“I'm not a detective now. You can call me Ronald, as I keep telling you both.”
“You’ll always be Detective Crowley to us,” Ettie said.
Crowley smiled at Ettie, and then turned to Elsa-May. “I agree with you, some of the people the department uses might be young, but they do know what they’re doing.”
“Can you just give us three days before you report this?” Elsa-May asked.
He shook his head. “The first twenty four hours is the most important.”
“You can help us find out things without reporting it. We can all do this together while keeping the baby safe. Will you help us?” Ettie asked.
“Twenty four hours,” he said. “And only if I help.” He shook his head. “I shouldn’t let you talk me into this.”
Elsa-May and Ettie exchanged glances, and then Elsa-May said, “Forty eight hours? And then we’ll tell the police everything they want to know, and we’ll hand the baby over. Agreed?”
Ettie was disappointed that they’d be betraying whoever wrote that note. The pressure was on; they had to find out who was out to harm the baby. They had to track down the mother, the real father, or whomever it was who wrote the note and left the baby with them.
Crowley leaned over to shake Elsa-May’s hand. “Agreed. Forty-eight hours, and we’ll do this ourselves. After that, you hand the baby in and keep my name out of things the best you can.”
“Thank you,” Ettie said, knowing that they could all be in big trouble if this blew up in their faces.
“I can get information without letting the force know. I can find out whose name the car is registered in.”
“You can do that?” Elsa-May asked.
He nodded. “I still have friends in the force.”
“That would be wonderful,” Elsa-May said.
Crowley took the slip of paper that had the plate number, and said, “I'll just go outside and make that call.”
Once he was outside, Ettie looked out the window to make sure no one was watching them. When she saw that there was no black car in sight, she relaxed a little. It didn't seem as though anyone was watching them or the house, but they still could’ve been.
Crowley stepped back inside. “They're just running the plates. I should get a call back within the next half hour.”
Ettie handed him a list of names.
“What’s this?” he asked.
“The names I told you about that I got from Bethany’s quilt store earlier today.”
He looked down at the names and then looked back up at them in surprise.
Elsa-May said, “What is it, Detective… Ronald?”
“I know this name.” He tapped heavily on the paper and then looked up at the elderly ladies once again. “Genevieve Cohen.”
“Who is she?” Ettie and Elsa-May asked at the same time.
“Around four years ago, this woman had her baby boy kidnapped and held for ransom.”
Ettie and Elsa-May’s eyes grew wide.
“What happened?” Elsa-May asked.
He shook his head. “It wasn't my case, but I remember it well. They didn’t get the baby back and no one knows what happened to him. The kidnappers asked for $200,000 in cash and gave the parents three days to raise the funds. Of course, the kidnappers told the Cohens not to involve the police. Genevieve was very much against her husband involving the police, but he thought it was the best way to get the baby back. He raised the money, and we had a police officer tail him to the drop the kidnappers had named, and another officer waited near the drop. You see, Cohen had been instructed to give them the money, and a day later, he was supposed to get a call telling him where to collect the baby.”
“What happened?” Ettie asked.
“No one turned up to collect the money, and that night, Craig Cohen got a call saying that they’d give him one more chance and if he involved the police again, the they’d kill the baby.”
“Did the police stay away?” Ettie asked, doubting that they did.
He shook his head. “By this time, the FBI was involved. At the second drop, the money was collected and the kidnapper caught red-handed. Then the FBI discovered this man wasn’t one of the kidnappers, just a petty criminal that they'd paid $500 to pick up the package. The man knew nothing, and his story checked out. The kidnappers never got the money, but the Cohens never got their baby back either. They never heard from the kidnappers again, and our investigations, along with the FBI’s, never turned up anything.
“What happened to the baby?” Ettie asked.
“Most kidnapped cases don’t end well. They never saw their baby again.”
“Crowley, you can't tell the police anything; it might happen again. Do you think that this is that same woman’s baby?”
Ettie answered before Crowley had a chance. “I’d say without a doubt it’s the Cohens’ baby. That’s why they’re hiding him; they don’t want harm to come to this one.”
“It's a huge jump to think that, Ettie. Just because Mrs. Cohen bought a quilt at the quilt store doesn’t mean that this is her baby. She might have bought it for some other reason. To give away to someone as a present, for example.”
“I think I’m right, though. It's a bit much of a coincidence don't you think? Sounds like the woman—Genevieve—had another baby and she’s scared out of her wits that her second baby will be kidnapped. To keep him safe, she dropped him on our doorstep and begged us never to let Englischers have him.”
Elsa-May said, “I think Ettie’s right. Genevieve is hoping we keep the baby within the Amish community.”
Crowley heaved a sigh. “Yes, but why the both of you, and why your doorstep? Do you know this woman, have you ever even met this woman?”
Ettie and Elsa-May looked at each other and then shook their heads.
“No, we don't think so,” Ettie admitted.
“Then I’d say there’s little chance that this woman has left a baby at your door. I’d think if she ever had another baby that she’d keep a close eye on him—not give him away. What you’re both saying just doesn’t make any sense whatsoever, when you think it through.”
“But you will help us anyway?”
“I said I would. We’ll have to hurry and plan what we’re going to do. Time is of the essence. Now, I always think better with coffee and cake,” Crowley said.
Elsa-May pushed herself to her feet. “Coming right up.”
Chapter 6
Just as Crowley finished the last portion of his cake, his cell phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and looked at the screen. “Ah, it's the station. I’ll take it outside.” The retired detective bounded to his feet and before he was outside, he answered the phone. “Crowley here.” He closed the front door behind him.
Ettie and Elsa-May looked at each other.
“Do you think we did the right thing involving Crowley?” Ettie asked her sister.
“I think we had to, since that man came here looking for the baby.”
“I suppose you're right.”
Detective Crowley came back inside. “Okay, I found out the name of the man that was here today—Victor Lemonis. He’s a petty criminal and he’s been in and out of jail since he was sixteen. I’m waiting on my friend to send me a picture.” When his cell phone sounded he looked at it, and then showed the man’s image to Elsa-May. “Is this the man?”
“Yes, that’s the one who was here today. Do you think he might be the father, or a kidnapper?” Elsa-May asked.
“I think you two were right to doubt he was the father. I found out that he’s got several complaints against him for not paying child support. Lemonis has six children already, all with different mothers. I doubt that he’d be chasing a baby he thought was his when he’s not even looking after the ones he has.”
“Six, to six different mothers?” Ettie raised her eyebrows. “He has been busy. He must have some involvement with something crooked, then, because it’s clear he’s not the father.”
“I don't think you ladies
are safe here. Is there anywhere else you can stay?”
“Not without people finding out about the baby,” Elsa-May said.
“I'll talk to someone and see if I can have a patrol car go past your home every so often.” He produced another phone out of his pocket. “This is my personal cell phone that I just use for friends and family. Needless to say, I don't get many calls on it except for my golf buddies. And since I just walked out on the game today, I don't think any of them will be likely to ring me any time soon. If the man comes back again, dial 911.”
Elsa-May grabbed the phone. “Thank you.”
“Do you know how to use it?” Crowley asked.
Elsa-May looked down at the phone. “Yes I do.”
He nodded. “Good.”
“What are you going to do now?” Ettie asked Crowley.
“I'm off to see Genevieve Cohen to ask her about the quilt she bought. And see what else I can find out.”
“What do you want us to do?” Elsa-May asked.
“Nothing for the moment. I’ll be back to let you know what I’ve found out.”
When Crowley left, Ettie and Elsa-May walked into the kitchen while discussing how old the baby might be.
“His head doesn’t look misshapen at all,” Ettie said. “They have an oval head for a while after birth.”
“That might mean he was delivered by caesarean section. How long does the head stay misshapen after birth?”
“I’m not certain, only a day or two I think.”
“I don’t remember my babies’ heads being particularly oval-shaped or anything.”
“He seems to be healthy and he’s got a good appetite,” Ettie said.
“He does.”
Ettie stared at the baby’s face. His tiny eyelashes and barely-there eyebrows were a wonder to behold. She picked up his blue blanket and peeped under it to see his tiny little hands with their perfect fingernails. “It always fills me with wonder when I see tiny babies like this. How detailed are they?”
“Every boppli is a miracle. Gott’s little miracles.”
“I hope this one will have a gut and happy life.”
“We’ll pray that he does,” Elsa-May said smiling down at the baby.
“Jah, we will. We’ll pray that everything turns out well for him and his whole familye.”
They were interrupted by yet another knock on the door.
“Quick, Ettie, look out the window and see who that is.”
Ettie hurried to the window to see Ava. “It’s Ava. What shall we do? It’ll be all right if she knows, won’t it?”
“We can’t risk it, Ettie. The more people who know, the more risk there is to the boppli.”
“What do we do, then?”
“I’ll hide the boppli in your room with Snowy, and if he cries, we can say it’s Snowy.”
“We can’t put the dog in with the boppli. What if he bites him?”
“He’s got so much fur I doubt he’d feel it.”
“Nee! The dog might bite the boppli!” Ettie hissed.
“Ach! I’ll lock Snowy outside, then I’ll put the boppli in your room and if he makes a sound we can say it’s the dog. Does that work?”
“It’ll have to work. Quick!”
While Elsa-May pushed Snowy out the back and locked the dog door and then put the boppli in Ettie’s room, Ettie tried to stall Ava. “I’m coming; I’m just tying my shoelace.”
“That’s all right, Ettie. Take your time,” Ava said behind the locked door.
When Elsa-May breathlessly gave Ettie a nod, Ettie unlocked the door and opened it to their young friend, Ava.
“Come in, Ava. I’m sorry it took me so long to answer the door. I didn’t know it was you.” Ettie stepped aside to allow Ava in.
“You don’t normally lock the door. What’s going on?”
“Nothing, nothing at all. I didn’t realize it was locked.” Ettie nervously pushed some of her stray hairs back under her prayer kapp.
Ava walked into the living room just as Elsa-May sat down in her usual chair. “Hello, Elsa-May.”
“Nice to see you, Ava. Would you like a cup of hot tea?”
“Nee denke. I just had one. Jeremiah wanted me to drop by and tell you that he’s nearly finished with the last couple of your chairs. He’s fixed the doweling on both of them, and now the glue is drying in the vice. I’m not certain what that means and I hope I said it correctly.”
“That sounds correct,” Elsa-May said speaking a little too quickly. “The doweling is the little pieces of wood, usually cylindrical—well I think they’re always cylindrical—that hold the pieces of the chair together, and then they’re glued together for extra strength and held together in a vice while it’s drying.”
When Ettie noticed Ava frowning at Elsa-May’s prattle, she said, “That was kind of him to fix them for us. Won’t you sit down?”
“Jah, I haven’t seen either of you for a while. What have you been doing?”
“I went into town this morning to visit Bethany. Seems her store is doing really well.”
Elsa-May added, “I’ve just been at home not doing anything very much—nothing at all. We… we were having a very uneventful boring day until you showed up.”
Ava looked from one sister to the other. “Is something going on?”
“Nee, dear. Why would you say that?” Elsa-May asked, blinking too much.
“It’s just that the both of you seem to be tense. I feel like you’re covering something up.”
Ettie raised her eyebrows. “Tense? Us?” Ettie looked at Elsa-May who shook her head.
“Come on. I know you both well enough to know something’s up. So, what is it? Has something happened?”
Right on cue, the baby cried.
Ava frowned. “What’s that?”
“It’s Snowy. He knows we’ve got a visitor and he doesn’t like being left out especially when the weather is a bit cold like it is today.”
“He’s a very sociable dog,” Ettie added. “He’s been crying a lot lately whenever someone comes to visit.”
When the baby cried again, Ava asked, “Why don’t you let him in? Snowy’s always inside.”
“My dog trainer, Quinton, said that it won’t hurt him to be outside for a bit every day. He’s not a person, he’s a dog. He needs to know that he’s not the ‘top dog’. Dogs are pack animals and they follow a leader. I need to be his leader and I can’t do that if he’s inside under my feet all day, can I? Nee! I can’t.”
The baby cried again.
“Sounds like a baby.” Ava leaped to her feet and started toward the back door and Ettie’s bedroom, which was right next to it.
Elsa-May hurried behind her and stood in front of Ettie’s bedroom door. “It was nice of you to stop by, Ava, but now Ettie and I are tired and need a nap.”
Ettie was sure all was lost but tried to help as well. She hurried toward Ava telling her how tired she was from her trip to town.
Ava folded her arms in front of her and leaned back. “I know there’s a boppli in there, and by the sounds of the cry it’s a newborn. Tell me what’s going on and why there’s a baby in there.”
“We might as well tell her, Elsa-May.”
Elsa-May opened Ettie’s door and Ava walked in. She stood over the basket. “It is a boppli.”
“Good guess,” Elsa-May said, now glaring at Ettie.
Ettie shrugged. “She guessed; I didn’t tell her.”
“I was right about you not being able to keep a secret.”
“It won’t matter if Ava knows.”
“She didn’t keep that secret from Jeremiah did she?” Elsa-May said shaking her head.
“What secret was that?” Ettie asked.
“When we went over to her house that time when she was asking Jeremiah’s friend questions and we were there listening to the answers.”
“That’s right, but she did keep it secret until Snowy rushed into the living room and gave us away. She didn’t want to keep secrets from Je
remiah. Ava felt bad about not telling Jeremiah the truth of the whole thing. You know how straight-laced Jeremiah can be and Ava knows that.”
“Hey, I’m right here,” Ava said before she looked back at the boppli. “I’ll keep your secret whatever it is as long as I can hold him.”
“You won’t tell Jeremiah?”
“Nee, not unless he asks me if you’re hiding a boppli. If he asks me that, then I’ll have to tell him.”
“Sounds fair, Elsa-May,” Ettie said.
“All right. Pick him up, but mind his head. He’s likely only days old.”
Ava picked the baby up and rocked him to and fro. “I’ve been praying for a boppli. Does this one have a mudder or can I have him?”
Ava was joking, not realizing the baby had been left there.
“I’ll heat up a bottle while Ettie tells you the whole story,” Elsa-May said.
“She might be able to help us with something, Elsa-May.”
“Jah, she could I suppose. As long as she doesn’t tell anyone.”
“She said she wouldn’t,” Ettie said.
“Again—I’m right here,” Ava said with her face against the baby’s.
Chapter 7
Ava sat on the couch giving the baby his bottle while Ettie explained all that had happened.
“That’s so scary with the man coming to your door. And he’s a criminal you say?”
“That’s what Crowley said.” Elsa-May nodded. “Crowley got one of his police friends to run his plates through their computer and send him the man's picture, and then he showed me the man’s photo on his cell phone. It was the very same man who came to the door.”
“And the man said he’s coming back if he finds that the baby was not handed over to the authorities.”
“The baby’s not safe here. That man could come back here any minute,” Ava said looking down at the baby.
“He’s as safe here as anywhere,” Ettie said.
“How can you say that, Ettie? That man could come back any time, force his way in, and take him. You two wouldn’t be able to stop him. I’ll have Jeremiah come over here to stay with you.”
Ettie Smith Amish Mysteries Box Set 2 Page 31