Page 72 - Homestead By Ann Newhouse

“Margarete O’Neilson! She was a good friend of mine in Texas. We were both pregnant at about the same time, but we lost contact before my baby was born. I later heard she had lost her baby, prematurely. I wrote to her, to sympathise, but I never heard from her again. I don’t even know if she got my letter. Within a week or so after the fire had happened, and her husband was found dead, she disappeared. I heard nothing more from her and, much later, I suspected that, perhaps, she had something to do with the disappearance of our baby, Rick. That is the name we had given to our son. He was only a few weeks old at the time he vanished, just before the fire. My husband, Jed, and I were broken hearted at the loss. Soon after, Jed was going to call on John to see if he could help in finding the people who had taken our son. Just as he arrived at John’s, Jed partly overheard a conversation he was having with Buck O’ Neilson. Buck seemed to be threatening John, not sure why, but he did hear John say, .......Don’t dare threaten me! I’ll have your life if you don’t keep quiet and leave.
Jed found this hard to believe as Buck and John’s father had always appeared to have a good working relationship, so he knew it was something serious. Jed told me all this later. He was confused as to what it all meant, so hadn’t spoken to John, as intended. He thought he was seen leaving the vicinity by John but wasn’t sure. Two days later, the ranch burned down and, as well as the deaths of the Tyrrells, Bucks body was discovered nearby.
Soon after, my life fell apart, as Jed was found dead in a river outside of the town. A heart attack was the verdict of the post-mortem, but I didn’t believe it, and I knew John Tirrell was somehow involved in his death. I was distraught after losing my child and my husband, but he never came to see me or do anything to help. Yet, I believe, John did help Margarete O’ Neilson, when she suddenly announced she was pregnant. I found out later it was Gus who was the father. There was something very suspicious about the whole situation. I know everyone suspected Gus Tirrell was responsible for Buck’s death, but I blame John, I think he had more to lose. Gus Tirrell was ill and had died in the fire. . . around the same time that Buck’s body was found.”
Liz encouraged her mother to take a breath and drink her coffee, while Johanna and I absorbed the information. Liz was summoned to the café as it was coming up to the evening meal. Bob Tully joined us after finishing an early shift in the Hotel. He told us he had confronted John Tirrell a few months ago about the business of the missing baby, saying he and Shelly wanted to speak to Mrs. O’ Neilson, believing her to be living at the Homestead. John Tirrell told him he was not welcome and not to come near the property. Because Bob laughed at John’s threat, he punched him, and Bob retaliated, he was suspended from work for a week for disturbing the peace. This made Bob and Shelly more determined to continue in their quest to find out the truth about the goings on after the