Murder Never Sleeps

by Douglas Hall

  “Very well, what happened next?”

  “He told me to stay put as he had to go back to the administration building and get something.”

  “Get what?”

  “A roll of butcher paper and a roll of butcher string from the kitchen. The cook used it to wrap the sides of pork and beef which she ordered from local farmers. She would cut everything up and put it in the freezer.”

  “The room must have been quite a mess after the body was dismembered. We found it curious that forensic didn’t find anything except a bit of tissue and a small residue of blood on the electric saw. How did he clean everything up so immaculately?”

  “He didn’t have to. There was a large tarpaulin that he used to cover the boat when he put it up for the winter. It was large enough to cover the table and around the floor so nothing splattered on the table or floor. He was very meticulous and used a pail of warm water with disinfectant and rags to clean up the tarpaulin as he went along and poured it down the drain when it became dirty and got a clean refill.”

  “What about the tarpaulin?” King asked.

  “After everything was over, he scrubbed the tarpaulin as best he could, making sure there was nothing left to drip, folded it up and carried it to the boat. Next morning just before dawn, he took the boat out to the middle of the lake and went around in circles dragging the tarpaulin behind. When he came back, he laid it out on the grass to dry thoroughly, and returned it to the storage shelf.”

  “Tell me about how the body parts, that were wrapped in butcher paper and securely tied with butcher twine, ended up at the bottom of the canna lily pots?” West asked.

  Once he had everything wrapped, he waited until all the cabin lights were out and the Goulds had made their last round of ground inspection with their dog. He got the wheelbarrow and took everything to the veranda. Luck was with him. It was a cloudy night with no moon.

  “Where were you while all this was going on?” King asked.

  “I went with him to make sure that no one was out and about. If they were, I was to make an excuse that my cat got out and ask for help trying to find her.”

  “How long did it take him to take out the lilies, put the packages in the pots and replant?”

  “It was well past midnight when he was finished and swept the veranda clean. I hope you are satisfied because I have nothing more to tell you.”

  West took the e-mail printout Culpepper had given them out of his pocket. “You are quite sure you did nothing to help in the dismemberment or disposal of the body parts?”

  “That’s correct, all I did was watch in horror. I was not involved in any way, and nobody can prove that I was.” Brockhurst was becoming more agitated and defiant.

  “If you are still sticking to your story, have read of this e-mail Sheriff Culpepper received from forensics.”

  Brockhurst had a brief scan and thrust the copy back to West, “It means nothing to me. You tell me what it says.”

  King gave Brockhurst a precise of the contents. She remained sullen as he spoke.

  Brockhurst interrupted before he had finished and said, “I haven’t heard anything that says I was involved or helped.”

  “We accept your story so far. It appears that Proctor probably didn’t intend to kill Cindy Madison, when he clamped a hand around her neck and the other one over her mouth and nose to silence her screaming. However, forensic has given us evidence that proves you did aid and abet in the commission of a crime.”

  King dramatically waved the printout in front of Brockhurst, who recoiled, then handed it to West, “You explain what forensic discovered and what was reported to Sheriff Culpepper.”

  West began in almost a professorial voice, “The bundles containing the body parts were secured with heavy butcher string that was tied securely in what they call a bowline knot. Are you familiar with a bowline knot?”

  “Why should I? I have never been into knots.”

  “We think you have.”

  “Prove it!”

  “Very well. It was Mandy Perkins. You knew her as Bethany Walker. She has worked for me for years and came up with the proof we needed. Correct me if I was misinformed. There is a picture of you hanging on your office wall. You are in the uniform of a Girl Scout Troop leader surrounded by a bevy of young scouts. In passing, Mandy mentioned to me that you and she had something in common. During her early years, she was a member of the Girl Guides of Canada.”

  “Good for her,” Brockhurst growled, “I’m impressed.”

  “Before we left to come here, I called Mandy and asked her if, when she was a girl guide, she was taught how to tie knots? She said it was part of the training. I asked her if she ever heard of a bowline knot and she remembered it well as it was one of the knots she was taught to use as a young guide.”

  King jumped in, “Let’s cut to the chase. Did you ever teach knot tying to your young charges when you were a Girl Scout leader?”

  “I taught them many things.”

  “We’re just interested in knot tying and in particular the bowline knot.”

  “Why do you keep ragging me about something that happened many years ago?”

  "Because, Miss Brockhurst, whoever tied up the bundle of body parts had to pull the string very taut before tying the bowline knot and left some skin flakes on the string. A very alert forensic scientist tested the string for DNA and identified the knot.

  “The butcher string had to be pulled very tight to secure the package and miniscule flakes of skin were pulled off and left on the string. They were tested for DNA. And guess what? There was a DNA match with your DNA that was recovered from the mouth swab that was taken when you were booked and fingerprinted.”

  “What do you want me to say?”

  “Just confirm that you lied to us when you said you never aided Paul Proctor in the commission of his crime.”

  Brockhurst looked at West and King before replying, “Everything else was true. I never for the moment thought that tying up a parcel was a crime. Paul had trouble pulling the string tight enough and didn’t know how to tie a knot that would hold. I took over and did it for him. That was the least I could do for him. I loved that man and still do.”

  “Thank you, Miss Brockhurst that will be all. You have told us what we wanted to know.”

  Brockhurst glared at West, “If it hadn’t been for that bitch of yours, I wouldn’t be here.”

  “She speaks well of you, too,” King offered.

  Brockhurst turned to the guard at the door, “Take me back to my cell. I hope I never have to see these two again.”

  “Oh, you will see us again at Proctor’s trial, along with Mandy Perkins, when we all come back to Moody Brook to testify,” West said.

  “Just think, you will be able to say hello to Mandy and talk over old times,” King added with a wicked smile.

  “Not bloody likely,” Brockhurst spat.

  The End