She looked at him as if he were speaking another language, but his question was answered when Deborah came around the corner from the kitchen.
“Pastor. Sheriff.” She went to stand behind her mother. “What can we do for you?”
“I wanted to let you know that the coroner will be releasin’ your father’s body today,” James W. said.
“I came along to see if you wanted any help with the arrangements,” Matt added.
At this point, Deborah’s fiancé appeared around the corner, helping Joshua with his walker.
James W. shot Matt a triumphant look.
Deborah was considering Matt’s offer. “Since we didn’t know when things could happen, we really haven’t discussed it much.”
“I want the funeral as soon as possible,” Sherylene said suddenly.
“Mom?”
“My husband needs to be laid to rest,” Sherylene said. “This whole business of an autopsy. It’s not natural. Owen needs to have some peace.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Matt agreed. “I understand. Do you have any idea what funeral home—”
“We’ll use Paradise. Everybody always does. They buried my parents. And Owen’s parents.”
James W. took out his ever-present notebook and started writing down the details.
“And I want a visitation. Not a viewin’, of course. The night before. Owen had a lot of friends. They’ll need to say good-bye.”
Sherylene was beginning to come back into focus, and Matt thought he understood. The days when there was nothing to do but wait for what needed to get done had been devastating for Sherylene. Now, she could start taking care of her beloved husband.
“And I want the service at the church. With the Ladies Aide servin’ a lunch afterwards.”
Deborah also seemed to understand that her mother was slowly coming back to her. “I’ll go in the kitchen and make some coffee,” she said, rising.
“And I’ll slice up some of that coffee cake you made last night,” Sherylene said as she stood. “Y’all will stay for a bite, won’t you?”
The pleading look on Deborah’s face told Matt that Sherylene had not been eating.
“Of course,” Matt said.
James W. was on another agenda, however. He walked over to Deborah’s fiancé, holding out his hand. “Son, I’m Sheriff James W. Novak.”
“Duke Hayes.” The man, who looked to be in his mid-twenties, shook the sheriff’s hand then turned. “Pastor, good to see you again.”
Duke Hayes was six feet tall with black curly hair. Matt had the impression that Duke had played football through college and had probably been a star. He had that swagger about him.
Matt nodded. “Ever get that wine out of your shirt?”
Duke laughed. “Didn’t even try. I just went out and bought a new one.”
Matt could hear James W.’s wheels turning. Apparently Duke had no problem spending money.
“I’m glad to see you’re here to support the family,” James W. said, gesturing Duke to take the seat his future mother-in-law had vacated.
Before complying, Duke guided Joshua and his walker to a desk that had been set up in the corner for the boy’s use. It had sheets of white paper as well as coloring books strewn about. Crayons of every color beckoned to Joshua, and he eagerly reached for one to begin drawing.
“He likes to draw,” Duke said, and indeed, Joshua began to enthusiastically color away.
“You’ve not been here when I’ve stopped by,” James W. persisted, gesturing again to the chair.
“Well, I left Saturday mornin’ for Houston. The boys decided to throw me a bachelor party,” he said, taking a seat and grinning.
Even that took Matt by surprise. “You were at your bachelor party in Houston and didn’t come home?”
Duke shrugged. “Deborah said not to. The boys had bought us tickets for a Sunday Astros game, limo and the whole shebang. She insisted that I shouldn’t waste their money.”
“You came back on Monday,” Matt prompted.
“Well, no. I drove back up to Austin to get my stuff. Went into work to finish up a few things so I could stay here for a while. Came in Tuesday mornin’.”
“Yesterday,” James W. confirmed, pulling his notebook from his shirt pocket. “What time did you leave for Houston on Saturday?”
“I’d say about ten o’clock,” Duke replied. “I made the mistake of forgettin’ the car charger for my phone, so I didn’t get the message about Deborah’s dad until I arrived at the hotel in Houston.”
Matt decided there was no way this guy had been a quarterback. Surely it was obvious that he was allowing absolutely no alibi of any kind for himself. He could’ve left Austin at any time to be in Wilks at 8 a.m. to shoot Owen.
“I’m surprised you didn’t stop through Wilks on the way to Houston to say hi to Deborah,” James W. observed.
Again Duke shrugged. “Took 290 to the north. Quicker for me. I live by UT.”
“Fair enough,” James W. replied, but Matt could see his wheels turning. “So, this situation might be pretty bad financially for your new family.”
He was fishing, Matt knew. Did Duke know anything about the family finances?
Duke leaned forward, looking cautiously at the kitchen door. “I think they’ll be all right. Owen had a talk with me last week.”
“Really. When, exactly?”
“I think it was…Wednesday? Maybe Thursday?” Duke ran his hand through his black curls, trying to remember. “I came down to see Deborah and give her some swatches from the lady who’s makin’ the bridesmaid dresses.”
“What did Owen have to say?” James W. asked.
“It was like he was confidin’ in me, one man to another, you know? He said that if anything ever happened to him, Sherylene and the girls would have it made.”
“What would have prompted him to say that?” James W. was writing furiously in his notebook.
“Well, Owen wanted me to learn the ropes around the farm. Business end. That was how him and me really got to know each other. We’d walk around the barn and he’d explain the milkin’ process, or we’d check the fence around the property. It was like he was groomin’ me to take over the farm someday.” Duke shook his head. “I’m not a hard-labor kind of guy, though. Personally, I thought the farm was too much work for one man.”
“You don’t say.”
Not hearing the sarcasm in James W.’s remark, Duke talked on. “I asked him full-out what he wanted me to do if somethin’ ever happened to him.”
James W. looked up. “And?”
“He told me he had insurance policies that would take care of Sherylene and the girls, as well as get a good place for Joshua to be whenever Sherylene couldn’t handle him anymore. He didn’t want Sherylene to have to keep the place if she didn’t want it. He even said somethin’ about makin’ it a bed and breakfast, maybe.” He looked toward the kitchen, then lowered his voice even further. “Course, you understand that’s all man-to-man. He told me all that in confidence.”
“I see.” James W. again put pen to paper.
Matt leaned forward, keeping his voice down as well. “Did Owen ever give you any indication that he felt threatened by anybody?”
“Heck, no.” Duke was adamant. “Everybody loved Owen Seegler. He was every man’s best friend. This has to be a mistake, somehow.”
At that moment, Sherylene and Deborah entered with a tray full of coffee and coffee cake. Matt was taken aback by how much better Sherylene was already looking.
“Pastor, if you don’t mind, I’d like to get some of the details set out for the funeral right now,” she said, putting down the tray. “The Thrivent Insurance man is comin’ in a little bit, so we’d best get down to business.”
“Sure thing,” Matt said, reaching for a cup of coffee.
“Thrivent Insurance man,” James W. repeated. “Is that Sid Davis?”
“Yes,” Sherylene replied, taking the seat offered her by Duke. “I think he has accounts with
just about everybody at Grace. You know, Lutheran and all.” She picked up a slice of coffee cake and began eating. Matt couldn’t help but notice the relief on Deborah’s face that her mother was taking in food.
“Owen always said we’d be all right if somethin’ happened to him,” Sherylene continued. “I’m not sure what he meant. I hope I don’t have to keep the farm goin’. Do you know that Warren Yeck has been here for every milkin’ since Saturday? He can’t keep doin’ that, and I certainly can’t do it all.” She looked with despair to Duke. “I don’t know what we’re goin’ to do.”
Duke knelt by her side and took her hand. “I’m sure Owen figured out everything, Mrs. S. He had a good mind for figures.”
Duke slanted a look at Matt and winked.
Yes, it was clear that Duke knew the family would not be having any problems at all, Matt decided. However, Duke also showed he had no sense of good judgment. If he had told the family of his discussion with Owen, he might have been able to give them some comfort. No, for Duke it had been more important to keep things “man to man.” Matt shook his head in disgust.
Definitely not quarterback material. Nor did Matt think Duke was husband material.
Sherylene began talking. “This is what I want to do…”
***
An hour later it was decided that James W. would drive back into town by himself. Matt would ride with Deborah and Sherylene when they went to Dannerton to make arrangements at Paradise Funeral Home.
Duke would stay home and watch Joshua. “After all,” he’d said. “Funeral plannin’ is women’s work. No offense, Preacher.” Somehow Matt had managed to keep the sneer from his face.
Matt was still ruffled, however, as he and James W. walked across the heat-devastated front yard. “What did you think of the fiancé?” Matt asked as James W. climbed into his truck.
“Well,” James W. said, buckling his seat belt, “I didn’t think I’d ever live to see the day.”
“What day’s that?”
“The day I’d meet somebody dumber than Richard Dube.” James W. shook his head and put the key into his truck’s ignition. “I want the full skinny on what Sid Davis has to say about those insurance policies.”
Matt saluted. “Will do, Sheriff.”
“Kinda quick, havin’ the visitation tomorrow and the funeral on Friday.”
“I’ve seen faster,” Matt said. “Sherylene needs to feel that Owen’s finally at rest.”
“Takin’ care of the bereaved is your bailiwick.” James W. shrugged and pulled the truck’s door shut. “Meet me at Angie’s for supper and we’ll compare notes.”
Matt grinned. “You sure Elsbeth’s gonna be okay with you skipping dinner with her to eat at the Ice House?”
“Right now, Elsbeth is so turned around about yesterday, she might even join us.” James W. laughed and put his truck into gear. “You sure patched things up nice with Elsbeth yesterday. It was quite a show.”
Matt stepped away from the truck. “I was getting tired of waiting for Norm Krall to fix everything.” He gave James W. one more salute and headed back to the ranch house.
Chapter Twenty-Four
The Widow’s Fear
By noon the Thrivent Insurance man had finished up, and Matt, Sherylene and Deborah had an appointment at one o’clock at the Paradise in Dannerton. Rebecca, the other Seegler daughter, would leave work and meet them at the funeral home.
“You sure you’ll be all right with Joshua?” Sherylene asked Duke. Joshua was still at his desk, drawing away.
“He and I are buds,” Duke said. Matt noticed, however, that he already had his hand on the TV remote.
“You goin’ to see Daddy?” Joshua asked in his slurred way, realizing his mother was leaving the house.
“Not today, honey,” she said as she leaned over and kissed his head. “Deborah and I have an appointment in town.”
“I miss Daddy,” Josh said.
“Me too, darlin’.” Sherylene bit her lip. “But we talked about that, didn’t we. Daddy’s gone to heaven, and we won’t be seein’ him for a long while.”
“I’ve got a present for him when we do see him.” Joshua grinned widely.
Sherylene grabbed her arms so hard she made white prints on them.
Seeing her mother’s distress, Deborah came to the rescue. “What’s the present?” she asked.
“These!” The boy held up a two-inch-thick stack of papers, all colored with bold crayon designs. “Flowers!”
Deborah took the papers. “These are lovely, Joshua.” She tried to smile through her tears.
Matt took a few drawings from her and nodded. “These are beautiful flowers, Joshua,” he said.
“Everybody’s sendin’ flowers for Daddy,” Joshua replied in that simple way of his. He gestured around the room. “He must really like them.”
“I see what you mean,” Matt said. The room was overwhelmed with floral and plant arrangements. “You’ll see even more flowers in a couple of days at a place where everyone who likes your dad will be talking about him. Would you like us to take some of your pictures to have them there too?”
Joshua grinned and nodded ferociously. “I’ll make some new ones!”
He turned back to his coloring desk, and Matt was glad that the boy couldn’t see the sadness on his mother’s and sister’s faces as they left the house.
Sherylene handed the keys to the family truck to Matt. “Would you mind?”
“Of course not.” Matt took the keys and went around to the driver’s seat.
The first part of the drive was silent as the two women composed themselves. When they turned onto the road that would take them through Wilks then on to Dannerton, Deborah was the first to recover.
“Mom, about the insurance,” she said, obviously trying to take everyone’s mind off of Joshua, “didn’t you have any idea?” Deborah asked, leaning forward from the back seat.
Sherylene, sitting shotgun, wiped her face dry with her hands. “He said we’d be taken care of. And Joshua would be fine.”
“But Mom, payin’ off the farm!”
“I know.” Another tear slipped down her cheek. “And that separate policy for long-term medical for Joshua.” She took out a tissue and wiped her face impatiently. “I remember Owen had a close call with a reaper way back, and he started worryin’ about what would happen if he…wasn’t here anymore.”
“When was that?” Matt interjected.
“Oh, golly,” Sherylene said. “Maybe eight years ago?”
“Do you have any ideas about what you want to do with the farm, Mom?”
Sherylene’s only answer was another burst of sobs.
Deborah was horrified that she’d made her mother cry. She patted her mother’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, Mom. I didn’t mean to—”
“Of course not.” Sherylene touched her daughter’s hand. “I just need to think on it, that’s all. I had no idea…”
Matt cleared his throat. “It’s a lot to grasp, Sherylene. You take all the time you need.”
Sherylene looked out the window, trying to hold back the tears. “He loved me, loved us all so much.”
The rest of the ride into Wilks was silent except for the widow’s quiet sobs.
***
James W. sat in his office, happy finally being able to do something. He’d made some decisions on the drive back to Wilks. He was tired of watching events happen around him and his town. He was a man of action.
Though he could’ve picked up the phone to talk to his secretary more quietly, today he felt like yelling. “Did you get that security outfit’s number yet, Sarah?”
“Bringin’ it in now.” His secretary came around the corner.
Sarah Fullenweider had been James W.’s secretary for five years. She was the daughter of the church’s secretary, Ann, and both did their jobs efficiently and with discretion. The mother and daughter bore little resemblance to each other, however. Where Ann’s hair was dyed black and her make-up dramatic, Sarah wa
s a pretty blonde who preferred the natural look. For some reason, Elsbeth never questioned the late evenings James W. put in with the divorced woman, but he was grateful for the reprieve.
“Got it right here,” she said, laying a paper on his desk. “You’ve already got a security system at your place, don’t you?”
He nodded. “This won’t be for me.” He began dialing the number. “Hi, Norm? James W. here.”
“Hey, James W. What can I do for you?” came Norm’s reply.
“I need you to check some of your paperwork for me.” James W. crooked the phone on his shoulder so he could do paperwork while he talked.
“I’m in Bastrop, Sheriff.”
James W. chuckled. “Scoutin’ another job?”
“Biggest sonuvabitch gas station I’ve ever seen. But whadya need? I can have my secretary look into it.”
“I need to know if you had any cement-pourin’ jobs on or around June first, ten years back.” The sheriff signed off on a form and reached for the next one.
“Ten years?” Norm sounded unsure. “The IRS doesn’t even make us keep records that long.”
“I know it’s a ways back, but it’s important.”
“What’s up?”
“Well, I’ve got a case where a whole lot of cement got dumped somewheres, and it occurs to me that it was more than what a person can mix in a wheelbarrow.”
“Is this the Melinda Platt thing?”
James W. sighed. Why try to keep an investigation discreet when the whole town already knew everything? “Can’t rightly say, Norm.”
“Well, I’ll check with the office. I can’t promise anything, though.”
“I’d appreciate it, Norm. As soon as you can get it. Oh! One more thing. Put on your church council hat for a sec. I need your permission to do something…”
***
Once in Wilks, Matt drove the group to the parsonage so he could get his car.
“Pastor, mind if I ride with you?” Sherylene asked.
“Please do,” Matt said. He looked in the rear-view mirror at her daughter. “You okay with that?”
Murder in the Second Pew: A Pastor Matt Hayden Mystery Page 19