Secrets in the Shallows (Book 1: The Monastery Murders)

by Karen Vance Hammond

  He continued, “The only difficulty I was having was the fact that even if we prove Tom was murdered, there wasn’t any motive to directly tie her to his homicide; there are only similar circumstances. That was at least until yesterday...” Elaborating, he said, “I was almost ready to leave for the day when I had a call from Lisa Tucker … Timmy’s girlfriend.”

  “Oh, what did she say?” John asked, leaning towards the sheriff.

  Sheriff Johnson replied, “She told me that Tom came over to Timmy’s house bragging. She said he had knocked over some tombstones at the cemetery, and drew dirty pictures of the nuns in some of the hymnals and such in the monastery. I had Deputy Williams go back to the monastery yesterday, to see if he could find anything in her files.”

  Reaching for the manila file folder, Sheriff Johnson held it up and continued, “He found this folder with two cassette tapes of counseling sessions Mother had with Tom Green. Two months of counseling sessions were part of the requirements by Mother Superior after the violations. The parents still had to pay for damages too. It was so that she wouldn’t press charges against Tom for the vandalism he did at the monastery. I’m not sure if there are more tapes, but we have these. One of them seems rather important to the case. John, I have to ask you a question?”

  John took a sip of this hot coffee. “What is it, Sheriff?”

  “Will you have everything ready for Mother’s arraignment and bond hearing on Monday?”

  “Of course, Sheriff. That’s one reason I took Katy to the office. Her paralegal skills really come in handy when I’ve got a lot to do, or if I need to be in court. She’s beautiful and smart,” he chuckled.

  I would agree, Peter thought while visualizing Katy standing at the funeral in the black full-length, wool coat she was wearing. “She is a catch, Counselor. I admit I’m a bit envious.”

  John furrowed his brow a little at hearing Peter’s comment. Trying to prevent his jealousy from coming out, he scooted forward to the edge of his seat, and reached for another doughnut. “You said that the tapes help understand the motive for Tom Green’s death, right?”

  “Yes, one of them seems to be very helpful; especially with the information I got from Lisa. This morning, I had Tech burn these CDs. for you.” Handing one to John and the other to Peter, he added, “We will listen to them, so you can understand why they are so important.”

  John took a sip of his hot coffee and replied, “Sure, let’s hear it.”

  Sheriff Johnson reached over and pressed the play button as John listened intently while the session began.

  Mother Superior’s voice began, “Is your chair comfortable, Tom?”

  “Yes, Mother.”

  “Now, young man, I want to talk about what you did.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Tom, I had a very reliable source tell me that they saw you destroy some of the tombstones. They also said you wrote filthy messages and drawings in the books and hymnals for others to see.”

  Sheriff Johnson and John could hear someone pick up a book.

  Mother continued, “Why did you do that, Tom? What has gotten into you?”

  Only silence remained for a few seconds.

  “Why aren’t you answering me, Tom Green?” she asked.

  The sheriff, John and Peter heard anger in Mother Superior’s voice as she commanded, “Answer me, Tom. Don’t just sit there with a smirk on your face. Answer me right now! Why are you giggling at me, with that disgusting look on your face?”

  John and Sheriff Johnson locked eyes as they heard a sinister laugh coming from Tom on the recording.

  “I hate you, Mother. I hate all of you. And if you don’t think what I wrote is bad in the prayer and hymnal books, you just wait, Mother. You haven’t seen anything yet.”

  “Don’t you threaten me, young man, or I’ll—”

  “You’ll do what, Mother? What are you going to do to me? You can’t touch me.”

  “I’m going to talk to your parents about replacing those books. PLUS, I want you to attend counseling sessions with me for at least two months, or I’m going to press charges on you for property damage. Now, what do you think about that?”

  “I don’t give a crap what you do to me. I am going to smear your name all over this God forsaken town. Nobody will want to come to your school. You’re not a godly woman. You’re the Devil!”

  “That is absolutely not true, Tom. And, I’m sure your parents will have something to say about your behavior.”

  “You blame me for everything! And you give me the nastiest and hardest chores to do, even when I haven’t done anything wrong. So, I wanted to show you a lesson for once! I wanted to show you how it feels to be picked on!”

  “Tom, first of all, I don’t pick on you more than I do anyone else. My job to this town is to teach and train responsible, respectable students. I will not condone what you have done. You need to make better choices and to think about what you have done. If you don’t replace every book you’ve ruined, and repair the other damages within thirty days, your punishment will be more severe, young man!”

  “What are you gonna’ do, old lady? I’m not afraid of you, Mother. You don’t have the guts.”

  “I’m going to put the worst punishment on you. You will regret being such a destructive boy!”

  On the recording, Sheriff Johnson and John heard a chair toppling onto the floor.

  “You stupid nuns can have your Heaven. I’m already in Hell!”

  “Wait! Where are you going, Tom?” Mother Superior yelled, followed by the sound of a door slamming loudly.

  “Tom Green, you need to pay for your sins! I have a plan of my own, young man. You think you got back at me? Well, I’m going to get back to you!”

  With that statement, Sheriff Johnson, John and Peter jerked their heads up at once and looked at each other.

  John exclaimed, “Wow!”

  Sheriff Johnson stopped the CD and looked over at John, smiling.

  John said, “Great job, Sheriff! That’s exactly what we needed!”

  “I thought you would be happy about this. It backs up what Timmy’s girlfriend told me about last night, and ties a lot of things together. Tom was a problem and had to be dealt with; and Timmy happened to see her murder him. It all makes sense now. Oh, and the date on that tape was only about two months before Tom’s body was discovered. Coincidence? I think not.”

  John replied, “I agree with you, Sheriff. Do you think it’s enough to get the other arrest warrant?”

  “With all of the DNA evidence, the rope, backpack, recovered evidence from her desk, and the autopsy reports, not to mention the witnesses and tapes to back them up, we have a lot to support the case against her. I think we have plenty to get the second arrest warrant signed by the judge. I’m going to go ahead and have Williams write his evidence report, so I can get the official complaint filed and move forward with it.”

  Turning to John, the sheriff asked, “Can you get started on your part of the paperwork right away, so we may be able to get it signed as soon as possible? It would be nice to get the judge to spare a few moments over the weekend, so it will be all taken care of before the arraignment.”

  Glancing at his watch, John replied, “I’m trying to get interviews setup with the Greens and the Fields couples. We need to discuss the circumstances of both Timmy’s and Tom’s deaths in more detail, especially concerning the vandalism instances at the monastery. I’ll let you know when I get something setup. However, to answer your question, I should have enough time to take care of what I need to, Sheriff.”

  “That’s good. Thank you, John. I want to get this case underway.”

  “I’m anxious to have it taken care of too, Sheriff,” John smiled. “You said there were two cassettes that were found? Are they both on the CD we have?”

  “Yes, the CDs have both sessions on them. We still have one more to listen to now. I haven’t had time to listen to it yet with everything going on. Had to appease the wife la
st night, if you know what I mean?” Sheriff Johnson said, chuckling.

  “I understand completely. Well, let’s listen to it. Maybe this will help even more,” John replied.

  Sheriff Johnson nodded and grabbed a doughnut.

  “Ready for the next one, whenever you are.” John sipped his coffee and took a bite out of his doughnut.

  “Okay. This recording was from before the punishment sessions began, and about 3 months before the last one we heard. Let’s see what else she may be hiding,” the sheriff said as he pushed play again.

  “Why don’t you come in and have a seat, Tom? How are you doing today?”

  “I’m fine, Mother. A lot better than I was.”

  “That’s wonderful to hear, Tom. I’m glad to hear that things are going better at home. There’s a big world out there, Thomas. I want you to be ready for it with open arms, and ready to take on the challenges that you may face.”

  “Yes, Mother.”

  There was a long pause before Mother Superior said, “You-who!? Tom, where are you? You seem like you’re a thousand miles away.”

  “I’m right here, Mother.”

  John sat back comfortably on the sofa, and looked up at the ceiling as he began counting the tiles. His interest in the recording seemed less than enthusiastic. Sheriff Johnson looked over at him and noticed his complacency.

  “My father isn’t so bad anymore. He hasn’t been as angry lately.”

  “My dear child, I’m glad you asked to speak with me. What was bothering you so much that you wanted to meet?”

  “I’ve been doing a lot better at home. My mother even paid me to clean out her closet.”

  “Oh, that’s wonderful, Tom. So, what is on your mind then, dear?”

  “While I was cleaning it out, I found an old newspaper. It was yellow and frayed at the edges. The newspaper was dated from about ten years ago. I thought that was kind of cool. However, what caught my attention was the caption on the front of the newspaper. It made me very sad; almost to the point of bringing tears to my eyes, and I don’t cry much. My father always told me, ‘Be a man. Don’t cry, or show your feelings. Only Sissies do that!’”

  “What did the caption say, my child?”

  “It said that authorities were searching for a missing boy. You know, Mother? I would be heartbroken to lose somebody so close to me like that. I brought the newspaper with me.”

  A zipper could be heard, followed by the rustling of paper. Sheriff Johnson imagined the young man handing it over to Mother.

  He said, “See?”

  Sheriff Johnson stared at John, who seemed lost in his own world.

  More paper crinkled in the background as Mother Superior replied, “What you feel is perfectly normal, Tom. It would be devastating to lose anyone close to you. What about a mother, father, or even a cousin? However, what is even worse is when a parent loses a child. I can imagine how devastated they would feel if they lost you somehow.”

  “My mom once told me she wouldn’t be able to live anymore.”

  “I don’t even want to think about that, Tom.”

  “Mother, do you remember when that happened to the boy?”

  “As a matter of fact, I do. The town was completely devastated. They never found the boy.”

  “Never?”

  “No, they didn’t. The case was eventually closed, and I don’t think they found out what happened to him. Who knows? In this Maine weather, anything could have happened. However, he was never found, as far as I know. Here’s your newspaper back, Tom.”

  More papers rustled loudly in the background.

  “That is so sad.”

  “Yes, it is, Tom. I have another session coming up soon. Is there anything else that you would like to talk about before we’re done today?”

  “Nope. I have a biology class in a few minutes. I don’t want to be late. We have a major test.”

  “Tom, I understand you want to become a doctor one day. I think that’s wonderful. I’ll help you anyway I can to make your dream happen.”

  “Thank you, Mother Superior.”

  “You are quite welcome. Now, you go make an ‘A.’”

  Sheriff Johnson stopped the CD and looked at John, still staring in to space. The sheriff asked him, “John, are you okay?”

  John did not budge, so Sheriff Johnson repeated even louder, “John?”

  John jerked as he heard Sheriff Johnson’s voice and came out of his daze. Rubbing his mouth, he looked over at Sheriff Johnson and replied, “Yeah ... Yeah ... I’m fine! I was just thinking about the other session.”

  The sheriff leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his midsection and said, “I don’t think the second recording we heard seems relevant to the murders, but the first one obviously does. Agreed?”

  Sitting up, John rubbed his hands together. He grimaced as he took a sip of lukewarm coffee. “Ugh … My coffee’s cold now. I don’t think the second one has any bearing. The first recording we heard is what we need to show Mother’s motive.”

  Sheriff Johnson removed the CD from the player and said, “I had Deputy Williams copy all of the files on the vandalism reports too. I’ll get you copies before you leave here. I’m going to go over those reports with a fine-toothed comb, today. I’ll let you know if I find anything new.”

  John stood to his feet and threw the Styrofoam cup in the trash. “That sounds good, Sheriff. I’ll study that CD in depth when I get to my office. I’m so glad Williams found those tapes. They’re going to help a lot.”

  “If she had a couple of months of sessions, I wonder where the other tapes are?” the sheriff commented.

  “There is no telling where they could be. We’ll have to ask Mother Superior about them, if we can get it out of her,” John replied.

  “We’ll just have to wait and see. Give me just a moment so we can get this report started and your copies made,” Sheriff Johnson said, picking up his phone. “Hello, Deputy Williams. I need you to come to my office so we can take care of getting this report filed. Also, I need you to get a set of copies of all the reports for the D.A. and Dr. Balkan. Can you meet us in my office right away?”

  From the other end of the line, Deputy Williams responded, “I’ll be right there, sir.”

  “Thank you, Deputy,” the sheriff said, hanging up the phone.

  Sheriff Johnson leaned back in his chair, opening the file to study the reports more. “That old case sounds pretty interesting. I need to remember to check into it when I have some free time. If I ever get any of that,” he chuckled.

  “I remember when it all happened. I was only a teenager, but I still recall how the entire town talked about it for months,” John replied.

  “I hate leaving cases unsolved, even if they are cold ones,” Sheriff Johnson smiled. “That is one of my goals to accomplish before I retire. I’d even say it’s my number one goal.”

  John commented, “Unfortunately, it’s an old case, Sheriff. Most of the people have moved somewhere else, or are probably dead.”

  The sheriff smiled at John and said, “Even old, unsolved cases are important. I will check into it.”

  Just then, a light rapping on the door could be heard.

  “Come on in,” the sheriff responded.

  Deputy Williams walked in. “You sent for me, sir?”

  “Deputy, you found the evidence, so I need you to finish up your report quickly.”

  Deputy Williams smiled and replied, “The one for the evidence I collected at the monastery?”

  “Exactly! I need you to finish the report so we can get it filed and use it to submit an official complaint. We have enough evidence to finally arrest Mother Superior for the homicide of Tom Green.”

  Williams looked completely surprised. “It’s so hard to believe, sir.”

  The sheriff pulled out the CD from the disk tray and put it in a paper sleeve. Handing it to the deputy, he stated, “All the evidence points to her, and now we have the tapes to back up the motive. I need you to
listen to these counseling sessions. You never know what you see or hear that could break a case wide open. You didn’t happen to see any other tapes that may have fallen out of the file, did you?”

  “Yes, sir. I’ll get my reports done, and listen to them before I leave today,” Williams replied, looking at the CD. “No, I did not see any other session tapes.”

  “I would like to try to find them, if they are still around.”

  The deputy nodded and then asked, “Do you need anything else before I get started, sir?”

  “No, Williams. You are free to take care of that. Try to have those report copies back right away. I’m sure the counselor and doctor have better things to do than sit around and chat with me.”

  “I’ll be right back, Sheriff,” Deputy Williams smiled as he walked out the door.

  Sheriff Johnson looked at John and Peter and said, “Well, unless you have something to add, I guess that’s all we need for now; at least, once he brings those copies back.”

  “Well, I’m going to take advantage of this last doughnut, if no one else wants it,” Peter grinned.

  “Help yourself, Doc. I’ve cheated on my diet enough for one day,” the sheriff chuckled.

  CHAPTER 45

  Late in the afternoon in the interrogation room at the Wattsville Sheriff’s Department, Mother Superior and her lawyer, Charles Posey, looked across the table at the Sheriff Johnson. Standing behind him in the corner, Deputy Williams watched silently.

  Sheriff Johnson sat back in his chair, “Do you ever spend time counseling the students? Maybe give them advice or talk about their troubles?”

  Charles Posey leaned over and whispered in Mother Superior’s ear, “Mother, you have the right to remain silent for any question if you wish. I’ll let you decide.”

  Mother nodded and whispered, “Thank you, Mr. Posey.” Turning to the sheriff, she answered him, “Sometimes, I do.”

  The sheriff crossed his arms and asked, “Did you ever have a counseling session with Timothy Fields when he was a student at the Catholic school?”