Winds of Change

Closing the flap, she took a pen from her breast pocket and signed her name on the proper line on the front of the bag. Then looking up at John, she tossed the bag to him. Turning back to the victim, she continued to process the evidence.

"So, either her attacker surprised her or she knew him," John muttered.

"Interesting? Did she get that here or did she fetch it from home?" Bobby asked.

"We'll find out when you run the serial number," John told her handing her the bag. "Go on, sign your name and go run it. And don't forget to sign that into evidence when you're done."

Smiling Bobby signed her name and headed back to her car. As she speeds away, John watched Susan work. Sighing, he recalled the last set of parents he had to call about their little girl. That was the only part of the job he truly hates, telling people about people they know and love being dead or hurt. Telling parents about their children was the worst. This will be the second set of parents he will have to tell about their child in the last month.

Susan was standing beside him waving over the two paramedics to come get the body.

"It's strangulation, there are no other marks on the body. I can't tell for sure, but it looks like she had intercourse before they killed her, I'll know for sure back at the lab. Here, I know you'll want these," Susan told him handing the evidence bag with the two ids in it.

"Thanks, Sue. Call me when you have the results."

"Sure thing John," she said as her two paramedics struggled up the small incline from the ditch.

John waited until they had the body in the back of the ambulance and are driving away before he goes to his car and drives off.

Chapter 12

John was sitting at his desk in his office when the Chief of Police of Valley City comes barging in.

"John... "

"Sheriff Abernathy."

"Sheriff, why didn't you call me about the dead girl out on Highway 21 just south of the Henson's place?"

"No need Harvey, it's out of your jurisdiction."

"Well, I like to be kept informed... "

"Harv what do you want?" John asked cutting him off.

"Next time call me... "

"No."

"John, we have to work together if... "

"Get out Harv, I have work to do."

"John... "

"Harvey, if you don't leave, I will arrest you. Got it?"

"Fine," Harvey huffed, spinning on his heels he stomps off out of the office.

John goes back to reading the two files on his desk.

"How did he ever get hired by the city council?" Bobbie asked from the doorway to John's office.

"Heaven only knows."

"I think he wants your job."

"No, he doesn't want my job. He wants the sheriff to kowtow to him, but he's never going to get that from my deputies or me. And I don't want you letting him tell you what to do. We have authority over the entire county, including Valley City, so don't you let any of those town cops push you around, arrest them if they try, shoot them if they won't let you arrest them."

"Really? I mean about the shooting part?"

"Just wound them... no don't shoot them, just shout for help. Any two of you are better than the three that are left."

"Right," Bobbie said, turning and going back to her desk. "Crap, county commissioners coming up the steps John," she yelled.

"Damn, that's all I need."

John closed the files on his desk putting them in a desk drawer, then sits back waiting for the commissioners.

"Good afternoon Gentlemen, what's happened to bring you by?" John asked not getting up from his chair.

"Well Sheriff Abernathy, we were just wondering when you would brief us on the newest murder."

"Ah, I see Chief Numbnuts has been over to see you three."

"That's Chief Muller, Sheriff."

"If you say so. What was it you really want?"

"We want to be kept in the loop on those two murders you have... "

"When the cases are solved, I'll be glad to let you know the particulars. I might even tell you before I tell the press. I can't guarantee it, but it could happen."

"You're treading on thin ice Sheriff... "

"Before you gentlemen leave, let me inform you, again, in how things work... I'm elected to this position, just as you are. I don't answer to you, I answer to the voters of Barnes County, just as you do. So, if you will, please get your asses out of my office before I arrest you for obstruction. Clear?"

"Now John we supported your bid for sheriff and the funding for your office... "

"And I appreciate that but... the longer you keep me from my job, the longer you are away from yours. What do you think the voters will think about that? And if you ever threaten to cut off my funding again, your lives will become a living hell. Do you understand?"

The three men hurried out of the office and down the steps. They walked across the street to the county offices. The sheriff's office was in the county lockup for convenience, which John was glad of or those three fools would be bothering him ten times a day.

Chapter 13

Scanning through the files on the dead women, John was startled when the door to his office closed and Carol sat in the chair in front of his desk.

"Sheriff," Carol started.

"John," John said.

"John," Carol sighed, "I have the information you requested," she finished saying, laying two file folders on his desk.

"Ah, thank you, Carol. You are a dear."

"The top one is a very interesting read," Carol told John as she rose.

"I look forward to reading it then," John told her. "Thank you, Carol."

"You're welcome."

"John."

"You're welcome, John."

Carol smiled, turned and left the office going back to her desk. John picked up the first folder and opened it. The first page in the file was on the letterhead of the Tribal Police of Spirit Lake. John smiled to himself. The Tribal Police request had gone through the FBI instead of the State Police. Not that the State Police wouldn't have given John the same information, but Harvey could have someone at Headquarter who would alert him to someone requesting his information.

John started reading. As he read, he muttered descriptive words and phrases. Most were just things like 'Damn', but others were quite... well, cuss words only sailors used. After reading the file, John picked up the phone and dialed.

"Steve, John, do you have a minute to come over here. I might have something you might like to read."

"Is it about the murders?"

"You should come and just you please?"

"I'll be right there John."

"Good."

Opening the second folder, John started to read about the cops Harvey had hired to protect the citizens of Valley City, while he waits for Steve. John was still reading when Steve came into the office.

"Steve, have a seat. Here, have a gander at this," John said handing Steve, Muller's file.

Steve opened the folder, read who the information was about and where it came from and looked up at John.

"What's going on here Sheriff?"

"John, Steve."

"John, what's going on?"

"Just read the file. I know you'll be surprised, although that's not the word I used."

Steve went back to reading the file. John finished reading the other files. As they both read, John heard Steve use a few expletives.

"What the hell was the city council thinking when they hired this guy?"

"Damned if I know."

"This guy Muller isn't fit to be chief of security at the mall in Fargo, let alone the Chief of Police of Valley City."

"You are right about that Steve."

Just then, a knock on the door had both Steve and John looking up. Carol stood there smiling at both of them.

"John, Leland Vickers is here to see you," she said softly.

"Good, send him in Carol," John said standing up behind his desk.

A tall, ruggedly handsome man stepped into the office. Leyland Vickers was the head of homicide of the State Police headquartered in Fargo. John extended his hand in greeting, as Steve rose and extended his hand to Leyland.

"Leyland, it's good to see you. You don't get out this way often enough," John told him pumping his hand.

"It is nice to see you, Leyland," Steve said softly, greeting Leyland.

"It isn't that I don't like coming here, it's just I have no real occasion too."

"What brings you to see us today?" John asked. "Although, I have a hunch what, who and why... "

"And you would be correct," Leyland said hooking a chair with his booted toe and pulling it over to him.

"Of course, have a seat."

"Maybe I had better go," Steve said.

"No, stick around Steve. I think you might be interested and I really don't want to keep everything from you," John said indicating Steve should sit. "Your dime Leyland... "

"It is, it is. I heard about the two murders and just wondered if we could be of assistance?"

"I thought that's why you were here," John said as he slumped in his chair. "We could use some help with forensics, just anything Doctor Bajek isn't set up for if you don't mind."

"No problem. She knows the procedure," Leyland said, grabbing the note pad on John's desk, he jots down some numbers. "Give these to her, it's the case file numbers I have opened to cover anything you need on these cases."

"That's very nice of you Leyland," Steve said.

"Yes, it is," said John, winking at Leyland.

"Any leads yet?"

"Not yet. Whoever it is, knows forensics," John told him.

"I see."

"Not quite. Here, have a look at this," John said flipping the file on Harvey open in front of Leyland.

"Why didn't you ask me for this?"

"I have my reasons... "

"You might be right on this, too many eyes... "

"My thinking also... "

"Is that the case files on the two dead girls?" Leyland asked pointing at the other file on the desk.

"No," said John, opening a drawer and pulling the two file folders out and handing them to Leyland.

"Well, I have work to get back to," Steve said as he rose.

"Ah, it was good of you to stop by. If you would Steve, don't mention any of what we discussed here to the other members of the commission."

"I won't, they wouldn't understand much of it anyway. It was nice seeing you again Leyland."

"It was nice seeing you Steve," Leyland said as he kept reading the files in front of him.

"Two completely different causes of death," Leyland said finally looking up from the files.

"Yes."

"Now that Steve is gone, any suspects?"

"No, and this is irking the shit out of me."

"Any persons of interest?" asked Leyland.

"You just read his file, but it could have been any of his cops or someone else he knows. He's involved in some manner. There is information I have that's not in the file, that I think our Chief of Police is looking for."

"What would that be?"

"It's a small metal disk about as big as your thumbnail," John said reaching into the drawer again, "and it's covered in these."

John dropped the printouts in front of Leyland. Picking them up he flipped through the pages grunting as he looked them over.

"Nonsense, that's what I see here," Leyland said dropping the pictures on the desk.

"To me too, I do have a friend over at the university who knows about things like this," John said pointing to the papers.

"What does he say?"

"Well, she won't know for a couple of days."

"I see. Well, I should be getting back to Fargo. I just dropped in to see if you needed any help."

"I appreciate it Leyland and I'll let you know if I do."

"Good."

Leyland and John shook hands again and Leyland left stopping at Carol's desk on the way out. John sat, gathered up the scattered files and put them away.

Chapter 14

That night at home, John sat on his porch watching Rudy cast in the fields behind the house once more. Leaning back in his chair, John gazed at the sky, watching the sunset as it blazed its orange hue against the bottoms of the now grey clouds.

Once Rudy was finished, he returned to the porch and sat beside John. For the next half hour, John just stared out into the distance. He was oblivious to the world around him as he contemplates the death of two young women in his county. It was the noise of the horses returning to the barn, which brings John back to earth. Shaking his head, he gets up and goes inside to fix himself some dinner.

The ringing of the phone brought John out of his deep dreamless sleep. Grabbing for the handset, he knocked it off the nightstand and had to scramble out of bed to retrieve it from under the bed.

"Hello," he croaked as he pressed the handset to his ear.

"John, Michelle. I'm wondering if you would like to meet me for breakfast?"

"Huh, what time was it?"

"It's eleven... oh god, did I wake you? I'm so sorry... "

"It's all right... and yes I would love to meet you for breakfast. Where?"

"Valley City Diner, is seven okay?"

"Yes, that's fine, see you then."

"I'm sorry for waking you. Sweet dreams," Michelle told him before hanging up.

"Not likely," John muttered placing the receiver down on the base unit.

Flopping down on his back, John tried to go back to sleep. He would too if only the faces of the young women would stop flashing through his mind. At some point, he does fall into a light restless sleep.

John sits in a booth at the Valley City Diner. It's six-fifty-seven in the morning. He smiled as he caught sight of Michelle walking from her car to the diner. She spotted him and waved. Once inside she joins him in the booth sitting across from him.

"Good morning Sheriff," Michelle said smiling broadly.

"John, please Michelle and good morning to you."

"Yes John," she said as the waitress stood at the end of the table.

"What can I get for you two?"

"I'll just have coffee," Michelle said.

"Just coffee for me too Linda," John said.

"Two coffees coming up Sheriff," Linda said.

"John, Linda, how many... "

"You know I won't ever Sheriff," Linda said turning and walking away.

"Won't ever what John?"

"Call me John."

"Why is that?"

"It's a long story that I promise to tell you some other time."

"Oh goody a bedtime story," Michelle giggled.

Linda was back with their coffees. Both are laughing at Michelle's remark as they take their first sip of the potent brew the diner served.

"So why are we meeting?" John asked.

"Two things. First, I have consulted my busy social calendar and after long deliberation and juggling of appointments, I have cleared Saturday for a day of horseback riding. I plan on packing a picnic lunch and a small cooler."

"I see. Saturday will be fine. Would you like to come out Friday night after work or in the morning?"

"Friday of course, I do so enjoy bedtime stories."

"Good. Now, what's the second thing?"

"I have found something other than equations on the printouts."

"Really. What does it say?"

"I'm not quite sure yet, it's not written in any language spoken today. It might be Latin. I still have some research to do."

"Any idea what it might say?"

"Not really, but if I was to hazard a guess, it could be instruction on how to build a device to utilize the equations."

"So, what, a time machine?" asked John chuckling.

"Maybe, but it's more likely to be a temporal manipulator that allows the user to navigate their way through the temporal mass."

"What, like taking a stroll through time?"

"It could be as simple as that."

"Really?"

"Could be, but I'll know more once I've translated the text."

"Well, let me know how things are working out and if anyone, I mean anyone, bothers you, in any way, you let me know."

"I will John," Michelle said softly touching his hand and smiling.

"I just want you to be careful and safe."

"You are a very thoughtful man."

"I look out for all my voters."

"Ah, is that what you call us now?" Michelle giggled.

"What time do you get off on Friday? Should I pick you up?"

"On Fridays, I can leave pretty much anytime after noon, privileges of tenure, but as I have some work to do for the county Sheriff's department, I was thinking about six. I will drive myself, thank you for offering. I would, however, like to follow you out to your place, having only been there once and not really paying attention."

"Sure, no problem, I'll be in front of the science building at six."

For the next twenty minutes, the two talked of things less important and more enjoyable. Once they are finished with their coffee, they part company.

Chapter 15

The rest of the day John, along with Bobbie, spent interviewing the friends of the two women. Bobbie and John did the interviews at the university. All the people they interview told essentially the same story. The two women knew each other only through the one class they shared. Both women were well thought of and not what you would call promiscuous. Mary Fletcher had a boyfriend, Scott Marcs. He not only has an alibi for the night in question, but he was also emotionally distressed over her loss.

Denise Jensen was well liked by her friends, yet doesn't appear to have a steady male friend in her life. She does, however, have a best friend, Betty West, who seemed very depressed by her loss. All in all, they have a very good profile of both young ladies. Both students and university staff know the two fairly well. John, of course, expected none of them to say anything derogatory about either so close after their deaths.

Bobbie and John returned to the office to sift through the information they now had. They had a fairly good timeline as to where the women had been prior to their murders. A gap existed in the timelines of about an hour from the time someone last saw them, until they were found. There are no other leads, except the disk, which only Susan, Leyland, John and the murder know about. Bobbie did know about the equations, but the pictures really didn't show they were on a metal disk.

Bobbie and John stayed huddled in his office the whole day. The only break they took was for lunch and Carol ordered in for them. As late afternoon approaches, John becomes perturbed.

"God damn it," John said harshly. "We should know a lot more than we do by now."

"Yes and no. Whoever did this knew what they were doing? I'm not saying they were professionals, just knowledgeable about forensics."

"They did." John slumped in his chair. "I need to get my head around this and I can't do that here. Listen, it's close to quitting time, go home, that's where I'm heading. Getting some work done at the ranch will give me time to think without too much distraction."

"Okay with me, Kevin has been after me to take off early once in a while."

"Then go, see Kevin," John told Bobbie.

"I will, thank you, John," Bobbie said leaving John's office, grabbing her coat on the way out of the office.

"Well then, I guess I'll go too," John muttered to himself. "Carol, I'm leaving for the day. When you leave tonight, have Jimmy escort you out of town, so those ass clowns don't harass you."

"I will John."

Nodding, John leaves the office headed for home.

For the past two hours, John had been thinking about the two women while he brushed the horses he had picked for Michelle's Saturday ride. He would ride his gelding chestnut, while he had picked a filly pinto for Michelle. The filly was spirited, yet gentle and would follow John's gelding wherever it went.

John, not knowing how experienced a rider Michelle was, chose the filly because it would not wander off on its own and was a good riding horse. All John's horses are good for riding, at least those that have been broken to saddle, it's just most of them are headstrong and needed a firm hand on the reins.

The two hours John spent preparing the horses also gave him time to muddle through some of the details of the case. By the time he had the two horses put up in their stalls and hay in their feed toughs, he was hungry too. Giving each horse a gentle scratch on the nose, John left the barn and headed for the house.