Mind Sweeper

by Deborah O'Toole

Beth receives a visit from her former co-workers from San Francisco, Morgan Bailey and Maxie Daniels. Morgan, once skinny with pimples and thick glasses, has changed considerably since Beth last saw him seven years he wears contacts, works out at the gym, and his dermatologist did wonders for his skin. Beth confides in Morgan and Maxie, revealing her disturbing nightmares and the physical evidence they leave behind. Morgan begins to think there may be more to Beth’s nightmares than mere “hauntings.” They find items in a secret passageway in the Mills house that lead them to believe Aaron may still be alive, such as a begrimed miners hat, boots and legal documents. Morgan and Beth also find a skeleton behind a rock wall in the passageway, which turns out to be Aaron’s long lost mother Mikki Mills. Eventually it is revealed that instead of “running off” with another man as was reported when she went missing in 1980, Mikki was actually killed by Aaron’s father James and her body stuffed in the passageway. Maxie Daniels’ brother Mark, who is known as a pub crawler, thinks he sees Aaron walking near the cemetery at night after his supposed death. Mark chalks up the sightings to his perpetual drunkenness, but he finally tells Beth about them. After a near-fatal attempt on Beth’s life in which her killer attempts to hang her in an apparent “suicide,” it is discovered that Aaron Mills is still alive. He plotted his own death, setting the cave-in at the mine knowing any bodies caught there would be irretrievable. He makes sure people see him in and around the mine the day of the accident, but actually leaves before the implosion. Aaron’s “co-conspirators” include his personal attorney Anthony Simonetti and Misty Canyon Mines secretary Amy Grace, with whom Aaron has been having an affair. The purpose of the deception is to torment and “haunt” Beth until she receives the $5 million life insurance policy on Aaron. Unknown to Beth, Anthony Simonetti kept his name on signature cards belonging to all of Aaron’s bank accounts so he can withdraw the money any time he wants. Aaron wants to drive Beth crazy with the “hauntings” to make her appear unstable to people around her so that an apparent “suicide” is no surprise to them. He plans to kill her, after which he will flee to Mozambique a rich man with Anthony Simonetti and Amy Grace. After the plot is finally uncovered, Beth returns to San Francisco with Morgan and Maxie. By then, she has fallen in love with Morgan and they embark on a happy life together.

201 pages, Paperback

Published January 11, 2021

About the author

Deborah O'Toole is the author of CELTIC REMNANTS, THE CRYPT ARTIST, GLINHAVEN, IN THE SHADOW OF THE KING and MIND SWEEPER.

In addition, Deborah writes short-story Juvenile Fiction (Short Tales Collection) and darkly abstract poetry (Torn Bits & Pieces), and is the author of a series of historical essays, articles and book reviews for Ambermont Magazine Canada and Class Notes.

Writing as Deidre Dalton, Deborah is author of the "Collective Obsessions Saga," a series of ten books which chronicle the extraordinary loves and obsessions between two families sweeping a span of more than 165 years, most of which are set against the backdrop of a Gothic seaside mansion in Maine. Titles in the family saga include HEARTS IN SORROW, THE ADVENT, QUIXOTIC CROSSINGS, THE TWAIN SHALL MEET, ENTHRALLMENT, THE KEEPER'S JOURNAL, HEARTS DESIRES, THE TWILIGHT, MEGAN'S LEGACY and LIMB OF INIQUITY.

Also writing as Deidre Dalton, she is author of the "Bloodline Trilogy," which follows the mysterious and magical journey of three women through time. Books in the trilogy include BLOODFROST, BLOODLUST and BLOOD & SOUL.

Using the pseudonym Shenanchie O'Toole, she also writes for the cooking/recipe website Food Fare. She is writer and editor of a dozen cookbooks, along with more than 40 titles in the Food Fare Culinary Collection.