Winter Chill (18 page)

CHAPTER 23

The Truckstop Café was deserted. Sheriff Bates blew in on a flurry of snow and grinned as he caught Emma playing solitaire at the counter.

“Come on over here and give me a big warm hug, Emma,” Sheriff Bates called out. “I’m frozen to the bone.”

“Hi, Sheriff!” Emma hurried over to his reserved booth with a steaming hot cup of coffee. “You’re early today. Jim and Gus aren’t here yet. Say! I heard about Cliff and Connie. What an awful accident!”

“The gossips don’t waste any time, do they?” Sheriff Bates cupped his hands around the mug of coffee to warm them. “It’s a bad winter, Emma.”

“Seems to me we’ve had a lot of accidents in Nisswa lately.” Emma wiped off the already spotless table. “Hold on, Sheriff. I’ll get you a bear claw to go with that coffee.”

Mrs. Bergstrom had called at eleven thirty last night. Connie was late. Sheriff Bates had reassured her. The kids were probably stuck in the snow. He’d find them and bring Connie right home.

The hill in back of the Congregational church was a popular teenage parking spot, and the sheriff went there first. The moment he’d seen the closed garage door, he’d known there was trouble. The garage was always kept open, even in the worst snowstorms.

Poor Cliff and Connie! Sheriff Bates sighed as he spooned sugar into his coffee. There was something strange about the whole thing. He’d known Cliff pretty well, and the boy was a good, careful driver. It didn’t seem likely that Cliff would leave the van running in a closed garage. Of course, if the kids fell asleep when the garage door was open, and someone came along and closed it . . . ? That would mean he’d have another possible murder on his hands. He hadn’t found out a thing about Jenny Powell’s accident, and now there was another one. And lately he’d been thinking hard about Becky Fischer. Of course, he’d assumed it was an accident, but someone could have pushed her into that saw. Five deaths in five weeks. Five kids dead in a town of a thousand!

“One of the truckers said he heard they were naked.” Emma put down the bear claw and leaned closer. “Is that true, Sheriff?”

“That’s how rumors get started, Emma.” Sheriff Bates shook his head. “You tell everyone that they were fully dressed. Understand?”

“Sure, Sheriff.” Emma looked up as the door opened. “There’s Gus and Jim. I’ll get two more cups.”

Sheriff Bates sighed as Emma rushed away. The gossip had started already. No matter how hard you tried to cover things up, they came out eventually. He hoped the Bergstroms and the Hellers wouldn’t hear the rumor. Sure, it was true, but they didn’t have to know. He’d swear on a stack of Bibles that both those kids had their clothes on.

Gus and Jim stomped the snow off their boots. They hung their parkas on the aluminum rack at the front of the café and spread out their gloves on the counter to dry.

“Want me to grill those for ya?” Joe poked his head out of the kitchen. “Bring ’em here, Emma. Five minutes on each side ought to dry ’em.”

Gus laughed and tossed his gloves to Joe. Jim shook his head and grinned. “These are my Christmas present from Louise’s mother. If you put them on the grill, they’ll melt.”

“Hello, Pete.” Gus slid into the other side of the booth. “It’s really bad out there. I never would have made it without Jim. He picked me up in the wrecker.”

“We heard about Cliff and Connie on the radio.” Jim slid in beside Gus. “It’s a damn shame! You don’t think there was foul play involved, do you, Pete?”

“No.” Sheriff Bates sighed. He supposed everyone in town would speculate about Cliff and Connie, too. Then people would be even more nervous.

Emma rushed over to the booth, carrying three plates of pie. Sheriff Bates gave her a big grin. She was a lifesaver. He didn’t want to talk about the accidents anymore.

“It’s on the house.” Emma set down the plates. “Joe heard they’re closing the road on account of the storm. We’re not going to get much business, so you might as well enjoy the pie before it gets stale.”

Two more cups of coffee apiece, to wash down the pie, and they were fortified. Jim left a quarter tip and slid out of the booth.

“Guess I’d better get out there with the tow truck. There’s going to be all sorts of people lining those ditches.”

“I’ll follow you. There’s always somebody dumb enough to drive in snow like this.” Sheriff Bates stood and grabbed his jacket. He discreetly added a dollar bill to Jim’s quarter for the tip.

“Stop in on your way back!” Emma stood at the door and shouted after them. “Joe’s putting up a kettle of soup. If there’s anybody stranded, we’ll feed ’em here. And they can sleep in the booths if the roads stay closed.”

Sheriff Bates frowned. Nisswa had always been a nice, friendly town. The Truckstop Café took good care of stranded motorists. But if things didn’t get back to normal soon, people would change. They wouldn’t act friendly to strangers anymore. He had to put a stop to these awful accidents!

 

 

Marian was still sleeping. Dan switched the channel on the television and leaned back in bed. The wind was still blowing, and he could hear the snow flurries rattle against the windowpane. Harvey had called at eleven last night. School was closed for at least one day, perhaps two. That meant he wouldn’t see Cliff and Connie until Thursday or Friday.

It was hard to wait. Dan felt like calling Cliff at home, but Marian had forgotten to plug in his phone last night. There was nothing to do but wait. He was waiting for the storm to be over, waiting for his legs to work again, waiting to see if his wife was an insane killer. But he wasn’t waiting patiently. All this had to be over soon. He couldn’t wait much longer.

He was still having those awful walking dreams. It was probably the strain he was under, but they only made matters worse. It had happened again while he was waiting for Marian to get back from the store last night. He had fallen asleep and walked. He’d testify to it in a court of law. When he woke up, his legs were shaking with fatigue, but they were dead and useless again. Then Marian had come home and Harvey had called and things got back to normal.

The News at Noon
was coming on. Dan turned up the volume. There would be stories of stranded motorists and roofs caving in under the unusually heavy snowfall. Even though this was a Brainerd station, they occasionally had news from Nisswa.

“Tragedy in Nisswa last night claimed the lives of two teenagers. Constance Bergstrom, seventeen, and Clifford Heller, eighteen, died last evening in a parked vehicle in Nisswa. Authorities list the cause of death as carbon monoxide poisoning. The bodies were discovered near midnight in a closed garage.”

For a moment, the news bulletin didn’t register. Then Dan fell back against his pillow and groaned. Connie and Cliff! They were dead!

Marian went out alone last night. Dan drew his breath in sharply as he remembered. She had left about eight thirty and was gone for almost two hours. She’d said she had trouble starting the van, and he had believed her. And now Cliff and Connie were dead!

 

 

Marian stretched languidly and smiled. It was wonderful knowing she could sleep as late as she wanted. There was no school today, and it was like a vacation. She could stay up here all day if she liked.

The window was a solid sheet of frost. She could hear the wind howl around the eaves, but she was here, warm and cozy in Laura’s little bed. She let her eyes close for a moment, reveling in the lazy moment. She had slept so soundly last night. She felt wonderful now. Every ache and pain had disappeared, and she was young and vital again.

There was a smile on her face as she sat up in bed. She really should get up and make coffee. It wasn’t like her to stay in bed half the day. Dan would be waiting for breakfast, and now that she thought about it, she was hungry, too. She hadn’t eaten much for supper last night.

Her robe and slippers were folded on the chair. Marian slipped them on and turned toward the door. Then she saw the diary on the table, and she gave a little sob of happiness. Her baby had been here again!

Cliff and Connie were there?! For a moment Marian was confused, and then she remembered the news bulletin she’d heard on Laura’s little radio in the middle of the night. Two teenagers from Nisswa had died of carbon monoxide poisoning in a closed garage. It must have been Clifford and Connie!

Marian blinked back a tear. She was glad that Cliff and Connie were with Laura, but she felt so sorry for Jenny. Thank goodness Connie was so good with children. Perhaps she could make Jenny stop crying.

Marian put the diary back in its place and sighed. She felt better knowing that Laura had all her friends with her, but the part about Jenny disturbed her. It was a good thing Sally didn’t know how unhappy Jenny was.

Jenny would get over it, Marian decided. And now she didn’t have time to dwell on it any longer. She had to make a nice big breakfast for Dan. Waffles would be good, or French toast. She’d ask him which he preferred.

“Dan?” Marian called out his name as she came down the stairs. “Do you want waffles or French toast?”

“Come in here a minute, Marian. There’s something you need to know.”

Dan sounded upset, and Marian rushed to the den. The television was blaring, and she turned it down.

“What is it, honey?” she asked.

“I just heard some awful news, Marian.” Dan pointed to a chair. “I think you’d better sit down before I tell you.”

Marian knew what he was about to tell her, but she sat down anyway. Dan was staring at her in a terribly unsettling way.

“It’s Cliff and Connie. I just heard it on the news. They’re dead, Marian. The newscaster said it was carbon monoxide poisoning.”

She sat there quietly for a minute, but he was through. “I . . . I’m sorry, Dan. It must be terrible for their parents, but it’s all for the best.”

“Marian?” Dan was still staring at her. “Are you all right?”

“Oh, yes. I’m fine.” Marian stood and started for the door. “Try not to be too sad, Dan. Remember how they used to baby-sit for Laura? At least they’re with her now.”

If Marian had turned to look back as she left the den, she would have seen the horrified expression on her husband’s face. It took Dan at least a full minute to stop shaking. Marian hadn’t been a bit shocked when he told her about Cliff and Connie. She must have known all along.

Now Dan knew the truth. Marian had killed Cliff and Connie. It might look like an accident, but Marian had killed them. First, she murdered Becky. And then Jenny. And now Cliff and Connie. When would this nightmare stop!

He had to get help. Someone had to believe him! Dan clenched his fists and thought hard. It was his fault that Cliff and Connie were dead. Somehow Marian must have guessed what they were doing. Or maybe she just killed them so Laura would have more company. There was no telling how her confused mind worked. She was insane, and she was a killer. Anyone in town could be her next victim.

He had to be calm now, calm and rational. Dan swallowed hard and forced himself to think. He would eat breakfast with Marian, just as if nothing had happened. And later, he’d ask her to plug in the phone. He’d tell her he wanted to call the Hellers, to offer his sympathies. It would be a perfectly reasonable thing for him to do. As Cliff’s coach, he knew the family quite well. Marian would believe his excuse. She could even stay in the room when he called them. Then he’d say he was tired, but he’d call the Bergstroms later. She’d believe that. And when she was off doing something else, he’d put in a call to Sheriff Bates.

“Here it is, honey.” Marian came in carrying a tray. The smell of French toast made him feel like retching, but Dan managed to smile at her.

“My favorite.” He poured on some syrup and forced himself to eat. “You’re a wonderful cook, Marian.”

She was beaming at him, proud that she’d fixed something he liked. Her smile was beautiful; her eyes were clear and happy. She was so pretty, his hand started to shake. In that moment, he knew he still loved her. And he was the one who had to make the call, the call that would destroy her.

CHAPTER 24

When Sheriff Bates opened his door, Doc Hinkley was already out with his shiny red snowblower. Doc looked like a kid with a new toy, gleefully smiling as he created a small blizzard on his front sidewalk.

“Hey, Pete!” Dr. Hinkley shouted loud enough to be heard across the street. “You want a blow job?”

“Jesus, Doc! Shut up!”

Sheriff Bates’s face turned bright red. Mrs. Heino was just climbing into her station wagon.

Dr. Hinkley grinned and shut off the machine. He pushed the snowblower across the street, chuckling all the way. He’d really gotten Pete that time!

Sheriff Bates put his shovel back in the trunk of his car and shook his head. “Whose healthy appendix did you take out to pay for that?”

Dr. Hinkley just grinned and started up the machine. It took only a few minutes to clear out Pete’s driveway.

“I’ve wanted one of these for years,” Dr. Hinkley confessed. “If I get a call in the night, I have to shovel for half an hour before I can go. Somebody could die in the time it takes me to get my car out.”

“So you wrote it off your taxes as a business expense. Right, Doc?” Sheriff Bates laughed as the doctor nodded. “Seems reasonable to me. Well, thanks a lot for the help. Now I can get out to Madden’s in time. I got a meeting of resort owners at eight o’clock sharp. Somebody’s been dumping trash on their land. And then I have to be at the school at eleven to see Dan Larsen. He called yesterday and asked me to stop by.”

“Dan Larsen?” Dr. Hinkley frowned. “I wonder what he wants.”

“I don’t know. Guess I’ll find out soon enough.”

Sheriff Bates watched Doc wheel his snowblower back across the street. He had to get in gear and drive out to Madden’s. It wouldn’t do to have the resort owners mad at him. Without them, Nisswa would go broke.

 

 

“Dan had a conference, so I guess it’s just the two of us for lunch.” Marian set her tray down at Sally’s table. “How are you this morning, Sally?”

“The same as always. You try to teach, and they try not to learn.”

Marian glanced sharply at her friend. Sally looked tired and discouraged. The energetic young woman who used to handle her kindergarten class with boundless enthusiasm was gone. Sally had aged. And she had lost weight. Marian wished there was something she could do.

“I guess I’m being gloomy.” Sally tried to smile. She leaned closer to Marian. “Actually, I’ve been trying to talk Ronnie into moving away at the end of the school year. Nisswa’s gone sour. You know what I mean, Marian? I just want to get out. Sometimes I get the feeling we’re all sitting here waiting for the next catastrophe.”

Marian nodded. “I know how you feel, Sally. It’s been a hard winter for all of us, but it’ll end soon. You just have to hang on.”

“Sal?” The door to the lunchroom banged open, and Ronnie came in. “I have to go out to Pleasant Acres. Ray’s put in a call for emergency help. The furnace went out in the big lodge last night, and all his pipes froze solid. Some of them burst, and we’ve got to get them all replaced and wrapped before tomorrow. He’s got a party of thirty-five coming in from California in the morning.”

“Will you be working late?” Sally looked worried.

“I’ll knock off about eleven, honey. We could use the extra money, but I hate to leave you alone. Should I tell Ray to get someone else?”

“Don’t be silly. I’ll be just fine.” Sally gave him a smile. “I’ve got tons of work to keep me busy, and eleven isn’t so late.”

“Call me out there if you need me, and I’ll come home on the double.” Ronnie leaned over and hugged Sally. “Promise?”

“Sure.”

Marian noticed that Sally’s smile wavered a bit. Her friend looked upset as Ronnie left.

“Would you like me to come over tonight, Sally?” Marian tried to be helpful. “We could find something to do.”

“I’ve got something to do.” Sally laughed slightly. “I still have to write all those progress reports for the parents. I’ll just stay right here and work on them. I don’t really want to go home all alone.”

“Good idea. I’ve got some work to finish up, too. I’ll take Dan home and fix supper. I’ll bring you something to eat when I come back. You can stay overnight with me if you want, Sally. Make up your mind and let me know later.”

Marian was rewarded by a smile from Sally. She didn’t really have any work to finish in her classroom, but she was sure she could find plenty to do. New bulletin boards, perhaps, or some language sheets for next week’s work. There was always work to be done if you were an elementary-school teacher. And if she came back to the school, Sally would have company. Dan would understand if she left him alone for a while tonight.

 

 

“Close the door, Sheriff.” Dan sat behind his desk, looking serious. “I know who the murderer is!”

Sheriff Bates felt his heart race as he closed the door and sat down in the chair in front of Dan’s desk.

“It’s Marian!”

“What?”

“Let me explain. Marian’s been crazy ever since Laura died. I didn’t realize it at first. She acts perfectly normal most of the time. But then something sets her off, and she goes out and kills.”

Jesus Christ! Sheriff Bates almost groaned right out loud. Was Dan playing some kind of weird joke on him?

“I’ve got it all down right here.” Dan pointed to the sheet of paper on his desk. “December twenty-sixth, that’s the day Becky was murdered. Marian was gone for two hours in the afternoon. I asked her where she’d been, but she didn’t remember!”

“And you think Marian was in the icehouse?” Sheriff Bates drew a deep breath. “But why would Marian want to kill Becky?”

“It’s so simple! Marian killed Becky because she thought Laura was lonely!”

Sheriff Bates knew he had to stay calm. Dan wasn’t playing a joke. He was dead serious. He really thought Marian, sweet, kind Marian, was a murderer!

“Now, wait a minute. Why did Marian think Laura was lonely?”

“The notes! Oh . . . I forgot to tell you about the notes. Marian thinks Laura is writing her notes from the other side. I wrote the first one. I was just trying to cheer Marian up. But she wrote all the rest. She writes them in her sleep, and then she says they’re from Laura. She really believes it.”

“I see,” Sheriff Bates said slowly. He kept his face carefully neutral. This whole conversation reminded him of a scene from
Alice in Wonderland.

“Do you have the notes, Dan? I’d like to see them.”

“No, I wish I did. You see, Sheriff, Marian knows I don’t believe in the notes. I tried to convince her that she was writing them herself, but she wouldn’t listen to reason. Now she hides them from me. They’re probably up in Laura’s room. That’s where Marian goes when she talks to Laura.”

“Let me see if I got this straight. Marian wrote a note to herself that she thinks is from Laura. The note said Laura was lonely. So Marian went out and killed Becky. Is that right?”

“Right!” Dan sighed deeply. “It’s confusing at first, but then it all becomes clear. Now, let me check my dates. . . .”

Sheriff Bates raised his eyebrows as Dan looked down at the paper in front of him. Dan Larsen was sick. His mind had snapped. He really thought Marian was a killer!

“Oh, yes . . . January first. That’s the day of the sledding party. Marian was there. You know that, Sheriff. She told you she chased someone through the woods.”

Sheriff Bates sighed deeply. “I’m beginning to get the picture, Dan. And you think Marian was lying about the man in the woods?”

“Of course she was! That was just a cover story! She climbed up that hill and broke Jenny’s neck. Then she made up that lie so you wouldn’t suspect her.”

Sheriff Bates took out his notebook and started to write. He had to take careful notes. Doc Hinkley would want to know exactly what Dan said. Dan was a real basket case.

“I see. And you think Marian killed Jenny because Laura wanted company. Is that right?”

“Precisely! Every time Marian thinks Laura is lonely, she kills someone else!”

“And Connie and Cliff?”

“Yes. They were next. I didn’t see the note Marian wrote about them, but I’m sure she’s got one. She shut that garage door and murdered them, too! I’ve got it down right here. Marian left the house at eight thirty, and she didn’t come back until ten twenty. She said she was going to the store!”

Sheriff Bates had heard enough. It was painful to listen to this kind of crazy talk. He’d always liked Dan Larsen, and the poor man was totally insane.

“It may be my fault Cliff and Connie are dead.” There was an agonized expression on Dan’s face. “They were spying on Marian for me. If they were still alive, they’d back me up. Cliff and Connie knew Marian was the murderer!”

“Your fault?” Sheriff Bates jotted a line in his notebook.

“Yes. Marian may have murdered them because she suspected them of spying on her. I’m just not sure. Either that, or she thought Laura needed more company. Cliff and Connie used to baby-sit for Laura, you know. There’s no telling what goes on in Marian’s mind. I can’t explain her motives, Sheriff. I just know you’d better arrest her right away! If Marian knows I talked to you, she’ll kill me, too!”

The sheriff made another note in his book and closed it with a snap. He’d humor Dan, make him think he believed this crazy story. That ought to calm him down. Then he’d hightail it right over to Doc Hinkley’s office.

“I’ve got it all now, Dan. Thank you for telling me. You did exactly the right thing.”

Sheriff Bates stood up and managed to look Dan straight in the eye. “There’s only one thing, and this is important. Don’t mention this to anyone. Is that clear? Everything you’ve told me has to be kept under wraps.”

Dan’s eyes glittered feverishly, and Sheriff Bates swallowed hard. For the space of a second he was actually afraid of the man in the wheelchair. But that wasn’t right. Poor Dan Larsen should be pitied. His mind was completely gone.

“Now remember, Dan.” Sheriff Bates took a deep breath. “You’ll only hinder my investigation if you tell anyone else. I’ll take care of everything on my end, but it may take a little time. Mum’s the word, right?”

“Right!” Dan smiled and nodded. “You can count on me, Sheriff Bates. I won’t say a word.”

At least he’d silenced the man for a while. Sheriff Bates got into his patrol car and pulled out of the school parking lot. His hands were shaking, and he reached into his pocket for a cigarette. All he found was a half package of Certs. He had quit smoking two years ago. This thing with Dan Larsen really had him rattled.

He popped a breath mint into his mouth and chewed hard. He’d go straight to the clinic. They’d have to lock Dan up. There was no choice. If this got out, it would just kill poor Marian!

 

 

Joyce Meiers was sitting at the reception desk. She gave Sheriff Bates a big smile as he came in.

“Dr. Hinkley’s with a patient right now, but I’ll tell him you’re here. You can wait in his office.”

Joyce was sure looking good. Sheriff Bates accepted a plastic cup filled with coffee and watched her as she walked away. It seemed only yesterday that Joyce was just another kid riding her bicycle through town. She had long braids then, and she was always skinning her knees. Now she was a nurse, all grown up and pretty as a picture in her white, starched uniform. The local boys had been after her for years, but Joyce wasn’t interested. She went off to Duluth for nurse’s training. Now she was dating the new dentist from Pequot Lakes. He was here half days at the clinic. There’d probably be wedding bells soon. Joyce was too pretty to stay single for long.

 

 

“Holy shit!” Dr. Hinkley sat down hard. “Dan thinks
Marian
is the murderer?”

“That’s what he said. You should have heard him, Doc. He didn’t make any sense at all.”

“I’ll call Judge Lawrence and set up a sanity hearing.” Doc Hinkley reached for the phone. “From what you’ve told me, Dan’s a sick man!”

Sheriff Bates nodded. Judge Lawrence had the power to commit Dan to the state hospital for thirty days’ observation. They’d present all the facts, and the judge would decide.

“Eight o’clock tomorrow night at your office?” Doc Hinkley looked up at the sheriff. Pete nodded. The doctor scribbled a line in his appointment book and thanked the judge’s secretary.

“Do you think we should tell Marian?” Sheriff Bates asked after Doc had hung up the phone.

Dr. Hinkley thought for a minute. Then he shook his head. “No, I think it’s best to wait until Judge Lawrence makes his decision. Dan’s calmed down now, isn’t he?”

“I think so. I tried to act like I believed him. And I told him not to say anything about his suspicions. I said it would hinder my investigation.”

“Then there’s no sense in worrying Marian tonight. It’s going to be hard enough for her when they take him away. We’ll tell her after the hearing, Pete. I think it’s kinder that way.”

Sheriff Bates stood up and walked to the door. Then he stopped and frowned. “Say, Doc. You don’t think there’s any danger, do you? Dan can’t do anything violent from that bed.”

Dr. Hinkley looked uneasy. “I don’t think so, but Dan’s paralysis is hysterical, Pete. He could recover at any time. It’s unlikely, but you can’t rule him out as a suspect. He could be walking and not telling anyone. He
could
even be your murderer.”

“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!” Sheriff Bates shook his head. “I’ll keep an eye on him, Doc. It’s a damn good thing we’re holding that sanity hearing right away!”