Reap the Whirlwind

“Bobby. What in the Sam Hill is going on here?” I heard the deep voice of Sherriff Turner asking. His voice was the biggest part of him. All of five foot four inches, he was not the most intimidating figure.

“At this time, I would say, NDC.”

“NDC. What kind of Bureau jargon is that?

“It’s official terminology, No Dang Clue.” I heard him chuckle.

“Scary Harrys’ death has put fear into the community. I have to say I am a little frightened myself.”

“Sherriff, no matter what it looks like, there is always a simple explanation for why death occurs. The ways in which they are carried out are various and sundry, but the motives are always simple.”

“I hope you are right, and this mess gets cleared up quickly.” He turned and walked back towards his patrol car.

The withering rhythms of the trees put me into a trance. This moment was unexpected, and my mind would not refocus. The time seemed to slow down, and movement was at a surprising slow pace. This was a highly alarming set of circumstances in which I found myself.

I do not want to brag but unusual is my normal. I had seen death in many fashions. Natural, intentional, accidental and the purely absurd. I mean witnessing the aftermath of frozen toilet water falling from a plane and flattening a person. Well, saying it is absurd may be a human tragedy, but it is true absurdity.

Today’s events topped even that fiasco. So much so that I stood there looking at the rhythmic swaying of the trees. Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention. The trees themselves are where the evidence of death resided. The pieces of clothing strung around different branches. The bloody trunk about twenty feet from the ground. What happened you asked? That is what I am trying to discover myself.

Harry was the man’s name. He was a local school maintenance worker who owned and operated the only store in the community. He was honest and hardworking, trying to make an honest and very humble living.

His home was close to the trees where he was found or at least what was left of him. The school was across the street from the home, which also serves as the location of his little store. The front room of his house is where the cooler for the cokes and the shelves for the candy was located. I would pay a visit there later. But first, I needed to talk with the people whose eyes I felt looking upon me. They were all around--the school employees, the residents of the neighborhood who had gathered in front of the school building.

“Hello, my name is Bobby. I am an investigator with the local branch of the FBI. I would like to ask everyone some questions.” The crowd peered at me with incredulity as I approached them. Not hard to imagine after witnessing the after effect of the killing that had occurred across from where they stood.

“If you do not mind, I would like to talk to each of you individually. The Sherriff let me know that there is a small office in the school building I could use. Who would like to be the first?” There were about ten people in the crowd before me. All stood frozen with their mouths closed tight.

“Ok then you.” I pointed to a tall, frumpy looking woman who was wearing a tattered “Mumu” gown. “You will be the first I interview. Come with me.” I reached out with my right hand and put it on her shoulder, turning her toward the school and we walked to the little office space. Small was an understatement. There was a small five by five table with two old wood chairs arranged in such a way as each person could enter and then squeeze into their seat. I supposed they called the opening in the wall a window view, but it looked like an oversized fishbowl.

“I don’t know anything about this happening!” The woman blurted out before I could even settle into the hard and uncomfortable chair.

“First, what is your name?” I wanted to show her I was in control, not her.

“Petunia, but you can call me Nia, everyone else does.”

“Happening? Can you explain what you mean by that?” I wanted her to explain her odd name. Her mother must have known she was going to be a grump.

“Happening. It is like an act of God. It happens when it needs to happen.”

“It, needs to happen?” I spoke slowly and deliberately.

“Yes. What happened to Scary Harry needed to happen a long time ago. He was the meanest and most vile man I knew. He deserved what he got.” She took a deep breath and folded her arms upon her ample chest.

“Why was he known as Scary?”

“He was the type that would turn on you quick. One second, he was quiet and dossal, then without warning he would snap at any little thing. It did not matter what. Most times people would not know why he snapped. He just blew a gasket.” She looked out the little fishbowl window. Her eyes had furrowed as if she was thinking.

“Do you know what happened here today, truly? You called it a happening, or act of God, but what exactly happened? How did he end up splattered twenty feet up a tree?” There was a long pause of silent pondering.

“No, all I know is that this was a strange event. That event ended with the death of Harry.” She stood and looked down at me.

“Can I leave?” I nodded and she slowly left the room. The next eight people repeated what the first women had spoken. “Act of God and Happening,” it was strange the way their stories mirrored. But that was not uncommon in cases such as this. Weird breeds weird as I had found out over the years of investigations I had directed. The last witness entered the room. This man was around six-foot. If he weighed a buck forty it would be a miracle. The overalls and the hat swayed me to believe that he was the community scarecrow. If not for the clothes, then the big, crooked nose coming off his skinny face did. Man, this town.

“Can you tell me your name sir?”

“Ichabod.” A lite nasally voice said. I looked at him. The sarcastic feeling I felt coming on must have translated to my face, “Just kidding. My name is Tim. Man if looks could kill, I would not be breathing.” He smiled.

“Well, it has been a long day, and the circumstance does not help either. Can you shed any light on what has occurred here?”

“Nothing more than what everyone else has told you. You would have to say though, an act of God is a reasonable description.”

“That seems to be the common theme.” He looked at me with a curious look. He wanted to say something, but I would have to sway him to do so. “Have you noticed any new faces in town lately?”

“Well, there was the other three letter man who came by last week. He was with Nia for quite some time.” His nasally voice seemed to slither through the room.

“Three letter man?”

“Yea, you know FBI, CIA and so forth.” I noticed a little smirk on his face. “He was with the worst one, the IRS.” My head nodded before I caught myself.

“So, Petunia had a tax problem?”

“I do not know but I caught the two arguing in Scary Harry’s store not long after he made it to town. I thought I had walked in on something terrible when I opened the door and they saw me. But before that happened the two of them walked out in a real hurry.” Finally. A clue.

“Did you see them together again?”

“I can’t say as though I did.” He reached up and picked his overly large nose.

“Was Harry there at the time?”

“He came out from the back when he saw the two leaving. I asked him what was going on and he just said he would tell me later. I got a drink and left.” I asked him a couple more questions but there was nothing more he could tell me. So why did Nia not mention this? I walked out and looked up at the county coroner retrieving the remains. I did not envy him.

I went to the small motel room where I was staying and took a shower. The whole experience had me feeling dirty. I decided I needed to grab a bit to eat, so I went to a little restaurant on the other side of town. I sat at a little wooden table waiting on my country fried steak.

“Bobby, I did not expect to see you here.” I heard a familiar voice. Sheriff Turner, I decided to bug him by calling him by his nickname.

“Pukey, everyone needs to eat.” I saw the sour look on his face and I smiled. He never could get over his sickness after seeing blood.

“Well, can I join you?” Without my response he sat down across from me.

“Terrible thing that happened to Harry. You never know when your time will come. He ordered the special and a sweet tea.

“Why was there an IRS agent in town talking to Petunia?” I asked. He looked confused.

“I do not know. Where did you hear that?”

“Ichabod.” I responded.

“Who?” He asked.

“Tim.”

“Oh. Tall, skinny with a big nose. I got it. He told you this?”

“Yea. Just thought you may know why. I need to see his store tomorrow. Can you help with that?” He nodded his head and his food came. When we finished, we agreed to meet in the morning to look over the store. Hopefully, we will find some clues there. I needed some supplies, so I decided to walk over to the dollar store. How could this man have ended up twenty foot up a tree? Maybe this was an act of God. But there was something that lingered in the back of my mind, I just could not put my finger on it. I found myself in front of the dollar store and walked in only to find myself looking face to face with that gigantic nose. It was Ichabod.

“Twice in a day. Must be your lucky day. I forgot to tell you something, do you have time?”

“For you, always.” I responded.

“Well first, what did you think about Nia? She is a real gem, hey?” He chuckled.

“She was a real peach. Now I am in a bit of a rush.” I rolled my hand, signaling him to speed it up. I was not really in that big a hurry but his nasally voice was irritating me.

“Did you know she came here after retiring from the circus? She was some kind of strong woman." He smiled big, revealing some teeth that needed some attention from a dentist.

“No, I did not know that. But why do you think that is important?” I asked him, not understanding where he was heading with this conversation.

“You need to watch her. She had some kind of beef with Harry. I do not know what it was, but they did not like each other.”

“I will keep that in mind.” I nodded and headed into the store. I grabbed my supplies and headed back to my motel room.

The next morning, I got up early and grabbed some coffee from the front desk of the motel. I wanted to make it to Harry’s store before looky lues showed up. I knew the sheriff would not be there, but I was not one to let that stop me. There had to be some clue there at the store I had missed. Something to explain his death. I made it to my car and headed there.

I parked a few hundred yards from Harry’s house/store and walked up. It was always good to survey a place before going in. I walked around the building. I could see nothing unusual, but I had a strange feeling. Something was telling me that something was off. I reached to my right side and unhooked the strap that held my gun in place. I walked to the front door and opened it slowly. I walked into the store and slowly looked around.

There was nothing unusual that stood out in the store. I looked then reached over and grabbed a Snickers bar. The coffee just was not cutting it. I opened the wrapping and took a bite. Then looked out the window to see if the sheriff had made it yet. No sign of him outside. Then I heard something from the back of the house. It sounded like someone forcing open a door. I turned, finishing the candy bar, I headed in that direction.

I made it to the back of the store to a door that separated it from the living space. I paused and put my ear to the door to hear what I could. I heard Petunia’s voice talking but I could not make out the second voice, it was too low. I pulled my pistol, opened the door and yelled, “Hands up!” Then I felt a pain in the back of my head and everything went black.

There was an acrid, ammonia smell, and my head jerked back, and my eyes opened. I noticed light shining through the window on the west side of the house. I had been out for quite some time. I looked and saw Petunia looking down at me. My hands tied so I could do nothing.

“Good morning sunshine.” She said and then she walked over to a table where to my disbelief sat the sheriff.

“Pukey, say it ain’t so. You were in on this the whole time?” I asked. Then to my surprise I saw another figure walking in. He was an average sized man wearing a cheap suit.

“Bobby, I am sorry for this, but you just got caught up in the winds of change.” The sheriff responded.

“Hello, I am Carl. You do not know me, but I am the one in charge here.” The man in the cheap suit said. “Unfortunately for you, showing up this morning early has sealed your fate. We cannot afford for you to live now. And to think an IRS agent, a sheriff and a freak show strong woman are in cahoots and are about to kill an FBI agent. It is almost biblical.” The man laughed.

“What is all this about?” I said in a faint voice as my head pounded from the blow that knocked me out.

“Money laundering of course. You would be surprised at the amount of money this store has running through its coffers.” Carl said, laughing again.

“I suppose Harry got greedy.” I guessed aloud.

“Bingo!” Petunia said. “He wanted more so he could leave and spend the rest of his pathetic life at the beach with some young blonde he met online. He was stupid.”

“Is it ready?” the sheriff asked.

“Yeah, it is ready.” Petunia answered. I looked out the window and the sun had gone down behind the tree line. Was this going to be my last night on earth?

Petunia reached down and put a rag in my mouth and snatched me up like a small bag of potatoes. She flung me over her shoulder and started out the back door. When she got on the porch she turned and looked back inside at the two who were following her. This gave me time to look at some strange device on the ground just off the steps of the porch. She was telling them she would need their help this time. I took the opportunity to fiddle in my pocket for a small knife. I had learned from experience how much the small things played a role in the final outcome of bad situations. I opened the knife and started cutting the ropes. She turned back and headed to the contraption.

“A gift from my friends at the circus, the flying Fellini’s.” She said and then laughed. I had about cut through the rope when Carl spoke up.

“He has a knife, Petunia!” But it was too late I was through the rope, and I injected the small blade into the back of her neck. She dropped me. I looked and the other two were rushing towards me. Carl reached out to grab me, but I kicked him in the groin and threw him towards Petunia, who was struggling to remove the blade in her neck. Both fell on the odd device. A rush of air caused a piston to set the machine off. It flung the two up and out with a great velocity. Both hit the tree opposite where Harry was found just a few hours earlier.

“Act of God, huh Pukey. You murdered Harry,” I said turning back to the dirty cop I thought was my friend.

“We can work this out, Bobby. I have a hundred thousand inside I can give you. We can say we solved this crime together. We can do this together.” He said with the conviction of a cornered rat. He must have seen the look on my face because he reached for his gun. I rolled to my left and at the same time reached for the small pistol in my ankle holster. I heard a shot whiz by my ear before I pulled the trigger. Striking into his right shoulder. His gun dropped and he stepped forward dropping to his knees. I walked over and picked up his gun.

“Reap the wind and get the whirlwind.” I told him when I put him into handcuffs.