Redemption at Shadow Lake

by J E Grace

About a half hour later, a detective and the coroner arrived. The mansion was quickly roped off with yellow crime scene tape, and the remains removed. Along with items confiscated was a Canon 35 mm camera. Jonathan recognized it immediately.

  Chapter 37

  D etective Kirkpatrick felt shaken to the core. He thought that the case closed four years ago was hopeless to solve.

  He remembered the day they found her body. They called him when the hiker discovered it. Now after all these years, the remains could be identified and matched up with the evidence they had collected years ago. Finally, the case could close for good.

  His heart went out to Jonathan Williams. To have to re-live that fateful day and go this long without closure had to be a living hell. No man deserved to go through what he had endured. Maybe now he could have some peace.

  “Mr. Williams, I know this is difficult for you, but I have just one more question. Was your wife in the habit of taking photos every time she went on a hike?”

  “She never went anywhere without it. It was one of the things we had in common,” said Jonathan his insides still felt as though someone had delivered a blow to his gut.

  “As soon as we get everything processed, I’ll give you a call. I’m not sure how long it will take, but I’ll speed it up as fast as possible,” said Detective Kirkpatrick. “Here’s my card. Call me if you have any questions,” said the detective as he shook Jonathan’s hand. “You’re free to go.”

  Jonathan went to get in on the driver’s side of the Jeep.

  “Oh, no you don’t. You’re in no condition to drive. I’ll drive you home,” said Samantha getting into the driver’s seat. Jonathan ambled over to the passenger’s side and got in. He buckled up not even aware of his action.

  Samantha drove along not saying a word. Jonathan needed time to process everything. All she could do now was be there for support.

  The wind whipped the Jeep as she took the curves. The roadway ahead, lit only by the headlights.

  When she got to Jonathan’s, she would suggest staying with him, but she had a feeling he would want to be alone. Lord, give him peace. Be with him in his time of pain.

  Within a few minutes, she pulled up in front of his house. She looked over at Jonathan, as he sat trancelike not saying a word. She couldn’t tell if his eyes were closed or not.

  “Jonathan, we’re here. I’m coming in with you,” she said getting out of the car and opening the passenger’s door. Jonathan willingly let her take his hand, leading him up the steps. When they reached the front door, she unlocked it. He entered, not saying a word.

  She flipped on the light and locked the door, as she carefully led him upstairs to his bedroom. She pulled back the top comforter, helped him lie down on the bed, and removed his shoes. As she covered him, he spoke in a soft voice she barely recognized.

  “I want to sleep,” he said rolling over on his side.

  Samantha sat next to him on the bed until she heard his even breathing and watched his chest move up and down. She would let him rest.

  She slowly raised up off the bed, leaving the door slightly ajar. She needed a strong cup of coffee, and she needed to make a phone call.

  The smell of coffee floated in the air as she poured herself a cup and sat down at the table. She fished out her phone noticing that she had a couple of missed calls.

  One was from Beverly. She dialed and waited while it rang. Oh, I forgot to check the time. She might not answer if she is helping her Dad. She let it ring a few times and then it went to voicemail. She left a message for Beverly to call her back.

  Samantha picked up her cup and headed to the living room and switched on the television. It automatically brought up the local news.

  Filling the screen was a photo of the McClure Mansion and Detective Kirkpatrick. She quickly clicked the remote to a Christian music station and let the music calm her. She turned it down so it wouldn’t disturb Jonathan.

  The phone beeped with a text. Samantha grabbed the phone from the end table and started to read. Where are you, girl? I’ve been trying to reach you all afternoon. Have you seen the news? They found skeletal remains at the McClure Mansion. Can you believe it?

  Samantha, instead of texting an answer, opted to call her. A few minutes later they were connected.

  She told Beverly everything that had transpired and that she had decided to stay with Jonathan until morning. Beverly would pick her up around 8:00 a.m. so she could go home to shower and change clothes before heading to the office. Beverly was very sympathetic and couldn’t believe that it had something to do with Jonathan’s wife’s murder.

  She disconnected the call and went to check on Jonathan. He was still sleeping.

  She went back into the living room and snatched the throw off the couch and went in and laid down beside him. Usually, she wouldn’t think of doing something like this, but her heart told her that he needed her to be close. After all, they were both fully dressed.

  Chapter 38

  I t was the middle of the night when Jonathan finally opened his eyes. As the haze from sleeping left, a beautiful form came into view. No, it couldn’t be.

  He scooted over towards Samantha and wrapped his arm around her. She made a small moan but didn’t stir. He didn’t remember when he fell asleep or when she came in to lay down, but he was glad she did.

  He carefully leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, and she stirred, her eyes opened, and her lips formed into a big smile as she turned to face him.

  “Good morning. I hope you don’t mind that I slept here. I just couldn’t bear to leave you alone,” said Samantha as she wrapped her arms around him giving him a deep kiss. He returned the kiss as he stroked her hair.

  “Well, I’m going to start some coffee. Would you like some?” Samantha asked rising from the bed.

  “Sounds good. I’m going to take a shower unless you need to first.”

  “No, go ahead. Beverly will be here before long to take me to the house. I’ll shower there before going to work. That is unless you need to talk.”

  “I think I need a little alone time to process. It’s all a little overwhelming. We can talk after work if that’s okay,” Jonathan said gathering some clean clothes.

  Samantha started the coffee. She sat down in the living room, grabbed the bible that was lying on the coffee table, and said a prayer for Jonathan to find peace and acceptance to put his burden down and couldn’t imagine how she would have felt being in his shoes.

  She couldn’t get the image of him dropping to the floor sobbing, out of her memory. She had only seen the resilient side of Jonathan and the man that fell to the floor was a broken man. Lord, I know you can fix anything and that you use every heartbreak and turn it around for good. But I can’t see anything good in this.

  Samantha was reading a passage in the Bible that talked about the master potter and how he takes the broken and reforms it into something new and more beautiful than the original. If the photos could be recovered, what would Marilyn’s last few minutes of life show?

  Samantha was rooted in prayer when Jonathan entered the room holding two steaming hot cups of coffee. He leaned over and handed one to her before he sat down next to her.

  “Thanks,” Samantha said taking a sip.

  “Did you sleep okay? I’ve been told I snore,” said Jonathan leaning back against the sofa.

  “I don’t remember drifting off to sleep. I laid awake for quite a while with visions bouncing around in my head. I heard you moan a few times.”

  “I’m so sorry you got dragged into all this. I wanted to keep this part of my life away from you. It’s the reason I couldn’t even think about a relationship for a long time. But meeting you turned everything around. I knew you were the one for me the first time we met, but I couldn’t let go of my past,” he said smiling at her. “I didn’t think I deserved to find love again.”

  “I had baggage too. I had forgiven my ex-boyfriend for our failed relationship but just couldn’t seem to put it behind me
. I guarded my heart and made sure I didn’t let anyone in. Beverly kept telling me that God had someone for me, I just hadn’t met him yet. Then we met. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get you off my mind. Even though I knew God had chosen you for me, I used my real estate ethics as a crutch, so I didn’t have to date you,” said Samantha her voice breaking as she spoke.

  “We’re together now, and that’s all that matters.” He set his coffee cup down and reached over and lifted her chin looking deep into her eyes. “Samantha, I think you know, I love you with all my heart.” He leaned in, and his warm lips met hers sending chills through her entire body.

  “I love you too.” Samantha leaned in returning the kiss. Just when passion enveloped them both to that place where you feel as though you are floating on air, the doorbell rang making them both jump.

  “That must be Beverly. I better go let her in.”

  Chapter 39

  I t had been a stressful week since the incident at the McClure Mansion. Jonathan seemed to be doing a lot better, but that would probably change depending on what the photos showed when Detective Kirkpatrick called.

  Samantha felt more at ease about her relationship with Jonathan since he had finally opened up about how severely he was affected by the death of his wife. She understood his pain and was still trying to get through the loss of her father, knowing how the loss of a loved cut deep.

  Through her faith, she was finally able to think of her father without being enveloped in sadness and learned to concentrate on the good times they had spent together instead. Jonathan would have to do the same if he expected to heal. The Lord was working in his life too.

  ~

  Samantha closed on Jonathan’s house, and the Hastings family had moved in. They loved their new residence and had invited her over to view the gallery. Mr. Hasting’s paintings had taken her breath away. They were so realistic looking, and she could have spent hours looking at them. He was quite talented.

  Mrs. Hastings, a petite woman with short brown hair, turned out to be an author she had read. Small world.

  Mrs. Hastings had turned a corner of one of the larger bedrooms into an office. Along one wall were shelves of books she had written, historical books for reference, and photos of her book covers lined the opposite wall. It was awe-inspiring.

  Their son, Mark, sat at a desk in his room, using a software program to alter photographs he had taken. Samantha waved to him as they walked down the hallway.

  Samantha thanked them both for their hospitality. Funny, her memories of Jonathan living there were etched in her mind. She understood why he had decided to move. The memories of Marilyn had been too painful.

  Samantha was just getting in her car when the phone rang. She saw that it was Jonathan and swiped to answer it.

  “Hi. Where are you?” asked Jonathan, his sexy voice making her smile.

  “The Hastings’ asked me to stop in. I went to his gallery. He does incredible work. And it turns out I have read Mrs. Hastings books.”

  “I’m glad they are all settled. Do you have time to come over? Detective Kirkpatrick is bringing Marilyn’s camera and photos. They were able to develop them. Samantha, they have identified the skeletal remains. The man had a record and was wanted on suspicion of murdering a woman in Denver. Now maybe they can put that case to rest too.”

  “I’m on my way. See you soon. Love you.”

  “Love you too.”

  Samantha checked traffic and then pulled out. It seemed unusually busy for an early afternoon. Then she remembered that school had just ended for the day.

  The sun was peeking out from in between the clouds. As she drove along, she glanced at the trees that now had turned to the golds, browns, and yellows of Autumn and lined the street on both sides. She watched leaves on the ground swirl in front of the car as the wind whipped them into a frenzy. Yes, Autumn was beautiful, though colder than Pigeon Bay.

  As she pulled up in front of Jonathan’s and parked, she noticed another vehicle in his driveway. Detective Kirkpatrick. I’m glad I made it before he left.

  Samantha could hear voices coming from inside as she stood by the front door. She tried the door, and it was unlocked.

  She climbed the stairs, and when she got to the top, she followed the voices which led her to the living room. Jonathan was sitting in his recliner, and the detective was sitting on the couch across from him. On the coffee table in front of him laid a camera and a large envelope. Next to the table was the trunk that Jonathan had found at the mansion. She wondered what secrets it held.

  Jonathan got up from the chair and walked over to Samantha and kissed her on the cheek. “I had Detective Kirkpatrick wait until you got here to fill me in on what he found out.”

  “Samantha, nice to see you again,” said the detective as Samantha sat down on the couch. “I told Jonathan some of what I found out over the phone. The skeletal remains belong to Albert Redman. He is originally from the Denver area and probably was hiding out at the mansion. We have no way to determine how long he has been there, just how long he has been deceased. He died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He is the person who killed your wife,” he said shifting his weight. “There was a photo of your wife among those on the camera. Did you take any pictures of her?”

  Jonathan thought for a moment but couldn’t remember any time that he had used her camera. “I have my own that I use to take photographs so I can’t imagine using hers. At least I don’t’ remember using it.”

  “I thought the killer took her photograph but had to ask to be sure. The photo is evidence. Did your wife walk that particular area often?”

  “At least a couple of times a week. Sometimes I would go with her, but she did go there alone also. I always worried when she was gone longer than I thought she should be,” said Jonathan a tear slid down the side of his face.

  “I know this is hard for you. Albert Redman’s linked to another victim in the Denver area, and a photo of her was also in the room. At least he won’t be doing this to anyone else, and you finally have closure,” said the detective raising up from the couch. “I appreciate your cooperation. I’ll let myself out.”

  “Thanks again for everything,” said Jonathan as he got up to sit next to Samantha. He put his arms around her pulling her close to him. She snuggled in placing her head on his shoulder. They fit together, and God had put them exactly where they needed to be at that particular moment.

  As he pulled away, he stared at the envelope. His hand reached out picking it up. He leaned back against the couch and removed the photos, leafing through them one by one.

  The first photo was a view of the lake. The trees canopied the lakefront, and in the distance, the mountains loomed high with a bank of clouds overhead. There were a few more photos of various areas along the trail, and then Jonathan’s hands reached for the next one, freezing.

  Marilyn dressed in her jogging clothes. Her backpack sat on the ground next to her as she smiled for whoever was taking the photo. The summer sun shone down on her, and she looked at peace. Happy. She is beautiful. A few hours later she was dead. Did the person who took her photo kill her?

  Jonathan handed the photo to Samantha. She looked at the face in the picture thinking that she had been a lucky woman to have had Jonathan for a husband. Lord, I hope I can bring him as much happiness as she evidently did.

  Samantha set the picture down on the table. “Jonathan, she was beautiful. She not only died that day, but I know a part of you died too. I know I can’t take her place, but I promise I will spend every day trying to make you happy.

  “She was an important part of my life, and I won’t ever forget her but thanks to God, he brought you into my life and now I can build a new life. One I thought would never be possible again,” he said reaching over and running his fingers along the side of her face.

  Samantha pushed her face towards his hands wanting to get the full feel of his touch. “I have some news from the Mayor that I think will give you so
me peace in all this, but there are two options, and it’s up to you to choose.”

  “The first option is that the mayor seems to think because of the McClure’s founding the town, that it will most likely qualify for historical status which would block any effort to tear it down,” said Samantha smiling.

  “The other option concerns someone neither one of us likes, Mr. Benham. He wants it for his resort and would be tearing the structure down. He’s willing to make you the same offer he made to the mayor, but Beverly and I found some rather disturbing information on the internet concerning some borderline fraudulent transactions he did with some other cities. Nothing was proven, but I wouldn’t doubt that it is true.”

  “After what he tried to do to you, I wouldn’t do business with him. I’ll call the Mayor and set up an appointment to talk to him. Even though the mansion holds bad memories, it still belonged to the family. I think I would like to see it preserved,” said Jonathan smiling at Samantha. “What do you think?”

  “I want whatever you want but it does have some great architectural features, and the McClure’s put a lot of money into making it into their dream home. I think you made the right decision but is it what God wants?”

  “I think it is. God wants to heal my family, and this is a way to get that started,” he said reaching over opening up the box that sat on the sofa. “Let’s see what else is in here.”

  Jonathan lifted the lid and starting pulling out items from the box. Various envelopes with documents inside, some money, jewelry, and photographs were among them. He was amazed that they were in such good condition.

  He looked through the photographs one by one checking the back to find out if someone had noted the dates or names of the people in the pictures. There were photos of Robert McClure, his wife, and sons. The images all taken in the ballroom during one of the many parties they must have had.

  Samantha stared at the photograph. Her eyes wide in amazement. “Jonathan, that man in the photo is the one I saw in the mansion the day we met.”