Authors: Marianne Spitzer
When she drew close, Bulk pulled away from his brother. He approached her, hugged her tight, and whispered, “Annamarie, tell Daniel and Garret they have to help me get away. Dr. Norse had me committed to the psychiatric ward in Oaklin. They just released me to my brother. Please Annamarie tell Daniel that I can’t take anymore.”
He let her go and she smiled encouragingly, telling him to take care of himself. She knew Bulk’s plight would add to Daniel’s stress. She took a few moments in the church vestibule to wonder about Bulk’s emotional plea. She couldn’t think about it now. She had to bury a friend.
Annamarie hurried to catch up with her parents, and her mom asked what “that boy” wanted with her. She told her that he was sad about Ben and needed to connect with someone. That seemed to satisfy her. They decided to walk to the cemetery. Daniel had left in a car to travel less than a block behind the hearse to Ben’s final resting place. Ben had loved the woods, and his parents chose a plot close to the trees. It was a short walk through the parking lot, past the Lutheran church, and through a small stand of oak trees. The path was well worn, and Annamarie wondered how many broken hearts had walked the path. They emerged approximately twenty feet from where everyone was gathered.
Father Mueller blessed the ground and Ben’s casket with holy water, and they all recited
the Lord’s Prayer. It had been Ben’s favorite. Father Mueller announced the church’s ladies auxiliary had prepared a lunch that would be served in the church basement hall. No one stayed for the burial, choosing to walk slowly back to the church.
Annamarie didn’t understand why people ate lunch after
a funeral, but sitting with others who knew Ben and talking about him helped her relax. It also reminded her that she’d barely eaten in days and was hungry.
Annamarie truly enjoyed the food although her heart was breaking. It was an odd mix of emotion, and she noticed many people who must be feeling the same way.
After lunch, she remembered their promise to the sheriff. She whispered to Daniel that he should tell his father because this was going to get nasty. She also told him what Bulk had said to her in the church. Daniel shook his head knowing he couldn’t help Bulk and worried what Bulk might say. He walked over to talk to his father.
Returning, Daniel said, “Take the car home. My father is going with
me and will drive me home. Mr. Townsend is also accompanying us.”
Annamarie felt relieved Daniel wouldn’t be alone.
That relief was short lived when Daniel whispered, “I have to go now and once I leave the church, I know the spirits will be waiting. Annamarie I believe I’m truly cursed.”
Chapter Twelve: Garret and Bulk
Driving to the sheriff’s office, George advised Daniel, “Don’t say a word unless Mr. Townsend agrees to it first. I’m not sure what the sheriff’s up to. I don’t know what you know or may have done, but I’m not going to let the sheriff drag you into some unnecessary criminal investigation.”
“Okay. I don’t have anything to hide. I truly don’t know what happened that night.”
He wasn’t concentrating on his father’s words. Instead, he was rehashing last night’s conversation with Garret. One wrong word guaranteed the sheriff would know there was more going on, and Daniel had some of the information.
“Let’s go, boy,” George said when he parked the car.
George’s icy remark was the last thing Daniel needed. He longed for understanding and some reassurance he wasn’t going to be blamed for Ben’s death. The last place he should be was the sheriff’s office.
***
The sheriff was aware of that. He thought it was the best time to get information out of Daniel. Hoping grief would cloud Daniel’s mind, he wasn’t pleased to see Daniel and George walk in with Mr. Townsend, although he should have expected it.
With George and Townsend here, the interview would be more difficult. Damn, he swore silently.
The sheriff said, “Come into my office gentlemen and sit down,” motioning toward his office door.
Before they could be seated, Mr. Townsend made it clear they were there to help the sheriff, although they had no additional information about Ben’s death.
Sheriff Richardson wasn’t only interested in Ben’s death, but where Garret might be hiding. Unable to locate him anywhere, he was sure Daniel knew more than he was admitting. Opening with the same routine questions Daniel had answered twice before, Mr. Townsend’s nerves were beginning to fray.
“If this is all you have, I’m going to advise my client to refuse to answer. We’re leaving.” Mr. Townsend stood.
“Not so fast, Townsend,” the sheriff shot back. “I have questions for Daniel on a different subject.”
Daniel knew the sheriff was going to ask him about Garret’s and Bulk’s whereabouts.
“I’m sure Daniel knows where Garret is. It would be in his best interest to share that information with me.”
“I don’t know where he is.”
“You, Garret, and Bulk had something to do with Ben’s death. Make no mistake, I’ll find out what it is.”
“But I didn’t.” Daniel leaped from his chair shoving it all the way to the wall.
“Sit down, Logan before I put you in a cell.”
“Don’t treat my son that way.
Townsend do something now,” George yelled.
“Gentlemen, please,” Mr. Townsend said in vain, trying to quiet the room.
“I’ll have your job, Richardson. And you know what you can do with your idea of putting my son in a cell,” George said.
“Daniel is going to be a guest in my cell until he talks,” the sheriff replied, “It’s a damn shame he’s not telling the truth. He knows more than he’s willing to share.”
“You can’t do that to me,” pleaded Daniel.
“Shut up, Daniel.
Townsend do what I pay you for,” George hit the desk with his fist.
The interview had become chaotic.
Mr. Townsend repeated his efforts to calm everyone down. When both men were seated, George told the sheriff his idea about Daniel and the boys was wrong. Mr. Townsend did his best to divert George, but once George got started there was no stopping him.
“I’ve no idea why you think these boys would have anything to do with hurting Ben in the first place. They certainly wouldn’t be stupid enough to try to burn down the cabin to destroy his body.”
“Why not?” asked the sheriff.
“Because all of them know about oak,” and before George could continue, the sheriff ordered him, none too politely, to “put a lid on it.”
The sheriff’s mind was off in a new direction.
“This question is for Daniel only,” he began. “Tell me what you know about oak?”
Daniel thought it was the dumbest of all the sheriff’s questions, but began to answer.
“I’m not sure what you want to know, but as a scout, we learned all about Joshua Timmus and his love for the oak trees because they were not only beautiful, but strong and would last for centuries.”
“Anything else?” inquired the sheriff.
“Well, their timber is pretty sturdy so the original buildings that were built would withstand time, which they have. Most of them are still here. Joshua Timmus thought oak would be safe for buildings because it’s slow to burn. That was important back before Timmus Woods had a fire department. Want to know anything else?”
The sheriff thought for a minute. “Where’s Garret Frant?”
Daniel was going to lie, but thought a half-truth might be better in case the sheriff could track phone numbers the way they did on the detective show
he and Annamarie watched last week. Daniel began a short account of the last time he saw Garret.
“Got a call from Garret saying his brakes went out and he had an
accident. He was calling from a pay phone outside the Tangledbranch Saloon and said he needed a ride home. I took off to help him. I didn’t tell Annamarie where I was going. When I got there, Garret was gone. Thinking maybe he was hurt, and had wandered off, I drove around the rest of the night and part of the morning looking for him, checking the places he might be. I never found him, and I still don’t know where he is.”
“Hmm,” said the sheriff. “Who was in that scout group with you?”
Daniel thought the question was odd, but answered, “Ben, Garret, Bulk, Steve and a couple other kids from school.”
“Who taught you about oak?”
“My grandfather did on a scout sleepover at his place.”
The sheriff told them to sit tight. He’d be back in a few minutes. Confused by the sheriff’s questions and actions, the three men waited for him to return.
***
The sheriff said, “Greta is Steve around?”
“Yes, he’s out back washing the vehicles.”
Sheriff Richardson walked up to
Steve and said, “I have a question for you. Give me the first answer that comes to mind.”
“Okay,” replied Steve a bit curious.
“What do you know about oak and where did you learn it?”
Tossing the sponge into the bucket, Steve said, “Wow, I think I’ve known about oak since I was a kid. I learned about it in scouts, when we had a camp-out at Daniel’s grandfather’s home. I think old Mr. Logan was proud of these woods because he told us how strong the wood was and how if we needed to stay warm on a cold night, oak is good to use. It burns slowly, and you don’t have to find much of it.”
“Who else was there that night?”
“Ben, Daniel, Garret, Bulk and I think a couple other kids I don’t see around town anymore.”
“Let’s sit down. I have some ideas to toss your way.”
“Sure,” said Steve and followed the sheriff to the picnic table behind the station.
“The coroner’s ‘inconclusive suspicious probable foul play’ determination about Ben’s death has been plaguing me a lot. None of this makes sense. Those boys were best friends, and if Ben fell when he was drunk, not one would have thought about it twice. They would have driven him to the hospital as fast as they could. If they were in a fight, and one of them hit Ben, they might try to cover it up.”
“I follow so far,” said Steve nodding his head in agreement.
Sheriff Richardson went on, “When Daniel told me about the slow burning oak, it was pretty clear that none of those boys would try to burn down the cabin. If they were trying to cover up a crime or accident, they’d have set fire to Ben’s body outside with dry leaves, brush and some easily flammable items. When you told me the same story Daniel did, it became clear none of those three boys set fire to Ben’s body. Someone trying to cover up a crime set the fire and thought the entire cabin would burn any evidence.”
“Hey, that means someone who doesn’t have any idea about the cabin being oak must have set the fire.”
“Right, and when you take all those facts into consideration, there’s only one conclusion. No one from around here set the fire because I’m pretty sure most of the town’s folk know the same facts about our town and the oak you guys do. I know those facts, too. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it sooner. An outsider set fire to the cabin and Ben’s body to hide the crime. That makes Dr. Webster’s ‘inconclusive’ murder in my book.”
“Agreed, but now that we know it’s definitely murder, and committed by an outsider, where do we go from here?”
“We think bigger. After I tell my theory to Dr. Webster and get him to change his conclusion to murder, we can call in the State Patrol if needed.”
“Sheriff, I don’t think Daniel knows who did this, but my gut tells me Garret does.”
“Mine too,” agreed the sheriff. He headed back into the station.
He walked into his office and before anyone could complain about waiting, he said they could leave. He told Daniel if he heard from Garret or Bulk, he was to call him right away.
Knowing Bulk was safely stashed at his brother’s place in Oaklin, the sheriff was hoping Garret was getting frantic, and might call Daniel again. After Annamarie’s time in jail, maybe Daniel would call.
***
Daniel had no intention of listening to the sheriff. His friends were in trouble. He would continue to help them. First, he had to go home and tell Annamarie everything that happened.
On the drive home, George asked Daniel, “Do you have any idea why the sheriff seemed to change his tone so abruptly?”
Lying to his father came easy to Daniel. He did it once again. “I don’t know any more than I did the other night. I told the sheriff everything I know.”
“I hope you told him the entire truth.”
Daniel asked his father a question, “Do you think the sheriff will go after Annamarie again? I’ve been a jerk, and losing Ben has made me realize I truly love her. I want to be an honorable husband, and hopefully a father someday. I can’t stand the thought he might put her back in jail.”