Chapter 3.

  I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live,

  but Christ lives in me.

  The life I live in the body,

  I live by faith in the Son of God,

  who loved me and gave himself for me.

  Galatians 2:20

  Sabrina had been sitting at her desk for more than half an hour, organizing documents and tallying up figures. This had been one of the days where her work never seemed to be finished, although she never complained. Sabrina loved her job and considered herself quite lucky to have found herself in the employ of the stables. It wasn't until the arrival of an unexpected visitor did she properly look up from her work.

  "Silvie," Sabrina called out, seeing her sister enter the office area. "What a pleasant surprise." Sabrina crossed the room to greet her older schweschder. After sharing a brief embrace, Sabrina asked, "What brings you here?" You should have let me know you were coming here today."

  "You’re always asking me to come and have a look where you work, so today’s the day." Pausing to take a quick look around Sabrina's office, Silvie flashed a wry grin. "And to be totally honest, Bailey’s thinking of buying another horse.”

  Sabrina laughed. “You’ve come to the right place. Most of the horses for tomorrow’s auction have arrived." Remembering there was still a large measure of paperwork to get through, Sabrina said, "I'm going to be busy here for another five minutes or so. Why don't you go and take a look around the stables? I'll be through in no time at all, and I’ll come and find you."

  Silvie looked out the side window that looked across to the stables then she made her way back towards the door. "I'm sure I'll be able to find my way there; I'll see you soon."

  Sabrina quickly set about filing away the last batch of documents. After putting away the final piece of paper, Sabrina let out a satisfied sigh and hastily went out to meet Silvie.

  * * *

  Silvie paced slowly through the stables. It was a huge stable block, and Silvie guessed there to be upwards of sixty horses. An attractive bay with a large white blaze drew Silvie’s attention. She saw what looked like a foot jutting out from behind the horse. Stepping slowly sideways, Silvie saw someone lying in the back of the stable. Silvie called out to whoever it might be.

  "Hello? Are you okay?" When there was no response, Silvie opened the stable door hoping the horse was a quiet one. To her horror, Silvie saw the lifeless body of an older male sprawled out with a knife in his back and blood seeped into the hay either side of him. Silvie ducked back away and shut the stable door. Is he dead? “Help, someone, help,” she screamed. Silvie knew that time was of the essence. She fastened the horse’s halter with a nearby clip-rope, opened the stable door, led the horse and tied him to a railing in the center of the building. She rushed back to the stable and leaned down and touched the neck of the man. There was no pulse; this man was dead.

  * * *

  Sabrina hadn't even stepped foot into the stable when she heard her schweschder's scream. Rushing to her side, she quickly felt her stomach lurch when she saw the body of her boss with a large knife sticking out of his back, lying before her. Feeling her body begin to shake, Sabrina stumbled backward and screamed while struggling to process what she saw.

  “Do you know him?” Silvie asked, holding her stomach.

  “He’s my boss. Is he…?”

  “Jah, he’s dead.”

  A few stable hands who had heard the loud scream ran in.

  “Looks like he’s dead. Someone call 911,” Sabrina yelled.

  Minutes later Sabrina heard Silvie say, “Sabrina, the police are on their way.”

  Looking vacantly up at Silvie, Sabrina managed to form a sentence. “I don’t know how it happened. How could this happen? He was alive this morning.” Still suffering from the numb grip of shock, Sabrina remained where she was until the police arrived. She didn’t register how long it took, but when the police entered the stable area, she noted that her hands were still shaking.

  “Hello, Miss?” The taller of the two males came to speak to her while the other talked to Silvie. “My name is Constable Fowler, I understand you were the one to find the body?”

  Moving up from her seated position, Sabrina eventually found the strength to speak with a degree of lucidity.

  “No, that was my sister, Silvie.”

  “I see,” Fowler responded, amending a note in his pad. “But you do work here? Mr. Caruthers was your boss?”

  “He was, yes,” Sabrina attempted to continue her reply but was cut short.

  “Would you mind accompanying us to the station, for a few questions?”

  Sabrina thought how cold the officer seemed, almost as if he thought she were responsible. But on further thought she surmised he would be like this with everyone involved in a case like this.

  “Of course. I’ll just fetch my coat.” Exiting the office, Sabrina joined her sister in the walk toward one of the many police cars in the carpark.

  The trip to the police station was a short one. Sabrina soon found herself in a room with Constable Fowler.

  “So....” the officer began, flicking through the scrawls of notes that had accumulated in his note pad. “Sabrina, you have been working as Mr. Caruthers’ employee at the stables for several months now, yes?”

  “That is correct, yes.” Sabrina’s reply was weak, but she had been gradually regaining her strength. “I work there part time at the moment.”

  “Did you and Mr. Caruthers ever engage in a relationship outside of work?”

  For a moment, Sabrina thought she had misheard the question. Once she realized that she had heard the officer perfectly clearly, she said, “Pardon me?” Was he seriously asking a question like that? Constable Fowler stared at her waiting for a response. “Absolutely not. Mr. Caruthers was my boss, nothing more.”

  Sabrina was about to enquire why he would ask such a thing when another officer poked his head around the door. “Fowler, we have something.”

  Fowler sprang to his feet, leaving Sabrina alone in the room.

  They thought she was having some sort of an affair with her boss; did they also think she knew something about his death? When Constable Fowler returned, his expression seemed more sullen than it had been previously.

  “You’re free to go, Sabrina. But we will need to keep your sister, Silvie, here for further questioning.”

  That last statement alone commanded Sabrina’s attention, forcing her to speak out. “What, why? Silvie’s done nothing wrong.” Sabrina stood up and followed the officer out of the room. Struggling to see her sibling through the gathered throng of officers that had collected in the hallway, Sabrina yelped as someone grabbed her shoulder and spun her round.

  “Trevor,” Sabrina called out, seeing her boss’s son standing before her. “What are you doing here?” As soon as she asked the question, she realized her folly.

  “Why do you think I’m here? The same reason you are, of course.”

  Trevor barked his words, seeming to be angrier than grief stricken by the ordeal.

  “I came here with John Steele; he’s at reception.” Trevor looked around at the surrounding officers, letting out an exasperated sigh. ”To be honest, I think he’s hoping for an opportunity to take over the stables. Well, I’ll be lying beside my dead father before I let that happen. That business is staying in the family.”

  No sooner had Trevor finished speaking than John Steele appeared, the look on his face suggesting he had heard every word Trevor had said.

  “Sabrina,” John Steele said softly, greeting Sabrina with a nod. “How are you?”

  “I’m okay, John.” She forced a smile as she replied, “Thanks for asking. I’ve already been questioned; they said I can go, but they’re keeping Silvie here.”

  “I’m sure it’s just procedure,” John said.

  “Silvie was the one who found him.” Sabrina fought back tears.

  “What was your sister doing in the stables in the first place? That’s a restricted area at that time of the day,” Trevor said.

  “I was going to show her the horses, but I let her go ahead of me. I was only a couple of minutes behind her.” Sabrina bit her lip hoping she wasn’t going to be in trouble with Trevor, who looked as though he would be her new boss.

  “Let’s not trouble Silvie with things like that, Trevor. She’s had a bad shock,” John said.

  “So have we all.” Trevor glared at John. “You go home; Silvie and John and I will stay here and see what the police have to tell us. Unfortunately, the show must go on, and we’ll have to have the auction tomorrow. Will you be up to coming into work?

  “Yes. I’ll be alright. I’ll go home as soon as they finish speaking to Silvie.” At that moment, Silvie appeared in the hallways in between two large policemen. “Oh, here she is.”

  “They haven’t finished with me yet, Sabrina. They want me to do a recorded statement. They’re just setting up the equipment now.”

  “I’m sorry, Silvie. I’m sorry I didn’t go into the stables with you.”

  “Go home and tell Bailey to come here. I’d like him to be here. Go in a taxi, and he can get the same taxi back here.”

  “I don’t want to leave you here, Silvie.”

  Silvie squeezed Sabrina’s hand. “It’s okay; they don’t think I killed him. They just need to know how I found him and all that. I’d like Bailey to be here. I want him to be here when they finish interviewing me. Go now, Sabrina, please.”

  Sabrina studied the strain on Silvie’s delicate, pale features. She wanted to lean on her husband. Sabrina nodded and wanted to give Silvie a kiss on the cheek, but didn’t, not with the two large officers either side of her. Sabrina made her way out of the police station where she caught a taxi.

  Chapter 4.

  Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.

  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged,

  for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

  Joshua 1:9

  Sabrina was pleased to have some silence in the taxi ride from the police station to her home. She went over the events of the day, beginning at seeing Mr. Caruthers’ body to needing to leave her schweschder at the police station. She wasn’t looking forward to informing Bailey that Silvie was being questioned by the police. Once the taxi stopped outside the house, Sabrina rushed inside to find Bailey.

  “Sabrina, you’re home early,” Bailey said, looking around for Silvie. “Silvie said she was off to visit you at work, but she hasn’t come home yet. I half thought she’d come home with you.”

  Sabrina knew the meter of the taxi was ticking over while it waited to take Bailey back to the police station, but Sabrina had to find the right words. “Silvie’s not with me, Bailey.”

  “Why? Where is she?” Concern instantly creased his brow. “Is she okay?”

  “Jah,” Sabrina was quick to respond. “When Silvie came to visit me at work this morning she found my boss in the stables and he had been murdered.”

  “What?” The color rapidly drained from his face. “They think my Silvie did it, is that why she didn’t come home with you?”

  “Nee. Not really, they just needed to keep her for questioning since she was the one who found him.”

  “Then why did they let you come home, but not her, if they don’t think she did it?” Bailey’s voice increased in volume as he spoke.

  “I don’t know, Bailey. I’m sorry, but I’ve got a taxi outside waiting to take you there.” Rubbing her temples, Sabrina attempted to will away the migraine that threatened to creep in.

  Bailey grabbed his coat from the hook beside the door and dashed out slamming the door behind him.

  Watching Bailey bolt out of the door, Sabrina finally gave in to the grief that had been trying to get the better of her since she first saw Mr. Caruthers’ lifeless body in the stable. Sabrina fled to the couch and collapsed. Her tears flowed and showed no signs of stopping. Her sobs deafened her to the sound of the front door opening. She looked up when she felt that there was someone in the room with her. It was May, Mr. Caruthers’ daughter. Feeling a slight sense of relief at seeing a friendly face, Sabrina left the comfort of the couch and flung her arms around May’s shoulders.

  “I heard that your sister found him,” May whispered through the silent moments between Sabrina’s sobs. “I’m so sorry, it must have been awful.”

  Unable to form a coherent reply straight away, Sabrina simply kept her arms wrapped tightly around May until she was able to compose herself. “Who...who told you?” she managed weakly.

  “John Steele told me. I arrived at work, and I saw all the police cars, and John Steele told me what happened and he drove me home. I hope you don’t mind me just walking in like this, Sabrina, but I saw a man outside who said his name was Bailey and he said that it would be alright if I came inside. He said that the police are holding your sister, is that right?”

  “No, not at all,” Sabrina replied, forcing the response through her tears. “They just wanted to speak to her about what she knows. She found the body, so I would imagine they have more questions for her. I’m so sorry about your father, May. You must feel dreadful.”

  May wiped away her tears. “I do; it all doesn’t seem real. It’s as though this is all happening to someone else.” May slumped in the couch and Sabrina joined her. “I hope you don’t mind me coming here, but I don’t really have any other friends to talk to,” May said.

  “I’m glad you came. You’re shaking, would you like me to make you a drink? A strong cup of tea, perhaps?”

  May gave a nod and rubbed her eyes.

  “Are you here alone?” May asked when Sabrina came back into the room with the tea.

  “Yes. It’s only Bailey and Silvie who live here, and me of course. I’m so glad you came here, May.”

  May took a sip of tea. “Don’t come to work tomorrow if you don’t feel up to it, Sabrina.”

  “Are you going?”

  “The auction must go on. We need the money; the business needs the money. No one is going to take kindly if we cancel the auction.”

  “I’ll go too. I’m so sorry about your father, May.” Sabrina bit her lip when she realized she’d already said that.

  “Thank you, Sabrina.”

  “How’s your mother doing?”

  “I’ve left her with her best friend – halfway through a bottle of whiskey. She’ll be okay.”

  May left after a second cup of tea. Sabrina stood in the doorway and watched her drive away. Sabrina thought it strange that May was comforting her and did not seem that shocked or upset that her father had just been murdered.

  * * *

  "So you're absolutely certain you didn't see anyone else enter or exit the stable grounds when you visited your sister?" the officer asked Silvie.

  Silvie was frustrated; how many ways were they going to ask that exact same question? She looked straight into the dark eyes of the officer who was asking her questions. He seemed to think she had some involvement. The other officer in the room was a woman. Silvie had no idea what rank she held, but it appeared that the man asking her all the questions out ranked her. She glared at Silvie and Silvie looked away.

  “I’ve already given you an answer and I see no sense in repeating it.” Hurry up, Bailey, Silvie shouted in her head. If they knew her husband was a former FBI agent they might lighten up a little.

  "And you didn't notice anything strange about Sabrina's behavior up until you discovered the body?" The tone in the officer’s voice led Silvie to believe that he saw nothing wrong in his line of questioning.

  "No, of course not; she seemed perfectly fine. You’re not thinking that she had anything to do with it, are you?”

  “We’ve got to ask a range of questions.” The officer dropped his eyes to the list in front of him.

  The room Silvie sat in seemed small when she first entered, and with each passing minute she remained it seemed to be closing in on her. Keep calm, breathe, it won’t be much longer.

  "When you arrived, you said Sabrina sent you to the stables ahead of her as she said she wanted to finish some work. Why do you think she did that?"

  "It’s obvious isn’t it? She wanted to finish off some paperwork." Resting her head within her hands, Silvie wondered how much longer this was going to continue. “I told Sabrina that my husband was looking for a new horse and I wanted to see where Sabrina worked. We’ve been over and over it. What more can I possibly tell you?”

  Constable Fowler looked at the female officer behind him and gave her a brief nod. Hoping this was an indication that they were now finally satisfied that she did not know anything else Silvie breathed a sigh of relief.

  Hearing the interview room door open, Silvie swung her head around to see Bailey enter the room.

  “Bailey!” Silvie said.

  “Bailey.” Constable Fowler stated while rising from his seat, echoing Silvie. “What are you doing here?”

  “I’ve come to see my wife,” Bailey replied coolly. “I hope that’s alright with you?”

  “Of course. We’re finished now. You can go, Mrs. Rivers.” Fowler addressed Bailey, “If I could have a brief moment with you?”

  “I’ll be out in a minute, Silvie.”

  Silvie and the female officer left the room. Bailey knew Constable Fowler from the times he had worked with Detective Crowley.

  “I’m sorry, Bailey, but your wife was the person who found the body. We have to make sure we know everything.”

  “I’m sure she’s helped you all she can. Is Detective Crowley going to be involved in this case?”

 

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