by Amy Lillard
“Right,” Edie said, though Kappy had the feeling the next time the opportunity arose she would call him deputy again. There was just something about the two of them that seemed to make sparks fly. She wasn’t certain if it was Jimmy’s arrest or if perhaps Edie had a thing for the tall detective.
“Were you talking to Jay Glick about Ruth’s murder?” Kappy had learned a long time ago that the best way to get a straight answer was to ask a straight question.
Jack caught her gaze in the rearview mirror. “Maybe.”
Edie turned in her seat. “Really?” she gushed. Her tone had gone from bristly to soft and sweet. “So you believe us?”
Jack turned into Edie’s driveway. “I didn’t say that. I’m just making sure.”
“I thought you had a confession,” Kappy probed.
Jack frowned. “I’m not at liberty to discuss the particulars of this case with anyone.” Which was a cop’s nice way of saying, “Don’t ask any more questions. I’m not answering anything else.”
Edie turned in her seat and captured Kappy’s gaze. They were both thinking the same thing. Jack Jones was investigating once more. And that was more than they could have hoped for.
He pulled his car to a stop in front of Ruth’s house.
Kappy and Edie got out.
“Thanks for the ride, copper,” Edie said.
He gave her a small salute, and Kappy wondered if this was perhaps Englisch flirting. She had no idea. She’d never seen such action in motion.
“Anytime,” Jack replied.
Kappy blocked the door before Edie could shut it, leaning in to make sure Jack heard. “If you’re out investigating, go check out John David Peight. He might be your man.”
“I thought we had agreed not to go around accusing everyone,” Edie said as Jack pulled away.
“I’m not accusing. I’m just giving a suggestion.” She gave a small shrug as if to back up her words.
Edie smiled and shook her head. “You sure are mouthy for an Amish girl.”
“Hasn’t anyone told you?” Kappy asked. “I’m no ordinary Amish girl.”
Chapter 11
Sunday morning promised to turn into a beautiful day. The weather report had called for rain, but for now the skies were blue in Blue Sky. Fluffy, white clouds that had no intention of raining floated lazily in the sky.
Kappy stared at the basket of sewing that had yet to be completed. But that would have to wait until tomorrow. There was no work on Sunday, only that which was absolutely necessary. And she was positive Samuel Miller would put kapp making in the not-necessary category.
She sighed and pushed herself up from her rocking chair. Surprisingly enough, her house was clean. Maybe because she had hardly been home this last week. Not that she could clean house on Sundays, either. But she could at least wash the dishes. Had there been any.
What did she normally do on off-Sundays? Up until a few weeks ago she had spent them with Hiram, visiting with his family or just spending time with each other, reading the Bible and making plans. They’d had so many plans, but all those were for naught.
“I wonder what Edie is doing,” she muttered to herself. Only one way to find out: Walk over there and see. There was no rule against walking to a friend’s house on Sunday. Kappy hooked Elmer to his leash and headed out the door.
The short walk did a lot to raise her spirits. Kappy wasn’t sure why she felt so down on such a beautiful day.
Ruth’s dogs barked as she started up the short drive that led to the house. Elmer tugged at his leash, anxious to be reunited with his beagle friends.
“Hey!” Edie waved from the porch. “What brings you out today?”
Kappy shrugged. “It’s the off-Sunday.”
“Good.” Edie smiled. “You can help me clean out the barn.”
Kappy unhooked Elmer and let him run over to the fence. The other dogs met him there, barking out their welcome. “It’s Sunday.”
“And a perfect day to get a few things done around here.”
“Only work that is absolutely necessary can be performed on Sunday.”
“Only if you’re Amish.”
Kappy held out her arms. “Amish.”
Edie stopped. “Right. Does that mean I can’t count on your help?”
“I’d be happy to help you tomorrow.”
“But not today.”
“Everyone needs a day of rest, Edie. Even you.”
“A day of rest, huh?”
“It’s the perfect day for it.”
Edie looked up at the lazy clouds in the blue, blue sky. “Okay. A day of rest it is. As long as you promise to help me tomorrow.”
“You got it.”
They settled down in the rocking chairs on the front porch, a pitcher of lemonade and a package of cookies on the table between them.
“See?” Kappy asked. “Isn’t this nice?”
They rocked back and forth, just enjoying the day.
Well, sort of. As much as Kappy wanted to relax, she couldn’t help thinking about all the things she should be doing. All the things she would be doing if it hadn’t been Sunday.
“Yeah, nice.” Edie sounded as thrilled as she felt. Not at all.
Kappy took another drink of her lemonade and wondered how long they would have to sit like this. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to sit with Edie. It just felt weird, like they were wasting time better spent on something else.
But it was Sunday.
“So, you and Hiram,” Edie said.
“I told you. We broke up.” Hiram was one thing she didn’t want to talk about.
“Why?”
“We just aren’t suited for each other.”
“Uh-huh,” Edie said. “Now tell me the real reason.”
“That is the real reason.” Well, the real reason she gave everyone. “Do you remember Laverna Fisher?”
Edie thought about it a moment. “Blond hair, green eyes.”
“Really pretty.”
“Yeah, I remember her.”
“She married Hiram.” Kappy took a bite of her cookie, pretending it was no big deal.
“She did? Are you kidding?”
“Why would I kid about something like that?”
Edie nodded. “Right. So she married Hiram. And I assume something happened to her.”
Kappy dusted the crumbs from her lap. “She got sick a couple of years after they got married. And she just died.”
“Hiram must have been heartbroken.”
“He was. And when someone you love dies so quickly and unexpectedly . . .”
“You think he’s still in love with her.”
Kappy gave a sad smile. “I know he is.”
“And that’s why you broke up with him.”
“It’s silly of me, I know, but I want him to love me the way he loved her.”
“It’s not silly,” Edie said. “Everyone should have love like that.”
“What about you? Have you had that kind of love?”
“No, but I’m counting on it. One day. Hopefully, soon.” She took a drink of her lemonade.
They rocked for a few more minutes. Back, forth, back forth. Their chairs squeaked in the same rhythm. She could be sewing. If it wasn’t Sunday. Edie could be cleaning out the barn. Maybe even looking for more clues.
“This is relaxing,” Edie said. “Don’t you think so?”
“Oh, jah.”
Edie leaned her head back and closed her eyes. “Totally relaxing.”
“Completely.”
Edie rolled her head to the side and opened her eyes. “I won’t tell if you won’t.”
Kappy pushed up from the chair and reached out a hand to help Edie do the same. “Deal.”
* * *
A strange commotion woke Kappy the next morning. It sounded like . . .
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Someone was pounding on her front door.
It was too early for visitors, too early for company, and that could only mean one of two peop
le. Hiram or Edie.
“Kappy! Kappy! Open the door! Kappy!”
Edie.
Kappy wiped the sleep from her eyes and stumbled out of bed.
“Kappy! Open up!”
She opened the door, and Edie flung herself inside. “I thought you’d never let me in.”
“I was thinking about not,” Kappy said. She was still exhausted from all the work they had done the day before. They had rearranged the barn, organized Ruth’s office, and cleaned through the downstairs closets. Of course, helping Edie didn’t get any new kapps made. But there was always this afternoon.
“Something terrible happened.”
That woke her up. “What? It’s not Jimmy?”
Edie shook her head and, for the first time, Kappy noticed that her hair was standing up all over her head. “I don’t know what it is, but there are people everywhere at the house.”
“Ruth’s house?”
“No, Martha’s house. Of course Ruth’s house!”
“What is it?” She really needed to get fully awake before she started having these types of conversations.
“These people showed up first thing this morning and started talking about inspections and health care and all sorts of things with the dogs. They’re all over the place looking for problems. Half of them seem legit, but the other half—” She shook her head. “I think they’re just there to start trouble.”
“And you left them there alone?”
“What was I supposed to do?”
“Get back over there, for one.”
Edie’s expression changed into one of sheer panic. “You have to come help me, Kappy. I can’t do this by myself.”
“Of course you can.”
“Please, Kappy. Please come help me. I need your support.”
She must be getting soft in her old age. Twenty-five seemed to be her downfall. “All right. Okay. Let me get dressed. I’ll be right there.”
Edie threw her arms around Kappy and squeezed her tight in an unexpected hug.
Kappy held her breath, unaccustomed to such affection. Awkwardly, she patted Edie on the arm. “Get on now. I’ll be right there.”
“Okay.” Edie released her and headed for the door. Kappy watched her sprint across the yard. “Where’s your car?” Edie didn’t go anywhere on foot. She preferred to drive to the mailbox.
Edie didn’t slow her steps. “It’s at home. The crowd was so thick; this was the only way I could get here.”
And Kappy knew this was much bigger than she’d thought. She hustled into her bedroom to get dressed.
* * *
Crowd was too small of a word for the multitude of people at Ruth Peachey’s house. Amish funerals were big and Ruth was much loved, but Kappy was certain there hadn’t been this many people to come see her off.
“You see what I mean?” Edie cried.
They stayed as close to the cornstalks as they could, hoping to not draw any attention to themselves. Kappy had no idea whether they knew who Edie was or not, but it wasn’t worth the chance.
“Who are all these people?” Kappy asked.
“Animal-rights activists, I guess.”
“Animal what?” Kappy nearly tripped over her own toes.
“Animal rights. You know, like ethical treatment, proper food and shelter.”
She managed to right herself and keep walking. “Animals have rights?”
“Of course,” Edie said.
They were halfway to the house now. Kappy checked out the signs that the people were holding. PUPPIES HAVE RIGHTS, TOO! one read. YOU SHOULDN’T TREAT A DOG THAT WAY! said another. Along with YOU WOULDN’T PUT YOUR MOTHER IN A PEN! and HABID.
“What does that mean? HABID?”
“Humans And Beasts Integrating Destinies,” Edie replied. “I Googled it.”
Kappy stumbled again. Integrating had been one of last month’s words from her word-a-day calendar. But destinies? And Googled? “So they’re here to protest the dogs?”
“Not exactly. They’re here to protest the treatment of the dogs.”
“Ruth’s dogs are treated better than most people.”
Edie pressed her lips together and gave a stern nod. “I know,” she said. She didn’t have time to say anything else.
“Look! An Amish girl!” They could only be talking about her.
The protesters swarmed, running toward her, practically surrounding her and Edie. She turned to look at her friend. But Edie had raised both arms in the air and started chanting, “Down with puppy mills! No more puppy mills!”
No help there.
The protesters tugged on her sleeve, yelling for her to set the puppies free. Didn’t they understand if they were let loose they wouldn’t be fed?
Kappy did her best to ignore the protesters and just kept walking. Thankfully, they were so jumbled together that they were stepping on one another and preventing their own from reaching her.
Edie kept chanting, even as she led the way to the porch.
The angry protesters were unable to make it up the narrow steps and Kappy and Edie made it into the house. They shut the door quickly behind themselves.
Edie turned the lock and leaned back against the door, her expression one of concerned relief. “I’m not sure how long I can hold them off.”
Kappy shook her head. “Why are they even here?”
Edie pushed herself upright and headed for the kitchen. “My guess is they found out that the animal welfare was out here doing an inspection and they decided to target us.”
Kappy followed behind her. Something tickled her arm and she reached up, just then realizing she had a small tear in her sleeve. Those people meant business. “You don’t suppose . . . ?”
Edie opened the fridge, then glanced back at Kappy. “I don’t suppose what?”
“Maybe John David Peight called them.”
Edie shut the fridge and sank into the nearest kitchen chair. “But that would . . .”
“Stall Ruth’s business? Give her puppies a bad name? Give her farm a bad name?”
All that and more.
“He just didn’t seem like that kind of guy,” Edie said.
Kappy gave a quick nod. It was true. John David Peight seemed like a very nice man. But money and reputation could make nice men do mean things.
“Well, who else would want to sabotage Ruth’s business?” Kappy asked.
Edie tapped her chin thoughtfully. “He is definitely at the top of the list,” she said. “But what about the vet? He was sure acting strange.”
As true as it was, acting strange wasn’t a crime. But she couldn’t think of anyone else who would want Ruth out of business.
A sharp rap sounded at the back door a moment before it opened.
Kappy and Edie were on their feet in seconds.
“It’s just me.” Anna Mae Glick bustled through the mudroom and into the kitchen. “I heard all the commotion,” she explained. “Jay has gone down to the phone shanty to call the sheriff.”
Why hadn’t they thought of that?
“Good plan,” Edie said.
“Danki,” Kappy said, then eased back into the chair.
All they had to do was wait.
Edie drummed her fingers against the tabletop. Anna Mae slid into one of the chairs, even though no invitation had been issued. Kappy wished she’d stayed at home.
“How long have they been out there?” Kappy asked.
“They were here when I got up this morning.”
“Did you get to feed the dogs?” Kappy asked.
She stood and made her way over to the front window. The shades were drawn, the dark green blocking out the view from the front yard. Kappy peeked around one side. It seemed the protesters had grown in number. Some had even brought lawn chairs. Lawn chairs! Were they planning on staying that long?
“I couldn’t get to the pen,” Edie answered.
“And they say they are doing this for the puppies. The poor beasts haven’t even been fed today.”
; Come to think of it, she hadn’t fed Elmer this morning, either. She’d hustled over here instead. Now she looked out at the yard, wondering how she was ever going to get back to her house.
She let the shade fall back into place and moved away from the window.
“Hopefully, the sheriff will be here soon,” Anna Mae put in. She had been so quiet Kappy had forgotten she was sitting there.
“You wouldn’t happen to have any pie on you?” Edie settled her gaze on Anna Mae.
Anna Mae didn’t even blink, didn’t acknowledge Edie in any manner.
“Great,” Edie scoffed. “She can sit down at my table, but she can’t talk to me.” She turned to Kappy. “What is wrong with people?”
Kappy looked from Anna Mae, whose expression never changed, back to Edie. “I don’t know.”
* * *
It was another fifteen minutes before Kappy heard the abbreviated sound of a police siren. Kappy ran to one side of the big front window while Edie ran to the other. They both peered outside, careful not to let the protesters see them.
The members of HABID dotted the yard and spilled over, blocking the lane that led to the Peachey house. A familiar silver car inched its way through the crowd. The protesters moved out of the way only long enough for the car to inch forward, then they closed behind it as seamlessly as oil spilled on water.
The car stopped in front of Ruth’s house, and Jack Jones got out. Kappy wasn’t sure if she was happy to see him or not. The last time they had run into the detective deputy, he said he was investigating Ruth’s murder. Yet no arrests had been made. None but Jimmy. She wondered if he was doing it out of sheer obligation rather than on a hunch that she and Edie might be right.
Three short, rapid knocks sounded at the door. Edie jumped back from the window and looked down at herself.
“Kappy,” she hissed in an urgent whisper. “Answer the door.”
“Me answer the door? It’s your house.”
Edie shook her head. “I can’t answer the door like this.” She wore another pair of her too-snug pants, these pink and covered with the face of a chubby cartoon kitty cat. Edie’s too-big T-shirt was red and boasted an overlarge depiction of the same white cat with a red bow on her ear.
Kappy didn’t understand her reluctance. It was perhaps the tamest outfit she had seen Edie wear to date. “Why not?”