Winter Chill (21 page)

 

 

Judge Lawrence came in at 8:20 p.m. He was full of apologies for being late. Part of the highway was drifting shut again, and he had been forced to follow the snowplow in.

“It’s customary to have the patient present at these hearings. I’m making an exception in this case, only because of the disability involved.”

Judge Lawrence sat down and lit a cigar. “The law on involuntary committal is clear. Only a showing of pressing necessity can justify confinement. Now, let’s hear your report, Doctor.”

Sheriff Bates listened carefully as Dr. Hinkley read his notes. He’d never taken part in a sanity hearing before. It was sobering to think that a man’s fate was being decided right here in his office. Judge Lawrence could send Dan to the hospital for only a thirty-day observation period, but the news would get out. Even if the doctors at the hospital decided he was sane, Dan Larsen would never work in Nisswa again.

 

 

It was eight thirty. Joyce tried to watch television, but she was too nervous to concentrate. Her parents had gone to the town meeting, and she was alone. She tried not to think of it, but she was still upset about the sanity hearing for Mr. Larsen. Dr. Hinkley seemed to think the judge would commit him. Poor Mr. Larsen. They were holding the sanity hearing in secret, and that made her doubly upset. Mr. Larsen should have a right to know what they were doing.

At the commercial break, Joyce reached for the phone. She’d call Mr. Larsen and warn him. He could get a good lawyer and fight this. At least he’d have a chance of saving himself.

Marian didn’t remember until Jake Campbell stumbled in the door. He weaved from side to side and managed to knock over a chair as he sat down in the back. Jake had been there the night Sally was murdered. She had seen him leaning up against the doorway of the school building. What if Sally had felt sorry for him and let him in? And what if Jake had gone crazy and killed her!

Everyone in town had heard Jake’s stories about the war. He bragged about killing the enemy. Jake had never done anything violent in Nisswa, but now his drinking was worse than it had ever been.

Should she say anything? Jake had been at the sledding party, too. He could be the insane killer.

“Edith?” Marian nudged her friend. “I just remembered something, but I’m not sure if it means anything. When I left Sally in the school last night, Jake Campbell was right outside. And he was there the night of the sledding party, too.”

Edith’s eyes widened. She turned to look at Jake. Then she grabbed Midge’s arm and whispered to her.

Midge was sitting on the aisle. She got up quickly and hurried over to Gus Olson. The crowd was still discussing security, and no one seemed to notice their whispered conversation. Gus turned uneasily and glanced at Jake before he motioned for Jim Sorensen to join him.

What had she started? Marian’s heart pounded fearfully as Jim hurried to the back of the room and took Jake by the arm. Several people turned to look, and there was an excited buzzing.

“Where were you last night, Jake?” Jim spoke softly, but the crowd was suddenly quiet. “You were seen outside the school.”

Butch Johnson spoke up. “He was there at the sledding party, too. I saw him.”

“And he was talking to Becky Fischer the day she died!” Mary Baltar stood up. “I was taking a Christmas basket to Mrs. Lupinski, and I saw them. It was about four o’clock, I think.”

“You’ve got some explaining to do, Jake!” Jim grabbed for Jake’s other arm. “Come on, now. We’re going to find Sheriff Bates!”

“Lemme alone!” Jake swung around and wrestled free. “Lemme alone!”

He stumbled against the doorjamb, and then he was gone, moving faster than anyone expected. Suddenly the crowd was moving, too, running after Jake, shouting at him, pushing and shoving to get through the door.

Marian sat silently in her chair. A wave of fear swept over her as she realized what she had done. What if Jake wasn’t the killer? Could she be wrong? She could hear the shouts of the men outside, and suddenly she was afraid. The ordinary people of Nisswa had turned into a mob. What would they do to Jake!

CHAPTER 28

Dan balled his hands into fists and hit the mattress hard. Sheriff Bates had betrayed him. Joyce’s call proved it. All that talk about an investigation was a stall. The sheriff had been stringing him along, pretending to gather new evidence. This was treachery!

A sanity hearing! And they didn’t even have the guts to tell him. He wondered if Marian knew. She might have gone to his sanity hearing tonight, instead of the town meeting. There was a wife for you. Good old loyal Marian.

At least his lecture on civic responsibility had made an impact on one student. Dan gave an ironic smile. Joyce hadn’t done well on the exams, but she had learned. Now he wished he’d given her an A. She was the only one who cared enough to tell him.

What could he do? Dan felt like a sitting duck here in his bed. If he could walk, he might have a chance. At least then he could get out and convince people he wasn’t insane. He concentrated until his face turned red with the effort, but his legs were still dead.

He was in big trouble now. Dan took a deep breath and tried to stay calm. He had to think of something to do, quickly. Judge Lawrence would send him to the state hospital. Dr. Hinkley and Sheriff Bates could be very convincing. And once people knew he’d been sent to the state hospital, they’d never believe him.

Joyce thought he should get a lawyer. Dan gave a bitter laugh. He wouldn’t be able to find a lawyer to take his case. The minute he said that Marian was the killer, any lawyer would back off. Marian’s reputation was impeccable. And when he claimed that Marian had fooled the sheriff and the eminent town doctor, his lawyer would be positive he was a basket case.

How soon would they act? Dan tried to remember his smattering of law. The papers had to be filed before they could take him away. That meant they’d come after him tomorrow. He had less than twelve hours to think of a plan.

Dan’s hands shook as he turned off the television. It wasn’t only the thought of going to the state hospital that terrified him. It was Marian. And what she would do when he was gone!

Marian would be free to kill again and again. The thought made Dan’s stomach churn. She could go on making her ghastly sacrifices for Laura, and no one would suspect. Eventually, someone might catch her, but how many victims would she claim before then?

It was up to him to stop her. He was the only one who knew the truth, and his time was running out. Dan glanced at the clock. It was almost nine. They had been discussing his fate for nearly an hour. Soon they would make it official. Dan Larsen would be stamped as certifiably crazy. Tomorrow they would come to take him away, and then it would be too late. He had to stop Marian tonight!

 

 

“Are you sure the wife won’t sign the necessary papers?” Judge Lawrence frowned. “I agree this man should be confined for observation. There’s enough evidence to warrant a thirty-day committal, but in the absence of the patient, the case would be much stronger with the wife’s cooperation.”

“Marian Larsen is also my patient,” Dr. Hinkley said. “She’s had a series of shocks over the past six weeks that would have permanently incapacitated a lesser woman. I don’t think it would be fair to ask her to make a decision of this magnitude at this time.”

“Then we have no choice.” The judge snapped his briefcase shut and glanced at his watch. He stood and gave them a brief nod. “I’ll have committal papers drawn up and filed first thing in the morning. You can pick him up tomorrow. Tell the doctor on duty to give me a call if the papers haven’t come in yet.”

Sheriff Bates waited until the judge had left. “If it weren’t for Marian, I’d never have done this.”

“I know.” Dr. Hinkley looked old and tired. “I don’t like it, either, Pete, but there’s no other way. We had to do it for Marian’s sake. Think of how we’d feel if he spread that crazy story around town. Marian’s been hurt enough.”

“I guess you’re right, but that doesn’t make me feel any better. Nine o’clock tomorrow?”

The doctor nodded. “We’ll go together. It’ll be easier that way.”

“We’d better get over to that town meeting.” Sheriff Bates checked his watch. “I hope Jim kept a tight rein on that crowd.”

“We don’t need any more trouble, that’s for sure.” Dr. Hinkley shook his head. “I think Nisswa’s had its share for the next ten years.”

 

 

“Come on, Marian!” Edith hesitated at the open doorway. “I can see the crowd from here. It looks like they’ve got him cornered over at the Conoco station.”

“I’ll be there in a minute.” Marian watched the door close behind Edith. She didn’t want to go, but she knew she should. She was the one who had started all this. It was her responsibility to see it through to the end.

She was the only one left in the building. Marian got stiffly to her feet. She didn’t want to see Jake cornered and scared. She didn’t want to hear the mob of people shouting. But her legs carried her to the door and out, across the cold street to the ring of people surrounding Jake Campbell.

“Come on, Jake. We just want to take you to the sheriff.” Jim was still trying to reason with him. “You like Sheriff Bates, don’t you, Jake?”

“Get away! I’ll kill you!”

She could see Jake now, cowering against the cinder-block building. He thrashed out wildly with his arms, and Jim went down. He was like an animal in a trap, fighting for his life. For a moment Marian thought she was going to be sick.

The men in the front were moving now, circling around their wary prey. Jake’s head was swiveling. He knew he was surrounded. Marian prayed that he’d give up quietly and let them take him to Sheriff Bates.

“You’ll never get me alive!” His voice was crazed. Flecks of foam spattered from his mouth as he shouted, and his lips were drawn up in a frantic snarl. Jake was not going quietly. He was standing there, outnumbered fifty to one, but he wouldn’t give in.

“We’re going to have to rush him. Come on! On the count of three . . .”

As Marian watched, the men surged forward. Jake held them at bay, screaming threats. Another man went down as Jake swung desperately. He was holding his own, but it couldn’t last long.

Where was Sheriff Bates? He must have heard this commotion. Marian stared up the dark street, hoping to see his squad car.

Jake was still defending himself, kicking out and swinging his powerful arms. No one wanted to get close enough to chance getting hit. Marian hoped the crowd would stay out of reach until Sheriff Bates got here.

Jake’s movements were getting wilder. The huge man was getting tired, but he wasn’t giving up. The expression on his face was one of pure terror. Marian didn’t blame him for being afraid. The people she lived and worked with were turning ugly out here in the dark.

“I’ll take you bastards with me! Don’t come any closer!” Jake brushed Tom Woolery out of the way.

One of the men brandished a plank. Gus Olson had a brick in his hand. Something glinted in the moonlight, and a tire iron waved above the heads of the crowd. Marian swayed slightly. She felt faint. The snowbanks were whirling around her, and it was all she could do to stay on her feet.

They were advancing now, tightening the circle, closing in for the kill. There was a rhythm about it: advance two steps, fall back one, advance two more, fall back to regroup. She could still see the tire iron slashing against the air. Suddenly it crashed down. There was a hollow, crunching sound and a hideous scream.

“Murderer!” It was Donna Fischer’s voice above the shouts of the crowd. “He killed my baby!”

“Killer!”

“Get him! Don’t let him get away!” Gus Olson was shouting now. Marian saw the brick being raised and lowered again and again.

“Hit him again! He’s getting up!”

They were all screaming, high-pitched wails of terror from the women mingling with the shouts of the men. The sound built into something so loud and fearful that Marian reached up to cover her ears.

Then she was shouting, too, one thin voice raised in fearful protest. Stop! They had to stop! Dear God, they were killing him. They were bashing and battering and tearing him apart!

Now there was another sound, a sound that drowned out the screaming crowd. It was a siren. Sheriff Bates’s car came around the corner, red lights flashing against the banks of snow.

Suddenly it was quiet. The crowd was frozen as the siren cut off and Sheriff Bates got out of the car.

“What the hell’s happening here?” His voice was loud and demanding, but no one answered. The men who had been shouting moments before were silent and motionless now. It was as if time had stopped and everyone was caught in a freeze-frame forever.

The spell was broken. Dr. Hinkley came forward. There was a shuffling of feet as the crowd moved aside for the doctor. Through the break in the crowd Marian could see Jake on the snow. There were dark blotches of blood all around him. His body was crumpled and still.

Dr. Hinkley bent over him for a moment. The crowd waited. No one said a word.

“He’s dead.”

The doctor’s words hung in the cold air. For a moment there was no sound at all, and then everyone started yelling at once.

“He was hanging around the school last night, right before Sally was killed. He murdered her!”

“He killed Jenny Powell, too! We all saw him at the sledding party.”

“And he was talking to Becky Fischer the day she died. He must have waited for her in the icehouse.”

“We were going to bring him to you, but he attacked us. He’s guilty, Sheriff. He’s the killer!”

Sheriff Bates did not raise his voice, but everyone heard him.

“Jake
was
at the school last night. That much is true. But I locked him up in jail to keep him from freezing. I waved at Sally when I took him away. She was in her classroom, just as alive as you or me.”

There was nothing to say. The crowd shifted uneasily, and several women began to cry. Donna Fischer was sobbing openly now, and Earl put his arm around her shoulders. Marian could see Jim Sorensen’s face. He was white and shaking.

“Go home now.”

Sheriff Bates moved to stand in front of Jake’s body.

“Go home and try to sleep.”

One by one they moved, dark shadows with heads bowed. They were all looking down at the snow, afraid of meeting their neighbors’ eyes. It took only a minute and the area was deserted except for three silent figures outlined against the stark building. Dr. Hinkley and Sheriff Bates. And the body of Jake Campbell.