The Ghost of Kathleen Murphy

by Vickie Carroll

  “Mama will want to know your fabric choices first thing. Do you want to go ahead and decide and buy a swatch to live with a few days to make sure you love it?”

  “Hum, I don’t know. How long will it take you two to make this dress?”

  “Mama likes to have three months if possible to allow for fittings, at least three fittings maybe four,” April said.

  “Who knows she may have three years! Let’s go look at fabric. You know this is just really nuts and I feel so mean leading your mother to believe this wedding story. What are we going to tell her if this thing doesn’t work out with Jacob and me?”

  “I am not worried about it, Cassie. Maybe you won’t be ready in three months or even six, but I see a wedding for the two of you down the road. I told you… I saw it and dreamed about it.”

  “A really long engagement, I expect.”

  April laughed and guided her to the other side of the store where bolt after bolt of silk, satin, and hundreds of other rolls of fabric were displayed.

  Cassie’s eyes went to the shiny satin bolt of fabric directly ahead of her. There was a picture of a dress made from the material on display. It was very similar to what she wanted. “What do you think, April, is this it?”

  “You have a good eye, Cassie. Yes, this will do nicely.” April fingered the fabric.

  “How much do I need?”

  “Look on the back of the pattern at your size and it will tell you. I would buy a yard more, just in case.”

  Cassie frowned. “In case what, oh, in case I get fat over the next few months? I guess we need to find someone to help us now. Where are the veils?”

  April laughed. “No, not because you might gain weight, but because the seamstress likes to have a margin for error. We make the veil too, Cassie. You have to buy the fabric as well and then decide what kind of veil, how long, if you want it decorated, a head band with it, and so on.”

  “Can you tell I have never done this before, April?”

  “Yes, I can believe it. You are lucky, Cassie, I have helped with dozens of wedding dresses. Come on, let’s go look at the veil material and all the many choices for the headdress.”

  An hour later, purchases stored safely in the car, Cassie was feeling part foolish and part excited. Neither of them wanted to go home and wait for news so they went to The Tea Shop for lunch. April called her mother from there to tell her about their purchases and to make sure nothing else was needed. They made plans to meet and talk about the dress the following Saturday. April’s mother needed her measurements and wanted to get her hands on the fabric.

  April put her phone back in her purse. “Mission accomplished. Did you hear I dropped a few hints that the wedding might have to be delayed due to your move from America, and some book writing obligations?”

  “Oh April, I feel so guilty.”

  “No worries, it’s going to happen.”

  “I don’t know April. I think Jacob still has things to work out about Lydia.”

  “Maybe, but with you around he will work them out faster. He is crazy about you.”

  “Liking someone is a long way from proposing marriage you know.”

  “My mama said she knew she wanted to marry Daddy on their second date.”

  “Still…” Cassie’s ringing phone interrupted. “It’s Jacob.”

  “Hi, just checking in, Cassie, what are you two up to today?

  “We are having lunch at the Tea Room, any news?”

  “Just leaving and going back to the bookstore. The doctor is going to bring Bernadette to the center tomorrow morning, but don’t know the time yet. I have packed all her things so Maura can load up the car and go when they are ready. No news from David, we are all in wait and see mode.”

  “We will be going back home soon. I bought the pattern and material for the wedding dress and made an appointment with April’s mom for next week.”

  “What? Oh right, the wedding story. I’ll see you for dinner tonight. Don’t cook; I’ll bring some Chinese home if agreeable to you girls,” Jacob said.

  “Sounds great, but no more over-eating after tonight. My dress measurements will be taken next week. I don’t want to get old and fat before I get to wear it. See you later, Jacob.”

  They made their way home with a short stop for fresh fruit. Cassie wanted to make strawberry shortcake as a surprise for Jacob, even if it was not the best dessert after Chinese food.

  When Jacob came through the door with dinner later, she could tell from the look on his face he had news.

  “Let’s all eat while this is hot and I will fill you in on my conversation with David as we eat.”

  “Good news or bad news?”

  “A bit of both actually. Although the owners are not being totally cooperative, the authorities are now insisting on questioning everyone and they are going back out to the center tomorrow. It seems they found enough from the original search to warrant the follow-up conversations. David is going in tomorrow morning with the journals. He feels it will help with an order to search the grounds for a body. Now that we think we know where the remains are, the search can be better directed. Aunt Bernie’s fall is still ruled accidental even though they did find some drugs in her system, but they were prescribed. She could have, in theory, had a dizzy spell or missed a step on the ladder and fallen. We may never know the truth.”

  Cassie put her fork down. “I’m afraid to ask what else.”

  Jacob paused and took a long sip of his tea. “The bad concerns you, Cassie, and well, all three of us actually. It is as we feared. The Haven owners and their attorney, mainly led by their conversations with Rose and Emily, are accusing you of making up the story about Maeve and Kathleen, or at least the part about Maeve being murdered, to sell books. They are claiming it was the real reason you came there.”

  “They know better, Jacob.”

  “That is their story. Whether suggested by the attorney or if it is something they came up with or they really believe, I have no idea, but we now have to go on the defensive.”

  Cassie felt her face flame. “How can we do that?”

  “We have to pull all your notes and records together to show you were searching for something to write about from the myths and legends and came on this accidently while working in the archives. Just as we said we’d do if this happened. Nothing about the ghost of Kathleen can be hinted at.”

  Shamus came in and stood beside Cassie’s leg as if he knew she needed comfort.

  “Okay, I’ll go print out everything I think that might be useful.”

  April stood up and started to clear the table. “You two go do what you need to do. I’ll clear up and take Shamus for a good run.”

  They all went to meet David early the next morning. They didn’t want to go out to The Haven any sooner than necessary to meet Bernadette and Maura.

  It was good news and bad news time again. David greeted them with a smile and asked them to sit. He poured them each a cup of tea and sat down behind his huge desk. “The good news is, I have all of Cassie’s papers ready to be filed and there is no reason not to go forward with plans for a citizenship application when you are ready. “

  “Thank you so much, David, for working so hard to get this all done quickly.” Cassie felt her stomach flip but in a good way.

  David nodded his head toward her and pushed his chair back, stood up, and paced in front of his office window. “As for the bad news, let’s be prepared for a hard month of probing and suspicion, but once the journals are read alongside what they already know, they will consider looking for a body. The laws about disturbing a grave site are something else to worry about.”

  “But they have the authority to do it if they have cause, right?”

  “Yes, they do, Cassie, but they will have to be very sure. They are Catholic after all.”

  Cassie glanced at April to make sure she was holding up okay. “But I can’t believe it will interfere with a murder investigation.”

  “I hope it will not. O
nce this story breaks, and it will, be prepared for a lot of local emotions to show up. People here either loved the Sisters and the monastery, and think they can do no wrong, or they know of all the scandals and corruption and want to sweep it under the rug forever. Remember, it’s the Sisters, the monastery, and the Catholic Church, you are shining the light on, not the retreat center. The current owners are just sitting on the land, and are in the building.”

  “I was thinking, Jacob, what do I tell my family? My name in the papers…my dad will have a fit.” April had Cassie’s hand in a death grip.

  Cassie could see David was reading the fear in her own eyes too. “Perhaps you should, April, but not quite yet. Let’s wait to see if they will push this on to the next step. If they do, then the press will certainly hear about it and it will spread like wildfire.”

  “So what do we do now, David?” Jacob asked.

  “We wait.”

  Cassie, still holding April’s hand stood up too, pulling April with her. “Will they tell us if or when they have read the journals and what they have decided—or tell you, David?”

  “Yes, they will let me know, and of course I will call you right away. In the meantime, don’t talk to anyone about this, and don’t go there for any reason after today. Jacob, I realize you must be somewhat involved because of your aunt’s departure, but keep it fast and make no comments.”

  Jacob stood and shook David’s hand. “Understood, and thanks, David. We’ll wait because there is nothing else we can do, is there?”

  They were all quiet as they went down the block for lunch. Cassie felt she must now say what was on her mind. “They are going to try to make me a greedy, conniving monster, aren’t they?”

  “Yes, they might try it. If they are scared enough about what a further investigation will find they will do a lot to stop you and discredit you. I am sure of it,” Jacob said.

  “What can I do? There’s nothing else, is there?”

  “For now, nothing. David has your notes together and your journal, and they will show your thoughts were not to come here to cause a scandal to sell a book. Your notes are dated on the computer, and were down weeks before you got here.”

  “But Jacob, as we talked about before, can’t they just say it was all just part of my plan? I set it all up with a cover story complete with those kinds of details.”

  “Yes, they could say it but can’t prove it, and that’s everything with the law. It’s the same problem we will have, however. We have to find a way to prove the priest or his assistant killed Maeve and she is buried on the grounds of what was the monastery at the time. At least a few of the Sisters had to know about it and continued to cover it up. It is going to be hard to prove even if we find the body, unless someone talks.”

  April sat back with a heavy sigh. “But this happened so long ago. Will anyone really care?”

  “We will make them care, April. We will make them.”

  “Oh Cassie, it just seems so hopeless sometimes.”

  “Yes, but don’t forget, April, we have Kathleen on our side. She won’t stop until it’s over. I just know it. I feel she is still with us, don’t you?”

  “Yes, I do. I just wish she could help us more.”

  They tried to talk of other things during their lunch but the conversation always came back to trying to guess what would happen next. They were obsessed, but couldn’t be otherwise.

  Cassie offered to drive home for practice and to give Jacob a chance to make a few calls to confirm plans for his aunt and her cousin. Both were set to arrive at The Haven about the same time.

  After they arrived home, they got busy gathering all of the information in preparation for the challenge ahead. Cassie printed out everything already given to David so she could go over it again. She needed her on-line journal with her time-line and ideas for writing about myths and legends in Ireland, and her correspondence about her stay at the Center. She kept her personal journal password protected on her computer. It contained her experience with the ghost of Kathleen and her thoughts about Jacob when they first met. She named the file “dress patterns” just to keep prying eyes from being interested. Then she decided to save it on a travel drive and erase it from her computer, just to be safe.

  By the time they were ready to go to The Haven, she felt much more organized and a bit more secure. Maura called Jacob to let him know she was there now and would wait in her car for his arrival. The doctor had not yet arrived with his aunt.

  When Bernadette and the doctor arrived, Maura went with Bernadette to her room to make sure nothing was left behind. Cassie and April stayed out of sight in the garden. Jacob went to talk to Emily and Rose and was back in a short time with news. The employees of The Haven wanted Bernadette to stay over one more night so they could have a retirement dinner for her. Jacob went up to tell her, and Maura agreed to stay over as well. Jacob was not pleased Bernadette would be there another night, but if it pleased his aunt, he said he wouldn’t deny her. After it was settled with his aunt, he drove Cassie and April back to the house and went to the bookstore for a few hours. They were asked to attend Bernadette’s dinner at The Haven, something they didn’t want to do, but could hardly refuse.

  April was spending a lot of her free time training Shamus and they both seemed to be enjoying it. Cassie watched them in the backyard now and wondered if one day she would look out there and see her own daughter and a puppy perhaps. The thought gave her a little shiver of pleasure, and she hugged herself. She realized she was happy there with Jacob, even under the trying circumstances of the present situation.

  Cassie heard April’s phone ring, but couldn’t hear what she was saying. A minute later April came back into the house, her face was flushed and fists clinched. “That was my mama. Rose called her and told her she better get me home and away from the two of you who were trying to cause trouble for them!”

  “Oh no, April, I am so sorry. Did you explain?”

  “I tried to, and I think it’s all right for now. But how dare they do that!”

  They called Jacob and turned on the speaker phone so they could all talk. Cassie could hear the anger rising in Jacob. “Well then, they are going to play dirty. This may be worse than we thought. We will have to protect ourselves. Gloves are now off.”

  “I’m in for the fight, Jacob. I won’t let them ruin my reputation even before I get a book written or a start on my career.”

  April paced around the room hands clenched at her sides. “I’m in too and I’m not afraid of them.”

  “Good for you, April, and we will talk to your mother if it will help.”

  “I think she will believe you, Cassie. I told her she could talk with you about it Saturday when we go out to talk about the wedding dress.”

  “Oh, I hope she still wants to make it for me after she meets me. I’m not sure I can look her in the eye knowing we have lied about the wedding.”

  Jacob laughed. “Don’t worry so much Cassie, it will all work out. You will have your wedding someday, so just hang on to the dress.”

  “Well, of course I will have my wedding someday. April has had a vision, or a dream about it all. A handsome prince is coming my way.”

  Jacob laughed. “I think the two of you have spent too much time buried in the archives among myths and legends. I’ll see you two soon.”

  Chapter 20

  Cassie and April were ready when Jacob arrived home. No one said too much about it, but they were all tense knowing Rose and Emily would be watching their every move when they arrived at The Haven.

  “I’m ready if you are.” Jacob held the door open for them.

  “I don’t think ready is the appropriate word, but I want this day over and done.” April got in the back seat and crossed herself.

  “Oh, before I forget, David is taking Maeve’s journal in tomorrow morning, first thing. Let’s hope it convinces them to look for her body on the old monastery property, specifically in the old cemetery. We are due a little luck,” Jacob said.
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  Cassie pulled out her mirror and applied lipstick. “I hope so because I want this nightmare to be over. I don’t want it to drag on for months, or worse.”

  “It could though, so don’t get your hopes up too high. Maura told me she wants to tour the property while there, whatever that means. I’m not sure why she is so set on doing this, but she is,” Jacob said.

  “Oh Jacob, sorry, I know you don’t really want to deal with her or anyone right now,” Cassie said.

  “No, but I promised Aunt Bernie I would. Maura has her memories of the place too, and she is getting old. It will likely be the last time she sees it. Sometimes I wonder who is more daft, her or Bernie. I called ahead to avoid a scene but Emily said it was fine, she could ramble around wherever she pleased. We’ll just get through this evening and then I’ll go back out tomorrow and say my goodbyes to Bernie, and that will be the end of it.”

  Cassie put her hand on Jacob’s knee. “I need to make plans to go back home.”

  “What?”

  “I have to go back to Atlanta to wrap up my life there. I have very few clothes here.”

  “You can’t handle it from here?”

  “No, my car is still in storage, it needs to be sold, and all my furniture, tons of things to take care of sooner rather than later.”

  “Would you like me to go back with you?”

  “Oh, Jacob, I didn’t dare ask you since I’ve caused you so much turmoil already, but it would be wonderful if you could.”

  “I haven’t been to America in a long time. I would like to visit again, and to see where you lived. Besides, if I go I can make sure you come back.”

  “There’s nothing for me there anymore, Jacob, you know that. My world seems to be here now.”

  “You work out the details and let me know the dates. I will work it out with my store manager. They love it when I am gone.”

  Cassie wanted to kiss him but didn’t want to distract his driving.

  “April, you will be starting at the bookstore soon, right?”

  “I hope so. I’m looking forward to working at your store, Jacob. I need some real work experience.”