Amish Murder: Amish Mystery (Ettie Smith Amish Mysteries Book 2) Read online

  The detective looked between the two of them. “According to the both of you, they didn’t get along. A lifetime of not getting along with someone could be the only reason he needed. It’s not uncommon for a perfectly sane person to kill another in a fit of rage. It happens every day. Most often people are murdered by someone close to them, such as a spouse, or a family member.”

  “You did say you thought he was innocent, Detective?” Ettie asked.

  “Yes, and I’d like you ladies to help me prove that. I’ve got pressure on me to solve this case. I’m up for a promotion, and it wouldn’t hurt if I could wrap this one up quickly.”

  Elsa-May huffed. “You didn’t want Ettie’s help when she tried to help with Horace’s murder.”

  The detective turned to Ettie. “This time, Mrs. Smith, I’d be grateful for your help.” He looked at Elsa-May. “And yours too, of course.”

  “I’m afraid it’ll just be Ettie. With my sore leg, I can’t do anything. I can’t walk very far.” Elsa-May rubbed the top of her leg.

  “Nothing serious, I hope.”

  “No, just a niggle.”

  The detective tilted his head to one side. “A niggle?”

  Elsa-May chuckled. “Something that’s annoying.”

  “I’ll be glad to help you prove that Jacob is innocent, Detective,” Ettie said.

  “People will talk to Ettie,” Elsa-May said.

  “That’s what I’m banking on.” The detective looked back at Ettie. “When none of your people would talk to me, naturally I thought of you ladies.”

  Elsa-May asked, “Do you have any leads at all on the murderer?”

  Kelly rubbed his nose. “No. We’re still waiting for forensic results to come back. I do have a statement from that woman Camille spoke with.”

  Elsa-May laughed. “You had me worried for a minute. I thought you were about to lock Jacob away.”

  Ettie noticed the detective swallowed rather hard at Elsa-May’s comment, which made her wonder if he was keeping something from them. Did he have some evidence he didn’t want to share with them? He did look kind of guilty at that moment.

  The detective rose to his feet. “Can I leave it to you ladies to see what you can find out?” He looked at Ettie. “I guess it’ll be just you asking around?”

  Ettie pushed herself up from the couch. “I’ll do that for you, but you’re leaving me in the dark. What exactly do you want me to find out?”

  “I need to know what the exact situation was between brother and sister. Did Jacob have any motive in the slightest to want Camille dead? For that matter, did anyone else have reason to want her gone?”

  “I’ll see what I can find out,” Ettie said, walking the detective to the door.

  “Goodbye,” Elsa-May called out.

  Before Kelly had a chance to say goodbye to Elsa-May, Ettie explained, “It hurts Elsa-May to stand with her bad leg.”

  “Yes, she mentioned that.” The detective nodded goodbye to Elsa-May. He then turned to Ettie. “I do appreciate your help, Mrs. Smith. I know we haven’t seen eye-to-eye before, but let’s let bygones be bygones, shall we?”

  “Of course, we can do that.”

  The detective stepped out the door and walked down the steps toward his car. Ettie watched him all the while.

  Chapter 2.

  When Detective Kelly left, Ettie wasted no time in visiting Mildred. The last time she’d seen her was the day after Camille’s funeral.

  Just as Ettie knocked on the door, Mildred swung it open.

  “Ettie, I’m so pleased you’ve come.”

  Ettie gave Mildred a quick hug before Mildred ushered her into the living room. “Can I get you something?”

  “Nee denke. I’ve just had a visit from a detective.” Ettie figured the straightforward approach would be best.

  Mildred scowled. “About Camille?”

  Ettie nodded. “Jah.”

  “Why did he go to you?”

  “He knows me because I met him when poor Horace was found under Agatha’s floor. Anyway, the detective thinks… Well, he’s got some crazy notion that Jacob is involved somehow.”

  Mildred looked away from her. “Impossible.” She looked back at Ettie. “Why should we talk to him? Is that why you’re here, to get us to speak to him?”

  “Nee. I’m not here to ask you to do that. The truth of the matter is that he wants me to find out what I can about the whole thing.” Ettie tapped her chin. “Would you talk to him?”

  Mildred shook her head.

  “Do you have any idea who might have done it?”

  “Not at all. I mean, she didn’t have many friends.”

  “You mean she had no friends?”

  Mildred groaned. “Nee, she did have a couple of friends, but they were Englischers. She still kept in contact with two people. I never met them, but she’d receive letters from them, and I think she used to meet them in town. People would tell me they saw her speaking with Englischers.”

  “I might have a cup of hot tea,” Ettie said.

  “Come with me and we can talk while I make it.”

  Ettie followed Mildred into the kitchen. “I’m just glad that Nehemiah’s not here. He’d never be able to get over Camille being murdered. Especially the way it happened.”

  Once Mildred put the pot on to boil, they both sat at the kitchen table.

  Ettie asked, “From what you told me before, Camille and Jacob had an argument over Nehemiah’s will?” That’s something Ettie could have told the detective but didn’t.

  “Nehemiah didn’t like the way Camille ran the farm. Among other things, we started losing money and we’d never lost money before. She never was good with finances and that’s one of the reasons Nehemiah left the farm to Jacob. She had told her vadder she had management experience but it soon became clear she had none. Nehemiah had given her a good chance and she’d been running the farm for nearly two years before Jacob came back to us.”

  “Jah, you told me that before, about Camille not running the farm to Nehemiah’s liking.” Ettie raised her eyebrows. “Pardon me for asking, but the whole farm was left just to Jacob?”

  Mildred nodded. “Nehemiah discussed it with me before he made the will. I said I didn’t want a share. All I wanted was to live in the house here for the rest of my days. It makes sense since I was never blessed with kinner, and would never even have kinskind of my own.” The corners of Mildred’s mouth drooped.

  Ettie couldn’t imagine not having children or grandchildren. Although Ettie didn’t see her own that often, they filled her life with a sense of purpose and wellbeing.

  Mildred continued, “Better to leave everything to Camille and Jacob. Nehemiah knew that if he left the farm to Camille she’d see to it that I was put out on the street without anything to live on, and Nehemiah didn’t want me to end up homeless when he was gone.”

  Ettie nodded, knowing that Jacob and Mildred had a bond like mother and son, and Jacob would look after her.

  Mildred sighed. “After Nehemiah died, Camille found out she wasn’t getting the farm and she and Jacob had some terrible rows. She carried on so badly that Jacob ended up offering her half the farm.”

  “That was generous of him.”

  “Camille didn’t think so; she said she wanted the whole farm. She accused him of only coming back to take the farm from her.”

  “What did she mean by that?”

  “I suppose she meant that he knew his father was close to the end and he chose to return at that time only so he’d inherit the farm. You see, it wasn’t until Nehemiah died that she found out she didn’t get the farm; he didn’t let her know beforehand that she wasn’t going to get it. I suppose Nehemiah didn’t want to be the victim of one of her outbursts. That girl had such a temper. When she found out that she didn’t get the farm, she left the community and leased an apartment in town. She told Jacob she would see him in court.”

  “She did? You never told me she sued him.”

  “I don’t think
it came to anything. We never heard from a lawyer or anything. If she stayed here she might have been safe. She moved to that apartment and that’s where they found her.”

  Ettie rubbed her chin. She hadn’t liked to ask Mildred too many questions when she’d learned about Camille’s death. Camille threatening to start legal proceedings might have given Jacob motive, but then again, he’d already offered her half the land. Surely a court wouldn’t be more generous than Jacob had already been. Did she really expect the courts would award her the entire farm and leave her brother with nothing?

  “I know what you’re thinking, Ettie. It’s like the story of the prodigal son returning.”

  “I wasn’t thinking anything of the kind. Anyway, Camille and Jacob’s situation was a little different since Jacob inherited everything and Camille was left with nothing.”

  “Nee, I never said she got nothing.”

  Ettie tilted her head to one side. “What do you mean? Did she get left something?”

  “Nee, but she did have a trust fund that Nehemiah set up for her when she was twenty five. He was concerned she wasn’t married so he set up the fund. He had a lot of money in the bank and the man at the bank said he should do something with it. That’s when he thought that Camille should have something, some kind of security.”

  “Did she have access to it?”

  “I’m not certain about any of it. I do know that Nehemiah put Jacob in charge of the money.”

  “Jacob was the trustee?”

  “Is that what you call it when someone can’t get at the money unless the other person allows them?”

  Ettie nodded, and then pulled a wry face. Jacob probably wasn’t the best choice of a trustee since he and his sister had never gotten along. “And has Jacob inherited the money now that Camille’s gone?”

  “I’m not certain. Whenever Jacob tells me about business matters or money I just block my ears.” Mildred covered her ears with the palms of her hands.

  Another motive, if Jacob inherited the money from Camille’s trust fund.

  “Oh, the water’s boiling.” Mildred got up to pour the tea, and as she did so, something out the window caught her eye. She pulled the heavy curtain aside.

  “What is it, Mildred?” Ettie asked, getting up to see what she was staring at.

  “Just that pesky fellow from next door. He’s been bothering Jacob to sell the farm, and before that, he was pestering Camille when he thought she might have had some say. He can’t leave things well enough alone.”

  “He shouldn’t be upsetting people like that.” Ettie peeped out the window to see a stout man who appeared to be in his fifties, standing just beyond the property line. “He’s an Englischer?”

  “Jah, his name’s Ronald Bradshaw.”

  “Why does he want the farm so badly?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Has he told Jacob why he wants it?” Ettie asked.

  “You’d have to ask Jacob about that. I’d dare say he wants to increase his own farm size, since land around these parts is getting scarce.”

  Ettie looked out again at the man who now had his hands on his hips gazing at the house. “What’s he doing just standing there like that?”

  “Beats me. He’s probably putting a hex on the place or something, since we won’t sell.”

  Ettie giggled. “Have you ever spoken to the man yourself?”

  “Nee. He’s never come to the door. He’s spoken to Jacob when he was out in the fields.” Mildred moved away from the window and continued making the tea.

  After taking one last look at the man, Ettie sat back down at the table. Mildred placed a cup of tea in front of Ettie and then sat down next to her.

  Ronald Bradshaw had to live on the farm with the white house and the red roof, Ettie figured. They were the only Englischers that had a property neighboring the Eshes’ farm.

  Once Ettie took a sip of tea, she placed the cup back on the saucer and looked directly at Mildred. “Do you have any idea who might have killed Camille?”

  With a slight raise of her brows, Mildred said, “I don’t, but I think she was the type of person to make enemies. Normally I never talk ill of people, but she did have some people who weren’t too happy with her. Not that I know anything for certain, I just happened to overhear some conversations she had with people when she was talking on her cell phone.”

  “She had a cell phone here?”

  Mildred nodded. “She never gave up all her Englisch ways when she came back to the community. I was sure I heard her talking in her room and I was certain she must’ve had a phone. I found the phone when I was cleaning her room. I was frightened to talk to her and have her yell at me again, but I knew I had to say something so I did. She spoke real nasty and told me never to tell anyone about it, and I didn’t. I never even told Nehemiah about the cell phone. He wouldn’t have liked her having something like that in the haus, and Camille knew that.”

  “Nee, nee, of course not.” Ettie frowned and thought back to a couple of years ago when she and Elsa-May had kept a cell phone for emergencies. Until one day they had a visit from the bishop and he let them know he was aware of their phone. Elsa-May decided they should get rid of the phone after that. “And you heard her talking on her phone, arguing with someone?”

  “Jah.”

  “Did you hear enough to know who it was, or what the argument was about?”

  Mildred moved uncomfortably in her chair. “Some woman, I think it was. She was upset with Camille about something from the sounds of it. That’s all I know.”

  “Interesting,” Ettie said. “How did you know it was a woman she was speaking with?”

  “The voice was loud enough for me to hear that it was a woman’s voice.”

  Ettie sipped on her tea, knowing her next stop had to be Ronald Bradshaw, the neighbor who was so interested in the farm.

  The rattle of a wagon, and loud sounds of horses’ hooves, told the ladies that someone had pulled up outside the house.

  “That will be Jacob come home for the midday meal.”

  “Is that the time already? I must be on my way.”

  “Stay! Ettie, you’ll stay won’t you?”

  The back door swung open and Ettie leaned forward to see Jacob taking off his boots. He looked across into the kitchen. “Ettie.”

  “Hello, Jacob.”

  When he took his hat off and ran his large hand through his thick black hair, Ettie couldn’t help comparing him to Nehemiah; the two were so similar in appearance.

  “You’re staying to have a meal with us, Ettie?” Jacob asked when he stepped into the kitchen.

  Ettie looked back at Mildred who nodded, urging her to stay. “Jah, denke. I’ll stay.”

  “After we eat, Jacob can run you home instead of you taking a taxi,” Mildred said.

  “I’m happy to do that, Ettie. I’ve got my wagon and horses just outside and you don’t live that far away, do you?”

  “Not far at all.” Ettie smiled and thanked Jacob, but wasn’t too happy that her visit to Ronald Bradshaw would have to be delayed until the next day. She could hardly ask Jacob to take her to the neighbor’s farm and wait there while she talked to him. Besides, she couldn’t let Mildred and Jacob know she intended to talk to their unfriendly neighbor.

  While Ettie enjoyed Mildred’s cooking, she felt a little bad for leaving Elsa-May on her own with her bad leg. She should’ve been there to help her get something to eat at least. Elsa-May would be able to make it to the kitchen, but it would be difficult.

  Chapter 3.

  While Jacob drove her home in his wagon, Ettie knew she’d have to ask him some difficult questions if she was going to be any help to him. She bit the inside of her lip and tried to muster up some courage. “You know, Jacob, it doesn’t look good for you that your schweschder’s been murdered and the pair of you were known to fight all the time.”

  Jacob frowned at Ettie. “Arguing is one thing, Ettie, and murder is another. I couldn’t kill anyone. I wo
uldn’t have returned to the community if I didn’t want to follow Gott’s ways. I held no bad feelings against my schweschder; it was she who had bad feelings toward me. I let her know I didn’t like the way she spoke to our mudder.”

  Jacob always referred to his stepmother as his mother, never making the distinction that she wasn’t his birth mother.

  “Jah, I know that. I’m just saying how it looks for you. Sometimes when the police have no suspects their attention turns to the most likely person. Then, rather than innocent until proven guilty, it becomes a matter of having to prove that you are innocent.”

  Jacob looked over at Ettie and smiled. “Ettie, you’re worrying too much about things. Denke for your concern; it’s nice to know you care so much.”

  “I think you should be concerned.”

  “Why? The police questioned me and I told them everything I know. They seemed to be satisfied and I haven’t done anything wrong.”

  Ettie sucked her lips in.

  Jacob glanced at Ettie’s concerned face, and then tipped his straw hat slightly back on his head. “You must tell me if you know something I don’t. I know you’ve got contacts with the police since you’ve been involved with things like this before. I heard what happened to Horace, and mamm’s told me about a few other things you’ve been involved in as well.”

  “I can tell you this: no matter what they’ve said to you, or wanted you to believe, it’s clear that you’re one of their suspects. I know that much. Well, most likely their only one so far, and that’s why the detective has been out here trying to question people. No one will talk to him, apart from you it seems, and that’s why he, the detective, asked me to help. Detective Kelly doesn’t believe you did it, but I don’t think he knows enough about Camille’s life to know who could have done it or where to look for the person who killed her.”

  “The person who took her life might not have known her. It could’ve been a stranger, someone passing through.”

  “Possibly, but I believe she was the type of person to clash with people.”