I ran over to join him. We pulled out more books and in the corner there was a lever. Darcy pulled on it and books fell to the floor as a section of bookshelf swung open. Behind it was a narrow space stacked with boxes.

“What’s the betting these are the bonds?” Darcy said. “I wonder if there are any jewels in here too.”

“Be careful,” I said as he squeezed himself into the space. “It’s awfully dark in there.”

“Bring the table lamp over,” he said. “It has a long cord. That will give me more light.”

I picked it up and held it as close as I could to the narrow opening.

“They are bonds all right,” he said. He opened a suitcase and whistled. “And US dollar bills as well. Look at these. Hundred-dollar bills! Of course, he couldn’t change US currency over here. But I don’t see any jewels, unless . . .”

“How convenient,” said a voice behind us. “So good of you to do the spadework for me.”

I almost dropped the lamp I was holding as I spun around. A woman was standing a few feet away from me, holding a gun that was pointed directly at me. I blinked as I recognized her. The American reporter who had shown such an interest in me.

“You really have made it easy for me,” she said. “Showing me the way into the castle. Trust me, I’ve tried to get in ever since I arrived in Ireland. Just hand me that suitcase with the cash in it, honey. I don’t think I’ll bother with the bonds. Too messy. And I expect I’ll find the jewels if I look long enough. There was a bag of cut diamonds and another one of rubies. Small enough to hide almost anywhere.”

“I know who you are,” I blurted out. “You must be Lola Martinez, Bugsy’s girlfriend.” So that was why the blond hair had looked wrong on her. She didn’t have the skin tone for it.

“Ex-girlfriend, honey,” she said. “I set the whole thing up for him, then the rat disappeared and left me without a bean. I thought he’d drowned. I couldn’t believe it when I heard from Dr. Meyer that he was alive and in Ireland.”

“So you came and killed him.”

“Me? Hey, I didn’t kill him,” she said. “I might have, if I’d found a way to get into this place. But Lofty must have got to him first.” She frowned. “But I don’t have time to hang around chatting with you. Give me the suitcase.”