Secrets in the Shallows (Book 1: The Monastery Murders) (47 page)

“Okay, Brent.”

The digger with gold teeth called Carlos, crawled into the grave and used a crowbar to help lift the lid up. Brent pushed a wedge under the lid to create a gap. The pair moved to each corner and repeated the process. Slipping the tow straps through the small gaps, they managed to feed them into position. Brent stretched all of the straps out onto the ground outside of the grave, and then they both scampered out of the hole.

Brent shouted to the backhoe operator, “I’m ready when you are.”

The driver gave him the thumbs up sign, and then placed the gear into
drive
. Cautiously, he maneuvered up to the plot. The bucket lifted as the driver shifted his gears.

Bill and Sheriff Johnson covered their ears as they watched the machine. Nearby, the coroner’s hearse was prepared to transport the casket, after being removed from the gravesite.

Slowly lowering the bucket, the operator managed to get it to the correct height. Brent and Carlos picked up each strap and secured them to the bucket. After adjusting the tow straps until they were taunt, they stepped back from the edge.

Brent announced, “The straps are secured. It’s ready to be lifted.”

The operator shouted, “All right, here it goes.”

Pulling the lever, the operator lifted the bucket slowly upward. One of the diggers moved over to guide the straps as the lid emerged from the grave. Gently, the driver backed up and rotated to set the lid down.

“We got the hard part over with at least,” the operator commented.

Brent and Carlos carefully went back into the gravesite. They gently began to slip the second set of tow straps underneath each end of the dark oak casket and then secured them. Stretching the straps onto the ground like before, they prepared to remove the casket from the hole.

“Okay, let us get out of here and it’s ready,” Brent said as he pulled himself up and out of the grave.

Carlos crawled out and waited as the bucket was slowly lifted into position again. Brent and Carlos secured the straps and prepared to maneuver the boy’s casket so it wouldn’t be damaged. Everyone who was watching, stood respectfully as the dark oak casket came in to sight.

Brent and Carlos guided the casket as the bucket lowered it onto the snow-covered ground. After releasing the straps, several workers grabbed a casket handles, and then proceeded to put it in the coroner’s hearse. In the meantime, Brent and Carlos covered the cavity with a blue tarp; and then used some caution tape to block off the dangerous hole.

Sheriff Johnson shook hands with Bill. “Thank you so much for all your cooperation in this matter. I don’t believe we’ve had this happen in Wattsville for at least fifteen years.”

Bill lowered his face to the ground and then looked back up at him, “I hope it never has to be done again under these circumstances.”

Peter said, “Well, I’ve had to do this a few times over my tenure, but I will say it is not an everyday occurrence.”

Looking at Bill, Peter said, “Thank you for working with our department. It’s important that I get the remains back to the lab as quickly as possible. You’ve been very helpful.” Turning to the sheriff, Peter added, “I will let you know as soon as I find any results.”

Sheriff Johnson replied, “Thanks, Doc. I’m very anxious to see what you find. I’ll have to come back here later on to attend Timothy Fields’ funeral. There’s only going to be a graveside funeral at the St. Francis Cemetery, since the monastery building is still being investigated. At least the Fields couple will be able to put their son in his final resting place, even if they didn’t get to have a service in the sanctuary due to the ongoing investigation.”

“I will be pretty busy later with the Green case, so I won’t be there. Have a great day, and please pass on my condolences,” Peter said as he shook both of their hands.

“I’ll be happy to,” the sheriff replied. “See you soon.”

“Talk to you later,” Peter replied. Pivoting, he walked away towards the hearse driver and said, “Just follow me, please. I’ll be ready to go in just a couple of minutes.”

The driver tipped his hat and said, “Yes, sir.” He turned on the ignition as Peter headed towards his own car.

* * * *

Late in the morning, Peter arrived at the forensics lab followed by the coroner’s hearse containing Tom Green’s remains. Stepping out of his car, he walked up to the hearse and tapped on the driver’s side window with his knuckle.

Rolling down his window, the driver said, “Where do you want to unload?”

Peter pointed towards the side of the building and said, “If you will drive around back, I’ll have someone meet you outside. We can slide the casket onto a rolling table.” Turning toward the lab’s front entrance, he walked over and went inside.

* * * *

After parking in his designated space in front of the Wattsville Sheriff’s Department, Sheriff Johnson reached over, picked up his hat, and put it on his head. Getting out of his cruiser, he went directly through the front doors and then to his office. Sitting down at his desk, he picked up his phone and pushed Deputy Williams’ extension.

From the end of the line, the deputy’s voice answered, “Williams here.”

“Deputy, it’s Sheriff Johnson.”

Williams’ voice perked up as he replied, “Hi, Sheriff. I found Tom Green’s counseling folder. Do you want me to bring it to you now?”

“Yes, Williams. I just got back, and the first thing I want to do is listen to those tapes.”

The deputy replied, “I’ll be there right away, sir.”

With that, he hung up the phone and gathered the folder to take to the sheriff immediately.

* * * *

Inside the laboratory,
Coke Bottle
Ray held a knife and proceeded to cut the edges of a box containing sterile autopsy instruments. He looked up to see his boss walk briskly to the back door.

Ray pushed his thick glasses up on the rim of his nose and asked, “Did you get the body?”

Peter looked back at his assistant, “Yup, it’s here, all in one piece.”

Like a kid in a candy store, Ray smiled with his buckteeth protruding between his full lips. “Great!” he said, as he made his way to the back.

Outside, Peter and
Coke Bottle
Ray could hear the engine of the hearse backing up to the dock. Peter opened the doors in front of Ray.

Rubbing his hands together, Ray yelled, “It’s
alive
! It’s
alive
!”

Peter shot a look at him, “Calm down, man!”

Ray’s smile dropped into a frown. He saw the casket and his demeanor changed immediately. “I’m sorry, Doc; but I would go crazy in this profession if I didn’t have some form of sick humor.”

Peter nodded, “I understand; believe me I do.”

Taking hold of the casket’s silver handles, Peter and Ray pulled as hard as they could. The beautiful dark oak coffin slid onto the steel, rolling gurney with a strong tug from both men.

With the loud engine still running, the driver stepped down with a clipboard. “Sign here,” he said and then pointed to another line, “and here, please.”

Peter complied and signed the release documentation records. The driver peered through the doorway, trying to get a better look inside the lab. Ready to leave, the driver quickly tore the bottom copy off of the document and handed it to Peter.

As he hurried back to the hearse, he thought,
I wouldn’t want to see what the body in that casket looks like
. As soon as he got in and closed the door, the driver sped off quickly.

Inside, Peter and Ray covered themselves from head to toe in
clean suits.
Tossing Coke a mask, Peter laughed. Ray put the mask on as Peter slid his own in place. Inserting the turnkey on the side of the casket, Ray could feel his heart racing. Peter turned the key, and the latch inside the casket disengage.

Peter looked up at Ray and said, “You ready, Coke?”

He looked up over his glasses and said, “Of course. Aren’t you?”

“Let’s do it on
three
.”

Ray could feel his mouth go dry and he licked his lips in attempts to regain moisture, but it didn’t work. He looked at Peter square in the eyes and nodded.

In a soft voice, Peter counted,
One … Two … Three.
Together, they slowly lifted the heavy casket lid. As the stale air was release, both of them stood back and studied the corpse.

Ray thought to himself
, I’ve worked on thousands of dead bodies, but these boys’ deaths really disturb me.
Swallowing hard, Peter recalled that formaldehyde usually preserved a corpse for about seven to ten days.

Peter walked up to the opened casket and peeked over the edge. Since Tom’s funeral, he knew his body had not had any source of fresh air. The dank, musty smell that wafted in the air was sickening. Crinkling his nose, Peter stared silently for a few seconds at the deteriorated cadaver.

“Are you ready, Buddy?” Peter asked, in all seriousness.

Ray smiled and replied, “Let’s do this.”

“That a boy, Coke,” Peter said. “Let’s find out if Tom Green was murdered.”

Ray nodded in agreement, as the two of them peered into the coffin. Peering at Tom Green’s body, they saw the wrinkled and gray skin covering the corpse. The only exceptions were the spots where the bone were exposed. The skeletal structure was devoid of any muscle mass.

Tom’s mildew-stained, dark blue suit was still buttoned, and his black tie remained loosely tied around his neck. His arms lay motionless on either side his body. Bony fingers on each hand had grown inch long fingernails. Like hard needles, his black hair was fixed with short spikes.

“We have to get him out of here somehow,” Peter said.

His voice trembled, “I’m afraid he will crumble in my hands,” Ray said. “The only way to realistically get Tom out in one piece was to slide a Hoyer straight bed-lift under him.”

With his index finger, Ray poked at Tom’s leg. “He’s as stiff as sheet rock, but I don’t want to take a chance by lifting him.”

Grabbing the straight bed lift, Peter pushed it over close to the casket. Unhooking the vinyl material, he said, “If you will try to push him over to one side I can try to get the material under him.”

Ray’s hands shook as he very so gently pushed Tom’s body over to one side. The fragile skin stuck to the plush material that he had laid upon for almost a year. As the body moved, some residual skin tore away from the bone.

Peter managed to get the material under Tom’s body. Together, Peter and Ray hooked the metal rings on the lift and secured them. Ray took hold of the lever and pumped several times, until Tom’s body rose out of the casket. Carefully putting him down, they laid him out flat on the steel examination table.

“I have all confidence in you, Coke. It’s horrible that this poor young man’s life was taken away so early. It’s a shame. Most of the cadavers that come through here have had a full life; but not this one. Ray, do your best.”

Ray looked back at him, “I will do my best to find something, Doc. Once I finish my examination, I’ll get the results to you immediately.”

Peter acknowledged Ray with a nod. “Get ‘r done.”

* * * *

A loud rapping sound came from Sheriff Johnson’s door as Deputy Williams arrived at his office.

“Come on in,” the sheriff shouted as he sat up in his chair.

Grinning, Deputy Williams walked in and handed the evidence to the sheriff. “Here’s the folder containing the reports and counseling tapes.”

“Great! I can’t wait to listen to them. Good work, Deputy! I knew I could count on you.”

Sheriff Johnson removed the manila folder from the evidence bag. Placing it on his desk, he opened it to find the two tapes, several pages of incident reports from the sheriff's department, school records and counseling notes. Picking up a cassette, he studied the label, and then put in a tape recorder nearby.

Watching with anticipation as the cassette wheels turned, the sheriff got out his notepad and pen as Mother Superior’s voice blared from the speakers. Deputy Williams sat down in a nearby chair. Sheriff Johnson raised his eyebrows as they both listened to the conversation.

“Whoa,” they said in unison.

Sheriff Johnson pressed the
stop
button. Picking up the telephone he said, “I’ve gotta’ call John about this. He is going to be pleased. I think we found our motive.”

Deputy Williams nodded. “I agree, Sheriff. It’s just what was needed.”

“Hold on a moment, Deputy. I need to let the D.A. know about this news.” Picking up his phone, the sheriff dialed John’s number and waited for him to answer.

On the line, he heard the familiar deep voice, “This is John.”

Sheriff Johnson greeted him. “Hi, John. This is Sheriff Johnson. I’ve got some news for you.”

“Oh, what’s that?” John responded as his interest peaked.

“Deputy Williams went back out to the monastery today. In the same file cabinet in Mother Superior’s office that we found Timmy Fields’ counseling tapes, there was a file on Tom Green. We found a bunch of paperwork and two cassette tapes that had counseling sessions she had recorded. I am listening to them now. I think this new evidence could finally give us Mother Superior’s motive to commit Tom’s murder. I’m going to have my team burn a CD for you. Can you come by this afternoon after Timothy Fields’ funeral?”