1960: My uncle is the FBI Director

Chapter 283 God Abandoned You
Bernie asked Theodore:

"How do you know he borrowed money from John Cartwright?"

He pointed in the direction of old Bob's bedroom.

Theodore put it succinctly:

“Ted also borrowed money from the deceased’s family.”

Bernie didn't understand the relationship between the two.

Theodore looked at him:

"The main source of income for the residents of Gusong Town is hunting in the mountains, picking wild fruits, and maintaining forest roads. Commerce is not developed here, the residents do not have much money, and their ability to withstand risks is extremely poor."

Bernie waved his hand to stop:

"You mean they're very poor, right?"

Theodore nodded.

Bernie was still puzzled:

"What does this have to do with old Bob borrowing money from John Cartwright?"

Theodore continued to explain:
“Ted runs a grocery store and a post office, so his economic strength should rank among the top in Lone Pine Town.”

"But when Ted's wife fell ill, he had no choice but to borrow money for her treatment."

"The family he lent money to was the deceased's family."

"According to information provided by Sheriff Hawkins, many people in the town would borrow money from the deceased's family when they encountered difficulties."

"This suggests that the deceased's family was likely the wealthiest people in Lone Pine Town, or at least one of the wealthiest. The townspeople all knew that the deceased's family was very rich."

"The deceased's money came from his craft of making animal head specimens, and he already had a stable customer base."

Bernie thought for a moment and asked Theodore:

"Are you talking about that councilman from Shenandoah County?"

Theodore nodded.

Bernie expressed skepticism:
“That congressman only buys one or two specimens a year, and the highest price he offers is only $200.”

"This tavern probably earns more than $200 a year, right?"

Theodore corrected him:

"It's $400."

"But the second deceased could expand his clientele by leveraging this buyer in Shenandoah County."

"This may also be the reason why the second deceased agreed to open a shop in Shenandoah County."

"With their expertise in making specimens, the deceased's family may have become the richest people in Lone Pine, which is why they sought to acquire a tavern and open a taxidermy shop, and even wanted to move their home to Shenandoah County."

“The other townspeople don’t not want to move, but they don’t have the financial means to live in the county town, so they can only stay in Gusong Town.”

Bernie understood somewhat:
"Furthermore, Sheriff Hawkins mentioned that old Bob borrowed money from John Cartwright for his car accident."

"So when he was attacked by the black bear, he also borrowed money from John Cartwright."

Theodore nodded:

"Yes."

"But old Bob may not have returned the money to the second victim."

Bernie was somewhat surprised and sat up abruptly from the bed.

Theodore also sat up:

“Anne mentioned during an argument with Bob that the attack occurred ten years earlier, in 1951.”

"But old Bob said it took them three years to pay off the debt."

"Given his two creditors, one of whom offered to lend money and said there was no rush to repay it, and the other who took the opportunity to buy the tavern at a significantly reduced price, it is unlikely that old Bob would pay off the deceased's family's debts first."

"He should pay back Ted first after he makes money."

"But the murder happened the year after old Bob was attacked, when he may have just recovered from his injuries and hadn't even had time to earn money."

"This may also be why old Bob left in a hurry, ending the conversation."

"He didn't want anyone to know that he still owed the deceased's family money."

Bernie hesitated before asking Theodore:

"During his recovery, Bob had to watch his wife and children suffer with him because they couldn't afford painkillers and had to grit their teeth and endure it."

“This all fits your profile of the killer.”

"Could it be that on the night of the incident, old Bob went to talk to John Cartwright about repaying the money, and John Cartwright disagreed, or even took the opportunity to propose buying the pub, and then the two had a conflict, which led to old Bob killing the Cartwright family?"

Theodore glanced at him in surprise and shook his head:

"Judging from the photos accompanying the autopsy report, the second victim was in good health, while old Bob had just recovered from his injuries and, considering his financial situation, was probably very weak."

"If the killer was Bob the Elder, he should have been subdued by the victim, number 2, shortly after the physical altercation."

"Moreover, the economic dispute was not enough to make Bob the elder commit the act of strangling victim number 3 in front of two adult victims."

"This is intense hatred and anger."

"In the end, old Bob recovered from his injuries, and the pub was still in their hands. Apart from his wife and children suffering some hardship during this period, no losses were incurred."

He reminded Bernie:
“Old Bob’s injuries were caused by a black bear. When he needed money the most, the second victim lent him money, which enabled him to receive treatment.”

"Judging from the conversation just now, old Bob doesn't seem to harbor the same intense hatred for the deceased's family as the murderer did."

There was a knock on the door.

It's Billy Hawke.

He came to deliver the confidentiality agreement.

Bernie glanced at old Bob's signature, a strange look on his face:
Did he say anything?

Just as Billy Hawke was about to leave, he paused, looking at Bernie with a puzzled expression:
What should he say?

Bernie shook his head.

Billy Hawke then looked at Theodore.

He always felt like something had happened that he didn't know about.

Theodore shook his head at him.

Billy Hawke left, suspicious.

the next morning.

Bernie and Agent Cronin drove to the police station, while Theodore and Billy Hawke went directly to Ted.

Ted was standing in front of the grocery store across the street when he saw the two men walking towards him. He nervously fiddled with the shelves in front of him, making a mess of the neatly arranged goods.

Theodore showed his identification and explained his purpose.

Ted was very enthusiastic and eager to help, answering almost every question.

He did lend money to old Bob ten years ago.

Earlier, when his wife was ill, he did borrow money from the John Cartwright family.

Ted was grateful to John Cartwright for helping him when he was most in need of money, even though the money couldn't save his wife's life.

This is also why, after the John Cartwright family was murdered, he went with Sheriff Hawkins to Shenandoah County to retrieve their bodies.

Theodore asked him who the other people who went to the county town to transport the bodies were.

Ted pointed to himself, then pointed towards the police station:

"Just Will and me."

He was somewhat moved:
“Will and John are very close. John has always followed Will around since he was little and played with us.”

Theodore interrupted him:

"Didn't Luke Morrow go?"

Ted shook his head:

"Luke went on patrol in the mountains."

Billy Hawke was somewhat incredulous:

"Isn't he a good friend of John Cartwright?"

Ted sighed:

"Will called out to him, but he refused."

"Because of this, Will and he even got into a fight, and the two of them didn't speak to each other for almost a year."

“Luke practically lives in the mountains. He only comes down for a day or two before going back up.”

He lowered his voice:
"He has been looking for his son Danny."

"Danny disappeared a month before the John family was killed."

“He probably saw the killer who murdered John’s family and was silenced.” Theodore and Billy Hawke exchanged glances, both thinking of the outrageous rumors they had heard last night.

Now there's something even more outrageous.

Ted leaned forward, lowering his voice even further, speaking mysteriously:

“If we hadn’t seen the killer, how could such a coincidence happen? He had just disappeared, and then John’s family was murdered.”

"They also said that the people were attacked by wild animals and that's why they disappeared."

“I grew up in Lonely Pine Town, and I’ve never heard of any wild beast that can swallow a person whole without leaving a drop of blood or a piece of clothing.”

“We’ve gone up the mountain to search several times, but we haven’t found anything.”

He shook his head and sighed.
"Danny is a good kid, just not very talkative, just like his father."

Theodore asked him:
Where did Danny Morrow disappear?

Ted shook his head:

"do not know."

Billy Hawke looked at Theodore with skepticism.

Ted pointed outside:

"It's probably behind the school."

"That morning, the school teachers noticed that Danny hadn't come to school, so they contacted Will."

“When Luke goes up the mountain on patrol, Danny will stay at Will's or John's house.”

"Will said Danny wasn't at his house last night, and the teacher contacted John again, who said he hadn't been to his house either."

"Danny didn't go home after leaving school the previous afternoon. He probably went up the mountain via the road behind the school and accidentally ran into the killer, which is why he was silenced by the killer."

"There is a path behind the school that leads into the mountains. It was a path that the loggers used to make when the timber company was still there. The children often went into the mountains from there."

Passersby greeted Ted and looked curiously at Theodore and Billy Hawke.

Ted responded enthusiastically, sitting up straight, and proactively introduced himself as cooperating with the FBI agents' investigation.

Pedestrians immediately looked at him with admiration.

After the pedestrians had passed, Billy Hawke immediately pulled out a confidentiality agreement and handed it over:
"Sign this first."

He briefly explained the requirements of the confidentiality agreement to Ted.

When Ted heard that he couldn't disclose the contents of the conversation or discuss case-related information with others, he looked visibly resistant.

"I won't tell anyone."

"Everyone in town knows I'm very tight-lipped."

"It's true! Go ask around if you don't believe me!"

"Aren't you living at Anne's house? Ask Anne and old Bob!"

"They know me best! We've known each other since we were kids!"

"And Will!"

Billy Hawke remained silent, simply taking out a pen, placing it on the agreement, pushing it forward slightly, and then quietly watching him.
Ted had no choice but to sign the agreement.

Billy Hawke put away the confidentiality agreement with satisfaction and reiterated the requirements of the confidentiality agreement to Ted.

Theodore asked him curiously:

"What are all these people doing there?"

Since they left, they have seen more than a dozen people heading towards the church.

Ted looked utterly dejected.
"They went to clear the forest roads."

"Luke came back yesterday. If there are any forest trails that need to be cleared, we will explain the situation to them today."

"They will go back and prepare, and will set off tomorrow or the day after."

One of the main sources of income for the residents of Gusong Town is the maintenance of forest roads.

This is a good job that's paid by the day, and there are always a lot of people vying to do it.

If they weren't afraid of disturbing Luke Morrow's rest, angering him, and causing themselves to never be hired again, these people would have stormed into Luke Morrow's house last night.

After leaving Ted, Theodore and Billy Hawke headed to the church.

Pastor Sal is preparing for tomorrow's Sunday Mass.

He seemed somewhat surprised to see Theodore and Billy Hawke.

Pastor Sal was very cooperative.

He told the two that John Cartwright was a devout believer who donated to the church every year.

Theodore asked Reverend Sal for a list of people who had been to the church after the incident.

Pastor Sal stood at the foot of the altar, turning to look at Theodore:

"Their bodies were lying here before the Shenandoah County Sheriff's Office arrived. We held a vigil for them, and quite a few people came."

"Later they were brought back, and the funeral was held here."

"The whole town has come."

Billy Hawke asked him:

Has anyone shown any unusual behavior?

Pastor Sal turned to him and asked softly:

What kind of behavior would be considered abnormal?

Before Billy Hawke could answer, he shook his head to himself:

"I was quite busy during that time, and there were a lot of people here, so I didn't pay attention to these things."

"The return of John's family to the Lord's embrace is a great sorrow for everyone."

Billy Hawke glanced at Theodore instinctively.

Theodore continued to ask:

"Besides funerals and vigils?"

"Has anyone come to church to confess to you?"

Pastor Sal corrected him:
"Not to me, but to the all-knowing and all-powerful God."

“I am merely God’s representative, listening to confessions.”

He then confirmed with Theodore:
When do you mean?

Theodore thought for a moment:
"After the incident, but before the funeral."

Pastor Sal shook his head, his words concise and to the point:

"No."

Theodore then asked:
"Has anyone never come back since the incident?"

After a few seconds of silence, Pastor Sal turned around and picked up the rag again to wipe the altar.
"Changes in belief are a normal thing."

Billy Hawke and Theodore exchanged a glance, then approached Pastor Sal:

"who is it?"

He looked sincere:
"Pastor Sal, we need this list."

"The killer of the John Cartwright family is among these people."

Pastor Sal put away the rag and walked to the back with a sullen face:

"I have no right to reveal other people's beliefs to you."

Theodore and Billy Hawke tried to follow, but he stopped them.

Pastor Sal looked serious:
"I need to prepare for my sermon for tomorrow's Sunday Mass, and I need a quiet environment where I won't be disturbed."

Theodore met his gaze and asked sincerely:
"Is protecting the murderer also a message from your Lord?"

Pastor Sal's face stiffened, and he said in a deep voice:
“God did not make me a judge or a policeman, but a shepherd.”

“My mission is to lead the lost to repentance, not to hand them over to Caesar.”

Theodore nodded seriously:
"Your leadership doesn't seem to be working very well."

"If he no longer comes to church and refuses to see you, how can you lead him to repentance?"

"Rely on your God?"

"Aren't you an instrument to help God communicate with the believers? Can they hear God's teachings even without your presence?"

"Has God abandoned you?"

Pastor Sal's breathing was somewhat heavy.

He stared intently at Theodore, then silently turned and walked through the side corridor back to the lounge.

(End of this chapter)