Who Killed Uncle Alfie?

by Samantha Price

  The ladies walked him to the door and when he’d driven off, Elsa-May closed the door.

  “We’ll have to tell Molly what we’ve found out.”

  “Elsa-May, we can’t possibly. You saw what state she was in when she came home yesterday. We can’t tell her that her beloved has been arrested for murder. No, we have to find out what’s going on—and fast.”

  “But you told—,”

  “Then I will be punished for telling a lie if Gott so chooses, but I will not stand by and let an innocent man go to jail. And, if Jazeel goes to jail that’ll mean Molly will be spending more time over here because she doesn’t know many people in the community. And do you know what that means?”

  “What?” Elsa-May asked.

  “Tom will be here more often too.”

  Elsa-May’s eyes bugged out and her lower jaw fell. “That would be dreadful. Come to think of it, I should let Snowy back in.”

  Once Snowy was back inside, he sniffed everywhere Detective Kelly had been. Then he walked over and flopped down on his bed.

  “What should we do, Ettie? Where shall we start?”

  Ettie tapped a finger on her chin. “My best guess is to start with the neighbors. I say we go and ask them some questions.”

  “Why do you think they’ll tell you something they haven’t told the police?”

  “It’s been my experience that sometimes the police only hear what they want.”

  “Let’s go.”

  “It’s a long bus ride.”

  “I’ll take my knitting.”

  “I’ll pack some food for us to eat on the way,” Ettie said.

  Hours later, they arrived at Alfie’s house and knocked on the door of the nearest neighbor. Since Alfie’s house was on a corner, there was only one neighbor.

  The place looked a little rough, the house with its pale blue paint peeling off and old rusted-out cars in the front yard. By the front door sat an old couch with holes in it.

  Ettie knocked on the door.

  “Hello?”

  Elsa-May and Ettie turned, and saw a man walking toward them from the side of the house. He was a middle-aged man wearing gray shorts with a white singlet stretched over his stomach. He walked toward them, smoothing down his long scraggly hair.

  “Hello,” he said again, looking between the two of them.

  Ettie introduced herself and Elsa-May, after which he told them his name was Dave.

  “We’d like to ask you a couple of questions about Alfie, if we could.”

  Dave looked between the two of them. “Were you friends of his from when he was with the Amish?”

  “We knew him, but we are mainly friends of his nephew, Jazeel.”

  “Do you know Jazeel?” Elsa-May asked.

  “I do. I know him. He used to visit Alfie.”

  “If you know Jazeel, you’ll know he didn’t kill Alfie, but it seems the police think he did it,” Ettie said.

  “Do they?”

  “Yes. And we’re doing our best to find out what really happened, so Jazeel won’t go to jail.”

  “Come inside. The front door’s locked. I’ll go ‘round and unlock it for you. If you were friends of Alfie's and you're friends of his nephew, I've got a long story to tell you.”

  They waited at the front door and soon they heard a series of clicking sounds. Finally he opened the door. “Come in and take a seat."

  Ettie and Elsa-May walked into the modest home and sat down on the brown couch as the man pulled up a chair and sat in front of them. The house smelled strongly of stale cigarette smoke and Ettie noticed two ashtrays full of cigarette butts on the windowsill. She hoped the smell wouldn’t transfer to their clothing. Washing day wasn't until Friday, and Ettie was aware that she was wearing her last clean dress.

  “I often looked out for Alfie. He wasn’t too well these past weeks. I did a few things for him and kept an eye on the place, that kind of thing. I can't look after anyone too well, what with my own health problems. Someone needs to look after me."

  Elsa-May leaned forward. "Tell us what you know. Who do you think did this to Alfie?"

  "It's a long story."

  "We’re used to those," Ettie said.

  "There's a man who used to own a car yard around these parts. His name’s Joe Mulligan. Joe did some damage to Alfie's car a few months back. He knew it was his fault and he said he was going to pay for it. The damage was going to cost a fair bit. I think Joe knew some people –"

  "You think Alfie was killed over a car, so the man wouldn’t have to pay him back?" Elsa-May asked.

  "I'm saying the man knew a lot of the wrong kind of people, and that's all I'm saying." He stood up and looked nervous. "That's all I should say."

  "Didn't you say that it was a long story?" Ettie asked.

  He shook his head and rubbed his stubbly chin in an agitated manner. "I don't want any trouble."

  "We're just trying to clear Jazeel's name. How would that get you into trouble?"

  "Forget I said anything."

  Ettie and Elsa-May looked at each other and then stood up.

  Just as they were nearly out the door, Elsa-May said, “Where would we be likely to find Joe Mulligan if we wanted to speak to him?"

  "Down at Johnny’s, the local bar. He’s always there in the afternoon, from about four o'clock on. But don't tell him I said anything about him."

  “Is he dangerous?” Ettie asked.

  “No, I don’t think so. No, he wouldn’t be.”

  Ettie and Elsa-May walked out of his house. The man walked outside with them. Ettie looked up and saw a woman walking up to Alfie’s house. “Who's that, Dave?"

  "That's Alfie's daughter, Marlene. I haven't seen her for years."

  "We know her, Ettie," Elsa-May said.

  “Yes, I know that, but she wouldn’t remember us,” Ettie said.

  "Who's that with her?" Elsa-May asked, seeing a man who was wearing a dark suit and following behind Marlene.

  “I’ve never seen him before,” Dave said.

  "Let's go over and find out, Ettie."

  “Thanks for all your help, Dave.”

  “Dunno if I was much help.”

  When Dave walked back inside, Ettie and Elsa-May hurried over to say hello to Marlene.

  When they went through the gate to Alfie's house, Ettie had a better look at the man’s car and saw a real estate sign on its back window. "That man’s a realtor."

  "Are you sure, Ettie?"

  Ettie pointed to his car. "It says it right there on his car. She's trying to sell the house already and Alfie isn’t even in the ground."

  "Where was she when her father was ill?"

  "You knock on the door," Ettie said to Elsa-May.

  "Why me?"

  "You're the older sister."

  "Okay. We'll have to find out what she’s doing here."

  Elsa-May knocked on the door. "Yoo hoo, Marlene. It's Ettie Smith and Elsa-May Lutz."

  Ettie whispered, "She won't remember who we are. She would’ve been just ten years old when Alfie and his family left the community."

  Elsa-May ignored her and walked into the house. "Marlene!"

  Marlene came walking toward them looking none too happy. "Can I help you?"

  "We’re your father's friends. Don't you remember us from back when you were in the community?"

  "I'm sorry, but I can't say that I do. I tried to put that whole episode out of my mind. You heard about my father, I suppose. Is that why you’re here?"

  "Yes, and we’re dreadfully sorry for your loss," Elsa-May said.

  "We never agreed on everything. Anyway, I suppose I've got the police to thank for this mess,” she said looking around with hands on her hips. “I didn't realize it would be in such a bad state. Now I've got to employ cleaners to fix it quick before I put the house up for sale."

  Ettie said, "Is that a realtor that came into the house with you just now?"

  "Yes, the place is going on the market. Do you know anyone who wants
to buy it?"

  "No, sorry, we don't," Ettie said.

  "If you'll excuse me, I've got things to do. Thanks for stopping by."

  Elsa-May stepped forward. "Do you have any idea who could've done this to your father?"

  "I've already been through all this with the police. I hadn't seen him in five years or more, so I was no help to them."

  "Instead of looking for his murderer as if he had enemies or something, they need to be looking for the person who took my mother's diamond necklace. It was obviously a robbery."

  "Was it worth a lot of money?"

  "Yes, and my mother wanted me to have it. That was always the plan, but when she died my father refused to give it to me."

  "Did that cause the falling out between you and him?"

  "Let's just say it didn't help."

  "What sort of necklace was it?"

  "It was a single diamond. My mother won a competition. The prize was twenty thousand dollars, and she bought a single diamond with the money, and had it made into a necklet. My father was furious that she didn't do something he considered sensible with the money. He just wanted her to share it with him. He was mad. Mom just wanted something for herself because she'd never had anything nice.”

  The realtor walked into the same room and Marlene looked over her shoulder, and said to Ettie and Elsa-May, "Thanks for stopping by."

  "It was nice to see you again, Marlene," Elsa-May said.

  "And you. I'm sorry, I don't remember who you are."

  “I’m Ettie and this is Elsa-May.”

  "Do you mind letting us know when the funeral will be?" Elsa-May asked.

  "I'm not certain yet, but I'll let John Graber know and he can let all the rest of you know."

  "Yes, there will be a few of us who would like to go to his funeral."

  “Good.” She pointed to the door.

  When Ettie and Elsa-May were clear of the house, Ettie said, "Do you think the detective knows about the diamond?"

  "Yes. She said she told him about it.”

  “When he was at our house, he didn’t seem to think anything was missing. But then again, he wouldn’t know if there was anything taken if he didn't know about the diamond’s existence.”

  "She said she told him. Weren’t you listening?"

  “Nee.”

  "I know, you're thinking again, Ettie. You’re thinking we should tell Kelly what Dave told us.”

  Ettie drew her lips together. “We told Kelly we’d stay out of things.”

  “You told him you’d stay out of things.”

  “He meant both of us.”

  “It’s either that, or we go and talk to Joe Mulligan ourselves.”

  Ettie shook her head. “Kelly might run us out of the station.”

  "It won't be the first time." Elsa-May chuckled.

  “Dave said Joe drinks at Johnny’s every day. We could go there today rather than come back here another day.”

  “Ettie, we might not have to talk to Mr. Mulligan at all. And I’d rather not if he’s dangerous. Why don’t we tell Kelly?”

  “Okay. I suppose you’re right, but then he’ll find out we’ve been back at Uncle Alfie’s haus.”

  “It might be worth it if Joe Mulligan’s guilty. Then he’ll let Jazeel go, which will make Molly happy and Tom will visit us less.”

  “Good thinking, Elsa-May. Let’s tell Kelly now.”

  Chapter 7

  Ettie and Elsa-May were directed into Detective Kelly’s office. He stood, and when they'd sat down in the chairs opposite his large desk, he sat down and asked, "What can I do for you ladies today?"

  "It's about Alfred Graber," Ettie said.

  "I figured as much. Do you have any information, or is it just a social visit because you think I have nothing better to do?”

  Ettie ignored his comment, and said, "We went back to his house and Alfie’s daughter was there. Did she tell you about the missing diamond?”

  “Yes. I knew you two wouldn’t stay out of it.”

  “I kept telling you she said she told him, Ettie.”

  Kelly said, “We’ve got it under control. There’s no need to concern yourselves.”

  “She had a realtor there looking at the house to sell it,” Elsa-May added.

  He stared at them. “She didn’t waste any time on that.”

  “That’s what we thought. She wasn’t very fond of her father, it seems.”

  “Would that be what the murderer was looking for—the diamond?" Ettie asked.

  Kelly shook his head. "She put in a report with her father’s home owner’s insurance and if you ask me, she’s gaming the system. I doubt the diamond ever existed. She can’t show me any proof. And now you tell me she’s selling the house as fast as she can; that tells me I’m right about the diamond never existing. Instead of asking about her father’s killer, all she wanted to know was whether the police were finished inside the house so she could sell it. The woman’s out for what she can get." The detective shrugged his shoulders and explained, "That's just what some people are like. Anyway, thanks for coming in, ladies, and giving me that information."

  "What is happening with Jazeel?"

  "We are expecting him back here late this afternoon. And then he’ll go before a judge for bail tomorrow morning."

  "Has Molly been in touch with you?"

  "Your friend?”

  Ettie nodded.

  "No I haven't heard from her. For your sake, I hope he gets bail."

  "So you still think Jazeel did it?" Elsa-May asked.

  "In my experience when someone's murdered I’m firstly interested in the immediate family members, and Jazeel Graber was making a run for it. He had to be running for a reason.”

  “Before we go, Detective, the neighbor, Dave, also told us about a man called Joe Mulligan," Elsa-May said.

  Kelly scratched the back of his neck. “Joe Mulligan—he’s known to us. What did he say about Joe?”

  Ettie and Elsa-May looked at one another.

  Ettie said, “He owed Alfie money.”

  “Quite a bit of money,” Elsa-May added. “And that’s all we know.”

  Ettie pushed herself to her feet, and then the detective stood as well.

  "Thank you for coming in, ladies. We’re still investigating, so don’t concern yourselves about that. Go home and bake cakes and knit socks or whatever it is you knit.”

  Ettie and Elsa-May walked down the steps of the police station.

  "What do we do now?" Ettie asked.

  "We should visit Molly and let her know that Jazeel will most likely get bail tomorrow morning. It'll be interesting to hear what Jazeel has to say."

  "What about Jazeel’s sons?"

  “We can stop by John’s place on the way to Molly’s.”

  “Very good."

  After they’d informed Jazeel’s oldest son, John, that his father would most likely be appearing in court the following morning, they headed to Molly’s house.

  Just as they reached the front door, Elsa-May said, “It’s getting late. We can’t stay long.”

  “Okay we won’t.”

  They knocked on the door and when it opened, Tom streaked through Elsa-May’s legs like a bolt of lightning. Molly screamed and rushed past them and leaped down the five porch steps, beating the cat to the front gate where she caught him. As she held Tom in her arms, he squirmed and struggled.

  “Come inside. I’ll put him in the bedroom,” Molly said.

  Elsa-May and Ettie sat in the living room waiting for Molly to reappear. She came out a few minutes later.

  “Do you have news of Jazeel?”

  Ettie took a deep breath and told her everything they knew about Jazeel, Marlene, and Tom Mulligan. “We’re going to check into everything, so don’t worry.”

  “Will Jazeel get bail?”

  “Probably. The detective didn’t say he wouldn’t get it and I don’t think they have any real evidence against him,” Elsa-May said.

  "Alfie must've been killed
for the diamond since it was worth a lot of money," Molly said.

  "The detective thinks the diamond never existed and the daughter is making a false insurance claim."

  "I'm worried about Jazeel. I hope he's okay."

  "We can come to court with you tomorrow morning if you’d like," Ettie said.

  "Would you?"

  "Jah, we will. And we’ve told John what’s going on and he’ll be there in the morning as well."

  “Denke. John was the son he knew he could rely on.”

  Chapter 8

  At court the next morning, Elsa-May and Ettie were sitting outside one of the courtrooms when they noticed Detective Kelly.

  When he saw them, he walked over and crouched down in front of them. "I thought you’d be pleased to know that I talked with Joe Mulligan last night and he claims he didn’t owe Alfie any money.”

  “We were told he damaged Alfie’s car.”

  Kelly shook his head. “There was no police report made.”

  “That could be because Mulligan told Alfie he was paying it back.”

  “You’re telling me this with second hand information—gossip, hearsay. You have no real facts. We have to deal in only the facts. I'm afraid we’ve come to a dead end as far as Mulligan is concerned."

  "And what about the neighbor? He was the one who mentioned Joe Mulligan.”

  “I can’t help that and I don’t want to hear anything else unless they’re facts.”

  “Excuse me, Detective Kelly,” a uniformed officer said as he walked over to him.

  Kelly looked at the officer and then looked back at Ettie and Elsa-May. “I’ll talk to you ladies later.”

  When I heard the judge grant Jazeel bail for fifty thousand dollars, I looked at John wondering how we could possibly raise that kind of money.

  “Don’t worry, Molly, they have bail bondsmen and I’ll arrange it.”

  Jazeel turned and smiled warmly at me before they took him out of the room. I could tell that he’d missed me as much as I’d missed him. He was back home and he was safe. As soon as the police realized he wasn’t guilty of anything, they’d drop the charges.