Ettie Smith Amish Mysteries Box Set 2

by Samantha Price

  “The investigation is ongoing don’t forget. They might be here to keep their eyes and ears open.”

  Ettie nodded. What Elsa-May said was most likely a reasonable explanation. But Detective Crowley would’ve attended funerals by himself so perhaps Kelly isn’t as competent as their old detective was. Ettie took her attention off Kelly and looked around for Norman whom she saw talking with Sarah.

  “We should listen in to what they’re saying over there,” Ettie said to Elsa-May nodding her head toward Norman and Sarah.

  Ava overheard Ettie, and said, “I’ll stand nearby to see if I can hear what they’re saying.”

  Before Ettie could respond, Ava was walking toward Norman and Sarah.

  “She’s well trained,” Elsa-May said with a smile. “Saves us doing it.”

  “Ettie, Elsa-May, it was good of you to be here.”

  Ettie smiled as she looked over at Brandy heading toward them. “Hello, Brandy.”

  “Hello. What you said about Margaret was very nice,” Elsa-May commented.

  “Do you think so? I was a little nervous. I’ve never spoken at a funeral before.” She kept turning her head.

  “Are you looking for someone?” Ettie asked.

  “Just looking for Norman.”

  “He’s over there talking with Sarah, Margaret’s sister.”

  “I didn’t think any of her family were coming,” Brandy said.

  “They told us they weren’t coming. At least, her mother told us they wouldn’t be coming.”

  Brandy peered over at Norman. “I wonder what they’d have to talk about.”

  “I imagine they’re talking about Margaret. Sarah was too upset to stay through the service.”

  “Yes. He’s a sympathetic person. It’s always hard to know the right thing to say in these circumstances to make people feel better.” Brandy looked in the opposite direction. “Oh, excuse me. I see someone I need to speak with.”

  When Brandy hurried away, Ettie looked back at Sarah and Norman. “It looks as though Ava is close enough to hear what they’re saying. And it doesn’t look like she’s listening since she’s sitting down in the only seat around.”

  “Are we going home now, or are we going to the graveyard? They announced it was a five minute drive,” Elsa-May said.

  “We might as well stay for the whole thing.” Ettie looked up. “Norman and Sarah are walking toward us.”

  When Sarah reached them, she said, “Norman has been kind enough to offer us to go in one of his cars. He said he could fit us all in.”

  Mr. Cartwright said, “Ava and Sarah can come with me, and you can travel in the other car with my daughter, Paisley, and Brandy.”

  “Thank you. We’d appreciate that since we came by taxi,” Elsa-May said.

  A hush fell over the crowd, and everyone looked on as four men carried the coffin out the door of the church, and then placed it in the hearse.

  “This way, ladies,” Norman said once the coffin was in the hearse.

  Ettie waved Ava over, and she hurried toward them.

  “Norman has arranged for you and Sarah to go in the car with him and Ettie and I are going in another car with Brandy and Paisley,” Elsa-May informed Ava.

  The cars weren’t ordinary cars they were long black limousines. Ettie had seen these kinds of cars at Englisch funerals before.

  When they were driving to the grave, Brandy seemed put out. “Paisley and I traveled to the church in Norman’s car. Now that all of you are here, Paisley and I are in this car.”

  “It’s all the same to me,” Paisley said as she lit up a cigarette.

  “Do you mind, Paisley? I don’t want to smell like an ashtray,” Brandy sat across from Paisley, glaring at her.

  Paisley rolled her eyes and stubbed the cigarette out in the ashtray that was built into the door beside her. “I don’t know how I’ll get through the day without another ciggy.”

  “You can light up when we get out of the car,” Brandy snapped at her.

  “I hope we haven’t ruined things for you,” Ettie said to Brandy. “You sound upset that you’re not going in the car with Norman.”

  Brandy laughed, but Ettie knew it was a forced laugh and not a genuine one. “Don’t be silly. What could you have ruined?”

  “Yes, it’s kind of him to show Sarah so much respect since she’s the only member of Margaret’s family here,” Elsa-May said.

  “Yes, he’s good like that. He’s such a gentleman.” Brandy pulled out a mirrored compact and stared at her reflection. Then she pulled out lipstick and applied it. After that, she took a photo of herself with her mobile phone.

  Ettie wondered whether Elsa-May would think Brandy’s behavior a little strange.

  Brandy shifted uncomfortably in the plush leather seat. “I just like being there for Norman in his time of need. He’s such a good man.”

  “It’s all the same to me,” Paisley said. “It’s just another day, another funeral. I’m only here to support my father.”

  “Do you go to many funerals?” Ettie asked.

  “No, not really. I suppose I go to one every year or so. Mostly people my father knew and I have to go with him.”

  “You didn’t know Margo very well, then?” Elsa-May asked.

  “The point is that I did know her, probably even more so than my father did. I told him I thought he was making a mistake by marrying her, and I’ll make no secret of that. I let everyone know what I thought of her and what she was after.”

  “How did you know her more than your father, since they were engaged to marry?” Ettie asked.

  “I knew her type, and that’s all I need to know. I’ve seen them come and go before.“ Paisley stared out the window.

  “And what type is that?” Elsa-May asked.

  Paisley shrugged as she looked over at Elsa-May. “It doesn’t matter now. If I say too much, I’ll be speaking ill of the dead. You ladies felt differently about her than I did, otherwise you wouldn’t be at her funeral.”

  Elsa-May and Ettie nodded.

  “We haven’t seen her for years, so we don’t really know her,” Elsa-May explained.

  Ettie leaned forward. “We’re here more out of respect.”

  “Paisley and Margo didn’t get along,” Brandy explained.

  Elsa-May smiled. “We guessed that.”

  “It wasn’t too hard to tell,” Ettie added.

  Paisley turned her head away from the window to stare at Brandy. “You didn’t like her either, Brandy, and don’t pretend you did. Just be honest for once.”

  Brandy looked taken aback but giggled nervously, and then explained to the elderly sisters, “She was my intern, as you know. We had a business relationship; that didn’t mean we had to be friends.”

  Paisley asked, “How did you ladies know Margo? You said you hadn’t seen her in years, and you mentioned you’re not relatives of hers.”

  “She came from our community, and she was found murdered outside Ettie’s house when she was having an open house. Brandy was supposed to be doing the open house but made different plans at the last moment.”

  Paisley looked at Brandy. “How convenient.”

  “Sad is what it is. She had so much potential in her personal life and as an agent,” Brandy said looking down.

  “That’s not what you told me. You said she was constantly distracted and didn’t have her mind on the job.” Paisley turned to the ladies. “Brandy complained that Margo had her mind on attracting my father and not on real estate. She wasn’t good at the job at all.”

  “I do expect a lot from my interns. One hundred and ten percent is what I expect from them.”

  Elsa-May leaned toward Brandy. “You can only get one hundred percent because that would be their maximum.”

  “I do know that, Elsa-May.”

  “Then why say it if you know it’s not right? I’ve often heard people say people are giving something one hundred and ten percent, or one hundred and twenty percent, and I have to tell you that I d
o find it irritating.”

  “I’m sorry to irritate you, Elsa-May. I’ll never say one hundred and ten percent again,” Brandy stated flatly.

  “Thank you. It’s only proper that you don’t.”

  Brandy arched an eyebrow. “I see that I’ll have to watch what I say around you two.”

  “Not me, only Elsa-May,” Ettie said.

  Chapter 9

  When the cars pulled up at the graveyard, Ettie was certain that Brandy was going to hurry over to catch up with Norman, but she didn’t. Brandy stayed with Ettie and Elsa-May as they slowly walked to the open grave while Paisley joined her father.

  Everyone stood in silence until the crowd of people had re-assembled by the coffin, which was now by the open grave. The minister said a few words from the Bible, and another man said a prayer before the coffin was lowered. Norman stepped forward and threw a single pink rose onto the top of the coffin.

  Ettie wiped away a single tear. It was sad to see such a young life wasted and causing so much sadness for those who loved her.

  Even Brandy was patting under her eyes with a tissue. Ettie looked at Norman’s daughter who’d remained stony-faced; most of her face was hidden under large-rimmed dark sunglasses. It was clear she’d had no respect for Margaret, and couldn’t find any sympathy for her father’s loss.

  Sarah was on the opposite side of the grave from Ettie and Elsa-May. Once Sarah began to sob, Ava put her arm around her and walked with her away from the grave.

  “Must be hard for Sarah.” Just as Ettie had whispered that to Elsa-May, a familiar figure caught her eye. It was Josh Tomson. “Look, Elsa-May, over there; it’s Josh.”

  Elsa-May glanced over her shoulder and then turned back around. “He must’ve come to pay his respects in private. Most likely waiting until we all go.”

  “Don’t let on we know he’s there.”

  “That’s probably best,” Elsa-May agreed.

  “I’ve been trying to catch the detective’s eye to say hello, but he’s deliberately staying away. He’s purposely not looking at us.”

  “Well, ignore him. He obviously doesn’t want people to know that we know him too well.”

  “You must be right.”

  “I mostly am,” Elsa-May added. “I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken.”

  “Sh,” Ettie said.

  They turned back toward the grave to see Norman fall to his knees sobbing. His daughter kneeled down with him and did her best to comfort him.

  “The poor man,” Ettie said, “he’s devastated.”

  When the minister walked over to him, Norman pushed himself to his feet. The minister said a few words to him while he touched him on the shoulder lightly. When it was over, the sisters looked on from a distance, and the crowd dispersed.

  “We should have someone call us a taxi; I don’t want to stay on for a meal or drinks, or whatever,” Ettie said to Elsa-May, who agreed.

  Ettie and Elsa-May were pleased to be home by themselves. They’d taken Sarah and Ava home on the way.

  While they boiled the pot on the stove for a much-needed cup of hot tea, Elsa-May sat stroking Snowy, who was being unusually quiet.

  “It’s a shame Ava didn’t find out anything useful. Norman and Sarah weren’t talking about anything other than what Margaret was like as a girl.”

  “I must say I’d find it very hard to think that Norman was guilty or involved in some way. What about you?”

  “I agree. I don’t think anyone can fake the way he broke down at her funeral. Unless he was feeling guilty; guilt could look like grief.”

  “What about the daughter, Paisley? She was very straight-faced throughout the whole thing, and she made it known she didn’t like Margaret one bit.”

  “She’s pleased her father’s not going to marry someone she probably regarded as a ‘gold digger,’ but that doesn’t mean she killed her or had her killed.”

  “Maybe not, but it was convenient for her. Brandy said Paisley wasn’t happy about the upcoming marriage, and now it isn’t going to happen.”

  “Did you notice how Brandy was with Norman? She was upset about not traveling in the car with him. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was sweet on him.”

  “I think he’s just a client she wants to keep happy. You know what she’s like. It’s a wonder she’s even bothering with a house the value of yours, but then again, she wasn’t. She had her intern hold the open house.”

  Ettie’s face fell. “I suppose you’re right. I think she only took my house on as a favor to Ruth. She’s been a customer of Ruth’s bakery for years.”

  “That’ll be the pot boiling, Ettie. You make the tea while Snowy’s being so quiet.”

  Ettie laughed. “Okay, you sit there and have a rest.”

  When Ettie came back with a cup of tea, Elsa-May put Snowy down so she could take the tea from Ettie. “Didn’t we have to tell Detective Kelly what Josh said to you?”

  “Jah, I should have gone there before now. I’m surprised he hasn’t called in to see us. I know he’ll have us talk to him again, now that Ava told us that Josh and Margaret met regularly.”

  “We should go tomorrow. I half thought he might have spoken to us at the funeral, but it was good of him to leave that note on the door telling us where and when the funeral would be.”

  “It was good of him to go out of his way to let us know. That’s true.”

  Elsa-May slurped on her tea.

  Ettie had given up asking her to stop drinking like that. She knew Elsa-May would only tell her it tasted better like that.

  Chapter 10

  Ettie and Elsa-May waited at the police station to see Detective Kelly.

  “Do you know exactly what you’re going to say to him, Ettie?”

  “Jah, what Josh said to us. And Josh was at the funeral when no other Amish people besides us four women were. None of Margaret’s family, besides Sarah, was there. Do you think Kelly noticed Josh there? There were so many people he might not have seen him.”

  “This way, ladies.”

  They both looked up to see Detective Kelly motioning with his finger for them to follow him.

  As soon as they sat down in his office, he began by asking, “What did you manage to find out for me, Ettie?”

  “We happened to see Josh at the Sunday meeting, and we talked with him. I didn't feel comfortable stopping by to see him at his home because we don't know him that well.”

  Elsa-May nodded. “That's right; we've got nothing in common with the young man, like Ettie said, so why would we visit him?”

  The detective ignored Elsa-May. “So what did you find out, Ettie?”

  “He said he hasn’t seen Margaret since she left the community.”

  “He also said people have told him things about her, and they said the man she was going to marry was a dishonest person.”

  “Dishonest? In what way? There are lots of ways to be dishonest, some ways worse than others,” the detective commented.

  “He didn't actually say, and I don't recall that we asked him,” Elsa-May said.

  “He's a businessman and in business there is often a winner and a loser, and often the losers are sore. Many people have rumors about them being dishonest.”

  Elsa-May leaned forward and jutted out her bottom jaw. “So have you heard anything about Norman Cartwright being unscrupulous?”

  “I wouldn't use that word. But many people go as far as they can; they stretch the law without breaking it, if you know what I mean.”

  “Go as far as they can and still stay within the law?” Elsa-May asked.

  “Correct. Well, as far as we know, that is.”

  Elsa-May stared at Ettie. “Tell him what else we know.”

  “He was at her funeral.”

  “Who?”

  “Josh Tomson. He wasn’t at the service portion of the funeral; he came to the grave. He could’ve been at the service come to think of it. There were so many people they couldn’t all fit in the church.”

&nb
sp; “I know, I was there,” the detective stated.

  “Josh stayed back a distance so no one would see him,” Elsa-May said.

  “He most likely didn’t want to speak to anyone, Elsa-May. You make it sound like he’s guilty of something. Anyway, we saw him. I think he was waiting until everyone left so he could be with her in peace.”

  “Yes, I saw him there too,” Kelly repeated.

  “He never got over her leaving him,” Ettie said.

  “Is that so? And how do you know this?” Kelly asked.

  “Everyone knew,” Elsa-May added.

  “Mrs. Smith, I want you to go back and talk to Josh for me one more time.”

  Ettie's face contorted. That was the last thing she wanted to do. Josh was so upset that she didn't want to keep speaking with him about Margaret.

  “I think that's something that Ettie would rather not do, Detective.”

  “Elsa-May’s right,” Ettie said. “You see, he's feeling a huge loss right now. I hardly know him, too, which makes things more difficult.”

  “It would help me; more importantly, it will help him. Otherwise, suspicion will be thrown onto him as I told you before. Nothing you’ve said so far puts him in the clear in my mind,” the detective said.

  “Why would you be suspicious of him at all?”

  “I can’t tell you that at this point, Ettie.”

  “You told Ettie you would speak with him once she talked to him and now she has. Why do you want her to do it all over again? It doesn't make sense.”

  Ettie was pleased Elsa-May was saying things to the detective that she wasn't brave enough to say to him herself.

  “I know I said all those things. I'm certain he lied about not seeing her recently.” He sighed. “I suppose I can tell you this much; we’ve obtained Margaret’s phone records and according to them, she has spoken to him. We’ve found that she’s been calling a number which is in Josh Tomson’s name between two and three times a week in recent times.”

  Ettie and Elsa-May exchanged a shocked glance. Josh had lied to them.

  “Well that's something we didn't know,” Elsa-May said.

  “Quite disturbing really,” Ettie agreed.