Chapter 2

As Jessica and Seth sat in his office eating lunch, Mort had interrupted them. He was there on official business.

"So when and where was this body discovered?" Jessica asked.

"About an hour ago over at Bar Harbor," said Mort.

"Bar Harbor?" she repeated, "That's not even your jurisdiction, Mort."

"Normally, I might say yes," Mort said hesitantly, "but this circumstance is different."

Both Jessica and Seth looked puzzled. They didn't understand Mort's reluctance to further his explanation.

"And?" Seth sounded impatient to Mort, "Out with it, Man! What in the Sam Hill does a dead body have to do with US?"

"It actually has to do with you, Doc," Mort's expression turned glum as he specifically spoke to Seth, "The thing is...you know this person very well..."

The deceased, Bert Bradley was a former Police Captain for Bar Harbor. Seth and the Police Captain had been long time friends and even worked a few cases together when Seth had worked at the county hospital over at Bar Harbor.

Forty-some decades earlier, Seth had forged lasting friendships with five men from his college fraternity, including the deceased, Bert Bradley. They had kept in touch throughout the years and once a month gathered together at Judge Lachlin McIntosh's home during the football season for some male bonding.

However, in the last few years, the number of men had dwindled, due to illnesses or death. Now with Bert Bradleys's death, only Seth and a very ill Judge McIntosh were the sole survivors from that fellowship.

Seth looked shocked upon hearing the news.

"Bert? Gone?" Seth asked in disbelief as he shook his head as tears formed in his eyes.

Jessica held onto his hand as she compassionately stated, "I'm so sorry, Seth."

"I can't believe he's... dead... " his voice sounded hollow and filled with grief. He managed to life his head, "How did it happen, Sheriff?"

"Beth, his daughter, was the one who told me ," Mort said gently, as he stood and sadly twirled his hat in his hands "She and Bert had just come back from a vacation in Mexico, almost a month earlier. A week later, he had complained to his daughter about not feeling well. They weren't worried at first, especially since he had been given the appropriate vaccinations before leaving. But still, Beth took him to the emergency room. The diagnosis was that Bert was probably suffering from a common vacation ailment known as 'travelers' diarrhea '."

"I see," Seth thought about it, "so what you're saying is that he was diagnosed as having gastroenteritis!"

"Yeah, that sounds like the term they used to describe that condition," Mort told him, "anyway, he was sent home and his symptoms seemed to be responding well to a few days of rest. Then one morning, according to his daughter, Bert felt well enough to take a walk. He grabbed his hat and jacket, but didn't come back at the expected time. Sometime later his daughter received a frantic call from a neighbor, who found Bert collapsed on the sidewalk, half a block from his home."

"And?" Seth asked.

"He passed away a week later," Mort said.

Seth choked out the question, "Do they know the cause of death?"

"They did some blood work and it indicated that he contracted dengue fever, most likely from his vacation down south," Mort looked saddened.

"Dengue fever?" Jessica questioned, "I've read about that for one of my books. If I recall correctly, it's a viral disease transmitted by the bite of an mosquito, isn't it?"

"Ayuh, an Aedes mosquito, to be exact," Seth responded, now in deep thought, "but that doesn't make any sense! While contracting the disease can be uncomfortable and even painful, Bert was in good health, so I doubt it would be enough to kill him!"

"You're right, it wasn't," Mort agreed, "although he had been admitted to the hospital for the fever, he died of cardiac arrest a week later. The doctors claimed the fever had weakened his body considerably."

Seth bowed his head down in sorrow.

Another good friend had unexpectedly passed away.

And as the years go by, it would happen more frequently.

"Seth?" Jessica looked concernedly at him, "Are you okay? Do you need me to get you anything, an aspirin, a glass of water or anything else?"

"No, I'm fine," he assured her, with a slight smile, appreciation showing in his eyes, "just stay here and be a comfort to me, Jess. That'll be enough."

She lightly patted his hand and gave a reassuring smile.

"Of course, I will," she promised him, "and Mort is here for you, too."

Seth didn't respond, as his shoulders slouched, sadness etched on his face.

Jessica looked anxious, "Seth? Please tell us what's going on in your mind."

Seth slowly shook his head, still finding it difficult to accept that another dear friend had passed away.

"I'm thinkin' about somethin' Bert once told me," he stated mournfully, "he told me, Life is a beautiful lie, but death is a painful truth."

#

The Wake was held in a small chapel on the outskirts of Bar Harbor.

Jessica had insisted on coming to the funeral with Seth to lend some moral support. Seth's eyes were stained with tears as Jessica held onto his arm as they walked inside the church. There were only a smattering of mourners sitting or standing around, with very little conversation going around.

They spotted Mort up in the front of the church. He was standing next to the opened coffin, his head down as if in prayer. Turns out, he had also been acquainted with the deceased police captain. Seth had invited Mort to many of the football games held at Judge McIntosh's home, where he would see Bert there, too.

Seth looked around to see who was at the viewing.

"I guess the old Judge didn't make it to the Wake," Seth said to Jessica in a low voice regarding his other old friend, "Ever since he was diagnosed with cancer, he's refused to see anyone."

Jessica nodded, "Mort mentioned Judge McIntosh is bedridden now."

"He is?" Seth looked even more unhappy with this latest piece of news, "I-I didn't know. Perhaps I should have been more insistent on visitin' him!"

"Now Seth, don't start feeling guilty about that, too," Jess whispered, "It was his decision not to see his friends!"

They proceeded up the aisle. On the way to the casket, Seth saw Beth Bradley, the only daughter of the deceased.

She sat in one of the straight-backed chairs in the front row. Beth looked thin and frail. Seth said a few words of condolences to her before proceeding up to the casket.

Mort was already at the casket and nodded at Jessica and Seth.

"Doc, Mrs. F.," Mort said solemnly as they returned the greeting.

Jessica was standing in the middle between Mort and Seth. Mort leaned over to whisper something to Jessica.

"How's the Doc been taking Bert's death?" he asked.

"He's been quiet and subdued," Jessica remarked, softly, "which, as you know is not like him at all, and frankly, Mort, I'm concerned."

"I wouldn't worry so much Mrs. F; the Doc is strong," Mort encourage, "besides, he has you."

She turned and watched Seth's reaction to viewing his dead friend laid out in the coffin. At first Seth's expression was somber as he viewed the body from head to toe. Then he did something unusual and unexpected. Seth leaned further into the coffin, his eyes focused on the grasped hands of the stiffened body.

Mort looked alarmed at Seth's behavior and leaned Jessica's way, "Mrs. F! What's the Doc doing?"

Jessica was as confused as him, "I have no idea, Mort!"

A few people, especially in the front rows, began to notice, too. They began pointing and curiously whispering towards Seth's bent back. Jessica wasn't sure what to do. It would be awkward to pull Seth away, as his gaze continued to be intense and searching as he hovered over the coffin.

Jessica's hand was still clutched onto Seth's arm. So she was taken by surprise when she abruptly felt his entire body shaking uncontrollably as he stiffly pulled back, his eyebrows knitted together in deep contemplation as he slowly turned her way.

"My god, Jess," he whispered to her, his eyes wide with astonishment.

"Seth, what is it? What's wrong?" a concerned Jessica asked, as she watched him now staring straight ahead.

Then to the amazement of Jessica, Mort and all the mourners in the church, Seth announced in a strong and conclusive voice:

"BERT. WAS. MURDERED!"

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