Free Murder in Ballyhasset by Noreen Mayer

a fine boy.' He drank a little wine.
    'Yeah, Andrew's great. The only problem is, he wants to be a fisherman.'
    'Dangerous job - fishing,' Brendan said, his brow creasing.
    She nodded. 'I'm trying desperately to talk him out of it. He's leaving school this year, and I want him to go to college. He's a bright boy.'
    'I went to college,' said Brendan with a smile. 'I loved it. However, you should let Andrew decide for himself. Don't put pressure on him.'
    Libby said, 'You're right. I'm not fit to choose careers for anyone, to be honest. I've changed jobs myself a few times.'
    'What did you do before this?' asked Brendan.
    'I was a secondary school teacher,' Libby answered. 'In Cork City, at a private boarding school. I worked there for eleven years, teaching science.'
    Brendan looked at her with interest. 'Why did you leave?'
    'The school closed,' Libby said, her voice tinged with regret.
    'That was unfortunate.'
    'Yeah, it was a great job,' Libby said, 'I loved teaching. But we lost pupils to a new school nearby, which was free.' Libby paused. 'Eventually, poor St Edna's couldn't meet its debts, and closed.'
    Brendan gazed at her with sympathy. 'You couldn't get another teaching job?'
    Libby shook her head. 'Not locally. I tried for a year. I gave grinds to students. Then my father died and left me his share in Mooney's Detective Agency.'

Chapter 12
    Libby dropped in to Brendan's sister on Sunday morning. She lived in the terraced house two doors down from Libby, on High Street. A sturdy, tall woman of around forty, with a pleasant smiling face, opened the front door. She wore a flowing black dress that reached her muscular calves, and black Doc Marten boots. Her long thick hair was jet-black and hung around her face.
    'I'm your brother's new tenant for Number 5,' Libby said with a smile.
    'Oh, you're the private detective, right?' Her eyes sparkled. 'Brendan told me he met you. I'm Nuala.' She shook Libby's hand, her bracelets jangling.
    Libby smiled. 'Pleased to meet you. Brendan asked me to drop my month's rent in to you.' Nuala took the envelope, and slipped it into a purse, which hung around her neck.
    'Won't you come in and have a cuppa?' She opened the door wide.
    'I'm dying for one,' replied Libby, stepping into the hall.
    She brought Libby into a dark kitchen, which held a huge black Aga cooker. The room was full of flowers, and not just the real variety. As well as a vase of sweet peas on the windowsill, there were red painted roses on the kitchen presses, yellow tulips on the curtains and a tablecloth with blue forget-me-nots. An enormous cat sat asleep on an old armchair beside the cooker. A young girl of about five sat at the table eating a bowl of something.
    Nuala said, 'Lorna, say hello to Libby.'
    'Hello,' said the little girl shyly.
    Libby smiled at her. 'This is a lovely room.'
    'It cheers me up.' Nuala flicked her hair back from her face. She boiled the kettle and searched for tea bags in the cupboard.
    Libby glanced around at all the flowers, thinking it was a little too fussy for her own taste. 'Yes, I can see why.'
    'I strive to be positive at all times,' said Nuala with a wide smile. 'These bright colours stimulate my creativity, you see.'
    'What do you do?' asked Libby curiously.
    'I'm an artist.' Nuala handed her a mug of tea.
    'Do you ever paint the scenery round here?'
    'I sure do.' She beamed. 'I paint our fabulous West Cork views, especially Glengariff Bay.'
    'I think Glengariff Bay is fantastic,' replied Libby. 'The sea with the mountains behind, just heavenly.'
    Nuala nodded. 'Or Goguane Barra, the forest. Have you ever been there?'
    'I have,' said Libby, 'I love that little old medieval church up there. Fantastic. I'd like to see them sometime, your paintings.'
    'I run a gallery in the town, near the church,' Nuala replied. 'Some of my pictures are hanging there.'
    'I must call in, so.'
    'Do, I'll show you around.' Nuala's eyes lit up when she smiled. 'We can have a chat. Listen while you're