The Family Tree Murders

by Laura Hern

  “Doug is a part-time body driver, so I asked him if he could remember being on call for these two death pickups,” Mary said. “Turns out he was. He and Chuck Austin transported both bodies.”

  “Wait… Ann’s boyfriend, Chuck?” Lainey asked with her senses tingling.

  “Yes, he drives part time, too.”

  “I’m no detective or anything, but the two brothers died just after we found out Doug was related to them. I was worried that Raymond might suspect Doug’s or my motives to get to know him if he found out Doug had been the body driver,” Mary continued. “Since Raymond wondered why no investigation had been done, I thought I would ask Chuck’s brother, Nathan, about it. He works as an assistant investigator for the coroner’s office.”

  Lainey’s mind was racing: half-brothers, body drivers, coroner’s assistants. This was quickly getting out of her area of expertise.

  “This Nathan Austin, could he legally tell you anything?” Lainey asked.

  “He said that nothing seemed suspicious and that no further investigations were necessary. Therefore, no autopsies were ordered. I was afraid of doing something illegal, so I took the jump drive and my information to the police station,” Mary frowned. “They listened but said there was no evidence of murder or foul play and could do nothing.”

  Lainey needed time to think. She was going to need help.

  “Mary, I have a few friends that might be able to help me. Would you mind if I share this information with them?” Lainey asked.

  “I guess so,” Mary paused. “Doug is a blood relative of the Sullivan’s and could possibly inherit some of their fortune. If someone is killing the Sullivan’s and finds out about Doug, he would be in danger. I’ll do whatever I have to to protect him.”

  “Great. Thank you, Mary. I can’t promise you anything. Do you mind if I talk to Doug?”

  “I thought you might say that,” Mary answered. Her voice sounded like someone being scolded. “Let me talk to him first. He thinks this is all nonsense.”

  The two stood up. “I’ll call you in a couple of days, all right Mary?” Lainey asked, giving her a hug.

  “Okay,” Mary said quietly.

  Lainey, watching Mary leave the coffee shop, sat back down and pulled out her phone. She typed a text to the Whoopee group. “Can we meet tomorrow for supper at my house? Need your help!”

  Chapter 4

  The aroma of homemade enchiladas and cinnamon sopapillas greeted Francy and Vera as they walked into Lainey’s kitchen the next evening.

  “Did you make your mom’s recipe, Lainey?” Francy asked as she opened the oven door to inspect the bubbly dish baking inside.

  “Sure did,” Lainey answered. “Got your favorite dessert, too!”

  Vera laughed and put a small tin filled with assorted chocolate covered nuts and pretzels on the counter.

  “I think you are wanting something, my dear.”

  Lainey smiled and winked. “It’s always better to ask for help on a full stomach, isn’t it?”

  The front door opened and in popped Della with her usual whoop, whoop, whoop. She sniffed the air.

  “Smells yummy! Let’s eat!” Della declared.

  After devouring the enchiladas and sopapillas, the ladies quickly cleared the table and Lainey brought out her laptop. Vera put the tin of nuts in the center of the table.

  “Thanks for coming over, guys,” Lainey began. “I need your help on something and it has to be kept confidential.”

  Vera, Francy, and Della looked at each other, then back at Lainey. “This seems serious,” Francy said. “What’s going on?”

  Lainey opened her notes and told them the entire story, including her meetings with Mary Chase. The group listened intently. When Lainey finished, Della was the first to speak shaking her head in disbelief.

  “This is bizarre, Lainey. Seriously? Murdering a family tree of people?”

  “I know it sounds crazy,” Lainey began. “But Mary believes it.”

  Francy thought for a moment before speaking. “I remember the police call about the fish house death. I was working that day. The entire department was buzzing about it being Harold Sullivan.”

  Vera, who had been very quiet, spoke up. “Doc used to treat little Harold. He would tell Doc stories about ice fishing with his dad, catching the big ones. He was such a nice young man.”

  “Della,” Lainey started, “You've done the DNA thing and gotten matches back. Is Mary right about how matches appear and who can see them?”

  “Each website or company has different kinds of reports, but yes, Mary is right. Matches appear based on how closely members already listed in the site’s database match your DNA.”

  “If I understand this, I could be a match to Mary but because I haven’t submitted my DNA to this site, the match would not show up. Correct?” Lainey restated to clarify.

  “I think that is correct,” Della confirmed.

  “Are you aware of the website Mary mentioned that law enforcement uses?” Lainey asked her.

  “There are several sites, and the one she told you is legitimate,” Della said. “Law enforcement could get DNA results from anyone who downloads their reports onto that site.”

  Vera looked a bit startled. “See, I told you! I’m not giving my DNA to anyone. Next thing you know, I’d be a suspect on that television program that looks for criminals or something!”

  The ladies laughed.

  “Mom, you have no worries. The speeding ticket you got back in the ‘60s doesn’t count anymore.” Francy chuckled.

  “It was a warning, Francy, not a ticket!” Vera said stubbornly.

  “Della, would you check out the Reynolds’ family tree online?” Lainey asked. “I want to see if you can find these birth or death records. Maybe you will find something Mary missed?”

  “I am a member on the same DNA site as Mary and if their tree is public, I should be able to search for it,” Della said excitedly.

  Suddenly Lainey realized that Francy had been intently studying the iPad notes screen.

  “What do you think, Francy?” Lainey asked.

  “Mary told you that a guy in the coroner’s office said no investigation or autopsy was ordered?”

  “That’s what she said. A guy named Nathan Austin, who happens to be Mary’s sister’s boyfriend’s brother,” Lainey said rolling her eyes. “How confusing is that chain of relationships?” She added with a shrug.

  “I worked with Ben Sargent for years in the police department,” Francy said as if she was thinking out loud. “He’s a Corporal now but everyone calls him Sarge. He would know details about both of these deaths. I’m not sure what he would tell us, but I think we need to pay him a visit.” She exclaimed.

  “I’m in!” Lainey answered.

  “I’ll call the station tomorrow and see if he has a little time,” Francy said. “Maybe we should meet him for coffee first to feel him out?”

  “Sounds great. Let’s meet at Babe’s if he can. They make the best mocha Frappuccino.” Lainey answered.

  After the group left, Lainey checked her emails and noticed one from Mary Chase saying Doug had reluctantly agreed to talk with her.

  She quickly replied to Mary. It was almost 11 p.m. and she fought the urge to call Doug right then.

  “I guess people do stop working to sleep,” she muttered to herself and made a note to call him first thing the next morning.

  Lainey woke up early to get a head start on the day, giving herself time to meet with Doug Reynolds if she could. Her morning quickly turned into hectic chaos as she dealt with client emails, phone calls, concerns, and changes in appointment dates.

  It was almost noon when she finally took a moment to breathe.

  “Gosh, everybody needs something, and they want it right now!” She said out loud, raising her arms above her head to stretch.

  I have to call Doug.

  She pulled up Mary’s email and dialed the phone number she had listed for him. The phone rang for what seemed an
eternity before an automated voice message gave the normal spiel that the person called is unavailable and to please leave a message. Lainey started to leave a message but heard the voice say that the mailbox was full and to try again later.

  “Gee whiz.” Lainey groaned. She dialed again and got the same message.

  Her afternoon was busy, and she was thankful when the local 6 p.m. news began. She tried calling Doug again. No luck.

  She walked into the kitchen, put down food for Powie, and opened the refrigerator. As she stared blankly at the shelves, her phone rang. It was Francy.

  “Sarge agreed to meet us,” Francy said. “He can meet tomorrow on his lunch break, about 11:30 or so. Can you make it?”

  Lainey checked her calendar. “I will be there. Meeting at Babe’s?”

  “Yes, unless he gets called away,” Francy replied. “He was a bit hesitant, so I’m not sure what, if anything, we might learn from him.”

  “At least he agreed to will meet with us,” Lainey said.

  “You know cops and free coffee. I might have promised him a sandwich, too.” Francy said sheepishly.

  “No problem. Thanks, Francy. See you tomorrow.” Lainey chuckled.

  The information lifted her spirits. She decided to make herself a spinach, turkey, olive, and goat cheese salad for supper.

  While she ate, her mind was flooded with questions she needed to ask Sarge: What did he know about the deaths? Did he happen to be on duty when they occurred? Would he get records of the coroner’s reports? Had he been the one who talked to Mary?

  She finished her salad and loaded the dishwasher. She put four Oreo cookies on a napkin and took a cold bottle of water out of the refrigerator. “Good thing Oreos make me think better,” she laughed to herself and sat down at her desk.

  She tried dialing Doug Reynolds once more. This time a man’s voice answered.

  “Yeah,” said the man.

  Startled, Lainey replied, “Hello! Is this Doug Reynolds?”

  “Yeah,” answered the man. “Who’s this?”

  “This is Lainey Maynard. Mary mentioned to you that I was going to call,” she said as she waited for his response.

  “Yeah, she talked to me.” There was an awkward pause. “You’re wasting your time if you believe her about murders being committed.” His voice was filled with frustration.

  “I realize you don’t believe Mary’s theory,” Lainey guardedly continued. “But I told her I would look into it to ease her mind.”

  “Ease her mind?” Doug gruffly replied. “Nothing will ease Mary’s mind. She needs to drop this idea. No one is killing the Sullivan’s.”

  Lainey knew she had to tread lightly or lose any chance of meeting with Doug. “I know you are very busy, but would you have a minute to meet with me? I’ll come to the farm if that is more convenient for you.”

  Again Doug paused. Too long a pause, Lainey thought. She added, “There are a couple of questions I have and only you have the answers to them. Would you please meet with me?”

  She could hear Doug sigh before he answered. “All right. Be here by 7 a.m. in the morning. I can talk to you then.”

  “Thank you! I’ll be there.”

  She put it in her calendar.

  Meeting with Doug early, then with Sarge at 11:30. Tomorrow should be an interesting day!

  She sent an email to her work that she’d be taking a vacation day the next day and went to bed with a thousand thoughts running through her mind.

  By 3:30 a.m. the next morning, Lainey was up, dressed and organizing her questions for Doug.

  As she drove to Doug’s farm, she turned the radio to classic bluegrass music and was singing along, sipping her normal morning beverage.

  The entrance to the farm had a tall, arched sign with the Reynolds’ name proudly displayed. It reminded her of an old western movie set. It was weather-worn and aged. She drove over the cattle guard and under the arch to follow the dirt road to the house.

  Lainey knocked on the screen door and waited for Doug to answer. A voice from inside said, “Come on in, it’s open.”

  She opened the door. Inside the smell of bacon and fresh bread made her stomach growl. She could see down the narrow hallway into the kitchen where Doug was standing at the sink.

  He looked at Lainey. “Make yourself at home. Breakfast is waiting.”

  She sat down at the small wooden table that was filled with plates of scrambled eggs, bacon, and fresh biscuits with gravy.

  “Oh, my, Doug,” Lainey said. “You didn’t have to make breakfast for me. It smells delicious.”

  “Was making breakfast for myself anyway, no trouble to make enough for two,” Doug said as he poured two glasses of water. “You can eat and talk at the same time, right?” he added, smiling.

  Lainey chuckled. “You bet.”

  Sure enough, breakfast tasted as good as it smelled.

  “Thank you, Doug, for meeting with me. I know you must have a lot of work to do.”

  Doug nodded. “What’s your question.”

  Not wanting to waste much time, Lainey cut to the chase.

  “Have you met with Raymond Sullivan or any of the Sullivan brothers?”

  Doug straightened his shoulders. “Mary told you that. Yeah, I met with Harold first, then Raymond, but I didn’t ask them for money if that’s what you’re getting at.”

  “No, I didn’t think that,” Lainey answered quickly. “What was their reaction to the news that you were their older half-brother?”

  “I didn’t believe these DNA results at first and neither did they. It was several weeks before any of us started to realize it was true.” He finished his water, setting the glass on the table. “Mary wasn’t the one who pushed me into meeting them. It was Ann’s idea.”

  Lainey was surprised. “Ann’s idea?”

  “Ann went to their office first, showed them the proof, and asked them to meet with me. I wasn’t a bit pleased about her going there, and I told her so.”

  Lainey’s mind was spinning. She spoke before she thought. “How did Ann get to the cities and their office? Does she drive?”

  She could see Doug tense up with the question about Ann.

  “No, Chuck drove her down.”

  “Chuck Austin, her boyfriend?”

  “Yeah.”

  Lainey was afraid to ask more questions about Ann. She needed to talk with Ann first hand.

  “Meeting two unknown half-brothers must have been awkward,” Lainey said, hoping to change the subject away from Ann.

  “It sure was,” Doug replied. “But in the end, they seemed to be nice guys.”

  “Were you in touch with them after that meeting?” Lainey said.

  “We are not going to be close buddies,” Doug started. “But we did talk a couple of times on the phone and agreed to meet occasionally or at holidays.”

  Doug stood up to carry dishes to the sink. Lainey knew her time with him was limited.

  “When Eugene and Harold died suddenly, I called to give my condolences, and haven’t spoken to Raymond since then,” he offered.

  “Oh,” Lainey said. “Mary mentioned you had a part-time job as a body driver and that she was hoping you might be able to drive for one of Sullivan’s turkey plant operations sometimes.”

  “Yeah, she thought I was going to ask for a job. I work hard and I wasn’t about to ask for a handout just because I was suddenly related to them,” he said defiantly. “That’s not who I am.”

  Lainey stood and began walking to the front door.

  “I understand. Thank you, Doug. I’ll let you get to work. If I have any more questions, can I call you?”

  “You can call, but I don’t usually answer till I’m through for the day. The best time to catch me is after 9 p.m.”

  Lainey shook Doug’s hand. “Thank you for a terrific breakfast and for talking with me. You take care.”

  Doug nodded. “You’re welcome.”

  As Lainey got back into her car, Doug was already out the door, wa
lking toward one of the three red barns beside the house.

  He’s a hard worker…and a really good cook. She smiled.

  Lainey stopped by her home and checked in with her work before getting ready to meet with Sarge and Francy at 11:30 a.m.

  She had a long list of questions for Sarge.

  I hope he will know these answers.

  As usual, Lainey arrived about fifteen minutes early, got a table, and waited for Francy and Ben Sargent.

  To her surprise, a tall, stocky-built officer opened the door and headed directly to Lainey’s table.

  Lainey stood up and put out her hand to greet him. “Hello, Officer Sargent,” she said.

  “Hello, Ms. Maynard,” the officer said as he shook her hand with a grip that could have easily crushed a bone.

  “How did you know to come to this table? Have we met before?” Lainey asked as they sat down.

  “No, Ma’am,” Sarge replied. “Francy showed me your picture.”

  Lainey nodded. Good old Francy. “Francy should be here any time.” Sarge smiled and nodded.

  As if on cue, Francy raced in the door talking a mile a minute.

  “Sorry if I’m late! Had to stop and put gas in the car! Seems it won’t go without it!”

  They laughed.

  “No worries Francy,” Lainey said. “Let’s order and talk while we wait. Okay?”

  Francy ordered her favorite--bacon, peanut butter hamburger with fries and Lainey, still full of breakfast, ordered the lite tuna and kale salad.

  “I’ll have the grilled walleye sandwich with horseradish and an extra side of red sauce. No fries,” Sarge said without looking at the menu.

  He must come here often.

  “May I call you Sarge?” Lainey asked.

  “Everyone calls me Sarge,” he smiled. “Francy mentioned you were an insurance investigator. What can I help you with?”

  Lainey began, “I’m not here with my job, officially, but a bit of personal investigation, if you will.” Francy frowned a bit.

  “Mary Chase asked Lainey to look into her idea that someone or some persons might be murdering relatives,” Francy said to hasten up the conversation. She glanced at Lainey.

  “Mary Chase?” Sarge asked. “A Mary Reynolds Chase?”