A Very Merry Murder

by Cindy Kline

  A Very Merry Murder

  A Molly McGuire Mystery

  By

  Cindy Kline

  Other Books by Cindy Kline

  Welcome Home to Murder

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  “A dream is just a wish without an attempt.”

  Thank you, Lon Bohannon, for the strength to follow my dream.

  Copyright © 2021 by Cindy Kline

  All rights reserved. This book, or any portion thereof, may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the publisher’s express written permission except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places and events are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Chapter One

  In the true Irish tradition, there was a family dinner held every Sunday at my parent’s house at precisely half-past two. Any family member who could make it was welcome. And if you didn’t, you’d better have a darn good explanation.

  A fortnight prior to Christmas, Molly pulled into the long driveway, the giant oaks having lost their leaves several weeks ago. The air had turned bitterly cold, with gray clouds promising rain. Molly hoped for a white Christmas, but there wasn’t a snowflake in the forecast. She followed the gradual incline until the trees thinned out and the manor appeared.

  “Woof!”

  “Hold on, Luna. We’re almost there,” Gran laughed as the six-month-old puppy wagged her tail and licked Gran’s face. “Enough of that young lady.” She turned the pup’s snout away from her face. “You must be on your best behavior, or your grandmother will ban you to the garage.”

  Molly smiled as she glanced over. Luna had her nose to the window and had spotted several sheep in the side paddock. She barked again, and her tail wagged, hitting Gran in the face. “I don’t think Mum will appreciate you calling her a grandmum to a dog.”

  Gran laughed as she unrolled the window, holding on to Luna’s tail as she stuck out her head, her tongue hanging. “Did your father tell you he thinks Luna is turning into quite the herding dog?”

  Molly pulled into the circle drive, parked behind Dillon’s truck and turned off the engine. “She’s part Australian shepherd, so it doesn’t surprise me.” The two women opened their doors and got out, Gran holding onto the puppy’s leash as she jumped from the Land Rover’s front seat and onto the gravel drive. She turned to go toward the sheep, but Gran pulled her toward the house where Higgins, the family butler, was waiting at the front door.

  “Good afternoon, Higgins,” Molly said as she went through the door. “How are you?” She pulled off the light jacket she’d been wearing and handed it to him. He smiled. “I’m doing well, Miss Molly. How are you?”

  Before she could answer, Gran and Luna came in behind her, the puppy’s nails clicking on the black and white linoleum as she danced in front of the aging butler. Gran handed the leash over to him as she took off her coat.

  “Mrs. Kennedy, you’re looking lovely today, if I may say so, ma’am.” He held his other hand out for her coat, which she gladly gave as she took the leash back from him.

  “Why, thank you, Higgy. You’re not looking too bad yourself.” She winked.

  “If you’d like, I’d be happy to take the dog to the kitchen.” He smiled down at the dog. Luna had won the hearts of everyone at the manor, well, other than Molly’s mother.

  Gran grinned. “Thanks for the offer, but I prefer to torture my daughter by having her, um, grand-dog in the house.”

  He grinned. “Yes, ma’am. You’ll find everyone in the sitting room.”

  “Gran, why do you like to torment Mum so much?” Molly whispered as they walked down the hall to the sitting room and through the open doors.

  “If I really wanted to torture her, I would have lived here instead of at Rose Cottage with you when me dear James departed this earth.”

  Molly put her arm around her, “Well, I’m truly glad you chose to live with me. I love having you there.”

  Molly’s favorite time of year was Christmas, and the one thing she’d missed when she’d moved to the United States was seeing the manor decorated for the holidays. Her mother hired a private firm to decorate the outside of the house and all the public rooms, but not the tree. It had been a family tradition for as long as she could remember to bring everyone together on the Sunday, two weeks before Christmas, and decorate the tree after dinner.

  Other than the bare tree in the corner and the several boxes of ornaments sitting around it, the room was fully adorned with decorations handed down from generation to generation, from the little leprechauns with their Santa hats sitting on the mantel of the fireplace, to the lighted garland around the windows, with the unlit candle. Irish tradition was to not light it until Christmas Eve to signal Mary and Joseph they were welcome in your home, and any stranger in need of warmth and sustenance.

  Molly looked around the room and did a quick family inventory. Her father was at the bar cart fixing drinks, her mum on the couch sitting next to Reanna, one of her best friends, and her brother Dillon’s current girlfriend, who we all hoped would someday be his wife. Dillon was sitting in a chair enjoying a glass of beer. Heaven forbid Mum would ever allow anyone to drink it from the bottle. Missing, though, was Dillon’s twin, Aidan, and his family, and her younger sister, Fiona. She looked at her watch; it was already two o’clock. If they didn’t come soon, Mum would have a fit.

  Gran sat down in the chair next to Dillon, “Colleen, I see you rearranged the furniture again, dear,” she looked around the room. “It’s nice. I like it.”

  Dillon groaned, “Don’t get her started. She just finished a ten-minute discussion of why the two sofas and the four chairs are arranged in a rectangle instead of a square. We really don’t want to hear it again,” He pulled his long frame out of the chair to give Gran a kiss on the cheek and then gave Molly a hug.

  Colleen smiled, “Thank you, mother. I thought it needed to be a little cozier. Now that Christmas is looming, I figured it would be nice to have us all together to where we can enjoy the opening of presents on Christmas morning near the fireplace.” She frowned as she noticed Luna at Gran’s feet. “What is that dog doing in here?”

  “Oh, Colleen, she’s fine. She’s very well behaved and won’t cause any problems,” Gran leaned down and let her off the leash.

  Molly waited for the dog to bolt, but she laid down at Gran’s feet, and Molly let out a sigh of relief. “Where is the rest of the gang?”

  Her father took a moment from mixing his current cocktail to say, “Aiden called. They’re on their way.

  “Where is Fiona?”

  Mum looked around the room. “She was here a minute ago. I’m sure she’s around somewhere.”

  Molly was just about to search for her when her father passed her a highball glass filled with amber liquid. “What’s this?” She sniffed it. “Ginger ale?” He nodded. She then sipped it. The sweetness of the ale
, combined with the alcohol, made it go down nice and smooth. “Yummy. Do I taste Brandy?” She looked at her father.

  “You do. It’s called a ‘horses’ neck.’ I found the recipe in an old magazine when I was cleaning out the attic and thought I’d try it. I know how you like ginger ale, so I thought I would share it with you.”

  Molly took another sip. “It’s good, so I’m glad you did.” She set the drink down on the coffee table. “However, I’m going to go find Fiona.” Molly walked out the door of the sitting room and down the hall, glancing in all the rooms as she passed. Molly found her in the morning room, on the phone, facing away from the door.

  “I know we have to tell her, but not now. I promise, I will soon, okay?” She giggled. “See you soon. Bye.” She disconnected the call and turned around, then stopped dead in her tracks.

  “Molly, oh, my goodness, you scared me.” Dressed in a navy-blue skirt that fell below her knees and topped with a light-blue sweater, she looked lovely, especially with her long blond hair curled and flowing down her back.

  Molly walked up and gave her a hug. “What have you been doing with yourself? I’ve been calling you for days, and you never return my calls.”

  “Um, oh, you know, just busy.” She tucked the phone in the pocket of her skirt. Molly tucked her arm through her baby sister’s as she led her toward the door, “So what piece of news is it you don’t want to tell Mum?

  Fiona arched an eyebrow, “What piece of news?”

  Molly stopped and stood in front of her. “Whatever you were just talking about. You said something about having to tell someone something. I just assumed you were talking about Mum.” Then she looked closer at Fiona’s face. “Are you okay?”

  “Of course, I am. Why would you think I’m not?” She walked around Molly, but Molly held firmly onto her arm.

  “Because you’re all red in the face, and that is always a sure sign you’ve got a secret.” Molly looked her over carefully. She’d lost at least half a stone since the last time they’d seen each other, and she was biting her lower lip. Molly’s eyes widened, “You have a boyfriend!”

  Fiona shook off her arm, “I hate when you do that! Leave it alone, Molly,” and she continued walking toward the door.

  Hmm...she rarely acted like this unless she thought Mum wouldn’t like him. Molly let her go, going through the list of potential boyfriends, determined to figure it out.

  By the time the two of them had arrived back in the sitting room, Aidan, his wife, Ciara, and their three children, had turned the room into chaos. Their six-year-old twin boys, Evan and Ethan, were wrestling with the dog, and Kayleigh, age four, was sitting on Reanna’s lap—until she saw Molly.

  She jumped off Reanna’s lap, ran around to the door, hugged Molly’s legs and looked up at her. “Aunt Molly! Did you see the tree? We get to decorate it! But Nana said not until after dinner.” Molly picked her up, the child’s arms going around her neck.

  “I saw it. It will be so much fun! Are you being good? You know Santa Claus will be here in just a couple of weeks.”

  Her blue eyes lit up, and she whispered into Molly’s ear, “I am, but my brothers are going to ruin it. Do you know what they did?”

  Molly shook her head.

  “They wrapped up a frog and gave it as a gift to their teacher on our last day before break. Can you believe that? What if he doesn’t come visit us this year?”

  Molly had to bite on her lip to keep from smiling. She cleared her throat and whispered back, “I felt the same way when I was your age and my brothers did silly stuff like that, but Santa always came to visit me, so I think you should be okay.”

  “You’re so silly. You don’t have brothers!” Kayleigh said. Her pigtails were wrapped with a red velvet ribbon that matched her dress, and she looked adorable, especially with the white tights and her black Mary Janes.

  “Yes, I do. Your daddy and Uncle Dillon are my brothers—Aunt Fiona’s too.”

  Kayleigh wiggled out of Molly’s arms and ran to her dad. “Daddy, Aunt Molly says you’re her brother. But you can’t be. You’re my daddy.”

  His blond hair the same color as Kayleigh’s, Aiden picked her up and set her on his lap. “I am your daddy, but just like you’re Evan and Ethan’s sister, Aunt Molly and Aunt Fiona are my sisters.”

  Kayleigh’s lips puckered, and her little nose squished. “If you say so, Daddy, but I don’t believe you.” She hopped off his lap and went to check things out with Fiona.

  Dinner comprised baked lamb with vegetables and potatoes. The one thing the Irish knew how to do was cook potatoes. Baked, mashed, or fried, they were always delicious. The meal ended with dessert, or “pudding,” usually served via a cart, and those who wanted could help themselves. Molly got up and gave the housekeeper a hug. “Mrs. Jones, that was delicious, as always.”

  “Thank you, Miss Molly. I’m glad you liked it. You’re too thin.” Molly looked down at her brown skirt and boots, which she’d topped with a gold and brown striped blouse and a cardigan sweater—or rather, jumper. Molly smiled. Even after being back in Ireland for six months, some “Americanisms,” as her family liked to call them, slipped out. Her skirt was a little loose, but was she losing weight? He had paid little attention.

  “Well, if I keep eating like this, Mrs. J., I won’t be for long.” She grabbed a piece of pumpkin bread pudding, and Mrs. Jones added a scoop of ice cream. She pulled a fresh spoon off the cart and made her way back to her seat.

  Father sat down next to her, his dessert in front of him. “Did anyone hear that Ronan Moore passed away last week?”

  The name sounded familiar to Molly, but she couldn’t place it. “Who’s he, again?” She dipped her spoon into the warm bread pudding. The vanilla ice cream melted around it, and the cinnamon and nutmeg tickled her nose.

  “He was the president of Moore Plastics. The company that just built that brand-new office complex and warehouse at the edge of town. They opened right before you moved back. They moved their entire operation here from Dublin.”

  Dillon was sitting with his arm around Reanna’s shoulders, their two chairs close together. “Do any of you remember Seth Meyers?”

  Fiona answered, “Wasn’t he that friend of yours who got arrested for smoking marijuana?”

  Dillon frowned, “Well, yes, but that was a long time ago. He’s straightened himself out and has worked for them for years. He came into the pub a few nights ago. Right after the incident with marijuana, his family moved to Trim, where he lived until university. Then, after he finished, he got a job at Moore Plastics. When they moved the company here to Dooley, he came with them.”

  Their father nodded, “Aye, a lot of the people moved. I think the company will be good for our economy. They hired over two hundred people when they moved.”

  Fiona asked, “But what happens to the company now if the president is dead?”

  “The article didn’t say, but it’s a family-owned business, so it will go to whoever Rowan Moore left it to.”

  After dinner, the family gathered around the tree and took turns hanging their favorite ornaments on it, directed by Mum, of course. Mrs. Jones brought out the eggnog. We sang Christmas ballads, and the boys entertained us with their versions of some songs, which Ciara explained weren’t appropriate. They skulked away as we finished the tree, and before we knew it, it was getting late.

  The boys had worn out the dog, so Gran and I were looking forward to an evening with a peaceful puppy instead of a rambunctious one. I handed Luna’s leash to her, and we both looked toward the fireplace, the last place we’d seen her, but she had disappeared. The boys were gone too. We looked at each other and started looking behind couches and under chairs and finally realized they’d escaped. Mother had disappeared to get something for Ciara, so we quickly asked for everyone’s help in finding the dog, praying nothing of value had been destroyed. We searched the morning room and the parlor but didn’t find them. Then we heard someone holler from the library, and we all filed
in.

  Luna was sitting on the rug near the unlit fireplace, decked out like a Christmas tree. The boys must have snuck out some decorations when no one was looking and decided to use them on the dog. The boys had her wrapped in gold and silver garland with two ornaments wrapped around her ears and a bright gold bow on her head, with silver tinsel hanging from her tail.

  Kayleigh clapped her hands, “She looks so pretty!”

  “At least she’s color-coordinated,” Fiona smiled.

  The boys giggled, and all the adults joined in, most of them having pulled out their phones to take pictures, except Ciara, who didn’t find it at all funny. Aidan turned so his wife couldn’t see he, too, was laughing.

  “Evan and Ethan, what do you think you’re doing?” She immediately went to the dog and began to unwrap him.

  It didn’t help that Luna thought Ciara was playing a game and licked her all over. “Aidan, please quit laughing and help me.”

  “Of course, dear.” Aidan strolled over and held onto Luna as Ciara attempted to unwrap her.

  “What is going on?” Like the parting of the Red Sea, everyone moved so Mum could see what was happening.

  She looked at the dog, then at Ciara and Aidan, and finally, at Molly. She just shook her head, turned around and walked out of the room.

  As the family returned to the sitting room to clean up the mess they’d made, Molly had time to sit and talk to Reanna, who had just sat down herself on the overstuffed couch, Luna snuggled on her lap.

  “So, how are things going with you and Dillon?”

  Reanna smiled. “They’re going good, too good. I’m waiting for him to get scared and run like he did last time.”

  “Yes, that is his normal modus operandi, isn’t it?” Molly’s brother, at age thirty-five, had always been quite the womanizer. While Molly was in America, Dillon and Reanna had dated, and it ended badly. They’d gotten back together a few months ago when Molly was hurt after solving a local murder. Reanna was reluctant, but her brother had agreed to take it slowly.