Chapter 12. Making Progress

The day after the Wednesday board session Rev. Penny calls Brother Thomas. After pleasantries Joe says, “I don’t know if you keep up with the Sturgeonville news but someone murdered George Citron. The sheriff investigated and passed it off as a robbery gone badly. He closed the investigation so I doubt we'll ever know who killed George.”

“Yes, I’m aware. One of the sheriff’s deputies contacted me to check on my alibi for the time of George’s murder. I assume one of you board members gave the sheriff my name and phone number. I told the deputy I was home at that time doing research for my dissertation. He seemed satisfied and I never heard from him again.”

“That’s good, Brother Thomas. I can’t imagine you killing George or anyone. The sheriff’s deputies checked all of us who worked with George for alibis. Oh, we have been looking for the collection of pioneer letters you were using for your research. We can’t find them. Do you have any idea where they might be?”

“No, I returned them to where they were always kept before I left the last time. I suspected George would refuse my request to take them home. I needed letters like those to do my research in a timely manner so I arranged to get access to another collection of similar letters at Central Michigan University. I am using that collection and my research is nearly finished.”

“That’s great news, Brother Thomas. I hope you’ll send us a copy of your dissertation. Sam and I would love to read it.”

“I will. Good talking to you. Goodbye, Joe.”

The following Tuesday Rev. Penny gets a call from Sheriff Ericsson. The sheriff says, “Sorry to bother you again Reverend. I need a favor. My father is having some health issues and his doctor wants his early medical history. I asked George Citron if he would see if Dad’s childhood records were still in Doc Arra’s old clinic and if so, would he get them for me. He agreed to check but before he got back to me he was killed. I got caught up in the investigation and campaigning for my re-election. I forgot about it until my father reminded me last night. Would you mind checking for my Dad’s medical records?”

“I see no reason why we can’t give you your Dad’s records if we can find them. That’s why we’ve kept Doc’s medical records. I’ll double-check with the board at tomorrow night’s work session. If they agree and we can find the records I can bring the file to your office Thursday morning.”

“Thank you, Reverend. I appreciate it. Maybe knowing what childhood illnesses and immunizations he had will help Dad’s doctor figure out what’s going on with him now.”

Pam Lafave opens the Wednesday night’s session by asking Sam what he learned during the week.

Sam replies, “I called every auction house I could find by Googling. A couple of them recently received collections of old letters. When I described our missing letters they didn’t match. Also, none of the university libraries I checked with has acquired a letter collection like ours recently. I think we have to conclude that our letters are still here somewhere or whoever took them is keeping them. If they are gone the thief is most likely someone using them for research, as we suspect of Brother Thomas, or just a collector like Doc Arra. Sorry that I didn’t learn much by checking auction houses and libraries.”

Joe jumps in, “I have some important news. Two things. First, I called Brother Thomas. He says he put the letters back where they belong. He says he doesn’t need them anymore. He arranged for access to another collection from Central Michigan University. Maybe we should drop Brother Thomas from our suspect list although his alibi for the time George was killed is weak. I’m surprised the sheriff bought it. But if he’s telling the truth and has another collection of letters for his research he doesn’t have a motive that we know of. Second, Sheriff Ericsson called me yesterday. It turns out he had asked George to look for his father’s medical records. Old Buddy Ericsson’s doctor wants Buddy’s early medical history to help him diagnose Buddy’s current health problems. The sheriff says George agreed to look for the records so now we know George likely saw Lois’s file when he was looking for Buddy’s file.”

Pam says, “That’s helpful, Joe. It’s looking less likely that Brother Thomas is a valid suspect if he’s being truthful. But let’s not take him off our list for now. We don’t have facts to back up his story. The sheriff’s call does connect George to the Ericsson files. It doesn’t prove the Ericsson files were the motive for George being killed but it adds to that possibility. I am going to check the Ericsson file folders for George’s fingerprints. If his prints are on the folders we’ll know for sure he saw Lois’s file. Unfortunately it doesn’t prove he read it or removed it but it sure suggests he did. You can make a copy of Buddy’s records and give the sheriff what he wants. Just be careful not to touch the file folder with your bare fingers.”

Joe replies, “That’s great. I told the sheriff I’d bring him the medical records tomorrow if the board agrees and we could find them.”

Pam says, “Okay, we can do that. That way we won’t give the sheriff any reason to suspect we are investigating. Mary, did you have a chance to examine the appointment book for more information on Lois Taylor’s visits to Doc Arra?”

“Yes, the entries back up what Maxine told me. I found regular visits over several months. At first, a few bills were sent to her parents. Then just brief entries that she came in but no bills were sent. There was a gap between these brief entries and one final brief entry. It was on a Friday at the end of office hours just like Maxine said. No bill was sent for this visit. I didn’t find anything we can use to verify our suspicions about that final visit. I imagine Maxine was being careful not to write down anything that might cause problems for the doctor.”

Pam replies, “You are probably right, Mary. It’s disappointing that we can’t find any way to prove or disprove our suspicions. But as we said previously, Lois doesn’t know we haven’t found anything and we may have to use that against her.”

Peter asks, “Pam, how are you going to check for George’s fingerprints on the medical files? Can you get fingerprints off a paper file? If you can, how will you know if the prints are George’s?”

Pam replies, “There is an iodine vapor technique for detecting fingerprints on paper or cardboard. I’ve used it before. I’ll need a few days to get the iodine crystals and the glass tube I need to make the vapor. We can get George’s fingerprints from things only he handled in his office. He probably had a coffee mug he used.”

“He did. Suppose I tell Bob Wilson that George’s mother wants it and offer to take it to her? I’m sure Bob will give it to me and you can get George’s prints off it before I take it to Mrs. Citron,” offers Peter.

“Good, that way Bob won’t be tipped off that we are continuing the investigation into George’s death,” replies Pam.

Mary asks, “What about searching for fingerprints on the file drawer where we found the Ericsson files and other places the killer might have touched?”

Pam replies, “The killer probably wiped down any place they remembered touching but it’s worth trying, Mary. Sometimes killers are so rattled they forget to wipe their prints off obvious places.”

Joe says, “Then try the inside doorknob of the door in the hall to the second floor. I remember we found it open when we came to look for George. After we learned George was murdered we assumed the killer left the clinic by going through the attic over to the house and down those stairs so he wouldn’t have to use the elevator. I don’t think anyone’s used that door since we closed it, so if the killer left prints on the inside doorknob they should still be there.”

Pam replies, “I can spend tonight looking for fingerprints on metal and glass surfaces in places the killer may have been. I have face powder in my purse that will expose fingerprints and I can take pictures with my phone’s camera.”

“How about you do the dusting and I take pictures of any prints revealed?” asks Mary.

“Thanks, Mary, that’ll make it go faster. Maybe the rest of you can continue to search for the missing letters if you can think of any places we haven't already searched, or continue the cataloging.”

The three men agree and begin to discuss if they can think of any places they haven’t searched as Pam and Mary leave to dust for fingerprints,

“Let’s check that doorknob on the hall door first, Mary,” says Pam

Pam takes out her compact and blows a fine layer of powder on both the front and back of the doorknob. Shining the light from her cell phone on the powdered knob Pam says, “Look, Mary, this knob has no fingerprints on it. It’s been wiped clean. That confirms our theory that the killer probably used this door in leaving the clinic. I can’t think of any other reason this doorknob would be clean of fingerprints. Another small, but possibly important piece of the puzzle. Take pictures of it even though it doesn’t have prints. Then we’ll go check the filing cabinet where the Ericsson’s medical records were kept.”

When they reach the upper floor of the clinic where several filing cabinets of older medical records are stored Pam says, “I’m going to dust the drawer of another cabinet for practice in getting prints exposed if there are any. There should be lots of prints on these old file drawers from Maxine Lafleur and Doc Arra.”

After Pam dusts a drawer around the handle and along the top and side edges Mary observes, “You were right, Pam. Look at all the prints along the top of the drawer where someone put their fingers as they pushed the drawer closed. Those prints are clear but the ones around the handle are all smudged together.”

“You’re right, Mary, which makes sense to me. I always push file drawers closed like that. I guess when I open one I grab the handle with the back parts of my fingers rather than my fingertips. Fingers are likely to slide on the handle as it opens so those prints are smudged. Now let’s dust the drawer where we found the Ericsson’s medical records.”

After dusting the file drawer Pam shines her cell phone light on it and exclaims, “Look at that, Mary, it’s been wiped down. That sure suggests the killer didn’t want to leave their fingerprints on this drawer. It’s looking more and more like the missing file is the link to the killer.”

“I agree, Pam. Wait, isn’t that a tiny print near the handle?”

“Oh, you’re right. It looks like they didn’t wipe close enough to the left end of the handle. If a right-handed person opened this drawer they could have left a thumbprint in that spot. Take a picture of it. It’s probably Maxine’s or the doctor’s but we should check it out anyway.”

After Mary photographs the tiny print Pam says, “Let me see that photo? Yes, that’s a clear photo. I can match that print to its owner. Text or email that photo to me. Let’s go to the doctor’s office and find something that will have the doc’s fingerprints on it, especially a thumbprint. If this print doesn’t match the doc’s we can try George’s print when we get it. Let’s go gather the others and tell them what we’ve learned tonight.”

When the board members gather in the dining room Pam summarizes what she and Mary learned dusting for fingerprints then she says, “Mary and I got a good set of pictures of doc’s prints from some of his medical instruments. Now we need George’s prints from his coffee mug that Peter will get. And we need Maxine’s prints. I’m sure there are lots of her prints here but we don’t have any way to know they’re her prints for sure. Mary, can you go see Maxine again and get her prints on something. Even a piece of paper or cardboard will do because I’m going to get the stuff I need to make iodine vapor.”

“Yes, I can go see her next Saturday morning again and bring the prints to you at our next session if that’s okay. I can take her one of the photos on Doc’s desk. I’ll ask her if she knows who’s in the photo. That will get her prints on glass or the plastic frame used on those photos. I’ll get the photo right now so I’ll have it for Saturday.”

“That will be fine. It gives me plenty of time to get iodine crystals and a blow tube I need to get prints off the medical files. I’ll also carefully compare the print we found on the file drawer to the doc’s prints. Next week I can check for prints on the Ericsson’s medical file and compare George’s and Maxine’s prints against the print we found on the file drawer. Joe, did you copy Buddy Ericsson’s records without touching the file folder?

“Yes and I’ll take the copy to the sheriff tomorrow.”

“Good, Sam I thought of another task you can do. Would you be willing to go through the museum sign-in sheets to see if anyone who came as a volunteer or for a tour might have reason to want the pioneer letters?”

“I’ll take the sheets home with me and review them before we meet next week, Pam.”

“Great, we’re making progress. See you all next Wednesday. Will you lock up, Joe?”

“Sure, see everyone next week.”