A Circle of Dead Girls

by Eleanor Kuhns

  ‘The Brother who sleeps in the adjoining room swears Shem did not leave,’ Daniel said.

  Rees, who had noticed the open window, looked out of it. ‘He probably went out to the tree branch and shimmied down the trunk,’ he said.

  ‘One thing.’ Daniel stopped and rubbed his hand over his chin.

  ‘Yes,’ Rees said impatiently.

  ‘He left his clothes here.’

  ‘He went out naked?’ Rees said in surprise.

  ‘No, no, that’s not what I meant. He left the clothes we gave him here. But he took his old clothing. See?’ He pointed to the breeches and white shirt draped over the end of the bed.

  Rees examined them thoughtfully. Shem must have been desperate to escape. ‘Does anyone have any idea when he left?’ he asked. Daniel and Aaron shook their heads. ‘What about the boy who sleeps in the other bed?’

  ‘He said he doesn’t know anything,’ Daniel said. ‘But you can ask him yourself.’

  While Daniel left to fetch Shem’s roommate, Rees joined Lydia by the wagon. In a few words he summarized Shem’s disappearance.

  ‘So, he ran away,’ she said.

  ‘Looks like it.’

  ‘Is it possible he hurt Leah?’ she asked.

  ‘Of course it’s possible. But Shem’s hands aren’t that big. And I don’t think he’s strong enough,’ Rees said.

  ‘Here they come,’ Lydia said. Rees turned. Daniel, a skinny boy by his side, was approaching. To Rees’s surprise Aaron trailed behind them. And why, Rees wondered, is Aaron not occupied with his own chores?

  This boy looked younger than Shem and was probably not more than twelve. Sandy-haired and freckled, he was so painfully thin his wrists were all knobs. His clothing hung on him like the rags on a scarecrow. When he saw Rees the boy’s eyes began darting fearfully from side to side. Rees exchanged a glance with Lydia; this boy had had a hard time on the road.

  ‘We aren’t going to hurt you,’ he said. The boy nodded but involuntarily shrank back.

  ‘We just want to ask you some questions,’ Lydia said. The boy turned to her and offered her a tentative gap-toothed smile.

  Rees stepped back half a pace and nodded at his wife. She would get more information from this child than he would.

  ‘We are looking for Shem,’ she said.

  ‘He runned away,’ the boy said.

  ‘Did you see him go?’ she asked with a nod.

  He shook his head. ‘He snuck out last night.’

  ‘Do you know where he was going?’ Lydia persisted.

  The boy shook his head again. ‘He didn’t like it here. Too much work, he said. Too many rules.’

  ‘But you like it here?’

  ‘Sure do. I don’t mind the work. And we eat regular.’

  Lydia paused for a moment, thinking. ‘Did he talk about any special place?’

  At first the boy shook his head but then, with a hopeful grin, he said, ‘The circus since it come to town.’

  Lydia turned to Rees. ‘That’s it then. He’s run away to the circus.’

  ‘As I figured.’ He caught a fleeting grimace cross Aaron’s face. ‘You knew,’ Rees accused the other man. ‘You knew Shem ran away to the circus.’

  ‘No, I didn’t,’ Aaron said. ‘I didn’t know.’

  ‘But you guessed. You knew Shem was captivated by the trick rider.’ Rees paused, the pieces falling into place. ‘You were the man who followed them into town,’ he said, taking two involuntary steps forward. Rees had suspected it; now he was sure. ‘Weren’t you?’ Unlike most of the Brothers who would give ground so as not to engage in a brawl, Aaron stood defiant and unmoving.

  ‘What if I did?’ His voice rose with outrage. ‘She was a foolish female who disobeyed the rules.’

  Daniel, appalled, stared at Aaron. ‘You knew those children left the village? You followed them. And yet you did not protect Leah?’

  ‘She knew better than to leave Zion,’ Aaron said. ‘But, like Eve, she was tempted by earthly pleasures. And her punishment was swift and sure.’

  ‘She was a child,’ Rees began, his voice choked with rage.

  ‘She was one of us. How could you be so heartless?’ Daniel demanded.

  ‘I knew that girl would lead Shem straight to Hell.’ Aaron planted his feet and attempted to stare the other man down.

  ‘You are as guilty as she was,’ Daniel said. ‘You also disobeyed our rules. You weren’t supposed to leave the village either.’

  ‘It was necessary. I had to keep Shem safe.’

  Daniel inhaled but, bereft of words, did not speak.

  ‘Leah is dead,’ Rees shouted, stepping forward. ‘Don’t you understand that?’ Lydia put a hand on Rees’s forearm. He shook it off.

  ‘If she had stayed in Zion she would not be,’ Aaron said, his eyes shifting away.

  ‘Did you see Boudreaux, the circus performer, riding down the main road?’ Rees asked.

  ‘I saw him.’ He looked at Rees and added in disdain, ‘But I’m not interested in the goings on in the World.’

  ‘Boudreaux might be hung for a murder he didn’t commit,’ Rees’s voice increased in volume.

  ‘He wasn’t on the lane,’ Aaron said. ‘I didn’t pay much attention to the road.’

  ‘What happened with Leah?’ Daniel asked, his face flushed. Rees could see the Elder was holding on to his temper with an effort.

  ‘I don’t know. She and Shem watched the circus parade through the town – pure wickedness I tell you – and then Shem went to talk to that trick rider. Leah must have gotten bored because she left.’

  ‘But Shem stayed?’ Daniel said.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘And so did you?’ Rees clenched his hands tightly by his sides so he would not strike the other man. Aaron nodded again.

  ‘You let Leah go by herself?’ Daniel’s voice rose and broke.

  ‘I didn’t think anything would happen to her. It was a main road,’ Aaron said defensively.

  ‘Did Shem see you?’ Lydia asked. ‘In town, I mean.’

  ‘Of course not,’ Aaron said. ‘I didn’t want him to know …’

  ‘This explains why no one saw you that afternoon,’ Daniel said. ‘You seeded fewer rows than expected. I’ll tell Jonathan and we’ll have to decide …’ He stopped abruptly, realizing both Rees and Lydia were listening to him. ‘Please go inside the Dwelling House,’ Daniel said. ‘Right now.’

  Aaron looked as though he would refuse but then, scowling, he turned and marched away. Rees thought he heard the Shaker Brother muttering under his breath.

  ‘If we want to speak to Shem,’ Lydia said, putting her hand on Rees’s wrist, ‘we’d better go. We may find him at the circus.’

  Rees shook his head. He hadn’t asked Aaron all of the questions he wanted and he suspected that the Shaker Brother knew more than he was telling. ‘How could he have done that?’ he asked.

  ‘You’re too angry to question him now,’ Lydia said, lowering her voice.

  ‘Leah was a child.’

  ‘He knows. He’s blaming her to make himself feel better. He’ll keep.’

  Rees hesitated. ‘All right,’ he said. Fixing his eyes on Daniel he said, ‘I’ll return later to speak to Aaron.’

  A rueful smile twitched at the corner of Daniel’s mouth. ‘Of that I have no doubt,’ he said. He turned to follow Aaron but looked back over his shoulder. ‘And please, bring Shem back. I want to at least speak with him before he leaves us.’ He turned and strode away.

  ‘I’d like to be a fly on the wall when Daniel speaks to Aaron,’ Lydia murmured, watching them walk away.

  Nodding, Rees helped her into the wagon seat and clambered up to join her. Neither spoke until they were almost out of the village. Then Lydia turned to Rees, her forehead furrowed, and said, ‘Aaron could have followed Leah when she left.’

  ‘I know,’ he said. ‘He certainly had the opportunity. And if Shem never saw him …’ His voice trailed away.

  ‘He could have lef
t when Leah did and accosted her in the field,’ Lydia said, adding reluctantly, ‘maybe his baser instincts just overwhelmed him.’

  ‘But surely someone would have seen something,’ Rees said, arguing out the puzzle. ‘I know the main road was busy.’

  ‘Yes,’ she agreed. ‘Why didn’t he take the North Road? Woods line that street. He would have had privacy.’

  ‘We’re still missing something,’ he said. He lapsed into silence, pondering the facts as he knew them. He couldn’t make them come together and finally he gave up the attempt. ‘To my mind,’ he said, ‘Aaron is even more likely to be Leah’s murderer than Boudreaux.’

  Lydia bit her lip and nodded. ‘I hate to think it. Poor Jonathan,’ she said in a soft voice.

  Rees had chosen to drive north on the Surry Road and turn left onto the main road into town. They joined the other farmers and their wives heading into Durham. Rees thought the traffic was not so heavy as it had been the previous two afternoons. It was too early for circus traffic and he was able to drive straight through town to the fairgrounds.

  But even before they reached the field Rees knew something was wrong. Where was the arena with the flags blowing so gaily from the poles? It should have been visible from all the streets around.

  And where were the circus wagons? Rees pulled Hannibal to a stop where the circus vehicles had made a wall around the back of the arena and stared around in disbelief. Climbing down, he walked around the empty expanse. There was nothing here except horse droppings and the long grooves left by wagon wheels.

  Deep holes remained where the stakes that held up the stadium had been placed, but of the building itself there was no sign. A torn bill blew across the empty field and plastered itself against Rees’s calf. Automatically he peeled it off his leg and put it in his pocket.

  There was no question about it. The circus had fled during the night.

  SIXTEEN

  After a few minutes, although it felt like an hour to Rees, Lydia climbed down from the wagon and joined him. ‘Look. They’re gone,’ he said.

  ‘Yes, I see that. Perhaps Constable Rouge freed Monsieur Boudreaux,’ she suggested hopefully. Rees shook his head.

  ‘I don’t think so. Last night the constable was still fixed on Boudreaux’s guilt. What would have changed his mind so quickly?’

  ‘I suppose we’ll have to ask him,’ Lydia said.

  ‘And he doesn’t know about Shem,’ Rees said. He stared around the muddy field once more. ‘Let’s find the constable.’

  The tavern was very busy; the taproom crowded with farmers and their wives on their weekly visit to town as well as passengers waiting for the Boston stage. Rouge was behind the counter but was far too busy pouring drinks to pause and speak. Rees and Lydia waited until finally, wiping his arm across his sweaty forehead, Rouge looked at them inquiringly.

  He looked terrible. Never a prepossessing fellow, today he had not shaved or even combed his hair. Dark circles ringed his eyes. ‘I guess you didn’t sleep last night,’ Rees said.

  ‘No. Boudreaux spent all night crying out for his brother.’

  ‘Where were you?’ Rees asked.

  ‘I took him’ – Rouge lowered his voice, darting quick looks around him to see if anyone was listening – ‘to the Church as you suggested.’

  ‘Where is he now?’ Lydia asked.

  ‘Here. In the kitchen. I thought it best to keep him busy. And out of sight. Besides, my cousins are angry with me right now and I don’t dare leave them alone. So, I put Boudreaux to work,’ he said. He sighed. ‘Are you certain he is innocent?’

  ‘Of course not,’ Rees said. ‘He could still be guilty. I doubt it though. Why?’

  ‘He may have killed his brother. He kept saying he had anyway. Over and over. All night.’

  Rees nodded. He understood what the constable was saying. Once one murder was committed a second always seemed easier. ‘The timing doesn’t work. Boudreaux was heading back to the circus while Leah and Shem were walking on the lane.’

  Rouge turned a look of disfavor upon Rees. ‘I know. I spoke to the Reynard boy. He corroborated your story. But Boudreaux could have gone out again, couldn’t he?’ He sounded hopeful. Rees recognized the statement for what it was, a man grasping at straws.

  ‘Maybe. But no one saw him riding on the lane if he did,’ Rees said. He waited a few seconds to see if Rouge understood. The road had been busy that day; someone would have seen him. ‘And I saw him performing around four thirty.’

  “There’s still an hour unaccounted for,’ Rouge argued.

  ‘Do you think Boudreaux would have had time?’ Rees asked. ‘In an hour?’ Rouge scowled and did not answer. ‘I think the boy Shem might know something more.’ Rees hesitated. Should he tell Rouge that Brother Aaron was the man who’d followed the children to town? Did he really want to send Rouge to Zion? He knew the sledgehammer tactics the constable preferred.

  ‘That doesn’t mean another of those circus villains isn’t guilty,’ the constable said, changing tack.

  ‘Yes,’ Rees agreed. ‘That’s true.’ He paused and took a breath. ‘Did you know the circus has left town?’

  ‘What? No!’ Rouge glared around him at his customers. ‘Nobody told me.’

  ‘We won’t know if another member of the circus is guilty unless we question them,’ Rees said. ‘I hope Boudreaux knows where the circus is headed.’

  ‘He’s in the back.’ Rouge looked around at the crowded bar. ‘Come with me.’

  As Lydia and Rees followed the constable, Rees wrestled with his conscience. Finally, he said carefully, ‘Did Paul Reynard tell you a man followed Shem and Leah into town?’

  Rouge turned shrewd black eyes on Rees. ‘That sounds like you know who that man was.’ When Rees continued to hesitate, Rouge said accusingly, ‘Are you protecting a murderer?’

  ‘No.’ Rees sighed. ‘Not knowingly. It was Brother Aaron from Zion.’

  ‘I promise you, he followed those children from the best of intentions,’ Lydia said, jumping in.

  Rouge glanced at Lydia and grunted doubtfully.

  ‘Aaron says Leah left for home before Shem and he didn’t see her after that,’ Rees said.

  ‘He stayed with the boy?’ Rouge said, shocked. ‘He let a young girl go off by herself?’

  ‘He did,’ Rees said.

  ‘So, he could have followed Leah,’ Rouge said. Both Rees and Lydia nodded in unhappy agreement.

  ‘Especially since Shem did not know Aaron was there,’ Rees said. ‘The boy wouldn’t have seen Aaron go after Leah.’

  ‘Aaron could be guilty,’ Rouge said with a wolfish grin. He knew the combative and obstreperous Aaron from the past.

  ‘He says not. Don’t assume he is,’ Rees warned. He knew Rouge would enjoy questioning Aaron.

  ‘Have you questioned Shem again?’ Rouge asked.

  ‘Shem isn’t at Zion,’ Rees said. ‘He ran away, we think to join the circus, and now …’

  ‘He’s with them and of course we don’t know where,’ Rouge said as he threw open the door. ‘Merde.’

  Until the French became suspected as traitors and worse, most of the cooking in the tavern had taken place at the fireplace in the taproom. But once Rouge’s cousins had come down from Canada, he had moved the cooking into this back room. Its fireplace used the same chimney as the larger hearth on the other side of the wall. Rees, who had never seen the storeroom before, looked around curiously.

  The aroma of roasting meat permeated the air and an earthenware bean pot baked on the hearth. A new crock of pickles had been opened; pickled beets by the look of them. Rees was so tired of pickles after the long winter he didn’t think he could face even pickled beets, a condiment he loved.

  A table had been pulled in and lined up against a row of shelves and Boudreaux was up to his elbows in the dishpan placed on it. Rouge’s cousin Thomas, who was usually responsible for washing dishes, was sitting in a chair drinking coffee. Rouge frowned at him before turning to
Boudreaux.

  ‘We have questions for you. Turn around.’

  Boudreaux did not even try to pretend he didn’t understand the English. He turned around and stared at the people facing him. ‘Where did the circus go?’ Rouge barked at him. Rees watched shock spread across the performer’s face.

  ‘Go?’ he repeated in a tremulous voice. He reached up to brush back his dark hair. A ring of brown color followed his hair line; it looked as though the dye was leeching out of his hair and staining his white skin. Rees looked at Boudreaux’s hands. They were large, large enough to have made the bruises on Leah’s neck, but his nails were short and jagged and no recent scratches marred the backs.

  ‘Yes.’ Rouge did not soften his tone.

  ‘The fair grounds are empty,’ Rees said.

  Boudreaux’s mouth fell open but he did not speak.

  ‘You didn’t know they were leaving?’ Rees asked. Boudreaux mutely shook his head. Rees felt a flash of sympathy for the other man. He knew how it felt to be accused of murder, alone in an unfamiliar town and surrounded by strangers. ‘Do you know where they went?’ he asked gently. Boudreaux shook his head once again.

  ‘Stop lying,’ Rouge shouted.

  ‘I’m not,’ Boudreaux said. ‘We go until we see a town.’

  Rees nodded. He thought that made sense, especially here in Maine where the towns were small and widely scattered. Remembering the torn bill he’d picked up at the grounds, he pulled the crumpled ball of paper from his pocket. Under the advertisement – AMAZING FEATS OF HORSEMANSHIP, ASTONISHING ROPE DANCING – was a line of town names. Most of them had been marked out with an X and others, like Durham here, had been written in. He held it out to Boudreaux. ‘Does anything look familiar?’ he asked. Boudreaux looked at the paper blankly and Rees realized the groom couldn’t read, not English anyway.

  ‘In what direction were they going?’ Lydia asked.

  ‘West. Then south again,’ Boudreaux said. Rees looked at Rouge.

  ‘What’s the largest town to our west? Within a day’s travel, say?’ Rees’s hometown of Dugard was located to the west of Durham but it was at least two days away. Surely Asher would prefer to stop as soon as he could and make some money.