Secrets in the Shallows (Book 1: The Monastery Murders)

by Karen Vance Hammond

  Before Katy could comment, Paul returned with his left arm draped with a small white towel. Holding an ice bucket out in front of him, the couple saw a wine bottle peeking out from the top. Upon approaching the table, Paul set the bucket on the far corner and then used the towel to grasp the bottleneck. Taking out his corkscrew, he opened the bottle and grabbed John’s wine glass, pouring a sampling of the white wine into it.

  Taking the glass, John swirled it slightly for aeration and then took a small sip. “Oh, that’s excellent.”

  “Wonderful choice, sir,” the waiter said.

  Paul picked up John’s wine glass and filled it about half full. Placing the glass back down near John’s plate, he then did the same for Katy. Replacing the wine bottle in the ice bucket, he draped the towel around the bottleneck. The waiter looked at them and said, “Are you ready to order?”

  John opened the menu and said, “So many tasty entrees. How do we choose?”

  The waiter opened up his black book and asked, “May I suggest something from our menu, sir? If you’re in the mood for fish, our grilled Red Snapper is superb.”

  Smiling, John looked at Katy and said, “I think we know what we want don’t we?”

  “I already knew what I wanted this morning,” she smiled.

  “Then you go ahead, darling,” he replied.

  Turning to the waiter, Katy said, “I’ll take the one-and-a-half pound lobster dinner with a side of steamed green beans and a baked potato.”

  “Would you like butter and sour cream on it?” Paul asked.

  “Yes, please,” Katy replied.

  Looking at John, the waiter asked, “And for you, sir?”

  “That sounds good. I think I’ll have a two pounder with the green beans; and I’d like to have garlic mashed potatoes instead, with butter on the side.”

  “Very good, sir. I will put in your orders right away.” The waiter smiled as he scribbled a few notes on his note pad and added, “Please let me know if you need anything. I hope you enjoy your evening.” He smiled politely as he bowed slightly from the waist, then walked toward the kitchen.

  As Paul walked away, John reached across the table and gently took Katy’s hands. “God, you’re gorgeous. I need to show you off a little to these lovely people. Would you like to dance, sweetheart?” John asked with a warm, sweet smile on his face.

  Katy took John’s hand and they went to the dance floor. Together, they were lost in a world of their own, surrounded by slow jazz music. She rested her cheek on his chest as they glided across the dance floor.

  As they danced, she whispered in his ear, “I love you so much. No one else has ever made me feel like a princess the way you do ... Not to mention how incredibly sexy you are tonight.”

  John smiled as he thought, God, I love her. He looked at Katy and the corners of his mouth turned up into a grin. “I’m never letting you go.”

  Katy gazed in to his eyes. “I won’t let you go either.”

  The music ended, and the sound of clapping brought them back to reality.

  “Wait right here, honey.”

  John picked up an empty glass off the nearest table and tapped it lightly with a knife. “Might I have everyone’s attention, please?”

  The maître d’ looked over and smiled at John reassuringly. He nodded at the singer, who then gave a cue to the musicians. The band readied their instruments to play.

  Katy was startled as John left her alone on the dance floor as the lights dimmed.

  John approached her slowly and looked Katy directly into the eyes. “To do this properly, I want everyone here in this restaurant to know how much I love you, sweetheart.”

  Everyone started to clap and cheer as John knelt down on one knee. Katy covered her mouth with her hand, as her eyes welled up. She thought, I can’t believe this is finally happening. Her heart felt like it was about to explode. She beamed with happiness.

  Joy filled John’s eyes as he saw Katy’s reaction when he pulled out a little black velvet box from his pocket. He cleared his throat, and slowly raised his head as he gazed into her eyes.

  “Katherine, I fell in love with you the very first time I saw you. I love you for who you are. I have become the man I am today because of your support. Katy, I can’t imagine my life without you.”

  Everyone in the restaurant remained silent as John opened the box. Katy gasped when she saw the exquisite one-carat, princess-cut diamond.

  Removing the ring from the box, he took her hand and respectfully said, “Katherine Michelle Warsaw, I would be honored if you would become my wife. Will you marry me?”

  An immediate smile burst from her lips, as Katy immersed herself in the moment. With a quiver in her voice, she quickly responded, “Yes! Yes! I will marry you!” Her hands shook slightly, as John slipped the diamond ring onto her left ring finger.

  Excited, Katy couldn’t contain her emotions any longer. She held out her left hand, inspecting the stone. “Oh, my gosh! It is beautiful!”

  Everyone watching the touching scene stood up and began to applaud. For a few moments, the young couple was in the center of everyone’s attention in that busy restaurant.

  John nodded his head toward the band, and they began to play ‘At Last.’ The lights dimmed on cue, and the couple kissed. John twirled Katy around and brought her back to him. Others began to join in, while keeping an eye on the newly-engaged couple. After the song faded, they kissed again.

  The waiter brought over a bouquet of red roses and handed them to John, who offered them to Katy. The crowd applauded and gave the couple another standing ovation. The attention died down as John held out his arm and escorted Katy back to their table.

  Pulling out her chair, John took hold of her hand and gazed at the ring. “I want to love you forever. I want to take care of you.” They locked eyes as he continued, “I want to give you everything you could ever want.”

  Katy smiled and replied, “I want to be with you forever and give you...”

  John interrupted, “You’re already fulfilling all I could want. What else could you give me?”

  “Children?” Katy smiled shyly.

  An image of a young man floated through John’s mind. “Yes, I would love to have a son one day.”

  The evening continued just as Katy had hoped. The enamored couple spent the entire time enjoying each other’s company and making plans for their wedding day. They laughed and talked for over an hour as they finished their meal, and even ordered dessert.

  Katy absolutely adored dancing with John. He made her feel like she was living in a fairy tale. The music, wine and laughter mixed together very well, and she hated to see their special date coming to an end. It would be a night that she knew she would cherish forever.

  * * * *

  Later that evening, Katy and John returned home from the restaurant. As she entered the house, Katy couldn’t wait to show off her engagement ring to her family.

  “Mom and Dad, look!” Katy exclaimed with delight.

  “Oh, my! That’s absolutely gorgeous!” Julie shouted.

  “It’s almost as beautiful as my little girl.” George pecked Katy on the forehead, and then extended his hand toward John. “Congratulations, to the both of you.”

  Even Jason was surprised. He stood up from his usual spot on the couch and walked over to them.

  “Wow, John! Maybe I need to rethink my major and become a lawyer.”

  John grinned at him. “You can be my gopher.”

  “Go for what?” Jason asked as he sat back down on the couch, flipping channels.

  “Precisely,” John said as he winked at Katy and kissed her on the forehead.

  Jason furrowed his brow in confusion as he settled into his usual spot and propped up a cushion. “Enough excitement; now back to my show.”

  Glancing at his gold watch, John said, “I’d better get going. I’ve got court at 8:30 in the morning and I need to be prepared.”

  Grasping Katy’s hand, John led her to a small sitting
area near the front door. Wrapping his arms around her, he kissed her tenderly and said, “You’re finally mine; all mine. I love you, Katy. I meant every word I said at The Lighthouse.”

  Still feeling as if she was on ‘cloud nine,’ Katy replied, “I love you too.” Whispering in his ear, she continued, “and I can’t wait until you don’t have to leave for the night.”

  “Me too,” John smiled as he slightly squeezed Katy’s hands. “I’ll see you tomorrow then. Walk me to the door?”

  Katy followed him to the front foyer as he turned around and wrapped his arms around her. He embraced her tightly, as his long, sweet kiss enraptured her. He continued to nibble on her lips playfully and smiled as he gazed into her eyes.

  “I truly love you, Katy Warsaw,” John said and then walked out the door to head to his car.

  “I love you too, John Smith. Please be safe, and call me a little later when you need a break.” Katy smiled as she relished in the events of the evening. Looking down at her ring, she thought about all of the wedding plans she had in mind. Soon they would be a reality.

  This is one of the most wonderful days of my life, she thought to herself.

  CHAPTER 21

  The next morning, a red SUV pulled into the lot adjacent to the Wattsville Sheriff’s Department and parked beside the sheriff’s cruiser. A young man wearing a heavy dark brown winter coat and khaki pants stepped out of the car. His auburn hair reflected the sunlight as he walked up to the building. Forensic pathologist Dr. Peter Balkan had arrived. He walked up the steps to the intimidating entrance.

  In his office, Sheriff Johnson had spent over an hour sitting at his desk and concentrating on the crime scene photos and the autopsy report for Timothy Fields. After a long night of insomnia, he rubbed his tired eyes. Taking in a few deep breaths to clear his cluttered mind, he exhaled slowly.

  Suddenly, the receptionist’s voice blurted out on the intercom, interrupting his thoughts. “Sheriff Johnson, there’s someone here to see you. His name is Dr. Peter Balkan.”

  “Oh, send him in, please.”

  A minute later, a knock on the door came as Barbara opened it and let Dr. Balkan in the sheriff’s office and quickly closed it behind him.

  Peter walked in carrying a manila folder and smiled. “Hello, Sheriff Johnson. I’m Dr. Peter Balkan.”

  Sheriff Johnson stood up and reached out to shake Peter’s hand. “Hello, Doctor Balkan. I’m so glad you were able to make it.”

  After shaking hands, the newcomer smiled and handed the sheriff a business card. “Please call me Peter.”

  “Okay, Peter. I figured you would want to get started soon. I’ve arranged a time for us to meet with the coroner at the hospital morgue so you can get a look at the body. Our district attorney, John Smith, is going to meet us there after he’s finished in court this morning. He will be very involved with this case too.”

  “That’s great. The sooner we can go, the better.”

  “Just let me know if you need anything, and I’ll do my best to accommodate you.”

  “I can’t remember if I told you, but I have access to a lab that’s only twenty minutes away from here. So, I can do a lot of my forensic tests and examinations close by, and save a lot of travel time to Augusta. Now, can you get me up to speed on what has happened so far, Sheriff?”

  He continued, “I need to get my lab guy going on this so I can be free to get my team investigating the crime scene area. Everyone calls him ‘Coke Bottle Ray,’ because he wears such thick glasses. I’ve already called him and my other guys so they can get here by tonight, and get started on it in first thing in the morning.”

  “Sure thing,” replied Sheriff Johnson as he began to tell Peter about everything they had discovered so far.

  * * * *

  Arriving at the hospital after a satisfying lunch at the corner bistro, Sheriff Johnson and Peter walked through the large automatic doors at the Wattsville Memorial Hospital. The frigid air slammed into them as they headed straight towards the morgue. They found the receptionist’s desk right away.

  Near the desk, John Smith stood by Katy and said, “Quite chilly isn’t it, Sheriff?”

  Approaching the desk and carrying his forensics kit, Dr. Balkan immediately noticed the gorgeous blonde with Mr. All American. He chuckled and interjected, “You should come to my lab sometime. Icicles will hang off your nose.”

  Laughing to himself, John rubbed his hands together, “I bet. I assume you’re the famous Dr. Peter Balkan I have heard about.”

  “Well, I don’t know about being famous, perhaps infamous,” Peter laughed and continue, “but I am Peter Balkan. Are you the District Attorney John Smith whom I have been warned about?” As Peter spoke with John, he glanced approvingly at Katy and thought, Damn! I’d love to get a piece of that. Lucky bastard.

  John gestured at Katy and told Peter, “This is my fiancé and paralegal assistant, Katy Warsaw. As you can see, she’s pretty cold too.”

  Peter admired Katy’s perfectly curved figure, and then met her eyes. “It’s definitely a pleasure, Miss Katy.” He politely bowed his head slightly and then smiled broadly as he looked directly into her green eyes.

  Sensing the overt sexual tension, John said firmly, “Watch it, Romeo. She’s spoken for.” He gave a half-smile that thinly masked an underlying threat. Looking directly at Peter, he slid his arm around Katy’s waist and pulled her closer to him.

  At that moment, a petite redhead dressed in navy blue scrubs stood up from behind the desk. “May I help you?”

  Sheriff Johnson removed his hat and greeted her. “Ma’am, I’m Sheriff Johnson. This is state forensic investigator, Dr. Peter Balkan, District Attorney John Smith and his paralegal, Katy Warsaw. We will need to have the body of Timothy Fields transported to Dr. Balkan’s lab. He’ll have to give you the information.”

  “Excuse me,” Peter interjected as he held up his hand. “I will also need to get the personal effects of the deceased.”

  With a coy smile, the woman admired Peter and said, “I am Jane Tanner, by the way. I will have to look that up.” After typing for a minute on the computer keyboard, she said, “Wait right here, please.”

  “Thank you, ma’am.” Sheriff Johnson tipped his hat at her as she walked through a pair of double doors nearby.

  For several minutes John stood quietly listening to the sheriff and Dr. Balkan talking, before the woman returned slightly stressed.

  With a surprised look on her face, Jane informed them, “They’re not here. They should be in the designated locker, but it’s open and empty.”

  “What!?” Peter replied. “Where else could they be?”

  “I’m sorry, Dr. Balkan. We do have a specific protocol for all bodies. We tag and label every item belonging to the deceased. Then we keep them in their own container in a secured locker. I’ve looked everywhere, and they are not here. I do not know where they could have been taken to.”

  Sheriff Johnson removed his hat and wiped off his forehead and asked, “How in the hell does a lab worker lose something like that?”

  “I’ve never seen any effects go missing like this, Sheriff. I really don’t know. I wasn’t on duty either,” Jane replied.

  Sheriff Johnson took out his writing pen and tablet. “Do you know who worked that shift?”

  “I can look on the schedule and find out right away. I’ll be right back.” Jane turned and walked through some double doors.

  John shook his head and replied, “We need to find those items. They could be the key to convicting a murderer.”

  Jane quickly returned with a fellow staff member. “Hello, I’m Barb Marston. I was the one who was working the day shift when Timothy Fields came in the morgue. Sir, I bagged and tagged the clothes and all his effects, and placed them in a container, then in a locker, which I secured with a lock. After my shift, I left and went home.”

  Sheriff Johnson, Peter, and John stood dumbfounded.

  The sheriff rubbed his chin and said, “We’ll need
a list of everyone that was working that day. In fact, I will need to get the security footage for the entire morgue from the time Timothy Fields’ body was brought to the hospital. If I need to get a search warrant, I will. However, that evidence could be crucial to a murder investigation, so I’d be very grateful if you’d save me all that time in red tape.”

  “Let me ask my supervisor, but I think he will be happy to help you. The last thing we want is some bad publicity,” Barb replied.

  “Thank you, Ms. Marston,” the sheriff said. “In that case, I need to speak with your supervisor, please. We have to find those effects now.”

  Barb sighed and glanced at her watch. “Wait right here.”

  After several minutes of waiting, Dr. Grant walked through the doors followed by Barb. “I understand there are some effects missing?”

  Sheriff Johnson glared at him, “Yes, there are. Everything that was with Timothy Fields’ body is missing. According to your staff member here, they are nowhere to be found.”

  Dr. Grant turned toward Barb, “Did you tag and store those clothes?”

  Barb looked him in the eyes and replied, “Yes, Doctor, I did; and I put them in the locker like we always do.”

  Leading the entire group to the secured locker room, Dr. Grant asked Barb, “What locker number is it listed as?”

  “It should be in locker 5,” she replied, “but as you can see the lock has been removed and nothing is inside.”

  All eyes peered inside the empty locker.

  Dr. Grant pursed his lips, and let out a deep breath. He glared at Barb and asked her, “Are you sure you put the items in that particular locker? Is there a chance you put them in another one?”

  Barb’s face immediately became very pale as she defended herself, “Sir, I know just as I am standing right here that I put those clothes in there, closed the door and turned the key. I even wrote it down on the clipboard. I specifically remember it was the last one on the right. I took special precautions because I knew it was a potential homicide.”

  Grabbing the clipboard from the bin on the wall nearby, she pointed to the name Timothy Fields by the number ‘5’ on the chart.