A Lesson in Murder

by Nick Bishop

***

  After dinner and a half hour of cuddling and playing with Sugar and Spice, Jed pulled out his phone and dialed the number Ellie had given him.

  “Hello,” a man answered.

  “Is this Mr. Thompkins?”

  “It is, and who are you?”

  “My name is Jed Fredericks and I’m helping with the investigation into Joe Johnstone’s death.”

  “He was a good man. Somehow always managed to beat me out on the archery range. But I certainly can’t hold that against him. We didn’t see each other very often, but just the thought that he’s gone is still a big shock. I’m going to miss him, especially if I continue to compete.”

  “If you continue?”

  “I’m in my early forties. I’m thinking that maybe it’s about time to hang up the bow.”

  “Sorry to hear that.”

  “It’s life.” He paused. “So what did you want to ask me?”

  “Ellie Steiner called you a few days ago.”

  “She did indeed. She said she taught for several years with Joe, ever since he took the job in Ohio.”

  “That’s right. She told me you and your wife flew to San Diego to attend your son’s wedding.”

  “We did indeed. For all it was worth for me!”

  “What do you mean?”

  “The morning of the wedding, I tripped and rolled down a few stairs.”

  “I’m sorry. Were you hurt?”

  “Broke my arm in two places. One a compound fracture. Not only did I miss the wedding, but if my arm doesn’t heal well, that’s the end of the archery competitions for me for sure.”

  “You said you fell the morning of the wedding.”

  “Jan and I had just finished breakfast. We stayed at a famous old hotel in downtown San Diego. On the way back to the room to start getting ready for the wedding…that’s when I fell. Terrible timing, wouldn’t you say?”

  “It certainly is.” Jed paused before continuing. “So I gather you spent the afternoon in the hospital.”

  “Oh, yeah. Most of it, in fact, in the Scripps ER.”

  “Scripps?”

  “Chain of hospitals.” He sighed. “By the time they got to me the wedding would have been over. Jan wanted to stay with me but finally listened to reason and went to La Jolla to see Brad get married. Even if I had the arm set before the wedding, I’m sure I wouldn’t have felt like going. Too groggy from the pain meds.”

  “That must have been terrible.”

  “Particularly since Brad is an only child.” He chuckled.

  “What?” Jed asked.

  “I shouldn’t say this, but I will. Maybe I’ll be lucky and Brad and the new bride will divorce. Then I can go to the second wedding.”

  Jed laughed.

  “Kidding. Just kidding. They’re too much in love ever to think of divorce, and I certainly couldn’t ask for a better daughter-in-law. So that lets me off the hook, does it?”

  Jed laughed.

  “What’s so funny.”

  “It’s just that only a few hours ago I used that same expression when assuring an Amish man that he too was ‘off the hook’ for the murder. Anyhow, thanks very much, Mr. Thompkins.”

  “You bet. And if you like, I’d be glad to send you copies of my hospital record. Though I don’t see how I could have murdered Joe, since I was in California. Quick plane trip to Cleveland or something?”

  As soon as he disconnected, Jed called Ellie.

  “So you talked with Mr. Thompkins?”

  “I did.”

  “So what happened? I’ve been sitting on pins and needles waiting for your call. Very painful, by the way. All those pins and needles.”

  “Oh, I believe you. I’ve often been on tenderhooks myself.”

  “Oh, have you? But aren’t they more tender than pins and needles! You know that it should actually be ‘tenterhooks,’”

  “But then they wouldn’t be tender, would they?”

  “Okay, let’s stop the two stooges routine. I’m dying to hear what you found out.”

  “Should I call a doctor first?”

  “A doc— Oh, I see, still playing the stooge, eh?”

  “Maybe I should consider another career change. Comedian.”

  “Funny, funny, funny.”

  “Exactly what I’m saying.” He laughed. “I won’t keep you in suspense any longer. I did indeed call Mr. Thompkins, and he did indeed miss the wedding.”

  “And what was his reason, pray tell?”

  “A trip to the ER.”

  “The emergency room! Whatever for?”

  “Seems he and his wife had a late breakfast at their hotel. On the way back to their room, he tripped and fell down a few steps. Fractured his arm in two places.”

  “Oh, the poor man.”

  “Yeah, and he’s a little worried the injury can affect his archery.”

  “Well, then, that certainly eliminates another suspect, doesn’t it?”

  “He even offered to send me his hospital records to prove what he said is true.”

  “The list is dwindling, isn’t it?”

  “Still too long, I’d say.”

  “Guess we’ll just have to do something about that, won’t we?”

  “What do you suggest is next?”

  “Maybe another visit to Laura Johnstone. Could be she’ll come up with something she didn’t think of the last time.”

  “Let’s give it a try. But right now, I’m going to go over my lesson plans for tomorrow and check that I have every minute covered.”

  “Oh, yes, the big day with Mr. Staunton.”

  “And I hope not Mr. Miller. I wouldn’t like that, and besides it would be awfully disruptive. For the kids, I mean. They’d worry about doing something wrong in front of the scary old principal”

  “Don’t worry yourself, Jed. Everything’s going to turn out fine. As I said in the cafeteria, our dear principal wouldn’t have you do this if he didn’t have confidence in you, now would he?”

  “You mean Old Sneaky?”

  “Old Sneaky?”

  “He said he knows that’s what everyone calls him.”

  “Oops.”

  “Claims it doesn’t bother him. And you know, Ellie, he came across much differently this morning than he has before. As he told me, maybe he really is a little bit human.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Jed left home early to allow time for the unexpected. Of all days he didn’t want to be late to school now. It was the first day Don Staunton was going to observe his classes. Would Teri eat a lot of glue? Would Dotty try to trip everyone in sight? Would the substitute teacher be able to control the kids in Staunton’s class? Because he was early the doors were closed and he had nothing to do but wait. No other teachers and no students had arrived yet.

  “You’re being silly,” he told himself. He’d been in far more perilous circumstances than this. Like when he’d interviewed a serial killer before he was captured, like when he met with a crime boss in Canton. This was nothing.

  “Mr. Fredericks, what are you doing here so early?”

  “Hi, Dotty. I’m a little nervous today.”

  “Why?” she asked as she came up to stand by him at the entrance.

  “Mr. Staunton is going to be observing me all day today and tomorrow.”

  “That’s what you told us. You think that’s bad?”

  “No, I guess not. It just makes me a little uncomfortable—having someone watch everything I do.”

  “But we all watch you every day!”

  Jed laughed. “I didn’t think of that. So I guess I have nothing to worry about.”

  “Is someone else going to teach Mr. Staunton’s class?”

  “Yes. But I don’t know much about it.” He glanced at her. “Why are you here so early?”

  “Mom has a dental appointment and had to drop me off.”

  “So you’re just waiting too.”

  “Yep.”

  “You aren’t going to try to trip anyone today, are y
ou?”

  Dotty laughed. “Me? I’d never do something like that!”

  “Oh, I’m sure of that. But just as a personal favor to me, would you not even think about it today.”

  “That’s very hard, Mr. Fredericks.”

  “But you’ll try?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Just…maybe?”

  “I’ll tell you, Mr. Fredericks, I’ll do it if you do a favor for me.”

  “And just what might that be?”

  “We have a geography test coming up at the end of the week, right?”

  “We do indeed.”

  “If you let me skip the test and not count it against me, I won’t even think about… What was it I’m not supposed to do today?”

  “You know I can’t do that, Dotty.”

  “I thought I’d try. But I’ll tell you what. You’re one of my favorite teachers ever, so I promise not to try to trip anyone today.”

  “It’s very nice of you to say that.”

  “It’s true. Everyone likes you. All the kids, I mean.”

  “Thank you, but you’re really making me embarrassed.”

  Just then other students and teachers began to straggle toward the entrance.

  “So, are you ready to be observed?” Ellie asked as she walked up to Jed.

  “You make it sound as if I’m going to be on a slide under a microscope.”

  Ellie laughed. “As I keep telling you, it’s going to be fine.”

  The two of them chatted until Mr. Miller unlocked the doors and everyone trouped inside.

  “Break a leg,” Ellie said as Jed stopped in front of his door.

  “Thank you.”

  Just as Jed was headed toward his desk in the front of the room, the principal knocked lightly on the door. “May I come in?”

  Wow, Jed thought, what a change. Asking and not sneaking.

  “Of course.”

  Miller came inside but stood by the door. “I decided I’m going to leave you and Mr. Staunton alone. I’m sure he’d appreciate that, and I don’t think you need two of us watching everything you do.”

  “I appreciate that. Thank you.”

  “Mr. Staunton!” Miller called. “Come on in, unless there’s anything you need to get in your room.”

  “Nothing,” Staunton said as he entered.

  “Would you rather sit in a chair or one of the desks?” Jed asked.

  “Desk,” Staunton answered. He seemed much more nervous than Jed felt. In fact, it was a relief to know the principal would not be there too. One observer wouldn’t be bad as far as affecting the behavior of the class but two definitely would. The kids probably would be afraid to open their mouths.

  Staunton sat in an extra desk at the back of the last row from the door just before the bell rang.

  In a few moments the last of the students took their seats.

  “Good morning, everyone,” Jed told them. “The sun is shining. There’s hardly a cloud in the sky, and the temperature is about sixty-eight or seventy. So everything’s coming together to make this a perfect day to be in school. Am I right?”

  Jed glanced at Staunton who appeared to be astounded at what Jed said.

  Tim raised his hand. “Yes, Tim?”

  “I know it’s a girl’s name, Mr. Fredericks, but did anyone ever call you Pollyanna?”

  Jed burst out laughing. “No…but if you think it fits…”

  “Just kidding,” Tim said.

  One of the other students raised a hand.

  “Yes, Fran.”

  “Who is Polly…whatever.”

  “Tim, I’m surprised you’ve even heard of the story about her. That story was written about a hundred years ago. But do you want to explain who she is.”

  Tim laughed and stood up. “She’s a girl who thinks everything is wonderful or beautiful or just perfect…beyond belief.”

  “You’re right, Tim. And I admit, like all of you, I would like to be outside enjoying the weather.”

  “So you admit it, do you?” Dotty asked.

  “You caught me, Dotty.” Just then Jed saw Teri pulling the bottle of glue from her desk.

  “And what do you think, Teri?” he asked.

  She flushed and immediately put the bottle back inside her desk. “I’d rather still be at home sleeping. Mom and Dad didn’t know it, but I played games on my tablet before I went to sleep.”

  “Ah ha. So when did you quit playing?”

  “Oh, Mr. Fredericks… I don’t want to tell you.” She rushed on. “But-I-will-it-was-past-eleven.” All the words came out at once.

  He laughed. “No wonder you’re sleepy.” He glanced around the room. “Before we begin—as I explained yesterday, Mr. Staunton is going to be sitting in on our classes for the next couple of days.”

  “Okay. Now I trust all of you had a pleasant time doing your math homework. Am I right?” He held out his hands, palms toward the class. “Okay, okay. I won’t play Pollyanna anymore.” He glanced from student to student. “Today we’re going to do something a little different. I want each of you to take one of the problems and work it out on the board. And explain to the class what you did and how you reached your solution.”

  Again, the morning passed quickly.

  “I know you and Mrs. Steiner always sit together at lunch, but I would like to talk with you about some of the things that happened this morning.”

  “Of course, if you don’t mind that she’s there too.”

  “Like I told you the other day, I don’t mind. But I will tell you I learned a lot this morning. It’s been far too long since I took any courses in education—maybe thirty years or more. So I need a refresher, which is just what you provided this morning.”

  “That’s good of you to say.”

  “I mean it.”

  By this time they’d reached the stairs that led down to the cafeteria. Ellie already sat in her usual spot. She glanced from one to the other. “So how did it go?”

  “What do you think, Don?” Jed asked Staunton.

  “Well, I still feel somewhat like a dunce…like I should be seated in my back corner with the conical cap. But I did learn some things, and I also have some questions.”

  “Go ahead,” Jed said.

  “I can always move to a different seat,” Ellie said.

  “No, no need to do that.”

  “So what did you want to ask?” Jed said.

  “It’s about your relationship with your students.”

  “What about it?”

  “It’s much more relaxed than I thought it would be.”

  “I think I’m a pretty informal guy.”

  “Yet the students respect you.”

  “I think they do. At least I hope so.”

  “But you don’t come across at all as demanding. Or maybe better yet as an overpowering authority figure.”

  “Like I said, Don, I much prefer an informal approach. I wouldn’t be at all comfortable pretending to be the high-and-mighty teacher who demands obedience at all costs. I’m just me, Jed Fredericks, someone who loves working with kids.”

  “What I don’t understand is how this works.”

  “I’m not sure I follow.”

  “To the kids you come across more like an older brother or an uncle.”

  “Is that good or bad?”

  “That’s good. I started out thinking I had to exert total control, which I tried. But as everyone in Caraway knows, it certainly didn’t work. Things quickly got out of hand. And I could never regain control.”

  “You want to know what I think, Don?”

  “Certainly.”

  “I think maybe you tried too hard. Rather than gaining respect—” He glanced into Staunton’s eyes. “Are you sure you want me to continue?”

  “By all means.”

  “I think maybe you started out too strong, too demanding.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Again, are you sure you want me to go on?”

  “Obviously, I did some
things wrong. A lot of things. I recognize some of them. But I do want to go on teaching. And I want to be a good teacher—though I doubt I’ll even be offered a contract for next year.”

  “Don,” Ellie said. “I’m sure if things improve, you have no worries. And you have the rest of the year—more than seven months—to prove yourself.”

  “If I can.” He turned to Jed. “So please go on.”

  “Instead of respecting your stance, your authority, the kids in your classroom started to mock what you were doing. And that went to trying to pull every trick they could to disrupt the class.”

  “You mean they started out or at least soon started to look at me as a someone to mock.”

  “Maybe, Don. I’m just speculating.”

  “I see.”

  “Then when you tried to gain control, they just took things farther.”

  “So what am I doing wrong?”

  “From my point of view, though Ellie may disagree, don’t be so hard on the kids. Don’t think of them as the enemy or the other side. They’re kids, most of them good kids. Treat them as such, not as people you have to control or dominate.”

  “I notice you joke a lot with your students.”

  “I do. That works for me but maybe not for other teachers. One of my own favorite teachers was the man who taught history. Each time we discussed an important historical figure, he came to school dressed as the person. Or thing. The funniest thing was when he came with green makeup, a sort of crown, and an old-fashioned torch.”

  “The Statue of Liberty!” Ellie asked.

  “And he was darned effective. Now I wouldn’t be comfortable doing what he did. I’d just feel silly. What I’m saying is you need to find a more relaxed approach—whatever it is and teach the kids as real people. They all have their own personalities, dreams, hopes, interests. They’re not just a big glob with a lot of arms and legs.”

  “I guess I’ll do that. Rather than seeing them as individuals, I see them as—what—all coming from the same cookie-cutter mold. But what can I do? How do I even try to go about changing things?”

  “I’ll tell you what,” Jed said. “If it’s okay with you, I’ll come into your room first thing Wednesday morning and talk with the kids. Explain that you’re doing your best.”

  “But I don’t think I am.”

  “But you can change.”

  “Seems pretty hopeless to me.”