Midnight Visitors 14
The next day found Heyes once again in Abbott's office.
"How's your prisoner?" he asked, after pleasantries exchanged.
"Quiet."
"Is he talking?"
"No. Not unless ya count threatening to sue for wrongful arrest. I had to send a telegram to his lawyer over in Laramie. Reckon he'll be here later."
Heyes grunted. "We'll need more evidence to hold him."
"Yep an' unless we do, we're in a heap of trouble. I went along with arresting him yesterday because I agreed with your suspicions but when his lawyer gets involved … ."
"Yeah I understand Mark." Heyes handed Abbott his gun. He sighed and hitched his pants. "Okay let me in there and I'll see what I can do."
The look on the sheriff's face told him Abbott didn't fancy his chances. He went to slide the catch open but Heyes stopped him.
Heyes slowly did it for him, putting a finger across his lips to indicate silence. He carefully opened the door a crack and peeped into the cellblock. Simon had his back to the door and didn't show any sign he had heard the door opening.
Abbott's face morphed into his usual frown at Heyes' actions but he stood silently watching as Heyes slipped in.
Heyes licked his lips in devilment as he came to a halt by the side of Simon's cell.
"Morning."
His lips twitched into a smile when Simon jumped.
"What d'you want?" Simon scowled up at him.
"Wondering how you were this morning, Simon. Has a night in jail loosened your tongue?"
"My lawyer will be here later."
"Yes and no doubt he will advise you to name the person who can give you an alibi."
Simon looked away.
"Making yourself look vee-rry guilty." Heyes rolled his eyes and his r's.
Simon took a deep breath.
"Whoever this person is, they must be a good friend."
Simon didn't answer.
Heyes folded his arms.
"This is a small town, Simon. A lot of tongues wag on things, which are none of their business. Suspect if J asks around enough, he can find out where you were that night."
Simon licked his lips and turned his head slightly.
"Co-operation might get you outta here quicker."
Simon took another deep breath.
Heyes decided to take a different tack. "Of course if you name this person, you'd have to have some trust in 'em."
"Of course I trust her," Simon snapped, looking round. Then he realised what he'd said and rubbed his forehead, in annoyance.
"Ah! Made up then," Heyes said, before he could stop himself, hoping he was assuming correctly. Would be a little embarrassing if he was wrong.
Simon's shoulders slumped in defeat.
"Alright!" He hesitated. "I was with … Lucinda Mercer," he said, finally, looking guilty.
"Thank you."
Heyes started to walk away.
"Go gently on her, Rembacker. She's had a rough time lately."
Heyes nodded.
ASJASJASJASJ
Abbott sent a deputy to find Lucinda Mercer.
"Took a closer look at the rifle last night, Rembacker. Found this." He held out the rifle to Heyes, stock forward. "On the end."
Heyes found a stamp. "LF?" He grunted. "Must be the initials of the friend it belongs to."
"Possibly. Think ya outta know Lucinda Mercer is a crack shot."
Heyes' head flew up. "What?" he asked, wide-eyed.
"Yeah, surprising ain't it? She won a couple of rifle shooting contests here when the Mercers first came to Medicine Bow. Until the organisers asked her not to enter no more. She graciously agreed so others got a chance. Few years back now so suspect most folks have forgotten. Don't suppose it something ya forget how to do though … ."
"No I don't suppose it is," Heyes murmured. He had paled at the significance and swallowed hard. "Another question to ask Ms Mercer, I think."
While they waited, their discussion turned to other things, laughing at family life and swopping stories of employee relations. Heyes was careful not to be too specific about his recollections.
Preacher joining Heyes and Abbott in the jail interrupted their conversation.
"Hi J," Heyes said, looking up with a grin as Preacher entered.
"Morning," Preacher said, tipping his hat at both.
"Help yaself to some coffee," Abbott said, and when Preacher looked surprised, added "Rembacker said ya'd be along presently."
"Don't mind if I do."
Heyes and Abbott waited patiently for Preacher to settle in the absent deputy's chair, wide brimmed hat deposited on the desk.
"Spoke to the storekeepers opposite. Messenger boy from the Telegraph Office remembers the delivery of the chest. Then only 'cos he nearly ran into it as he was going 'bout his business."
Heyes sat up. "Well?"
"He says Tubby and Simon Long were struggling to turn the thing around so as they could get it through the door of the office. Boy was curious as to what it might be, all wrapped up in a tarp so he asks. Long told him to mind his nose and get outta the way."
Heyes frowned and looked disappointed. "So Tubby was lying. He said they removed the tarp before bringing it into the office. His exact words were, "the tarp would've gotten in the way if we'd left it on".
Heyes got up as if he was about to go ask Tubby about it right then. Stopped from doing so when Stoner, one of the part time deputies, arrived with Lucinda Mercer. Heyes nodded to Preacher to go instead and he slipped out discretely.
"There had better be a good reason for dragging me away like this, Mark," she huffed, in greeting.
"Yes ma'am. Would you take a seat please?" Abbott said, politely, indicating a chair.
Heyes kept his back to them on purpose, as he filled up his coffee cup. Best if Abbott asked the salient point. He would jump in later.
"Ma'am would you tell me where you were night before last?" Abbott asked when she flounced into the offered chair.
"At home of course. Where else would I be?" she snapped, pulling off her gloves.
"Were you alone?"
Lucinda looked at Abbott. "What are you implying?"
Heyes looked round, in surprise, at her hostility. He met Abbott's eyes and rolled his own.
Abbott took a deep breath. "I'm not implying anything ma'am. You'll have heard about the shooting that night of course," he said, matter of fact.
"Of course." Lucinda looked round at Heyes. "I hope you weren't hurt, Mr Rembacker," she said, graciously.
"No ma'am. My friend and I are unscathed. My suit on the other hand may never recover."
Abbott hesitated as he thought how to continue. "I'm holding a suspect in the cells right now."
"Oh that's good," Lucinda said, with a smile.
"It's Simon Long, Mrs Mercer."
Lucinda's face fell and she stared at Abbott, open-mouthed. "Simon? Oh, that's ridiculous. He wouldn't do such a thing."
"He says, ma'am he was with you that night. Was he?"
Lucinda looked taken aback and grunted at the news. "Er … I – I hardly know him! How dare he?" She struggled into her gloves and prepared to get up.
"What time did he arrive, Mrs Mercer?" Heyes asked, and casually took a sip of coffee.
Lucinda stared him. "I don't─"
"No matter but seeing as you're here, would you answer some questions about your husband?"
Heyes settled on the desk, with the foregone conclusion she would stay.
"Our investigation into his murder has reached a crucial point y'see."
Lucinda swallowed and with resigned dignity retook her seat. "Very well," she said, begrudgingly.
"Thank you. Mrs Mercer, did you see your husband on the day he died?"
"Of course. We had breakfast together as usual before he left for the office."
"Did you see him later that day?"
Lucinda paused before answering. Heyes watched her closely. Under his intense gaze, she shifted uncomfortably.
"Yes," she admitted. The answer appeared wrung out of her.
"When was this?"
Lucinda considered and trying to appear casual said, "Ooh, I suppose it must have been … in the afternoon sometime."
"Hmmm, that's a little vague. Can you be more specific, Mrs Mercer?"
"No. I … I really don't know, Mr Rembacker. I'm not in the habit of logging my movements to the minute!"
Heyes smacked his lips. He'd try a different tack. "Was it early or late afternoon? After lunch or nearer supper time?"
Lucinda shrugged. "I really don't remember, Mr Rembacker."
"Was Tubby in the office when you got there?"
Lucinda appeared to give this some thought, before finally shaking her head. "No I don't think so."
Heyes widened his eyes. "You don't recall whether your husband's clerk was there?"
Lucinda frowned in confusion. "No why would I?" Realising what she'd said demanded more explanation, went on, "He … he merges into the background. I don't always realise he's there."
"Hmmm. You don't remember him holding the door for you?"
"Why should I? The door was open and I walked through it. If he was holding the door, I didn't see him." She shrugged. "But he's a polite young man so I suppose it wouldn't be unusual."
"Yes he is but I'm surprised you know this," Heyes said, rather curtly. "Given you barely notice him."
"What do you mean?" she demanded.
Heyes touched the tip of his tongue to his top lip. "Mrs Mercer I am talking about the day your husband was murdered. Someone you lived with. Someone you loved. From personal experience, I know every single detail of the day is ingrained in your memory."
Heyes had put more fire into the comment than he'd intended. With the result, he and Lucinda locked eyes in a battle of wills.
"Well not mine, Mr Rembacker! It's a day I'm trying to forget!"
Lucinda won the battle and Heyes put down his head, muscle in his cheek twitching, ashamed he'd let his personal feelings intrude.
"Now is there anything else? I have a lot to do." She rose to her feet.
Heyes snapped his head up. "Yes, Mrs Mercer there is. Sit down!"
Abbott shifted and growled. Heyes nodded slightly, acknowledging the rebuke.
Rembacker was an attractive man, with the appearance of a mild mannered, easy-going countenance. Yet Lucinda recognised the command and menace in Rembacker's voice. This man was not an easy pushover and … he frightened her. She retook her seat meekly.
"What else do you wish to know?" Her voice shuddered and she smoothed her hair, a comforting gesture.
"Did Stephen show you the chest Celia Thorold gave him?"
"Oh that silly chest! He'd talked of little else for weeks!" she blurted out, before collecting herself. "Yes he showed me."
"Did he … ." Now he came to it, Heyes struggled to ask the question. He didn't want to hear the answer. He sighed. "Did you encourage Stephen to open the padlock while you were there?"
It was a while before Lucinda answered and when she did, it was in a small voice. "Yes," she admitted. "But he didn't need much encouragement. He'd coveted the chest for months. Heaven knows why."
Heyes looked at Abbott. They had agreed Heyes would take the lead in the questioning. Abbott gave Heyes a reassuring nod to continue.
After a swallow, Heyes opened his mouth, hesitating. "Did anything happen, Mrs Mercer? When Stephen opened the padlock?"
Lucinda shuddered and closed her eyes. "Like what?" she asked.
Heyes ran a hand over his mouth.
"Did something unexpected happen, Mrs Mercer?" Abbott encouraged gently.
She nodded slowly.
"What was it?"
"He … ." Lucinda waved her hand casually. "The padlock was old and the edges were sharp. He cut his hand."
"What happened next?" Heyes asked.
"As you might expect, he jumped back in surprise."
"Did you see the cut?"
"Yes."
"Was it deep?"
"I'm not a doctor!" Lucinda calmed. "It was bloody." She swallowed hard. "Stephen … gave it a lick and I suggested he bandage it but he said it was fine."
Abbott and Heyes swopped glances again.
"Then what happened?" Heyes asked, slowly.
"He said he would be working late and not to expect him for supper. So I left."
"How did he seem when you left?"
"Fine." She swallowed. "He was fine," she breathed. "Can I go now, Mark? Please." She appealed anxiously at Abbott.
Abbott was sympathetic. Rembacker hadn't given her an easy time. He was on the verge of saying yes when Heyes held up his hand.
"I have one more question, Mrs Mercer, and then you can go."
Abbott was relieved his tone was more kindly. He nodded at Lucinda, giving Heyes the go-ahead to continue.
"When you left the office, did you see anyone go in?"
Lucinda stared at Heyes. Her face, already drained of colour, paled even more. Her breath shuddered. "I … I … don't know. Maybe … ." She swallowed hard.
"So there coulda been someone. Who d'you think it might have been?" Heyes was gentle.
Lucinda gasped. "You … said … ." She sniffed. "Only one … more question." On the verge of tears, she struggled to control herself.
"I did but I think this is a question I need to ask, ma'am." Heyes took a seat at her side. "I think it's a question you want me to ask," he added, quietly. He looked at her intently. "Isn't it?"
"Yes," Lucinda sniffed. She gasped for breath. "I saw … ." She swallowed hard and licked her lips. "They didn't mean to kill him!" she cried. "That was … never the plan.
