Among the Fallen by Henry Mitchell

Author:Henry Mitchell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Creative James Media

A week after Lewis Redding’s house burned down, Marcie Redding left her daughter with her sister Beth Coggins and drove into Drovers Gap and parked in front of Town Hall. She had not come to pay her taxes or her water bill. The Police Station occupied two rooms on the first floor. Marcie hadn’t told anyone what she planned to do. It was overhearing Barbara Battle at the post office that decided her. According to Battle, expounding to Rhonda Fleming about Chief Longshadow’s failure to arrest a suspect. “Everybody knows that Abigail Trammell and her wicked minions are behind it. They wanted to shut Preacher Lewis up, and started the fire to cover his murder.”

Marcie felt that Lewis had gotten pretty much as he deserved. She had shut him up and felt small guilt over it. She had done what was necessary for everybody’s good. But she was not about to let someone else take the blame for a crime she had committed. As it was, speculation ran rampant, and consistently in wrong directions. Official news stated only that Reverend Lewis Redding’s remains had been found in his burned house. The public remained hungry for details and filled them in from their own imaginations. Some said Lewis was a victim of an accidental fire. A few questioned whether the preacher was sober at the time. It appeared that more people were coming to believe Battle’s tale of murder and arson. The Police said information would be forthcoming upon completion of their investigation. Marcie wasn’t sure the town could wait that long. She knew too many people who were always eager to believe the worst and act upon it.

Constable Jolene was busily shuffling papers on her desk when Marcie came through the door. “Can I help you Mrs. Redding?”

“Is Chief Longshadow in?” Marcie asked, trying to keep her nerves out of her voice.

“He’s out meeting with the crime scene people at . . .” Jolene seemed undecided how to finish her sentence, after an awkward silent second, settled for “I’m sorry for your loss, Mrs. Redding.”

“I lost Lewis a long time ago,” murmured Marcie. “It’s important I talk with the Chief as soon as possible.”

“He won’t be long,” Jolene assured. “He’s coming back here after the meeting. What did you need to talk to him about?”

The officer visibly paled as Marcie said, “I need to confess to killing my husband.”

Constable Bear stood behind her desk, gestured to a chair. “Sit down. Don’t go anywhere. Don’t talk to anybody. “I’ll call him right now.” As she left the room, presumably to talk to her chief in private, she turned and said, “Can I get you some coffee or anything?”

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