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

  “Probably, because she was never happy at home. She never called Mildred ‘mamm’ or ‘mudder;’ she always called her ‘Mrs. Esh’, if she had to call her something at all. Behind her back she would call her ‘it’ or ‘the thing’, but never if Mildred or Dat could hear her.”

  “I didn’t realize things were that bad.”

  “They were. When Mamm, our real mamm, got sick, she beat Camille a couple of times. That’s when Dat took our mudder to the doctor and found out about her mental illness.”

  Ettie gasped. “She was beaten? The poor little mite.”

  Jacob nodded. “Beaten and treated badly. I was older and out of the haus a lot with Dat, so that’s why I escaped a lot of Mamm’s nastiness.”

  “I had no idea things were like that.”

  “Mamm couldn’t help it. It was the illness that made her act like that.”

  “All the same, it’s awful for Camille to have gone through something like that.”

  “I think that’s why she never took to Mildred. I don’t think she could ever trust anyone.”

  “It’s dreadful to think that one of the people who were supposed to love and protect her would do something like that.”

  “My mudder couldn’t help it, Ettie. She was sick in the head,” Jacob repeated. “I feel guilty that I didn’t protect Camille.”

  “You shouldn’t feel guilty. You were still so young yourself.”

  “Maybe that’s why she hated me, because I wasn’t there to look after her like a big bruder should’ve. Camille only got along with Dat.”

  “That’s dreadful.”

  Jacob nodded. “Anyway, I try not to think about the past. I try and remember my mudder how she used to be before she got sick.”

  Ettie nodded. “That’s best.”

  “Now, no need to worry yourself about me, Ettie. Seems like I’m in the clear if the detective knows I didn’t do it.”

  “He needs to investigate the thing properly. Do you know anyone who had the slightest possible reason to kill her? Did she have any arguments or disagreements with anyone that you know about?”

  Jacob laughed. “She argued with Mamm every day of her life.”

  “I know they never got along.”

  “It was never Mamm’s fault. She’s always done everything she could to be a proper mudder to us.”

  “Did she have any disagreements with anyone apart from Mildred?”

  “My schweschder and I were never close, as you know. I didn’t know her well enough to know the enemies she made. I’m guessing there were a few.”

  “Do you know that for certain?”

  “Nee, I’m just guessing, going by what type of person she was.” Jacob glanced over at Ettie. “She wasn’t a happy person, and the only time I saw her smile was whenever she was making someone miserable. The last days before she left the community, she had my mudder in tears every single day.”

  “That was after your vadder died?”

  Jacob nodded. “Jah, she was much worse when she found out that the farm was left entirely to me.”

  “Mildred tells me you offered Camille half the farm?”

  “She told you?”

  Ettie nodded.

  “Jah, I offered her half. It wasn’t as though I talked Dat into leaving it all to me, but that’s the idea Camille had gotten into her head. I didn’t know who he was leaving it to; he never even talked of having a will. Dat left me a letter with his will telling me he was leaving it to me because he didn’t want Camille interfering with the running of it, and he wanted Mildred to be able to stay on. I didn’t exactly offer Camille half; I offered her forty nine percent so I could keep a controlling interest, and also that way Mamm wouldn’t be turned out of the haus.”

  “I heard your vadder had money put away for Camille?”

  Jacob glanced over at Ettie. “How did you know? Ach, I suppose Mamm told you that too. Dat had over two hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars for her.”

  Ettie gasped in shock and her hand flew to her mouth. “I never dreamed it would be so much.”

  “Dat’s life savings. Mamm only wanted to live in the haus; she wasn’t interested in money. She knew I’d take care of her.”

  “Who does the money go to now that…?”

  “Camille left everything to me. I was a little pleased that she must’ve liked me deep down.”

  Ettie frowned. “That is a surprise, but I suppose her vadder dying gave her cause to think of writing her own will. She must have had a change of heart, then, where you were concerned. Perhaps it was your generous offer regarding the farm?”

  “Nee.” Jacob laughed and then moved the wagon over closer to the side of the road so a car could pass. When the car had zoomed past, Jacob said, “She didn’t see my offer as generous at all. She wanted the whole lot and thought I was the one who was being unreasonable.”

  “Did she know why your vadder left the farm to you?”

  “She never saw the letter Dat wrote to me if that’s what you’re asking. Camille knew Dat wasn’t happy with the job she’d done of running the farm when she was in control of it.”

  “Surely she should’ve been happy with the money?”

  Jacob shook his head. “Nee, she wasn’t happy with anything, but that’s the type of person she was.”

  “I suppose it does make sense that Camille left everything to you, after all, you were her only relative. And according to you and Mildred, she didn’t make friends easily.”

  Jacob shrugged. “I guess she must’ve cared about me after all, in some way at least.”

  They were getting closer to Ettie’s house and she had only a small amount of time left to talk to him. She needed to get as much information as she could. “So, can you think of anyone at all who might have wanted her gone?” She’d asked the question before but in a slightly different way. Ettie wasn’t expecting a different answer to the one he’d already given her, but she was hoping.

  He shook his head. “I’ve no idea.”

  Ettie pointed up the road. “It’s the one up there on the left with the white fence.”

  When Jacob stopped his wagon right in front of Ettie’s house, he jumped down to help her out.

  “Denke. That’s quite a distance for an old lady.”

  Jacob chuckled.

  “Will you come in?” Ettie asked.

  “Nee, I must get back home. I’ve got some men working for me today. I’ve got to get back to tell them what to do next. Say hello to Elsa-May for me.”

  “I will.” Ettie stood at the gate and watched Jacob lead his two horses to turn the wagon around and head back down the road.

  Chapter 4.

  Ettie started out bright and early the next morning to get to Ronald Bradshaw’s house. She had the taxi drop her up the road so she would avoid being seen by Mildred and Jacob Esh.

  When Ettie knocked on the door of the Bradshaw house, she waited and there was no answer. She knocked and waited again, but when there was still no answer she walked around to the back of the house.

  “What are you doing?” a man’s loud voice boomed, causing Ettie to jump.

  Ettie’s heart pounded, and she turned around to see the man she’d seen the day before when he was staring at Mildred’s house. “Oh, forgive me. I was looking for a man named Bradshaw.”

  The man had a smudge of dirt across the left side of his face. Ettie tried not to look at the odd combination of frayed cut-off shorts and huge work boots he was wearing.

  He took a couple of steps toward her. “That’s me – Ron Bradshaw.”

  “Nice to meet you; I’m Ettie Smith. I’ve come to talk to you about Camille from next door.”

  “She died, didn’t she?”

  “I’m afraid so. I hope you don’t mind if I ask you a few questions?”

  The man frowned at her. “Depends what kinda questions you might be askin’.”

  “Did you ask Camille if she’d sell you the farm?”

  “Ask?” he shook his head. “She c
ame to me and said she’d sell it and asked me how much I’d pay. I’ve had my eye on that piece of land for years.”

  “Did Camille know that?”

  “I wouldn’t know, but I asked her father a couple times if he’d sell. He might have told her I wanted it, for all I know.”

  “I see. That’s interesting.”

  “That woman and I agreed on a price and once the old man got sicker, she wanted more money.”

  “Really? But it wasn’t hers to sell.”

  “She said the old man was dying and she’d get it when he kicked the bucket.”

  Ettie nodded and wondered whether Camille had used those exact words.

  “Yeah. She was a nasty piece of work, that old woman.” The man looked Ettie up and down. “You a friend of the family or somethin’?”

  “I am.” Ettie licked her lips. “Did you mean you were talking to Camille or her mother? Camille wasn’t that old.”

  The man scratched his balding head. “Dunno. The one I was talking to was around forty or fifty. She said she was the daughter.” He shook his head. “I’m no good with women’s ages. Why do ya want to know?”

  “Surely you know who’s who if you’ve lived here for a long time. Camille grew up next door.”

  The man shook his head. “They keep to themselves. I’ve only noticed one woman there lately.”

  “Did you only talk to one woman from next door?”

  The man nodded. “Are they thinking of sellin’ now?”

  “I don’t think they are. They seem happy to keep it; it’s been in the family for generations. The son inherited it from the father.” Ettie breathed out heavily. She had to find out which woman he’d been talking with. Surely he wouldn’t call Camille ‘old’. What if he’d been speaking to Mildred thinking she was Camille? “Camille would have been around forty and her stepmother, Mrs. Esh, is in her late fifties.”

  “Can’t help you.” The man scratched his cheek. “I hear they think the woman – Camille – was murdered?”

  Ettie nodded. “That’s right.”

  He scratched his head. “That explains why she didn’t get back to me.” He stared at Ettie with his blue eyes piercing through her. “How did they do it?”

  “Poison, I believe.”

  “Can’t say I blame who did it. Shame she didn’t sell me the farm first.” He rubbed his gray stubbly chin.

  “You didn’t, or rather, you don’t know the people next door very well at all, by the sounds.”

  His mouth turned down and he shook his head. “I talked to the old man maybe twice, I’ve spoken to the son about the same, and that woman a few times when she was offering to sell me the farm. That’s it.”

  “You don’t know Camille other than her talking to you about selling the farm? You’ve had no other dealings with her?”

  “No, why should I?”

  “Well, you lived in this house, on this farm, when Camille and her brother were growing up. You’ve been here for a long time, haven’t you?”

  “I’ve been here all me life. The missus and me raised the kids here. You should know that you folk keep to yourselves. I knew there were a couple of kids living there some years ago. When the woman came knocking on the door, I didn’t even know who she was until she told me. After that, I saw her in town having an argument with some woman, and that was the only times I seen ’er.”

  “So only when she was talking about selling the farm to you, and the one time you saw her in town?”

  “Yeah! That’s right.”

  “She was arguing with someone, you say?”

  “Yeah, a woman.”

  “Can you remember what the woman looked like?”

  He shrugged his shoulders. “Never took much notice.” He stared at Ettie and she noticed his eyes opened wider. “Do you think that woman might have been the one who done away with ’er?”

  Ettie shrugged. “Do you remember how long ago it was?”

  “Not long ago, not long ago at all. Couldn’t say exactly when. I go into town on a Tuesday mostly, so yeah, it must’ve been a Tuesday.”

  “Thank you. You’ve been helpful.”

  “Why are ya askin’?” He repeated his earlier question: “Do ya think the one she was arguing with did away with her?”

  “I couldn’t say.” Ettie swallowed hard. The man had been polite enough, but Ettie had a feeling the man might have another side to him. He scared her a little. “I’m just a friend of the family, and I was a friend of Camille.”

  “Humph. I didn’t think the woman would’ve had any friends. She was a liar and a cheat.”

  “Because she didn’t get the farm in the will? I’m sure she would’ve kept her word to you if she had.”

  The old man chuckled. Was he happy that Camille didn’t inherit the farm even though it meant he missed out on buying it?

  “Is there anythin’ else I can do ya for?” he asked, narrowing his eyes at Ettie.

  “No. Thank you,” Ettie said as she walked a few steps away, and then said, “Do you mind if I borrow your phone to call a taxi?”

  “I’ll call one for you,” he said.

  “Thank you. I’ll wait down by the road.”

  The man nodded and Ettie headed to the road. Her first stop would be Detective Kelly to tell him what she’d learned so far.

  Chapter 5.

  When the taxi pulled up at the police station, Ettie hoped the detective would be about. She climbed up the steps and walked inside. Before she could ask the officer behind the front desk if Detective Kelly was in, he walked up behind her.

  “Mrs. Smith.”

  Ettie turned around to see Kelly with a takeout coffee in one hand and a white paper bag in the other.

  “Detective, I’ve come to see you.”

  “Good. Come through to my office.”

  Ettie knew the way. His office used to be Detective Crowley’s office before he had retired. When she sat in the chair opposite Kelly, she said, “I hope I’m not interrupting your lunch.”

  “Not at all. Not if you don’t mind if I eat.” He glanced at his watch. “I’ve got appointments the rest of the afternoon.”

  “Please, eat away. Don’t mind me.”

  Detective Kelly smiled as he ripped open the white paper bag to reveal two donuts. One had pink icing with sprinkles and the other was covered with a thick layer of chocolate.

  “Detective, I hope this isn’t your lunch?”

  Kelly frowned and looked a little guilty as he stared at the donuts. “I have few pleasures in life, Mrs. Smith. Don’t make me feel bad about one of the few things that makes me happy.”

  “I’m not saying don’t eat things like that, but for lunch? That’s not going to sustain a busy man like you with all the stress you must have.”

  Kelly pressed his lips together and flipped off the lid of his coffee. “And I suppose coffee’s bad too?”

  Ettie pulled a face. “Depends how many cups you have a day.”

  “Why have you come, Mrs. Smith? Have you found something out for me already?” he asked before he broke off a portion of his pink donut.

  “I didn’t pick you to be a cake-eater. When I asked you if you wanted tea or cake yesterday at my home, you turned it down.” Crowley had never once turned down her or Elsa-May’s cakes. “That’s why I’m so surprised to see you eating something like this instead of a proper lunch.”

  Kelly finished his mouthful and said, “I don’t know – I could’ve just eaten before I arrived, I can’t recall. Does that bother you, that I didn’t eat your cake?”

  Ettie gave a little laugh at how ridiculous that sounded. “It’s just that I formed an opinion of you and now I realize I was wrong.”

  The detective nodded. “I’ve learned never to form an opinion of anyone too early. Also, even if you know someone well, they can always do something that surprises even themselves.”

  “I suppose that’s a good lesson to learn.”

  Kelly’s glance at his watch prompted Ettie to get to the
point of why she was there. “I went out to visit Camille’s mother yesterday, and then today I talked to the neighbor, Ronald Bradshaw. It seems that the neighbor wanted the land. Camille had agreed to sell it to him when she thought she’d be getting the land when her father died.”

  “How did the old man die?”

  Ettie frowned. “He’s not dead. I just talked to him this morning.”

  “No, not that one – Nehemiah Esh.”

  “Oh.” Ettie’s gaze flickered to the ceiling. “Old age, I’d say. Wait a minute, he might have had a problem with his heart or something along those lines.”

  “Hmm.” Kelly popped the last of the pink donut in his mouth. Ettie couldn’t help frowning at him in disgust. “Was there an autopsy?” he asked.

  “No, nothing like that. I don’t think so. Come to think of it, I don’t know the answer to that. Why? Do you think he might have been killed as well?”

  “No.” The detective shook his head then looked across at Ettie. “Why? Do you?”

  “I’ve never given any thought to it.”

  “It’s interesting when you talk about the will, and people waiting to pounce on the farm right after the old man dies.”

  Ettie said, “I don’t think it was like that. There was no one waiting to pounce. According to the neighbor he’d asked them before if they wanted to sell. I don’t think anyone was waiting for Nehemiah to die. The neighbor said he talked to Camille, Nehemiah, and Jacob separately about wanting to buy the farm.”

  “Was it a sudden death?” Kelly picked up the chocolate donut and took a huge bite.

  “Nehemiah’s?”

  The detective nodded and Ettie pretended not to look at the chocolate sprinkles that clung to the sides of the detective’s mouth. “I believe he was sick for quite some time. He went downhill rapidly and was in quite a bit of pain. Come to think of it, I think Mildred mentioned it was his heart.”

  After Kelly swallowed, he said, “I didn’t think that was painful.”

  Ettie shrugged. “I’m certain it is.”

  Kelly licked his lips, and then wiped his mouth with a paper napkin. “What else did you find out?”

  “I talked to Jacob and found out that after Camille discovered he’d been left the farm, she was terribly upset. Jacob even ended up offering her forty nine percent of the farm.”