Secrets in the Shallows (Book 1: The Monastery Murders) (31 page)

Peter smiled and asked, “Is this seat taken?”

The sheriff replied, “Have a seat, Doc. It’s not taken.”

Peter sat down and glanced at Katy, who happened to catch him surveying her. She quickly turned her head towards the sheriff and asked, “So, how long do you think the search will take, Sheriff?”

“It will be hours; maybe even a couple of days. It just depends on what all needs to be reviewed. We have a few places we want to concentrate on, and we’ll go from there. I have a couple of ideas for good places to start.”

Turning to Peter, he said in a low voice, “I want you to begin with that area behind the monastery where the VIC’s shoe was found. See what you can find out there first. After you’re done there, I really need you to focus efforts on Mother Superior’s office and bedroom, since she was the last person known to see him alive.”

“I understand, sir. We’ll keep looking until we either find something, or we’ve scoured every inch of the campus.”

The sheriff nodded. “That’s what I want to hear. Now, try to hurry and eat so we can get started. I’m not looking forward to serving this warrant after they were gracious enough to let us use the school’s cafeteria to eat.”

Peter chuckled as he opened up his boxed lunch. “Good old-fashioned hamburger. It smells amazing.” He added ketchup and mustard to his bun, then squirted a small mound of ketchup separately for his fries. Putting the bun back on top, he picked it up and finally took a large bite. “Mmmmmm.” He smiled as he chewed his food. Everyone laughed as they all waited anxiously for him to finish his meal.

Looking at John, Sheriff Johnson asked, “How fast can you get the paperwork together in order to exhume Tom Green’s body?”

John replied, “I should be able to have it ready to go by the judge’s chambers by mid-morning tomorrow. I’ll work on it tonight if I have to.”

“Thank you, Counselor. I already appreciate your tenacious efforts on behalf of this case.”

Smiling, John replied, “No problem, Sheriff. I’m just doing my job the best way I know how.”

Peter gulped down the hamburger and fries and then finished off his tea. “I’m done,” he said as he stood up and threw away his trash.

“Let’s get this started then,” Sheriff Johnson said as he straightened his uniform.

* * * *

Still listening to his music back in the lab, Coke Bottle Ray wore special magnified goggles to examine the evidence that Peter had dropped off earlier. First, Ray placed the rope under an ultraviolet light looking for oils, body excretions, fibers, hair and any other microscopic evidence. He was pleased to find three long, gray hairs entwined in the rope fibers. After taking several photos of the hairs in situ, he replaced his goggles and began extraction.

Holding a pair of tweezers, he pulled each of the hairs out without breaking them. He placed them on a slide and examined them under a microscope to analyze them. Picking up a sample tube, he gently pushed the hairs inside with the tweeters and sealed it shut. Ray took a long label and covered the stopper, then labeled it properly. Finally, he wrote down his discovery on a form attached to a clipboard.

“I would say those gray hairs probably don’t belong to our VIC,” Ray thought out loud.

Taking off his goggles, he grabbed his phone and called Peter. “Hello, Doc. I found some gray hairs in the rope you pulled up out of the pond.”

On the other end of the line, Peter exclaimed, “That’s awesome news. Gray hairs? Really?”

“Absolutely, Boss. So, I will need some hair samples for all of the possible suspects so I can try to get a match. I guess one of those nuns could be the culprit. I imagine a lot of them have gray hair.”

“Coke, did you have a chance to examine the backpack also?”

“I’m doing that next; but I thought you should know about the hair strands immediately. That way you can go ahead and get the samples you need from the nuns while you’re out there anyway.”

Peter replied, “Thanks a lot, Coke. Great work as usual. I’ll get those samples for you. It may be the end of the day before I get back over there. Oh, I do need you send anybody available to come here right away to help with the search. I’m sure we’ll need a few more to cover the building.”

“Okay, Boss. I’ll find whoever I can.”

Peter added, “And call me if you find any evidence on the backpack, please. That could be crucial to the investigation.”

“Of course, Doc. Well, I’d better get back to this. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Sure thing, Coke. Good luck,” Peter replied as their conversation ended.

C
HAPTER
28

Sheriff Johnson, Deputy Williams, John and Katy walked together from the cafeteria to the monastery entrance. Sheriff grabbed the doorknocker and raised it up then let it rap the door a few times, making a loud thud on the thick door.

A small older woman answered the door, “Yes, Sheriff. May I help you?”

“Sister, I’m Sheriff Johnson and heading up the investigation out here today. I need to speak with Mother Superior right away. We need to continue our search in the building.”

He took the search warrant out of his coat pocket and handed it to her. Accepting the paper, she unfolded it as she put on her reading glasses and scanned it. A minute later, she gave it back to the sheriff.

“Wait right here,” she said as she turned around and left, leaving the door only slightly ajar.

After several minutes, Mother Superior Mary Ellen opened the door. Stepping outside in her black habit and blue shawl, she closed it behind her. “Yes, Sheriff. Did everyone enjoy their lunch?”

Sheriff Johnson replied, “Yes, Mother. Thank you for your hospitality.”

Mother Superior smiled and said, “So, are you done with your investigation here, Sheriff?”

The sheriff cleared his throat and held up the warrant as he said, “Mother, we’re also here to search the monastery. I have a warrant here.”

“Search the monastery? Sir, you have already searched the pond. Why is there a need to search the monastery?”

“With all due respect, Mother, we have signed search warrant, and we need your full cooperation, please.”

Mother reached out her hand and demanded, “Let me see the search warrant.”

Sheriff Johnson handed it to her. “You’ll find everything is in order, Mother Superior.”

She stood reading every word for what seemed like forever. After finishing, she handed it back to the sheriff. “I’ll have to show this to Bishop O’Connell. He is my superior and will need to be aware of anything significant that happens on campus. By the way, there’s no smoking on the grounds, and most definitely
not
in the buildings! You are disturbing the Lord’s house quite enough as it is.”

Sheriff Johnson snuffed his cigar out and opened his case to save it for later. The elderly nun looked at him with a disapproving scowl and pursed her lips together. Turning to the large wooden door, Mother Superior reached for the oversized handle and pushed it opened with an eerie squeak.

The sheriff, Deputy Williams, John and Katy followed her inside, and entered the spacious wood-paneled foyer. As a sign of respect, the sheriff and Williams took off their hats. At the end of the hallway, several other nuns stopped and whispered as they noticed the visitors in the foyer. The sheriff stared at them for a couple of seconds.

Turning his head back toward Mother Superior, the sheriff said, “Mother, I need everyone gathered together, please. We really can’t have anyone in the other areas while we’re conducting our search. Is there a room that’s like a parlor or somewhere similar that they can wait in?”

Mother Superior Mary Ellen folded her arms and sighed, “Very well.” Turning towards the sisters that were standing down the hall, she raised her voice. “Sisters, can you please gather everyone in the building to the bridal parlor? We need to assemble there right away.”

Smiling curtly at Sheriff Johnson, they bowed her heads dutifully at Mother Superior and then scurried off to obey her instructions.

* * * *

While searching the area behind the monastery, Peter glanced down and spotted something dark and stringy in his shoe tracks. Stopping suddenly, he leaned over and used his forensic tongs to scratch the snow away from his find. Several dark brown hairs popped up on the surface as he freed them from their snowy tomb.

Picking up his radio, he pushed the button. “This is Peter Balkan. Sheriff Johnson? Are you there?”

The sheriff’s voice came over the speaker. “Affirmative. Did you find something, Doc?”

“Yes, sir. Need to come find me behind the monastery when you get a minute, Sheriff. I found some human hairs.”

“That’s great news. I’ll be over after I get these sisters organized.”

Peter replied, “Copy that, Sheriff. Getting started without you then.”

“Copy that,” the sheriff responded.

Peter put the radio in his pocket. Pulling out a number stand from his evidence kit, he placed it near the revealed hairs. Lifting the camera up to his eyes, he snapped several pictures of the hairs in situ before collecting the hairs and putting them in a sample tube.” Looking around carefully, Peter continued his search for more evidence.

* * * *

From down the hallway, rhythmic footsteps grew louder and louder as a large group of sisters proceeded towards the front foyer. Motioning for them to gather in the parlor, Mother Superior Mary Ellen opened the door for them to enter. One by one, the sisters made their way into the sitting room, already warm and comfortable due to the blazing fireplace in the corner. Mother Superior followed the last nun in and closed the door behind her.

In the monastery foyer, Sheriff Johnson turned to Deputy Williams and John and said in a low voice, “Deputy Williams, I need you and the D.A. to briefly interview each of the nuns and see if you find anything about that missing evidence or Timmy Fields. I’ll ask for another room where you can have some privacy. I don’t want the others to overhear anything. Maybe we’ll get lucky and one of them will just tell us where the items are.”

He continued, “While you’re doing that, take DNA samples from anyone who will volunteer. I’ll provide you a list of all their names. Note those who did or did not let us take a sample, so I can get a warrant for anybody who might refuse. Hopefully, we will find a match to the hairs that Coke found in the rope that was recovered this morning.”

Williams nodded. “Yes, sir. Just tell me where we can set up.”

“Also, go ahead and ask Shamberg to arrange for the nuns to stay at the inn, at least for a night or two. That will prevent anymore contamination before we finish the entire search here. Do as many interviews as you can while he’s doing that. You may need to finish your questioning after they are transported there. You can help get them settled in, too. I will talk to Mother Superior myself at headquarters later; so don’t approach her. Any questions?”

Deputy Williams and John both nodded as the sheriff gestured to the bridal parlor.

Turning to Williams, the sheriff said, “I’ll be right back. Don’t let anyone to go past the foyer. Any sisters or visitors who enter the building need to be sent to the bridal parlor, at least until we figure out what to do with them. Once we have the nuns at the inn, we can search the entire building without them impeding our progress.”

Deputy Williams stood nearby, guarding the foyer and replied, “I understand, sir.”

The sheriff added, “John, you and Katy can follow me.” He opened the bridal parlor door and the three of them went inside. As they came in, they overheard the sisters excitedly talking amongst themselves.

“I wonder what they’re searching for?” asked a petite sister dressed in a grey habit.

“I’ve no idea,” replied another nun in a traditional black habit.

A sister with red wispy bangs peeking out from her headpiece turned to another and fretted, “What are they searching for? We haven’t done anything wrong. Are we in trouble, Mother?”

Mother Superior tenderly touched her on the cheek and smiled. “Heavens no, child.” She stood up and lifted her hands to calm the growing murmurs of chatter. “We all must remain calm. This is just another trial we must endure. God will see us through it as we remain faithful to Him. I believe the sheriff will let us know what is going on.”

The sheriff held his hat in his hands as he said, “I’m sorry, Sisters, we’re just doing our job. We are going to interview each one of you individually.” He turned to Mother Superior and asked her, “Do you have a small room like this one that can be used for the interviews? I don’t want it to be any of the personal quarters or offices.”