The Guilty - Jason Pinter [93]
any earthly remains not in these coffins find that everlasting
peace.
Any earthly remains not in these coffins...
The Guilty
269
I immediately picked up the phone and dialed information
for Hico, Texas. An automated voice answered.
"What listing?"
"I'd like the main number for the Hamilton County coroner's office."
"One moment, please."
Muzak played in the background. I tuned out the
newsroom chatter. Frank Rourke walked by the mail drop,
turned and eyed me for what seemed like minutes, then kept
walking.
"Hello, sir?"
"Yeah, sorry," I said. "Who is this?"
"Well, my name is Helen, but I'm afraid there is no
coroner's office in Texas."
"Do you mean Hamilton, Texas, or Texas as a whole?"
"I'm afraid that would be Texas as a whole."
"Then who's in charge of supervising wrongful death cases?"
"That would be the Justice of the Peace, sir."
"Then can I be connected to the office of the current Justice
of the Peace?"
"Ab-so-lutely."
A minute passed as the line rang. Another woman picked
up, her voice cheerful.
"Office of Justice Waverly, this is Brenda, how may I assist
you?"
"Hi, Brenda," I said, trying to make my voice sound as
young as possible. Brenda sounded to be either in her late
fifties or late teens. An aunt type. And aunts loved their young
nephews. "My name is Henry Parker, and I'm with the New
York Gazette. I'm a junior reporter."
"Oh, a junior reporter all the way up there in New York?
That's wonderful. How can we help you, Henry?"
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Jason Pinter
"If it's possible, I'd very much like to speak with Justice
Waverly."
"Oh now, Justice Waverly is eating his breakfast and he
doesn't like being disturbed during breakfast. Do you know
that man can eat an entire stack of blueberry pancakes in one
sitting? I swear I ain't seen nothing like it ever."
"That's fantastic, Brenda, really, but it's incredibly important I speak with him. We've had four homicides here in New
York. And I think they might be related to an old case involving deaths in Hamilton County. Hico, to be exact."
There was silence over the phone as the word homicide
seeped into Brenda's thoughts. As much as she wanted to
protect Justice Waverly's breakfast routine, a good old gal like
her couldn't bear to let such atrocities simmer.
"Now, Henry, Justice Waverly will get mighty upset if I
barge in there, make him get all messy and syrupy and this
isn't an emergency of the important kind."
"Oh, I promise, Brenda, this is an emergency of the most
important kind."
Brenda sighed as the Good Samaritan in her kicked in.
"Hold on just a sec."
Rather than put the line on hold, I heard a clang as she
placed the phone down on her desk. I heard the sound of a
door being opened, then the voice of a man none too happy
about being interrupted. There was a brief spat, the sound of
someone yelling with food in their mouth, and then more footsteps as Brenda returned to her desk.
"Hello, Mr. Parker? Justice Waverly will be right with
you."
"Thanks, Brenda, you're a doll." Brenda giggled politely.
I heard a click as the line was picked up by another party.
"Hello?" a deep, male voice intoned.
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271
"Is this Justice Waverly?" I said.
"Brenda, I have it, hang up now." I heard a click as Brenda
hung up her end. "Mr. Parker, Brenda tells me you're calling
all the way from New York, that right?"
"Yes, sir. Justice, sir. I'm with the Gazette. I appreciate
your taking my call."
"I didn't take no call, Brenda threatened to give me that
terrible puppy-dog look all day if I didn't. She tells me you
said something about a homicide up there in the big city."
"That's right."
"Well, if I'm not mistaken, you New Yorkers have quite
a few homicides every year and you don't go calling me for
all of those. So what makes you think my office can help
with this one?"
"Well, sir, if I might answer a question with a question," I said,
"were you the Justice of the Peace of Hamilton County in 2004?"
"I most certainly was," Waverly said. "I have been justice
of this county for ought seventeen