The Bone Puzzle

by Clayton E. Spriggs

  “But if you’d prefer, I can make this more direct,” Robert said, standing up. He grabbed the overhead light that hung from the ceiling on a chain and pointed it at Joe Bob’s face. “Where were you on the night of the twenty-third?” He laughed.

  “Very funny.”

  Robert let the light go and sat down. “No, I was being serious. Where were you?”

  “On the twenty-third? I don’t remember.”

  “The twenty-third of April. Where were you?”

  Joe Bob felt his heart rate double, but did his best to play it cool. “I said I don’t remember.”

  “You don’t? Your wife remembers. Your kids remember. Your boss remembers.”

  “What do you mean my wife remembers?”

  “According to everyone we asked, you were out of town. How was the show, anyway? Or did the Great Prophet forbid you to see The Amazing and Magnificent Villanova? You know, so you wouldn’t be cursed by the Devil or anything.” Robert laughed.

  Joe Bob glared at him, but he felt scared. Stallworth wasn’t as dumb as they thought.

  “Imagine that, a grown man, an ex-Marine,” Robert said, stressing the ex, “having to ask permission from a slack-jawed hillbilly for permission to see a show. Did he think you’d be mesmerized by a card trick? Tell me, do you give him a percentage of your wages?”

  “It’s called tithin’.”

  “It’s called something alright. You’d think that, with all that mean, green Brother Preacher was pulling in, he could afford to get those teeth fixed. I guess they call him the prophet for a reason, spelled P-R-O-F-I-T. He’s really raking in turkeys over at the Antioch church, I tell you.”

  “Fuck you.” Joe Bob had had enough.

  “Fuck me? That’s not very Christian of you. How long before he turns on you, Joe?”

  “He ain’t goin’ to turn on any of us.”

  “No? That’s what they always say. You know, I’ve been doing this for awhile. Let me give you some advice, because you’re going to need it. From one soldier to another—watch your back. When push comes to shove, and I’m telling you now, push is going to come to shove because I’m the one doing the pushing, when the time comes, everyone is going to run for cover. The first ones get the deal. The rest get the shaft.”

  “I ain’t got nothin’ to say to you.”

  “No, not yet, you don’t. But you will. Who do you think you’re talking to? I know what it means to follow orders, even bad ones. I also know there are some orders you don’t follow. But that’s easy to say after the fact. I was at Nuremberg. In fact, much of my work was a key factor at Nuremburg. Since I can’t talk about it, I won’t, but you being a fellow soldier and all, I’ll say one thing you’ll understand. Not everybody I had files on made it to Nuremburg. Poof! Gone. The smart ones spilled the beans early on and walked clean. Be one of the smart ones, Joe. Earl is.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “He already told us what he was doing the night after the twenty-third. And lucky for him, he has an iron clad alibi. He made a point to let us know. Wait, I wrote it down, word for word.” Robert shuffled through some loose papers in front of him for dramatic effect. “Here it is: ‘I wasn’t even there when they did that.’ I don’t have to tell you that was good to hear, him being an officer of the law.” Robert amended the incriminating statement. It was part of his baffle with bullshit approach.

  “Are we done here?”

  “For now,” said Robert, standing up and signaling the end of the interrogation. “But I’ll be seeing you again shortly. I mean, considering the shape the corpses were in, you are of particular interest to us as compared to your buddies.”

  “And why is that?” Joe Bob didn’t like the way that sounded.

  “Because you’re the only one we know for certain who has killed before, Marine.”

  “Fuck you.”

  “Oh, come on, Joe. Don’t be so sensitive. So have I.”

  Stallworth’s revelation did little to soothe Joe Bob’s nerves.

  “Say hello to Winchester on your way out. He’s next.”

  “The Prophet ain’t goin’ to tell you nothin’,” Joe Bob defiantly proclaimed.

  “Sure he will, but not yet. It’s Jeremiah Thomas Winchester who’s up next. A clever and confident man like him will toe the line. I wouldn’t let it concern you none. He’ll have plenty of time to stick to his story. I think I’ll keep him awhile. See how he holds up. I’ve seen people go twelve, fourteen hours sometimes before they crack. I’d ask you if you want to get in on the office pool, but I’m sure your preacher daddy wouldn’t approve of you gambling. Take care, Joe Bob. I’ll be praying for you.”

  Joe Bob gave the detective the finger and left without another word. The preacher’s plan is not going to work, he thought. Something had to be done, and it needed to be done quickly.

  CHAPTER SIXTY

  Jeremiah sat upright in the wooden chair, his foot tapping nervously on the tile floor.

  “You can relax, son,” Robert said. “This won’t take long.” He lied.

  “Good, I got to get back to Brandine. She’ll be expectin’ me shortly.”

  “Brandine is your wife?” Robert played dumb.

  “Yes, sir. We’ve been married goin’ on two years now.”

  “That’s good. It’s good to have someone who’ll look after you as only family can.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Children in the future, too?”

  “What? Um, yeah. We’ll be havin’ our first pretty soon. How did you know that?” The expectant couple hadn’t announced the news to anyone yet.

  Robert ignored the question. He hadn’t known. The couple was young and had only been married two years, so he made a calculated guess and hit pay dirt. It was time to mine that little tidbit for all it was worth.

  “Good, good. Well, it’s usually good, anyway. Does Brandine have any family around here? I mean, other than you.”

  “She’s got kin up near Tuscaloosa.”

  “Good, good,” said Robert. “I’ve seen what growing up in foster care can do. It’s hard on a girl when she has to raise little ones on her own. It would be a damn shame to see your wife struggle, after all the faith she’s put in you.”

  “What do you mean by that? I ain’t goin’ nowhere.”

  “Jeremiah, please. We both know how this is going to end. You can’t be much of a husband and father behind bars. Your wife is a pretty young thing. As much as I’m sure she loves you, it’s unrealistic to think she’s going to wait for you. You can’t blame her. Why would she? You’ll be lucky to avoid death row, much less see the light of day again. No, no, I’m sure she’ll find someone else; hopefully, someone who will be a good father to your child. Lord knows, you’re not going to do it. You’ll come around to the idea of her with someone else. You’ll have plenty of time to get used to it.”

  “She ain’t findin’ no one else! Why would I go to prison? I ain’t done nothin’.”

  “We have two dead girls, Jeremiah. Somebody killed them.”

  “It weren’t me! I thought y’all busted the sheriff and his men for doin’ that?”

  “They said it was you.”

  “Me! Why would I do it? I didn’t even know that girl.”

  “Girls.”

  “Girls, then. I didn’t know them girls.”

  Robert shrugged his shoulders and paused to rifle through some papers on the table before continuing. “You were there when they started fishing the parts out of the swamp, right?”

  “Yeah, we was helpin’ them. I didn’t think they’d use that as an excuse to pin it on us.”

  “I can see your point.” Robert sighed and sat back. “This is a real mess, Jeremiah. You’re saying it’s them. They’re saying it’s you. Some of the men in the congregation are blaming other men in the congregation. And I’m the one who has to sort it all out. I’m sure you can see my problem here. Sure, the Klan boys have a motive to shift the blame to your church group, but why would some
of your group implicate others, unless y’all were involved? It doesn’t make sense. So that only leaves me one course of action. I have to figure out exactly who in your group did what.”

  “Ain’t none of us done nothin’.”

  “That isn’t what the others are saying, Jeremiah.”

  Damn it! Who the hell was talking? They’d all sworn they’d keep their mouths shut no matter what. Daddy wasn’t goin’ to like this one bit.

  “I have to level with you, kid. I just don’t see it in you.”

  JT felt better about that. Maybe the detective wasn’t so bad after all.

  “Unfortunately, we’re going to be here for awhile. Let’s take a break. I’ll run over to the diner and pick us up a bite to eat. Want one of the specials? It’s on me.”

  Jeremiah nodded in agreement, and Robert left the room. Billy was waiting in the hall.

  “What the hell are you up to?” asked Billy, clearly upset.

  “I have to run an errand. We should talk in the car. Sheriff!” he yelled on his way out of the station, “give it about an hour, then send someone over to the diner. Have them pick up a lunch plate for Winchester, but hold off on giving it to him. Let him sit in there and stew awhile. I’ll be back shortly.”

  Sheriff Fuller nodded and returned to his paperwork. Robert knew he’d do exactly as instructed. He’d gotten him to wear the imperial robes of the Exalted Cyclops and dress his deputies up as the Twelve Terrors. He’d gotten him to stand in court in front of the real Exalted Cyclops after their mock arrest. Having him fetch a lunch plate for a half-wit paled by comparison.

  Once they were in Robert’s car and out of earshot, Billy laid into him.

  “What did you promise that asshole?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Don’t play games, Bob. I was doing this before you were born. You must’ve made a peach of a deal to get that level of cooperation. What did you promise them?”

  “See, Billy, that’s the beauty of it. I didn’t have to promise them a damn thing.”

  “Then it’s implied. You can’t make a deal with these people. You know what they are.”

  “Do you really think I’d make a deal with the Klan? Come now, you know me better than that.”

  “I thought I did. You better be careful. These ain’t the kind of men you take lightly.”

  Robert turned south and headed down the highway.

  “What did you promise them, Bob? What do they want?”

  “What do they always want? They want me gone. There’s only one way that’s going to happen.”

  Billy sighed. You can’t tell this younger generation anything, he thought. The boy was determined to learn everything the hard way.

  “I hate to break it to you,” Billy said, changing the subject, “but I passed by Claire’s, and she’s gone.”

  “I know,” said Robert.

  “You know? How do you know?”

  “I saw her this morning before she left.”

  “I went over there at the crack of dawn. How did you see her before she left?”

  Robert ignored the question. Billy took the hint.

  “You are a careless man.”

  “Bold and daring,” Robert responded. “She’s off to Tennessee. It seems the lack of inquiry at the Tennessee Children’s Home Society struck a nerve with her.”

  “As it should. I hope you know what you’re doing.”

  “I don’t,” said Robert, “but since when has that ever stopped me?”

  Billy braced himself as Robert turned the car onto a worn out dirt path that snaked through the pine trees. He pulled up in front of a trailer and parked.

  “Where are we?” asked Billy.

  “Brandine’s.”

  CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE

  Robert offered no other explanation, and Billy didn’t ask. Instead, he accompanied the detective to the front door and stood by, looking official.

  “Excuse me, ma’am, I’m looking for a Jeremiah Winchester,” said Robert, pretending to read the name off of a blank page in his notebook.

  “He ain’t here,” replied the wary girl from behind the rusty screen door. “What do you want with him anyway?”

  “We’re here to help him. Can you tell us where he is?”

  “He ain’t here. State your business, or leave. I have things to do.” Brandine didn’t like the looks of the two men. They spelled trouble.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Detective Robert Stallworth from the Alabama State Police.” He briefly flashed his badge before adding, “And this is my partner. We have urgent business with your husband. He is your husband, isn’t he?”

  “He is, and what urgent business might that be?”

  Robert glanced at Billy. They made faces at each other as if deciding whether or not to divulge some top secret information to a civilian. After a moment, Billy shrugged his shoulders and looked away, absolving himself of responsibility. Robert gulped, and his eyes darted around to make sure nobody was watching. He said in a whisper, “We’re here about the girls.”

  Brandine’s face went pale, but she hid her fears. “Like I said, he ain’t here. You boys should check with the sheriff’s office. JT went down there hours ago. He said he was goin’ to talk to you.”

  Robert feigned surprise and looked at Billy, who raised his eyebrows but remained silent.

  “Did he now? That’s rather curious.”

  “Curious?” asked Brandine.

  “We just came from there,” Billy interjected. “He wasn’t there.”

  “What? That’s where he said he was—"

  “Now, now, let’s not jump to conclusions,” said Robert. “I’m sure there could be plenty of explanations of why he’d lie, I mean, why he might’ve not told you the whole story.”

  Brandine wasn’t buying it. That low down, dirty lyin’, bastard!

  “I only hope he didn’t—" said Robert.

  “I’m sure he wouldn’t go there,” said Billy without a clue to where his friend was going with his bullshit story.

  “No, I’m sure. Well, let’s hope not.”

  “Go where?” asked Brandine.

  “Nothing, ma’am,” said Billy. “I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about.” He looked at Robert with concern.

  Robert quickly flipped through his notebook in an overt attempt to change the subject. “Uh, Mrs. Winchester, I mean Brandine, can you verify an address for us? It’s for a Eustice Adam Winchester, otherwise known as Junior. He’s your husband’s brother, I believe.”

  “Come on, Robert, I’m sure he wouldn’t—" said Billy.

  “Ma’am?” Robert interrupted his partner.

  “…after we warned him,” Billy slipped in as if by accident.

  “Watts!” Robert chastised the man.

  “Warned him about what?” asked Brandine, her voice trembling.

  “It’s probably nothing, ma’am. Precautions, that’s all,” said Robert.

  “Now you listen here, mister, if my JT is in any danger, I have a right to know about it. I’m expectin’.”

  “Congratulations!” exclaimed Billy.

  “Yes, ma'am, we already know about that, and congratulations,” added Robert.

  “How the hell did you know about that?”

  Robert’s lips clamped shut, and he looked away. Brandine glared irately at Billy, who sheepishly added, “I knew, too. Was it a secret?”

  “Holy crap! That son of a—" Brandine said.

  “Ma’am, please. We really want to help him, especially with y’all expecting and all,” Robert implored. “If we can prevent another tragedy—"

  “What do you mean another one?”

  “Wasn’t there an older brother?” asked Robert. Billy tried hard not to smile. Now he knew where Robert was heading. That clever son-of-a-bitch.

  “Elijah Andrew,” said Brandine cautiously, “but I don’t see how—"

  “It’s probably nothing,” said Robert.

  “A hunting accident, was
n’t it?” asked Billy. Robert shot him a dirty look, warning him to shut up.

  “That was a long time ago,” said Brandine.

  “Wasn’t it Junior who shot—" Billy blurted out again.

  “Watts! I’m sorry, ma’am,” Robert turned to the visibly shaken girl. “We’ve already said too much. I’m sure we’re being overly cautious. It’s just that, when Jeremiah called us up saying he had something about his brother he needed to tell us, well, you can see why we’re concerned. But I’m sure it’s nothing, or you would’ve heard. We only came out here because he didn’t show up, and knowing how questionable the murder, I mean the accident, with his eldest brother was—"

  “You don’t think Junior did that on purpose, do you? It was an accident,” Brandine protested, trying desperately to convince herself most of all.

  “I’ve heard that one before,” said Billy, a comment that got him an elbow in the ribs from Robert.

  “Like I said,” Robert continued, “I’m sure he’d of told you if his brother got him involved in something, and for all we know, he’s over at Mary J—, I mean, somewhere else.”

  “Mary who? What are you talkin’ about?”

  “Nothing, ma’am,” Robert assured her. “We’re just hoping that she’s, I mean, he’s not with Junior, all things considered. That is our focus now, because of the danger. I’m sure if Jeremiah’s brother got him involved in something serious, he would’ve told you about it.”

  “Well, there is one thing,” said Brandine. She swore to herself and JT that she’d keep her mouth shut, but this was serious. For all she knew, Junior had lured her poor, innocent husband out into the woods with the intent of shooting him, as he’d done with Elijah all those years ago. If she didn’t tell these detectives, who would stop it? Why should they cover for the horrible things that Junior did? JT wouldn’t harm a fly. They’d see how he is and forget about him, and go after the real murderers, Junior and the Prophet.

  “Go on,” said Robert.

  Brandine unlatched the hook on the screen door and invited the men in. There was something that had been weighing heavy on her mind, and it was time to let it out.