The Bone Puzzle

by Clayton E. Spriggs

  Earl wanted to cry. He knew Turner was right. The preacher had damned them all to hell, and Judgment Day was nigh.

  “Who was Jeremiah going to kill?” Turner asked again.

  “Stallworth.”

  Turner gulped. His mind raced. “When was he going to do that?”

  “At the church. Right before you showed up.”

  Turner sat back. He wondered how long the crosshairs had been fixed on Stallworth. Still, a small amount of satisfaction crept into his heart. Robert had saved his life once. Maybe he’d finally been able to repay the debt.

  “We’re going to find the others, dead or alive. The ones we take in are going to spin their stories, but it won’t hold up. It’ll be every man for himself. I’ll only be able to hold Stallworth back for a little while, then he’ll pounce. What do you think he’s going to do when he gets wind of this?”

  “I know,” said Earl through his tears. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. It wasn’t supposed to be like this.”

  “I know it wasn’t,” said Turner. “But it is like this. It’s time you picked which side you’re on.”

  “What am I goin’ to do?” Earl bawled. “What am I goin’ to do?”

  “Shhh, be strong, Deputy Earl Barber. You are an officer of the law. Get those tears out of your system and be a man. Whatever mess you’ve gotten yourself into is only going to be fixed one way, and you know the way. I’m not one to quote the good book, especially after what Winchester did to y’all, but it’s as good a time as any.”

  Earl closed his eyes and let his resistance fade away. He waited to hear the words that he knew were coming—his new command from on high.

  Turner stood up and took Earl’s hand in his, then spoke from the scriptures.

  “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.”

  CHAPTER EIGHTY

  “Mr. McEwen, we’ve got the place surrounded,” Sheriff Fuller announced through the megaphone. “Come out with your hands in the air.”

  The Fairview Inn on the outskirts of Palmetto was the last place Buck would’ve been found normally, which, in his mind, made it the perfect place to hide out. He had parked his truck in the woods and walked through the forest in the waning light of the evening. He checked in under an alias, but the desk clerk paid him no heed. It wasn’t the sort of place where questions were asked. All the same, he woke to find the authorities waiting for him in the parking lot.

  Ring! Ring! Ring!

  The phone made him jump. He ignored it. He knew it was the cops. They were everywhere.

  “Buck,” the megaphone chirped again. “We know you’re in there. Please come out now before someone else gets hurt.”

  Buck fingered the shotgun. He knew he’d never be able to shoot his way out of the motel alive. It was futile. The end was near.

  Ring! Ring! Ring!

  “Think of your family,” the sheriff implored.

  Poor Gracie, he thought. She’d ignored the horrible things people had told her about his past. She saw the good in him. He loved her. He had repaid her love and kindness with his acts of depravity. She’d been wrong about him. He was a bad man.

  “Buck, please. We don’t want to hurt you. We know you didn’t shoot Earl, or Cooter, or Charles Ray. We just want to talk to you. Please, surrender now, and it’ll all be okay.”

  It wasn’t going to be okay. They knew about the girls; about what they’d done. How could he face anyone?

  Ring! Ring! Ring!

  Buck looked at the gun in his hands. He knew there was only one way out.

  CHAPTER EIGHTY-ONE

  Understanding his dire position, Joe Bob surrendered without a fight. After the shootings, he had run off to hide in one of his cousin’s hunting cabins outside of Pleasant Grove, but it didn’t take long for them to track him down. He’d stopped off at a small store for a few staples on the way, and his car was parked right outside the cabin. He was unarmed. It was as if he’d wanted to get caught.

  The cops brought him back to the sheriff’s office in Carrolton, and he waited in the interrogation room. They’d offered him a chance to make a phone call, but he turned it down. He had no one to call. He was too ashamed.

  “Mr. Duncan,” Turner announced as he came into the room and sat across the table from Joe Bob. “I see you’ve managed to survive.”

  “For now,” said Joe Bob.

  “Right,” Turner agreed. “For now. It seems you boys from the church have been busy. I just don’t get it. I thought y’all were men of God.”

  “So did we.”

  “But here you are.”

  “What can I say?”

  “What do you want to say?”

  Joe Bob laughed. He didn’t want to say anything, but at the same time, he wanted to say everything. “Don’t I get a lawyer?”

  “Do you want a lawyer?” asked Turner.

  “I s’pose not.”

  The answer stunned Turner. His face showed his surprise, and Joe Bob laughed again.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “Nothin’. There’s nothin’ funny,” said Joe Bob. “Well, almost nothin’. What was funny was how you chewed out that stubborn detective. I bet he don’t look so stupid now, does he?”

  “Did he ever?”

  Joe Bob shook his head and chuckled. “I see. That was just another one of his games to try to get us to talk, wasn’t it?”

  “I doubt if the good detective knew the deputy was going to start shooting everybody.”

  “No, that was your doin’.”

  “Mine?” Turner asked indignantly. “Do you blame everyone else for anything that y’all do?”

  Joe Bob stopped laughing. “You don’t know the half of it.”

  “Suppose you tell me.”

  “This ain’t about Earl, or Cooter, or Charles Ray. This is about those girls they found in the swamp.”

  “Well then, tell me about that.”

  “No, I don’t believe I will. Why should I? You’re like a used car salesman.”

  “I am? How so?”

  “You’re just here to reel me in. Pretty soon, you’ll make some excuse, telling me you have to check with your manager. Let’s cut the crap right now. Go get your manager. I have plenty to tell him.”

  “My manager?” asked Turner.

  Joe Bob smiled again. “Listen up. I don’t want a lawyer, and I don’t want to talk to any flunkies. Go get me Stallworth. He already knows most of it anyway. I don’t know how, but he had us pegged from day one. Go get him, and I’ll fill in all the dirty details for him. Isn’t that what you want?”

  “Sure, sure,” said Turner. “I’ll get him. I’m curious as to why the about-face, though. First, none of you want to say a damn thing, especially to Stallworth. Now, you ask for him specifically. Tell me why.”

  “I told you. He already knows. He fuckin’ knows. He understands. He’ll make sure that bastard gets what’s coming to him.”

  “What bastard?”

  “The prophet, that damned prophet.”

  CHAPTER EIGHTY-TWO

  Ring! Ring! Ring!

  The phone kept ringing, only adding to the panic in the small, worn down motel room. Buck was frantic. He glanced out of the window from behind the corner of the thick, green curtain. The cops were all over the place, hunkered down behind their squad cars, their firearms at the ready.

  Ring! Ring! Ring!

  “Shut up!” Buck yelled at the phone. Why couldn’t they just leave him alone? He didn’t want to hurt anyone. He had only done what he was told was right.

  Ring! Ring! Ring!

  Buck put the end of the barrel in his mouth and reached down, his long arms barely making it to where the trigger waited for him.

  “Buck!” the sheriff implored over his megaphone. “Don’t make us come in there. Put your gun down and walk out slowly with your hands up!”

  Ring! Ring! Ring!

  The pressure was too much. He set the shotgun aside and picked up the receiver.

&nb
sp; “What do you want?” he cried into the telephone.

  “Buck, it’s me. Robert,” the calm voice answered.

  “Robert?” For a brief moment, Buck had forgotten the detective’s first name.

  “Robert Stallworth. We need to talk.”

  “I’m done talkin’ to you! It’s all your fault!”

  “You know better than that, Buck. This isn’t like you. None of this is like you.”

  “What do you know about it? You said I was a pervert.”

  “Come on, Buck. You know the game we were playing. Look at where you are. There’s no more time for games. It’s time we put that aside and hashed this out, man to man.”

  “It’s too late for that. It’s all over.”

  “No, it’s not. I know what you’re thinking, Buck. I’ve been there myself. Don’t do it. It’s not what you want.”

  “How do you know what I want? You don’t know anything.”

  “I know you were the only one I talked to who was bothered by what the preacher did; what he made you do. That has to count for something.”

  “I didn’t want to—”

  “I know you didn’t.”

  “I’m not a pervert.”

  “I know you’re not. You’re the only one of them who has a conscience. Don’t let them do this to you. It’s what Winchester is counting on.”

  “What, what do you mean?”

  “You were set up, Buck. He’s waiting for you to kill yourself so they can blame it all on you. Think about it. You’re the big man. You have the past. It’s why you were there in the first place.”

  “But, but, I, I—”

  “Yes, I know. Don’t fall for it, man. You’re better than that.”

  “But how can that be?”

  “I’ve seen enough to know, Buck. I told you the last time we talked that you were a patsy. Now you see what I mean.”

  “I didn’t want it to be like this.”

  “Of course, you didn’t. You wanted to be a good man. You wanted to trust someone. You still do. This time, trust the right person. I’m here to help you, Buck. There’s still time to be a good man.”

  “It’s too late. The things I did—”

  “It’s not too late. Look, I’m not going to lie to you. This isn’t going to be easy. This is going to be the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do. But it’s the right thing. You know it in your heart. If you don’t do it, he’s going to get away with it. You’ll take the blame for all of it. You know that’s not what happened. You know it wasn’t your fault. You were trying to be a good person. You were trying to do what was right. Only, in your heart, when you were doing those things, you knew there was something wrong about it. I’m not asking you to do that again. I’m not asking you to trust me without reaching into your own heart. Do what your heart tells you is the right thing to do. Not the easy thing, Buck, the right thing.”

  “I don’t know, I don’t know.”

  “Yes, you do. You’re scared. It’s okay. You should be scared. But listen closely, Buck. I’m offering you something you’ll only get one shot at. I’m offering you the most valuable thing you’ve ever been offered.”

  “What? What are you offerin’ me? I’ll go to jail. I’ll be executed. I’ll be humiliated. What can you offer me that’ll help me now?”

  “The one thing you’ve always needed, Buck. The one thing you’ve longed for your entire life. It’s not for me to give it to you. It’s for you to take. All I can do is offer you the chance. You’ll be doing the heavy lifting. You do it, you’ll earn my respect. But what’s more, you’ll earn what you need, what all of us need.”

  “What do I need?”

  “Redemption.”

  The word hit Buck like a bolt of lightning. He felt its sting, then its warmth as it touched his soul. Stallworth was right. He’d been right from the beginning.

  Buck put the phone back in its cradle without another word and looked at the shotgun in his hand. He sighed, took a deep breath, and gently set it on the bed. He slowly opened the door and stepped out into the sunlight, his hands in the air. Whatever was to come, he was going to face it like a man. The time for lies and evil deeds was over. Redemption had been offered, and it was his for the taking. Buck McEwen was going to take it.

  CHAPTER EIGHTY-THREE

  “We have a visitor,” Deputy Smith announced, opening the door to the sheriff’s office.

  “Are you going to tell us or keep us in suspense?” asked Dale as Robert, John Turner, and Billy looked on.

  “A Brother Eustice Elijah Winchester and his attorney, Mr. Douglas Lee, Esquire, have waltzed in through the front door.”

  Everyone in the room stood up.

  “Did you arrest him?” asked Fuller.

  “Ricky is taking care of it.”

  “This I gotta see,” said the sheriff, walking to the door. The other three men sat back down. Fuller glanced at them in surprise. “Y’all coming?”

  “We’ll be along in a bit,” said Robert. “Book him and let him stew for awhile. He wants special treatment, but he needs to learn he came to the wrong place for that.”

  The sheriff laughed and headed out of the room, pausing as Robert gave him another suggestion.

  “His lawyer is going to start fishing. Let him know, we ain’t biting.”

  Fuller made his way to the front as Ricky and Brian were leading their new prisoner to one of the holding cells in the back. He was instantly accosted by Winchester’s irate lawyer.

  “What is the meaning of this? My client came here of his own accord.”

  “He’s under arrest, Doug. You know the drill.”

  “On what charge? He’s committed no crimes.”

  “That’ll be up to a jury to decide. In the meantime, he’ll be just fine in the back.”

  “What are the charges? When will bail be set?”

  “Accessory to the attempted murder of a police officer, homicide, homicide, homicide, etcetera. There will be more in time. It’ll be up to the judge to set bail, but you know as well as I do, there ain’t going to be none.”

  “Homicide? I do believe you’ve made a mistake.”

  “What’s the matter, Doug? Didn’t you get the proper retainer? Your boy is in deep shit. You should be happy. You’re going to have plenty to bill for.”

  “What homicides? We only came here over concern about the boy.”

  “The boy?” asked the sheriff.

  “Jeremiah Thomas,” answered the attorney. “We believe he’s in danger.”

  “Do you, now? Well then, come right in, and we’ll sort it out.”

  “We believe that some of your men are the ones putting him in danger. Don’t be coy with me, Dale. I’ve heard about your department’s little escapades. There are rumors about a couple of skulls being found under your nose. Perhaps I should leave you my card in case you need it.”

  “Perhaps,” said Dale. He waved off the attorney and headed back to his office. Winchester’s lawyer was going to be awfully disappointed when he found out the truth about the skulls.

  “Well?” asked Billy when the sheriff returned.

  “Winchester’s stewing in the back. When do you want to talk with him?”

  “Let him wait,” said Robert. “He has his lawyer with him anyway. He’s not going to tell us a damn thing. I think I’d better have a word with the one who doesn’t want to exercise his right to an attorney first.”

  Robert stood up and stretched. He winked at Billy and Turner, and he headed to the interrogation room to talk to the ex-Marine.

  CHAPTER EIGHTY-FOUR

  “It seems we meet again, Mr. Duncan,” said Robert. “I hope we can dispense with the bullshit now.”

  “Are you still offerin’ up a deal?” asked Joe Bob.

  “Deal? What kind of deal?”

  “I’ll tell you everything. You said before that the first one gets the deal.”

  “I hate to break it to you, but you ain’t the first one.”

  Joe Bob figured as mu
ch, but he had no choice but to bargain for whatever crumbs might be left on the table. “You know, I’d wager that it didn’t happen the way Earl is sayin’ it happened out there. He shot Cooter and Charles Ray in cold blood. He was about to shoot Brother Eustice, too, but JT got him first.”

  “Cooter was armed. Earl is a deputy.”

  “Charles Ray wasn’t,” stated Joe Bob.

  “He lunged for the weapon.”

  “Shit he did.” Joe Bob laughed. “Earl is just tryin’ to save his own neck.”

  “So are you.”

  Joe Bob knew the detective had him there. “Hey, I’m offerin’ what Earl ain’t. I’m here talkin’ to you without a lawyer. You, Detective Stallworth. I asked for you personally because I know you’re the smart one. You told me way back when to come clean, and I’m takin’ you up on it. Surely, what I got to tell you is worth something.”

  “That depends.”

  “On what?”

  “On what you want and what you have to tell me,” said Robert. “You know how this works. If you would’ve been honest and forthright in the beginning, we wouldn’t be in this mess right now. But you weren’t. So, here we are. I really don’t see what you can tell me now that I don’t already know. Besides, I have a better offer on the table.”

  “I already told you, Earl is lyin’.”

  “I’m not talking about Earl.”

  “Then who? Buck ain’t goin’ to tell you nothin’, even if you find him.”

  “We found him yesterday. He’s itching to tell me everything. Hell, he’s begging to tell me.”

  “I bet he don’t tell you he stayed behind to watch while Brother Eustice raped and strangled the girl the first time. I bet he don’t tell you it was him who shot that girl the second time. I bet he don’t say jack about that magician. It was him who sawed that poor bastard in half. Shit, if you made a deal with that psycho, you made a deal with the Devil. He’s a pervert, anyhow. How’s that gonna look on the stand? You’d do better to talk to me. I’m a bonafide war hero, a decorated Marine.”