Murder in the Parish

by C T Mitchell

  When he arrived at the table, no one was attending it. There were only a handful of children playing with an “invisible ink” pen that was left on the table for them. He looked around and then walked toward the carousel, but it was the same story. He saw many people he knew, but there was no sign of Louis. Eventually, near the rear of one of the food trailers, he saw Cecilia with her back turned toward him. She was talking to Louis. They didn’t seem very happy with one another, from the looks of it, so he stopped abruptly before he was seen to listen in on their conversation. What he heard was a bit disturbing. So as not to arouse suspicions, he waited until they parted to approach her.

  “I’m sorry, Father, but this is one of those things that just isn’t any of your business,” Cecilia said, batting tears from her cheeks. “A girl has to have some secrets, you know, it keeps us young. I’d rather talk business, I think from the looks of things we’ll be getting that new altar built. The fair has more attendees than last year—“

  “I don’t give a hoot about the fete right now, Cecilia. This may not be my business, but it is serious business. I need you to tell me who Louis is and how well you know him.”

  “Well, if you must know,” she scoffed, blowing her nose on a handkerchief. “He was an old love of mine. I was told, after watching him go off to another country to serve, that he was missing in action and I hadn’t seen him in a really long time. I honestly had no idea he was going to be here, or that it would stir up this many memories and feelings on such a strange day, and for that I apologize.”

  “No need to apologize, I’m sorry you seem to be having a difficult time with the sudden reunion, and that I am pestering you for details during your time of hurt. I do need to know, did you find anything out today about him, or where he’s been that seemed out of place to you? Something that struck you as strange?”

  She thought for a moment, as though she were piecing together a decades-old puzzle in her mind. “He is living in Kingscliff, north of Lismore,” she shrugged. “But I don’t know what that has to do with anything.”

  From that moment on, over the next week, there seemed to be absolutely no news of interest in the case of Mrs. Lawson’s death. That bit of information was the last in a small line of interesting things that Father Douglas thought might be useful in finding her killer and bringing him to justice. After that very moment, life went on as normal as could be.

  News of the mayor’s death circulated throughout the neighboring towns, Cecilia seemed distant, and Father Douglas kept hitting dead ends in trying to solve the case. Toward the end of the week, though, Inspector Sullivan asked him to come down to the Lismore Police Station. There was something! The Inspector hardly ever called him out to the station, there must be something new to mull over. That Tuesday, the two friends sat opposite each other in one of the precinct’s interview rooms.

  CHAPTER 5

  “I need you to help establish the timeline of events,” Inspector Sullivan told his friend. “I need a start to finish scenario of what happened at the fete, specifically during the time that you and I weren’t together, so everything that happened up until you phoned me.”

  “Of course,” he answered. “I don’t know how helpful my side of the story will be, though, since I was sitting with the mayor at the outdoor café right up until the moment Mrs. Lawson’s absence was noticed. You might also want to interview Cecilia Robinson, because she was with the girl the whole time, traveling the fete with her and meeting other people by way of walking about. I was sitting still for the majority of the commotion. Surely if anyone were to notice something out of place it would be her, even a few days after the fact. She’s pretty sharp and has a keen eye, you know.”

  “Yes, that’s true, but when we interviewed her she just kept telling us half-stories about her friend Louis at the magic table. It didn’t really seem relevant so we let her go without getting much information. As you said, she had Daniela, and noticed her mother’s absence about the same time as everyone else. I’m just trying to figure out if anyone saw anything out of the ordinary.”

  Once he’d given his statement on the short timeline of events, Father Douglas spoke candidly with his friend after the pen and paper were put away. “Did Mrs. Lawson know any army men before marrying the mayor?” Father Douglas asked delicately.

  “Well, I haven’t reviewed all the reports yet, but she apparently knew an army vet by the name of Clifford Ramose. He was an officer that trained with the SAS in Western Australia.

  Father Douglas nodded. “I actually invited him to the fete, you know. I thought he could entertain the children with his magic tricks. Cecilia looked quite shocked when Louis took his place. I couldn’t really tell if it was a good shocked, or a bad shocked at first, but the two of them were apparently to be married before he went missing in action. I gathered that much from the conversation I overheard at the fete.”

  “Oh really?” Inspector Sullivan said, itching to pull his notepad back out, but respectfully waiting for the Father to finish his thoughts.

  “Yes, they were quite in love, it seemed. That must be why she hasn’t ever even looked at another man. I always just thought she was one of those women who were called not to wed. Little did I know that she’d been harboring feelings for a long lost love all these years, it’s quite sad, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, it’s also curious, though. Curious that she would have anything to do with one of the only two men we can both think of that might be suspects.”

  “Yes, it certainly begs a lot of questions,” Father Douglas pondered. “Why would Clifford let Louis sub for him so nonchalantly? I would have thought a good solid notification would be in order, or something. Do you think Clifford could have met Mrs. Lawson in the woods?”

  Tom said nothing, only staring into his coffee, thinking.

  “Do you think that someone can honestly kill a person they were once in love with? And how odd that Clifford’s old flame was Elisa Lawson and Cecilia’s old flame was Louis. That just strikes me as very odd.”

  Tom nodded, still silent.

  “I don’t mean to pry, or speculate…”

  “No, no, no….speculation is part of what we do at this stage. It leads us to clues, and eventually to justice. Of course, it also leads us on a lot of wild goose chases, but that’s all part of the process of elimination. Please, speculate away. I trust you and won’t go sending my men on just a whim.”

  “Well, I want to help in any way that I can. How about I travel to Clunes this weekend and see what I can drum up about Clifford? I still haven’t heard from him, and I know where he lives…or rather the last address I have for him. It’s just up the Tweed Coast, and my trusty Alvis will make the trip easily enough.”

  They agreed, and parted ways.

  Before leaving town, Father Douglas called ahead, only to find out that Clifford had left his rooming house in Clunes last Sunday. The landlady didn’t know where he was headed and Father Douglas felt deflated in his purpose just as quick as he had started. His next thought was to phone Louis.

  “Honestly, Father I’ll tell you what I told the constables. Clifford asked me not to tell anyone that he was leaving. Said he had some business to take care of in Sydney, something to do with his pension. Other than that, I have no idea where he’d run off to; he was a pretty boring guy. Why are you trying to locate him, if I may ask?”

  After Father Douglas explained the situation to him, Louis offered to come down to Hastings Point that weekend. “I need to see Cecilia, anyway.”

  When he went to tell the Inspector what he’d discovered, Tom said he already knew all about it. “Clifford is now a wanted man, Father. He’s at the top of a very short list in who might have killed her, and his buddy Louis is a close second. The fact that Cecilia found the man away from the magician’s table when she was speaking with them…”

  “Oh, you mean where I overheard them talking? I didn’t think about that.” Father admitted. He felt a little behind the times with this case and it
bothered him.

  “Yes sir, he could have easily killed the mayor’s wife, and quickly. He’s a special armed services member.”

  “Yes but why would either of these men kill her? What happened after they came back from serving? What could have been so hard that either of them would resort to killing someone? It seems like such a thoughtless act of vengeance,” Father Douglas said, confused on the matters of why humans act that way they do, sometimes. “I’m going to talk to Cecilia again.”

  When Father Douglas returned to the parish, he went straight to the kitchen. There, he found Cecilia baking up a storm. She’d made muffins, scones, and cakes.

  “I’m sorry, Father. I know it might not seem appropriate at a time like this but I have to keep busy! I’ve also cleaned the rectory this morning, as I couldn’t sleep. I’ve also balanced the records, cleaned my own house, not that there was much to do in that regard, and now I’m on to baking for the school bake sale.”

  “But Cecilia, that event isn’t for another week.”

  “Well then I’ll bake some more if these go to waste, I just can’t have idle hands right now, Father.”

  “I’ve known you for a long time, Cecilia and I’ve never seen you this out of sorts. We’ll set it all straight, don’t worry.”

  “I know you say that, Father and I truly believe that you believe yourself most of the time.”

  “Oh dear sweet woman, it’s not myself I believe in,” he said with a soft smile. “You really must grow your faith in this dark time. After all, your life has had a pretty steady set of mountain tops for quite some time, don’t you think? You were just about due for some valleys, and that’s just the way of it.” He put his hand on her shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. Everything in His time, and in His will, we just have to keep our head down and do what we can to help.”

  “Yes, but I just don’t think I can stand the thought of Louis being mixed up in all this for another minute! What if he was someone else all along, and I’ve been pining after a killer all these years, what would that say about me?”

  “Oh dear me, no no no…. Don’t think of it like that for another second, you and I both know that war changes people. If he has resorted to doing something unimaginable in recent months, that does not mean that’s who he was all along. A man can go into war, and a very different man can come out. We know that from the stats, and from the counseling we do here at the parish. So don’t ever let your faith waiver just because your heart gets in the way. Besides, he’s here now, and that is a very good sign.”

  “Yes, I suppose it is.” Cecilia took a deep breath. “It’s just that after all these years, to have a ring of guilt sitting heavily atop our reunion, it just hurts….. you know?”

  “I can imagine it does. Do you know what else hurts?” Father Douglas asked mischievously.

  “Hmm?” she replied, hesitant.

  “A lot of things this side of heaven.”

  Cecilia chuckled through her drying tears. “Well, you’re not wrong there, are you sir? Somethings just don’t make sense.

  CHAPTER 6

  Both Father Douglas and Inspector Sullivan were on hand at the Lismore airport when Louis landed the following Friday morning from a magician’s gig. From the look on his face, Louis knew why they were waiting for him as soon as his plane touched down. Tom Sullivan strongly suggested that he stay at the rectory—and nowhere else—because Father Douglas had actually been granted custody of the man.

  “I genuinely hope that you will not betray my trust,” Father Douglas added as a warning.

  “I assure you, gentlemen, that I have no intention of going anywhere until this mess is cleared up.”

  The next morning, Cecilia was quite surprised to find Louis cooking his own breakfast in the parish kitchen. She spun on her heels and was prepared to make a swift exit when Father Douglas stopped her.

  “For once, my dear, you will do as you’re told. Sit down right this instant across from Louis, and the three of us will have a nice meal together.” She did as instructed, but scooted her chair as far away from Louis’ corner of the table as possible.

  Once they had eaten breakfast, Father Douglas asked all of the questions that his friend Tom would have liked to pose if he were present. He would send the results of the conversation to the station later that day. It was discovered during this brief and lighthearted telling of tales, that Louis was demobilized after suffering a knee injury in combat. He then had knee replacement surgery and was sent home.

  “I’m not a man given to drinking or using drugs to cope and heal, I spent my recovery at my mother’s home in Kingscliff. When it came time to receive my pension, there was a ton of red tape to go through because…as you know, Cecilia…I was listed as missing in action.” Cecilia’s lip quivered a bit but she remained silent as he spoke. “In the end, it all worked out thanks to Mr. Lawson.”

  “The mayor?” Cecilia asked.

  “Oh yes, he was a veteran himself and did everything he could to help as many vets as possible. He married late in life, as you know, due to his dedication to helping those who fought. He never really made time to think about marriage for the longest time.”

  “So how does Clifford play into all of this?” Father Douglas asked.

  “Eliza Lawson had an affair with Clifford as soon as he returned from Afghanistan. She was only just married then, and I truly believe that Daniela is his daughter, and not the mayor’s. I don’t know why, just something about the timing of it all, and the way he was acting when she was born, it seems shady to me. I never pressed the matter because he seemed to be okay with it all.”

  Cecilia’s eyes were as big around as saucers. “Are you serious?! That is not just some news, that’s the news! How scandalous.”

  “I also believe,” he continued, “that Clifford was long gone by the start of the fete. He left on that Saturday, so I’ve heard, and not Sunday like we thought. He’s likely taken refuge at his uncle’s place in Sydney.”

  “His uncle?” Father Douglas asked.

  “He’s a retired colonel.”

  “Well then, if you’ll excuse me, please, I have a few phone calls to make. Cecilia, I do not want you to get out of that chair until you have a pleasant talk with Louis, like the two adults that you are.” Cecilia didn’t make eye contact with him as he left the room and headed to his office. Out of the corner of his eye, though, he saw Louis scoot his chair closer to her.

  A quick phone call later, and Father Douglas hopped into his Alvis and drove to the Lismore Police Station. No sooner did his feet hit the steps inside the main door did he hear Detective Inspector Tom Sullivan in a very heated argument with someone. As he rounded the corner, he found his friend standing rather closely to Mayor Lawson, who was demanding answers for his wife’s murder.

  Father Douglas interrupted the quarrelsome exchange, trying to get the mayor to calm down. If there was one thing in this world that Father Douglas did not want to see, it was his cool-as-a-cucumber friend Tom reach out and deck someone for getting in his face.

  “You have got to calm down, sir.” Father Douglas pulled the man’s arm back behind himself and spit from the mayor’s mouth hit Tom in the face.

  “Please just listen to what Tom has to say, I can tell he’s trying to communicate with you, but you’re not listening.”

  “Well, let’s have it,” the mayor demanded. “What do you know and how well do you know it? I’m tired of having my time wasted! I don’t think it should be that difficult to catch the man who murdered the mayor’s wife in a small town like this, fete or no fete!”

  “As I was saying,” Tom said through clenched teeth, “whether or not you are the mayor makes no difference to how fast a killer is apprehended, so if you wouldn’t mind keeping that out of the equation, I would appreciate it! I’ve kept my mouth pretty shut up until now about it, but it honestly doesn’t make me a bit of difference if you are the mayor or the town dog catcher, I’m going to tackle the case the same way every time….. a
nd I think I may have discovered who is responsible for your wife’s death, after all this time.” Tom made air quotes around the words “all this time”, and Father Douglas understood this to mean that catching a killer in only a week’s time was really something to behold, not something to be looked down upon.

  “So you know who did it?” the mayor said, a little more calmly this time.

  “Yes, I think we know who did it, and I think we may even know why but there is a good chance you won’t like part of the details and it would behoove you to get ahold of your temper first. You are, after all, in a police station. Now, I don’t profess to know how you feel in this situation, so please don’t assume that’s what I’m getting at. I can’t understand what it’s like to be in your shoes because I’ve never been there before. What I can tell you that I’ve given a lot of people this same news, and some are able to take it better than others.”

  The mayor’s face grew redder with each word Tom spoke, as if he were winding up for a fit of rage. “Please, allow Constable Williams to show you to the interview room where you can wait while I talk to this gentleman.”

  As soon as the mayor left the room, trailing behind an officer half his size, Inspector Sullivan turned to his friend. “Alright, let’s hear it, don’t skip anything.”

  Ten minutes passed, and Father Douglas was shown into the room connected to the interview room that held Mayor Lawson. This was his least favorite part. It was so satisfying to watch Tom at work, and watch him bring people to justice, but it was also so heartbreaking because it showed the true nature of some really bad people. People who, as you would find out in this room, had been lying to you from the very beginning.