11. Jake Talks to Wilson

 

On Monday Pam calls Jake. She tells him she has information that may lead to the sheriff reopening the investigation into Coach McNeil’s death. Jake wants to know why she’s telling him instead of the sheriff. She explains her concern that the sheriff will disregard information from her because he doesn’t want her interfering in his cases. She says the information concerns something he knows that the sheriff needs to know but she thinks it’s best if Jake talks to Deputy Wilson. She says if Wilson learns McNeil was an experienced hunter and wouldn’t have been sitting on the wrong side of the tree maybe he’ll go back and check the tree again. There may be a bullet in the tree on the side where McNeil was more likely sitting. If so it may not be a 30 caliber bullet. Jake says he understands what that could mean. He agrees to talk to Wilson.

 

After talking to Pam, Jake calls the sheriff’s office and gets Deputy Wilson’s cell phone number from Sue Johnson. He calls Wilson and invites Wilson to have lunch at the Corner Bar. Wilson agrees to meet.

 

During their lunch, Jake says, “When I played football for Coach McNeil, he took me deer hunting on St. Antler’s day when school was closed. I had hunted a little but didn’t know much. Coach McNeil showed me how to recognize a deer trail, where to sit to watch the trail depending on the wind, and whether it was morning or evening. He was an experienced hunter. Did you ever have a chance to hunt with him?”

Wilson replies, “No, I wasn’t a star player. I am surprised to learn he was experienced. The place we found his body and the bullet that killed him was not where an experienced hunter would have been sitting.”

Jake says, “What if the coach was sitting in the place a good hunter would have chosen?”

“An experienced hunter would have been sitting on a different side of that big hemlock where he could watch the well-used deer trail that’s 30 yards away. I didn’t check that side of the tree because I found the bullet in a different place. We assumed that it was the bullet that killed the coach. If I had known McNeil was an experienced hunter, I might have checked the other side of the tree,” says Wilson.

Jake says, “Pam Lafave thinks it worth reopening the investigation. Her belief is due to the possibility McNeil wasn’t sitting where you assumed and I think she knows something else she didn’t share with me. She won’t go to the sheriff because she’s concerned he wouldn’t pay attention to her.”

“She’s right about the sheriff. He can’t stand the idea of her helping with an investigation. He thinks it makes him look bad. If you think she knows something I’m going to take it seriously. I’ll go check that tree again. Do you want to come with me?”

Jake says, “Since the deer season closed yesterday, I can go. There won’t be any shooting now.”

 

Jake joins Wilson and they drive to the parking area in the National Forest near where McNeil’s body was found. When they get out of the car Wilson says, “The big hemlock tree where McNeil was found is only about 250 yards into the forest. You can see the tree from here.” Wilson points into the forest.

Jake says, “I wondered why Pam Lafave showed so much interest in the long-range shooting abilities of Jerry Day. I think she knows something she didn’t share with me. Where was Coach McNeil hit?”

“Right through the heart. It was a perfect heart shot. That made the M.E. suspicious. His suspicion plus the articles in the papers is what led the sheriff to start the investigation,” says Wilson.

“Jerry Day can shoot that accurately. But I can’t imagine he’d shoot the coach. He wouldn’t have had any reason,” Jake says.

“Day and McNeil were having some kind of disagreement according to what the principal told the sheriff. He didn’t know what it was about so we dismissed it when we found Day doesn’t own a 30-caliber rifle,” Wilson says then he adds, “if McNeil was sitting where he could watch the deer trail he would have been visible from here.”

Jake says, “Let’s go check that tree.”

When they get to the big Hemlock tree Wilson says, “See, here is the hole where we found the 30-caliber bullet. That’s why we thought Coach was sitting here. But you can’t see the deer trail from here.”

Jake says, “Let’s look at the other side of the tree.”

They walk around the tree and Wilson exclaims, “Oh my God! There’s another bullet hole. Coach McNeil could have been sitting here if he tried to stand up when he was shot and staggered around the tree before he fell dead. I should have looked here before.”

“Can you see if you can dig the slug out of the tree?  asks Jake.

“Sure, I will,” replies Wilson as he takes out a pocket knife and starts cutting into the tree bark.

When he gets the bullet out, he says, “I’ll take this to Towner. He’ll know what caliber it is and maybe what type of rifle it’s from. It seems smaller than the 30 caliber bullet we assumed killed the coach. If it is a .243 Winchester it’ll mean Jerry Day is a suspect again.”

Jake says, “It’s hard to believe Coach Day would kill anyone. He was my coach when I played JV football. He treated us well and taught me what I needed to know to be a star for Coach McNeil. I see him regularly at the VFW now. I have noticed though, he seems to have changed recently, especially since Coach McNeil was killed. He gave me a test to see if my PTSD was over enough for me to hunt this year. While we were at the range where he practices shooting, he said something weird. I asked if he practiced regularly so he could compete in long-range silhouette shoots. He said, “That and to be ready to eliminate evil’. I thought he was joking like he used to.”

Wilson says, “I noticed a change in his mood when I was searching his home for 30 caliber rifles. The first time he was happy and chatted with me. The second time he was in a darker mood. I thought he was happy the first time because he had won the big game with Oscoda. Now I’m wondering if living alone since his wife died is making him lonely and sad. Well, here’s the Corner Bar. I’ll let you off. Thanks for your help. It may change the sheriff’s mind if this bullet isn’t a 30 caliber. Towner is off this afternoon but I’ll take it to him first thing tomorrow morning.”

 

When he gets home Jake calls Pam Lafave and tells her what he and Wilson found. He also shares that Wilson has noticed Day’s dark mood. Pam shares that she’s more concerned than before that Day is the killer. She says, “If the bullet matches Jerry Day’s rifle the sheriff will know what to do.”