Winter Chill

by Joanne Fluke

  “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!”

  CHAPTER 25

  “You gonna stay for long, Mrs. Powell?” Chet Turner stuck his head in her door. “I’m about ready to leave.”

  “Go ahead, Chet.” Sally turned to smile at the young janitor. “Marian’s coming in later to bring me something to eat. I’ll probably be working for a couple of
hours yet.”

  “Mr. Woodruff said teachers aren’t supposed to be in here alone at night.” Chet leaned on his broom and frowned. “I guess it’ll be all right if I lock you in, though. Mrs. Larsen can use her key when she comes.”

  “Thanks, Chet.” Sally gave him a smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  The school felt empty when Chet left. Sally busied herself with her letters for a few minutes, and then she walked to the window and looked out. It was getting dark, and Marian should be here soon. She hoped so. She was hungry enough to eat a bear.

  “Is anything wrong, Dan?” Marian was concerned as she watched him eat. “You’ve been so quiet all day.”

  “No, nothing’s wrong.”

  “How do you like the broccoli and cheese sauce? It’s Edith’s recipe.”

  “Very good.”

  “You’re not upset because I’m going back to the school, are you, Dan? I could always pack up Sally and bring her back here.”

  “No, that’s all right, Marian. I’m just tired.”

  “Maybe you should rest while I’m gone. I won’t stay out for too long. If it gets late, I’ll call.”

  It was like trying to talk to a brick wall. Dan wasn’t making any attempt to really communicate. Marian sighed and gave up the effort. Perhaps he really was tired. Today had been a long day, and the atmosphere was somber in school. Cliff and Connie had been the most popular kids in the senior class. Being around their grief-stricken friends all day was bound to be exhausting. Luckily, she had escaped most of that in the elementary wing.

  “Well . . . I guess I’d better be going, then.” Marian stood up and kissed him. “I’ll be back just as soon as I can.”

  Dan tried not to shudder when Marian kissed him. He watched her walk from the room, and he listened to the familiar sounds as she got ready to go out. It was hard to pretend when he knew the truth.

  The front door banged shut. She was gone. Dan pushed his plate aside the moment Marian left. He didn’t feel like eating. Thinking about what he’d told Sheriff Bates had wiped out the little appetite he had left. When would the sheriff act? Dan wished he knew how long these things took. He imagined that by Sunday, at the latest, Sheriff Bates would come for Marian.

  She was backing the van out now. He could hear the tires spinning in the driveway. He should have taught Marian more thoroughly how to drive in the snow, but now it was too late. He’d never teach her how to do anything again. She wouldn’t need to know how to drive in a mental hospital. That was where they’d probably put her. Marian would spend the rest of her life in Brainerd State Hospital, and he’d visit her on the weekends, if he could find anyone to take him.

  “Oh, God!” A moan of despair came from his throat. He was sentencing his own wife to a life behind locked doors, but what else could he do? He had to stop her from hurting someone else. In his heart, Dan knew he’d made the right decision. But that didn’t make it any easier to accept.

  It was dark now. Sally turned from the window and picked up her record book again. It was silly, but she was a little frightened here at school all by herself. Her room lights, the only ones on in the entire building, cast a reflection on the snow outside. The hallway was dark, and the light switch was at the very end. She wouldn’t go out in that dark hall for anything!

  Sally jumped as she heard the front door rattle. Then she smiled gratefully. Marian was back. The light switch flicked on, and suddenly the school was a friendly place again. She could hear Marian’s heels click against the wooden floor. It was a commonplace, comforting sound.

  “Meals on wheels, madam?” Marian laughed as she set the tray on Sally’s little table. “I brought enough for both of us. I know it’s no fun eating alone.”

  “Boy, am I glad to see you!” Sally laughed nervously. “This place is eerie at night. I kept thinking of werewolves and vampires and ghosts.”

  “You’ve been watching too many old movies.” Marian spread out a cloth and unloaded the basket. “I’ve got pork chops and baked potatoes, broccoli and cheese sauce, and . . . blueberry pie!”

  “No wonder it took you so long.” Sally grinned. “When did you have time to bake a pie?”

  “I had it in the freezer. I just popped it in the oven when I got home. As a matter of fact, these are the blueberries we picked at your place last summer.”

  “Now all we need is coffee.” Sally headed for the door. “Sit down, Marian. I’ll get it. You’ve outdone yourself.”

  The teachers’ lounge was dark. The little light on the coffeepot was glowing like one red eye. It would have frightened her earlier, but now that Marian was here, her fears seemed silly and childish. The school was perfectly safe. No one could get in without a key. And only teachers had keys. It was just as safe as being alone at home.

  “Here you are.” Sally carried two steaming cups across the room and set them down on the table. “Let’s eat, Marian. I’m really starved.”

  The meal was wonderful, and Sally was full of praise. Marian was a good friend to join her like this. After they had eaten, Marian went across the hall to her own room to work on her bulletin boards. It made Sally feel secure when she looked out her door and saw the light on in Marian’s room. Actually, working late at the school was kind of fun. She was halfway through with her progress reports, and she’d been at it for only two hours. If she kept working, she could finish them tonight. Then she’d be all caught up, and the rest of the month would be easy.

  “More coffee?” Marian called out from her room. “I’m getting some for myself!”

  “Sure!” Sally hollered back. She heard Marian go into the lounge. There was a muffled exclamation. Then she was back at Sally’s door with a puzzled expression on her face.

  “The coffeepot conked out. It’s stone cold. I can’t work without coffee.”

  “Maybe we can go down to the cafeteria and heat it up,” Sally suggested. “They don’t lock up the kitchen at night, do they?”

  “I don’t think so.” Marian shrugged. “Well, there’s only one way to find out. Let’s go.”

  The halls were dark and silent as they walked through the elementary wing. Sally was glad that Marian was with her. The eerie sensation had returned, but it wasn’t as bad with Marian at her side.

  Their footsteps made a hollow, echoing sound in the corridor as they went into the main building and passed the empty classrooms.

  Sally shivered a little. There was a stretch of open space between the cafeteria and the classrooms that always seemed dark, even in the middle of the day. Harvey had turned it into a metal shop, and the tools and equipment were covered with plastic shrouds. It reminded Sally of a morgue, and her heart beat wildly in her chest as they hurried past.

  Her fears vanished once they reached the cafeteria and turned on the lights. Now Sally felt foolish for being frightened. It wasn’t like her to be afraid of the dark. She was so nervous lately.

  Marian pushed open the kitchen door. The long metal counters gleamed under banks of fluorescent lights. Cookies were stacked high on enormous trays for tomorrow’s dessert.

  “I’ll have to watch Joey Cracowski tomorrow.” Marian grinned. “He loves peanut butter cookies. He always tries to snatch at least three of them.”

  “There must be a thousand of them,” Sally said in awe. “That’d be almost enough for one afternoon at my house. You know how the girls go through cookies.”

  There was a long silence as the two women looked at each other. Sally’s face fell as she remembered. The girls were gone. Jenny was dead, and so were her friends. There was no longer a reason to make a triple batch of peanut butter cookies.

  “Don’t think about it, Sally.” Marian patted her shoulder. “It doesn’t do any good to grieve. Just think happy thoughts.”

  “It’s so hard.” Sally sat down at the counter and waited for the coffee to heat. She could see herself in the gleaming stainless-steel surface. She looked tired and old.

  “Things sneak up on me, Marian. Little things. I made
butterscotch pudding last night because Jenny loved it. I didn’t remember until I poured it in the bowls. Ronnie hates butterscotch pudding. I’ll never get over it, Marian. I’ll never adjust!”

  “Yes, you will, Sally.” Marian smiled kindly. “I felt that way, too, at first. Then I discovered something that made me feel much better. Come on, let’s carry this back to your room and I’ll tell you.”

  The trip back wasn’t as frightening. Sally concentrated on holding the pot steady so the coffee wouldn’t spill. She was glad to see her own room, with the lights shining brightly. They sat down at her little table and shared the hot coffee.

  “I couldn’t stand it if I thought Laura was really gone,” Marian confided, leaning close. “You see, Sally, I know that she’s out there somewhere. And someday I’ll be with her again. Until then, I just have to wait.”

  Sally froze with her cup midway to her mouth. Marian must be talking about heaven, but it sounded almost sinister.

  “It’s hard to understand, but I know Laura’s really not gone. She sends me notes, Sally. Laura tells me she’s happy. That’s a great comfort to me.”

  Sally couldn’t say anything. She hardly dared to breathe. Marian was crazy, but she didn’t want to argue with her. Sally kept her face carefully impassive as Marian went right on talking.

  “I wanted to tell you before, but I didn’t think you were ready.” Marian smiled. “Jenny’s with Laura, you know. Jenny and Becky and Laura are together again. And now Cliff and Connie are there, too. That makes me feel so much better. Our little girls aren’t lonely anymore, Sally. Isn’t that wonderful?”

  Sally nodded. She didn’t know what else to do. Marian had lost her mind. Sally shivered slightly.

  “Well, it’s getting late.” Marian glanced at her watch and smiled. “Do you have much more to do, Sally? I promised Dan I wouldn’t stay too long.”

  “I’m nearly finished.” Sally was proud of herself. Her voice was steady. “If you have to get back home, Marian, go ahead. I’ll be just fine here. And . . . and I’ll come over to your house when I’m done. How does that sound?”