Gnosis (12 page)

In moments like this, Dantzler wondered who committed the more egregious sin—the criminal or the attorneys who defended them. Right now, he rated it a toss-up.

Going through each file, he extracted a picture of the three men and carefully studied their faces. Maxwell was the smallest of the trio, standing five-six and weighing one-fifty. He had blond hair, blue eyes, and a scarred face that bore testament to a lifelong battle against acne.

Dantzler had seen plenty of guys like Maxwell, hot-headed runts who were quick with their fists, and who were always ready to inflict hurt on another person, usually someone physically bigger and stronger. They tended to throw the first punch, and they weren’t above grabbing the nearest available weapon, a bat, club, or tire iron, if they felt the need to stack the odds in their favor.

Size, or more specifically lack of size, played a key role in a mutt like Maxwell’s psychological make-up. From childhood on, he had been driven by a need to prove his toughness, his manhood. He would never, under any circumstances, back down from a physical challenge. That would be seen as cowardly. Being small helped in yet another way—opponents tended to underestimate him. They saw his small stature, not the giant chip on his shoulder or the fierce anger in his heart.

But was he a killer? Someone who could tie up two men, put a gun to their head, and squeeze the trigger? Dantzler didn’t think so. Bobby Lee Maxwell was a violent punk, but not a murderer.

Neither was Larry Gadd, a man who made mistakes early but somehow managed to turn his life around in his later years. He was that rare bird, a man who came out of prison a better person than when he was locked up. That didn’t happen often. Most criminals only harden their anti-social attitudes while behind bars. Prison is like a college for bad guys, the institution where even the most stupid inmates can earn a PhD in criminal behavior.

Somehow, Gadd had defied the odds and gone straight.
Good for him
.

Dantzler looked at Gadd’s photo, taken for his driver’s license when he was thirty-four. By this time, Gadd was almost completely bald, and what little hair he did have had gone gray. His bearded face was beefy, indicating he was probably a heavyset man. His DL weight was listed at one-ninety but, Dantzler knew, that wasn’t accurate. He estimated it to be closer to two-twenty.

Gadd’s eyes caught and held Dantzler’s attention. Unlike Maxwell’s, Gadd’s eyes contained a twinkle, a spark of kindness or gentleness. There was no hate or hardness in them. No look of rage or an impending explosion so often seen in the eyes of most criminals. Perhaps by this stage of his life, Gadd had found the inner peace that eluded him when he was a troubled young man.

Larry Gadd was no executioner.

The irony did not escape Dantzler: Gadd, the only one to serve hard prison time, was the only one of the trio who lived a productive life.

Doug Reynolds was another matter altogether. Looking into his eyes was like peering into two empty holes, two cold pieces of black ice. They were chilling, yet somehow strangely hypnotic. You were drawn to them even though you wanted to look away. Even though you knew you should look away. They were evil eyes that advertised danger and violence.

Based on the record, Reynolds was a definite possibility. He resided in Lexington at the time of the murders. He had a long history of violent behavior, including rape and assault. He had twice been tried for the murder of a gas station attendant who, it was alleged, was killed for failing to pay Reynolds a large sum of money lost in a poker game. Since both trials ended in a hung jury, there was no way to know for certain whether Reynolds committed the murder or not. A hung jury did not equate to innocence.

From Dantzler’s perspective, the outcome of those trials was irrelevant. What was relevant was the fact that Reynolds had taken human life in the past. He had blood on his hands. He had killed, with the medals to prove it. If nothing else, his combat experience provided uncluttered evidence that he would not hesitate to pull the trigger.

You don’t get the Bronze Star for kindness.

The next step, Dantzler knew, was linking Reynolds to the two murder victims. Or to Eli Whitehouse. If no connection was found, it likely ruled out Reynolds as a suspect. Finding that link, if one even existed, wasn’t going to be easy. Too much time had elapsed, potential witnesses were either dead or had relocated to God knows where. And tracking down the live ones would be virtually impossible. They could be all over the map.

Regardless of the long odds against success, Dantzler knew a detailed study of Reynolds was the only logical approach. Conversely, he saw no value in digging into the background of Gadd, Maxwell or the two young victims. To do so would be a colossal waste of time and resources. No, if a connection to the murders or to Eli did exist, it would have to come through Reynolds.

Dantzler looked at his watch. It was closing in on noon, giving him just enough time to grab some lunch before his one-thirty meeting with Isaac Whitehouse. He was eager to meet Eli’s oldest child, the son who had followed his father into the ministry. He wanted to learn more about their relationship. About those scars Isaac surely carried with him. Dantzler also hoped Isaac could shed some light on why his father would silently suffer in prison for a crime he didn’t commit.

If, indeed, he didn’t commit it.

The Church of the Holy Father was housed in an old building that had once been a hardware store. The one-story structure, which was at least seventy years old, was made of concrete and had recently been given a fresh coat of white paint. The roof was black, and three large silver crosses rose from the front facade. The parking area was small, requiring most parishioners to park in an adjacent restaurant lot.

When Dantzler arrived there were only two cars in the church parking lot. He pulled up next to a blue Honda, cut the engine, and got out. Walking toward the front entrance, he recalled that as a young boy he had come here with his father to purchase a ladder and some paint. Less than three months later his father was killed in Southeast Asia.

Dantzler entered the building, looked around, saw no one. As he was about to head toward the pulpit, he heard sounds coming from his left. Turning, he saw a plump middle-age woman standing on tip-toes dusting a large picture of Jesus. Upon seeing Dantzler, she took one last swipe at the picture frame, and then came toward Dantzler, right hand extended.

“Name’s Clara,” she said, shaking his hand. She looked back at the picture. “You wouldn’t think the Son of God could collect so much dust, but he does. I spend half my time keeping this picture and frame dust free. Well, I suppose it’s the least I can do for our Savior.”

“I remember when this was a hardware store,” Dantzler said, looking around. “A guy named Walters owned it.”

“You have an A-one memory. Buddy Walters. He was my first cousin.”

“How long has the church been here?”

“Let me think. Since about nineteen ninety-two. Maybe ’ninety-one. You’d have to ask Brother Isaac to be sure.” She put down her dust rag. “I’m assuming you are Detective Dantzler.”

“I am.”

“Brother Isaac is in his office in the back. Follow me and I’ll show you the way.”

*****

Isaac Whitehouse stood when Dantzler entered the office. He was of medium height, somewhat on the stocky side, with dark eyes, jet black hair, and a full beard. He wore a blue suit and white shirt, with the collar open, and a pair of loafers. Except for the area around the eyes, he bore little resemblance to his father.

“Clara tells me you’re a Homicide detective,” he said, motioning to a chair across from his small desk. “I don’t see many of those around here. Am I safe in assuming you are not here on a spiritual quest?”

“That would be correct.”

“Why are you here?”

“I’m here to talk about your father,” Dantzler said, sitting.

“Ah, an Eli quest. Been years since I trod that path.”

“I’ll make it as painless as possible,” Dantzler said.

Isaac nodded. “I must confess up front that I am more up to date on Holy Scripture than I am on my unholy father.”

“You aren’t close?”

“How can you be close to a man who has been absent for much of your life?”

“I’m sure it’s been a difficult situation.”

“Every family, every individual, will at various times come face to face with trials and tribulations. It is God’s way of testing us. His way of challenging the strength of our faith. Haven’t you been tested, Detective?”

“On occasion.”

“And how do you handle your trials and tribulations?”

“One at a time.”

“A wise approach.” Isaac brushed a piece of lint from his coat sleeve. “What do you want to know about Eli, Detective? And why?”

“I’m looking into your father’s case.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“There isn’t much I can tell you. It was a long time ago.”

“I understand. But you may know more than you realize.”

“I doubt it, but . . . okay, fire away.”

“Where were you when the murders occurred?” Dantzler said, taking out his notepad and pen.

“Asleep in my dorm room.”

“At the University of Kentucky?”

Isaac nodded. “I was awakened in the middle of the night when my aunt phoned to tell me two men had been shot to death in the old barn. That was really all she knew. I immediately phoned the house, but got no answer. A few minutes later, my aunt phoned again and told me Eli had gone to the crime scene. I dropped by the house later in the day, after classes, but no one was there. By the time I did see Eli, he had been arrested for the murders.”

“How long before you were able to speak with him?”

“I think it was the next day.”

“What did he say?”

“He told me not to believe the things I was about to hear.”

“Did he tell you he was innocent?”

“Sure. He swore to me there was no way he would ever commit a double murder.”

“Did you believe him?”

“I did, initially,” Isaac said. “But when I was told they found his pistol at the murder scene, with his fingerprints on it, I went in the other direction.”

“Do you still think he’s guilty?”

“I’ve seen no evidence to convince me otherwise.”

“Your father swore the gun was in the safe.”

“But it wasn’t, was it?”

“You don’t seem too torn up about any of this.”

“The incident happened twenty-nine years ago, Detective. I was seventeen at the time, a freshman in college. Whatever I felt, and my feelings have varied over the years, I’ve had plenty of time to come to grips with what happened that night. I’ve had to live with the knowledge that my father, a man of God, is in prison for committing a double murder. It hasn’t always been easy, but I’ve dealt with it.”

“Did you know the two victims?”

“No.”

“The original detectives thought the killings resulted from a drug deal gone bad. Do you think your father was involved in drugs?”

“No. He wouldn’t know the difference between a joint and a Camel.”

“Can you think of any members of his congregation who might have wanted him out of the way?”