Murder Mysteries

by Waggoner, Robert C.

The contents of the legal pad said:

  "To whom it may concern and certainly not to my worthless son. I don't claim my son who is a homosexual and drug addict. He's been a blot on my career and my life; not to mention my good name.

  Foolishly I thought he could be rehabilitated and I spent thousands to that end. Then like the weak human I am, I saw an easy way out of spending money with the simple idea of being a go-between. All I had to do was pick up the drugs offshore, pay the money to the supplier, drive to a city somewhere on I-5 and give it to Glen Wilson. Wilson would provide the money and that was that. I made $5000 a kilo.

  Nothing is forever and I for one realize that. My wife of many years lives in a paid for house. My pension will be enough for her. I hope God forgives me.

  Sheriff Clinton Yeast

  So ends the second Novella with Stacy Foreham.

  The setting is factual geography. Of course the people are figments of my imagination. Murder is very rare in Bandon. I hope the citizens of Bandon forgive me for displaying fictional violence.

  My grandparents moved to Bandon and located on the Beach Loop Road before 1920. I lived there for ten years before moving to Coquille.

  The 'store' is where when I was a boy I sold return bottles for a few pennies. With that money I bought fishing gear. For a beer bottle we received one penny, a pop bottle two pennies. After a weekend the Beach Loop Road had lots of bottles from picnic folks.

  Send me your comments: rcw068@outlook.com

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  Murder at the Belfry

  Stacy Foreham Mystery

  RCW

  2013

  -One-

  For Otis Longger it was the same ritual every Sunday morning at 10 am. He'd been doing this job, or privilege, as some would say, for thirty years: to ring the bell in the belfry at the First Christ Church of Bandon, Oregon. A major change was about to occur that fateful winter day for him and all concerned when the bell wouldn't ring.

  Otis put on his hat and coat. It was raining cats and dogs, but his umbrella was in the car. Never mind, he thought, as he braved the rush of wind and rain running to his car. This weather wasn't unusual for the southern coast of Oregon at this time of year. To be honest, watching a storm pound the Pacific coast was one of the favorite pastimes of the locals.

  It was only a five minute drive from his house to the church. Bandon was a small town with little to offer the 3,000 or so residents. Like a lot of the residents, Otis worked in the cranberry business, which was a major factor to the meager economy of the area. Fishing, wood working and tourism were the other major parts of the economy for Bandon-by-the-Sea.

  Otis pulled into the gravel parking lot of the church. It sat on the hill overlooking the Old Town of Bandon and a view of ocean and jetty that allowed boats to enter the Coquille River. He parked on the lee side of the church, almost to the edge of the parking lot under a group of windswept pine trees. As a low level volunteer, Otis left the in-front parking to the principals of the church. He didn't mind one little bit his role in society. Otis was fairly happy with his wife and two kids. The kids were about grown up and soon would be gone. One girl was commuting to SWOC, a community college up in Coos Bay and the other boy was beginning his career in the cranberry industry.

  Otis took out his keys and unlocked the side door. His first job was to turn on some heat to take the damp chill out of the air. Next he would turn on a few lights, not too many as the cost of electricity had been increasing as the news reported. Otis went to the office area where Pastor Arnold Westerfield hung his white collar. He turned on the electric space heater and closed the door. He went back to the main part of the church to do a walk around seeing all was in order. Seeing all was just fine and dandy, he went to the Sunday school room to turn on a special oil heater for the little kids.

  Back in Sanctuary Otis looked around at the special place to worship God and his laws. The church was not new by any means. It was rebuilt after the Bandon fire of 1936 when the entire town was razed by a rampant fire roaring through the gorse. Like most communities affected by disaster, the town was rebuilt. The original part of town was not large enough for expansion as the years went by. The New Town spread to the south on top of the hill. The Old Town today has mostly small shops ,where tourists can browse for various beach items, such as shells, agates and driftwood. Also a smattering of restaurants will temp your palate. At the dock area a charter boat fishing enterprise for anglers to cross the bar for some deeps sea fishing.

  Otis looked at his watch; he knew it was almost time to ring the church bell signifying time for worship beginning at 10:30. As he moved to the small area to pull the rope, he heard the back door open and close signifying that Pastor Arnold had arrived.

  Otis reached up with his right hand on top with his left under his right hand and gave it a pull. He fully expected to hear the 'bong' of the bell, but no sound was heard. He tried again and still nothing. Otis was now very puzzled. Had someone played a joke and did something to the rope and bell? He peered up into the blackness of the small area where the rope dangled from the bell. He couldn't see anything except a faint glow of light coming through the slats of the bell tower. While he looked hard up the rope, Pastor Arnold came in to see why the bell wasn't ringing.

  "Otis, it's a late. Please ring the bell," said Pastor Arnold.

  "I tried Pastor, but when I pull nothing happens. It feels strange too," said Otis.

  "I've a powerful flashlight in my desk, side drawer. Run get it Otis while I look around."

  Otis did as instructed and was back in a short minute or so. He handed the light to Pastor Arnold. He turned it on and pointed it up the rope. "Lord have mercy Otis, I see two feet dangling in the air. I've a bad feeling about this turn of events. I think whoever it is has passed to the other side Otis. Do you have a cell phone," asked Pastor Arnold. Otis shook his head. He gave the flash light to Otis and hurried to his office to call the police.

  Otis look up at the bottom of the shoes knowing that from the shoes up a person was hanging from the belfry. If it was, and he was sure it indeed was a dead person, this would be his first outside the funeral home or church with an open casket showing the deceased. A cold breeze swept around him making him shudder as if a ghost walked across his grave.

  [~~~]

  Stacy Foreham, Bandon policewoman, sat at her desk looking at the clock wondering why the church bell wasn't ringing at 10 am. She was born and raised in Bandon and couldn't remember the bell of the First Christ Church not ringing on a Sunday morning. Be that as it may, she played with her iPod as she had weekend duty at the police station. Her father was the chief, but that didn't mean much in his book that she was his daughter. He'd been the Chief of Police since she could remember. No, he didn't push her to become active in law enforcement, but she naturally took to it. After high school, she went to the University of Chicago and majored in criminology. Instead of leaping into the big leagues, such as the FBI or another government agency, she decided to spend her first couple years learning from her father in her town. Besides, it was just her and Raymond left after her mother passed on with a terminal illness.

  She was checking her recent e-mail when the phone rang. Usually Flo Medders answered the phone and was the dispatcher, but it was Sunday when not much happened around town. Dan Swollen was on duty patrolling the small community incases a policeman was needed.

  "Bandon Police Station," she answered the call.

  "I'm Pastor Arnold Westerfield of the First Christ Church officer. We've a situation that requires your presence. If I'm not mistaken, we've a body hanging from the bell rope in our church."

  Stacy's feet hit the floor. She grabbed her pencil and notepad to make a note of the date and time. She said, "We'll have someone there in a few minutes. Don’t let anyone near the area Pastor. Keep everyone away from the parking area too if you can. I'll be ther
e soon, but a patrol car is on its way."

  Stacy called Dan on the radio telling him of a possible homicide at the First Christ Church. Then she tried calling her father who was probably just leaving for church himself; but a different denomination. After that she called Flo to have her man the station due to the emergency. Flo was always agreeable and that was the case this time as well.

  Stacy left the door unlocked and drove her car to the church. As she buckled up she speed dialed Rory Caltex, detective for the Oregon State Police located in North Bend, next door to Coos Bay. He answered saying, "Good morning Stacy. I suppose you're bored with weekend duty huh?"

  "Quite the contrary Rory. I think we've a homicide at a church. I'm on the way now and will call you back when I know more."

  "Well there goes another God's day shot to blazes. I'm on the way regardless. If nothing else we can watch the rain come down. See you soon," said Rory.

  Stacy flashed back to the first time they'd met. There had been a homicide at the Bandon Links. Her first impression of him was a redneck macho man who thought women were inferior to men. She made him eat those words and then some. After the second murder, involving the superglue victim, Rory became a believer and if things went on the way they were, it was possible they could have something going between each other.

  If the truth were known, they'd become a good team with him and his partner, Ben Razor.

  Stacy parked out on the street. Dan was on the scene putting up crime scene yellow tape. He'd quickly learned from the first homicide at the golf course to protect the area. She walked up and said, "What do we know for beginners Dan?"

  "I'm not sure Stacy, but I shinned my mag up and it sure looks to me a body is dangling from the bell rope. The crime scene team will have to extract the body. Are the State guys coming," he asked.

  "I called Rory and he's on his way. I wonder can we confirm it's a body and not some practical joke," she asked.

  "I cheated Stacy. Otis brought me a ladder and I ran my hand up the pant leg. Its real body and cold to the touch. The leg was a bit hairy so it's a male," said Dan.

  Stacy called Rory back and told him it was a body for sure hanging from the bell rope. He told her he'd call in the crime scene and the pathologist Marsha Stone.

  -Two-

  Stacy finally made contact with her chief. She told him the skimpy details and he said, "I’m going to church. You take care of it and I'll come over after I talk to God."

  Stacy laughed and said, "Okay, say a prayer for me too."

  Stacy was guarding the foyer where the bell rope hung off to the side of the entrance. The rope was in a small enclave so as not to tempt a mischievous individual to pull on it. She paced the floor waiting for Rory to arrive. Finally she stood in the doorway watching the rain come down in torrents. She saw his SUV pull up with headlights on and wipers attempting to perform a losing battle with the rain on the windshield.

  After parking behind her, he ran to the church arriving fairly wet. It seemed rather strange that in a country that rained so much, few umbrellas were seen. It was mostly old people who treasured the umbrellas. Stacy thought they also provided some type of weapon against a dog or bad guy.

  "Hey, I'm here," said Rory. "What do we have for sure?"

  "Dan Swollow, one of our guys, said it's for real and no joke. It’s a male and that's all I know. It's up to the crime scene team now. I fear it will be a long day Rory," said Stacy.

  Secretly Rory welcomed a day with the loveliest policewoman in Oregon. At first he thought it was just lust as he looked at the petite blonde girl fresh out of the university. Even in a uniform she turned the heads of any red-blooded male. He also realized others knew he was smitten with Stacy Foreham. What woke him up to reality was that she was not only pretty, but highly intelligent. She'd solved two previous murders mostly by herself. Sure he helped, but she was like the cream rising to the top of her field. Already there'd been talk of her exploits up in Salem at the capital.

  Rory said, "I'll go interview the person who discovered the body. What's his name?"

  "Otis Longger and the pastor is Arnold Westerfield. I'll wait here while you interview," said Stacy.

  Rory found Pastor Arnold on the phone broadcasting a possible murder or suicide in his church to an unknown on the other end of the line. Rory thought, why do people think they are the source when it comes to gossip. How can a man in his position blabber the news. Just before he hung up he heard the pastor say, "It's spelled W-e-s-t-e-r-f-i-e-l-d. You welcome."

  He turned to glare at Rory who stood in the doorway returning the daggers. "What can I do for you young man," said Pastor Arnold.

  "I'm Detective Rory Caltex of the Oregon State Police. I'm heading up this investigation. To answer your question, you can tell me all there is to know about what was discovered and your whereabouts since yesterday."

  "I see. Well, in that case, sit down please. I'd offer you coffee, but as things stand, it may take awhile before any is made. Now, yesterday my wife and I had dinner up in Coos Bay with Presbyterian Minister Bobby Richards and his wife. We came back home around 11 pm. We went to bed and I woke up at my usual time of 6 am on a Sunday. This morning I worked on my sermon and at 9:45 came to church. I found Otis in the entrance trying to ring the bell. I sent him to my office for a flash light and saw feet dangling from the bell rope. That's about it detective, said Pastor Arnold.

  "On Saturday, did you come to church," asked Rory.

  "Yes I did. I think it was around 1 pm. I needed a reference book for my sermon. I inspected the church for today's service. I found all as it should be."

  "Did you see anyone around the area that you recognized or any strangers walking,'' asked Rory.

  "I did see our gardener Jonas Fielder who was raking up some debris in the parking lot. Other than him, I didn't notice anyone. I was only here for maybe fifteen minutes. I waved at Jonas and left."

  "Is Jonas Fielder an employee or a volunteer," asked Rory.

  "Both are the answer. We pay him $800 dollars a month, plus board and room. We have a small caretaker cottage out back that he lives in. He's on SS disability so mostly he's retired. I'd say he puts in about thirty hours a week taken care of the grounds."

  "What about the person who tried to ring the bell. Tell me about him," asked Rory.

  "Otis Longger has been a fixture here long before I came. He's a volunteer who makes sure the church is open on time every Sunday. He turns of the lights, prepares the heaters in both the kindergarten and sanctuary. In general he is the official bell ringer and other things," said Arnold.

  "A few more question Pastor Arnold. The gardener, Jonas Fielder, does he usual attend church on Sunday," asked Rory.

  "Oh my yes. He's usually the first one here. I forgot about him just now. I'm sure he'll show up soon."

  "Okay for now. I'd like to use your office for interviews if I may," said Rory. "Meanwhile, would you have someone locate the gardener so I can interview him," asked Rory.

  "Of course you can use my office. I'll send somebody to look for Jonas while you talk to Otis," said Arnold.

  There was a reason why Pastor Arnold had to have someone look for Jonas and before when he asked Otis to fetch a flashlight from his office. It was easy to see why he did those things, because, portly was a nice word to describe the obese Pastor Arnold.

  Stacy came in as the pastor walked out. She said, "Marsha and her team are here. They're really efficient. It's almost like they were waiting fully prepared for a crime scene on a Sunday! Amazing. They're puzzled about how to retrieve the body. It appears Rory that suicide must not be ruled out. Otherwise, how would you get someone to hold still while you hung them from the bell rope?"

  "They could have drugged him or maybe alcohol. Marsha will determine the cause of death. Meanwhile, let's interview Otis Longger."

  "I'll get him Rory and while we have time, see what you can find on the pastor's desk and drawers. He'd never think we'd look around," she said with a twinkle in
her eye. Rory raised his eyes thinking how anyone could violate a church office. However, if it was murder, then all connected were suspects; including the good Pastor Arnold Westerfield.

  Otis actually was waiting outside the office leaning against the wall. At first Stacy thought it a bit strange he would be almost hiding from the congregation, but then after the interview realized he was very shy and not socially active.

  Rory asked, "Otis tell me what happened in detail when you arrived this morning."

  "I arrived at my usual time 9:30. I opened the door and went directly to the light switch. After turning on the lights I went to the pastor's office to turn on the electric heater. Then to the Sunday school room to turn on their heater. I checked the rest of the church and when I finished it was time to ring the bell at 10 am. I heard the door open and close knowing it was Pastor Arnold. I pulled but no sound. Pastor Arnold came and sent me to get his flashlight. We saw the bottoms of two feet. Pastor Arnold went to his office and called the police. That's all I know."

  "Do you have any idea who it might be that is in the belfry," asked Rory.

  "I could see the shoes and if I'm not mistaken they're Jonas Fielder who lives and works here as a gardener," said Otis.

  "Okay Otis, how long have you been volunteering here at the church," asked Rory.

  "More than thirty years. I began ringing the bell at age 17. I've never missed a Sunday."

  "That's all for now Otis. For further questions we can find your address in the church records?"

  "Yes, I live not far from here. My wife is home most of the time so we're available," said Otis.