Some time later, Abigail Lauters, the sheriff's wife, and her cousin, Virginia Krebs, came to the church and couldn't find the reverend. It wasn't like him to miss their bible study meeting.
"My God," Abigail said, "I don't like this. Not one bit."
Virginia looked around the dim church and shivered. "Maybe he's in the rectory. Poor dear's been working himself sick."
So they went to the rectory.
"Where do you suppose he could be?" Abigail wondered.
"I do hope nothing's happened."
Abigail touched the broach on her throat. "I better tell Bill about this. He might know where he is." She said this with a certain amount of distaste for she had precious little use for her husband these days. A drunk. A sinner. A poor father to their children. Reverend Claussen remonstrated him from the pulpit on Sundays and Abigail agreed completely. Something was killing people and all Bill did was drink. Shameful.
Virginia said, "This is a bad omen. I'm sure of it."
Neither of them thought of looking upstairs.