Winter Chill

by Joanne Fluke

  She reached out to take his hand, and Dan had all he could do not to pull away. He stared down at her strong, capable fingers. Marian’s hands had held the murder weapon. Her arms had brought that wicked blade down on Sally’s head.

  “Here’s your coffee, Dan.” Edith breezed into the room. “Oh, Marian! I didn’t expect you up so early. Would you like a cup of coffee?”

  “I’ll have it in the kitchen with you and Midge.” Marian got up and walked to the door. “You two were just wonderful to come over here last night. I don’t know how I can ever thank you.”

  Dan tried to get interested in a rerun of The Six Million Dollar Man. He had to do something to take his mind off Marian. Midge and Edith would be leaving soon. Then he’d be completely alone with her.

  The phone rang as the segment was ending. Marian picked it up in the kitchen. A minute later, she came into his room.

  “That was Jim Sorensen. They’re holding a town meeting tonight at the Elks Lodge. Jim says they’re organizing to protect the town.”

  “You’d better not go, Marian.” Dan tried to hide his alarm. “Jim’ll understand. He knows you’re still upset.”

  “No, I promised him I’d be there.” Marian’s voice was firm. “I’ll go for both of us. Jim wants a big turnout tonight.”

  At least nothing could happen if she was in a crowd of people. Dan sighed, but he kept his thoughts to himself. Not one of the people at the meeting would suspect Marian. She was too good at hiding her madness.

  Marian looked the same as always, sitting quietly in the chair by his bed. Dan was sure she didn’t remember what she had done. She would deny everything if she were faced with the facts. She would be puzzled, then outraged, if someone accused her. She was innocent in her own mind. Her eyes were not haunted by the same hideous secret that plagued him.

  Dan leaned back and closed his eyes. It was difficult to think when she was sitting across from him, reading the newspaper. He still loved her, even though he knew the horrible truth. When would Sheriff Bates come and release him from this constant torture?

  “Look, Pete. We just want to help, that’s all.” Jim faltered a bit at the angry look in the sheriff’s eyes. “The meeting starts at eight. You’re going to be there, aren’t you?”

  “I’ve got some business to take care of tonight.” Sheriff Bates frowned. “I can’t get there until around nine. Just don’t go stirring them up, Jim. We’ve got an explosive atmosphere here in Nisswa.”

  Gus spoke up. “That’s why we called the town meeting. If the people think they’re doing something to help, they’ll feel better. We’re going to calm them down, Pete. Jim and I have it all planned out.”

  “Well, you’re the mayor, Jim.” Sheriff Bates leaned back and nodded. “I guess you have a right to call a town meeting anytime you want. Just keep it orderly, and I’ll get there as soon as I can.”

  Sheriff Bates motioned to Emma, and she brought the coffeepot. She gave him a smile, but it wasn’t the big grin he usually got. Emma was upset over Sally’s death. Everyone was upset. It was a bad time to hold a town meeting. Even nice people got hot heads when their community was threatened.

  “Come on, Emma. Give us a smile.” Sheriff Bates reached over to pinch her behind. “The day’s never right unless I get a smile from my best girl.”

  “I don’t feel much like smiling today, Sheriff.” Emma’s hand was shaking as she poured out the coffee. “Mrs. Powell’s murder makes me scared. I told Joe I won’t work the late shift anymore. I got a creepy feeling about being alone at night.”

  “A big girl like you?” Sheriff Bates laughed. “Come on, Emma. I know you. If that killer comes in here, you’ll bash him over the head with Joe’s frying pan.”

  “I guess I would, at that.” Emma began to grin. “Maybe I’ll bring it up at the meeting tonight. Joe could make a fortune selling those frying pans of his.”

  It was a pity, that was what it was. Joyce Meiers looked down at the papers on Dr. Hinkley’s desk and sighed. Poor Mr. Larsen. She didn’t believe for a minute that he was crazy, but there it was in the doctor’s appointment book: Sanity Hearing—Dan Larsen—8:00 p.m. Of course, this was confidential and she wouldn’t tell a soul, but Mr. Larsen was being steamrollered right into the state hospital.

  Joyce picked up two half-filled coffee cups and emptied the overflowing wastebasket. Poor Mr. Larsen! He was the best teacher she had ever had, and it just wasn’t fair. She remembered what he’d said in civics class. A person had rights. They were holding this hearing, and poor Mr. Larsen didn’t even know about it. It seemed that the law ought to protect people from things like this.

  There was nothing she could do about it. Joyce closed the appointment book and tidied up the doctor’s desk. Maybe it would turn out all right. Judge Lawrence was coming in from Brainerd. Everyone said he was a fair-minded man. She sure hoped the judge would protect Mr. Larsen’s rights.

  Marian sat in the backseat of the Honda, wedged in between stacks of school papers and music books. The snowplows had done a good job clearing out the Elks Lodge parking lot. There were spaces for thirty cars, and Edith found one on the end. The lot was nearly full. The people in Nisswa had turned out en masse for this meeting.

  At least it would be warm inside. They were due for another storm during the night. The radio said it would get down to twenty below. Marian turned up her collar and shivered. It seemed like miles to the door.

  Folding chairs were set up in rows, and a podium was in place on the stage. Marian felt a stab of remorse as she entered the room. It was no longer cozy and intimate, the way it had been the night of the teachers’ Christmas party. Fred Norby’s band was gone, the mistletoe was gone, and Drew was gone, too. No one had heard a word from him since he left three weeks ago.

  “It’s a good thing we got here early.” Edith waved at a group of people she knew, and found them a place near the back. Marian made a quick head count. There were close to forty people here already, and they were fifteen minutes early. There had never been a turnout like this for a town meeting before. There was a restless murmuring from the front rows, and the mood was tense and expectant.

  “All right, folks, we’re almost ready to start.” Jim Sorensen took his place behind the podium. “Most of you have probably guessed why I called this meeting. With the recent trouble in Nisswa, I think it’s time we did something to protect ourselves.”

  “Where’s the sheriff?” someone called out loudly. “I want to hear what Sheriff Bates has to say!”

  “Sheriff Bates is in a meeting, but he’ll be here later.” Jim held up his hand for silence. “In the meantime, Gus Olson has some ideas he’d like to pass on to you.”

  Gus took over the podium. He looked nervous and small up there on the stage all alone. Marian listened as he read off a list of suggestions.

  No one was to go out alone at night. Parents were cautioned to keep a sharp eye on their children. Teenagers were encouraged to travel in groups, and smaller children should always be accompanied by a parent or adult.

  If any strangers were seen in town, Sheriff Bates wanted immediate notification. Gus said parents should warn their children again about never talking to strangers.

  Sheds and garages must be locked securely. Heino’s Our Own Hardware had an ample stock of heavy padlocks. Frank Heino was selling them at cost as a community service.

  There was a polite burst of applause, and Frank nodded to the crowd. This meeting was very well planned. Sheriff Bates should be proud of the way the community was responding. People in Nisswa stuck together in a crisis.

  Some of the elderly widows in town had expressed concern. Jim was organizing a committee of men to install security locks for the elderly. All residents were urged to lock their doors, even in the daytime. Gus told them it couldn’t hurt to be overly cautious.

  Jim took over again. “I have a report from the sheriff to read to you. I know there’re a lot of stories floating around about Sally Powell, and the sheriff feels
you should know exactly what happened. I’ll read it verbatim.”

  Marian watched Jim as he read the report. Several times he stopped to swallow hard.

  “Death was caused by repeated blows to the head and neck with a sharp instrument.” Jim winced as he read the words. Marian noticed that Edith looked very white. It seemed so cold and ghastly hearing it like this. It made her feel a little queasy, too.

  “County coroner, Dr. Edwin Hinkley, establishes time of death at approximately eight thirty p.m. A fire ax covered with the victim’s blood was found at the scene, along with a pair of blood-spattered coveralls. Janitor Chet Turner reports that the coveralls were taken from the janitor’s closet on the first floor of the school. The closet was not locked.

  “An investigation is also being conducted into the deaths of Clifford Heller, Constance Bergstrom, Jenny Powell, and Becky Fischer.”

  There was a stir in the front row as Donna Fischer got up and rushed toward the ladies’ room. Her face was pale, and she held her hand to her mouth.

  There was an excited buzz of voices. Jim banged his gavel for order, and finally the room quieted. Marian shivered and sat up straighter. Sally’s death was hideous, but it was all over now. Sally was with Laura, and now Jenny was happy. She would think only of that.

  Jim put down the sheriff’s report and addressed the crowd again. “Are there any suggestions from the floor at this point? I know all of you want to help Sheriff Bates catch Sally’s killer.”

  Ned Addams got up with a half-baked idea of blocking off the town and conducting a house-to-house search. Another man suggested turning the school upside down for clues. Now everyone was talking at once, and she was having trouble hearing. Marian shut her eyes and tried to think. There was something bothering her, something she had to remember about last night with Sally. She had the feeling that if she could only remember, it would help.

  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.

  They locked up Dan Larsen. He’s crazy, you know. The poor man was never right in the head after that accident. And Marian, she’s such a saint. Imagine putting up with a husband who accused her of murder!

  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.”