Page 27 of Death at Inishmore Castle

“Is everything okay?” Lizzie asked worriedly.

“Yes. I saw something in one of Fiona’s pictures I thought Kieran might be interested in and wanted to show him.”

She nodded.

Mr. Poe whined and put a paw on her foot.

“What’s wrong with him?” I asked. He seldom whined about anything. Though he wasn’t so good that he didn’t beg for food from time to time.

“At first, I thought he might want some bread, which he is absolutely not getting.” She pointed a finger at him. “But he might need a walk. We’ve been cooped up here most of the morning, and I rushed him earlier so I could get some breakfast before the class.”

I turned to find Kieran had gone.

“I’ll take him out. I’m not doing anything.”

“Are you sure it’s safe?” she whispered. “I should come with you.”

“No. You wait for your bread to bake. I’ll be fine, and I’ll stick close to the castle. Besides, you know Mr. Poe will protect me.”

She smiled. “Okay, just be careful. Please. I know you’re trained to kill a man, but I still worry about you.”

She said it like a joke, but she was right. Not long after I’d moved to Manhattan twenty years ago, I’d started taking Krav Maga classes. More to help with my mom’s fears of me living alone in a big city than anything else. But over the years, I’d continued my training and added other martial arts.

The detective in my novels was well-versed in protecting herself, so martial arts had become a part of my real life as well.When I discovered I had a stalker, I’d been grateful for that training.

My stalker had been brave enough to break into my apartment and move things around. At the time, I’d just found out how sick my mother was. I believed my mind was playing tricks on me. In hindsight, I knew that wasn’t true.

I’d hoped that once Lizzie and I moved to Ireland, all of that would stop. But we’d both felt sometimes like someone might be watching us. We’d never caught anyone in the act, though. We’d almost convinced ourselves we were being paranoid.

But I wasn’t so sure.

Mr. Poe barked, bringing my attention back to the present.

After a short jaunt to the pond, I very much wanted to get the lay of the land and check out the hilltop to see if maybe the bystander had left a clue. If he or she smoked, they might have left cigarette butts lying around.

The detective wouldn’t appreciate my snooping, but what Kieran didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him. And Mr. Poe would be there to protect me.

“Come on, boy, time for walkies,” I said.

He cocked his head, and I swear there was a look of relief on his almost human face.

I’d barely opened the back door out of the kitchen before he was off at a sheer run. He stopped at the first tree to do his business, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

Then he yipped as he waited for me.

“I bet you’re glad I showed up when I did.”

He yipped again.

“I don’t suppose you know which way it is to the pond?”

He stared at me.

“I’m taking that as a no.” I pulled the map from my jacket pocket. It was late winter, and I was freezing. Mr. Poe was a water dog, though. He loved the frigid waves and chasing sticksinto the ocean. We’d started taking a large towel with us when we walked him down Main Street for that reason. Even if he wasn’t chasing a stick, he’d find an excuse to go in the sea. We couldn’t keep him out of it.

That was one of his many quirks, but he was an exceptionally good boy for the most part. We had no complaints, and even though we’d had him for only a few months, he was one of us.

I stared down at the map. It was an overcast day, but at least the rain was holding off for now. That said, there were dark clouds rolling in from the west.

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