An Amish Murder Page #2

Jacob, she was bled to death.

I need to talk to you about Daniel Lapp.

What is it you want to know?

- I need to know that he's dead.

- And you come to me for this?

- If he is alive, he is killing again.

And if not, someone is copying him.

Jacob, I need to know

what happened that night.

You know what happened.

Dad took him in the buggy.

And you went with him?

Where?

The old grain mill.

Was he dead?

Must have been.

All that blood.

Did dad bury him?

Couldn't see.

I was outside. Dad took him inside.

- Wait. So you don't know if he's dead?

- Kate, I swore to dad I

would never speak of this...

...and you did too.

- Come with me to the old mill.

Why?

I need to be sure, Jacob.

You mean dig him up?

Are you listening to yourself?

You want to know about Daniel Lapp...

...go talk to Lucas Holtz.

He managed the Lapp farm for years.

Give you a reason.

...to apologize for leaving without a word.

The man you were gonna marry.

- That's it? That's

all you have to say?

It was a dark and ugly thing.

We all felt pain from that time.

I know that.

You smiled at Daniel Lapp.

...for months when he

worked for mom and dad.

I saw you.

I know what I did.

And I know what he did to me.

- How can you be sure

that Lapp is this man...

...this... This slaughterhouse?

I'm not.

But after he was gone,

the killing stopped.

I've made my peace with this.

If I go to hell for what

I did all those years ago...

...so be it.

I obeyed my father.

- Jacob, I have kept

my silence for 17 years.

I kept my word to mom and dad too.

If we go to hell...

...it won't be for what we did.

It'll be for not stopping an

evil man from killing again.

This is a bad idea.

The mill's been shut down for years.

We have to do this, Jacob.

- Our job on this earth

is to forgive, Katie.

Forgive even murder...

...even worse.

What is it?

- That rise. You see it?

What are you doing?

I'm gonna dig.

It's a dog.

I'm done with this.

- Jacob.

No, I'm finished.

I shouldn't have come here.

I shouldn't even be speaking with you.

Hey, boys.

You hungry?

Hello, Lucas.

Katie.

Thought that was you.

Hmm?

I saw you a few weeks ago.

...on birch road.

- Oh.

I saw you too.

I, um...

Wasn't sure you'd recognize me.

Your face...

Is the same.

So why are you here?

What do you want?

- I need to ask you about Daniel Lapp.

After 17 years of silence...

Daniel Lapp.

What do you want to know?

- Has anyone heard from

him since he disappeared?

I know you're angry with me.

I think you should leave.

If it's any comfort...

I lived with what I did every day.

Oh, that's interesting.

I lived with it too.

I still do.

- I don't expect you to understand...

...but I, um, lost a lot too.

I know what you lost:

Your family, your future...

Our future.

- You have every right to hate me.

I don't hate anyone.

It's not our way.

Or have you forgotten that too?

I haven't forgotten anything.

I'm investigating a murder.

- The girl they found yesterday?

- Yeah.

- What does Daniel Lapp

have to do with that?

I don't know.

Just...

Has anyone heard from him?

If I tell you, you'll leave?

If that's what you want.

I think it would be best.

I don't have any room for

you in my life anymore.

I'm married.

I know.

I have children.

- I know. I saw them.

They're beautiful.

No one's heard from him...

...not in all these years.

Left without a word.

It happens more than we'd wish.

Do we know the age?

- Can you give us a statement, please?

Do we have any suspects?

Morning, chief.

Messages?

Oh, and, um...

...there's someone in your office.

Can I help you?

- Well, I don't know. Can you?

You are?

- Tomasetti, bci.

You rang.

- You ordinarily make yourself at home.

...in other people's offices?

Thank you.

- Mm.

Well, I don't ordinarily

do a damn thing...

...but if you want to

review your case with me...

I can offer you the benefits

of my dazzling insights.

Why don't you have a seat...

Kate?

- How about you call

me chief burkholder?

- Yeah, sure. Whatever you say, chief.

Hey, Kate.

Sheriff, hey.

- Bci?

- Yeah.

Nate detrick.

- Yeah, tomasetti. We've met.

- Oh, yeah? Where?

- Last summer at your swearing in.

- Oh, right.

- Yeah, great speech.

War stories.

- Yeah, he was a state

trooper in Alaska.

Hey, tell me.

That thing you said, is it true?

You actually killed a bear?

- Well...

I mean, it was in the line of duty.

It was either him or me, so...

Didn't want to get shot...

...it shouldn't have come

down to the station.

- Oh, yeah, yeah. Right, right.

That's the line I remember...

...station... with you.

That's funny.

- Um, Kate, um...

Did the mayor call?

This morning?

Um...

Yeah, three times.

Why?

Is that why you're here?

- No, no.

I mean, I was... I was

gonna drop by anyway.

- He wants your office to

take over the investigation?

No, no, no.

I-I set him straight on that.

Um, I just wanted to let you know

...that if you need the county

to do anything for you...

...run some legwork, just,

you know, let me know.

I'm there for you.

- Okay, Nate.

I appreciate that.

You got it.

Is there a file ready?

Of course there are.

You can get Mona to

make some copies for you.

- Auggie.

- Morning, sheriff.

- Um...

- You got a minute?

Yup.

- Um, auggie, this is

John tomasetti, bci.

- Ah!

- The mayor.

- Glad you're here.

- Thanks.

So, Kate, uh...

...the town council would like.

...all public statements.

...on this situation we're having.

...to be cleared through them.

Seriously? Why?

- Well, they feel that

it's taken a long time.

...to develop the tourism here...

- Tourism? That's their concern?

They're not more concerned

about catching the...

- Kate, all public statements

will be cleared through them.

...until further notice.

Now, if you have an issue with this...

I certainly do have an issue.

- Kate, your attitude,

it's not helping.

Okay? It's not helping here.

Now, you were hired.

...because of your special sensitivity.

...to the dual nature of our community.

We value our amish citizens.

...and not just because of

the revenue they bring us.

But we did not think for a moment...

- what, that I would have

anything important to do?

- Oh, Kate, that is nonsense.

- Really, auggie?

- Yes, you are being...

- whoa, whoa, auggie.

Auggie, let's go grab a

cup of coffee, my friend.

I'm buying.

I'm sure Kate understands the situation.

...a little better than we do.

Come on.

Come on.

- Very good to meet you.

- Yeah.

No, that was great.

There's no smoking in here.

Bad night?

These are the cold cases.

Terrific.

They all like this?

Yeah, just like that.

You feel like helping, put that out.

- Yup, she put up a hell of a fight.

From the ligature marks

on her wrists and ankles...

...she may even have

broken free a few times.

- How long you think he

might have had with her?

- Some of these cuts

are partially healed...

...so I'd say...

A week at least, probably more.

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