Camel in a Snowstorm

By Chérune Clewley

The story begins with the discovery of a skeleton in the woods behind a small New England college during the Thanksgiving holiday.

The medical examiner informs the police that the victim was definitely male, definitely murdered, but not the person whose wallet was found with the body.

The Dean of Students becomes a suspect in the eyes of Lieutenant Harding, who is in charge of the investigation. But the Dean disappears, his study is ransacked, and he is found murdered.

The investigation takes the reader from Boulder, Colorado to the mountains of Canada. The Boston police almost catch up to the perpetrator, but he slips through their net, and begins a run through Maine and into Vermont.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Aug 30, 2007
• ISBN: 9781469102887

Chérune Clewley

Chérune is a classically trained pianist, who began playing the piano by ear, at the age of three. As a young child, with her sisters, she traveled extensively on the East Coast, first singing operatic nursery rhymes and favorite solos, then as a classical pianist. Her poetry has been published in various journals and anthologies worldwide. Her two books of fiction are available in both paperback and e-books from Amazon. Her interests have led her to study Astronomy, Cosmology, Numerology, and physics. Her interest in ancient history led to her spending weeks on the island of Malta. She is an avid student of Archaeology, Geology and Architecture.

Book preview

CAMEL IN A

SNOWSTORM

Chérune Clewley

Copyright © 2007 by Chérune Clewley.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

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Contents

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 20

CHAPTER 21

CHAPTER 22

CHAPTER 23

CHAPTER 24

CHAPTER 25

EPILOGUE

PROLOGUE

A tall, slim man emerged suddenly from the darkness of the woods into the weak, late afternoon sunlight. He was obviously injured, with blood smeared on one side of his face and his hair dark with it. He hobbled along the edge of the tree line and used a thick tree branch like a cane. Still he was cautious, looking over his shoulder and around the tranquil field, stopping every few steps, then turned to look at the hill rising in front of him. Instead of taking the well-worn route, up and around the pond, he continued circling around the hill. At one point, not far from a seldom used path, he ducked back into the woods and disappeared.

Minutes later the man limped back onto the brown grass of the field, without the branch, and slowly made his way up to the deserted outbuildings of the college. As he came closer to the buildings, it was evident that he had been in the stream that meandered through the middle of the woods. The bottom of his jeans was soaked, his jacket bore signs of having met the forest floor, and indeed, carried some of the leaves and debris still. His pale face was bloodied and dirty with a deep gash over the left eye. He was dragging one leg and almost fell as he passed the science building, garages and library, and disappeared finally into a rear door of the main dormitory building.

CHAPTER 1

As liberal arts colleges go in New England, Broadhurst would be considered relatively new, having been started shortly after the Second World War. Eight miles from the City of Worcester, on land that had once been a farm, it made an idyllic setting for study. Originally an all girls’ college, it had been co-ed for about thirty years, this thriving college was a well kept secret, despite an excellent reputation in academic circles.

The previous week the campus had been enshrouded for days in a thick fog. Disembodied voices and the slap of footsteps on the damp road, were all that warned others approached. Veteran students had told her it happened all the time due to the height of the hill on which the college was built. Smiling to herself, she remembered that one student had said if it was clear and you stood on the dorm roof, you could see New Hampshire. Right. Get the new kid.

Lunch over, Melanie made her way around the pond, across the gently sloped field behind it, and down to the corner path into the stark autumn forest. The trees formed a sharp edge around the grass, jealously guarding the territory within. The air was brisk with the coming winter and her warm jacket felt good. Growing up as the only child of parents who had given up on having a child years before she was born, meant being alone much of the time.

Everyone’s parents were almost twenty years younger than hers. Her mother was sixty-two years old, while her roommate Christen’s mother, was only forty-four. Melanie’s father, who was going to be seventy in a few months, had retired from his engineering job long before she even finished high school. Though he was in good health and active, she couldn’t help but be concerned about her parents future.

It was much darker in the woods, the leaves long gone with the last howling rain storm that had blown through a week before. Several slim white birch trees, their pitiful broken trunks pitched in curious angular peaks, pleaded silently to the rest of the forest. The thick cushion of leaves and pine needles, resting on years of detritus, was still damp, causing her boots to make squishing sounds in the silence. She enjoyed the sound and the solitude which helped her to think.

Melanie snuggled deeper into her jacket and pulled up the hood against the occasional stiff breeze that blew around the old tree trunks and into her ears. There was something particularly wonderful about walking through a forest in a busy world. It had not changed in who knew how many years. No cars could be heard. No airplanes streaking overhead could be seen. It was like taking a free vacation. She took a deep breath of the crisp fresh air, savoring its late November coldness, slightly tainted with a distant smell of burning wood. It was a smell that always made her happy. I wonder how many quiet woods are left to walk, she wondered aloud.

Her own voice startled her and she laughed quietly, momentarily breaking the silence and solitude around her. Melanie moved off the path as she came to the stream. She stood there a moment realizing the stream had slowed since her last visit and thin clear ice was forming here and there over the bed-rocks. She walked a few yards up the bank to some large flat stones, used them to cross over and continued walking slowly beside the stream instead of following the path that headed further into the woods. She sat down on a large flat rock near the faintly trickling water, knees drawn up to her chin, peacefully relishing the beauty around her.

She leaned back and turned slowly around on the stone and looked up at the tall trees and down to the undergrowth around her. Melanie began screaming, looking back at her was a skeleton clothed in moldy rags at the base of a large tree, its grinning head was leaning slightly askew beside a tattered shoulder. Her own screams reverberated around her, bouncing from tree to tree and rock to rock like an insane roller coaster. The hollow open mouth of the skull seemed to laugh at her terror.

She scrambled frantically to her feet, stumbled back and slipped down into the stream, still screaming. Her boots, feet and jeans now thoroughly soaked, she sought the opposite bank and the familiar path. She ran, not looking, tripped over a root and fell hard, knocking the wind out of her lungs.

With no more breath left to scream, she picked herself up, limping and lurching, ran the rest of the way out of the woods. She stopped momentarily, leaning on an old stump, to catch her breath before climbing the slope to go around the pond, which was the quickest way to a phone. She couldn’t believe she had left her cell phone in her room.

She groped in her jeans and jacket pockets for change as she ran, finding none, knew she had to alert campus security and headed for their office in the old science hall. Melanie burst into the security office to find two uniformed men lounging with their feet up on scarred desks watching a battered tv.

A skeleton in the woods! she yelled breathlessly.

They both turned to look at her, at the same time, the heavier of the two, losing his balance, grabbed the edge of the desk to catch himself.

Ow! He yelled, Damn splinters.

What’s the matter? the other, younger one said, getting up.

There’s a skeleton in the woods! It’s just lying there. Up against a tree!

Stop joking with us, the older, heavy one who seemed to be in charge pushed himself up out of his chair, We go into those woods to check all the time and we would have seen it.

Melanie could feel her heart pounding, she took a deep breath, Look, I’m not kidding. I was taking a walk, I went across the stream and it was on the other side.

Okay. Calm down. If you went across the stream, college property ends soon after that so it’s probably not even on our land. That means you were trespassing. He had lumbered toward where she stood in the door, pointing his meaty finger with its dirty, split fingernail at her accusingly.

Melanie’s mood was quickly changing from fear to exasperation with the two security men who obviously did not want to interrupt their holiday peace.

She tried again, Listen, I went for a walk, I crossed the stream and sat down on the bank just a little ways up the stream, I turned around and there was a skeleton propped against a tree. I was not trespassing. I was still on college property.

Yeah. Sure. Well, Ted, I guess we had better at least take a look at this skeleton. The older one said sarcastically. It’s probably one of the old plastic things from the storage rooms downstairs that someone put out there for a joke.

What’s your name, miss? Ted asked timidly.

Melanie Blake, I’m a transfer student

How come you stayed on campus over Thanksgiving? Don’t like turkey? the heavier one asked, chuckling.

I had papers due and I needed the time. She answered, aggravated.

The security officers pulled on their jackets, and started toward the door.

Say, Bill, don’t you think we should notify the State Police? Ted asked timidly.

Nah, let’s see what we got first, like I say, it’s probably one of those old skeletons, somebody stuck out there. No sense in getting the staties all in an uproar over nothing. Bill said gruffly.

Yeah, you’re probably right.

They closed the door, You’ll have to come with us. Show us exactly where you found the skeleton. Peters said sarcastically, waving a chunky paw.

Melanie stepped back, Do I have to? I’m all wet from the stream and I fell on the way back! I’m a mess! Can’t you find the spot yourself? There’s a flat rock by the stream on the other side, and it’s right behind it!

Okay. Peters said reluctantly Go get yourself cleaned up, we’ll take a look. What’s your dorm?

I’m in Mason Hall. I’ll be there all day. I don’t really think I want to go out there again, at least not today.

With that the two officers nodded and left with Bill muttering to Ted that the campus should have closed down. Then they wouldn’t have had to stay here. No reason why kids should be away from their parents on a holiday.

Melanie heard the security man’s words as she watched the two walking slowly away, past the pond then toward the woods, before making her way back to her room. She closed the door and began to shed her soggy boots, socks and jeans. She threw them in the dirty clothes bag stashed in the closet behind the door to the room. After taking a long hot shower and putting on fresh clothes, she made some of her favorite raspberry hot chocolate. Huddled under the bright pink afghan she’d had since she was five, she sipped from a giant mug, as she tried to get her thoughts back together.

The officers were probably right, maybe she should have gone home to be with her parents. But she’d discussed this with them before she even transferred here. They knew that she’d only be home for Christmas and again in the spring. It was a way to save money as well. Only the three of them for holidays now that dad’s brother and sister had died. Her mother had been an orphan and was, like herself, accustomed to being alone.

The thought brought back the scene in the woods. Melanie was sure the skeleton had tattered remnants of clothes on. She remembered what the security officers had said about a joke and the old skeletons from the storage rooms. Pranks being what they were, that seemed an awful lot of trouble to dress it up and stick it way out there, plus having to drag it way across the stream. No, it didn’t seem likely. This college didn’t seem to be one that allowed too many pranks, but you never knew.

The combination of brisk air, the shower and hot chocolate, Melanie soon found herself drifting off to sleep. She shook herself awake, finished her drink and had settled in at her desk with her laptop when the phone rang.

Hello?

Ms. Blake?

Ahhhh, this is Officer Peters in security, we’ll need you to come back down here to meet with the State Police. That skeleton you found seems to be for real. The State Police will be here in about a half hour, so please make yourself available. It could take a while.

Oh, then it was a real… uh… skeleton, I mean… uh… uh… person?

Yeah. We’ll see you in a half hour. The phone on the other end was slammed down in her ear and she pulled her head away from the receiver.

Melanie realized her legs were shaking and quickly sat down on the bed. Her normally calm, pleasant face was white with the returning sense of fear that she had finally pushed away. Her long dark hair accentuated her now ghostlike pallor. In all the mysteries that she had read over the years, the heroine did not sit back, fearful, in shock and tearful at every turn. Instead they had put on their game face, fought down their own terrors and helped solve the mystery.

Well, she thought to herself, there’s no hope of my solving it, but this is as close as I’ll probably ever come to a real mystery. With that thought, she rummaged around in a large brown bag for a couple of chocolate bars and some cheese crackers.

She picked her jacket up off the floor where she had dropped it, and began brushing off the dead leaves and dirt that showed evidence of her tumble in the woods. She hated talking to that security man, Peters, he said his name was just now, ever again. What a horrible person! How could they have hired someone like him to take care of the college. He was rude and mean. I’ll bet they didn’t have him show any parents around. He acted as if it was her fault there’s a skeleton in the woods.

I’ll have to get this jacket cleaned tomorrow. I hope they’ll be able to do it in one day, she thought. It’s a mess! I can’t believe it. Brand new! Damn! This dirt will never come out, she grumbled to herself, as she vigorously rubbed the material together on the front of the jacket trying to lighten the stains.

After about fifteen minutes of trying to clean up the jacket and nibbling on crackers, Melanie gave up, shrugged into it and set off. By the time she got to the science building that housed the campus security office, there was a large state police crime scene van, two state police utility vehicles and three state police cars pulled up in front. She went in to the now crowded security office.

Oh, here’s the student who found the… uuhh… a skeleton. The one called Peters said quietly.

He didn’t seem as sure of himself as he was earlier, Melanie noticed. But then the sheer size of the two state police officers would make anyone feel unsure. Each of the men had to be over six feet five and with the bulk of their winter jackets, looked like they weighed three hundred pounds.

One of them took two steps across the floor, I’m Lieutenant Harding, Miss. Trooper Parks and I have to ask you a few questions, and while I realize it will be getting dark soon, we’d like you to go with us down to the spot. It’ll take us a lot less time if you show us exactly how you got there. We need to leave now, if you’re up to it.

Melanie looked up at the state trooper, from her five foot four height and felt like she was looking at the ceiling. She saw the bluest eyes she’d ever seen in her life, and because they were set above a perfect nose and square jaw, Melanie almost forgot to answer him.

Oh… uh… Yes, yes, of course. I… uh… I can go. She stammered. Her mind raced with thoughts of ‘He’s a state trooper? He looks like a model. He’s absolutely gorgeous!’

Just then the door behind her opened and the Dean of Students fairly shoved his way into the room.

What is going on here, Peters? I just returned from town and my wife gave me your message, ‘that someone found a body?’ What kind of nonsense is this? I was just with the chief and he didn’t say anything about it. What are the state police doing here? The Dean’s rimless glasses rested high up on his nose as if they wouldn’t dare try to slide down. His bald head never seemed to stay still, as he looked imperiously from one to the other from his height, which was several inches shy of six feet.

Peters looked anxious as he answered, Uhh… yeah, Dean Stewart, this student… uhh… Ms. Blake, was walking in the woods and found a… uuhhh… skeleton.

I’m sure it’s a prank. Someone probably took one of the old biology anatomical specimens out there. We’ll investigate and the student will be promptly dealt with. The dean interrupted haughtily.

We thought someone was just playing a joke too, sir. Peters said apologetically We went out and… uuhh… uumm it was real. So we called you and the state police.

What makes you think this was real, Peters? the dean questioned sharply.

Lieutenant Harding took two steps over to the Dean, Sir, I’m Lieutenant Harding, I’ll be in charge of this situation. Right now we’re getting ready to go out to the site with your student here, Ms. Blake. You’re certainly welcome to come along with our team, but we will need to have you keep well back from the area. If we find out that it is in fact a fake, no problem. But your men here feel pretty sure these are human remains, so we are obliged to investigate.

Well, I think I’ll let our security officers go with you and Ms Blake. Ms. Blake, when you return, you stop by my residence, so that I can discuss with you what has happened. Also, Peters, I want you and Ted Connors to accompany Ms. Blake, as I want to speak to you also. I’ll try to contact President Vandevere in the meantime. After giving the group a cold look of disdain, the dean swiftly turned on his heel and stormed from the office, leaving the door to slam in his wake.

State Trooper Parks never batted an eyelash, just silently observed events, while Bill Peters and Ted Connors looked as if they wanted to run as far and as fast as possible.

Melanie left the building, escorted by the State Police crime scene team, as well as Officer Peters and four other State Policemen. She noticed that the crime team carried several large duffle bags and light-weight metal cases of equipment. While she was curious about what was in the bags, her fear of going back to the scene was uppermost in her mind.

The large group headed down into the woods. Under the trees it was much darker than it had been earlier. For Melanie, despite being with a group of people, and her resolution to be strong, the same wild urge to flee, which had gripped her earlier came flooding back in torrents the closer they got to the site.

At the forced march pace they reached the stream in ten minutes and Lieutenant Harding stopped the group.

All right Ms. Blake, if you would take the lead and show us exactly how you came to the site from here.

Melanie gulped and nodded her assent. She walked down beside the stream until she came to the rocks that she had used earlier to cross and then continued down the opposite embankment. This time, however, she was trailed by the state police team and the security officer.

When she reached the flat rock she stopped and carefully not looking to her left, said to the group in general, I sat down here for a few minutes just looking at the trees and the brook. When I turned around I was still looking at the tops of the trees, and the sky. Then, I… . I looked down… and saw… Melanie said pointing to her left, as she looked determinedly to her right.

That’s fine, thanks, Ms. Blake. Did you touch anything?

She shuddered involuntarily and said No. Heavens, no.

Okay. You can go back to the other side now, but I would like you to wait there just for a few minutes.

Melanie rushed back to the crossing stones and hurried back toward the path to wait. As she left, she heard the Lieutenant asking Officer Peters the same question, if they had touched anything in the vicinity or moved the body in any way,

Standing at the edge of the path she could see the team moving around setting up lights, stretching tape around trees. Intermittent camera flashes lit up the whole group. Large flashlights were bobbing about here and there in the woods as the police began their initial search. A tall portable work light came on at the scene and stayed on, followed by a second, and a third a few minutes later set up some distance away at an angle from the first. The forest outside of the lights looked black and ominous.

Finally, she saw the pudgy shape of Officer Peters in the eerie shadow of the portable lights cross the stream come toward her.

The lieutenant said we could go back to the campus now, they won’t be moving the . . . a… uh… skeleton, he said until some time tomorrow. But the medical examiner’s on his way here now. He’s going to leave a couple of officers somewhere up around the campus too, I think. But I guess they’re going to be up here most of the night. Peters looked back over his shoulder at the garish scene behind him and started to move off toward the path.

Melanie asked him if they had found out who it was. Peters shook his head and mumbled, I have an idea. Then went silent, wrapped in his own thoughts.

Melanie didn’t respond, as it seemed Peters didn’t want to discuss the situation any further. They had to walk slower on the path as it was just about completely dark under the trees. She looked at her watch, but she couldn’t even see the numbers, much less the hands. Well, it has to be almost five o’clock. As dark as it was it was probably after five.

They finally emerged onto the field, rising to the pond and Officer Peters said panting, I’ll give you a ride over to the Dean’s house. You’ll probably be done with him at least in time to hit the cafeteria before it closes.

Melanie knew that he was figuring that he would be without supper tonight. Watching him struggle to try and keep up with her up the rise, she realized that Peters probably looked forward to all mealtimes. He continuously fell a little behind her, then seem to get a second wind and catch up.

They walked over to the little white and blue campus security car, Peters wheezing with each step. Peters let out a Whew as he wedged himself behind the wheel and reached to pull and finally yank the seat belt over his belly, and close the door. He drove the three quarters of a mile down the road to the Dean’s white clapboard residence and pulled into the drive. Melanie got out and went up to the front door. Just as she raised her hand to ring the bell, the door swung open and she was face to face with Dean Stewart.

Ms. Blake, I was watching for you. Let’s go into my study. He looked over his shoulder at Officer Peters who was standing in the open door. Take a seat right there, Peters. The Dean said pointing to a bench in the foyer. Where’s Ted?

Uh… he’s still at the office, sir. Peters had forgotten to stop and pick Ted up, but he wasn’t about to tell the Dean.

Well you’re the one whose supposed to be in charge, so I’m glad you decided to come. The dean said sharply. We’ll only be a few minutes and then Ms Blake can get to her supper.

The dean showed her into his study, which was a small, cluttered room behind the front stairs. Diplomas and plaques shared what was left of the wall space after the overflowing bookshelves.

Ms. Blake, like I said to Peters, I won’t keep you. The Dean said as he went around and sat down behind his desk, and gestured Melanie to one of two chairs facing him. I just wanted to know what happened from you before I spoke to him. I pulled your file, and noticed that you just transferred up here from your state university in September and you’re in your junior year. How do like you like us so far?

Well, I’ve enjoyed the atmosphere around here. Everyone is really friendly. They seem very committed to studying, you know, getting good grades. Which is exactly what I was looking for.

Good, good. That’s what we here at Broadhurst College want to convey to all our students. This is a place for study, hard work, preparation for life’s work out in the world. Judging from our alumni, we seem to have reached our goal for the most part. There are plenty of colleges where party" is the first course to be passed, but not here.

Anyway, that’s not why I asked you here. I just want to learn first hand what’s been going on, so I can inform the president. Should we need to, we’ll have informed statements if we have the press here at some point. So if you can just tell me what you know and why you were in the woods.

"Basically, Dean Stewart, it was simply my wanting to take a short walk, get some fresh air after lunch. Kind of clear my head.

"I’d been working on term papers in my room this whole weekend and felt the need to get the cobwebs out. So I set off down the path behind the pond. I’ve been down there a few times since I came here. But I had never gone across the stream before.

But, it was really refreshing out there, and I knew it would probably snow any day, so this was most likely my last chance for a walk in the woods. I figured I’d stop for a few minutes on the other side of the stream and head back.

Where did you cross, Ms. Blake?

I walked up the stream on this side for a few yards and then saw some flat rocks in the stream and crossed there.

Right, I know the spot. I’ve taken a few walks down that way myself. Go on.

Anyway, after I crossed I continued on down beside the stream. The air was so fresh and clean I decided to just sit down on a flat rock that was there and enjoy it instead of walking further. I was looking around at the trees against the sky, looking at the undergrowth and turning around I saw this… that… I…

That’s fine. I understand this must have been pretty upsetting to you. I guess you came right back to campus then?

Yes. I was so upset that I crossed the stream right there instead of on the rocks. My boots got ruined with water. I was running and fell on the path. I have to get this jacket cleaned tomorrow. I must look terrible. What a mess!

I can certainly understand. You’re right, this is a mess. The dean said misunderstanding her words as he stood up and walked toward the door. Well, from what you say this is all on college property so we will have to deal with it. I was hoping that it was further out which would limit the college’s involvement. Thank you very much, for coming over. Now, why don’t you head over to the cafeteria and get your supper before they close.

With that the dean escorted her to the front door, passing Officer Peters, who