The Gravedigger

by Kacie Clement

  Greta pursed her lips in thought. “Come to think about it, yes. The pastor was counseling a young mother who was going through a divorce. She wasn’t at Faye’s funeral either. You don’t think she and Danny ran off together, do you?”

  Terrance slightly nodded his head as if he was considering the idea. Smiling, he began, “Ms. Garrison…”

  “Call me Greta, Mr. James.”

  Terrance smiled while Kamira watched Greta melt in her office chair. Kamira smiled, thinking, even older women can’t resist Terrance’s smile. She sat back and let Terrance ask the questions.

  “Greta,” Terrance began again, do you remember the woman’s name?"

  “Let me think a minute. Yes, I remember now, Marilee Hudson. She was just 27 years old. She had a toddler, a son, only two years old, and she got divorced. The pastor took a special interest in helping her. I thought it was not polite that she just left, saying nothing to anybody. After a while, after the pastor’s death, we all forgot about her and wondered where she went. Then five years after she left, a church contacted me for transfer of her church records.”

  Terrance beamed at Greta Garrison while turning on the charm. “I don’t suppose you remember where you sent those records to?”

  Greta beamed back at Terrance, ignoring Kamira. “I don’t remember off-hand. Sit here a minute, Terrance. Let me go find the record.”

  As Greta Garrison walked out of the office to go to the file room, Kamira slyly looked at Terrance.

  “You know, husband, you should not be flirting with the church secretaries.”

  Terrance smiled and waved at Greta Garrison, coming down the hallway, file in hand.

  “Here you go, Terrance. The request came from the Falls Baptist Church in International Falls, Minnesota.”

  Taking the file, Terrance stood ready to wish Greta a good day and head back to the office.

  Kamira laughed silently. When she heard Greta say, “Mr. James, I brought some shrimp gumbo with me today for lunch, and I know there is enough for the two of us. If you would like to join me for lunch, we can discuss Ms. Hudson further.”

  It took everything Kamira had not to burst out in laughter seeing the look of terror on her husband’s face.

  It was when she saw Greta smile shyly at her and say, “I don’t mind giving your partner a ride back to the department, Detective. I am sure you have work to do.” That she knew if she didn’t leave that office, she was going to break out in hysterics.

  Kamira stood, smiling, “Yes, Ma’am, I have a desk full of files to sort through. Enjoy your lunch.”

  She smiled evilly at Terrance as she walked out the door and drove back to the department, trying to keep her eyes on the road while she wiped the tears of laughter from them.

  Chapter 6

  Kamira, smiling, walked into the department, seeing Sally sitting behind her desk.

  “Sally, is Jack in?” Kamira asked.

  “No, he and Suzie are out on a call. They found the two bodies of the men suspected of the gazebo fire.”

  Kamira, feeling a knot forming in her stomach, replied, “I will give Jack a call.”

  Turning with a heaviness in her legs, she walked back to her office and called Jack.

  “Jack, this is Kamira. Sally said you found the suspects of the gazebo fire. Any idea who they were?”

  Jack walked away from the crime scene task force over to his squad car.

  “Yes, two known members of the State Line Mob. Executed. Clean shots to the head.”

  “Wonderful, so the State Line Mob still has me as a target. Any word on finding Alyce Ann Buchanan?”

  Jack frowned, “No, nothing. Suzie tracked her financial history, and she has not used her credit cards or bank account since the rehearsal dinner. It’s been close to a week, and there is nothing on her whereabouts. Have the women found anything? I was going to talk to Willie Mae this morning, and then we got the call.”

  Kamira, a tightness building in her chest, replied, “No. Terrance and I were conducting the Garrison interview. Jack, we’re going to have to put security on Willie Mae.”

  Jack jumped when he heard Terrance’s loud, angry voice over the phone.

  “Woman, you left me alone in the hands of that Garrison woman. Why would you do that?”

  Jack grinned. “What did you do to that husband of yours, Detective?”

  “Nothing, I left him at the church to have lunch with Greta Garrison. Thought he might get more information out of her since he worked so hard to charm it out of her.” Kamira winked at Terrance.

  “Jack, keep me updated. I will go find Willie Mae and ask her about Alyce Ann.”

  Hanging up the phone, Kamira walked over to Terrance, standing face to face with him.

  “So, Mr. James, did you sweet-talk Greta out of any more information?”

  Terrance displaying a wide grin, said, “No, I spent more time attempting to keep her hands off this amazing body than I did anything else. What’s going on with Jack?”

  Kamira frowned. “They found two bodies and identified them as State Line Mob members. They identified one of them as a worker at the Bellows’ setting up for the wedding. Which means I am still a target for the mob.

  We need to talk to Willie Mae. There is no trace of Alyce Ann Buchanan. We are going to need security on Willie Mae.”

  Sitting down at his desk, Terrance replied, “Why don’t you go to Minnesota to interview Ms. Hudson after the memorial service tomorrow, and I will monitor Willie Mae. I will also see if I can dig in further to finding Alyce Ann.”

  Kamira nodded. Seeing Sally walking past their office, she quickly yelled out, “Sally, can you come into our office for a minute?”

  Sally, hearing her, turned and stood in the doorway. “What’s up? Terrance, everyone is talking about your lunch with Greta Garrison.”

  Kamira giggled.

  “Who is talking about my lunch? For god’s sake, I just left there.”

  “The Bellow sisters are here, and they have been chatting on their phones with their phone tree. It appears someone quite enthralled Greta Garrison, Investigator James.”

  Kamira looked at Terrance’s frown and said, “Sally, would you ask Willie Mae to come in?”

  “I would if I could, but Willie Mae is at the church meeting with Father Chestfield about the memorial service tomorrow.”

  Kamira closed her eyes, thinking tomorrow was going to be a hard day for her family.

  “Okay, thanks.”

  Kamira and Terrance spent the rest of the day setting up Kamira’s interview and travel plans before heading home.

  Kamira took a hot shower before collapsing on the bed in exhaustion.

  The room was considerably darker since Kamira had fallen asleep, an oddity given how bright the moon illuminated the outdoors. When her eyes caught movement across the windowpane, a bony hand dragged across the glass, and she resentfully stood to look.

  Time seemed to fall away from the mysterious hand at the window. Suddenly she was standing inside the shipping container where she was imprisoned before coming to Shadowbank.

  Looking at the flickering lightbulb overhead, she sensed movement. Scared, she couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. Her body trembled. She knew if she looked around the shipping container for the bony hand, it would be lying here dying.

  She sensed the movement again, behind her. Turning quickly, it wasn’t herself she saw lying there dying. It was Willie Mae.

  She screamed.

  Terrance, jumping up from the bed, grabbed Kamira’s shoulders, shaking her awake.

  “Kamira, it’s just a nightmare. Wake up, love.” Terrance begged.

  Kamira sat up in the bed, tears streaming down her cheeks.

  Terrance sat down beside her, tenderly holding her in his arms. “Was it the same nightmare of the shipping container?”

  Kamira silently nodded in agreement. Struggling to talk, her mouth dry, she replied, “Only it wasn’t me. It was Willie Mae.”

  “Willi
e Mae? Has she ever been in your nightmares before?”

  Kamira stood, “I need some water.”

  Walking into the bathroom, Kamira splashed her face with cold water after gulping down the glass of water. Looking into the mirror, seeing her face, she thought, is this a sign of something to come?

  Walking back into the bedroom, Kamira climbed back in under the covers and snuggled up to Terrance, saying, “Promise me while I am gone. You will watch over my auntie.”

  “I will, baby, now try to get some rest. Your auntie is going to need you tomorrow.”

  An hour later, Kamira quietly got out of the bed so as not to wake Terrance. Looking at the clock, she saw it was 3 am. She went down to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee.

  The following day at 11 am, the family and a small group of friends gathered around the burial site in the church graveyard for the Rite of Committal ceremony.

  Father Chestfield blessed the gravesite and led the group into prayers over Clifton Buchanan’s body one last time.

  Committing Clifton to the earth, Father Chestfield recited more prayers before asking everyone to join in to say the Lord’s prayer.

  Father Chestfield approached Willie Mae and said, “Willie Mae, the women have made a luncheon for your family and friends downstairs.”

  Willie Mae sadly acknowledged his statement and said aloud, “Let us go inside for a luncheon the women have prepared for us.”

  Looking at Kamira, she asked, “Are you okay, Kamira? You looked tired.”

  Kamira smiled gently, replying, “I am fine, Auntie. Walk with me inside.”

  Taking her auntie’s tiny hand in hers, they began the walk to the church.

  “Auntie, I have to fly out to Minnesota after the memorial service to interview a few ladies. Will you be all right for a day till I get back?”

  Willie Mae smiled. “Of course, I will. Clifton is now at peace. If I need anything, I will call Billie and Keisha. I don’t want you worrying about me now.”

  Billie strolled up next to the two women and walked alongside them. While Kamira and Billie quietly talked, Willie Mae was setting an alternative plan in motion.

  Chapter 7

  The following day, as Terrance was driving Kamira to the airport to catch her flight, Willie Mae was in an Uber on the way to the greyhound station to purchase a ticket to Parchman Farm, the Mississippi State Penitentiary. She was going to visit George Buchanan.

  Kamira arrived at the Falls Baptist church to conduct her prearranged interview with Marilu Hudson.

  Walking into the church office, she saw a group of three people waiting for her. The woman she saw approaching her was plump, her hair sprinkled with gray and bright blue intelligent eyes.

  “Good Afternoon, you must be Detective Jackson. I am Marilu Hudson Bester. This gentleman here is my husband, Harry Bester, and Pastor Drew. We can go to the pastor’s office for the interview.”

  Kamira shook hands with everyone and followed them into a comfortable office that held a 6-foot long table and chairs.

  Once seated, with Marilu directly across from Kamira, Kamira said, “Tell me how you met Charles Chestfield, and he came about counseling you.”

  Kamira watched as Marilu glanced at her husband, taking his hand in hers.

  “I was 27 years old when I met Pastor Chestfield, just joining the church, while I was getting divorced from a violent man and had Tommy, who was only two years old.

  Pastor Chestfield felt I needed counseling to address my issues of healing after a violent relationship. I met with him weekly, and six months later, we began an affair. It was soon after that I think Charles started planning his wife’s murder.”

  “You believe Pastor Chestfield murdered his wife, Faye Chestfield? Can you tell me why you believe this?”

  Tears formed in Marilu’s eyes, and Kamira watched her husband whisper in her ear and squeeze her hand.

  “Charles would tell me he loved me. He would say to me we were soul mates. Charles was making plans for us to move to Texas and begin a new church there. I asked him about Faye, but he said she wouldn’t be a problem much longer. Charles made it clear he did not love Faye any longer, and her bouts of depression over the loss of their daughter Cassie were overwhelming.

  One night, he was visiting, and I watched him steal my fresh bottle of Ambien, a prescription I had gotten from the doctor. After divorcing my husband, I had trouble sleeping. I was in constant fear he would find Tommy and me. Plus, the affair’s guilt played a part in that time as well.

  The night Faye died, Charles came over. He told me he had convinced Faye to have a drink. He told me he had dissolved ten of those pills in her glass. Said he had told Faye that the alcohol would relax her. If you can believe it, Charles convinced her they could get the marriage back on track with a new sexual experience.

  He then told me she became sleepy, and he handcuffed Faye to the bed until she fell asleep and then put a pillow over her face to suffocate her. Faye moved and gasped for air. Thinking she was already dead, Charles panicked and again put the pillow over her face until he was sure she was dead.

  Two days later, the police questioned me about why Charles was counseling me. They asked if I was having an affair with him. I denied it.”

  Kamira, not surprised, looked at Marilu and asked, “Why did you deny the affair?”

  Tears flowing down her cheeks, she replied, “It terrified me. Terrified I would get sent to jail, and Tommy would go into the system, and scared Charles would kill me if I said anything.”

  “Did he threaten you?”

  “The day the police interviewed me, Charles showed up at my apartment. He had plane tickets for Tommy and me to go to a motel his uncle ran in Texas and told me to stay there till he got there, and our lives would begin anew together. Charles gave me a cell phone and one thousand dollars in cash, told me to pack, that a car would pick me up at 3 pm. It was strange, and he looked so eerie, it scared me.

  I packed a suitcase for myself and Tommy, and the car came at 3 pm to take me to the airport. When Tommy and I got to the airport, I used the cash and purchased two tickets to International Falls. Here. I had an old childhood friend who lived here, Mary Ann Penske. I stayed with her and got a job as a maid at the local hotel.”

  Marilu smiled. “That is where I met Harry here. Harry owns the hotel. We married three years later, and he adopted Tommy.”

  Kamira asked, “Did you ever hear from Charles Chestfield again?”

  “For a year, I received calls on that phone. Every few months, I would get a call. The caller said nothing, but I could hear he was breathing on the other end. I knew it was Charles. One day, it got to be too much. I had the pastor call the church in Shadowbank and ask for Pastor Chestfield to transfer my membership. Greta Garrison, the church secretary, informed him that the pastor had died in a car explosion a few weeks after losing his wife, but she could help with the membership transfer.”

  Kamira, her Spidey senses at full speed, asked, “Marilu, do you think Charles Chestfield is dead?”

  A look of fear crossed Marilu’s face. “No, I don’t. Who else would call that number? I threw the phone away in 2004 and have never heard from him again. But no, I don’t think he is dead. I have put that part of my life behind me. Harry is a good husband.”

  Kamira nodded. “One last question. Did you ever meet Daniel Billings, the gravedigger?”

  Marilu looked confused. “Danny the Gravedigger? I never knew his last name. Yes, I met him a few times. Very nice man. But Charles often said he didn’t like him. He thought he was having an affair with his wife, Faye.”

  Kamira said, “Thank you, Marilu, for your time and answering my questions honestly.”

  Marilu asked, “What now? Have you found Charles? Will I have to go to jail?”

  Kamira smiled and replied, “Marilu, we have not yet found Charles Chestfield. We are still investigating. If there is a trial, we will call you to testify. But I will speak to the district attorney and explain the cir
cumstances around your story.”

  Handing Marilu her card, Kamira said, “If you remember anything else, please call me.”

  Kamira said her goodbyes and headed for the hotel to get a bite to eat and a good night’s sleep. Her flight back to Shadowbank was leaving at 7 am.

  While Kamira was interviewing Marilu Hudson Bester, Willie Mae was just getting to Parchman Farm. The guard let her in the visiting room to sit and wait for George Buchanan to arrive.

  Willie Mae was nervous, and her heart skipped a beat when she saw George enter the visiting area.

  George took a seat across from Willie Mae. “Willie Mae, are you enjoying that five million that my bitch of a wife gave you? Are you here to gloat?”

  Willie Mae’s face turned red in anger. “No, George, I am not here to gloat. I gave that money to Billie. That was Clifton’s money.”

  Crossing her arms over her chest, Willie Mae said, “I am here to tell you, I know you are running things with the mob from here, behind bars. That Buddy Colfax is doing your bidding. I know you ordered the pipe bombing of the gazebo, but that didn’t quite work out the way you wanted it to, did it?”

  George’s eyes narrowed, “Look here bitch…”

  Willie Mae glared at George, took a deep breath, and said, “No, George, you listen to me closely. You will not target my family any longer. I am going to end the State Line Mob once and for all, and I will find out what you did with Alyce Ann.”

  George laughed. “Tell me, Willie Mae, wouldn’t it be awful if something happened to that new baby coming, or Billie and his family?”

  Willie Mae leaned over the table and said quietly, “Hurt my family again, George, and you will never see the light of day again.”

  Willie Mae stood, turned, and without another word walked to the door to have the guard let her out of the visiting room.

  Willie Mae left the prison and almost collapsed to the ground. She prayed she didn’t make things worse. What was she going to do if George came after her family again?

  Willie Mae spent the rest of the day shopping for the new baby before going back to the hotel. Her bus back to Shadowbank was leaving at 6 am.