Good grief. I can’t believe it. Who would have ever thought? I’m stunned and feel sick to my stomach. Amber? Never in a million years would I have suspected that of Amber. I hope this diary is locked up permanently. It would kill Ginger and Bob if they read it. In some ways, I wish I’d never found it.
She let Rebel out, watching him as Mike had suggested. “Come on, boy, time for bed.” He ran into the house, down the hall, and curled up in his dog bed at the foot of her bed. She turned the lights out and followed him to her bedroom.
CHAPTER 11
Kelly knew there were going to be a lot of people attending Amber’s funeral, but even she was surprised by the number of cars that filled the church parking lot and overflowed onto the nearby streets. She had to park three blocks away and felt lucky to find an open spot. It was a somber occasion and no one was smiling as Amber’s friends and family entered the church. She signed the guest register, took the offered memorial prayer card, and entered the sanctuary. Extra chairs had been provided and placed in every available open space. Kelly sat at the rear of the church so she could leave early and hopefully, unnoticed. Ginger and Bob, along with Ginger’s sister, as well as the rest of the extended family, filled the first two rows, many of them openly weeping. She scanned the crowd for Madison who was also looking for her. She spotted Madison seated three rows in front of her, made eye contact with her, and nodded.
Good, we can both leave early and not attract attention.
She looked at the card she’d been given with the photo of Amber on it and the quote from Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” I don’t know if Father Brown or Bob and Ginger chose that, but it’s certainly appropriate.
She opened the card and read the short paragraph about Amber that was printed on the left side. The schedule for the service was printed on the right side. She’d been curious as to who would be speaking about Amber and mentally gave Brandon a lot of credit for agreeing to do it. It didn’t matter how old someone was, speaking at a funeral was not easy, and when the young woman you loved had been murdered, that had to be about as bad as it gets. The principal of the high school, the student body president, and Amber’s Girl Scout leader from years ago, were also listed as speakers. Looking around the church, it seemed that every student who attended the high school had come to the service. Even though there were no more seats, people continued to file into the church, standing wherever they could find space.
Kelly recognized Amber’s best friend, Lindsay Williams, as she walked up to the microphone. She began the service by singing the 23rd Psalm, “The Lord’s My Shepherd I’ll Not Want” hymn. Kelly wiped away the tears that started sliding down her cheeks with a tissue she’d brought just for that purpose. From the sounds of sniffles and quiet crying that filled the church, she wasn’t the only one with a tear in her eye.
Father Brown walked to the podium of the Catholic Church dressed in his usual white alb. A large bay window overlooking the ocean was behind him, creating a peaceful scene. He was a rather short man and could barely see over the podium. His substantial girth made it hard for him to get close enough to the podium to read his written notes. A brown fringed short beard and shaggy bangs gave him a perennial hangdog look which only made him seem all the more accessible to helping people with their real and perceived sins. He was a priest who passionately cared about his flock and they loved him for it.
One of the things that most endeared him to his parishioners was his willingness to skirt the edges of church conformity when he felt it was necessary or appropriate. Ginger and Bob had asked him if he would make the service a little more personal given the nature of the crime and the age of their daughter. He agreed with the stipulation that the traditional funeral Mass be offered. The three of them decided to have a very simple service consisting of songs, the Lord’s Prayer, Mass, and a few people speaking about their remembrances of Amber.
He began, “We gather together today to support the family of Amber Cook and to pray for her and celebrate her ascension into heaven. She was taken from us at far too young an age. I don’t think we need to dwell on the tragedy of her death. I hope we can all find forgiveness in our hearts for whoever took her from us. It is not us he or she will have to answer to, it is God. We can take refuge in knowing that Amber believed in God and has entered the Kingdom of Heaven, a bright shining new angel who is probably smiling down at us this very moment.
“Dealing with death is never easy for those of us who are left behind, but today we must be joyful knowing that Amber has gone home to be with her Lord. I’ve known Amber since she was born and I know of her deep faith. She would be the first to tell us to rejoice, that she is safe in the loving arms of the Lord. We all knew that someday she would be with the Lord, it’s just that she’s there a little sooner than we thought she would be.”
“Ginger, Bob, we know you’re in pain, but please call on us to help you get through this. We are all part of God’s family and families help each other during tragedies and sad times. When you feel you can’t go on, lean on our shoulders. Tell us what you need and what we can do for you. You are loved by every person in this church.”
He went on to talk about his involvement with Amber from the time he had baptized her, given her First Communion, her involvement with the church youth group, and her activities in school and the community. Whenever Kelly attended a funeral service, she had the thought that these words, these accolades, should be said before people died, so they could hear the wonderful things people had to say about them. Then again maybe they could hear them.
Father Brown ended his informal remarks by asking everyone to stand, take the hand of the person next to them, and recite the Lord’s Prayer. “Our Father, who art in heaven…” The words, spoken in unison, filled the church and could be heard as far out as the parking lot.
“Please be seated,” Father Brown said, holding up his hands. “In accordance with the prescribed rites of the Catholic Church’s funeral service, I will offer Mass this morning. When you come forward, if you are not Catholic or choose not to celebrate Mass, please cross your arms over your chest and I will give you a blessing. Following the completion of Mass, several people have been asked to speak about Amber. To conclude the service, we will sing Amazing Grace. You are all welcome to attend the Celebration of Life for Amber which is being held at Kelly’s Koffee Shop immediately after the service is completed. There are flyers with directions at the rear of the church.” After the Mass was completed Father Brown announced that the first speaker would be Brandon Black.
Kelly would have liked to hear what Brandon had to say, but knew she couldn’t stay any longer. She stood up and walked out the door. In a moment she heard Madison’s voice beside her. “Hi, Kelly. Wasn’t that beautiful? I don’t go to church, but after today, I think I will.”
As Kelly opened the door of her minivan for Madison, she patted Rebel on the head. He always stood looking out the car window in the direction he’d last seen her go until she returned. “Father Brown is a wonderful man. I’ve been attending his services for a long time and I always feel better afterwards. Are you ready for a busy day?”
“Yeah. People found out that I’m workin’ at the coffee shop and it seems everywhere I went yesterday afternoon, people asked if I was going to be workin’ for you today. I know you can estimate how much food to prepare so you don’t waste any, but I just hope there’s enough to go around.”
“I’ll let you in on a secret. I didn’t sleep much last night worrying about the same thing, but I’m pretty sure we’ll be all right. I stayed at the coffee shop several hours after you and Roxie left yesterday, making extra casseroles, just in case. If we don’t use them today, we can always freeze them for next week. Believe me, with everything that needed to be refrigerated, I’m really glad I invested in a walk-in refrigerator. There’s no way all of that food could fit into a regular one! Here we are and I see Roxie pulling in behind us. I’d like you to plug in t
he big coffee pot and start the ovens at 350 degrees. Also turn on the warming ovens. Oh, by the way, I cleaned out Amber’s locker for you so you can put your purse in it. It’s the large drawer to the left as you walk into the storeroom.”
I’ve got to remember to tell Mike about the diary after the Celebration is over. I put it in my purse when I left the house. When he hears what’s in it, it’s definitely going to be part of his investigation.
Kelly and Roxie arranged the fruit platters and put them in the walk-in refrigerator. They took large serving dishes out of the cabinets and arranged the casserole slices on them.
“Roxie, do me a favor. Would you take a couple of batches of the bacon chocolate chip cookies out of the freezer and arrange them on platters? It won’t take long for them to defrost. I can’t be trusted. I’d probably eat them all if I tried to do it.”
“Sure. I like them, but I can at least resist them, unlike some people I know,” she said, grinning at Kelly. “My green thumb has begun to sprout all kinds of flowers in my yard. I brought several bouquets with me. They’re in the car. Thought they might brighten the tables. Okay with you if I arrange them?”
“Oh, Roxie, I never even thought about flowers. Thank you so much! Flowers always cheer people up. You know where the vases are in the storage room.”
A few minutes later the door opened and the first guests arrived. For the next three hours, Kelly’s was a kaleidoscope of people, food, conversations, tears, and laughter. It seemed like everyone who had known Amber, had heard of Amber, or had read about the murder, had come to the funeral, and then on to Kelly’s.
Although Mike’s name had not been listed on the card as a speaker at the funeral, when the last speaker had finished, Father Brown asked if anyone else wanted to say a few words. Several people told her that Mike went to the podium and spoke to everyone about how wonderful Amber was and reassuring them that a massive investigation for the killer was under way. He said he was not at liberty to share any facts about the investigation because of its criminal nature, but his office had been given information that he was certain would lead to the arrest and conviction of the killer. It was a heartfelt speech, and even though no one in the church wanted to hear the word “killer,” everyone was glad that Mike was confident the guilty person would soon be brought to justice.
After the last guest had left the coffee shop, Mike sat in the corner, looking at his email on his phone while Kelly profusely thanked Roxie and Madison for their help. “Ladies, I can’t thank you enough. I know you both must be exhausted. I know I am. Get out of here and I’ll see you Monday. I don’t know if it’s proper to call a Celebration of Life successful, but if the amount of food eaten is any indication, it was a huge success. I thought I’d prepared enough food to last us through next week, but I was wrong. From the limited number of leftovers you two put away, I think I’ll have to spend tomorrow afternoon cooking for next week. Again, many thanks!”
CHAPTER 12
Kelly closed the door behind Roxie and Madison, locked it, and then turned to Mike. “I hear you gave a wonderful speech at the service. Several people told me they felt much safer after listening to you. I’m sure it wasn’t easy for you, but it probably had to be done.”
“Well, when I heard how many door locks Jimmy had sold and how afraid people were, I didn’t really have a choice. The memorial prayer cards were printed yesterday afternoon and by the time I contacted Father Brown and told him I’d like to say a few words, it was too late. Gracious as always, he gave me an entry. The man not only looks like a saint, he is! Now, tell me about the diary.”
“Let me get it. I think you’re definitely going to want to keep it.” She went into the storeroom to get her purse and returned a moment later. “Here it is. Before you open it, I have to tell you that I read it.”
“You know I would have preferred it if you hadn’t, but as curious as you are, I never that doubted you’d read it. And…”
“Mike, she knew she was pregnant. According to the diary, she’d been having an affair with a man, but she never said who it was. She wasn’t sure whether Brandon or this mysterious lover was the father. She was torn as to whether she should tell Brandon the baby was his, knowing he would marry her right away. Amber felt it was her fault she’d gotten pregnant because she’d lost her birth control pills. She didn’t want to tell Ginger she’d been taking them and the doctor she’d originally gotten them from had left the area. She didn’t know what to do. She was afraid Oregon State would revoke Brandon’s scholarship if he was married and had a baby and she also made a reference to some serious tension between Brandon and his father. She was afraid his dad would be furious. She also said if his dad got really mad at Brandon, then Brandon might tell the authorities and it would ruin the family, whatever that means.”
“Whoa, Amber said that there was tension between Brandon and his father? That might explain why Jeff wanted to know if Amber had ever said anything about the ranch. What else?”
“She referred to Doc. Said she’d talked to him a couple of times about ‘it.’ Don’t know what she meant by that.”
“I think I might. When you’re finished I’ll tell you.”
“Well, the other thing that was interesting is that she mentioned she gave her mysterious lover half of her blue cheerleading ribbon. She said in her diary that he’d wanted a memento of her. You know, the cheerleaders all get them at the beginning of the season and the head cheerleader gets a special one. It’s a real status symbol of ‘being somebody’ in high school. I remember years ago when Julia would talk about a cheerleader wearing the blue ribbon. It was a really big deal. The other thing that’s scary is she mentioned she decided to tell her mysterious lover about her pregnancy, figuring he’d know about it in another month or so anyway. Evidently she was also torn about having an abortion, probably because of being raised in the Catholic Church. That’s about it.”
Mike sat quietly for several moments, absorbing what she’d said. “Kelly, I ran a check on Doc. I found out his last name is Burkhart. He came here from a small town in Southern California. Evidently he performed an illegal abortion on a young girl and she died. Her parents didn’t know she was pregnant and he wanted to help her. The circumstances are pretty similar to those involving Amber. It was the girl’s senior year in high school and she’d been accepted at a top college. He was charged in criminal court with manslaughter, but he was acquitted, however, the State Medical Board felt there was enough evidence to revoke his license. His wife left him and he moved here. No wonder he wants to be off the grid.”
“Mike, you don’t seriously think Doc had something to do with Amber’s murder do you? Why, he seems like one of the gentlest men I’ve ever met.”
“At this point I can’t rule out anyone. Oh, one other thing. The hero of the high school, Coach Chris,” he said sarcastically, “was arrested in Utah on child pornography charges. He was fired from his job at the high school and came to Cedar Bay for a new start. The mother of a young girl who was a student of his happened to be looking in her daughter’s purse for some lipstick she thought her daughter had borrowed from her. She found photographs of her nude daughter and the coach which had been taken off the Internet from one of those porn sites. Talk is he paid off the mother, who was very poor. After that the mother and the girl refused to testify against him and the charges were dropped. He must have used some phony references to get the job here in Cedar Bay, although I have to say he’s done a darn good job for the school.”
“I can’t see how that ties in to Amber. Sure, he was her teacher, but we don’t know of anything else. Oh Mike, I just thought of something. He was in here yesterday, as frazzled looking as he’d been the day before. He made light of it and claimed he’d been up most of the night trying to fix his computer which seemed to be frozen. He asked if I knew any repairman. I gave him Seth Morrison’s name. You don’t think he and Amber…?”
“I don’t know what to think, but several pieces of the puzzle are begi
nning to fall into place. I also found out something else that disturbs me. Evidently Madison told a few people she wished Amber was dead because she’d stolen Brandon from her, was homecoming queen, and head cheerleader. When I heard that, I became a little concerned for your safety.”
“Mike, Madison has been a huge help. She couldn’t have done it.”
“Who knows? Just because she’s young doesn’t mean much. Some of the worst murders in history have been committed by young people. Plus, maybe she somehow found out that Amber was pregnant and she was sure Brandon would marry her. Jealousy is always a powerful motive.”
“If my head is reeling, yours must be doing flip-flops, going from one suspect to another. Why don’t you take the rest of the day off?”
“Yeah, I feel like I have all these voices inside my head screaming at me. I’m tired and when I’m tired, there’s a good chance I’ll overlook something. I’m not going to do anything about the case this afternoon. People need a little time to recover from the funeral and spend time with their families.”
“Well, my good sheriff, how about spending the rest of this beautiful day relaxing on my deck, doing nothing more important than looking at the bay? I’ll make us a nice dinner and you might even think about making use of that toothbrush I keep on hand for occasions like this.”
“Lady, I like the way you think. Meet you at your house.”
He took his Stetson from the coat rack and they walked out the door hand in hand, looking forward to what the night would bring.
Kelly's Koffee Shop (A Cedar Bay Cozy Mystey Book 1) Page 6