Secrets in the Shallows (Book 1: The Monastery Murders) (54 page)

“Not yet! I’ll tell you when it’s time,” he said as he got out of the car and walked around. Opening her door, he took her hand and said, “Swing your legs out of the car. I’ll help you get up.”

Katy swung her legs out and cautiously put her feet on the gravel. Feeling around the edge of the seat, she picked up her purse and put it on her shoulder. Holding John’s hand, she trusted him to help her out of the car.

John slipped one arm around her waist as he held her by the hand and guided her to the sidewalk, where he stopped. “Are you ready?”

“Have you heard a word I’ve said?” she laughed. “I’ve been ready since we got in the car.”

“Well, then just stand there for a second,” he said as he stood behind her and removed the blindfold.

As the black cloth was pulled away, Katy opened her eyes to see the lighthouse towering in front of her. “Oh, sweetheart! You are such a romantic. I love you so much!” She turned around and hugged John with complete joy. After kissing him tenderly, she smiled and grasped his hand. “Let’s go to the top!”

Almost dragging John behind her, Katy hurried down the sidewalk towards the lighthouse entrance. Pulling the door open, the couple found a small gift shop with an elderly woman sitting at a desk in the back corner.

“May I help you?” the woman asked.

“Can we still walk up to the lookout balcony?” Katy asked her. “We’re planning on getting married here in June.”

“Hmmmm. We ll, as long as you be careful, I guess I can let you go.”

Katy beamed as she replied, “Thank you, ma’am!”

John laughed at her childlike excitement. “Lead the way, baby.”

Katy tugged on his arm, as she led him towards the lighthouse door. Pulling the handle, they walked through the doorway to stand at the base of a long spiral staircase. The intimidating steps towered upward over 135 feet.

“Ready?” John asked her.

“Of course, I am, sweetheart,” she replied as she began climbing the long series of stairs.

One by one, the couple managed to conquer each step until they reached the top landing.

Catching his breath, John said, “Finally! That’s a lot of stairs. You sure you want to get married up here?”

“I don’t want to get married on the balcony, Silly. No one would hear what we’re saying. I want to have the wedding in the cottage garden, and then we can have some great pictures taken with us on the balcony.”

Sighing in relief, John replied, “That sounds much better!”

Katy laughed as she opened the door and stepped out onto the balcony walkway. Immediately, the wind swept around them, catching them off-guard.

“Hold onto the rail, Katy,” John cautioned her.

Grasping the rail, Katy stood and gazed out across the bay. “This is the most amazing view. I never get tired of seeing it.”

“Well, I know the view I never get tired of seeing,” John replied, reaching around from behind, and wrapping his arms around her entire waist. Leaning down he kissed her lightly on the neck and said, “I love you, baby. I know I’ve been really busy with this murder case. Thank you for understanding and supporting me. It means a lot to me to have you on my side.”

Katy nuzzled up against his face and replied, “I love being with you, sweetheart. You’re my life. With your career doing so well, everything seems to be finally falling in to place.”

Resting his chin on Katy’s shoulder, he gazed out over the water and slightly smiled. “I agree that everything is coming along perfectly.”

P
ART
6:

H
OPE
S
HATTERED

C
HAPTER
47

Tapping his index finger on the metal table, Charles Posey looked at his watch as he waited patiently in the gloomy surroundings. He thought to himself,
Come on, guard! It’s 2 p.m., and I’ve got a lot to talk about with Mother Superior. Too bad I have to work on a Saturday though. I really hate working on my day off, but time is ticking.

Without warning, the door of the interrogation room opened. Adjusting his red bow tie, Mr. Posey stood to his feet. Escorted by a female guard, Mother Superior looked frail as she walked in, dressed in bright orange prison garb. Her once beautiful salt-and-pepper hair now looked limp and lifeless. Dark circles lined her eyes, evidence of lack of sleep and worry over the events of several days. A air of helplessness surrounded her as she stood silently beside the guard.

Charles was saddened by her appearance, as she was once a respected and vibrant, God-fearing woman of the cloth. In spite of the woman he saw before him, he remembered her as the saintly matron of the monastery who would always take care of those in need. Though her methods may have been rather strict and old-fashioned in many people’s opinions, he knew that her heart had always been in the right place.

Charles quickly pulled up out the metal chair, “Here. Why don’t you have a seat, Mother? Can I get you something to drink?”

Mother Superior sat down across from her lawyer, a shadow of her former self. Her voice cracked as she said, “A cup of coffee would be nice, please.”

He immediately poured coffee from a nearby pitcher into a Styrofoam cup and handed it to her. “Sugar or creamer?”

“No, thank you. I drink it black.” Mother Superior’s hands shook slightly as she held the rim close to her dry lips. The coffee tasted so good as the warm liquid slid down her throat. After taking several sips, she set the cup down on the table and held it between her hands.

Sitting back down, Charles commented, “I’m sure you have a bunch of questions.”

“Yes, Mr. Posey. I don’t understand how they can arrest me for something I didn’t do.”

“I’ll explain it more later, but basically they say they have enough evidence to get a second arrest warrant; this time for Tom Green’s murder. In addition, they say they have DNA evidence, autopsy and audio evidence to back it up. As I mentioned last time, they need to have the means, motive, and opportunity in order to show you could have committed those horrible murders. I don’t know if their evidence is strong enough or not, but it sounds pretty solid. By studying what evidence they have, I understand why they think they have a case against you. That way I’ll know what the best defense will be.”

“I already told you I didn’t commit those murders!”

“I requested copies of the counseling session before I leave. I’ll tell you more once I hear them myself, but this is what I was told. A file folder was found in your office with a bunch of reports you had saved. It also had recordings of counseling sessions you had with Tom Green, in addition to the other ones they had already found with Timothy Fields. One was recorded after you confronted Tom about vandalizing the tombstones at the cemetery. Do you remember that session?”

“That was almost a year ago. I don’t see what relevance it has. Tom Green did a lot of damage to the tombstones including knocking over Father Barnhill’s, I might add. If that wasn’t enough, he absolutely humiliated me by drawing filthy pictures in our hymnals and prayer books. He even used permanent marker to write in a bunch of perverted drawings with my name by them. After I found out about it, I worked everything out with Tom Green’s parents. It’s my goal to educate and influence positive and productive graduates. However, I would have
never
killed him over that!”

Mother continued, “So that I would not press charges, his parents agreed to make him attend counseling sessions with me for two months. He also had to repair any damage he had done, and his parents even replaced the books that had been destroyed. In our sessions, I told Tom that he needed to obey the rules to make him a better citizen in life. I spent many sessions with him, trying to make him see what he needed to do to change his life. How can this be a bad thing? I don’t understand.”

Charles looked directly in her eyes. “The district attorney says that all of the damage Tom Green did to the monastery property could have been the motive for you to kill him. Apparently, that was what they found on those tapes. They found Tom Green’s backpack in the pond, and it was filled with bricks. Plus, they found hairs in Tom’s backpack and tangled in the rope used in Timothy Fields’ murder.”

He continued, “They told me those hairs match your samples almost perfectly. Basically, they have directly linked you to both Tom and Timmy’s murders. That has all been proven by forensics, so give me something to help you out of this mess!”

Mother raised her voice, “How can I help you, when I did not kill Tom or Timmy! I did not murder either one of those young men! And, I will go to my grave saying that! I don’t recall saying anything in those sessions that would tie me to the murders. I just don’t see the connection.”

Mother Superior Mary Ellen’s cheeks streamed with tears as she reiterated, “I swear, as God is my witness, I did not kill those boys! Why won’t anybody believe me?” Lowering her head on the table, she sobbed.

Feeling sympathy for his client, Charles grabbed a tissue and handed it to her.

Mother Superior looked up at her attorney, “You believe me? Right, Mr. Posey?”

Without saying a word, Charles nodded as he leaned forward. Pausing, he asked, “I need to know right now. Is there anything else that you can tell me that would clear your name?” Leaning back in his chair, he crossed his arms. “The evidence is really stacking up against you. Is there anyone who would have any serious grudge against you?”

Mother Superior sighed deeply and replied, “I’m sure I have a few students that haven’t liked me very much, but I can’t think of anyone who would want to harm me. My job at the school and monastery is to nurture and teach. I’m not a killer. I would burn in Hell for that. In fact, I feel like I’m already in Hell.”

Once again, Charles leaned forward and looked directly at Mother Superior. “They will probably want you to consider a plea bargain. If you do that, then your time could be lessened considerably. Maine does not have a death penalty, so if you consider a plea bargain—”

Mother Superior immediately interrupted him. “I am not going to plea to anything! Plus, at my age it would still be for the rest of my life, so why not fight? I did not kill Timothy Fields, and I did not kill Tom Green. Period! I was framed! Someone is doing this to me! Don’t you see that, Mr. Posey?!”

Charles stared into her inflamed eyes. “If you won’t sign a plea agreement, then I only have one way to try to beat this — reasonable doubt. And, I have to be honest with you, Mother. It’s going to be like looking for a specific needle in a stack of needles to find something to get you off of these charges. Which of the nuns would vouch for your character and innocence?”