Grantville Gazette. Volume XX (ring of fire)

by Eric Flint

  ***

  "Slow down. This is a patrol, not a horse race!" Juergen looked back over his shoulder and could see that Marvin was having a little trouble guiding his horse around the bushes that crowded the path. He realized he had finally found something he did better than his partner. Then his horse side-stepped to avoid a pile of snow and almost brushed him off against a low-hanging branch. Juergen grabbed the saddle horn and decided that "better" was just a matter of "not as bad as" and not a mark of skill. Their horses seemed to be aware of their inexperience and Juergen was sure they ran their riders into things on purpose.

  He and Marvin had given up their police cruiser because of a plea from a fellow officer. Just a quick switch in the duty roster and they were doing the boundary patrol and riding the circumference of Grantville.

  "Cheer up, Marvin. Look around, think what we would be missing if we were in the cruiser. We wouldn't be able to see the beauty of the winter if we were going past it fast in the car."

  "Yeah, I'd really miss having melted snow running down my back under my jacket and freezing my butt off," Marvin grumbled. "To say nothing of the way I'm going to feel tomorrow. That is: how I'll feel, if this nag doesn't toss me off and break my neck before the end of the day."

  "I'm starting to think you don't enjoy riding," Juergen teased.

  "Well, I think…"

  " Squack… Car One to Patrol Two; come in, Patrol Two," the handi-talkie hanging on Marvin's saddle interrupted.

  "Patrol Two." Marvin answered the radio after getting his horse under control.

  "What's your location?" Juergen recognized the voice of Chief Frost.

  "We're about a quarter mile from the Badenburg road, maybe half a mile out from the edge of the Ring."

  "Get to the road and ride back toward town. I'll meet you before you get to the edge. Out."

  As soon as they reached the road they spotted the chief's Jeep Cherokee. Chief Frost was not alone, but accompanied by two other policemen.

  "Get down off those horses, boys. You ride like sacks of potatoes." Chief Frost laughed as he waved to the other two men. "Gunter and Horst will take the rest of your patrol. I need you for something else."

  ***

  In the jeep Chief Frost explained what was going on. "We have another death that looks like a murder. Since you're my experienced investigators, it's your case."

  Juergen felt uncertain; he didn't feel like an experienced investigator. He and Marvin had gotten lucky on solving the Cooper case so fast.

  Marvin must have felt the same way because he turned to Frost and said, "Chief, you know we're not that good. Surely there's someone else you could give this one to."

  Chief Frost gave them a serious look. "Marvin, Juergen, I know you're not detectives, but you're the closest I have. Besides, the people in town think you're super sleuths, a cross between Sherlock Holmes and Nero Wolfe. Perceptions count. So you're it."

  ***

  It was easy for Juergen to spot the crime scene. The ambulance and the police cruiser parked near by gave it away. The crowd of people standing at the end of the tram tracks was also a dead give away.

  "You haven't moved the body?" Marvin asked when he saw the ambulance.

  "Nope," Chief Frost answered as he parked. "I figured he'd keep as cold as the weather is. We had to let them move the tramcar, but we kept the driver. Other than that, the scene hasn't been changed."

  Juergen thought about what the chief had told them on the ride. "Uh, Chief Frost, you said the witnesses said the man was shot as he got off the tram?"

  "That's right, just as he stepped off. Why? Do you think it's important?"

  "We might need to search the tram. He might have dropped something as he went down."

  Frost turned back to the Jeep. "I'll radio and have someone search it."

  "Marvin, what do we do first?" Juergen asked.

  "Same two and two, just like we did before. We look at the body, interview the witnesses, and then survey the crime scene. We can hope it adds up to four. If not… well, we can always hope."

  Juergen looked at the body and realized that he hadn't seen many men as dead as this one. The man was lying on his left side and it was clear that most of his chest had been opened up. You could clearly see his internal organs. There was a lot of blood on the ground, mostly under the body but some had started to run downhill and had puddled against the tram track where it was freezing.

  He squatted next to the body, trying to keep out of the almost frozen blood. "Marvin, what was he shot with? I never saw a wound like that before."

  "Damned if I know. It looks like someone held a shotgun to his chest… but it would have to be a big shotgun."

  Marvin stood up and called to the other policeman acting as crowd control. "Has someone taken a picture of the body's location? We want to move it to check for an entry wound. This may have been caused by a bullet coming out."

  "Way ahead of you," answered Chief Frost as he walked up. "I thought this was worth a couple of Polaroid pictures," he added, then handed over two photographs. Juergen realized that the chief was taking this as a serious case. The police department didn't waste their dwindling supply of precious Polaroid film for anything average.

  They rolled the body onto its stomach and pulled up the jacket and tunic. "Damn," Marvin whispered. "I was hoping for another wound. Then we'd know if it was a rifle or not."

  When they rolled the body onto its back, Juergen took his first good look at the man's face. It had been a pleasant face. Now it held the slackness of death. "Marvin, I know this man. Well, I don't know his name, but he has attended my church for the past few weeks."

  "Maybe Pastor Kastenmayer knows his name. We'll check. Look at that hole in him. I don't think even a ten gauge could make that big of a wound."

  Juergen was feeling a little sick at his stomach, but he had to finish this. "Marvin, look at how his clothing is burned around the wound. The gun had to be close."

  "Maybe the autopsy will tell us something." Marvin stood up. "Chief, do you know who's doing the autopsy?"

  "I just had the dispatcher call the medical center and Doc Adams is ready right now. So when you finish with our victim…"

  Marvin looked at Juergen. "I'm done for now. Anything more you need to see?" Juergen shook his head and started to stand up, but Marvin stopped him with a question. "Partner, are you sure this guy goes to your church?" He held up a chain studded with jet beads, then let it dangle from his hand.

  Juergen could see the crucifix on the end. It was a rosary.

  "You are still a Lutheran, aren't you?" Marvin said. "I don't think this man was."

  "I to go to St. Martin in the Fields and he was there last Sunday. I saw him talking to Pastor Kastenmayer. Where was that crucifix?"

  "Inside pocket of his jacket; it fell out when we rolled him over. Curious… why would a Lutheran have a rosary? On the other hand, why would a Catholic go to a Lutheran church?"

  Juergen could think of a number of reasons a Catholic might attend a Lutheran church, but they didn't apply in Grantville. "Maybe he was new in town and didn't know he could go to any church."

  "Hmm… Possible. But I think it's a reach. We'll just file this under clue for now."

  Marvin and Juergen walked over to where Officer Ralph Onofrio had the witnesses. "What have you got for us, Ralph?"

  "This is Dieter Martens, the driver and Gerd Schultz, who was the only other passenger. I got both their statements, but I knew you'd want to talk to them."

  "Thanks, Ralph." Marvin turned to Juergen and added, "Same as before, Juergen. You ask the questions; I watch them as they answer."

  Juergen nodded, then studied the two witnesses. He knew the Schultz boy and that his family lived with Henry Johnson whose house was just at the bottom of the hill, so he wasn't surprised to see Henry standing with him. The other man, Martens, was new to him.

  He waved Martens over and asked, "Herr Martens, can you tell me exactly what happened? I know you gave
Officer Onofrio your statement, but I would like to hear it from you. Who knows, you might remember something new."

  Martens seemed to relax a bit upon hearing his own language. "Can your questions in the American be answered? I need the practice," he responded.

  When Juergen nodded, Martens continued. "I had just stopped and was watching Gerd, who was on the other side of the tram, when I heard a gunshot. I turned back and saw that man on the ground. No one was near him. He had just stepped off the tramcar and bang he was dead."

  "Was anyone else on the tram besides you and Gerd?"

  " Nein, the dead man was the last passenger. There are not many people who ride to the end of the line. Gerd likes to ride up here and ask me questions about the tram. I drop him off when I start back to town."

  "Do you remember where you picked up the dead man?"

  " Ja, he got on in the center of town. The tram was crowded with Christmas shoppers and he kept banging his bag into things."

  "He had a bag?" Marvin asked.

  " Ja, there it is." Martens pointed to a large canvas pack by his feet, then slapped his head. "I am sorry. I forgot to tell the other policeman."

  "It's not a problem," Marvin responded. "Let me have it while you and Officer Neubert finish." Marvin took the pack and looked in it.

  "Herr Martens, did you see who shot him? Or anyone waiting by the tracks?" Juergen asked.

  " Nein, there was no one close to him. I didn't look that way until I heard the shot, but there was no time for anyone to run away."

  "Do you know the man's name? And did he ride the tram often?"

  Martens looked relieved that there was a question he could easily answer. " Ja, he rides the tram every day for the last few weeks. But he normally rides out to the other side of town. He was always with two other men… rednecks, if you know what I mean. They called him Pickles. I think it was a nickname."

  "Any idea who the other two men are?"

  "I don't think they are their real names, but they called each other Ape and Monkey."

  Juergen swore a small oath under his breath. That had to be the Hart brothers. He had hoped never to have any dealing with Ape Hart again. "After you heard the shot and saw Pickles on the ground, what did you do?"

  "First I checked to see if he was hurt. The other officer was quite clear I should tell you I moved the body. I rolled him up on his side. He was face down when I got to him."

  "And where was his pack, his bag as you called it?"

  Martens thought a moment. "It was under his legs, like he had dropped it and then fell on it when he was shot."

  Juergen made sure he noted where the pack had ended up. It seemed important, but he didn't know why. "All right, Herr Martens. Then what did you do?"

  "I told Gerd to run down to his house to call for an ambulance. I thought Pickles was dead, but you never know. With all the wonders the Americans have they might save him."

  "Herr Martens, are you carrying a gun?"

  Martens opened his jacket and revealed a flintlock pistol. "Company policy; all drivers are armed. It's a U.S. WaffenFabrik fifty caliber and I have not fired it today."

  Juergen looked at the pistol and confirmed it was indeed a fifty and had not been fired. Then, he turned to Marvin and asked, "Anything else we need from Herr Martens?"

  Marvin looked up from the pack he was searching. "Herr Martens, is your tram horse-drawn or do you have one of the motorized ones?"

  Martens smiled, "I am trusted with Motor Tramcar Number Four, the newest. I have also driven a bus, but I like the tram better."

  The pride in Martens voice made Juergen thankful he had learned to drive. "Thank you, Herr Martens. If we need to talk to you again we will contact you. If you need a ride back to town, I'll get you one in a minute."

  " Nein, I don't want to be a bother. I shall wait for the next tram." Martens wandered over to join the crowd that had gathered at the crime scene.

  Juergen looked over at Marvin. "Have you found any thing we can use?"

  "Nope, but it looks like he was planning on taking a trip. He had clothes and a bit of food in here along with a few little things. One weird thing though is this." Marvin held up a yellow legal pad.

  "What is written on it, Marvin?"

  "Gibberish mostly, or some kind of code. Interview Gerd and we'll look at it closer." Marvin went back to digging in the pack.

  "Gerd, I am ready to talk to you," Juergen called. Gerd and Henry walked over.

  "Office Neubert," Henry said formally. "I want to be with him while you question him. Sort of 'in loco parentis' as it were."

  Juergen recognized the Latin tag from his police training and knew it meant in place of the parents. He was actually glad to see Henry with Gerd. Normally if the questioning had to go very far or if it looked like Gerd was going to be charged with a crime, he would have had to call for a juvenile officer. Now, with Henry here, he could treat Gerd as an adult.

  " Allo, Gerd."

  "Hi, Juergen," Gerd responded. Then he corrected with a smile. "I mean, Officer Neubert. Sorry. I forgot this was official and you are working."

  "It is not a problem. Now, can you tell me what you saw?"

  "Sure. We were coming home from town. We had just got on the tram and gotten settled when that man over there, the one who was shot, got on. He had that pack and was having trouble finding a seat because the tram was crowded. I offered to let him have mine; but he said no, and stood in the back until people got off and he could sit down."

  "Did he do or say anything that caught your attention on the ride out?"

  "No. I was talking to Wendel and wasn't paying attention to anyone else. He had a bunch of burns on his hands, though. I noticed that when he bumped the pack into my seat."

  "Damn," Marvin said and walked over to the ambulance.

  "Anything else, Gerd?"

  "Nothing until we got to the house. The man asked if this was the last stop. It was like he had never ridden the tram this way before."

  "So you were up front while Herr Martens drove to the top of the hill?"

  "Yes. Whenever I can, I ride up around the loop and some times Dieter lets me help refuel the tram from the gas tank." Gerd waved to the large natural gas tank in the middle of the loop of track. "I am going to be a mechanic, and want to learn all I can about vehicles."

  "Did you actually see Pickles get shot?"

  "No. When Dieter called out last stop and stopped the tram, I was off and walking to get the cover off the fuel hose so he would be able to hook it to the tank."

  "So Herr Martens was not fueling the tram?"

  "No, but… Juergen, is Dieter going to get in trouble? I know he isn't supposed let me touch the fuel hose, but if I help him we have more time to talk."

  Juergen looked and saw Marvin was still over by the ambulance. "No, Gerd. We'll leave the part about you and the fuel hose out of the official report. I don't think Dieter had anything to do with the shooting."

  "Good. I would hate to get him in trouble."

  "Let's get back to what happened. Finish telling me what you saw and heard."

  "I heard that man say something and then I heard the shot. Dieter yelled for me to come quick. I ran around the tram and there the man was, lying on the ground. When I saw the blood I froze for a minute then Dieter told me to run to the house and call for help."

  "Did you see anyone when you came around the tram?"

  " Nein, and not when I ran to the house either. After I called, Onkel Henry and I ran back up here. We didn't see anyone then either."

  "Gerd, do you remember what the man said right before you heard the shot?"

  "Yes. It was just one word and I don't know what it means. As close as I can come is 'Med.'"

  Juergen looked at Henry. "Anything you can add, Herr Johnson?"

  "Nope. I was filling my bird feeder when I saw Gerd running down toward the house. I didn't even hear a shot. We came up here as soon as he had called the police. But I can tell you from what I saw of
the wound that was no ordinary gun that killed him." Henry patted Gerd on the shoulder. "Go on, now. Run and tell your mother that everything is all right."

  When Gerd ran off, Henry said, "Juergen, find out who did this. I don't like people getting shot this close to my house."

  "We will do our best, Henry. You know we'll do our best."

  "Well, that's all a man can ask for," Henry said as he walked away.

  ***

  Juergen checked his notes to make sure he had everything clearly written. It had started to snow again so he had to lean forward to shield the notebook with his body. Marvin had finished with the ambulance and walked back to the tracks where they had first seen the body.

  When Juergen joined him, Marvin said, "The kid was right. He had a bunch of small burns on his hands that we missed. It looked like they were cigarette burns, but… I don't know."

  "Marvin, it just doesn't make sense. Pickles was shot at close range, but neither Gerd nor Martens saw anyone close." He looked around the area. "The closest tree is a good twenty paces away. Where did the shooter hide?"

  "Good question. We'll put it with the other questions. Who is our victim? We can't keep calling him Pickles. And what was he shot with? And what was he doing out here?"

  "Pastor Kastenmayer can tell us who he was. And we are going to have to talk to Ape and Monkey; it looks like they knew the victim. Maybe they can give us some idea what is going on."

  "I wouldn't bet on it. Well, we need to search the area before this snow covers everything up. Though with the herd of people that have tromped over the site, I doubt we'll find anything of value."

  Juergen and Marvin walked the crime scene. They went out what seemed a reasonable distance for the wound on the dead man and worked their way back to the tracks where the body had been found.

  "Juergen," Marvin finally said in disgust. "This is a waste of time. Any clues that were here are covered with snow and have been stepped on by at least three people."

  " Ja. I am starting to study my own foot prints."

  "I know the feeling. Let's get a cruiser and go talk to the pastor. Then we'll hunt down Ape and Monkey and see what they have to say."