“In the middle of the night, when I can’t sleep, I make up things. I try to imagine what would have happened if I had never discovered Perry Borntrager’s body. There’s a part of me that feels like my whole life would be different if I’d never been there that rainy day.”
ABBY ANDERSON
Daed, we have to tell Sheriff Kramer,” Jacob said.
“You can’t, son. If you tell him what I did, he could arrest me. And right now, the lawyer feels certain nothing will happen to you. They can’t prove you did anything wrong.”
“What you did . . .”
“I did it for you, Jacob. I did it because I love you.”
“Daed, I love you, too. But we have to tell Sheriff Kramer the truth. You can’t keep this hidden.”
His father stood up. His legs were shaking and his eyes were wide. It was obvious to Jacob that his father had never imagined that he wouldn’t be thanked for what he did. “Jacob, are you going against me?”
“If telling the truth is going against you, then yes I am.”
“Jacob, I forbid you to tell them. I will never forgive you if you betray this family.”
“But the police think I did it. I could go to prison.”
“Perry took lots of drugs, too, Jacob. Everyone knows that. I imagine no one will ever figure out how he really died. And because of that? You won’t be charged.”
Jacob looked at the kitchen door. For a moment, he was tempted to run out of the room, and keep running until the memories of all that happened had faded.
Then he remembered that he had his cell phone stuffed into his jacket pocket. “Telling lies won’t help anyone, Daed. I’m going to call Sheriff Kramer.”
His father’s hand whipped out and gripped his arm hard. “Nee.”
“I have to.”
“You don’t know what you’re saying.”
“Aaron, stop,” Jacob’s mother ordered from the doorway. Looking like a shadow of her former self, she was holding the doorframe like it was the greatest support. “I’ve been standing out here while you and Jacob have been talking. I heard every word.”
His father leaned back against his chair. “Then you understand what I am saying, don’t you, Gloria?”
“Not at all.” Turning to Jacob, she said, “Do you know how to get a hold of Sheriff Kramer?”
“I have his card.”
“Then you’d best go ahead and call.”
Struggling to his feet, his father’s expression turned dark. “Gloria, you can’t let Jacob call! We can keep this hidden if none of us says a word.”
“Oh, Aaron, you don’t know what you’re saying. I truly don’t think you do.” Shaking her head sorrowfully, she added, “We have no choice but to tell the police.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. There’s always a choice.”
“Perhaps for you, Aaron. For me? There is no choice. There’s only one thing to do.”
“Gloria, I beg of you . . . don’t let him do this.”
A glazed look of despair washed over her face. “Jacob, go call.”
About to turn, he looked at his parents warily. “Mamm, will you be all right?”
“I’ll be just fine. Go now. Waiting won’t make things easier.”
He left then, left the two of them staring at each other across a kitchen table where there’d always been three of them.
Picking up his jacket, he pulled his cell phone and Mose’s business card from the pocket, and finally began to dial.
“Crittenden County Sheriff,” a chipper voice answered. Jacob recognized the woman who had been sitting in the reception desk when he’d been brought in for questioning.
Clearing his throat, he said, “This is Jacob Schrock. I need to speak with Sheriff Kramer, if I may.”
“I’ll put you right through,” she said.
His pulse raced.
“Jacob?” Mose said from the other side of the line. “What can I do for you?”
“Sheriff Kramer, I’m afraid I have something to tell you.” Taking a deep breath, he pushed through the pain and began.
Luke looked up when Mose motioned for him to pick up the extension. Carefully, Luke picked it up and then closed his eyes briefly when he recognized the voice and understood what Jacob was saying.
Aaron Schrock had watched Perry Borntrager die, then had deliberately hidden his body.
As Mose carefully asked more questions, Luke wrote notes. Finally, it all made sense. He knew right then and there that they finally had the full, complete story. Just as he could sense when something was not right, he also had learned to recognize the signs of hearing the truth.
After promising to be at their house in a few minutes, Mose hung up. “So it was Aaron Schrock. All along.” His voice was flat.
Luke ached for Mose, and for everyone involved. This was going to rock this community. “I think the fact it was Aaron kind of makes sense,” he said as they grabbed their jackets and walked to Mose’s cruiser.
“Unfortunately, it does,” Mose agreed. “It makes sense, but it breaks my heart. I always liked Aaron.”
Luke had, too. “I guess this proves a man will do almost anything to protect his son.”
“Almost anything,” Mose corrected. “That word makes all the difference, I think. Most men would offer their own lives for their children. But they’d draw the line at committing murder.” Slapping his hand on his steering wheel, Mose bellowed, “What a fool.” When he turned to Luke, his gaze was pain-filled. “Why didn’t Aaron come to me right away? I could have tried to help him. Now we’ll be lucky if he’s not charged with murder in the first degree.”
“Who knows why he didn’t come to you. ”
After backing out, Mose drove carefully across town and to the store. Jacob stood waiting for them in the parking lot, standing alone and looking dejected. As if the whole weight of the world was resting on his shoulders.
When Luke got close, he patted the young man’s shoulders. “Who’s with your father, Jacob?”
“My mamm. She told me to stay out here to wait for you.”
“You doing okay?” Mose asked.
Jacob shook his head. “Not really. I never would have thought my daed could do this. I keep thinking I’m going to wake up from a nightmare.”
Luke glanced Mose’s way. The young man needed a helping hand. He really looked to be on the verge of collapsing.
Mose nodded at Luke before wrapping an arm around Jacob’s shoulders. “Jacob, why don’t you sit down here and let Luke and me go in without you.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. I promise, there’s nothing more you need to hear. We’ll take care of things now.”
“I should warn you, my father is pretty upset.”
“It’s okay, son. Your dad did the right thing by confessing to you,” Luke soothed. “And you did the right thing by calling Sheriff Kramer. But just because you did something right doesn’t mean it was easy. Stay out here, Jacob. No son wants to see his father like this.”
Luke was thankful that Jacob sat down. Then, with Mose by his side, they walked the narrow path along the side of the store to the living quarters of the Schrocks.
Mose knocked once. After a moment, Gloria Schrock answered it. “Sheriff Kramer, Detective Reynolds, I am mighty glad you are here.”
Mose held out a hand and clasped Mrs. Schrock’s. “We got here as soon as we could. Where’s Aaron, Gloria?”
“He’s sitting at the kitchen table.”
Mose walked in, and Luke followed. When they got to the table, Aaron Schrock looked up at them with blank eyes. “I suppose you are going to arrest me?”
Mose pulled out a pair of handcuffs. “I’m afraid I have no choice, Aaron.”
Luke knew that was true. Even if Aaron couldn’t have saved Perry, he didn’t even try. And hiding a body was a criminal offense.
As Mose clipped the handcuffs around Aaron’s wrists, he recited the Miranda oath. “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do can and will be held against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney . . .”
As Mose Mirandized Aaron, Luke watched tears silently fall down Gloria Schrock’s cheeks.
“I don’t know what to say or do,” she murmured.
“You don’t have to do anything,” Luke reassured her. “Jacob is outside, ma’am. I’ll send him inside when we leave.” He stood quietly by her side while Mose gripped Aaron’s elbow, pulled him to his feet, then escorted him outside.
With Aaron’s bigger-than-life personality gone, the kitchen seemed darker and smaller.
“What’s next?” Gloria asked after she gingerly took a seat.
“You’ll need to call back that lawyer,” he replied, doing his best to keep his voice even and without too much emotion. “I’m afraid your husband is going to need his services.”
She shook her head. “No, Detective Reynolds. I mean, what happens to me now? My family is broken up. My husband is in jail. And my son? My son might never recover from this.”
Luke had arrested dozens of people, some in the most horrifying of situations. He’d thought he’d seen it all.
But not once had anyone asked how to put their lives back together.
After a moment of thought, he replied. “You go on the best you can. You wake up, get through a day, and then you try to sleep.”
“And then?”
“And then you do it again the next day.” He paused, then said, “It’s going to be tough, but I have a feeling Jacob will recover.”
Looking more determined, Gloria nodded. “I think he will. He’s a strong boy.”
“Yes, he is. He did the right thing, calling Mose. And you did the right thing when you encouraged him to make the call.” Luke paused, then continued. “Though it had to have been painful, there’s something to be said for doing the right thing.”
Looking up at him, tears welling in her light blue eyes, she nodded, “I do believe that’s so. A person can’t live a lifetime covering up lies. They’ll eat up a person’s heart and soul. My poor Aaron . . .” Her face crumbled. “Jacob will get through this. But right this minute? I don’t know how I’ll survive.”
Her pain broke his heart, but he couldn’t deny that she had some very dark times ahead of her. “I am sorry, Mrs. Schrock.”
When Luke finally headed out to the cruiser, he found Jacob standing near the entrance of the store. His arms were crossed over his white shirt and he was staring at the car.
It was running, standing idle while Mose waited for Luke to join them.
Luke cleared his throat. “I’m heading out, Jacob. Mose or I will call you later.”
Jacob looked at him like he hardly remembered who Luke was. “My father is handcuffed in the back of Sheriff Kramer’s car,” he said, his voice hoarse with emotion. “I can hardly believe it.”
Luke knew there was nothing to say and no way to ease the boy’s pain. “Go inside and take care of your mother. She needs you.”
Jacob’s lips parted, as if he was going to protest the directive. But in the end, he simply turned away and started into the house.
All of a sudden, Luke felt older than his twenty-nine years. Without a word, he opened the cruiser’s passenger-side door and got in. Neither man looked his way, each seemed to wrapped up in his own thoughts.
That suited Luke just fine. He buckled up and stared straight ahead as Mose backed out of the driveway, then drove slowly back to the sheriff’s office.
After eight very hard weeks, the case was closed.
Ironically, however, there was no sense of accomplishment. Only the greatest feeling of loss.