The Travelling Detective: Boxed Set

by Joan Donaldson-Yarmey

  Wayne could feel himself losing control of his anger. And rather than say or do something he’d regret he stomped out the door. He went to the barn, the barn that housed the cows that were their livelihood. Two of the barn cats came up to him. He kicked at one, sending it flying against the wall. It let out a howl and ran to hide. The other slinked away. He looked for something to throw, something to hit. He needed to get rid of his anger. He took the fork and began to clean the stalls. He threw the straw from them into a pile in the centre of the barn. Then he got his tractor and pushed the pile out the door.

  When he went back in the house Christine was watching television.

  “You really aren’t going to think about it, are you?” She looked at him quizzically

  It was about time she realized that. “This is what I’ve worked the past twenty-five years for. This is where I want to be and I thought this was where you wanted to be, too. I thought we were both working towards the same thing.”

  “At one time we were, but sometimes people change, outgrow the life they’re living. I guess that’s what I’ve done.”

  “You wouldn’t have if you hadn’t taken a job outside the farm.”

  “That’s not true.”

  “What if we build that addition to the house you’ve always wanted?” He would do anything. “You could have your dining room with the oak china cabinet and table.”

  Christine shook her head. “No, that won’t do now. I’m beyond wanting an oak china cabinet.”

  “What if we compromise? We keep the farm and you take a trip every year to these places you want to see so badly. That way we’d both be happy.”

  “You don’t understand, do you? A quick two week trip is not what I want. That would leave me fifty weeks of still living here. I want to live a different life, not visit it.”

  “Well, I don’t know what we’re going to do,” Wayne said.

  “I do. I’ll have to leave by myself.”

  “That won’t happen,” Wayne stated, furiously. “I won’t let that happen.”

  “You don’t have any say in it.”

  “Oh, yes I do.” Wayne waved his arms. “You’re my wife. I have lots of say in what you do.”

  “I’ve already found a place to live in Redwater and I’m moving out the beginning of November.”

  Chapter 21

  It was later than Elizabeth expected when she left Chevy in the vehicle and rang the doorbell. A woman opened the inside door and peered out.

  “Christine Dearden?” Elizabeth asked, through the screen door. The woman must have been a beauty when she was younger. Elizabeth knew she had to be in her mid-seventies but her face was virtually unlined. Her hair was a steel toned gray and styled professionally. She had an air of elegance about her.

  “Yes,” she answered. “And whatever you’re selling I don’t want any.” She began to close the door.

  “I’m Elizabeth Oliver, a friend of Jared Jones.”

  Christine looked puzzled. “Jared Jones? Why would a friend of his be visiting me?”

  Elizabeth held out the photograph of Anna’s gravesite. Christine stared at it but didn’t open the screen to take it. “I’ve seen that stone,” she said.

  Elizabeth showed her what was pasted on the back. Christine looked shocked. She swallowed then asked. “Was she really?”

  “That’s what Jared and I are trying to find out.” Apparently no one had contacted her about this. Good.

  Christine unlatched the door and opened it. “Come in.”

  Elizabeth stepped into the living room and closed the door behind her.

  “I’m just brewing a pot of green tea”, Christine said. “Would you like some?”

  “Please,” Elizabeth said, following Christine into the kitchen. She took a seat at the small, square table.

  “How did you get my address?” Christine asked. She lifted the lid of the teapot to see if the tea had brewed.

  “Jared and I were at Wayne’s place yesterday and he gave it to us.” Then Elizabeth explained who she was and why she was there instead of Jared. She concluded with, “Wayne said that you two weren’t really friends with Paul and Anna.”

  Christine shook her head. “We weren’t. Wayne and the other men worked together helping each other with the haying and harvesting but I never really saw much of Anna. I think that’s mainly because she was much younger than me, she and Graham weren’t close after high school, and I worked.”

  “So you don’t know much about her and Paul’s marriage?”

  “Only the gossip.”

  “And what was that?” It never paid to say you already knew something.

  “That he drank, beat her, and fooled around on her.” Christine set a cup and saucer in front of Elizabeth.

  “That’s a lot of gossip.”

  “I know and I don’t know what was true and what wasn’t, so I can’t say any more.”

  Well, that was quick, Elizabeth thought. On to the next subject. “There’s been some speculation that Ben’s and Anna’s deaths were connected.” She didn’t add that she was the one doing the speculating.

  “I didn’t kill Anna, if that’s what you’re implying.”

  “I’m not. It just seems strange to have two people from the same community die unexpectedly within such a short time of each other.”

  Christine looked at Elizabeth shrewdly. “You know, over the years many people have called on me to ask about my affair with Ben and about that night. University students, police working on cold cases, true crime writers; they were all trying to make a name for themselves by solving the mystery of who had hit me and finished him off. Is this your way of getting me to ‘spill the beans’ as they say?”

  Elizabeth was stuck for an answer. She’d decided it wouldn’t be fair to Jared to write a true crime article about his mother’s death even if they could prove it was murder, but she hadn’t thought about Ben’s murder.

  “I’m trying to help Jared find out what really happened to his mother. The only reason I’m asking about Ben’s murder is because they happened so close together that Jared is wondering if there is a connection. If they are related somehow then the more we learn about Ben’s death the more we might learn about Anna’s also.”

  “Jared’s in a wheelchair now, isn’t he?”

  “Yes,” Elizabeth answered slowly, wondering where this was leading.

  “I remember him as a shy, little boy. I used to feel sorry for him when I saw him at the community events. He always seemed a bit frightened, jumping at sudden noises.” Christine paused. “He hasn’t had much of a life with his mother dying when he was young and then having his accident. And now to receive this message, it must be stirring it all up again for him.”

  “Yes, it has been hard for him,” Elizabeth agreed. She would go the sympathy route if she had to.

  “I know there is no association between the two deaths, but if it will make Jared feel any better I will help if I can.”

  “Wayne told us about him wanting to expand the farm and you wanting to sell it and possibly move to Vancouver.” Elizabeth wasn’t going to give this woman a chance to change her mind.

  “Yes. He probably also told you the reason was because I wanted to get away from Ben.” She poured them each a cup of tea.

  “Yes. And that you didn’t love him anymore.”

  Christine nodded. “I was tired of farming and of our marriage. I felt there was more to life. I knew he would never leave the farm so rather than tell him I didn’t love him any more I said I wanted to sell. When he wouldn’t even consider that, I had a reason to move out.”

  “I got the impression that Wayne didn’t take it very well.”

  “That’s an understatement,” Christine said, with a grim smile.

  “Now you’ve got my curiosity aroused,” Elizabeth grinned. “Would you care to elaborate?” Few of the people she’d talked to knew anything about Anna’s life and death. Most of them, however, knew and were willing to talk about Christine’s and B
en’s affair and Ben’s death.

  “I was hoping to stay in the house until I finished my course,” Christine said. “But we were having so many arguments that I found a place to live in town. Graham, our son, had moved back in with us. Did Wayne tell you about him?”

  Elizabeth nodded.

  “On November first while they were out milking the cows I got the furniture from the spare bedroom ready to move. I’d already put a deposit on a used couch and a dining set in the second hand store which I wanted to pick up that day also. I packed some clothes and toiletries into a suitcase. All the while I was hoping Wayne would understand my decision and maybe even help me move.”

  “Did he know you were leaving?” Elizabeth asked.

  Christine nodded her head. “I had told him but I don’t know if he believed me. So I was really worried and scared. I didn’t know how he would react when I actually did it. My stomach was churning as I waited for them to come in. I hated doing this in front of Graham but at the same time hoped that with him there Wayne wouldn’t cause too big a scene.

  “You were moving to Redwater?”

  “Yes. I had my job there but once I had my CGA certificate I was on my way to Vancouver. I had to get as far away from Ben as possible.”

  “Why?’ Elizabeth asked.

  “I’d been so wrapped up in the thrill of the affair, in having some excitement in my life that I didn’t realize I didn’t love him.” Christine went to the cupboard and took out a bag of cookies. She placed some on a plate and set it on the table. “When I figured that out, I wanted to end it. Wayne was a possessive man but Ben was almost as bad. He didn’t like Meredith even looking at another man even though he himself was having an affair. And he certainly didn’t want his lover to drop him.”

  “And how did Wayne react to your actual move?” Elizabeth took a cookie.

  “He stared at the stuff that I’d piled by the door then looked at me. ‘I’m serious about wanting a different life,’ I said to him. Well, after arguing and pleading and even some tears, he realized I was really leaving. He was furious and refused to help. He even tried to stop me from using our truck. I said I would rent a truck in town and was headed for the door when Graham agreed to help me. We loaded everything into the back of the truck and he drove it while I drove my car. Wayne didn’t even say goodbye.”

  “How did he take Graham helping you?”

  “Not very well. Graham said it was over a week before Wayne even talked to him. I’d given Graham my phone number which he must have passed on to Wayne because Wayne phoned me the next morning wondering how I was doing.”

  “What did Ben do?”

  “He actually thought I’d moved out so we would have more freedom to see each other.” She sipped her tea.

  “So what really happened that night Ben died?”

  “That’s a long story,” Christine said. “Both Wayne and Ben began coming to see me. I was so afraid Wayne would see Ben’s truck there, but it never happened that I know of. They seemed to miss each other. Graham even came a few times.”

  It was getting late and she wanted to get back to Jared at the B&B, but Elizabeth realized that Christine could not be hurried in her story telling. Maybe, now that she had started, she needed to tell it all. Elizabeth knew she wasn’t going to get away soon. She had another cookie.

  “Did Wayne visit you a lot?”

  “Yes, to the point that one evening when he came I ignored the knocking. I was just getting so tired of having the same conversation over and over with him. But he wouldn’t go away. He began pounding and that made me angry enough that I opened the door.

  “‘What do you want this time?’ I demanded. I’d given up trying to be nice anymore. It was cold but Wayne just stood on the step and stared at me seemingly oblivious to the wind that whipped the snow around him. He said he wanted to talk. I told him that unless he had come to tell me he had a buyer for the farm there is nothing more to say. When he wanted to come in I quickly rejected the idea and tried to shut the door. But his hand shot out knocking the door from my grasp and against the wall. He barged into the kitchen pushing me back.”

  “That must have scared you,” Elizabeth said.

  “It did,” Christine nodded. “I told him I would call the police. ‘I don’t think you’d better,’ he said, his voice menacing. ‘Sit down.’ I sat and the first thing he said was. ‘I’m not going to hurt you. I could never hurt you.’ Well, at the moment I didn’t believe him but I nodded anyway.”

  “Self-preservation,” Elizabeth said.

  “Right,” Christine smiled slightly. “So he began telling me we could work it out. I could move back home and with Graham there to look after the cows we could do some travelling. I told him that I knew he didn’t want to travel at that time and he said he would to save our marriage.”

  “It really sounds like he loved you.”

  “I know and believe me my guilt was immense. I pointed out that if he decided he didn’t like travelling, that he would rather be with his cows, then we are right back in the same situation. He disagreed citing that once I was back I would realize that I really wanted to stay on the farm.” Christine shook her head. “He just couldn’t get it. I tried telling him again that I didn’t like farming. I actually told him that I didn’t love him anymore, but I’m not even sure he heard me. I was tempted to tell him about my affair with Ben. I thought maybe he’d get the message then, but I still had Meredith to consider. Plus, I know Wayne would have beaten Ben up or maybe kill him if he found out.”

  “Really?” Could Wayne have been the person who hit Christine on the head and then stabbed Ben? Elizabeth couldn’t see him letting Christine take the blame for it all these years, though. Not if he’d loved her as he claimed.

  “Oh, yes. Wayne had a terrible jealous streak. He broke the leg of a boy who asked me out in high school. He beat up guys who paid any kind of attention to me. Everyone knew that. Anyway, he finally asked what he could do to change my mind and I told him nothing. You can imagine my relief when he stood and left.

  “It was after midnight when the pounding began again. I peeked out the window and there was Wayne but this time he was swaying on the porch. I hollered at him to go away and he yelled back that we had to talk again. His words were slurred badly. ‘We’ve talked enough,’ I said, as harshly as I could. ‘It’s over. Now go home.’ He started pounding again. I quickly opened the door and gave him a shove. He staggered off the porch and fell into the snow. ‘Go away!’ I yelled and slammed the door. I don’t know how long he lay in the snow before getting up and going home because I went back to bed. In the morning he was gone.”

  “What about Ben?’ Elizabeth prompted.

  “His visits were almost the same. He wanted us to get back together and I didn’t. He threatened to tell Wayne. I said go ahead, my marriage was over anyway. Like Wayne, he’d go away and then come back a day or two later. Sometimes it was just after Wayne had left so I know he’d been sitting outside waiting.

  “That last day was really busy. Meredith came to see me and she’d just left when Graham arrived for a visit. He had barely left the yard when Ben banged on the door. I was really glad that they had missed each other. I could tell Ben was drunk. I didn’t know what to do because by this time I’d had a few complaints from my neighbours about the noise and I was afraid they could call the police. He began running at the door with his shoulder and eventually the frame broke and he got in. I tried to run but he lunged at me and grabbed me by the hair. I actually thought I was going to die. I thought he was going to kill me. I grabbed a knife and stabbed him.”

  Elizabeth knew that this was where the story took a different turn. “And then what?” She leaned forward eagerly.

  “That I still don’t know. I woke later and there were paramedics and police in my kitchen. I had a terrible headache and Ben was on the floor covered in blood. I told the police that someone must have hit me on the head and then killed him. Even though I had a bump on the back o
f my skull they didn’t believe me and I was arrested for his murder.”

  “But you don’t recall what took place after that first stabbing?”

  Christine shook her head. “The police decided I’d stabbed him another four times then fainted and banged my head.”

  “Did the police look for someone who may have knocked you out before finishing Ben off?”

  “They tried but they never found any hard evidence of another person on the scene after the first stabbing. However, because of the lump on my head my lawyer was able to show that someone could have done just that, so there was reasonable doubt. That’s why I was found not guilty.”

  “Do you know who that person could have been?” Elizabeth asked.

  “No.”

  “If Graham had just left do you think he may have seen Ben enter? He could have come back in and saw what was happening. In anger he might have stabbed Ben after you tripped and fell or something like that?”

  “Look, there’s no point speculating,” Christine said, adamantly. “Like I told you, I remember stabbing him once, and then nothing else until I woke up and the paramedics were there.”

  “Did Graham say anything to you?”

  “What’s the matter with you? I don’t like what you’re insinuating, and I never invited you in for an interrogation!” This time she stood. “Teatime’s over. I think you’d better go.”

  That was fine with Elizabeth. It had been a long day and she was tired. Clearly, she wasn’t going to find out anything more from Christine. Maybe if she talked with Graham.

  “Where’s Graham?” Elizabeth asked, as she opened the door. “I thought he lived with you?”

  “He knows nothing about it.” Christine closed the door.

  * * * *

  Christine’s Story

  Once she and Graham had unloaded the furniture and Graham had left, Christine went to the bedroom to put the bed together and make it up. She’d taken the first step to begin her new life, but somehow the elation she thought she would feel was not there. In its place was a sadness for the life she had had to leave and for the first time she realized it was not going to be easy to step from her old life into her new one. She went to bed without eating because she had no food. That was one thing she’d forgotten about.