Mrs. Bentron clung to her husband and openly sobbed.
Mrs. Clark leaned her arms on the table and spoke barely audibly. “That leaves Jimmy. Are you sure?”
“Yes, Jimmy’s little finger wasn’t yet healed and he was identified because of it.”
She collapsed against her husband.
“Our Medical Examiner believes he didn’t injure the boys after they were taken, and they died peacefully. She believed they were drugged and sleeping when they died. He buried all three in a respectful manner. I don’t claim to understand why Shuland did this or why he buried them the way he did, but I hope this brings some closure to each of you. You may have a funeral home pick up your boys whenever you wish. Again, I’m terribly sorry for your loss. Do you have any questions?” He leaned back in his chair and exhaled.
The parents bombarded him with the same questions he had heard for years, but never found the answers. “Please,” he said putting up his hands. “I don’t know more than I did last week or twenty years ago. Clifford Shuland never mentioned your boys. He walked into the station calm and collected and told the desk sergeant that he kidnapped Marilyn Price and left her alive in the cemetery. He didn’t say another word except to plead guilty at trial. All of you know he died in prison and anything he knew died with him. Marilyn Price didn’t remember anything except leaving for school. The doc believed she was drugged near her home. Shuland may have done the same with your boys or he could have had an accomplice. I don’t have answers and most likely never will. The case is still open and will remain open until we know who took your boys and why. You can call me anytime with questions as always. Please go home and let your friends and family know about this. As you well know, this is a small town and news doesn’t stay quiet for long. It may even hit the afternoon paper.”
Sheriff Korder escorted the six grieving parents out the front door of the station and saw the nosey reporter from the paper snapping pictures of the families as they headed toward their cars. The reporter annoyed him. He was in his face asking questions too often. The young man rubbed the sheriff the wrong way. When he ran into the station calling out to the sheriff that he had questions, Sheriff Korder walked to his office door, turned, yelled, “No comment,” and slammed the door behind him. He hit the intercom button and told the desk sergeant to get the reporter out of the station.
Dropping into his desk chair, he massaged his forehead with his fingers and said, “I don’t ever want to go through something like that again.”
#####
Kellie picked up the next paper in the stack. “Do you want me to paraphrase again?”
“Please.” Marilyn crossed her arms and began to rock back and forth.
“Are you sure you want to hear this? You look anxious.”
“I am, but I need to know. Please read it.” Marilyn tried to smile.
“Okay. This article covers your return. It seems you were only missing from the start of school until about eleven that same night.”
“I know it was dark. I was terrified to move, so I sat in the grass and cried.” Marilyn shuddered.
Kellie continued. “It says a search party formed when you and Jimmy didn’t make it to school. They searched all day and well into the evening, but quit when it became dark. About two hours later Shuland walked into the sheriff’s office and told the first deputy he encountered that he kidnapped you, said you were all right, and they could find you in the cemetery. He then sat down and refused to speak. The police arrested him; the court assigned him a lawyer, but he refused to speak with anyone.”
“That doesn’t answer any questions does it? Do you think he didn’t mention the boys because he killed them and was afraid of being tried for murder? I’m not sure what difference it would have made since he was tried and found guilty of kidnapping a child.” Marilyn scrunched her eyebrows and looked at Kellie.
“This paper reads that Shuland appeared before a judge and plead guilty. His lawyer said he refused a jury trial. When asked by the judge, Shuland said, “Yes.” That’s all he said. He was informed he had to confess his crime and explain, but he stood with his head down and shook it back and forth until the judge finally accepted the plea, and he was sentenced to sixty years to life. That is weird. I wonder why he never spoke.” Kellie laid the paper down on top of those she had already read. “There’s one more paper.”
“Please read that one, too,” Marilyn said. “All this is making my head spin. I’m trying to figure out why my mom never told me any of this. She could have once I was an adult.” She wrapped her arms around her body and slowly rocked side to side.
“Maybe she was traumatized and didn’t want to face your questions,” Kellie said as she reached for the last newspaper. “This one is a little over a year after Shuland went to State Prison. It says he was killed on his way to lunch. Stabbed by another inmate who refused to say why he did it. The warden said Shuland had been a model inmate and rarely interacted with other inmates. I guess he kept his secrets to the end.”
“Maybe,” Marilyn commented.
“What are you thinking?”
“If he never talked to anyone, he must have spoken to Howard Maxwell. How would Maxwell have found his way here? Someone must have told him about me.” She dropped her shoulders and twisted her hands. Looking up at Kellie, she asked, “Do you have any ideas?”
“They could have spoken in their cell or the news got around the prison somehow. Maxwell must have found out from Shuland since he wouldn’t learn more than we did from the internet.” Kellie straightened out the papers and placed them back in the bottom of the empty chest. The bottom moved.
“Look,” Kellie said. “I think this has a false bottom. She and Marilyn lifted the thin board from the chest revealing a deep burgundy leather journal.
Marilyn picked it up and opened the journal. She read the first page. “This belonged to my great-great-grandmother. I wonder why someone hid it.”
#####
Sheriff Korder picked up the thin file he left on his desk. It contained what they knew about the kidnappings. Four children are missing within an approximate eighteen hour period, and only one found. The kidnapper turned himself in and gave the whereabouts of the missing girl. The boys were never found. The girl was unharmed. Kidnapper remains silent and dies in prison. He knew the file by heart. Besides the one page report were four school pictures of the missing children.
The sheriff sat staring at the file for more than ten minutes. He didn’t have a clue as to what happened. Adding the notes to the file about the discovery of the missing boys was all he could do. He added the medical examiner’s reports, but there was little else. The sheriff made a new file in the file cabinet for ‘Unsolved Murders’ and dropped the file into the folder. Pulling the file out again, he placed a white label on the outside.
He wrote, “This case remains open until it is solved,” in bold, black letters. He signed his name and dropped it back into the file folder and closed the cabinet.
Deputy Walden knocked on the doorframe of the sheriff’s open door. “Hi sheriff, is there anything you need me to do concerning the boy’s murders? Stacy left for the day, but she filed all the information before she left. I heard the boy’s families are going to have one funeral for all three.”
The sheriff looked up. “Where did you hear that?”
“My mom is friends and neighbors with Jimmy’s mom. She was in the yard when Jimmy’s parents came home. Mrs. Clark could barely walk, and my mom ran over to help. Mrs. Clark told her about Jimmy and that the boys are going to be buried side by side and share one funeral. Mr. Moore made the suggestion before they left the building earlier, and they all agreed. I think it’s a good idea and should be easier on all of them.” The deputy leaned against the doorframe.
“I hope so. It will affect the entire town. One funeral is a good idea. Those boys died together and were buried close together for twenty years. I think being together and buried properly is a respectful thing and might bring the
family some peace.” He sat at his desk. “Oh, to answer your question, I don’t have anything else for you to do concerning this.”
“Thanks, sheriff,” Deputy Walden nodded at the sheriff and walked down the hall.
#####
Marilyn looked up from the journal and said, “Why would this be hidden away?”
“I’m not sure,” Kellie replied. “You’ll have to read it.”
“Not now, maybe after lunch. I’d like to see the albums first.” Marilyn reached for the one labeled “Family.”
“Kellie,” she said. “There are pictures in here of my family and me when I was small. It was before the kidnapping. I have never seen any of these and a lot of them were taken at my parent’s house. My mom is going to be upset, but after we look at all of these, I’m going to ask her why they hid it away.”
She dropped the album on the floor, rubbed her index finger across her lower lip, and stared out the small window.
“Are you okay?” Kellie said reaching for Marilyn’s hand.
“Yes, there is so much of my early childhood hidden from me and I don’t know why. I can’t wrap my mind around what was going on that caused my mom to never share these.”
“It could be that it reminded her of your kidnapping, and she couldn’t deal with it,” Kellie suggested.
“That might be, I’m going to find out. I’m nervous about the album labeled “Marilyn.” She picked it up and looked at Kellie. “What could be hidden in here?”
“You won’t know until you open the cover.” Kellie smiled and shrugged. “Or we can put it back.”
“That would drive me up a wall.” She took a deep breath and opened the album sitting on her lap.
“Oh, my,” Marilyn murmured her eyes shifting toward Kellie as she closed the cover.
Chapter Twelve
The cordless phone lying next to her broke Marilyn’s train of thought. She jumped when it rang and dropped the album to the floor. Caller ID read Calvin Pierce. “It’s my mom,” she whispered. Catching her breath, she added, “I have to take this, or she’ll worry.”
Kellie understood and nodded.
“Hi, Mom, yes I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be? What? Oh, no. All three of them? Do you know where?”
Kellie heard Marilyn gasp and then continue talking to her mom, “Of course, Mom. I’ll be careful, but I don’t think there’s a need. Kellie’s here with me and we’ll be fine. If you hear more let me know. Love you, bye.” She set the phone down next to her and rubbed her hands up and down her arms several times. Marilyn interlaced her fingers and held them close to her face when she looked at Kellie.
“Is there something wrong,” Kellie asked.
“Mom heard from a friend of hers that is related to the Moore’s. The coroner positively identified the three bodies found near the monument as Tommy, Jimmy, and Allen. I should have prepared myself for this news. It’s still a shock even after Tina told me they found remains. They were only skeletal remains. I was secretly hoping they were old bones from before the town was settled. Maybe from a family passing through and stopped because their children were sick, I don’t know what I was thinking. Anything but those boys. I think since their burial site was near the monument; it must have been Shuland who killed them. My body could’ve been there, too.” Her hands were shaking, and she covered one with the other and held them in her lap.
“That explains a lot. The boys were missing, and we thought Shuland used the tunnel. It would make sense to bury them close to where he must have taken them. He knew no one would be buried there, and it would be a safe place to keep them hidden,” Kellie said.
“It’s nearly too much to handle. Here’s what surprised me before my mom called.” Marilyn picked up the album and opened it again. “This is my kindergarten class picture. As soon as I saw it, I remembered Allen and Tommy, too. I must have blocked their faces from my memory. Those grainy black and white images in the old newspaper didn’t stir any memory. Seeing them in this color class photo brings it all back.”
Kellie replied, “That wouldn’t surprise me considering what you’ve been through.”
“Maybe it’s why I am having those nightmares. They could be memories,” Marilyn said as she looked through the remaining papers and photos in the album. “My grandma saved all my school papers. All my report cards and school pictures are in here. Papers I wrote and drawings I made while in grade school are in here, too. Once I went to middle school, I kept my photos and report cards in my room.”
“It’s good your grandma kept them so you can see them now.” Kellie picked up the class picture and looked at the three kidnapped boys. “I wish I understood the correlation between you and these three poor little boys besides the story Claude told us.”
“I wish I knew that, too. His story can’t be true. Stories change over the years. People add details. I’m confused. Why do you think my grandma kept them? She never showed them to me. Did she pull them from my mom’s garbage or did mom give them to her? I’m going to find out. These should have been given to me.” Anger flashed in Marilyn’s blue grey eyes.
“Your grandma saved them. She might have wanted to show them to you before she died or knew you would find them since you inherited the house.”
“You might be right; my mom still owes me answers.” Marilyn grabbed her great-great-grandma’s journal and stood. “Let’s go downstairs. I feel a bit trapped in this attic right now.”
“Sure, but please wait to call your mom until you calm down or nothing you say will come out the way you hope.” Kellie hugged her and followed her out of the attic.
#####
After lunch, Marilyn and Kellie sat at the kitchen table, and Marilyn opened the journal. “My great-great-grandma had beautiful penmanship. I know she taught school for a while before she married.”
“Luckily for you she must have enjoyed writing and you’ll find something of interest in there,” Kellie added taking a bite of a chocolate chip cookie.
Marilyn turned the yellowed pages slowly being careful not to tear them. “My grandma made notes on all the holidays and family celebrations. There are pages of recipes. I may try some of these or add them to one of my books.” She turned page after page finding similar entries.
“She certainly was thorough. I think she wanted your family to remember what her life was like,” Kellie said as she watched Marilyn study the pages.
“Here’s a blank page, but I can see there is writing on the next page.” Marilyn turned the page and Kellie could hear her inhale.
“What’s wrong?” She reached for Marilyn’s hand.
“Listen to this. I think this might be what we’re looking for, and it might explain things.” Marilyn looked at Kellie her eyes open wide.
“Are you sure you want to read more now? We could wait.” Kellie smiled, but Marilyn’s eyes still showed anxiety.
“No, I have to know and her demeanor has changed in this writing. I want you to hear it. This page doesn’t have a date, but maybe we can figure out when she wrote it.”
“Okay,” Kellie answered.
“Grandma wrote, “Times are becoming frightening. Matthew told me not to leave Belinda and baby Matthew in the house alone when I go out to do the washing or gather vegetables. He built a second cradle to keep outside so the children can always be with me. He also told me to keep the rifle by my side at all times. I’m to shoot any stranger on sight. No questions. He said one warning shot, and if they don’t turn and leave to shoot them dead. I can do it. He taught me how to shoot a rifle. I’m afraid of what is happening. He won’t tell me what is going on, but I think it has to do with the whisperings I heard at church about people disappearing. No one knows why. Some say the young men might have gone to the city, but there have been men with jobs and land that have disappeared. I didn’t hear about women or children, but Matthew is more worried than I have ever seen him.”
Marilyn looked up at Kellie, “I wonder if this was the beginning of what Mr. Tervins told us. There
’s more. “Matthew came back from town with supplies and horrible news. Several people, both men and women, have taken sick with a strange disease. Townsfolk think it is witchcraft or possession. Some of them have died, and some were killed by people they attacked. Many of the townsfolk wanted to burn the bodies, but others said the town would be as guilty of wrongdoing as those who were dead. They are being buried under the stone bridge far from the edge of the cemetery. The pastor has refused to bless the ground. Matthew said the stone mason has erected uncarved headstones he had in back of his property that no one else wanted. Some of the stones are cracked or discolored. Matthew said the uncarved stones would remind future generations that something evil happened to the souls buried there. No one will remember who they were and the evil will surely remain dead with them.’
“I was right about the people buried there. They didn’t do anything to deserve to be buried in unhallowed ground. Something was done to them. I told you I heard the spirit of a young girl named Katrina May, who asked for my help. They are truly abandoned souls in need of help.” Kellie stood and walked to the kitchen window and looked in the direction of the stone bridge.
“What can you do to help? We don’t know who they are or what happened to them. I know they were buried there because of what a Carnfelder did to them, but if they are still there it could be they were all involved in some evil.” Marilyn shuddered.
“I don’t think so. I didn’t sense evil under that bridge. I sensed sadness and loss. We need to prove they were innocent victims and have the ground blessed. I think it will free their souls. I would think in this day and age a pastor would bless the ground either way. They can’t still believe evil spirits and witches were responsible for the deaths of whoever is buried there. Also, Katrina May told me who she was. Perhaps the others would, too.” She turned back to the window and felt the tug of the spirits and knew they must have heard her. She thought, be patient; I will help. She didn’t want Marilyn to feel more stress knowing Kellie could feel them in the house.
Abandoned Souls Page 10
