Ettie Smith Amish Mysteries Box Set 6 Page 16

  “Yes.” She looked back at the house they were moving away from. “It certainly needs painting.”

  “It is on the list of things to do.”

  “I hope it’s at the top of that list or I’d be very concerned about the condition of the place.”

  “I can go over everything with you. How about we do it over dinner tonight?” He took his eyes off the road and smiled at her.

  “Or, you could just tell me now.”

  He frowned and looked back at the road. “It really just needs painting. It’s had new plumbing three years ago, and the Kings have painted the inside in lieu of some rent.”

  “Ah, good.”

  Chapter 6

  After collecting her car from Gabriel’s house, Selena went back to her bed-and-breakfast. The room was all she needed since it had a bed with the convenience of an en-suite bathroom. When she was booking it, many of the other places she’d looked at on the Internet had shared bathrooms. Selena pulled down the pastel floral bedspread and collapsed onto the bed. It'd been a huge day.

  She reached into her bag and pulled out her phone and pressed Eugene’s number. He hadn’t called her back as he'd said he would, but that often happened.

  He answered and before he said hello, he spat out, “Why haven’t you been taking any of my calls?”

  “My phone hasn’t made a sound all day. There were no missed calls from you. I spoke with you not long ago and you said you were too busy to talk.”

  “Since then I’ve called about six times.”

  “I'm sorry. I’ve been in and out of range for most of the day. The service around these areas is pretty choppy.”

  “What was the house like?”

  “It needs a bit of work outside, but it seems fine inside. The plumbing’s been updated about—”

  “Good, good.”

  She knew she had to delay going home, so she could sort her grandfather business out before Eugene learned of it. “I think I'll have to stay a couple more days.”

  “Take a few days. That's what I already told you. You need to have a break and wind down. You’ve been high strung and irritable for the past few weeks.”

  She giggled. “Have I?”

  “You sure have.”

  “Sorry. It's just that the stress of the wedding’s getting to me. I wish you could help me with a few of the decisions.”

  “Do me a favor, would you, and never say anything like that ever again?” He was back to being angry. “That’s exactly why I’m paying a fortune for this wedding planner. The bride’s parents pay for most weddings like this, but since you’ve only got your mother and she’s got nothing, I’m left to foot the bill. I can’t do everything, Selena.”

  “I’m not asking you to do everything, but I don’t think you understand how huge this has become because of all the guests. I don’t know any of these people. They’re all your guests.”

  “I admit it’s becoming a lot bigger than I planned.”

  “Well, we can’t do anything about it now.”

  “Selena, I hate getting angry with you, but do you understand I’ve got to work to make the money to spend on the wedding? If I’m planning the wedding too, it’ll take my time from work and if I’m not earning the money there will be no wedding. Do you get it?”

  “Yes, I get it, and I understood the first time you told me.”

  “Good. Now, can you tell me we won’t need to have this conversation again?”

  “We won’t.” This was the same disagreement they’d been having for the past several weeks. “How was your day?”

  “Same old same old.”

  “No interesting new cases?”

  There was silence and she knew she had said something wrong. Eventually, he said, “Don’t you ever listen?”

  She hated it when he spoke to her like he was reprimanding a child. “What do you mean?”

  “I don't have the time to take on any new cases until I finish with the ones I've got. I’ve got to go. Another call’s coming.” He ended the call without saying goodbye.

  Selena tossed her phone onto her bed, upset that there had been no lovey-dovey talk, especially since she was so far from home. She wasn’t that far geographically, but she might as well have been in another country. He hadn't even told her he loved her or missed her. Was that what it was going to be like when they married?

  The romance had disappeared from the relationship right after the engagement announcement. It was as though that was a job done and he’d dusted off his hands afterwards. He'd found a wife and checked that box, and then moved on to the next thing on his life’s to-do-list. She put his behavior down to the stresses of his job.

  Slumping back into the pillow, she pushed everything out of her mind, closed her eyes and let her mind drift.

  Selena woke and looked at the clock. Eleven. In a dopey haze, she first thought she’d slept in to eleven the next day before she realized it was still night. Worry gnawed at her stomach as she sat on the bed. There would be no wedding and certainly no marriage to Eugene if she didn’t find out who really had run that man down. There was no other way around things; she had to clear her grandfather’s name and find out why he’d confessed to a crime he hadn't had anything to do with.

  She really needed the help of a proper trained detective. First thing tomorrow she’d visit the local police station and see what she could find out about the hit-and-run her grandfather had admitted to.

  Chapter 7

  The first thing Selena did when she woke was make a call to one of her friends to find out who the lead detective was in that area. They texted back that it was Detective Keith Kelly, and she remembered Ettie had mentioned his name.

  After a hastily eaten breakfast of omelette and toast in the communal dining room, she went back to her room to finish getting ready for the day. She texted Eugene and was pleased to get a text right back with the words, I love you, and there were two red hearts at the end of the words. That immediately put her in a good mood and relaxed her.

  Selena approached the officer at the front desk and asked to speak to Kelly and to her delight he was in the building and able to see her. She was told to wait for him in the seating area. A few minutes later, a man in a rumpled brown suit with a receding hairline made his way to her.

  “Selena Lehman?”

  She stood up. “That's right.”

  He extended his hand. “Detective Kelly.”

  She shook his hand. “I was hoping I might have a quick word with you.”

  “Certainly. Come this way.”

  She followed him down a narrow hallway and into his office. It reminded her of where she used to work.

  He sat behind his desk, and as soon as she sat opposite, she said, “I'm here about a hit-and-run that happened quite a few years ago. I'm in town because … Well, it's a long story why I’m here. I didn't know until I got here that my grandfather had confessed to the crime, but everyone who knew him says they’re sure he didn't do it.” The words had tumbled out of her mouth and she wondered if he understood any of what she’d just said.

  “Was your grandfather convicted of the hit-and-run?”

  “He was in jail for it because he confessed to it. I believe … well, I’ve been told that he died before it came to court.”

  “Name?”

  “Abner Troyer, and he supposedly ran over a man called Wayne Robinson. Wayne was the victim.”

  Kelly turned away from her to tap away at the keyboard of his desktop computer. “Ah, yes, here we are; Abner Troyer. He was in jail for contempt of court for twenty days because he refused to swear on the bible in court.”

  “He wouldn’t, because he was Amish. I know they all refuse to do that. Instead they take a solemn affirmation. I think that’s what it’s called. They never take any oaths, you see.”

  “Yes, I do know that. He was Amish?”

  “That's right.”

  He looked back at the computer. “Here we go. Seems he also refused to recite anything to say tha
t what he was about to say was the whole truth.”

  “Oh. Really?”

  “Yes. He refused both. He did tell us he did it. He signed a statement. The incident happened nearly twenty-five years ago and he confessed to the crime when it was being re-investigated a few short years ago. I wasn't the detective working on the case, but I do have a vague recollection of my colleagues working on it.”

  “It's very important that I clear my grandfather's name. Could you reopen the case?”

  He scratched behind his ear in an agitated manner. “We don’t have the funding to investigate cases we’ve already re-investigated. One re-investigation plus the original investigation equals two investigations.” He leaned back in his chair. “Your grandfather admitted to the crime, and that was the conclusion of our findings, then we handed it over to the court system. Effectively, our job’s done and we’ve washed our hands of it.” He raised his hands in the air while giving her a sympathetic smile.

  “Your findings were wrong, though. I believe he wasn’t guilty.”

  He nodded. “That’s not uncommon. Most relatives find it hard to believe their loved ones are capable of committing crimes. The best thing I can suggest for you is to go home and forget about it.”

  “I can't do that. I can’t do that when everyone is saying he’s not guilty. And, quite frankly, don’t you think it a little odd that an Amish man was convicted of a crime involving a car?”

  “I’ve had a lot of involvement with the Amish and nothing they do surprises me. People are still people. Passions are raised, tempers flare, and … so it goes.”

  “Don't you care that Abner might not have been guilty?” She hadn’t wanted to say that, but it appeared he wasn’t worried as long as they found someone to be held accountable for the crime, so they could say they’d done their job.

  “Not really. Abner confessed, so that’s that. No one held a gun to his head to make him confess. If he didn’t do it he wouldn’t have said he did.”

  “After talking to some of his friends, they tell me they’re convinced he didn’t do it.”

  A hint of a smile met his lips. “That’s normal. No one wants to think of their friends in that way. No one really knows what anyone’s capable of when they’re pushed, including our loved ones. From the report I just read, the man was known to your grandfather, so it was more than an accidental running-someone-over and covering it up. No, they obviously had some falling out.” He slowly nodded. “His friends would say he was innocent; that's what friends do.” A smile creased Kelly’s lips.

  “Look, this is very important to me. Do I have to hire a private detective or something to get to the bottom of things?”

  He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “Why does this mean so much to you, Ms. Lehman?”

  She swallowed hard. “I'm about to get married and my fiancé is a lawyer and if he found out about my grandfather, it wouldn’t be good. It came as a huge shock to me, I can tell you that. I only recently learned of it.” When Kelly just stared at her, she jumped to her feet. “I can see that I'll have to find out what really happened for myself.”

  “You're entitled to do that as long as you don't break any laws along the way.”

  “I was on the force briefly.”

  His eyebrows rose slightly. “Very good—so you know the boundaries in this kind of thing?”

  “Yes, I do. At least I have some help.” She was about to walk out the door.

  He stood up. “You have help already?”

  She turned around. “I have a couple of old ladies who say that they know you. They thought you’d help me, but I’ll have to tell them they were wrong.”

  He chuckled. “Would that be Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Lutz?”

  She shrugged her shoulders. “I only know their first names, Ettie and Elsa-May.”

  “That's them. See what they can come up with. If there’s anything there they’ll get to the bottom of it.”

  She wanted to say, thanks for nothing, but she held her tongue in case she needed his help in the future. “Goodbye, Detective Kelly.”

  “I will look into things when I have a spare moment.”

  She regretted her harsh tone. “Would you?”

  “I will. I give you my word on it.”

  “Thank you. Thank you so much. I’d really appreciate it. I'm staying at the—”

  “Leave your details at the desk. They’ll email them through to me.”

  “Sure. Thank you again.” She headed out the door feeling she was making some small progress and she was also pleased that the detective knew of the two old ladies. He hadn't even said one negative thing about them.

  After she’d left her details with the officer at the front desk, she walked down the steps of the police station wondering how to get back to Ettie and Elsa-May’s house. She couldn't wait to get started on the investigations and she’d apologize to them if she had seemed weird yesterday.

  She headed out on the road to where she thought Ettie's house was but she came to a dead end.

  She went back to the bed-and-breakfast and took a left. She was certain that was the way. She drove on and on for miles and there was nothing but countryside. Ettie and Elsa-May lived in a neighborhood with a small group of quaint houses.

  Soon she came upon an Amish man plowing a field with two horses pulling the plow. The man looked so at peace with nature as he sat in solitude under his large straw hat. He noticed her and gave her a wave. She smiled and gave a wave back.

  After driving another few miles, she knew from the vast open countryside she’d gone in the wrong direction. She was just about to turn around when she drove over a small rise and saw a village up ahead. Before she got there, roadside stalls came into view. Amish people were gathered behind the stalls.

  “They might know where these old ladies live,” she murmured to herself before she stopped the car. She got out and made her way over.

  “Are you looking for some good vegetables, miss? We have turnips and pumpkin. Lovely in soup.”

  She couldn’t help smiling at the young boy with his wide grin that was missing one of his front teeth. He would’ve been only about six. “No thank you. I might have a few of those lovely looking apples.”

  “I’ll get you a bag and you can fill it.”

  “Thank you.”

  The boy rushed away and came back with a paper bag.

  “That’s kind of you.” She noticed someone who might have been his mother sitting on a chair behind the stall, not too close, but close enough to speak with. As she filled the bag, she said, “Excuse me, would you know a couple of Amish ladies called Ettie and Elsa-May?”

  “Yes.” The lady stood and came closer.

  “I’m looking for their house, but I’ve lost my way.”

  The young woman smiled. “They’re nowhere around here. You go back the way you came about five miles, then take a left just after the bridge—”

  “Excuse me, but do you know their address? It’ll be easier for me if I just get that. I can put it into my GPS.”

  “No, I don’t know their address, but I know how to get there. I’ll tell you, it’s simple. You go back the way you came for about five miles, then take a left just after the bridge; the road splits into two and then you take the left fork, followed by the very next right. Follow the road up the rise and their road is just left, no, I mean right after the shanty. You can’t miss it.” The woman smiled at her.

  Selena nodded and wondered why even the Amish said, ‘you can’t miss it,’ after they gave complicated directions. “Thanks.” All she remembered was, go back five miles and take the left after the bridge. She said to the cute little boy, “I’ve got eight apples. How much will that be?”

  “Two dollars, thanks, miss.”

  She opened her coin purse and gave him five dollars. “There’s a little extra something.”

  “That’s too much,” he said with his face screwed up.

  “Keep the change.”

  T
he boy’s face beamed and he looked back at his mother to get her approval. She gave him a small nod and thanked Selena.

  Selena headed back to her car with her bag of apples, feeling good from her encounter with the Amish people. She didn’t even particularly like apples, but she had to buy something from them. Instead of risking getting lost again, she headed back into town and found her bed-and-breakfast. From there, she’d go to Gabriel’s house and get Ettie and Elsa-May’s address.

  Chapter 8

  She pulled up at Gabriel’s house hoping he’d be more normal today. She took a deep breath and knocked on his door. He opened it with a big smile plastered over his face. “Selena.”

  “Hello, Gabriel.”

  He stepped outside onto the porch and looked her up and down. As he did so he said, “You're looking lovely today. Very nice. You look much more relaxed than you did yesterday.”

  “Thank you. I'm wondering if you might be able to give me Ettie and Elsa-May’s address?”

  “Why's that?”

  “Because I'm going to ask them if they can help me find out the truth about this hit-and-run business. I need to clear my grandfather's name.”

  “Yes, yes, and I don't blame you at all. If it were my grandfather, I would want to clear his name also.”

  “Thank you. What's their address?”

  “Why don’t I drive you?”

  “No, that's not necessary.”

  He placed his hand over his heart. “Sincerely, I would love to drive you there and be involved in helping you with your grandfather, who was also my very good friend. I really want to help in any way I can. Please don't deny me that. Don't leave me out of this.”

  She looked at the sincerity in his dark eyes and she couldn't deny him what he asked. “Okay. Yes, I guess that would be okay, but I think we should go in my car today.”

  “My horse could do with the exercise, if you don't mind.”

  If she insisted on going in her car, she would be denying his horse exercise. He was very clever the way he worded things. She wondered if he was aware of what he was doing. She smiled back and nodded. “Okay. We’ll go in the buggy.”