Chapter 8: John's death
When Evan arrived at Woodwich Cottage in his carriage, there were already many people in the house. Sheriff Chandler and several police officers surrounded the entrance of the house, and the surrounding neighbors They all stretched their necks and looked into the house, as if they could see something.
When Evan got off the carriage, Sheriff Chandler found him, he walked straight towards Evan and said, "For God's sake, you are finally here. , I just sent a police officer to invite you, come in quickly, Mrs. Lawrence is completely hysterical."
Evan can fully imagine the blow to Mrs. Lawrence. Just a few days ago, she was leading her son to show off, and her affection was beyond words, but this happened today. It is strange that Mrs. Lawrence can deal with it plainly.
"Mr. Sheriff, please tell me first, what's going on?" Evan asked while following Sheriff Chandler inside.
Sheriff Chandler waved a little irritably at the homeless man who was craned his neck outside the fence to look inside, complaining: "Gypsy! We shouldn't use trains anywhere, look what this has brought to this peaceful town! It's a disaster, I swear, it must have been a gypsy, and only These people would be so maddened!"
"Is it murder? Sheriff?" Evan looked at Sheriff Chandler in surprise.
Sheriff Chandler lowered his voice and leaned into Evan and said, "Yes, it was murder, Mr. Reverend, can you believe it? Murder! In Delan Lier!"
Evan had a shocked look on his face, but he was muttering to himself, you are surprised now, but you will not feel that way in the future.
"My God, this is horrible." Evan quickly crossed his chest, like a truly devout Protestant.
Chandler looked at Evan's pale face, for fear that he would pass out accidentally, and hurriedly said: "But don't worry, I will catch this beast soon Yes, now I want you to appease Mrs. Lawrence and let us take out Mr. Lawrence's body first."
Evan's nerves are naturally not as slender as Sheriff Chandler imagined, he pursed his lips tightly and nodded in response.
As soon as Evan entered the house, he heard Mrs. Lawrence's shrill voice coming from the living room, Sheriff Chandler frowned, and strode towards the living room, Evan also trotted hurriedly followed up.
Mrs. Lawrence in the living room was still wearing pajamas, her hair was disheveled and her eyes were red and swollen, she hugged the two police officers who were carrying a stretcher and screamed: "You gangsters, hurry up Put down my little John! He's just asleep! He can't die! He can't leave his poor mother to bear it all!" she said, beating the policeman with a look of madness in her eyes .
Sheriff Chandler was very angry when he saw it, and said loudly: "Enough! Mrs. Lawrence, we know your sorrow, but please don't hinder us in handling the case!"
Sheriff Chandler's momentum quelled Mrs. Lawrence's madness for a while.
"Handle the case?" Mrs. Lawrence turned to look at Sheriff Chandler, the sadness in her eyes almost overflowed, her thin body was trembling and she could barely stand. Sheriff Chandler couldn't help but feel a little moved.
"No...it can't be, my John is so obedient, so lovely, he can't just leave his poor mother like this..."
She was about to fall as she spoke, Sheriff Chandler hurriedly stepped forward to support her, and his tone was a little softer: "Madam, look, I invited Pastor Bruce here, He will pray for Little John's soul, you don't have to worry at all, it has happened, and I ask you to mourn."
Mrs. Lawrence hardly heard Sheriff Chandler's words, she was still murmuring, how obedient and sensible John is, as if in this world Nothing else could distract her.
In the end, Mr. Lawrence couldn't listen anymore. Before that, he had been sitting on the sofa by the fireplace with a sullen face. He stood up suddenly and took Mrs. Lawrence from the sheriff's hand. Pulling over, he said sternly: "Okay! Enough! Don't make any more trouble! What's the point of saying these words again! It's you who spoiled him!"
Mr. Lawrence was talking without end, but he didn't even dare to look at John, his lips trembled and his cloudy eyes were a little red, as if he was about to cry in the next moment .
But he didn't cry, but Mrs. Lawrence did. Her voice was so sad and desperate, like a mother beast who lost her cub, and everyone present couldn't help but be moved.
These people of course also include Evan, even if he is really hard-hearted, but when he faces this kind of scene, his heart can't help but soften, Evan bows his head After crossing the cross, reciting a prayer in his mouth, he walked to the stretcher carrying John.
Evan lifted the white cloth covering John's face, his eyes were wide and pale, and there seemed to be a trace of puzzlement in his eyes, I thought he didn't expect this to happen to him In fact, Evan did not expect it.
Sheriff Chandler silently walked to Evan's side and whispered: "Poor boy, he was hit on the back of the head with a lamp, and he died just like that, he was only twenty-two years old, There is also a lovely fiancee whose life ended so early."
Evan did not respond to Sheriff Chandler's sigh, he half-kneeled in front of John, put the Bible on John's forehead, crossed his chest, and recited a prayer. After covering the white cloth, he stood up.
"Did you find out who did it?" Evan whispered.
Sheriff Chandler smiled a little embarrassedly: "There is no conclusion yet, it still needs further verification by the forensic doctor, otherwise there is no way to determine the real time of death."
Evan raised his eyebrows, did not speak, turned to Mrs. Lawrence, and went to do his job to comfort her.
Mrs. Lawrence was still crying in Mr. Lawrence's arms, and now she saw Evan coming, like a drowning man who grabbed the last straw, and slammed out of Mr. Lawrence's arms He broke free, grabbed Evan's arm tightly, and said sadly, "Mr. Pastor, my John is a good boy. He can go to heaven, right?"
Evan helped Mrs. Lawrence to sit down and said softly: "Don't worry, John is a devout believer, God will use his broad mind to accept him into heaven, no matter what he does what happened."
Wearing a cigar with a sad expression on his face, his expression did not change at all.
Evan was a little confused for a while, didn't Jimmy shake this thing out.
Dr. Hester just came down from the upstairs while Evan was comforting Mrs. Lawrence. His eyes were full of excitement, but when he saw Evan's reproachful eyes A little embarrassed to restrain himself, he stepped forward, took out a tube of tranquilizer, put two drops in Mrs. Lawrence's water glass, and handed it to Mrs. Lawrence: "Madam, drink a little, it's good for you. of."
Mrs. Lawrence had completely lost her strength at this time. She took Dr. Hester's glass in a daze and drank it.
Mr. Lawrence stood up, supported Mrs. Lawrence, and said solemnly: "Thank you, Dr. Hester, Pastor Bruce, I'm feeling a little sick now, so I won't send you two, please. Do it yourself."
After he finished speaking, he helped Mrs. Lawrence up to the second floor.
Evan looked at this situation, and it is not good to stay here, he also stood up and said to the doctor: "Come on, this poor couple has experienced enough today. , don't bother them any more."
Doctor Hester looked a little unfinished, but he didn't dare to say anything more, so he had to agree with Evan with a smile, and left the Lawrence house with Evan.
Out of the Woodwich Cottage, Dr. Hester immediately took a carriage to the police station. He is a small town doctor and the only forensic doctor in the police station. Today he needs to autopsy the body.
And Evan did not leave immediately, he avoided the more or less visiting eyes around the cottage, and spared back from the backyard of the house, he passed through the useless fence gate and walked into Lawrence In the garden of the house, further ahead was the kitchen, and he had heard Jimmy say that he had a good relationship with a cook in the kitchen.
Evan walked to the kitchen door, but found that the kitchen door was open, he walked in and heard a faint cry, Evan walked over along the cry, I saw a little girl in a maid outfit covering her eyes and sobbing.
She heard someone coming, she raised her head hastily, saw Evan, and was relieved: "Oh, it's you, Pastor Bruce, do you need something?" She wiped Wiping her red eyes, there was still a hint of crying in her voice, but her face was still delicate and beautiful, with a hint of childishness of a girl.
Evan smiled softly and whispered: "I'm here to find Jimmy, is he there?"
The maid seemed a little surprised by what Evan said. In her opinion, it was impossible for a low-class person like Jimmy to know a gentleman like a priest.
"Oh...oh, you came to see Jimmy..." The maid's expression instantly became a little cramped: "But... But, look, Jimmy left Woodwich Cottage early this morning, He said he had a new job and was leaving here, so he should be going home."
"Jimmy found a new job?" Evan couldn't help frowning. That night, Jimmy was worried about being fired. How did he find a new job today, Evan was a little puzzled.
Seeing that Evan's expression was wrong, the maid became more and more cramped: "Mr. Pastor, you...do you have anything to do with him?"
Evan saw the horror in her eyes, and couldn't help but smile: "No, it's just that he left something in the church last time, I'll just ask."
"Oh, so it is." The maid was relieved: "Jimmy is such a person, he always likes to throw things around, I can give you the address of his home, you can send it directly. Enough."
Evan nodded and wrote down the address the maid said.
Just before he was about to leave, he glanced at the faintly emerald green lace ribbon in the maid's hair, and suddenly said, "Why did you cry just now?"
Good master, we all miss him dearly."
Evan twitched the corners of his mouth when he heard it. The term John and good master had nothing to do with it. At the last banquet, he had seen John scolding the manservant more than once. The maid may also have some hidden secrets.
Evan looked at the maid at a glance, and smiled gently: "My child, the door of Derain's Church is always open for you, no matter what kind of trouble you encounter. Come to me, God will not close the door for any devout believer."
After he finished speaking, he ignored the sad-looking maid, turned and left the Lawrence house.