“Everyone needs someone. That’s how Gott made us. Every man needs a helpmeet.”
“I suppose that’s true. I do hope Josh finds himself a nice girl. It’ll make him feel so much better. I find it hard to believe he waited so long for Margaret to come back."
“Can’t have helped that she kept talking to him and calling him,” Elsa-May said.
“Jah,” Ettie agreed. “A clean break would’ve been better for him. What do you think she was talking to him about? We never really found that out.” Ettie pulled a face. “We can’t talk with him again.”
“Nee, we can’t. We can’t bring up Margaret’s name again.”
“You rest on the couch, Elsa-May. I’ll bring you a cup of hot tea.”
“Denke, Ettie.”
When Ettie came back with the tea, Elsa-May said, “I never realized how comfortable this couch is.”
“It’s mine. Don’t get too comfortable.” Ettie laughed. “No one likes coming here to sit in those dreadful chairs.” She pointed to the old chairs opposite the couch. “Why don’t we buy new ones? I’ve got that money Agatha left me. We can buy a couch the same size as this one so it matches, and a couple of armchairs.”
Elsa-May dropped her head and frowned. “Those chairs are good. There’s nothing wrong with them, Ettie. I don’t know what you’re talking about. That would be wasteful. We’ll just get Jeremiah to fix them up and strengthen them a little, so they don’t creak.”
Ettie laughed. “Wouldn’t you like a couch to sit on like this one?”
“Nee. It’s all right I suppose, but I’d fall asleep on it, and I’d never get any knitting done.” Right then, Snowy came bounding back inside through the dog door. “Snowy, sit on your bed!”
Snowy stared into her face.
“Go to your bed!” Elsa-May said a little more firmly.
He walked over and lay down on the dog bed in the corner. Ettie watched on in amazement.
It was the next day when they visited with Ava and tried to enlist her help with their plans.
“Ava I’m hoping you’ll be able to help us.” Ettie asked.
“Of course I will. What with?”
Elsa-May took over by saying, “The detective thinks that Josh is somehow involved with Margaret’s murder.”
“That’s impossible. How could he be?”
“He’s not saying exactly what he’s got on him, but we have to prove that Josh didn’t have anything to do with her death,” Ettie said.
“And how do we do that exactly if we don’t even know why the detective thinks he’s involved?” Ava asked.
“The thing is, the detective thinks Josh knows something that he’s not saying, and that’s as much as we know and probably that’s all the detective knows too.”
“Ettie and I are thinking because you’re such good friends with Josh…”
“I’m not friends with Josh, but Jeremiah is.”
“That’s what Elsa-May meant; because your Jeremiah is such good friends with Josh perhaps Jeremiah could find out a few things?”
“Jeremiah would never get involved with anything like that. I know him, and he simply wouldn’t do it.”
Ettie’s eyes twinkled. “That’s why we have a plan.”
“What plan? I’m not sure I like the sound of that.” Ava took a deep breath. “Go on, what is it?”
“We thought if you could have Josh to dinner, you could steer the conversation toward Margaret and ask a few pointed questions that we’ll give you,” Elsa-May said.
“And then you want me to report back what he says?” Ava asked.
“Not quite,” Ettie said.
“Nee, Ettie and I will be here listening in.”
“At my haus? What, you mean you’ll be hiding somewhere here in my haus to hear what Josh’s answers are?”
Ettie nodded. “That’s right. We’ll be here to listen.”
Ava shook her head. “Jeremiah would never allow it. He’d never approve of it.”
Ettie continued, “That’s what we thought, and that’s why he would never have to know we were there.”
“You want me to deceive my husband right after we’ve only just married?”
“Would it be easier to do after you’ve been married a few years?” Elsa-May asked.
Ava pressed a hand to her stomach. “Nee, Elsa-May. I would not want to do it now or in a few years. I never want to have to keep any secrets from Jeremiah. You’re putting me in a bad spot.”
“We’re only asking because it will help Josh. If we can find out what he’s keeping from the detective that will make the detective see he’s not guilty of anything and Detective Kelly can find the real killer.”
Ettie’s mouth turned down at the corners. “For all we know, Margaret’s murderer could be planning another murder as we’re talking.”
Ava shook her head. “I hate these types of situations. On the one hand I’ll be helping Josh but on the other hand, I’ll be keeping a secret from Jeremiah. I don’t know what to do.”
“We see no other way to do it, do we, Ettie?”
“Nee, we don’t. We’ve thought it all through. We’ve talked to him twice, and we know he’s not saying everything and the detective’s talked to him and for some reason the detective thinks he knows more.”
“And we didn’t even tell Detective Kelly that’s what we thought,” Elsa-May added.
“I understand what you’re saying, but can’t we leave Jeremiah out of it? Isn’t there some other way?”
“If there was another way we would’ve thought of it by now,” Ettie said.
Ava groaned loudly.
“Since Jeremiah is my grosskin I know him pretty well, and I don’t think he will mind if he happens to find out. After all, we’re only doing it to help Josh,” Elsa-May said.
“Elsa-May will take all the blame if Jeremiah finds out. I’ll say I was there when Elsa-May left you with no other choice.”
“Can I tell Jeremiah what happened after the dinner? That won’t be deceiving him or keeping secrets on purpose, I suppose,” Ava said.
“Jah that’s right,” said Elsa-May, “and put the blame on me just like Ettie said. I’ll tell Jeremiah we forced you to do it.”
“And Jeremiah knows what we’re like, so he’ll believe it,” Ettie added.
After Ava breathed out heavily again, she said, “If you both think it’s really necessary to help Josh then I’ll do it. I’ll invite Josh to dinner very soon, and I’ll let you know when he’s coming.”
“Good and we’ll get here early to hide before Josh gets here,” Ettie said.
“And before Jeremiah gets home.”
Ava heaved a sigh of reluctance and then nodded.
Chapter 14
“Why do you have to bring Snowy with you? It’s going to be that much harder for us to hide,” Ettie said to Elsa-May in the taxi on the way to Ava’s house.
“I just don’t like leaving him alone too much. He’s only a small dog; he’s more of a person really. Snowy can hide with us since he’s only small.”
“He’s hardly ever alone. We’re mostly home; we rarely go out.”
“All the same, if we’re only going to be hiding over there listening, I’m going to bring Snowy. There’s no harm in that. No one minds a small dog around.” Elsa-May leaned over to the driver, and asked, “You don’t mind a small dog in your taxi, do you?”
“They’re generally less problem than children. I don’t mind a small dog as long as he stays in your lap.”
“See, Ettie? The driver doesn’t mind Snowy and neither will Ava mind.”
“Well, all I can say is that I hope Snowy gets along with Jeremiah’s dogs.”
“Snowy likes other dogs.”
“It wasn’t Snowy I was thinking about. Snowy would make a tasty snack for Jeremiah’s two big dogs.”
Elsa-May looked worried. “I didn’t think of that.”
“That’s obvious. You also haven’t thought that his dogs will alert Jeremiah to our presen
ce. He could bring the whole plan down around us.”
“Should we turn around and leave him at home?”
Ettie shook her head. “It’s too late now.”
“Well, if it’s too late to leave him home, stop complaining about it. You’re always finding things to grumble about these days, Ettie.”
Ettie pointed to herself. “Me?”
Elsa-May nodded.
“I don’t see that’s true. I generally keep quiet about all the things you do that annoy me.”
Elsa-May’s mouth fell open. “What could I possibly do that would annoy you?”
Ettie stared at Elsa-May. “I wouldn’t know where to start. There’s a long list of things you do that annoy me.”
“Name one of them.”
“The way you slurp your tea and your soup.”
“You were the one that started the slurping. You used to do it all the time. When I started doing it, I was only imitating you. Then I enjoyed slurping.”
“I stopped because you complained; now I see how irritating it is.”
“You’re being petty-minded. Do you have any real complaints?”
“The way you clang your spoon on the bottom of the soup plate with every mouthful you take. The way you leave the cupboard doors open continually, and you never push your chair in when you leave the table. You also leave the suds in the bottom of the kitchen sink after you do the dishes.”
“What’s wrong with leaving the suds in the sink, Ettie?”
“It looks untidy, and I like a clean and tidy, dry sink.”
Elsa-May screwed up her nose. “Sinks weren’t made to be dry. Well, I didn’t know I did so much to annoy you. Maybe we should rethink our living arrangements.”
“Here we are, ladies,” the taxi driver said as he pulled up outside Jeremiah’s house.
The two sisters and Snowy got out of the taxi, and as the taxi was driving away, Ettie said, “I’m sure I do things that annoy you as well.”
“And I tell you about them straight away. I don’t store them all up to tell you all your annoying habits all at once.”
“Would you rather me tell you as soon as you do something that annoys me?”
Elsa-May said, “Let’s talk about this at another time. Let’s just get through the night and see if we can help Josh.”
“I agree with that; good idea.” Ettie regretted saying anything to Elsa-May. Now her feelings were hurt, and Ettie knew at some stage that she’d have to be the one to apologize.
Ava opened the door to them. “Hurry up. Jeremiah could be home soon, and I don’t need him to see you.” Her eyes fell to the bundle in Elsa-May’s arms. “You brought Snowy?”
“I’m not saying a word,” Ettie said as she walked past Ava into the house.
“He’s only a small dog. He can hide with us in the utility room. I’ve been thinking that would be the best place for us to stay. It’s just off from the kitchen, and Jeremiah wouldn’t go in there. He wouldn’t, would he?”
“Nee, he never goes in there. I think that’s a good place to stay. Snowy won’t bark or anything, will he?”
“Nee; he’s not a barker at all.” Elsa-May walked past Ava into the house.
Ava closed the door behind them. “We might as well get everything ready. I’ve nearly finished dinner. I just need to set the table. I’ve cooked enough dinner for both of you, and I can give Snowy some of the other dogs’ food.”
“We’ve been worried about Jeremiah’s dogs knowing that Snowy’s here,” Ettie asked.
”Where are Jeremiah’s dogs?” Elsa-May asked.
“He took them with him today. He often takes them to work, and they stay on the back of the wagon. Or sometimes they wander around where he’s working.”
“We’re worried about when the dogs come home; they might know there’s another dog here and bark or something. I quite forgot about his dogs when I decided to bring Snowy.”
“Nee, it should be all right because he puts them in the barn at night. He used to leave them out, but they were blamed for killing chickens, so now he locks them in every night so they won’t be accused of killing livestock when it’s actually a fox or something.”
“Ah, that’s good to put them in the barn.”
“What time have you got Josh coming?”
“He’ll most likely be coming soon; that’s why I’m so glad that you arrived when you did.”
“We’ll help you set the table. I will while Elsa-May looks after Snowy.”
“Denke. Jeremiah and I have been meaning to get a second table for the dining room so we can have our main meals in the dining room and have breakfast in the kitchen where it’s more cozy.”
While Ettie and Ava set the table, Ettie drilled Ava on the questions she was to ask Josh. Elsa-May was making a comfortable place for Snowy on the blanket she’d brought with her.
“I can hear hoofbeats.” Ava looked out the kitchen window. “Here comes Jeremiah now and Josh is right behind him.”
Ettie hurried into the utility room then stuck her head back into the kitchen. “Now, don’t worry about feeding us,” Ettie said, “We’ll get something to eat later.”
“Do you remember what questions you have to ask?”
“I do. It’s all up here.” Ava tapped her head.
“Wunderbaar.”
Chapter 15
After tending to their horses, Josh and Jeremiah walked through the front door. From the utility room, the sisters heard only mumbles. They couldn’t hear any words clearly.
“When they’re having dinner in the dining room, we can move into the kitchen so we can hear better,” Ettie whispered.
“That sounds like the best idea,” Elsa-May agreed.
After the men had washed up, they sat down at the dinner table. Ava carried bowls of food out and set them in the center of the table. When the elderly sisters didn’t hear anything they knew that were saying the silent prayer of thanks for the food.
“Okay let’s go out now and listen in,” Ettie said. “Shut the door quietly behind you so Snowy doesn’t get out.”
“Okay. You go first.”
Ettie walked into the kitchen and was glad to see that the door leading to the dining room was closed. She crept out further and put her ear to the door. Soon she was joined by Elsa-May. They could only hear what was said when they had their ears to the door.
After some small talk, Ava started on the topic of Margaret Yoder.
“I was so sorry to hear about Margaret Yoder, Josh. I know she was once very important to you.”
There was a moment of silence. “Denke, Ava. I suppose Jeremiah told you that we were going to get married at one point, but it never happened.”
“Jah. I went to her funeral with Ettie and Elsa-May.”
“I know. I saw you all there.”
“You went too?” Jeremiah asked Josh in surprise.
“I didn’t go to the service. I went to the graveyard and watched them place her in the ground. I saw that man she nearly married.”
“That must’ve been very upsetting for you,” Ava said.
“I don’t know that she was going through with it anyway.”
“You mean with her wedding?” Ava asked.
He nodded. “He was involved in some shady business, and she wasn’t happy about it. I can’t see she would’ve married the man.”
“What’s he doing—illegal things or something?” Ava asked.
Jeremiah butted in, “I’m sure Josh doesn’t want to talk about things like this, Ava.”
“Nee, it’s alright. He gave her a ring that was worth a lot of money and then he wanted her to pretend to lose it or pretend to have it stolen so he could collect the insurance money.”
“How does that work?” Ava asked. “Had he insured it for more than what he paid for it? Otherwise, it wouldn’t make sense.”
“The thing was… and keep this to yourselves because the detective’s been asking a lot of questions and I don’t think it’s anyone’s business to kno
w what was going on in Margaret’s life. The man wanted Margaret to say that the ring was stolen or lost when the ring wouldn’t have been at all.”
“That’s interesting. So then he would get all the money that the ring was worth, and he’d still have the ring itself?”
He nodded. “Correct, but Margaret refused to do it. She said she was never a dishonest person, and she wasn’t going to start being dishonest just because she’d left the community.”
“And you talked about things like this when you met with her?”
“We did talk about that and a lot of other things. He’s not a good man.”
Ava said, “Why can’t you tell the detective that? It’s nothing really private to do with Margaret and her life; it’s about what the man tried to make her do.”
“I’m not comfortable discussing Margaret with people I don’t know very well.”
Ettie and Elsa-May heard the ringing of cutlery against the plates while they ate.
“Is that annoying you, Ettie, hearing the clanging of the cutlery?”
“Sh.” Ettie elbowed Elsa-May. “They’ll hear you.”
The conversation changed to other subjects. After a while, Ava said, “I’ll take up these plates, and then bring the dessert out.”
“I’ll help with the plates,” Jeremiah said as he pushed out his chair.
“Nee! You stay right there and talk to Josh; I can do it. I don’t need any help tonight.”
When they heard her on the way into the kitchen, Elsa-May and Ettie hurried back into the utility room just in case Jeremiah decided to help her anyway.
“Did you hear all that?” Ava asked when she opened the utility room door a little.
“We certainly did,” Ettie whispered back. “Sounds like Cartwright is crooked just like Josh told us at the start.”
“Good work, Ava. That’s what we wanted to know. That’s what he was keeping from us all along,” Elsa-May said.
“And from the detective,” Ettie added.
“I had better go take this dessert out to them now. I’ve got dinner still in the saucepan over there if you want to help yourselves while we’re eating dessert.”
Ettie Smith Amish Mysteries Box Set 2 Page 9