Proof of Murder (Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery #4) - Lauren Elliott Page 0,76
to keep a close eye on the house because of the circumstances surrounding the owners’ death and the disappearance of their son. The police knew the house hadn’t been vacated, only left unattended and was still full of all the furnishings and whatnot.”
“So much for the vagrant theory.” Addie’s gaze darted around the room, and she rubbed her hands over her chilly arms.
“However . . .” Simon paused for effect as Addie squirmed in her seat, glaring at him for being overly dramatic. “When Blake’s company came in some months ago to start the cleanup and appraisal process, the cleaners reported to the police that it was clear someone had been living in the house recently.”
“What did Marc say to that?”
“He told Blake to tell them that was impossible because every shift an officer would drive by and do security checks.”
“Is that why Blake was so reluctant to report the thefts to the police after that?”
“It most likely played a part in it. Blake also told Marc that he didn’t report the thefts because he thought it was a staff member, based on the fact that there was never any sign of someone having broken into the house. So he took actions himself to try and stop the pilfering.”
“But they still continued.” Addie shivered and glanced at the painting. “I guess that’s why the tale of the house being haunted is spreading like wildfire right now. People want an explanation of what’s happening here regardless of how ludicrous.”
Simon’s eyebrows rose with questions.
“Serena told me,” Addie said, shifting in her seat, “that Arthur and Maeve Gallagher lived in the house with their son, William, who at the age of twenty-one had a major falling out with his father and left home in 1945 and never came back. Both his parents died five years later in 1950 under mysterious circumstances.”
“You mean when William left, he never returned to Greyborne Harbor after that?”
Addie shook her head. “He didn’t even come back for their funerals.”
“That must have been some falling out.”
Addie shrugged. “No one seems to know what happened between them. I guess in William’s mind, his actions were justified.”
“If he never came back, does that mean the house has been vacant since 1950?”
“Yeah, from what Serena said. William then ordered the house closed up, and it remained so until the court seized it for back taxes. I guess William passed away a few years ago, and the taxes fell into arrears. So the courts ordered the entire property and all contents to go to public sale and auction to pay off the money owed.”
“But if he had no intention of returning, why didn’t he just sell it so he didn’t have to pay the taxes on it for all those years?”
“Who knows, really? But there’s more to the story. William had a young wife, Kathleen, who also met with her demise right here in Hill Road House.”
“You’re kidding. What happened?”
“I guess it was during the young couple’s first year of marriage in 1945 and shortly after the birth of their son. Apparently, Kathleen tripped over a frayed carpet edge at the top of the stairs and fell to her death. However, on inspection at the time, officers couldn’t find evidence of the carpet being in need of repair.”
“What did the police report say about it?”
“Not much. Serena said at the time it was classified an accident. They figured if she didn’t trip, she must have lost her balance. I guess given the recent birth and the fact it was in the middle of the night, they assumed she was dizzy and disorientated.”
“It sounds like this William had a lot of tragedy in his young life.”
Addie recalled her own personal tragedies. She knew all too well the gut-wrenching pain that follows losing everyone you love. “It was shortly after her death that William and his parents had the falling out and he left for good.”
“What happened to the baby?”
“Apparently he left it with his parents when he took off. Then five years later they both died.”
“What was the ruling in the deaths of Arthur and Maeve?”
“Double suicide.” Addie pressed her lips into a thin line. “Locals believe that it was the continual sightings of Kathleen’s ghost that brought about their deaths. It’s still rumored to this day that her ghost, and most likely theirs, too, still walk the corridors of this house.”
“And what happened to the child?”
“No one knows, he disappeared the same night they died. Just vanished—they couldn’t find any trace of him.”