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

by Karen Vance Hammond

  As the couple headed out of the office, Sheriff Johnson shook their hands and closed the door behind them. Turning to John, he said, “Since we got these interviews done, and enough evidence to support the second arrest warrant, I’m going to go ahead and call Judge Taylor to see if I can meet him on my way home.”

  John furrowed his brow and replied, “You sure about that, Sheriff? You know how the judge is about his days off.”

  The sheriff chuckled and said, “I know how he is. Believe me. However, I need to get this done before the arraignment on Monday, and it might as well be today. I think he’ll understand.”

  “It’s your funeral,” John laughed. “Let me know how it goes. Maybe I can still meet up with Katy and help her pick out some china patterns or something.”

  Sheriff Johnson guffawed, “I think I’d rather go talk to the judge. You go right ahead.”

  John picked up his briefcase as he stood up and walked towards the door. “I don’t mind, actually. At least I know she’s picking it out because she’ll be my bride.”

  “I can understand that. I remember being young and in love. Go have fun,” the sheriff said as he walked back over to his chair to sit down. “Talk to you soon.”

  “All right, good luck then. Enjoy what’s left of your weekend,” John said as he waved back and headed out the door.

  * * * *

  At home in his living room, Judge Taylor was reclining in his comfortable leather chair while looking over some files. Surrounding him on either side were dark walnut end tables with various photos and knick-knacks depicting some of his favorite family memories. He was so deep in his thoughts that he didn’t hear his wife, June, walk in the room.

  “Honey, Sheriff Johnson is here to see you,” June said.

  The judge pried himself out of his chair and stood up as the sheriff came in.

  “Come on in and have a seat, Sheriff,” Judge Taylor said, reaching out to shake his hand.

  Sheriff Johnson reciprocated. “Hello, Your Honor. Thank you for meeting with me on your day off. I really hate to bother you. However, with Mother Superior’s arraignment scheduled for Monday, I wanted to get this taken care of beforehand.”

  The judge gestured for the sheriff to sit down and retook his seat. “It’s quite all right, Sheriff. I was just looking over some files, but I know that this case is very important. So, do you have enough to prove that Mother had motive to murder Tom Green?”

  “Absolutely, Sir. Do you recall that we had the recording of Timothy Fields’ counseling session with Mother Superior?”

  Judge Taylor nodded and answered, “Yes, I remember. Did you find of Tom Green’s sessions in her office?”

  “Yes, Sir. In addition to the tapes, John and I also re-interviewed both sets of parents, and found out a great deal about what happened.” the sheriff replied. “Apparently, Tom Green had a really bad attitude. He was even caught vandalizing the tombstones in the cemetery, as well as writing vulgarities about Mother Superior on a bunch of hymnals. The Greens had to replace the books, and have the damage repaired. Mother said she wouldn’t press charges if he did two months of counseling with her. In one of the recordings, there were some serious threats exchanged, and Mother was in a rage. It was quite strange to hear her act like that, especially with a student.”

  “Good find. Is there anything else I need to be aware of?”

  The sheriff smiled and replied, “We also have DNA evidence that directly ties her to the murder. Some of her hairs were found on the bricks stuffed in Tom Green’s backpack. The match was 99.8% accurate. The fact that there were bricks with her hairs in Tom Green’s backpack should be enough to indicate a possible homicide by itself. After our investigation, I am confident that Mother Superior had means, opportunity and motive to murder Tom Green. It’s a shame that it’s taken so long to find out the real cause of death.”

  Placing some reading glasses on the bridge of his nose, the judge asked, “So, I assume you have the warrant ready for me to sign?”

  “Of course, Your Honor,” Sheriff Johnson answered as he pulled out a folded warrant from his inside coat pocket. Handing it to the judge, he asked, “Are you satisfied enough to sign the warrant, Sir?”

  Taking the warrant, the judge set it down on the table, picked up a pen and signed it quickly. After removing his reading glasses, he handed the paper back to the sheriff.

  “I have to reiterate; you had better be right about these cases. I can’t imagine the fallout we’d face if Mother Superior isn’t the killer.”

  “Yes, Sir. You don’t have to explain your concern. Believe me; I have had similar issues with these cases. I was sure it would come back to haunt us all. We just haven’t uncovered any other suspects with solid evidence against them.”

  Judge Taylor stood up, extending his hand to Sheriff Johnson. “Well, that’s it then Sheriff. I need to get back to studying those other files again. Is there anything else?”

  Sheriff Johnson stood up and shook Judge Taylor’s hand. “No, Your Honor. Thank you again for meeting with me today. Enjoy your weekend and see you on Monday. I can let myself out.”

  The judge replied, “Thank you, Sheriff. Have a good day, and good luck with the cases.”

  Replacing the arrest warrant inside his inner coat pocket, Sheriff Johnson said, “Thanks, Your Honor.” He turned to wave as he walked out the door.

  * * * *

  After leaving the Sheriff’s office, John quickly picked up Katy from her house with a special surprise in mind. He even blindfolded her after she sat down in the passenger seat. Meandering down a curvy highway for a few miles, John finally reached his turn off. Pulling from the asphalt onto a private road, he drove down the bumpy gravel. Katy was immediately startled by the noise.

  “Where are we going, sweetheart?” she asked.

  John smiled and replied, “Patience, baby. It will be worth the wait.”

  “You know that isn’t one of my best traits,” Katy laughed.

  “I know. By the way, did you have a good time looking for patterns with Ellen?” he asked, trying to divert her attention.

  Katy smiled as she answered him. “You’re trying to change the subject. However, yes, we did find several that I liked. Maybe you can come look at them with me next weekend, like you promised.”

  “Hopefully, I won’t be busy working on this case then.”

  “You better not. I want some quality time with you too,” Katy pouted.

  John continued to drive until he pulled in to a parking lot at the end and parked. Looking around, he thought, Good! It isn’t crowded with people. Turning off the car, he put his keys in his coat pocket.

  “Are you ready for your surprise, baby?” he asked her.

  Katy smiled with her eyes still covered by a black blindfold. “Yes, already! I hate waiting for surprises. Can I take this thing off yet?”

  “Not yet! I’ll tell you when it’s time,” he said as he got out of the car and walked around. Opening her door, he took her hand and said, “Swing your legs out of the car. I’ll help you get up.”

  Katy swung her legs out and cautiously put her feet on the gravel. Feeling around the edge of the seat, she picked up her purse and put it on her shoulder. Holding John’s hand, she trusted him to help her out of the car.

  John slipped one arm around her waist as he held her by the hand and guided her to the sidewalk, where he stopped. “Are you ready?”

  “Have you heard a word I’ve said?” she laughed. “I’ve been ready since we got in the car.”

  “Well, then just stand there for a second,” he said as he stood behind her and removed the blindfold.

  As the black cloth was pulled away, Katy opened her eyes to see the lighthouse towering in front of her. “Oh, sweetheart! You are such a romantic. I love you so much!” She turned around and hugged John with complete joy. After kissing him tenderly, she smiled and grasped his hand. “Let’s go to the top!”

  Almost dragging John behind her, Katy hurried down the
sidewalk towards the lighthouse entrance. Pulling the door open, the couple found a small gift shop with an elderly woman sitting at a desk in the back corner.

  “May I help you?” the woman asked.

  “Can we still walk up to the lookout balcony?” Katy asked her. “We’re planning on getting married here in June.”

  “Hmmmm. We ll, as long as you be careful, I guess I can let you go.”

  Katy beamed as she replied, “Thank you, ma’am!”

  John laughed at her childlike excitement. “Lead the way, baby.”

  Katy tugged on his arm, as she led him towards the lighthouse door. Pulling the handle, they walked through the doorway to stand at the base of a long spiral staircase. The intimidating steps towered upward over 135 feet.

  “Ready?” John asked her.

  “Of course, I am, sweetheart,” she replied as she began climbing the long series of stairs.

  One by one, the couple managed to conquer each step until they reached the top landing.

  Catching his breath, John said, “Finally! That’s a lot of stairs. You sure you want to get married up here?”

  “I don’t want to get married on the balcony, Silly. No one would hear what we’re saying. I want to have the wedding in the cottage garden, and then we can have some great pictures taken with us on the balcony.”

  Sighing in relief, John replied, “That sounds much better!”

  Katy laughed as she opened the door and stepped out onto the balcony walkway. Immediately, the wind swept around them, catching them off-guard.

  “Hold onto the rail, Katy,” John cautioned her.

  Grasping the rail, Katy stood and gazed out across the bay. “This is the most amazing view. I never get tired of seeing it.”

  “Well, I know the view I never get tired of seeing,” John replied, reaching around from behind, and wrapping his arms around her entire waist. Leaning down he kissed her lightly on the neck and said, “I love you, baby. I know I’ve been really busy with this murder case. Thank you for understanding and supporting me. It means a lot to me to have you on my side.”

  Katy nuzzled up against his face and replied, “I love being with you, sweetheart. You’re my life. With your career doing so well, everything seems to be finally falling in to place.”

  Resting his chin on Katy’s shoulder, he gazed out over the water and slightly smiled. “I agree that everything is coming along perfectly.”

  PART 6:

  HOPE SHATTERED

  CHAPTER 47

  Tapping his index finger on the metal table, Charles Posey looked at his watch as he waited patiently in the gloomy surroundings. He thought to himself, Come on, guard! It’s 2 p.m., and I’ve got a lot to talk about with Mother Superior. Too bad I have to work on a Saturday though. I really hate working on my day off, but time is ticking.

  Without warning, the door of the interrogation room opened. Adjusting his red bow tie, Mr. Posey stood to his feet. Escorted by a female guard, Mother Superior looked frail as she walked in, dressed in bright orange prison garb. Her once beautiful salt-and-pepper hair now looked limp and lifeless. Dark circles lined her eyes, evidence of lack of sleep and worry over the events of several days. A air of helplessness surrounded her as she stood silently beside the guard.

  Charles was saddened by her appearance, as she was once a respected and vibrant, God-fearing woman of the cloth. In spite of the woman he saw before him, he remembered her as the saintly matron of the monastery who would always take care of those in need. Though her methods may have been rather strict and old-fashioned in many people’s opinions, he knew that her heart had always been in the right place.

  Charles quickly pulled up out the metal chair, “Here. Why don’t you have a seat, Mother? Can I get you something to drink?”

  Mother Superior sat down across from her lawyer, a shadow of her former self. Her voice cracked as she said, “A cup of coffee would be nice, please.”

  He immediately poured coffee from a nearby pitcher into a Styrofoam cup and handed it to her. “Sugar or creamer?”

  “No, thank you. I drink it black.” Mother Superior’s hands shook slightly as she held the rim close to her dry lips. The coffee tasted so good as the warm liquid slid down her throat. After taking several sips, she set the cup down on the table and held it between her hands.

  Sitting back down, Charles commented, “I’m sure you have a bunch of questions.”

  “Yes, Mr. Posey. I don’t understand how they can arrest me for something I didn’t do.”

  “I’ll explain it more later, but basically they say they have enough evidence to get a second arrest warrant; this time for Tom Green’s murder. In addition, they say they have DNA evidence, autopsy and audio evidence to back it up. As I mentioned last time, they need to have the means, motive, and opportunity in order to show you could have committed those horrible murders. I don’t know if their evidence is strong enough or not, but it sounds pretty solid. By studying what evidence they have, I understand why they think they have a case against you. That way I’ll know what the best defense will be.”

  “I already told you I didn’t commit those murders!”

  “I requested copies of the counseling session before I leave. I’ll tell you more once I hear them myself, but this is what I was told. A file folder was found in your office with a bunch of reports you had saved. It also had recordings of counseling sessions you had with Tom Green, in addition to the other ones they had already found with Timothy Fields. One was recorded after you confronted Tom about vandalizing the tombstones at the cemetery. Do you remember that session?”

  “That was almost a year ago. I don’t see what relevance it has. Tom Green did a lot of damage to the tombstones including knocking over Father Barnhill’s, I might add. If that wasn’t enough, he absolutely humiliated me by drawing filthy pictures in our hymnals and prayer books. He even used permanent marker to write in a bunch of perverted drawings with my name by them. After I found out about it, I worked everything out with Tom Green’s parents. It’s my goal to educate and influence positive and productive graduates. However, I would have never killed him over that!”

  Mother continued, “So that I would not press charges, his parents agreed to make him attend counseling sessions with me for two months. He also had to repair any damage he had done, and his parents even replaced the books that had been destroyed. In our sessions, I told Tom that he needed to obey the rules to make him a better citizen in life. I spent many sessions with him, trying to make him see what he needed to do to change his life. How can this be a bad thing? I don’t understand.”

  Charles looked directly in her eyes. “The district attorney says that all of the damage Tom Green did to the monastery property could have been the motive for you to kill him. Apparently, that was what they found on those tapes. They found Tom Green’s backpack in the pond, and it was filled with bricks. Plus, they found hairs in Tom’s backpack and tangled in the rope used in Timothy Fields’ murder.”

  He continued, “They told me those hairs match your samples almost perfectly. Basically, they have directly linked you to both Tom and Timmy’s murders. That has all been proven by forensics, so give me something to help you out of this mess!”

  Mother raised her voice, “How can I help you, when I did not kill Tom or Timmy! I did not murder either one of those young men! And, I will go to my grave saying that! I don’t recall saying anything in those sessions that would tie me to the murders. I just don’t see the connection.”

  Mother Superior Mary Ellen’s cheeks streamed with tears as she reiterated, “I swear, as God is my witness, I did not kill those boys! Why won’t anybody believe me?” Lowering her head on the table, she sobbed.

  Feeling sympathy for his client, Charles grabbed a tissue and handed it to her.

  Mother Superior looked up at her attorney, “You believe me? Right, Mr. Posey?”

  Without saying a word, Charles nodded as he leaned forward. Pausing, he asked, “I need to know right now.
Is there anything else that you can tell me that would clear your name?” Leaning back in his chair, he crossed his arms. “The evidence is really stacking up against you. Is there anyone who would have any serious grudge against you?”

  Mother Superior sighed deeply and replied, “I’m sure I have a few students that haven’t liked me very much, but I can’t think of anyone who would want to harm me. My job at the school and monastery is to nurture and teach. I’m not a killer. I would burn in Hell for that. In fact, I feel like I’m already in Hell.”

  Once again, Charles leaned forward and looked directly at Mother Superior. “They will probably want you to consider a plea bargain. If you do that, then your time could be lessened considerably. Maine does not have a death penalty, so if you consider a plea bargain—”

  Mother Superior immediately interrupted him. “I am not going to plea to anything! Plus, at my age it would still be for the rest of my life, so why not fight? I did not kill Timothy Fields, and I did not kill Tom Green. Period! I was framed! Someone is doing this to me! Don’t you see that, Mr. Posey?!”

  Charles stared into her inflamed eyes. “If you won’t sign a plea agreement, then I only have one way to try to beat this — reasonable doubt. And, I have to be honest with you, Mother. It’s going to be like looking for a specific needle in a stack of needles to find something to get you off of these charges. Which of the nuns would vouch for your character and innocence?”

  “I’ve lived in that building twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week for years. I hardly ever get out if it’s not related to church activities. Of course, any of my sisters would vouch for me, I’m sure. They’ve know where I was almost every moment of each day. They know I would not do anything to harm those boys.”

  Feeling at a loss for words, Mr. Posey scratched his head as he thought to himself; I’ve got to figure out a way to give her some hope. “Is there anything else you can think of that may help your case?”

  Charles continued, “The only thing that we have to stand on right now is the fact that you have served in the Catholic faith for over forty years. That is the one thing that is going to give us some hope of influencing the jury. The problem is that it isn’t good enough to counteract two murder charges. I believe you’re telling me the truth,” he said with determination, “but what worries me is there is so much evidence against you. We’ve got to find something else that can clear your name on this, or at least put enough doubt in the jury’s mind that you won’t be convicted.”