Windmills of the Gods

“Edward Ashley,” Mary said. “Edward Ashley is my family doctor.”

LATER MARY REMEMBERED WALKING Up to the house and Sheriff Monster leading her inside. Florence and Douglas Schiller were waiting for her in the living room. The children were still asleep.

Florence threw her arms around Mary. “Oh, darling, I’m ‘so terribly, terribly sorry.”

“It’s all right. Edward had an accident.” Mary giggled.

Douglas Schiller looked into her eyes. They were wide and vacant. He felt a chill go through him. “Come on, I’m putting you to bed.”

He gave her a sedative, helped her into bed, and sat at her side. An hour later Mary was still awake. He gave her another sedative. Then a third. Finally she slept.

IN JUNenON City there are strict investigative procedures involved in the report of a lone injury accident. An ambulance is dispatched from the county Ambulance Service, and a sheriff’s officer is sent to the scene. If army personnel are involved in the accident, the CID-the Criminal Investigating Division of the army-conducts an investigation along with the sheriff’s office.

Shel Planchard, a plainclothes officer from CID headquarters at Fort Riley, and the sheriff were examining the accident report in the sheriffs office.

“It beats me,” Sheriff Monster said.

“What’s the problem, Sheriff?” Planchard asked.

“Well, looky here. There were five witnesses to the accident,

right? A priest and two nuns, Colonel Jenkins, and the truck driver, every single one of them says-exactly the same thing: car ran the stop sign, turned onto the highway, and was hit by the army truck.” Sheriff Monster scratched his head. “Mister, have you ever seen an accident report where even two eyewitnesses said the same thing?”

“It just shows that what happened was pretty obvious.”

“There’s somethin’ else nigglin’ at me. What were a priest and two nuns and a colonel doing out on Highway Seventyseven at three thirty in the morning?”

“Nothing mysterious about that. The priest and the sisters were on their way to Leonardville. Colonel Jenkins was returning to Fort Riley.”

The sheriff said, “I checked with the Department of Motor Vehicles. The last ticket Doc Ashley got was six years ago, for illegal parking. He had no accident record.”

“Sheriff,” said the CID man, “Just what are you suggesting?”

Monster shrugged. “I’m not suggestin’ anythin’. I jest have a funny feelin’ about this.”

“If you think there’s some kind of conspiracy involved, there’s a big hole in your theory. If-“

The sheriff sighed. “I know. If it wasn’t an accident, all the army truck had to do was knock him off and keep going’. There wouldn’t be any reason for all these witnesses and rigmarole.”

“Exactly.” The CID man rose and stretched. “Well, I’ve got to get back to the base. As far as I’m concerned, the driver of the truck, Sergeant Wallis, is cleared. Are we in agreement?”

Sheriff Monster said reluctantly, “Yeah.”

MARY Ashley decided later that the only thing that saved her sinity was being in a state of shock. Everything that happened seemed to be happening to someone else. She was underwater, moving slowly, hearing voices from a distance.

The church was filled to overflowing. There were dozens of wreaths and bouquets. On ‘e of the largest wreaths had a card that read simply “My deepest sympathy. Paul Ellison.”

The casket with Edward’s body in it was closed. Mary could not bear to think of the reason.

The minister was speaking. “Lord, thou hast been our dwelling . place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth doth change, and though the mountains be shaken into the heart of the seas… .”

She and Edward were in the small sailboat on Milford Lake.

“Do you like to sail?” he had asked on their first date.

“I’ve never been sailing.”

“Saturday,” he said. “We have a date.”

They were married one week later.

“Do you know why I married you, lady?” Edward teased. “You passed the test. You laughed a lot and you didn’t fall overboard.”

When the service ended, Mary, Beth, and Tim got into the long black limousine that led the funeral procession to the cemetery. Because of the numbing cold, the graveside ceremony was kept brief.

I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore.”

Finally, mercifully, it was over. Mary and the children watched the casket being lowered into the frozen, unearing earth. Goodbye, my darling.

IN AN office at CID headquarters Shel Planchard, the CID officer, was talking to Colonel Jenkins. “i’m afraid I have some bad news, sir. Sergeant Wallis, the driver of the truck that killed the civilian doctor … He had a fatal heart attack this morning.”

“That’s a shame,” said Colonel Jenkins.

“Yes, sir,” the CID man said’. “His body is being cremated this morning. It was very sudden.”

“Unfortunate. Well, I won’t be here much longer. I’m being transferred overseas.” Jenkins allowed himself a small smile. “A rather important promotion.”

“Congratulations, sir. You’ve earned it.”