Chapter 67 beach night

George and Betty are a couple in the city who come to our beach every summer to escape the heat.George is more introverted, and Betty is beautiful and lively. I really don't understand why she chose George.It's not surprising though, I've seen many seemingly incompatible couples live in perfect harmony. Don't get me wrong.George is a fantastic guy, a very genuine and believable kind of guy.You only have to spend a little time with him to see that. The couple didn't come to us last summer, as if they went to Spruce Beach.Betty told my wife that it was there that she and George got engaged, and for her the place was full of romantic memories.I find it incomprehensible, but my wife said that I am rather numb and don't understand women's delicate feelings.

Anyway, this past June, George and Betty came to us again with their two little girls, eight and six.I could tell at a glance that something had changed in George.He appeared listless, walking with his hands in his pockets, his head down, and never looking straight ahead.He only comes alive when he is with the kids. My wife was very nice with people, and before long I saw her and Betty whispering together.My wife told me that the change in George started last summer after going to Spruce Beach, and Betty couldn't figure out what was going on with him. Soon after, George came to see me, and I was mowing the lawn.I sat on the porch with him, and it was obvious he wanted to tell me something, but he didn't know how to say it.

Finally he blurted out, "Please tell me, Sheriff, is it not right for a man to destroy his own happiness for the sake of abstract justice?" "Look, George," I said. "Nobody can answer a question like that. You have to be specific." I expected him to go on, but George murmured, "You're right," said nothing more, and after a while he was gone. The next day, he came back, even more nervous than last time.He tentatively asked, "If I tell you about a crime, will you definitely report it?" "Maybe, maybe not. It depends on the specific circumstances, such as whether it is in my jurisdiction, whether the crime is serious or not, and so on."

"That's murder." I took a quick look at him, and he blushed, knowing what I was thinking. "Not me," he said quickly. "Even if I want to kill, I don't know how." I sigh.Of course, he was right.He's not the violent type.Although in my thirty-three years of police work, I know it's hard to generalize, especially for someone as introverted as George. I had a hunch that he was going to tell the truth this time, and I confessed to being very curious.So I went to the kitchen and poured two glasses of apple juice for him to moisten his throat and get into the conversation.

Before long, he was talking at length. His story goes back eleven years, when he was courting Betty.He'd known Betty since they were in high school.He adores her very much, but, being shy, he takes no further action.He once worked up the courage to ask her out to play, but she refused.He was hurt a lot and has been keeping her at arm's length ever since. That summer, he was twenty-two years old and had just passed the accountant qualification examination.He's going to work in Boston in the fall, which is a great job, and he can play for a few months before that. His parents rented a villa on Spruce Beach, so he went there, naturally.

Spruce Beach is a summer resort, and there are a lot of people in summer.On the waterfront, there is a boardwalk a mile or two long, and a large amusement park. In addition, there is a pier jutting out into the sea with an arcade and a dance hall. When George was tired of playing, he happened to meet Betty.To his surprise, she greets him like an old friend.She lives at the Jaguar Hotel with her widowed mother.Betty didn't know anyone in Spruce, and she wasn't the type to know people by herself, so she was glad to meet George. Soon they were together every day.They swim together, walk along the boardwalk or by the sea together.

Sometimes they would just sit on the balcony of the Jaguar Hotel and drink lemonade. George knew from the beginning that Betty was the girl of his dreams.However, every time he wanted to propose to her, he felt scared and couldn't say it.It was the same with kissing, every time he wanted to kiss her on the lips when he was saying goodbye, but she always turned away so he could only kiss her on the cheek. George was madly in love with Betty, and he couldn't let her slip from him.So, one night, he decided to propose to her no matter what. He nervously made the proposal, kicking the sand with his toes as he waited for Betty's answer.

Betty tactfully turned him down.She said, "I like you very much, George. But I don't want to marry, not yet." George wanted to kneel at her feet and beg her to agree, but he wasn't made for that kind of thing.So he said some nonsense and left without even kissing her. As summer draws to a close, the weather turns cold.No one came there anymore, many people packed their bags and left.Piers and other recreational facilities are closed.The once bustling beach suddenly became deserted. Betty didn't care.She liked watching the crashing waves from Hurricane Point.No matter how strong the wind is at night, she will go to that place.George didn't object, he was happy to be with her.However, he knew that it was dangerous for her to do so.According to reports, people have been blown into the sea.

George's time is running out.The last two nights finally came, and the next day he was leaving for work in Boston.The wind was blowing from the northwest that night, and the waves were strong.When George came to see Betty, she was waiting for him on the porch in a yellow raincoat. It was rainy and dark that night, and they couldn't even see the way as they walked along the beach to Hurricane Point.But when they reached Cape Hurricane, the rain stopped suddenly and the moon emerged from behind the clouds.Waves still crashed against the rocks, but the beach was calm. They spread their raincoats in the shelter under the rocks and sat down.George is preparing to make one last effort to convince Betty to marry him.But, as usual, he didn't know how to speak.

Just then he saw a young man walking along the seashore, with his hands in his pockets, whistling.He was wearing a hat with the bill ripped open and a leather jacket. He was very smug, but he kept looking around, which made George think he was dangerous. He passed within a dozen yards of them, his feet soundless on the wet sand.He didn't see George and Betty under the rock, but George saw him clearly.From the outside, he was nineteen or twenty years old. George watched his leaving back, then glanced at Betty.She bent her knees, brought them up to her chin, and clasped her ankles with her hands.She stared at the surf, apparently not seeing the man.

George took her hand, but there was no response.Her skin was cool to the touch, and she continued to gaze out at the sea.George turned to look at the boy.Suddenly the lad stopped and stood motionless for a minute or two.Then he ran like a black cat to a decaying old boat that had been pulled ashore, where he seemed to hide. Only then did George discover the second person on the beach.He came from town, of medium height, fat, obviously drunk.He walked over swaying from side to side, stopped after a few steps, and straightened his body. George stared at the ship with wide eyes, trying to spot the boy.However, he could not see the young man.Behind the boat was brush and a path, and behind it was a row of pine trees.Perhaps, George thought, the lad knew the man and didn't want him to see him, so he slipped away from behind. The man continued to stumble forward.George thought he was singing, but couldn't make out.The sound of wind and waves drowned out all other sounds.As the man approached the boat, George saw the lad again. He knelt in the bow, huddled like an animal of prey.George also saw a glint of metal in his hand, possibly a knife or a pistol. George knew he should yell, but he hesitated before it was too late.The lad came out from behind the boat and threw himself on the man.The man seemed to hear a sound behind him, he turned around unsteadily, took a few steps back, and just met the young man face to face.The man flung himself with outstretched arms. George thought he heard a gunshot, and the man straightened up, then fell, lying motionless on the ground.The lad bent down and rummaged through his pockets. George's fingers gripped Betty's wrist tightly.She screamed in pain, turned her head, and opened her mouth to speak. She has her back to the scene, not knowing what's going on there.Suddenly, George realized that this was the way it should be. Betty is not as cautious as he is naturally. If she saw that scene, she would definitely run to help the person who was beaten. George was terrified.The lad had already fired once, so he wouldn't hesitate to shoot again.George trembled all over.He had to silence Betty at all costs.Her life, and perhaps his own, depended on it. She said, "George, what's the matter?" No time to think about it.George put his arms around her and pinned her to the sand.His mouth was pressed tightly against hers to keep her from making a sound, and his body was on top of her.Betty struggled, but he held her tight, harder and harder.Her teeth bit his lip, and he pressed so hard that he could taste the salty taste of blood. She hit him, scratched his face with her nails, then pushed his chest with both hands, trying to push him away. George squeezed harder instead, nearly suffocating her. Suddenly, she felt weak all over and stopped struggling.She stretched out her arms and hugged him tightly. Fingers dug deep into his back, and her lips became soft and submissive. George lost his sense of time.Maybe they lay there for a minute, maybe ten, he couldn't be sure.Finally, he raised his head and looked at the beach over there.The man was sprawled on a mound beside the boat.The boy has disappeared without a trace.George lifted himself up on one knee, and that's when he saw the young man, so close that the moonlight fell on his face.George gave him a quick look, but it was a look he would never forget.The boy looked like a fox, with red hair, yellow eyes, a small face, very thin, and no earlobes.The pistol was still in his hand. "George?" He felt that Betty's whispers must have reached the lads, though they were downwind and the waves were crashing very loudly. He jumped up again in panic.But this time she was prepared and rolled sideways, out of the way, and as they tore through the wet sand, she finally broke free.She slapped him so hard that his head was thrown back, and before he had time to react, she was up and running. George staggered to his feet, looking around with wide eyes, but the boy was nowhere to be seen.As for Betty, she was running like hell along the coast. He picked up his raincoat and ran after her.But she ran first, and he was not the type of athlete. After running for a while, he gasped and his knees became weak. He would never have caught up with her if she hadn't been waiting for him on the porch of the Jaguar Hotel. He was too out of breath for words, but he was still out of breath and he said, "Betty, let me explain." She raised her head and said arrogantly, "No need." "I don't want to hurt you." She didn't say anything, so he added: "Honey, you don't know what's going on in there. It's horrible." Then, unbelievably, she laughed and fell into his arms. She said, "George, I didn't expect you to be so passionate. You're always so calm. I think every girl wants a man who's crazy about her. Ah, George, I love you. I know now. .” She broke free, ran into the hotel, and slammed the door behind her. George stood there in a daze, unable to believe his good luck.But, eventually he came to his senses and realized that he couldn't just leave the man lying dead on the beach, he had to notify the police.However, there is no telephone in his place, and the hotel is all lights out.He walked towards the center of town.He didn't know where the police station was, but he believed he could find out. However, when he reached Center Street, it was dark and there was no one in sight.He looked at his watch, it was almost two o'clock in the morning, and there was no sound in the town. As he was contemplating what to do next, a police car pulled off a side road and sped past him.He tried to wave it to stop, but it ignored him.Then, two more police cars roared towards Hurricane Point.Maybe someone found the fat man's body, maybe he was not seriously injured, and he notified the police himself. George ran in the direction the car was going.He was very tired, but, because of Betty, he forgot to be tired.He wiped his face with his hands and felt something sticky. This is the blood that Betty caught.He didn't realize it until now, and now he feels the pain as hell. He witnesses a crime without trying to stop it.Worse, if he were to testify, how would he explain the fact that he and Betty were lying on the beach in the middle of the night?It's not good if the newspapers publish it.Just when he won Betty, he could lose her. What if the police don't believe him?Betty was unable to verify his statement, as he believed she had indeed seen nothing.His face is now covered in blood, his clothes are covered in sand, and the police may even arrest him for questioning. If he wanted the job in Boston, he'd have to drive there tomorrow afternoon. He saw several cars parked near Hurricane Point with bright lights and he was very nervous.Whenever there is a car accident or a murder, many people will appear from nowhere, and it is the same now, there are many people surrounded by the beach.A police car was screaming all the way away. George pushed his way into the crowd and heard people talking. "I hear old Pat Quentin has been killed," said one. "Yeah, they got his killer and got the pistol out of his pocket, a guy just out of reform school." "I hope he gets a good deal. Pat's a good man." George felt lighter.Without his help, the victim is also found and the murderer is caught.He felt no need to involve himself or Betty in the murder.So he left the scene and walked home. At nine o'clock that morning, while he was shaving, he heard the news on the radio.Patrick Quentin, sixty-two, was killed by a bullet.Nineteen-year-old Richard Paine, who had just escaped from Fremont Correctional Facility, was caught near the crime scene.He was arrested with a pistol and Quentin's wallet in what police say has been "completely cracked." George felt that everything was settled, that he could forget about it. He spent his final hours with Betty at Spruce Beach.She agreed to come to him once he was settled in Boston, and they would marry. George paid close attention to the reports of the murder, but the Boston papers reported little about it.Ballistics experts testified that the bullet had been fired from Paine's pistol and that the bloody fingerprints on the wallet were his.About a week later, things developed further.Paine hanged himself in prison.The case is closed. George is also very busy.The company he got into was called the Markham Leather Company.George worked very hard and had good luck. With Betty's help, he was promoted very quickly. In less than ten years, he had become the company's deputy general manager. Overall, his marriage to Betty was happy.Her only complaint is that sometimes he gets too focused on his work and ignores her. Whenever this happened, she always laughed at him and said, "Think about that night at the beach, when you were not so cold." Strangely enough, whenever she said that, he was terrified of losing her and wanted her so much.He would hold her tight, his blood boiling and his breath coming shortly. He kept wondering if she knew it wasn't passion that made him hold her. But what would she think when she panicked?Every summer Betty suggested going to Spruce Beach for a vacation, but George always managed to get her to change her mind and come to our beach. Last summer, he compromised. They stayed at the Jaguar Hotel.The kids loved it and had a great time. The kids especially love the boardwalk, go there all the time and eat all kinds of things. However, their favorite food is pie. Soon they found a food store in a side street, and a man was standing behind glass in a white chef's hat and a beautiful apron, throwing white dough in the air, kneading it into shape, and putting it in the oven . They pleaded every day, "Papa, Papa, please take us to pie." However, when they got to the door of the small shop, the children always asked to stand there and watch the magic show of the "funny man" for a while. George couldn't look at the man.The man had a fox face and red hair. A pair of small ears without earlobes.George kept telling himself it couldn't be the one who killed Quentin, it couldn't be.Ten years ago, Paine killed the man.So maybe it's his younger brother, or twin brother.This possibility exists.However, he knew he was deceiving himself.Every time he walked there, he believed what he saw was the lad on the beach. He started asking around.The man was Sam Murphy, and he was much older than he looked.He got into trouble a lot, but nothing serious, that is, fights, drinking, stuff like that. At this time, George came up with a good idea.He went to the local library and found the newspapers from ten years ago.On the first page, George saw a picture of Paine, who wasn't the guy on the beach at all.Paine was blond and tall, with broad cheekbones and gray eyes set far apart. He read the report below the photo.Paine has been protesting his innocence.He claimed he saw another lad running across the beach and throwing something in the sand. So he went to look and found the pistol and wallet.He picked up the two items and was caught by the police not long after. One thing that backs up his statement is that he was arrested without any money on him.But police say that doesn't mean anything.Pat was an alcoholic and probably spent all his money on booze that night. No one believed Paine's words. But George knew that was the truth. George's conscience was very disturbed. If he had gone to the police immediately, then Paine might still be alive, and Sam Murphy would have gone to jail.But who would believe his words now? Even if the cops take him seriously, it won't bring Paine back from the dead.He would have to admit his cowardice, and the newspaper coverage of it would be very bad for him. But that's not what he's worried about.What worries him is what Betty will think.For ten years, he has been living a lie.Betty will forgive him.Maybe she'll laugh. But their relationship will never be the same again.Every time he hugged her, they both recalled that false passion. So George did nothing.However, he couldn't sleep well at night, tossing and turning all night, berating himself for being a coward.Betty knew something was wrong and wanted him to speak out, but he refused.He never told anyone and I was the first to hear about it. He ended by saying, "Ah, Sheriff, you're a judicial officer. You tell me what to do, and I'll do as you tell me." I shook my head slightly. "George, there are many different angles to look at this matter, I have to think about it." "I'm waiting for your conclusion," he said. He stood up and left. So George's problem fell to me.According to the law, there is only one way for me, and that is to go to Spruce Beach, rehabilitate Paine, and bring the real murderer to court. However, I have to think about it from the Spchance Police point of view.How reliable is George's evidence?Perhaps after all these years, he has completely distorted the truth.As for Paine, who has a long history of criminal convictions, he committed suicide while awaiting trial, which is generally considered an admission of guilt.The Spruce Beach police wouldn't be willing to re-investigate the matter on George's side alone.George might be wrong too.After all, if Sam Murphy had been a dangerous man, he hadn't done anything seriously illegal since. I thought over and over again, forgetting to eat and sleep. The next morning my wife started asking me, and if she wanted to know anything, she couldn't keep it from her.Soon she got the whole story from me.she sits there. looked at me for a while.Then say, "What are you going to do?" "I think I should drive to Spruce Beach." "You must not do that," she cried. "Listen, I talked to Betty and she told me about that night at the beach. She thought George was going crazy trying to get her. Now that you've disenchanted Betty, what's she going to live on? Their marriage It’s going to break, that’s for sure.” "I'm a judicial officer," I said stubbornly. "Nonsense!" My wife stood up, came over, and sat in my arms.She was heavy, but she made me feel better sitting there.Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm not acting as a judicial officer should be.However, I don't want to argue with my wife.One of the lessons I've learned in my thirty plus years of marriage is that sometimes it's best to keep your mouth shut and say nothing.