Norma Andrews

Murder in the Barn

Norma Andrews receives a call, from the Assistant Director of the Criminal Investigation Division of the FBI, as she is eating breakfast on her veranda early Saturday Morning.

“I’m sending you to Halam County. They need help investigating a murder.”

Norma tries to object but since she arrived at the FBI’s New York Office she has been badgering for a chance to go out on an investigation so she could hardly turn this down.

“They have a Sherriff’s Office and the State Police to call on,” she said.

Norma not only grew up in Halam County but before she joined the FBI she was one of the Sherriff’s Deputies.

“They need you specifically,” the Assistant Director pointed out.

It appeared to Norma to be a done deal.

“When do I go?” she asked.

“Special Agent ‘Lucky’ Jack Little will be collecting you in twenty minutes,” he said.

“Who’s in charge of the investigation?” Norma asked.

“You are.”

Norma was not even dressed. She hadn’t prepared a ‘Ready Bag’, a job she had earmarked for today.

By the time she heard a car draw up outside her home she was dressed, her bag was packed and she was ready for the journey.

Norma had met ‘Lucky’ before at the FBI Academy in Quantico. He was one of the many ‘guest’ instructors and he had given her and the other girls a very hard time. How was ‘Lucky’ going to be, knowing this new girl was to lead the investigation?

In Jackson City, the capital of Halam County, neither the Sherriff nor the Mayor wanted the help of the FBI but as the killing was on Jacobs Farm they had no choice. Norma Andrews was the only Deputy who could control the Jacobs clan, she was one of them.

On arrival at the Sherriff’s office Sherriff Carter briefed the two FBI Agents. Lori Williams was killed in the barn on Jacobs Farm during a BBQ.

This stunned Norma. 20 years to the day, Susan Jacobs had been killed in that very same barn with the same weapon, a pitchfork. Norma had been there that day and saw the body.

Norma had arranged for both her and ‘Lucky’ to stay at her Aunt Jenny’s farm. This would put them much nearer to the people she would need to speak to during the investigation and her Aunt Jenny had two horses they could use to get about the countryside!

Over the next week Norma and ‘Lucky’ visited most of the people who were at the BBQ and gradually a picture fell into place as to who had killed Lori but Norma was also getting hints as to who killed Susan Jacobs.

At the end of the second week Rodney Jacobs was holding another BBQ at his farm but Norma was not invited, that didn’t stop her going.

Norma and most of the Sherriff’s department arrived at the farm and Norma issued three Warrants. The first one she gave to Rodney Jacobs. This was a Search Warrant.

The second and third warrants were arrest warrants for the murders of Susan Jacobs and Lori Williams.

After gathering the main protagonists in the barn Norma told a story and during this the other two warrants were served.