Mind Sweeper

by Deborah O'Toole

“Mind Sweeper” begins as the small community of Ivytown, Oregon reels after a fatal accident in the nearby Misty Canyon Mine. Beth Mills, a native of San Francisco, is the wife of Aaron Mills, one of the miners assumed killed in the accident. Although locals offer sympathy in her “grief,” Beth is secretly delighted that her husband is dead because their seven-year marriage had been fraught with verbal and physical abuse. Beth arranges Aaron’s funeral although his body is not retrievable from the Misty Canyon Mine. He had always been admired in the community because of his volunteer work, but Beth knew it was a façade that hid the cruel and vicious man underneath. After Aaron’s empty casket is placed in the Ivytown Cemetery, which is located next door to the Mills’ home, Beth discovers that Aaron left her a fairly wealthy woman through vbatious insurance policies he obtained. However, there is a catch. Anthony Simonetti, Aaron’s attorney, informs her of a stipulation in Aaron’s last will and if she remarries at any time in the future, she must repay all the money left her by Aaron to the Ivytown community center. Having escaped her abusive marriage with Aaron’s death, Beth has no intention of entering into another serious relationship any time soon. Instead, she begins to enjoy her life by doing things Aaron once forbade eating her favorite foods, reading and watching television, leaving the house untidy, and parking her Bronco in the driveway of their home. He preferred she store her Bronco in the detached two-car garage behind the house, forcing her to walk through the connected dirt-road alley, rain or shine. “We mustn’t let you get fat,” he was fond of telling her. “I wouldn’t want to end up with a younger version of your tubby mother.” Shortly after Aaron’s death, Beth begins to have vivid nightmares in which her husband returns from the dead to haunt her. She tells herself that they are only dreams, but when she finds muddy boot prints leading to her bed she starts to question her sanity. The dreams continue, becoming more real with each episode. In addition, some of Aaron’s personal belongings that Beth stored in the attic keep reappearing in the bedroom, such as his hairbrush and Aqua Velva aftershave. 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 for the better since Beth last saw him seven years ago. 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. 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, and her body stuffed in the passageway. 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 and continues to torment 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.

208 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 7, 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.