“Maybe he’s buried his wife in the backyard and he’s running away?” Elsa-May grimaced. “Killed his wife, and told everyone she’s in some far away hospital.”
Selena turned around and stared at them. “No doubt the police have questioned him again and ruled him out. I think, for the moment, we should do the same, don’t you?”
Ettie and Elsa-May looked at one another. “Makes sense,” Ettie finally said reluctantly, not wanting to give up one of the only two leads they had.
Elsa-May’s thin lips turned down at the corners. “The police miss things so often.”
Ettie patted her sister's shoulder. “We’ll keep him in the back of our minds just for now.”
“Good.”
“Now, where?” Selena asked.
“I have the address of suspect number two.” Ettie unfolded her piece of paper and read out the address of Don Shallot.
Selena tapped the address into the maps on her phone. “That’s not far from here. What’s the plan?”
Gabriel suggested, “Why don’t we knock on his door and talk to him? Ask what he knows about the murders.”
“We can’t do that,” said Elsa-May.
Selena said, “We could ask him if he knew the people who were killed and see what he says.”
Ettie pulled her mouth to one side. “Why will we say we’re asking?”
Selena breathed out heavily. “I’ll say I’m a private detective and someone’s employed me to look into the murders.”
Gabriel shook his head. “That sounds like it could be dangerous.”
“You lot can come running from the car and rescue me if you hear screams.” She giggled. “Don’t worry. He’ll probably not even let me in the front door. He won’t even know who I am. I’ll give him a false name if he asks.”
“Okay,” Gabriel said, “As long as you’re sure you know what you’re doing.”
“It’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure you want to get involved, Selena?”
“I’m involved already. I’m an ex-Amish person. I could be next. Anyway, as I said before, the police would’ve investigated him, and they apparently didn't arrest him, so I don’t see that he’ll be a threat. I have more confidence in the system than you do, Elsa-May.”
Ettie said, “We’ll be watching from the car.”
“And listening,” Elsa-May added.
Selena swallowed hard as she walked toward the door of suspected scarecrow murderer, Don Shallot. The house was small and the garden was overgrown with weeds, and the lawn was high. She lifted her hand to knock and jumped when someone yelled out.
“You looking’ for Don?”
She looked over at the neighbor’s yard where she'd heard the voice. A small woman in a floral dress and a cardigan sweater leaned on a lawn rake.
“Yes, I am.” Selena took a couple of steps toward the woman.
“You’re too late. His daughter took him to the retirement home only yesterday. Are you the realtor?”
Selena seized the opportunity. “I am. I was supposed to meet someone here to appraise the house. They said there was a neighbor I had to collect the key from. Is that you?”
She shook her head. “No. He never gave me a key.”
“It’s so sad when people can no longer live in their own homes. Was he frail for a while?”
“No. He’s never been sickly, or even frail.”
“Then why did he have to leave?”
“He was lonely and his daughter thought it would be better for him to be with other people his own age. The place he’s gone sounds really good.”
“I have an elderly maiden aunt in the same situation and I’ve been looking for a good place for her.”
“You should inquire at True Valleys.”
“True Valleys. I’ll look into it. Thank you. Meanwhile, I’ll make a call to see where I’m supposed to get that key from.”
The woman nodded and then turned away to resume her raking. Selena hurried back to the car.
“What did she say?” Ettie asked when she got back in the car.
Selena put the key in the ignition and started the car. “He’s gone to a retirement home called True Valleys.” Selena drove off and stopped the car as soon as she turned the corner. Pulling out her cell phone, she said, “Let’s see where True Valleys is. Hmm ... It’s only ten minutes from here.”
“He doesn’t sound like the killer,” Elsa-May said.
Gabriel nodded. “Now that leaves us with no one.”
Ettie put her head in her hands.
“What’s the matter, Ettie?”
“We have zero leads.”
“You can’t be that upset over no leads. You’re probably upset because of your back.”
Ettie sniffed in disagreement. Then she said, “Let’s think this through. I asked Kelly if he thought the two different scarecrow murders were linked and he seems to think they aren’t. There are differences. So, we might be dealing with a copycat, in which case …”
“In which case, we’ve just wasted all morning?” Elsa-May asked.
“Nothing like that is ever wasted if it allows us to rule things out,” said Selena.
“No one ever solved the mystery of who did those five murders all those years ago,” Elsa-May said.
“Let’s put those aside for a minute,” Ettie said. “Let’s hear what Selena has to say.”
“Go on,” Elsa-May urged.
“Firstly, why were those two men suspects in the first round of killings?” Selena asked.
Elsa-May said, “Because there was an eyewitness to one of the killings and those two men were brought in because, back then, they both drove red pickup trucks and their physical descriptions matched as well.”
Ettie’s jaw had dropped, staring at Elsa-May. “You know all that?”
“I read it when you handed me those pages in Kelly’s office.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Elsa-May shrugged her shoulders.
“That was pretty important information to keep to yourself.”
“Sorry.” She fixed her innocent blue eyes on Ettie and blinked rapidly.
Ettie groaned. “Sometimes, I wonder ….”
“I didn’t keep it from you on purpose. I thought you knew.”
“How could I?”
“It was in the file.”
“Jah, the part I handed to you.” Ettie shook her head. “Sometimes it wonders me—”
Selena cut across the two of them. “Who was the eyewitness?”
“They’re dead now. There was a note in the file about that.”
Ettie shook her head.
“How did he or she die?”
“It was a man and he died in a plane crash a couple of years after the last murder.”
Ettie said, “At least, we know now. And it’s obvious that they didn’t have sufficient proof to charge either man. We came into this knowing that.”
Gabriel nodded. “Sorry, Selena. What were you going to say?”
“I had asked why these two men were suspects. Just because of the pick-up trucks? And, there seemed nothing remarkable about their appearances—they were average looking. Anyway, let’s forget about those first murders and concentrate on the recent two. He’s targeting ex-Amish people and he’s putting scarecrows in their front yards once he’s killed them. That’s what we know for certain, but what’s his motive?”
“He doesn’t like Amish, or ex-Amish people?” Gabriel suggested.
Elsa-May nodded. “Maybe ... There’d be many ex-Amish people. I should think there'd be least two hundred who’ve left us over the years.”
“Hmm. He’s a serial killer and unfortunately most of them like killing. They might not need a good reason to kill. Mostly, people kill when they’re angry or enraged and just snap. Others plan it and might even feel they’re justified in their wicked deed, but serial killers are crazed. They might not even know their victims and apart from their Amish links, there may be no link at all.”
&nbs
p; “That makes it difficult,” said Ettie.
“What do we do now?” Gabriel asked and before anyone could say anything, he added, “I say we talk about it over a meal. My treat.”
“Denke, Gabriel, but I can’t walk too far with my back.”
“I’ll get us take-out and we can go back to my place. My new place, that is, and that way there’s no risk of anyone overhearing us. What do you all say?” Gabriel grinned at Selena, and Selena looked over into the back seat at Ettie and Elsa-May.
“Count me in,” said Elsa-May.
“Me too.” Ettie nodded.
Selena said to Gabriel, “You’ll have to direct me.”
After they got fried chicken and french fries and coleslaw they drove back toward Gabriel’s house. Ettie wasn’t happy about sitting in the home that once belonged to her strange neighbors, so she suggested they go to the house she and Elsa-May shared instead, giving the excuse that Snowy might be needing to be let out.
Her excuse worked, and soon they all sat around the small kitchen table in Ettie and Elsa-May’s kitchen.
“Let’s start with the people who died,” Ettie said, as she wiped her hands on a paper napkin after she finished her first piece of chicken.
“That’d be a good idea,” Selena agreed.
“We knew the second man and his wife years ago before they left us. We’ll go to the funeral, assuming there is one.”
“Why wouldn’t there be?” Elsa-May asked.
Ettie frowned at her sister. “Not everyone has a funeral.”
“I know that they do.”
“Nonsense. I know someone who was just buried and didn’t want a funeral. They just wanted to quietly leave this earth, and saw no point in anyone making any fuss.”
Chapter 6
In the late afternoon, Selena was glad to get away by herself and look around the local stores. Since she had gotten here, all she had done was drive around looking for suspected killers and participate in the talk about murders.
She’d moved here to get away from all the bad memories of her ex-fiancé, and to learn more about her roots and her ancestors.
Singing along to the song on the radio, she drove down the main road looking at the stores she’d browse through when she had more time. Then someone who walked into the post office caught her eye. She kept driving with one eye on the road and one eye on the man.
The height, the broad shoulders, the shape of the head.
It can't be!
Selena stared at the figure for a moment and then looked back at the road before she slammed on the brakes as the car in front of her slowed. The brakes screeched and she came to a halt as the car in front of her drove on. Looking around, she saw people staring at her car. She took the opportunity to have a quick look around for the man, before she continued on her way.
He must still be in the post office.
As soon as she could, she pulled her car off the road taking the nearest legal spot. She locked the car, hurried to the post office and walked inside.
He was gone.
Immediately, she felt sick to her stomach. Was it possible that her crazy ex-fiancé had followed her?
She made her way back to the car, dazed and confused. There was no point looking further. He could’ve gone in any direction. She opened her car door and slid into the driver’s seat, immediately poking the automatic lock.
With her hands clutching the steering wheel, she lowered her forehead onto it.
He was in England; it couldn't have been him. Could it have been a lookalike – a doppelgänger?
She reached down into her bag that she’d thrown on the floor of the passenger side. After rummaging around, she found her cell phone. She set her number to private and called.
No answer.
She ended the call when the message recording came on; it went through to the voicemail of his personal assistant as it always did when he was away.
He was on vacation staying with an old school friend in London.
It can’t have been him.
Now her day was ruined. One of the reasons she’d come here was to get away from all reminders of him.
At that moment, she was distracted by the aroma of fresh baked goods. She lowered her head and looked out the window to see she was parked outside a bakery.
Comfort food!
That’s exactly what I need.
She grabbed her bag and got out of the car as fast as she could.
After she stood staring for several moments at the array of iced doughnuts and cakes and cupcakes, she finally made her selection of twelve assorted cupcakes. The clerk put them in a sturdy white cardboard box for her and tied it with string.
When she got back to the car, she placed the box on the passenger seat and fastened the seat belt around it. She wasn’t taking any chances with the one thing that’d make her feel better.
In great need of company to calm her nerves and share the goodies, she drove back to Ettie and Elsa-May’s house.
As she knew they would be, they were pleased to see her, and soon she was sipping hot tea in their cozy living room with the cupcakes placed on a white china serving plate on the coffee table between them.
The sisters insisted she be first to choose a cake; she chose a pink frosted princess-themed cupcake with tiny silver sparkles. Staring at the sparkles, she hoped they were edible, then she decided they had to be. This would be a favorite of little girls, too, and no little girl would want to hear she couldn't eat the sparkles!
“These look too good to eat,” said Ettie.
“No, Ettie, they’re too good not to eat. Even though we’ve only just eaten and it’s close to dinnertime.” Elsa-May leaned forward and selected a high-topped, chocolate-frosted cupcake with a pretty pink flower on the very top.
Ettie stared at Elsa-May wondering how her sister was going to fit all that into her mouth. It didn’t take long for the flower to disappear into her sister’s mouth along with half the frosting.
Ettie selected a green frosted cupcake with darker green tree motifs. “This reminds me of the fun I used to have on the farm when I was a child, running with the dogs and the baby goats, and the chickens. Ah, it was a good life.” The older Ettie got, the more she appreciated the days gone by.
“It’s a cake, Ettie. How can that remind you of running in the fields with animals?”
Ettie looked down at the cupcake in her hand. “It’s green and the farm, I remember, was always green. It was in my mind, anyway.”
Elsa-May shook her head and then devoured the remainder of the cake as she reached for another.
Ettie leaned back in the couch and rested her plate and cake fork on her lap as she delicately peeled off the paper wrapping from the cupcake’s base. Then she pushed the fork into the pastel-green cake, broke off a small portion and popped it into her mouth, sighing with pleasure.
“A strange thing happened when I was in town just then,” Selena said.
Both ladies stared at her.
“What’s that?” Elsa-May asked.
She proceeded to tell them what had happened and how she was sure she had seen Eugene. “But it can’t have been Eugene. If I didn’t know he was in London, though, I would’ve sworn it was him.”
“Do you think it's him come to find you?” asked Ettie.
“Maybe hoping for a second chance?” added Elsa-May. “He could’ve flown back.”
“No. He knows things are definitely over between us.”
“Sometimes men need to be told things in a way that they can understand,” Elsa-May said. “You say it’s over and they hear—”
“No! He knows we’re through. The wedding and everything was canceled. It was awful for everyone concerned. It can’t have been him. It just unnerved me seeing someone who looks so much like him. He put me through so much after all that.”
“It's nothing that a good cup of hot tea won't fix,” Ettie said.
“Maybe all this has been too much for you. We got you to drive us to too many p
laces and you should be relaxing and enjoying yourself—settling in.”
“I've enjoyed it. I have. It reminded me of when I used to be on the force. I never got out of the office, but I always wanted to be a detective. That was my dream.”
“Was your old fiancé a lawyer?” Ettie asked. "Do I remember correctly?"
“Yes. He felt obliged to follow in his family tradition. They’re all lawyers.” Selena shrugged.
Ettie frowned as a feeling of uneasiness settled over her. “What if it's him and he's come back early looking for you?”
“I don’t think so. I guess I should check to make sure. I’ll do that tomorrow.”
“Has he ever been violent?”
Selena looked over at Elsa-May. “I'll be fine. I'm sure he has no idea where I am.”
“Still, we’d feel better if you stayed here tonight,” Elsa-May said with a smile as she dotted her finger along her mouth to collect stray cake crumbs.
“I'll be fine, truly. I think it was just my mind playing tricks on me. That’s all.”
Ettie loaded her fork with more green cake as her mind wrestled with the idea of it really being Eugene that Selena had seen.
Chapter 7
The next day when Elsa-May was finishing up washing the breakfast dishes , Ettie said, “Elsa-May, why don’t we go to the Happy Valleys retirement home and see if we can talk with Don Shallot?”
Elsa-May shot her a look. “That’s True Valleys, Ettie.”
“Is it?”
“Jah, that’s what Selena told us.”
“I like the sound of Happy Valleys better. It makes me feel good inside.”
Elsa-May pulled out the plug, shook her hands dry and then picked up a tea towel. Ettie couldn’t help; not with her ailments. “Well, he’s not at Happy Valleys if such a place even exists. If we want to talk with him, we’ll have to go to True Valleys.”
Ettie pulled a face. “Not a good name.”
“Why don’t you let them know? I’m sure they’ll change it just for you.”
Ettie grinned, and just to annoy her sister, said, “Good idea.” Ettie chuckled when Elsa-May looked at her as though she was mad.
Elsa-May sighed just as she put the first dry plate away on the shelf. “We should go, I suppose, and see what we can find out. Let’s go by ourselves, shall we? I don’t like continually involving Gabriel and Selena.”
Ettie Smith Amish Mysteries Box Set 7 Page 16