Inventing Madness

The Search for John Quinn

"A new and improved law enforcement system had been recently implemented in Port Huron, Michigan. A stronger, more centralized, preventive police force had been designed to deter crime from happening, rather than to react once it had occurred. Our town had organized an independent, twenty-four-hour police force, headed by a chief who was appointed by local political leaders.

"The day after I had pushed John into the well, I remember a police officer had knocked on our front door about two in the afternoon. My mother answered the door. I had gotten home from visiting John about an hour earlier that day and had gone directly to our basement. I could see the policeman standing on our front porch through the basement window, speaking to my mother and could understand what they were saying to each other.

"'Hello. My name is Officer Timothy McCreary,' the policeman said. 'I'm from our local police force. How are you today?'

"'I'm just fine, Officer,' my mother said. 'What can I do for you?'

"'You're Mrs. Nancy Edison, aren't you?'

"'Yes, I am.'

"'Well, it seems as though a little boy from the neighborhood has gone missing,' Officer McCreary explained. 'The boy lives a few doors down from you. His parents came to our station late last night claiming their boy, John Quinn, had not come home.'

"'Oh, my goodness! John Quinn?' My mother seemed startled. 'Well, I know him. When did they last see him?'

"'Apparently John came home from school yesterday, set down his books, picked up his baseball bat and went outside to play. That's the last time his mother saw him,' he said.

"'Well, that is just terrible! Do you think he might be over at a friend's house? Maybe he spent the night with a friend and just forgot to tell his parents,' she suggested.

"'I think Mrs. Quinn initially thought the same thing. However, she has now contacted everyone she knows, every family member and every acquaintance of John's. Actually she went to the schoolhouse this morning looking for her son.'

"'And he wasn't at school?'

"'No, Mrs. Edison, he wasn't,' said Officer McCreary. 'In fact Mrs. Quinn was very angry when she was walking to the schoolhouse. She was planning to give John a good scolding for not letting her know where he was, for making her worry. Then, when she got to the school and found he wasn't there, she fainted. Mr. Quinn had to leave his job and get her.'

"I saw my mother slowly shake her head from side to side, then say to the officer, 'Why that's just terrible. I can't even imagine what she must be going through.'

"'Yes,' Officer McCreary said. 'Apparently when they picked her up off the floor in the schoolhouse, she woke up and insisted on speaking with the children, trying to find out if any of them had seen her son. None of the children had. Poor Mrs. Quinn burst into sobs, and Mr. Quinn had to take her home. She's in bed asleep now.'

"'Oh, my goodness, how horrible,' my mother said. 'Is there anything I can do to help?'

"'You could look around the neighborhood to see if you find anything. Also, Mrs. Edison, don't you have a son John's age? Do you think your son might know where John is?' Officer McCreary inquired.

"'I really don't think so,' she said. 'I homeschool my son, Thomas, and I have not seen them playing together.'

"'Would you mind if I spoke with Thomas?'

"'Why, no, certainly, no, but I think you might be wasting your time,' she said.

"'I'd like to speak with him nonetheless,' he replied.

"I saw my mother pause and say, 'Well, I'll just go get him then.'

"My mother left the policeman standing alone on our front porch. She came to the basement to get me. When she walked down the basement stairs, I was standing by the window. She knew that I had been watching her and the policeman and that I had heard their conversation. She walked over to me and knelt down in front of me. Her face was now level with mine. She leaned in toward me and spoke very quietly. 'Thomas, listen to me,' she said. 'This is very serious. Did you know John Quinn was missing?'

"'No, Mother,' I said.

"'Do you know anything about this?'

"'No, I don't,' I said.

"'Is there anything you want to tell me before I let the policeman speak with you?'

"'No, Mother, nothing.'

"'Okay then,' she said, 'let's go up and speak with the policeman.'

"She took my hand in hers and stood up, then looked at me and knelt back down, facing me once again. 'Listen, Thomas,' she whispered, 'even if there is anything you know about John, I don't want you to say anything to the policeman. Do you understand?'

"'Yes, Mother. I understand,' I said to her.

"We walked up the stairs of the basement, through the house to the front door. She looked at me one more time, squeezed my hand, and we proceeded to walk out the front door and onto the porch. My mother introduced me to the officer. 'Officer McCreary, this is my son, Thomas.' Officer McCreary extended his hand for me to shake, so I shook his hand.

"'Hello, young man,' he said.

"'Hello, Officer,' I said.

"'Thomas,' he said, 'did you know one of the neighborhood boys, John Quinn, has gone missing?'

"'Yes, my mother just told me.'

"'Did you know John well?'

"I paused, then looked the officer in the eye and calmly answered, 'No, sir, I didn't.'

"'Did you ever play with John?'

"'No, sir,' I said.

"'That's funny,' he said, 'because one of your neighbors thought she saw you playing with John in the street yesterday afternoon.'

"'She must be mistaken,' I said. 'I was in our basement all day.'

"'Mrs. Quinn told me that she recently gave John a baseball bat. Did you ever play with his bat?'

"'No, sir,' I said.

"McCreary then looked at my mother and told her the police had found John's baseball bat in the street, near our front curb. He said they had found blood on the bat. I then saw the officer looking at my ear.

"'Son,' Officer McCreary said, 'I just noticed your ear looks red and swollen. What happened to it?'

"'I was working in my garden a few days ago and got stung by a bee,' I explained.

"My mother then quickly added, 'Yes. It was a very painful sting. I held cool water on it for quite a while. It actually looks better now than it did.' My mother had become my accomplice.

The officer then began to step backward, away from us, slowly leaving our front porch. "'Well, okay,' he said. 'I'd best be on my way to speak with the other neighbors to see if they know anything.' He touched his fingers to the brim of his cap, nodded at both my mother and me, and then left.

"We walked into the house together and closed the door. My mother looked at me, closed her eyes for a moment and heaved a big sigh. I'm certain she knew I was guilty."

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