Murder in the Church

by Robert Ladd

CHAPTER TWO

  The news of Charlie Young’s murder spread like wildfire across town. Within hours it was on the tip of every wagging tongue in Holly Springs.

  “I heard he was stabbed.”

  “I heard he was shot.”

  “I heard he was shot and stabbed!”

  “Where?”

  “In the heart!”

  “No, in the head!”

  “Was he robbed?”

  “Oh, absolutely! Charlie always carried lots of cash!”

  “Where was he killed at the church?”

  “In the office.”

  “In the parking lot.”

  “At the altar!”

  “Altar? I bet he was praying! Probably begging for his life, poor man.”

  On and on and on flew the whispers, rumors and gossip. Most details of the affair were exaggerated or at least misinformed, but that didn’t deter the speculation. Facts seldom get in the way of a good story. Especially when the story involves murder. The one thing they got right however was this: someone killed Charlie Young. Which meant this: a killer was walking the streets of Holly Springs; and quite likely a killer everyone knew.

  By noon, Chief Brady had moved the body of Charlie Young to the morgue, searched the church office for additional clues, and notified the next-of-kin. There was only one investigative task remaining.

  “Afternoon, Dani,” Brady said as he entered Rainy Day Books.

  Dani Birch sat behind the counter, glasses perched on the end of her nose, reading. She was in her late-forties, with auburn hair and intelligent hazel-flecked eyes. “Chief,” she said with a warm smile. “I’ll bet you’ve had quite a day so far, haven’t you?”

  Brady returned the smile. “Heard something, have you?”

  “A little bit.” she replied then shook her head with sadness. “Hard to believe though. Why would anyone want to kill Charlie Young?”

  “Sixty-four dollar question,” Brady answered. “You talked to your cousin Stella-June yet?”

  Dani nodded. “You know Stella.”

  “She tell you about the envelope?”

  Again the nod. “She said something about a book for Charlie?”

  Brady retrieved the evidence bag, arranged the envelope so that it could be read then showed it to Dani. “What do you make of this?”

  She read the words aloud. “Pick up C’s book HCC at Rainy Day.” She thought a moment. “Well, I’m sure this is a reference to my bookstore. I presume C stands for Charlie, but HCC?” She paused another moment, thinking. “I have no clue what that means.”

  “So, you weren’t holding a book for Charlie?”

  “No. In fact, I can’t recall the last time he was here. Was there anything in the envelope that might help?”

  Brady stared at the evidence bag for a moment, considering his options. How much could he share with someone outside law enforcement? Was it ethical? Was it legal? More importantly was it necessary? On the other hand, what harm could it do? Dani Birch was one of the smartest women Brady knew. Actually, all it came down to was trust. Could he trust Dani with information no one but he and the Coroner possessed?

  Dani saw Brady’s wheels turning. “If it’s something you’re not comfortable sharing,” she said, “then don’t.”

  Which was all Brady really needed to hear. A rule he’d learned in thirty years of law enforcement was never trust someone who is too anxious to get involved. The person who respects confidentiality is typically trustworthy.

  Brady carefully removed the photo, showed it to Dani for a moment then flipped it over. She read the inscription aloud. “Hear it not, Charlie; for it is a knell. That summons thee to heaven or to hell”

  “Any idea what that means?” Brady asked.

  “It’s a famous line from Shakespeare’s MacBeth,” Dani said. “Except the original words were Hear it not, Duncan; for it is a knell.”

  “What’s it mean?”

  Dani paused a moment as she recalled the story line. “In the play, immediately after MacBeth murders his brother Duncan, a midnight bell rings. MacBeth tells the reader his brother won’t hear it because he’s dead.”

  Brady shook his head with amazement. “Why would you remember something like that? You got Shakespeare memorized?”

  Dani made a sweeping gesture across the store. “Books,” she said modestly. “It’s what I do. I read a lot of books.”

  Brady nodded. “So how does MacBeth kill this Duncan?”

  “He stabbed him with a knife.”

  Dani and Brady stared at each other for a moment before the other shoe fell.

  “Oh, my goodness,” Dani said. “That’s how Charlie Young died, wasn’t it? With a knife.”

  Brady said nothing, he merely nodded.

  “Do you think the killer sent the photo as a warning?” Dani asked.

  Brady shook his head. “I think the killer sent it as an announcement. Here’s what’s going to happen.”

  Dani looked back to the photo. “Do you know of anyone else who’s received one of these?”

  “No, not that I’m aware of. Why?”

  A worry line creased her brow. “I don’t know, it’s just that it seems familiar. A killer sending his victims their own photos before he murders them. I’ve heard of someone doing this before. I just can’t remember where.”

  “Newspaper?” Brady suggested. “Internet? Movie?”

  She shook her head. “No, in a book. A book I read years ago.”

  And then it clicked!

  “Got it,” Dani said as she spun on her heel and hurried to the book shelf labeled Literature. She scanned the shelves a moment then removed a thin hardbound volume entitled Music for Chameleons. “The C on the envelope doesn’t stand for Charlie,” she said as she flipped through several pages. “It stands for Capote. It was Truman Capote’s book Charlie intended to pick up.”

  Brady watched with growing interest.

  Dani quickly ran her finger down the Contents page of the book, stopped then flipped the book over so that Brady could read it. Part II listed an essay entitled: Handcarved Coffins, with the subtitle A Nonfiction Account of an American Crime.

  Brady made a small clucking sound in the back of his throat. “Well, I’ll be darned. That’s what the HCC stands for: Handcarved Coffins. So what’s it about?”

  Dani explained, “It’s the true story of a serial killer who sent his victims a handcarved coffin with their photo in it before he murdered them.”

  Brady looked back to inscription written on Charlie Young’s photo. “Kind of like an announcement, huh? Here’s what’s going to happen.”

  “It’s just a theory,” Dani offered. “But it helps explain the writing on the photo and why Charlie wanted a copy of the book.”

  Pieces of the puzzle fell into place as Brady asked, “Why was the guy in the book killing people?”

  “Revenge,” Dani replied. “Revenge for something each victim had done.”

  Brady leafed through the pages of the story. “How many people did he kill?

  “Several. Four I think.”

  “How’d they catch him?”

  The room was silent for a long moment then Dani said, “They didn’t. It’s an unsolved case.”

  Those words hung in the air for a moment.

  “Think I can get this book from the library?” Brady asked. “I’d like to read it.”

  “Take that one, Chief. It’s on the house.”

  Brady nodded his thanks then turned to leave. Midway out the door, he turned. “Listen, this information. This clue we came up with. You mind if we just keep it between the two of us? For now anyway?”

  “Of course,” Dani replied. “Good luck, Chief.”

  Brady attempted a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Thanks. Something tells me I’m going to need it with this one.”