The Secrets of Taylor Creek

by Michael Merson

  “Who there?” A man’s voice asked from inside.

  “Agent Emerson with the FBI,” Nathan answered.

  The door slowly opened, and the man looked them both over before inviting them inside. He directed them to sit down in two of the four dining chairs that were in the living room, which were the only items of furniture in the room. The man had bloodshot, watery eyes. He was unshaven, unwashed, his clothes were filthy, and he spoke with a slurred speech.

  “You find my Bessie?” He asked as he picked up a half empty bottle of whiskey from the floor and drank from it.

  “Not yet,” Nathan answered.

  “Why you here then?”

  “I wanted to ask you a few questions about Bessie,” Nathan answered.

  “Like what?” He asked as he drank from the bottle once more.

  “Are you Bessie’s father?”

  “Yes. I’m Wesley Jones.”

  “When was the last time you saw Bessie?”

  “She didn’t come home on Thursday. I think it was the eighth.” Wesley answered and drank from the bottle once more.

  “I have Bessie’s name here on a list. The list has the names of people who were sent to the Eugenics Board and eventually were sent for a medical procedure that made them unable to have children,” Nathan explained.

  “I know what it is,” Wesley stated.

  “Can you tell me why Bessie’s name is on the list? Why she was sent in for the procedure?” Nathan asked.

  “She got arrested for getting paid to have sex with men. Her lawyer man worked it out with the court,” Wesley answered.

  “Who arrested her, and who was her lawyer?” Nathan asked.

  “Sheriff Carter arrested her, and her lawyer was that little man at the courthouse.”

  “Was his name, Jack Walters?”

  “Yeah, he’s the one who paid me,” Wesley said.

  “Paid. Why did Jack Walters pay you?” Nathan asked suspiciously.

  “She came home and told me that they wanted her to do it, get fixed and all, and I told her to tell them no, so she did. The next thing I know is Walters is coming over and telling me that it was the right thing to do and that he would give me a hundred dollars if I made sure that Bessie went along with it,” he explained.

  “And you thought that was the right price for your daughter? Not to ever have children?” Stormie asked sarcastically.

  “Yeah. We ain’t got money like you, lady. A hundred dollars is a lot to me and mine. Who are you to judge me?” Wesley asked, raising the tone of his voice while he stood up.

  “We’re no one. We’ll be on our way,” Nathan said as he ushered Stormie out the door quickly.

  “You see Bessie, you tell her to come home! I need her here! You tell her!” Wesley screamed as he followed the two out to the car and watched them drive away.

  ***

  Sheriff Carter was an unexpected visitor that Emma was surprised to see on her doorstep. She had spent the better part of the day at the beach and was pleasantly surprised to find Ben in her house when she returned late in the afternoon. The two had eaten dinner together and were getting ready to settle in for the night when the sheriff knocked on the door.

  “I need to speak to Ben,” Sheriff Carter said to Emma as he walked in passed her, not waiting for an invitation to enter.

  “What is it, Dwight?” Ben asked as he walked into the living room.

  “I followed Agent Emerson back to his place with Stormie and then over to your house. After a few hours, I drove back to the Arrington House and walked around the woods. I found the blood trail by the dock and followed it back to the woods to an opening where I found a few .45 shell castings,” Sheriff Carter explained.

  “Okay. We heard the gunshots last night. Did you find anything else?” Ben asked.

  “Yeah. I found another trail of blood and followed it,” he added.

  “And what did you find?” Ben asked impatiently as he was growing tired of the sheriff’s slow-paced explanation.

  “I found Charlie White’s body.”

  “Oh my!” Emma said as she placed her hand to her chest.

  “How and what happened? Did Agent Emerson kill him?” Ben asked.

  “I don’t think so. He was shot, but his throat was cut too. I think the gunshot wound was by Agent Emerson, but I don’t think the agent took the time to cut his throat. And there’s something else,” Sheriff Carter added.

  “What?” Ben asked.

  “I think Charlie knew who cut his throat,” Sheriff Carter added.

  “What makes you think that?” Ben asked.

  “His knife was in the ground next to his body. Charlie White was meaner than a rattlesnake, and I’ve seen him in a fight. I know how well he used that knife of his. It makes no sense that his knife would still be in the ground. Charlie White would have fought back with it,” Sheriff Carter explained.

  “Maybe the gunshot wound was too bad, and he couldn’t fight back,” Emma added.

  “No, I’ve seen plenty of gunshot wounds like his in Korea. He was hurt, but the bullet went straight through. I could’ve had Doc Glenn patch him up, and he would’ve been fine in a few weeks.”

  “So, we still have a problem running around out there,” Ben said as he sat down on the sofa and thought for a few minutes.

  “What about my wife and Agent Emerson?” Ben finally asked.

  “As far as I know, they are thicker than thieves. They’re never apart.” Sheriff Carter answered.

  “We end this Friday,” Ben declared as he stood up and walked back to the bedroom.

  “How?” Sheriff Carter asked.

  “I’ll let you know tomorrow. Leave Charlie where you found him for now. Take photos and collect evidence that you make certain points to Agent Emerson as the one who killed him.”

  “Okay, but I hope you got a really good plan.” Sheriff Carter said before leaving.

  Chapter 41

  Nathan spent the night at Stormie’s home, where he reviewed everything he knew thus far. Stormie sat beside him in the kitchen and listened as he ran through his thoughts out loud about what he knew. Stormie asked questions in the hopes it would help with his deductive reasoning and with coming up with answers to his unanswered questions.

  The two of them concluded that Rose, Delia, Ida, and Bessie were all on the list from the Eugenics Board. There was even one Dolly on the list, and Nathan believed that it was probably the same Dolly from the party. They also determined that the parties were most likely political fundraisers, of sorts, in an effort by Ben to win favor from influential men in and around the southern states for his campaign when he ran for governor.

  The things they still had questions about were:

  Who the shooter in the cemetery was?

  Who vandalized the church?

  Who attacked Nathan with a knife? Was it the same person who was killing the girls?

  Finally, why were the girls being killed in the first place?

  All the girls except Bessie were reported missing after the weekend following a Gentlemen’s Social.

  Were the Four Horsemen killing the girls; were they protecting someone else?

  Stormie had called Sissy in New Bern and told her to stay there until she heard from her again. Sissy was hesitant, and at first, she refused until Stormie told her that Nathan was staying with her. Stormie was concerned that Ben could or may be responsible for the girls’ deaths in some way, and it made her sick to think about what could happen to Sissy.

  “Do you think Ben is the one killing the girls?” Stormie asked as they laid in the bed next to each other.

  “I don’t know, but my gut says no,” Nathan answered.

  “Why?”

  “I think whoever is killing the girls enjoys what he does. There’s something sinister and grotesque in what he does. I don’t doubt that Ben would kill if he got something out of it financially or politically, but he wouldn’t kill just for the enjoyment of it, and I think the one who is killing the girls d
oes.”

  “I hate that I married such a man. What do we do now?” Stormie asked.

  “We need to find Bessie before Sheriff Carter does,” Nathan said.

  ***

  Monday, July 20, 1965

  Nathan had received a call from Preacher at a little after seven in the morning, and he told him that he had everybody coming out to help look for Bessie. He had people to walk the shoreline, people to drive boats, people to drag the bottom where they could, and others bringing out food to feed everyone.

  After the call with Preacher, Nathan thought about calling the bureau in Washington, bypassing Agent Smith, and informing them about what he had found. After some time, he decided to wait until he found Bessie. Bessie’s body would prove his theory on the girls being murdered, which would lead to Sheriff Carter’s cover-up, Ben Arrington’s involvement, and anyone else who was a part of it. Bessie Jones’s body would be enough to launch an official investigation.

  Nathan was sitting on the edge of the bed when Stormie came back into the bedroom, carrying a tray with breakfast on it. She placed it on the dresser and turned and smiled at Nathan. He saw her, smiled back, and then rushed over and swept her in his arms. The two kissed, and he figured they had some time to spare before meeting Preacher and the other volunteers.

  ***

  Nathan and Stormie were scheduled to meet Preacher and the other volunteers at Gallants Point. They had taken Stormie’s boat and cruised it over to the search area and docked it along with the other volunteer boats on the local pier. Preacher was true to his word. People were running around, doing just about everything.

  The volunteers were both white and black folks from the community. Rhett Jenkins was there helping to organize the search, and he had two of his boats already on the water, dragging the bottom. Nathan was pleased to see the turnout of volunteers. It seemed that many people knew something was wrong in Beaufort but didn’t know what to do about it. Nathan figured that the something wrong were the Four Horsemen.

  Nathan and Stormie walked from her boat toward the shore. Rhett was giving orders to his crew on the third boat that he was about to go out in. The crew moved around quickly, placing gear in its correct spot and preparing the hoist for dragging the bottom. Nathan looked on the boat as the men hurried about it, and that’s when he saw the large man from the courthouse. He was wearing coveralls, a sleeveless shirt, work gloves, and rubber boots. Stormie moved closer to the boat and called up to the man.

  “Amos!”

  “Hi Mrs. Stormie,” he said, smiling as he walked over to the edge of the boat.

  “How in the world did you get Judge Ridge to let you come out here?”

  “I told him I’s sick. Besides, Mr. Rhett pays me more, and I just want to help anyway,” Amos responded.

  “We’re glad you’re here,” Stormie said and turned back to Nathan.

  “I thought I saw him at the courthouse the other day,” Nathan said as he and Stormie walked away.

  “Yes, he works there during the week and some weekends. The judge has him clean and do other maintenance around the courthouse. He always greets everyone and speaks to them kindly. People say he’s touched. I think the judge takes advantage of him. He doesn’t pay him very much and treats him poorly. I don’t know why he continues to work for him,” Stormie explained.

  “I wouldn’t,” Nathan stated.

  The next two days, the volunteer numbers dwindled with no luck in locating Bessie Jones. Her father Wesley showed up for the first day but wasn’t seen again. Rhett had used his boats and crew for two days more, but by Thursday, he had only one boat left in the search that he captained himself with one other crew member on the water.

  Sheriff Carter made it a point to come by and watch in the mornings and then returned in the late afternoons. He never spoke to Agent Emerson or Stormie. Ben Arrington came by too, but only Stormie saw him parked on the bridge over Taylor Creek. He had come by the house at least once and left a note saying that they needed to talk about how they would end things and divide their property. He indicated that he would meet her at Arrington Home at six this evening if she were willing to talk.

  In his note, Ben had also prepared what she thought was an equitable split of assets. She was surprised at what Ben was willing to do. He had indicated that he would not go after her family money if she and Sissy left North Carolina. She was to leave him the sole owner of Arrington House and Arrington Home. The money currently in their joint account was to be his along with $300,000 from her accounts in Alabama. Stormie estimated that it would cost her about $400,000 to escape Ben Arrington. She would still have the $4,000,000 in her bank account in Alabama, along with her property. He expressed that she should seek the advice of an attorney in Charlotte once they came to an agreement.

  Why does he want to make a deal? She asked herself.

  Chapter 42

  Thursday, July 22, 1965

  Ben arranged for everyone to meet at the courthouse, where he discussed his strategy concerning the next two days. He was eager to get things done and to move on with his plans to be the next governor of North Carolina. He had what he felt was enough support, and if things went as planned, he would be taking office in January of 1969.

  Judge Ridge was the last to show up, and the four men sat in his chambers where Ben laid out the details and gave each man his job.

  “Does everyone know what they’re doing?” Ben asked the group.

  “There seems to be a lot that needs to happen, Ben, for this to work,” Jack said as he sat in the chair nervously, shaking his leg.

  “Yeah. If one thing goes wrong, we’re all done,” Sheriff Carter added.

  “Just follow the plan. Ben knows what he’s doing,” Judge Ridge stated as he drank from the flask that he carried in his pocket.

  The four of them left the courthouse, each with a job to do. Ben knew his part in it would be the most difficult, but he’d figured that she deserved what she had coming to her.

  ***

  It was after five-thirty when Nathan and Stormie heard over the radio that Rhett Jenkins had found something that he was bringing to shore. Nathan asked what it was, and Rhett indicated that it was a body. Nathan asked if it was Bessie, and Rhett informed him that he didn’t know because it was in bad shape. Sheriff Carter heard the transmission, and he drove over to the dock that Rhett was going to tie off to when he arrived.

  “I want you to go,” Nathan said to Stormie when he reached the dock.

  “Why?” She asked.

  “You don’t need to see this. I’ve seen this before, and you don’t want that memory,” Nathan explained.

  “Okay. I’ll go meet Ben at the house and listen to what he has to say.”

  “I’d rather you reschedule the meeting with him. I’m worried about you,” he said as he held her hands on the dock.

  “It’ll be okay. Sissy will be there. I spoke to her last night.”

  “If this is Bessie, then I think I’ll be done. The bureau will send more agents out here, and they’ll take over the case. I’ll call Washington.”

  “What will you do when that happens?” Stormie asked as she pulled him closer.

  “I’m leaving the FBI. I’ve already decided,” Nathan answered.

  “Where will you go?” Stormie asked concerningly.

  “I don’t know. Where are you going to be?” Nathan responded and then kissed her quickly.

  “We can decide later, but I hear California is nice,” Stormie said and then happily ran off the dock toward her car.

  “California?” Nathan said out loud.

  Rhett eased his boat to the dock, and his crewman jumped off and tied it on. Rhett looked at Nathan and was about to tell him something when Sheriff Carter walked up to the men.

  “Whatever you got in that boat falls under the jurisdiction of my county, and I’ll be conducting the investigation,” Sheriff Carter explained as he began to step up onto the boat.

  Nathan reached out and grabbed Sheriff C
arter by his pistol belt and pulled him back off the boat, causing him to fall backward onto the dock.

  “You son-of-a-bitch!” Sheriff Carter said as he went to pull his gun out of the holster.

  Nathan quickly reached down and took it out of his hand and backhanded him across the face. He then threw the gun toward shore into the shallow water and reached down and picked the sheriff up by his shirt, pushing him toward shore.

  “Get your ass out of here! This is now an investigation that falls under the Federal Bureau of Investigation. If you so much as come around it again, I’ll see that you are placed in a federal prison for interference.”

  “You can’t do this,” Sheriff Carter declared as he walked into the water to retrieve his gun while Nathan held his own gun at his waist. He wasn’t sure what the sheriff would do, but he wasn’t taking any chances.

  Chapter 43

  Stormie got back to the house and found Ben’s car in the driveway. She parked her car and she sat there for a few minutes before getting out. She was nervous and didn’t know what to expect. She didn’t see Sissy’s car either, and that made her even more nervous. She looked at the front door and saw Ben come outside.

  “You comin’ in?” He asked as he motioned with his hand for her to come inside right before he walked back in.

  Stormie took a deep breath, opened the car door, and then walked up to the front door. She paused, took another breath, and stepped inside.

  It’ll be okay, she said to herself.

  Ben was smiling at her when she walked in, and she smiled back and then noticed that he was wearing black leather gloves. Without warning, Ben took one step toward her and punched her in the face, knocking her backward onto the floor.

  Stormie was disoriented and unsure about what had just happened. She soon felt another blow to the side of her head that laid her flat. She tried to balance herself and attempted to sit up, but once again, she was attacked by Ben, who began kicking her in her lower ribs.