by Jeulia Hesse
The engine noise groaned on outside, and she could envision the equipment digging at the rock walls and scraping through rock and dirt.
Abruptly, the engine noise had stopped, leaving a sudden void and deafening silence. After a beat, the shouts of a man yelling madly outside and then from downstairs had rousted her from her cozy bed. She ran down the two flights of stairs with the dog on her heel to find out what in the world was going on.
Shawn had been in a state. His eyes were bulging as he bellowed for everyone in the house to come to the living room. His face was pale as his voice boomed through the rooms. He escorted Jeremy’s father, Daniel, by his arm and roughly propelled him to a chair. The older man perched on the edge of the chair as if he wanted to bolt. He glanced at Christina, frowning as he looked at her, and he pulled a dirty rag from his back pocket to wipe the sweat that was running down from his brow.
“Where’s Jeremy?” Shawn had commanded of the group.
“He’s here?” Christina asked, puzzled at his presence in the early hour. She shuffled onto the couch next to Gina, whose her hair was as wild as her eyes as she took in the activity.
“Take a seat,” Shawn commanded, “I need everyone to remain here in this room. The state police and the coroner are on their way. They will want to speak to all of us.”
All eyes went to Shawn. There were exclamations of puzzlement and disbelief projected from everyone in the room. He looked cautiously at Christina, as if trying to formulate his words. “The construction workers just dug up human remains in the side garden. The coroner and the state police will need to review the scene.”
Christina immediately felt a chill envelope her entire body. Her skin tingled as goosebumps erupted on her bare arms and her mouth gaped open. Shock shrouded her as her mind slowly began to piece together the information.
Shawn watched her face as she felt the blood leave her cheeks. “I don’t know anything,” he began. He stopped talking immediately as Layla quietly entered the room and took a seat in an armchair on the far wall. She made no eye contact and sat with her gaze downcast. Shawn stared at her as if he wanted to say something. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but then hesitated. His eyes took in all the people around the room.
The back door of the inn banged loudly, and two sets of footfalls came into the living room. Kevin guided Jeremy by his arm into the area. He pushed him down into one of the free chairs. The tension between the two men had been palpable. Kevin then sat down next to Christina, grasping her hand, and anxiously watching her face.
Jeremy was sporting a bruise above his eye, and there was dried blood caked the corner of his mouth. His eyes were bloodshot with deep circles beneath them. Shawn raised an eyebrow at Kevin in a silent question. Kevin surreptitiously looked from Jeremy to Shawn and shrugged, indicating that he hadn’t done the damage to Jeremy’s face. Both men knew Kevin wanted to hit Jeremy, after learning about the exchange between Christina and Jeremy that had occurred when she fired him.
After what had seemed like eons, the State Police arrived with two cruisers and the coroner. Shawn had known each officer and introduced them to the solemn group in the living room. The officer in charge addressed the somber faces, “While the coroner analyzes the remains, my team and I will be asking you all some questions. We’d like to do this individually in a separate room. Can we set up in a few private rooms?”
The tall officer, Agnes, was familiar to Christina. Her stature and impressively strong physique was memorable. She had been one of the investigating officers when Annie had disappeared. She stood as tall and straight, but now, her dark hair was interwoven with silver strands and tiny lines rimmed her eyes. She felt a bit of déjà vu and was oddly comforted by the officer’s presence.
“Christina, do you feel up to talking?” she asked firmly but gently.
Eager to gain more information herself about the situation, Christina nodded. She rose, leading the officer into the bar for the inn, and took a seat in the window. “Is it her?” she asked, wiping a tear from her cheek. “Do you think she was there the whole time?”
“We won’t know anything for certain until the coroner does his review and examination. It will take some time to do a positive identification. They will have to review dental records and see if they can identify the cause of death.”
Christina winced at her words. The officer’s tone was empathetic but clear. “I realize that this is unpleasant and comes as an unwelcomed surprise. It would help us in this investigation to understand the current situation and activity that led to this discovery.”
Agnes opened her notepad and waited for her response. After a pause, she nodded her understanding. The trooper pulled a chair closer to Christina and sat with her pen in hand. “All right then, tell me about the construction plans. Can you also tell me what you remember about the work being done on the patios when your cousin went missing?”
Christina took a sharp intake of breath. There was no mistaking what the officer was getting at, since her line of questioning focused on the construction work, the patio, and stone walls. A shiver went up her spine as she recalled the information in her mind. Annie had gone missing when the stone walls were being repaired. They were the same stone walls that Christina was removing to accommodate the new addition for the dining room.
The officer gazed at Christina patiently. “Well, my aunt left me the inn when she died. We have made plans to reopen the business and expand the amenities. We planned to build an addition for the dining area and expand out onto where the patio and terrace gardens are now. It would make space for larger parties and events and would create a place to put up a tent if needed.”
Agnes nodded. “Nice view from there.”
Shifting in her seat, she questioned more deeply, “Do you remember anything about the summer Annie went missing? Anything that would give us more information than what we discussed then?”
Christina stirred in her chair, pulling the blanket tighter around herself, trying to reach back in her memory to that dark time. “I am not sure I remember exactly what I said, it was such a tough time.” She swallowed, her throat dry. “I do remember that my aunt was having the rock walls repaired. Annie and I were both complaining about the noise in the early mornings – very much like this morning.”
Agnes looked at her intently and nodded. “I see that Shawn Johnston, Kevin McKinley and Jeremy Stone are here. They all had connections to your cousin. What can you tell me about their presence here today? I understand that you were in bed when Sheriff Johnston woke you and brought everyone downstairs.”
Christina took a few breaths formulating her response. “Kevin rents a cabin from the inn. It’s the one that’s furthest from the main building. Shawn usually stops by in the morning or evening...” At this she hesitated.
Agnes watched her face, and her response. “The Sheriff stops by every day?”
She waited for Christina’s response as she studied her. Christina took a deep breath and swallowed the lump that had appeared in her throat. “Yeah, Shawn used to come by all the time when he and Annie were together. Ada was appreciative to see him... after Annie went missing. He was the one to find her when she.... fell.” She hesitated. If there was a good time to mention the insulin vial, this may be it. Her addled mind considered how to bring it up.
“I see.” Agnes nodded, her eyes piercing into Christina.
“I wasn’t around then. I was living in New York at the time.” Christina hung her head, the old guilt seeping in.
“What about Jeremy?” the trooper asked after a moment.
Christina hesitated. Honestly, she didn’t know why Jeremy was there this morning and had thought it odd that he had been on site. They had closed their business relationship quite clearly at their last exchange.
Christina sensed Agnes noting her pause. Agnes patiently waited for her response. She was unsure how to answer the question.
“Jeremy had been Ada’s attorney and executor. He kept things running for her a
fter Annie left and she...well, it looks like she sort of lost interest in the business.
I am not sure why he is here this morning. I assume it was because his father’s workers were on site.” Christina paused and then continued speaking rapidly. “Honestly, I don’t have a lot of details about the actual construction out there. I just know that they planned to get it completed and will review the overall results when they are done... I know the cost, but I don’t know how many people they will be using in the crew, so maybe Jeremy had a role in that.... I... I don’t know what he was doing here this morning.”
The trooper stopped taking notes in her pad and looked directly and empathetically at Christina. “Is there anything else that you want to tell me?”
A vague memory rose in Christina’s mind, unclear and just out of reach. She had a sense that she had had this same conversation with this same policewoman years ago. Her mind was not connecting the thread that felt so close, but was inaccessible. “I’m sorry.” She shook her head woodenly. “I don’t remember anything else.”
She hesitated, knowing Agnes was watching her carefully. She knew it was evident that the shock of the morning’s discovery was having an impact on her. “There’s something else. I really don’t know what to do with it.” Christina hesitated, her speech stuttering. “Maude, our housekeeper, had a bad insulin reaction recently. It happened after she had borrowed my aunt’s leftover insulin.”
Agnes leaned in just slightly closer. “After your aunt died?”
“Yes.” Christina hesitated, feeling as though maybe she was reading into the situation. “I mean, she asked my permission and all. We didn’t see anything wrong with it as they take the same medicine.” She swallowed. “It may be nothing. But Maude had a very low blood sugar episode after taking that insulin. I brought the vial to the hospital; the paramedics had suggested it. The doctor there told me it was mislabeled. She would have gotten five times what she should have received for a dose.”
Agnes set her pad on her lap. “I’m not sure I follow you; the police don’t usually get involved in medication errors. There are so many things that can go wrong with that...”
Christina now really felt that she was not able to convey her concern, “My aunt died from complications of a very low blood sugar. She had been home alone. Shawn found her on the floor when he came in in the morning.”
At this piece of information, Agnes became more attentive. “And he was here, because he comes here every morning?”
Christina nodded agreement.
“What are your thoughts about this?” The trooper’s tone was cautious.
“Let me get the vial to show you. It may just be a mislabeling from the pharmacy. I haven’t done anything with it.”
Christina left the room to retrieve her purse where she had kept the vial since the night in the hospital. Only she and Kevin had spoken to the doctor at the emergency room. As she made her way to her room and back downstairs, she had glimpses what was happening outside.
The coroner and his team were working in one location on the patio. She caught a quick view of a stretcher and a black body bag, and her stomach turned. Reality came barreling in.
It had to be Annie.
She stopped her motion and took a few minutes to collect herself. This was surreal, after all the years of wondering what had happened. Her head swam with questions.
After a few moments, she reentered the room with the state trooper and handed her the vial. Agnes studied it for a moment. “I see what you mean.” She examined the label where the paramedic had pulled it back to reveal what was underneath. “Looks like a label on top of a label.” She paused and gazed directly at Christina. “What do you want to do with this? A medication error is usually approached by a lawsuit or the state boards for pharmacy. Medication errors are not treated as crimes, typically.”
Christina hesitated. It was only a feeling that she had, there was nothing else for her to really say.
“What I would say is for you to have a conversation with your lawyer to see what steps you should take.” Agnes looked empathetically at her. “I’m sorry to not be of more help.”
Chapter 29
Kevin shifted in his chair, uneasy at the questions that the state trooper was asking. It wasn’t guilt that made him uncomfortable; instead, he struggled to relay what had happened that morning without seeming like a complete nut job.
The officer questioning him was an ex-student of his and was clearly uncomfortable interviewing his old teacher. Kevin decided it might be advantageous to find out some more detail. “Have you been able to see the remains? I would think if it were Annie Stone that there would just be skeletal remains left by this time.”
The trooper nodded in agreement. He seemed to relax a bit as Kevin moved the dialogue to be more of a conversation and not a police interrogation. “I haven’t gotten too close; the coroner’s team has to deal with the remains. But I was able to get a glimpse of the skull, which looks like it’s been caved in. That’s likely the cause of death.”
At that piece of information, Kevin forced himself to not react. He wanted more details and assumed he’d get more if he kept his ex-student talking. “Not something you see every day, right? I bet you don’t see that a lot.”
“Yeah, nothing like this. Couple suicides and a shooting in a family dispute. A few overdoses, car accidents.” He settled back in his chair, crossing his legs. “Coroners team was a little peeved about the backhoe. Mixed things up for them a bit.”
“Interesting job they have,” Kevin commented. His mind reeling to the crushed skull. Who could have done that to her?
“Yeah.” He laughed, shaking his head. “Not something I would want to do. But not likely to see much of days like this ‘round here.”
Apparently, the blade of the backhoe had separated several bones in Annie’s spine. It occurred to him then that if the backhoe had not stalled and lurched, spilling the contents of the shovel, would anyone have noticed they were digging up human remains?
His thoughts were interrupted when the formidable Agnes entered the room with Shawn trailing behind. Shawn looked squeamishly uncomfortable.
“Can you please excuse us?” Agnes asked of the junior trooper who exited the room quickly.
Shawn pulled a chair to sit next to Kevin and Agnes took the chair vacated by the younger officer. Kevin looked at them expectantly and Shawn cleared his throat.
“I wanted Agnes to hear this from us both,” Shawn started. His voice was hesitant as he looked from Kevin to Agnes. “None of this can go into the record. I don’t ever want to talk about it again.”
It was clear that Shawn was shaken. Kevin assessed his old friend for distress, which was apparent. He was barely holding it together; he had known him for so long that he could tell. He was putting on the same tough façade that he used to wear years ago. Clearly, he wanted to be anywhere but here – just feet away from where the body of his first love was being examined – and he couldn’t blame him.
Agnes studied the pair with her assessing cop eyes. Kevin could feel her scrutiny. He remembered her assessment when Annie had initially gone missing. Shawn had been the prime suspect. Being the recent ex-boyfriend, it was natural that he would be suspected as the culprit. He was well known to the local police at the time since he’d gotten into some scrapes early on.
Agnes had taken an interest in Shawn, or likely, she had been assigned to keep an eye on him. Back then, Shawn had been a distraught young man, who was scared and terrified for Annie. He had put those feelings above his concerns for what would happen to himself. Agnes had found Shawn to be a good kid who had a tough upbringing. He needed direction and purpose. She had introduced him to the idea that he could make a better life for himself, and he had. Shawn had gotten through community college and through the Vermont Police Academy while he waited for Annie to surface. As life moved on, he had been elected Sheriff for the county.
Kevin knew he still held out hope that one day Annie would return. T
hey all did. But he also knew that Shawn realized the critical windows had long closed, and it was likely she would never return.
“Tell me what happened this morning,” she started.
Shawn shoved his hands in his pockets and looked at Agnes. She looked up at him her gaze solid and steady. “Ok. So... you are in the habit of coming here every morning for coffee and a free breakfast, and just happened to be standing on the patio, close to dangerous machinery that was excavating a stone wall? Then they happened to dig up the likely remains of your ex-girlfriend, the same one you were suspected of killing?”
Shawn ran his hands through his hair, acting as though he was about to speak, and then stopped himself. He exchanged a pained look with Kevin.
“What do you need to tell me?” she asked, imploring him to be honest with her.
“I can’t believe it happened. But I’d like to believe it did,” he started and then caught the look on his fellow Officer’s face. Intrigued, Agnes gave them her full attention. The two men leaned in closely, so only she could hear what they said, and they quietly reiterated the events of the morning and the vision of Annie with her charm bracelet.
Chapter 30
A knock sounded at the door and was then opened by a petite woman hesitantly entering the room. “Would you like to speak to me as well?” she asked, addressing Agnes.
Three pairs of eyes looked at her with wonder and skepticism. There were several beats of silence before Agnes was able to respond. “Well...thank you for being willing to talk to me. Actually yes, I would like to talk to you about this morning.”
It was clear that Agnes was curious – very curious – about what Shawn had reluctantly shared. She had assured the men that she was not planning to include their information in her report.
Layla had apparently been cleaning, as she held a duster, cloths, and furniture polish in her hands. There had not yet been guests, but they were preparing for the opening. Of course, the crime scene tape out back might deter that from happening too soon.
