Murders at Bear Lake

CHAPTER 3

Chief Tom Drake is a little on the chunky side and balding, but he is a fair man with a heart of gold, as the town folk would say. Chief Drake could be firm when he had to be in order to keep law and order in his town, especially if someone broke the law. He was born and raised in Willow’s Ridge, which happens to be a rather small town where everybody knows everybody. He became Sheriff when he was twenty-four years old, but at the age of thirty-five, he became Chief. He has never seen such a mess as this in his whole time of being in law enforcement. Crimes like this just don’t happen in this town. You might have an occasional loud party thrown by the local teenagers, or a small fight between two rowdy boys, but never such a crime as murder.

Tom sat at his desk, brooding out his window, wondering how he was going to tell Savannah’s parents about her being found dead at Bear Lake. His concentration was interrupted by the sound of the front door of the Police Station being closed. The Police Station wasn’t a very big place, but it was big enough to get business done. There was one office for the Chief, an empty office next to his and a room as big as a conference room with desks for the Deputies. The cells for the prisoners, if there were any were located in the back of the building. Tom got up out of his seat to see who had come inside. It was Deputy Sonny Banner, who had just sat down at his desk to type up a report.

“Hey Sonny, did the Coroner take Savannah for an autopsy?” Tom asked.

“No not yet, but even though she was nineteen they want for it to be approved by her parents before any actions are taken,” Sonny replied.

“That’s fine. We have to go tell Henry and Martha about their daughter so they’re going to need to identify the body,” Tom told Sonny.

“Ok, I know I’m going to hate this part so let’s go get it done,” Sonny said with a sigh.

“Yeah I know what you mean,” Tom replied. They went out, got into Chief’s car and headed out to the Smith’s residence. By the looks of it, her parents were home, so before Tom and Sonny exited the vehicle, Tom closed his eyes for a moment and Sonny looked at him curiously. Tom said this prayer: “Dear God, please be with this family in their time of need and may Savannah rest in peace amen.”

“Amen,” Sonny also said. Tom knocked on the door and he and Sonny both waited. A man with hair the color of salt and pepper came to the front door and saw the Chief and his Deputy standing there. Henry Smith and his wife Martha have known Chief Tom Drake for many years, actually before Savannah was born.

“Hi, Tom... Deputy,” Henry said. “What brings you two out here?”

“Well, we need to talk to you and Martha,” Tom said. “We’re here because of Savannah.” Henry looked at them with a blank stare.

“My Savannah, have you found her?” Henry asked slowly then swallowed.

“Who is it dear?” Martha yelled as she was coming from the kitchen, which was at the back of the house. Martha has black hair with some gray showing but still looked the same as she did when Savannah was born. She happened to be carrying a glass salad bowl when she walked up in behind Henry with a worried look on her face, not knowing what had already been mentioned.

“Oh, hi Tom, it’s been a while since you have been by to see us. Why don’t you two come in and sit down for a spell?” Martha said.

“I certainly would come in but we’re not here for personal reasons, we’re here to—.” The Chief tried to finish but was stopped abruptly.

“Uh-uh, maybe we should sit down,” Henry said to everyone.

“Just go ahead and tell us,” Martha said. “Does it have to do with our Savannah?” Sonny looked at Tom, and told them, “Yes, ma’am it does.”

“We got a call from some people. They had been hiking and camping down around the lake when they came upon… a… a,” Sonny tried to finish.

“Just spit it out, Sonny. It was our sweet Savannah wasn’t it?” Henry demanded. Tom lowered his head and let out a heavy sigh, “Yes, Henry it was her.” Tears raced down Henry’s cheeks. He grabbed onto the door frame to keep from falling. Tom grabbed for Martha as her whole body went limp. He didn’t make it in time for Martha as she passed out, hit the floor with a thud and hit her head on the bottom of the staircase landing busting her head open. Tom called for the ambulance while Sonny helped Henry to a chair. The ambulance came as quickly as possible to take Martha to Willow’s Ridge Memorial Hospital.

“Now Henry, I know you’re not in the best condition to hear this, but we need for you to identify Savannah’s body,” Tom said firmly.

“Oh, my poor baby, my poor baby,” Henry cried out loud. “I don’t know if I can do it, Tom, seeing my baby lying there.”

“I know it’s going to be hard. But we want an autopsy done and we can’t do that without your permission and you saying that it’s her,” Tom told Henry.

“Alright,” Henry said after a few minutes while wiping the tears from his cheeks. “I’ll do it, but you better find the person or persons who did this to our baby.”

“We will, we promise,” Sonny reassured Henry as he laid his hand on Henry’s shoulder as comfort.

After Martha was released from the hospital with stitches in her head from the fall, they went to the Morgue that is in the basement of the Coroner’s office to identify the body. The body was indentified and confirmed to be Savannah Rachel Smith. The Smith’s went home to prepare for their only daughter’s funeral. Tom and Sonny went back to the station to do more paperwork.

“Well chief,” Sonny said, “At least they know where their daughter is even though it had to be this way of them finding out.”

“Yes, better for them to know Sonny than not to know at all,” Tom replied.

“Yeah, they don’t have to worry.”

“True, but it is never easy to tell any parent about their child in a situation like that,” Tom said with a sad look and Sonny just shook his head agreeing with Tom.

“This is going to be something.”

“What do you mean Chief?” Sonny asked sounding confused.

“Well, I have one dead girl, no suspects, and no witnesses,” Tom explained with a furious tone while slamming some files down onto his desk.

“Yes sir, I see what you mean. I’m going to get a cup of coffee; would you like for me to bring you a cup? Sonny asked.

“No not right now, but thank you and you be careful,” Tom told Sonny.

“I will,” Sonny answered.

Sonny went on out to his patrol car and drove around the town. Deputy Sonny Banner was born in North Carolina, but his parents moved to Willow’s Ridge when he was five years old. He had gone to school there and graduated top of his class. After graduation, he went to the Police Academy and now he is a Deputy at twenty-one. He stands six feet tall, slim body build with green eyes and blonde hair. Tom always tells Sonny that he’ll be a good Sheriff someday.

Sonny went to the Diner for a cup of coffee and he happened to see one of the other girls that were working in Heidi’s place. He walked up the counter and sat down, grabbed a menu then put it back into its holder. The waitress walked up with a smile ready to take his order.

“Hey Kelly, where’s Heidi this morning,” Sonny asked.

“I don’t know, I think she’ll be in tomorrow,” Kelly replied.

“All right, I need some coffee to go please,” Brad said as he pulled his wallet from his back pocket.

“Everyone heard about Savannah’s death. Was it murder? It’s so horrible,” Kelly said to Sonny.

“It is horrible indeed and I can’t say anything about the case because it is still an open case… sorry Kelly,” Sonny replied.

“It’s ok,” Kelly said then turned around to give Sonny the coffee he ordered.

“Make sure you are careful going home from work when your shift is over with,” Sonny told Kelly sounding concerned.

“I will,” Kelly replied with a smile.

“All right bye, see you later.”

They both said their good-byes and Sonny left the Diner. He got back into his patrol car and sat there for a few minutes thinking about Heidi. He has always liked Heidi, but he has never told her. He always thought to himself that looking at Heidi is like looking at an angel in perfection. He liked Kelly but purely in a sister, friendship kind of way. While he was sipping on his hot coffee, he thought about the crime scene, ran details through his head and decided to get back to the Chief. When he had reached the Police Station, he walked in and knocked on the Chief’s door.

“Yeah, come in,” Tom said loudly.

“Hey Chief, I got you a coffee anyway. I was wondering about going back out to the crime scene again,” Sonny said while handing the cup of coffee to Tom.

“I was thinking the same thing, Sonny. How about we head over there now, and thanks for the coffee.”

“Sounds like a plan, and you’re welcome,” Sonny said with a smile.

“You drive,” Chief Tom said. Sonny just nodded his head without saying a word and headed out the front door. Tom had stopped by Pam’s desk who was the dispatcher and secretary.

“Call me if any kind of important calls come in Pam.”

“Will do Chief,” Pam replied.

As they drove, Tom looked at the pictures that had been taken of Savannah’s body the day it was found. Tom decided to go back to Henry and Martha’s house first. He wanted to look at Savannah’s room and any pictures that she might have of her. They drove up the driveway that leads to the house that once was so happy but now it’s sad, gloomy and where a wreath of pretty flowers once hung on the front door is now decorated with the white flowers that represent death.

Tom and Sonny both walked up to the Smith’s door when Martha opened the door and saw the two them standing there.

“Hi, Tom… Sonny, may I help you? Martha asked, “Have you found out anything yet?”

“Hi Martha, well that’s why we’re here,” Tom said.

“May we see Savannah’s room?” Tom asked politely.

“Sure, it’s at the top of the stairs to the right. It’s still the same as she left it last.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Smith,” Sonny replied.

They went into her room and what they saw were pretty much normal girl things in there. There were some posters of horses on one wall and a pair of pom-poms hanging on the other wall. She had a bookshelf that was full of books and pictures on just about every shelf. This is just what they needed. Tom and Sonny thought about this as a puzzle and that somehow all of this will fit together as they went through all the pictures on the shelves and also the ones that had been taped to her mirror that is attached to her small dresser. From the looks of the pictures, she looked happy. She was smiling in every one of the pictures, whether she was by herself or with a group of friends. Tom kept looking at the pictures and by looking at them he was studying them as well as the people in them to see I he could see anything different. Something different such as facial expressions and their body language.

“Sonny, there’s something we’re missing but I just can’t see it yet,” Tom said. Martha came into the room and asked if they’ve found what they needed. They hadn’t realized that Martha had spoken to them. Realizing she was there, they turned to her.

“I have a feeling that there is something missing too. I just can’t put my finger on it,” Sonny said.

“We have all the funeral arrangements finished but I wanted to put Savannah’s yellow scarf in the casket with her, but I can’t find it,” Martha said to Tom and Sonny. “It was her favorite scarf. There it is in that photo of her and some of her friends.” Tom looked at the photo and showed it to Sonny.

“I see some of the kids that are familiar but who are the others?” Tom asked.

“Why the girls are from the cheerleading squad and most of the boys are from the basketball team,” Martha replied.

“Yeah, I see Heidi as one of the cheerleaders,” Sonny said looking a little too long at not just the photo itself but the angel that’s in it. Sonny had noticed that the girl in behind Savannah and Heidi was Ashley.

“The photo was taken down at the Diner just before they had all graduated high school,” Martha said.

“She’s got the scarf on in every photo,” Sonny told Tom. Martha spoke up about the scarf that not only was it favorite, but she loved it so much that she would tie it around her waist in the summertime and in the wintertime, she would wrap it around her neck and shoulders.

“All right thanks Martha, you’ve been a big help. May we take some of these as evidence?” Tom asked her while picking out certain pictures to place in an evidence bag.

“Why yes, take what you need in order to solve her death. We want these sick animals caught. ” Martha said with tears in her eyes. Tom looked at her and nodded his head and started down the stairs toward the front door.

“Let’s go, Sonny,” Tom said as he had some of the pictures in a plastic bag.

“Yes sir, good day Mrs. Smith,” Sonny said to Martha as he was going out of Savannah’s room.

They left the house, went to the Patrol car then headed back to the station. Tom sat at his desk with the photos of the crime scene on one side of his desk and the photos he had gotten from Savannah’s room on the other. He examined and compared the photos carefully. Tom and Sonny both examined them and stuck them up on a whiteboard for further inspection.

“Do you see anything different Sonny?” Tom asked. Sonny compared the photos and he thought that he might have been seeing what Tom was seeing.

“Martha said that Savannah wore a yellow scarf all the time,” Sonny said.

“Yeah keep thinking and talking,” Tom replied.

“So, in the pictures taken at the crime scene, where is the scarf?”Sonny said.

“BINGO!” Tom replied, “My question exactly, where is the one piece that she could not live without?”

“Maybe the killer took it, say as a keepsake of their actions? You know instead of leaving something behind as a calling card they take something… so to speak,” Sonny asked with another question while rubbing fingers along his jaw bone.

“Bingo again, and I see what you are saying. Maybe taking something as a token,” Tom replied while shuffling between different photos. “But the question is where is the scarf and who might have it?”

“I don’t know, but I do know that I agree that we have got to find it. This scarf seems to be a possible lead in this case,” Sonny said while looking at Tom as he sat down at his desk while trying to dig up some more evidence.

Stay tuned for Chapter 4...