High Spirits : The 12th Murray Barber P.I. Case

By Julie Burns-Sweeney

High Spirits
Case story twelve

Murray Barber is a private investigator with a difference. He can hear the dead speak. Along with his 'late' friends, Alistair and Rita, and Jeff, his friend from C.I.D., Murray solves a variety of cases.
The Sullivan family sit for dinner on a humid July evening in 1888. Can Murray discover which of the ten diners were trying to poison who and with what?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Apr 8, 2012
• ISBN: 9781471661617

Book preview

High Spirits : The 12th Murray Barber P.I. Case

HIGH SPIRITS

THE TWELFTH MURRAY BARBER P.I. CASE

by

JULIE BURNS-SWEENEY

Published By

Lulu.com

CHAPTER ONE

The morning sun was shining brightly over Padstow harbour as Murray drove his car up to the town's car park. He had just had the busiest two months of his investigating career, partly thanks to Luke passing his name around some contacts within the insurance world. Begrudgingly he had shown Jenny's brother-in-law his gratitude but now he was taking a well deserved day off. It was chilly, being late March, but a trip on a hired boat along the north coast from Padstow down to St Ives, lunch and back sounded pretty good even if it was with Jenny's boss Jeremy and his friends.

Murray had dropped the newly ice-blonde Jenny, her hair dyed for the summer so not to clash with her brightly coloured outfits, at the quayside and was now parking in the long-stay car park. He was in no hurry to rush back down the hill however, he had company. He had regularly glanced in his rear view mirror only to see an empty back seat but he had heard the gentle cough a few times. Sometimes he wished he could see aswell as hear the dead though this thought never lasted for very long. It couldn't be Ali or Rita for they would have said something or Ali would have played his flute. Besides, they knew he was taking the day off and they were taking the same, they'd worked hard too! So who was his guest?

He turned off his engine and turned around in his seat.

Ok. Who are you and what do you want? It was the first time that morning he had been alone without Jenny. Whoever his guest was must have heard that his girlfriend was not part of his 'other life'. Now however, he could speak freely for a few minutes. A woman's voice emerged from the back of the car.

Mr Barber?

Yes. If you haven't worked that out by now this could be a very long day for both of us!

I'm sorry. I realize you are taking a day of leisure, however I understand you are a private investigator and you can communicate with those on my side?

So far you're correct. Murray was prepared to listen to the well spoken, mature sounding woman for he knew it was by far the quickest way to get rid of them.

I would like your assistance.

Excuse me but I investigate for a living, no pun intended. I charge. How can you pay me? Murray glanced around the car park to make sure he wasn't being watched as he 'chatted away to himself'.

I'm not sure. I don't think I can. Disappointment ran through her tone.

Well I'm sorry Mrs...?

Mrs Sullivan. Elizabeth Sullivan. My friend, Philomena, said you gained information from our side all the time to help with your cases. Or so she had heard?

Philomena? The name rang a bell. Murray remembered back to the case of Suzanne Hemmings, Philomena had been her great gran. Oh, well yes I do, I suppose. But I'm taking a day off and people are waiting for me right now so I'm sorry but if you don't mind..?

Will you not even consider helping me put to rest the question of who poisoned my brother? Who ever it was actually saved his life!

Murray went to speak and then paused.

What do you mean? Saved his life?

You'll be late for your friends, shall I explain on the way back down to the quayside?

Murray got his ticket from the meter and then walked and listened as Elizabeth told her story.

It was a warm summer's evening, late July. The year was 1888. Edgar, my brother, and his fiancée Verity, were leaving for Fowey the next morning to sail to Cape Town aboard the Princess Florence. She was mainly a cargo ship but took paying passengers too. We were all having dinner with Uncle Charles and his wife Jemima. There were ten of us including Bridget, Aunt Jemima's companion. She helped serve but ate with us also. During the night Edgar became very ill. He had a terrible fever and was hallucinating. He stayed like that for some three days and when his fever dispersed he suffered with memory loss and his speech was impaired. He had gained a stutter from which he never recovered. Needless to say he never caught his sailing to South Africa which was itself a blessing. The Princess Florence sank off the South African coast with all lives lost. A rogue wave they say.

So he wasn't poisoned to deliberately save his life? Murray muttered as they reached the sea front.

No. But no-one else was ill.

"I don't quite understand why you need my help with