5. Speculation Begins

Pam pushes an overstuffed chair back to make room for a card table in the living room of the old Lafave farmhouse. She lives here now, since retiring from the Grand Rapids police department and returning to Pineville. Looking at the old chair belonging to her husband’s grandparents brings back memories.

She grew up across the road and spent many happy days playing with Billy or in the Lafave kitchen with Billy’s mom and Grandma Lafave while waiting for her mother to come home from work.

Pat and Larry Lafave, her in-laws gave her the Lafave family farm after Billy died of a heart attack to keep it in the Lafave family. She kept the old furnishings of Billy’s grandparents. They brought her comfort; partly because she wanted to live a simpler life and partly because they brought back good memories that eased her grief.

Pat and Larry Lafave lived with Larry’s parents until Billy’s senior year in high school. Larry took a job in Lansing so Pat could have a place of her own. Billy gladly stayed with his grandparents to finish high school and continue dating Pam. Pam and Billy married after college and moved to Grand Rapids for jobs. She retired because she didn’t want to continue dealing with the dark side of people without having Billy to talk to about her day’s work. 

Pam enjoys being back where she grew up, where she can’t smell the air and sees a friend or two every time she goes to the IGA, the bank, or the Post Office. She sets up her art studio in a back bedroom of the old white farmhouse where she can look across the fields to the woods and river where she and Billy played. Her art, a vegetable garden behind the house, and renting out the farm fields to neighboring farmers keep her busy as her grief evolves to memories.

Doctor Arra, her family’s doctor when she was growing up, collected things connected with American frontier history. The doctor left his home, the attached medical clinic, and his collections to Pineville as a museum. George Citron, the chairman of the board of directors of the museum invited Pam to help to catalog the doctor’s collections when he learned she liked old things. There she met Rev. Penny, who introduced her to the Pineville Art Society, Sam Weiss, who invited her to join his bridge group, Peter Brown, the local plumber, and Mary Anderson, Sam’s bridge partner. 

After a few years she knew she was ready to move on with life. She dated George Citron for a while until he dumped her for a younger blonde. Some months later, when Sheriff Ericsson couldn’t solve George’s baffling murder, Pam led the other board members in investigating and catching George’s killer.

 After solving George’s murder Pam intended to return to her quiet but busy life. It didn’t work the way she intended. After the rush of investigating George’s murder faded, Pam felt something was missing in her life.

She talked to Rev. Penny about her feelings after church one Sunday. He suggested she might still need to serve even if she didn’t want to be a detective anymore. He had several suggestions for how she could fulfill her need without having to deal with criminals. She chose to be a mentor for the children needing help with reading and new math at the Pineville Elementary School. The smiles and hugs she got from the kids she mentored thrilled her and fulfilled what she had been missing. She had to admit being with the children made her wonder about her choice not to have children. She decided she’s had a good life and she wasn’t going to start second guessing her life decisions now.

Pam doesn’t find another relationship after George Citron. When she wants dinner out or needs a companion for a social occasion she asks the gay harbormaster, Harrison Cook to accompany her. They share a common interest in art and enjoy meals at their favorite Italian restaurant without the sexual tension of a date. These occasions are the only times Pam wears any makeup besides lipstick. She wore makeup regularly until she became a cop. She wasn’t quite sure why but she preferred no makeup when she was wearing her police uniform. Going without makeup other than lipstick became a habit she continues after retiring. She feels it fits the more natural life she wants. She wouldn’t wear lipstick except her lips have accommodated to it and chap if she doesn’t.

It’s Tuesday and Pam’s getting ready for her bridge group to arrive for their biweekly game. It’s so hot she’s wearing a summer dress instead of her usual jeans and a paint splotched T-shirt. She’s made an apple pie and chilled a jug of wine for dessert when they pause after two rubbers. ‘Sam’s going to love this pie’ she thinks, recalling how the old history professor loves pie. There’s the sound of car tires crunching gravel in her driveway so she goes to the front door to welcome the other three players.

Mary Anderson, the blonde computer expert who manages all the county records at the Courthouse comes in first, looks around, and exclaims, “Hi, Pam. I love the old furniture in this room. Do you know how old these chairs are?”

“A hundred years at least, Mary. You know I love old things. Visit me sometime when we aren’t playing bridge and I’ll show you Grandma Lafave’s other glorious things.” Then she turns to Sam Weiss and says, “Hello, Sam, you've shortened your beard.”

“Yes, it's too hot this July to have it long,” Sam replies.

“Just don’t shave it off, Sam. I think your white beard gives you the distinguished professor look,” says Mary.

Seeing Mary still admiring the old furniture Pam says, “Sam, would you set up the card table while I get the chairs from the closet?”

When Pam gets back with two chairs Erin O’Shea, the fourth for the bridge arrives and greets everyone. Pam says, “Hi Erin. Would you please get the cards, tallies, and a pencil from the drawer in the end table while I get the other two chairs?”

“These tallies are beautiful, Pam. They look like woodcut prints. Did you make them?” asks Erin.

“Yes, there’s an old printing press at Doc Arra’s museum. It inspired me to try woodcuts. I made the woodblocks and printed them using the press at the museum,” replies Pam. Then she adds, “It’s a perk of being on the museum board. That’s where I learned Mary and Sam like to play bridge.”

Erin says, “You sure have a busy life, Pam. Monday nights at the Art Society, Wednesday nights at the museum, and our biweekly bridge game on Tuesday nights.”

“Yes, and Thursday afternoons mentoring at the elementary school. I’ve become the busy widow of Pineville. I don’t miss working. I’m happy with my art, mentoring, enjoying all the old things of Grandma Lafave’s in this house, and Doc Arra’s collections at the museum, plus bridge has been a passion since college. Erin, you look tired tonight. Is everything okay?”

“I am tired. All-day long everyone talked about Glen Lund’s murder. Hearing the same things over and over got to me. Mary, what was it like at the Courthouse?” asks Erin.

“Ghastly. There were long faces everywhere. Many people didn’t like Glen because of his job as the tax assessor, and his shady land deals with the mayor, but he was well-liked by his co-workers in the city and county offices. We’ll miss him,” replies Mary.

Sam says, “I didn’t know him other than by my tax assessment letters, but I hate to see anyone murdered. Pam, do you think our bumbling sheriff will be able to handle this murder?”

“I hope so, Sam. I have enough to do without getting involved in another murder case. I want to enjoy my retirement and activities without the distraction of another investigation.”

Erin injects, “Mary, what is the speculation at the Courthouse on who murdered Glen?”

“Mixed opinions, some are convinced it’s someone who lost their home due to Glen increasing their tax assessment. Others are equally convinced it’s someone who feels cheated by one of the mayor’s and Glen’s crooked land deals. I think it could even have something to do with the city’s financial problems. What if Glen uncovered something fishy in his new role as Assistant Treasurer? The sheriff will have a long list of suspects.”

“The column in today’s Weekly Journal by Mary Jane Bloom is going to fuel more speculation. The column insinuates Glen Lund had enemies all over town and beyond,” offers Sam.

Pam says, “In my experience a murder like this creates an opportunity for people to harass anyone they are at odds with. I haven’t read this week’s Journal, but if Mary Jane Bloom’s column is like you say, Sam I expect the sheriff will get many calls suggesting he investigate someone. His suspect list will be even longer if he doesn’t know the callers well enough to know who is giving him useful information and who is trying to get even with someone they don’t like.”

Erin says, “Sue Johnson, the sheriff’s secretary, says the sheriff prides himself on knowing the people in our county well. He tells her that’s what it takes to be a successful sheriff here.”

“It’ll surely help in this case. It will be even better if he follows basic criminal investigation methods. Remember how he questioned Violet Green and Jolene when he suspected them of Carson Crenshaw’s murder? He tried to intimidate them into confessing when he had no evidence,” Pam replies.

“How would you approach this case, Pam?” asks Sam.

“Oh no, you’re not going to get me started, Sam. Let’s play some bridge,” says Pam

After completing two rubbers of bridge the group takes a break. Pam serves the apple pie and offers wine or coffee. Everyone takes wine. Erin then says, “I know we should talk about something else, but I can’t get the murder off my mind. Mary, has any news leaked from the medical examiner? One of my customers said she heard Deputy Wilson say drugs were found with Glen’s body. The medical examiner could tell if Glen was using drugs couldn’t he?”

Mary responds, “The rumor about drugs circulated the Courthouse all day long. Nothing official came from the medical examiner. He will certainly test Glen for any drugs after what Deputy Wilson is saying. I expect he’ll take a couple of days being thorough. From knowing Glen at work and church, I can’t believe he ever used drugs, even in college.”

Seeing they’ve all finished their pie, Pam picks up the empty plates and says, “Let’s play another rubber before it gets late.”

 Everyone quiets and turns back to the bridge game.