the type installed at Nesbitt and Son. As for Mick, I know for a fact he carries them because my parents have his catalog.”

  “What about breaking into the safe?” Mamie’s frown lines had softened somewhat, and she leaned forward, brimming with open curiosity. “Wouldn’t that require expert knowledge?”

  Lenny looked from one to the other of us. “Well, that’s obvious, isn’t it?”

  Mamie and I exchanged a look of bewilderment.

  “It is?” I shook my head. “Not to me.”

  “Ah, Maggie. Think. How could someone with no ability to crack a modern safe open it without being detected?”

  I scrunched up my forehead. “Someone told them the code. But even if Mary Driscoll saw Aaron or Jennifer keying it in one day and memorized it, why would she inform the Malones? She might tell her son, though.”

  “No,” Mamie said firmly. “Neither Mary nor Niall had anything to do with the theft of the necklace.”

  “What about Paddy Driscoll?” I persisted. “Perhaps he wanted to avenge his sister.”

  Lenny burst out laughing. “Paddy Driscoll is the type to punch a guy. I can’t see him sneaking around breaking into safes. That’s not Paddy’s style at all.”

  “Then how could someone have discovered the code to the safe?” Before I’d finished voicing my question, the solution struck me. “Tech,” I whispered. “Gadgets. The thief planted a camera in Aaron’s office and filmed one of the lawyers opening the safe.”

  “Bingo.” Lenny beamed at me. “That’s what I suspect. Nanny cams are all the rage these days. If the thief used one of the more expensive models, the likelihood of Jennifer or Aaron noticing it is slim.”

  Mamie was practically bouncing up and down on her stool. “Whoever broke into the safe must have had access to the office.”

  “Apart from Mary, Aaron, and Jennifer, that opens the possibilities to cleaning staff and clients.”

  “Josie Mahon didn’t do it,” Mamie said decisively. “She cleans my B&B as well as Nesbitt and Son.”

  “Among Jennifer and Aaron’s clients are the Malone brothers,” I said. “Both Mick and Enda must have been in the office at some point to discuss their father’s will.”

  “And if they contrived to get the office to themselves for a moment, it would have taken seconds to set up the camera.” Lenny slapped his lap. “That’s how they did it. Film the safe and monitor the feed on a computer. Once they’d captured the code, all they’d need to do is disable the alarm and open the safe.”

  “So it had to have been Mick or Enda?” I asked, my mind a whirl of information. “I don’t mean to sound ageist, but the whole camera business sounds like a younger man’s idea.”

  Lenny shrugged. “Mick and Enda sell computers and other electronic goods. We can assume they’re pretty tech savvy. And why would their sons have been at Nesbitt and Co.? None of them are named in the will.”

  “True.” And yet… A memory nagged at the back of my mind, a morsel of information that should be obvious to me but somehow remained on the periphery of my mental vision. My musings were cut short by a monumental crash. The door to the office burst open, and a shaking Günter staggered in, trembling violently.

  Julie, Noreen, and the Driscolls followed, all wet and shivering.

  I was on my feet in an instant. The next half hour passed in a flurry of boiling water for our wet friends and locating dry clothes for Günter. Clothes proved impossible to find, but there were several towels in the storage room, as well as a large overcoat of the type worn by janitors. Once Günter was dry, more or less clothed, and supplied with a hot beverage, we all settled in the ticket office to wait out the storm.

  “You’re a fool,” Julie said to Günter, a hot flush staining her cheeks. “You could have drowned.”

  “That boat was my home,” he replied, in a matter-of-fact tone. “I did what I could to save it.”

  My cousin glared at him. “And nearly drowned trying.”

  Günter grinned. “Nice to know you care, Julie.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I’m not sitting here all night listening to you two bicker. How about you help me crack a case?”

  “Is this about the necklace?” The mention of the case had perked up Günter. “Any developments?”

  “Oh, yeah.” Lenny gestured to Dooley’s cage. “The missing necklace is currently being guarded by a chicken.”

  Günter whistled. “Wow. Why would the thief put it in there?”

  Niall frowned. “Are you serious? I didn’t see any necklace when I got the chickens into their cages earlier.”

  “In other words, the necklace was put in the cage at some point between you coming into the lobby to offer your assistance in rescuing Günter and Lenny going back to the dressing room.”

  The older man blinked. “I guess so. I’d have noticed if that necklace had been in Dooley and Donald’s cage for sure. It’s huge and sparkly.”

  “Between the drama over the missing chicken and my dramatic fall from the stage, I lost track of who was in the audience for the chickens’ dance and who left as part of the flood rescue group. What happened to all the Malones?”

  “They all left except Mick.” Mary’s mouth formed a hard line. “I know because he came over to talk to me. I texted Niall to come and rescue me.”

  Her son picked up the tale from there. “That’s why I was with Mum when Noreen came into the lobby with the news about Günter.”

  My heart rate kicked up a notch. “You’re certain that Mick Malone was still in the auditorium when you left?”

  Mary raised her head high. “Without a doubt.”

  “And his brothers, nephews, and son were not present?” I asked, pressing her to make sure I had my man.

  “I’m positive they weren’t there,” Mamie said. “I was paying attention when Sergeant Reynolds divided the volunteers into groups. Enda, Rob, Darren, and Brendan were all assigned to various tasks. I overheard Brendan saying that his father was too drunk to be of a
ny use.”

  “He stank of whiskey when he tried to talk to me.” Mary wrinkled her nose in disgust. “It’s funny. Enda was the one with the reputation as a heavy drinker back in the day.”

  “Forty years is a long time,” I said. “People change.”

  Niall smirked. “In Mick’s case, not enough. So am I right in assuming you think Mick stole the necklace?”

  “I don’t know. He’s the one most likely to have put it in the chicken coop.”

  “But why?” Lenny demanded. “Why would he want to try to blame me?”

  “I’m not sure he wanted to shift the blame onto you,” I said to my friend. “I think he wanted that necklace to be found, and the chicken coop was such an unlikely place to stash it that the police wouldn’t decide to blame you.”

  “Why would he want the necklace to be found?” Julie asked. I noticed that she’d moved a little closer to Günter, despite her grumpy treatment of him.

  “Mick doesn’t want Jennifer Pearce to be blamed for the theft. This way, the necklace will be handed over to the police, verified as authentic, and returned to the Malones.”

  “I don’t understand,” Mamie said, frowning.

  Lenny my caught my eye. “But I do. When are you going to confront the culprit, Maggie?”

  “As soon as the storm is over. In the meantime—” I removed the bottle of Jamesons I’d spotted in a desk earlier and placed it on the counter, “—does anyone want a hot toddy?”

  13

  The storm raged all night. We stayed in the ferry’s ticket office until the wind and rain had dwindled to a brisk breeze and a smattering of rain drops. At eight o’clock the following morning, we judged it safe to venture outside.

  “Do you want me to drop you home?” Lenny asked Noreen and me. “I could swing by your place on my way back to the Golf Club to collect the rest of the chickens.”

  “If you don’t mind, I’d rather go straight to Smuggler’s Cove and confront the thief. The sooner Jennifer’s name is cleared, the better.”

  A wistful look spread over Lenny’s long face. “Wish I could join you, but I need to get the chickens home to Granddad.”

  Julie laughed. “Seeing as we’re hot-wiring one another’s vehicles, take my MINI, Lenny. I’ll drop everyone home and then collect the chickens from the golf club.”

  Our friend beamed. “Seriously? Thanks, dude.”

  After Lenny and Julie had exchanged keys, we all filed out of the ticket office. Niall and Mary Driscoll offered Günter a place to stay for the night, so he left in their car with Niall. Julie took Noreen and Mamie with her in the van, while Lenny, Mary, and I piled into Julie’s MINI and headed to Smuggler’s Cove. My phone finally had a signal, and I texted Sergeant Reynolds right away.

  I know who stole the necklace. Where are you?

  His response came almost instantly.

  I’m at the school. All the volunteers are gathered here for soup and sandwiches, including Jennifer Pearce and Aaron Nesbitt.

  “Head for the school.” I settled back in the passenger seat and grinned at Lenny. “I feel like Hercule Poirot about to reveal his brilliance to a group of suspects.”

  My friend nodded to the backseat, where Dooley snoozed in his cage beside Mary. “By rights, we should thank Dooley for guarding the necklace with such ferocity.”

  Our progress to the school was slower than usual and delayed some more by an evidence gathering stop at Nesbitt and Son Solicitors. Mary let Lenny into the practice with her key. A few minutes later, they reappeared with triumphant expressions on their faces.

  We continued our drive to the school. The road was strewn with branches. With the talent of a true islander, Lenny avoided all the flooded potholes and got us to the elementary school’s parking lot unharmed.

  “Ready?” he asked when we got out of the MINI.

  I squared my shoulders. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

  Lenny grabbed Dooley’s cage from the back, and we all ran toward the entrance.

  As Reynolds had promised, everyone was gathered in the school’s auditorium, seated on benches or fold-up chairs and eating soup. I scanned the crowd and spotted the Malones in a group. Mick had joined his family, presumably once he’d slept off the whiskey.

  On the other side of the aisle, Jennifer was at a table with Aaron and her fiancé, Nick. She was making a valiant effort to ignore the Malones, but the rigid set of her shoulders told me harsh words had been exchanged.

  I picked up my pace and strode toward them, coming to a halt between their respective groups. “Morning, folks. Time to get to the bottom of this necklace business, don’t you think?”

  Lenny obligingly held up Dooley’s cage. The light streaming through the windows of the auditorium glinted off the diamond necklace. A gasp rippled through the crowd.

  Enda Malone leaped to his feet. “Is that—?”

  “Yes,” I said before he could finish the thought. “Your brother was kind enough to stash it in the chicken’s cage during last night’s chaos. Isn’t that right, Mick?”

  Mick Malone paled. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  Jennifer stood, her lips trembling. She pointed at Mick. “Did he steal the necklace and blame me?”

  “No,” I said without hesitation. “Mick found a way to return the necklace and clear your name.”

  The lawyer slow-blinked. “But why?”

  “I think I can guess,” a deep voice said.

  I whirled around to see Sergeant Reynolds, arms crossed over his broad chest. His eyes met mine, and that familiar sizzle trailed down my spine.

  “Why don’t you tell them, Maggie?” he prompted. “You cracked the case after all.”

  “With help,” I amended.

  “Come on,” Aaron Nesbitt demanded. “Who took the necklace from our safe? Who tried to frame Jennifer?”

  I pivoted and fixed my gaze on the culprit. “Brendan Malone.”

  The young man flushed an angry red. “That’s a lie. Why would I do that?”

  “You stole the necklace to cover your gambling debts.” My smile was brittle. “I’d imagine you’ve inherited your grandfather’s love for poker, but not his business sense. Combined with lucrative sponsorship deals through golf, you’ve developed expensive tastes.”

  The young man’s posture turned rigid. “You have no proof.”

  “Don’t I?” I opened my palm to reveal the tiny camera that Lenny had placed in a sandwich bag to preserve fingerprints. Brendan’s eyes darted toward the exit. I took a step closer, neatly blocking his escape route. “You asked your father to plant this camera in Aaron Nesbitt’s office, possibly using the excuse that you didn’t trust your uncle not to try to cheat your father out of his fair share of the inheritance. I don’t know if Mick guessed your true purpose for wanting him to plant that camera, but he went along with it. Once your external feed had picked up a nice image of Aaron or Jennifer keying in the code to open the safe, you broke into the office one night and snatched a necklace. I’m not sure why you didn’t take all four, but perhaps some small part of your conscience prevented you from taking all your grandfather had bequeathed his children.”

  Brendan’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “You can’t prove any of this.”

  I shrugged. “Let’s see if you’re still singing that tune when your DNA is found at Nesbitt and Son, a place you’ve allegedly never entered.”

  In truth, I had no idea if Brendan’s DNA was on the premises, but I wanted to make the guy sweat. Judging by the sheen of perspiration on his upper lip, I was succeeding.

  “Dad, do something.” Brendan’s voice was a whine.

  Mick Malone stared at his feet. “I’ve done too much already, son.”

  “And I’ve heard enough to take both of you in for questioning.” Reynolds moved forward and grabbed Brendan’s arm. “I’m not charging you with a crime yet, but I strongly recommend you engage a solicitor.”

  Lenny snorted. “That’ll take a while. Aaron and Jennifer a
re the only solicitors on Whisper Island, and I don’t see them agreeing to represent this pair.”

  Jennifer placed her hands on her hips. “As far as I’m concerned, they can both rot in a cell until they find someone to come over to the island. I’m done with the Malones as clients.”

  “I second Jennifer.” Aaron got to his feet, an angry flush across his pale cheeks. “I’ll make immediate arrangements to engage another solicitor to handle Matt Malone’s estate.”

  Sergeant Reynolds escorted a protesting Brendan Malone outside to his squad car, trailed by a shamefaced Mick Malone. Once both men had been secured in the back of the police vehicle, Sergeant Reynolds turned his bright blue eyes on me. “Well done, Maggie.”

  To my embarrassment, my cheeks grew warm. “No problem. As I said, I had a lot of help along the way.”

  His amused smile left me flustered. “But you were the one who untangled all the threads. That takes a rare talent.”

  For a long moment, my words caught in my throat. “I like solving puzzles,” I said finally, kicking myself for my lame response. “And I don’t like innocent people being accused of stuff they didn’t do.”

  The police sergeant gave me a mock salute. “Good work. But can we make a deal?”

  “Sure.” My chest swelled. He was going to ask me out on a date. I could sense it. But what would I say when he did?

  His lips began to move, but it took a moment to comprehend what he was saying. “From now on, leave the detecting to me.”

  My happy smile reversed in time to register my nails digging into my palms. “You’re warning me off your territory?”

  Sergeant Reynolds’ smile was conciliatory. “I wouldn’t quite put it like that. I’m merely pointing out that Whisper Island will soon have a competent police officer in charge of future investigations, and you don’t have a private investigator’s license.”

  I pulled back my shoulders and shot him my dirtiest look. “And what if I got one?”

  His laugh was half amused, half regretful. “You’re only in Ireland for a couple more months, Maggie. Why don’t you do what you came here to do? Relax and forget about real life stresses. You deserve a break.”