“The detective didn’t say I couldn’t. He gave me the key back.”
“Well, I hope they haven’t left a mess.” Elsa-May leaned down and picked up her knitting out of the bag at her feet.
“He did say that the insurance company found cleaners and they’ve already done their job. My manager will have to collect one from me tonight. He doesn’t live far from me. I don’t like trusting anyone with a key or certain other things, but I suppose I’ll have to.”
“Will we go by bus tomorrow?” Ettie asked.
“That’s how I got there last time.”
“Then that’s exactly what we’ll do.”
“I don’t have Rupert Bird’s phone number; it’s in my office.”
“Well, we’ll have to surprise him, then,” Ettie said. “And that might be even better!”
Chapter 6.
Early the next morning, Ettie took a taxi to Ruth’s house. The bus stop where they’d board the bus to Harrisburg was walking distance from Ruth’s house. Ruth stepped out her front door as soon as Ettie stepped on her porch.
“All ready?” Ettie asked.
“I think so,” Ruth said. “I’ve got the bakery organized for me not being there. I think they’ll manage, seeing I’m not really there on a Sunday either.”
“I’m sure they’ll manage.”
As they waited for the bus, Ruth said, “I hope this isn’t going to be a wasted trip.”
“If nothing else, it might eliminate him from our list of suspects. We know Alan Avery was murdered, and if he wasn’t there looking for cash, he was there for your bread recipe. There was someone else in your bakery with him, but who was it?”
“Jah, and Elsa-May was right about the weekly takings not making a dent in his debts. The big building he bought must have cost over three hundred thousand, and I’d dare say it would cost another two hundred at least to fit it out properly.”
Ettie nodded. “That is a big investment. And why would he do all that when he knows that you make the best bread in town?”
“You think he planned to steal the recipe from me all along?”
“It makes sense seeing that you refused to sell it to him.”
It was mid morning when they arrived in Harrisburg. When they stepped off the bus, Ruth said, “If my memory is correct, the bakery is not too far up this street.” They continued along the main road, and then Ruth pointed. “There it is. See that brown awning?”
Ettie stopped still, and squinted. “Jah. That’s it?”
“Jah, it is,” Ruth tugged on Ettie’s sleeve. “Come on.”
When they arrived at the bakery, Ruth asked one of the staff if Rupert Bird was in. Minutes later, a tall lanky man in his forties with a receding hairline hurried toward them. He held out his hands to Ruth. Then he pulled her in close and kissed her on both cheeks. “Ruth, I never thought I’d see you in my bakery again.”
“Hello, Rupert. I never thought I’d be here either.”
Rupert looked at Ettie.
“This is my friend, Ettie Smith. Ettie, this is Rupert Bird.”
Ettie quickly stuck out her hand so he wouldn’t kiss her. She was grateful that he shook it and made no attempt to lean in and kiss her.
“Morning, Mrs. Smith.”
“Everyone calls me Ettie.”
“Fine, call me Rupert. Please, come through to my office.” As they walked through the bakery out the back, he explained, “I’ve got new equipment that has just been installed.” He pointed to the ovens.
“Looks good,” Ruth said.
Ettie thought it best to remain silent. She knew nothing of making bread in large quantities and lately had been experiencing problems making just one decent loaf.
All the way down, at the very back of the building, was Rupert Bird’s office.
“Have a seat,” Rupert said.
Ettie looked around at the couch and the two blue velvet chairs. She sat in a chair while Rupert sat on the couch. Ruth sat in the other chair facing Rupert.
“I take it you’re visiting me for a reason?” he asked Ruth as he leaned forward.
“I am. I’m considering retiring.”
A huge smile appeared on Rupert’s face. “Excellent. I never thought I’d see the day when you’d actually agree to sell.”
“I haven’t agreed to sell.”
Rupert frowned and tipped his head to one side. “Then why are you here?”
“I’m here because I’m thinking of retiring, but I haven’t fully made up my mind. A dreadful thing happened yesterday. A man was found murdered in my office.”
Rupert’s eyes grew wide. “That’s dreadful. Who was it? Was it someone you knew?”
“It was a customer of mine, a very big customer. He was a local man by the name of Alan Avery.”
Ettie stared at the man to see what he would do on hearing the dead man’s name. He merely blinked a couple times and stared at Ruth.
“I’m very sorry to hear that. I’m sorry that your decision to retire was prompted by such a dreadful and violent thing. Do the police know who did it?”
Ruth shook her head. “Not at this stage. They do have evidence coming through, and then they’ll find out who did it.”
“How did he come to be in your bakery?”
“We don't know. The police believe he was after the weekly cash. Although, he didn’t know we’d banked the day before.”
Rupert nodded. “Times are tough for a lot of people these days.”
“It appears so.”
Rupert stood, walked over to his filing cabinet and opened the top drawer. “I’ll just go over some details with you. Most of them we’ve discussed before.”
“I don’t recall discussing any details with you before.”
“Well I’ve had a contract drawn up. It’s not the final contract; it’s just a mock up at this stage. I had it drawn up some time ago. It’ll have to have some things changed, but it’s something we can work on together if you decide that you do want to go ahead and sell.”
He handed Ruth what looked like a five page contract.
“Thank you, I’ll look through it.”
He sat back down. “Are you talking to other people?”
“I do have others who’ve offered to buy me out. I thought I should talk to everyone before I make a final decision. There’s one man who lives in Lancaster County who’s got an Amish small goods store and he plans to roll out a hundred more stores across the country over the next five years.”
“That is a lot.”
“Yes. It is.”
“He’s obviously got more money to offer you than I do, but something tells me that money isn’t the most important thing to you. Something in my heart is telling me you want to sell to me.”
Ettie could see Ruth was struggling with what to say. “Ruth must make a business decision with her head and her heart.”
“I can tell you, Ruth, that I’ll give you all the credit for your bread. I’ll even name it after you and have your face on the packaging.”
Ruth shook her head. “No. I wouldn’t like my likeness on a bread bag, or anywhere else for that matter. I’ve never had my photograph taken.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend. I forgot many of the Amish don’t like to have their photos taken.”
“Some don’t mind, but that’s not the way I was raised.”
“Ruth, is there anything I can do or say to convince you to sell to me? What do I have to do to have you sell to me?”
“I don’t think there’s anything. I wanted to come here and see what your operation is like. We didn’t leave on very good terms last time.”
“You’re right and I apologize for that. I’m too hot headed for my own good sometimes. My wife tells me that all the time.”
“Well, thank you. Now that we’ve had another meeting, I’ve got something to think about.”
“Thank you for coming out all this way to see me. Do you have to head off right now? Can I take you ladies out to lunch somewhe
re?”
Ettie and Ruth looked at each other. “Yes, we do have time before the bus returns don’t we, Ruth?
“If you can spare the time, we’d like that,” Ruth said.
“Excellent. I’ll just tell my staff where I’m going.” He rushed out of the office and Ettie noticed an open laptop computer on his desk.
She headed over to it.
“What are you doing?” Ruth hissed.
“Shh. Watch the door. Tell me when he’s coming back.” Ettie pushed a couple of buttons and the Internet browser was activated. “Where’s Ava when you need her?” Ettie muttered. “This is different from the last computer I tried.”
“He’s coming, Ettie.”
Ettie managed to sit back down just before Rupert saw that she’d been standing up.
“Okay. I’m all ready to go. I know a nice restaurant not far from here. I’ve been looking for an excuse to go back there.”
Chapter 7.
After they’d put their meal orders in, Rupert Bird said, “It must have been awful to have someone murdered in your bakery.”
“Yes, it was. He was murdered right in my office. I found him in the morning when I went in.”
Ettie said, “We’ve got very good detectives in our town; they always find the guilty ones.”
“Always get their man, do they? Like the Canadian Mounties?”
“Like the what?” Ruth said.
“Canadian Mounties they’re the police in Canada. That’s their slogan, they always get their man.”
Ruth nodded.
The waitress set thick slices of sourdough bread on the table.
“No bread is as good as yours, Ruth. That’s why I’m desperate to get my hands on your recipe.”
Ettie stared at him while he was talking to Ruth and wondered just how desperate he was. Was he desperate enough to kill for it? What if he’d been in an arrangement with Avery? Avery could have misunderstood what Ruth had said about her prized possession being in the bureau. He might have told Rupert he knew where the recipe was hidden. When they opened the bureau, all that they found was a big old Bible. That brought Ettie to consider the knife. If the knife wasn’t one of Ruth’s, that meant that the second man had to have brought it in with him, although it was possible it had been Alan's. That could make it a pre-meditated murder.
“What do you think, Ettie?” Ruth asked.
“Excuse me? I didn’t hear that, I’m sorry.”
The waitress bought their meals. Rupert had ordered a steak, and Ruth and Ettie had ordered salads.
Ruth continued, “Rupert was just saying we should stay overnight and watch his bakery in operation tomorrow morning.”
Ettie knew that Ruth was looking for her to come up with an excuse. “I’m afraid we can’t. I’ve got my sister ill at home. She’s not long out of the hospital and I’ll have to get back in time to make her a meal.”
“Sorry to hear that. Nothing serious, I hope?”
“They thought that it might be, but it wasn’t. She still has to be watched carefully, though.”
“Maybe some other time,” Ruth said, smiling at Rupert.
“I’m glad we’ve been able to talk on friendly terms again, Ruth. Especially after my outburst last time you were here.”
“No one’s perfect, Rupert. It just shows you’re very passionate about bread.”
Rupert tossed his head back and laughed. “And do you know when it started?”
Ruth nodded. “I know.”
Rupert said to Ettie, “I had a taste of Ruth’s bread when I was a child. Ruth’s bread changed the direction of my life. I might have become an accountant like my father if it weren’t for Ruth. I just don’t know why I can’t get my bread to taste anywhere near as good as hers.”
“I’m sure it tastes nice,” Ettie said.
“I do get compliments, but I know it could be better,” Rupert said.
Ettie sighed. “Well, at least your bread doesn’t fall in the center like mine’s been doing lately.”
“Are you a baker too, Ettie?”
“No. I bake bread for me and my sister four times a week, well, up until I’ve had this problem with the bread.”
“When you bring it out of the oven, are you putting it back on top of the oven?” Rupert asked.
“No. I’m putting it on a wooden tray as I always do.”
“What about the quantities? Are you perhaps using more yeast than before?”
“Ettie has never measured her quantities. She knows to put a bit of this and a bit of that. She’s doing the same quantities as always.”
Ettie nodded. “Yes, and I’ve never had this problem before.”
“If I were you, I’d start measuring. That’s the only way you’ll find what you’re doing wrong. And if that doesn’t work, you’ll have to use a thermometer.”
“I’ll have to try that I suppose. Rupert, you mentioned that your parents took you to Ruth’s bakery when you were a child?”
“That’s right.”
“Did you once live near Ruth’s bakery?”
Rupert immediately looked away from Ettie. “We were passing through.” He looked over at Ruth. “I hope you’ll consider my offer. The figure I mentioned to you last time you were here is negotiable. Will you speak to me before you make your final decision?”
Ruth nodded. “I will.”
Rupert’s face beamed. “Thank you, Ruth.”
A waitress came over to ask if they wanted anything else.
“Just the bill please,” Rupert said.
“Thank you for a lovely lunch, Rupert, and I will start measuring. I have to try something different.”
When the waitress brought the bill back, Rupert took out a wad of rolled-up notes out of his pocket. He peeled off a couple of notes and placed them under the bill. “I’ll drive you ladies to the bus stop.”
“We can walk,” Ruth said. “It’s not far from here at all.”
Ruth and Ettie said goodbye to Rupert Bird, and then left the restaurant.
“He doesn’t seem to be short of money. Did you see all that money he had in his pocket?” Ettie said.
“I certainly did.”
“And did you notice he looked funny when I asked if he once lived close to your bakery?”
“Nee, I didn’t.”
“He couldn’t look me in the eye, and then he changed the subject.”
When they reached the bus stop, they had twenty minutes to wait before their bus left for home.
“Would Rupert be the same age as Alan Avery?”
“They could be around the same age.”
“I’ll get Ava to look into things for me. She’s very good at doing computer searches, and she’s got a close friend who works in the Motor Vehicles Department.”
“Should we let the detective know we’ve met with Rupert?” Ruth asked.
“He didn’t seem interested at all. He already said he wasn’t going to question him or the other man who wanted your bread.”
“Hugh Dwyer.”
“That’s right, Hugh Dwyer. He might talk to them eventually but only when he comes to the conclusion that it wasn’t a robbery.”
“We won’t mention anything, then.”
“Jah, I think that’s best.”
* * *
When Ettie walked Ruth safely home from the bus stop, she had a taxi take her home. She turned the door handle and before she could step into the house, she heard Elsa-May shriek.
“Shut the door, Ettie.”
Ettie stepped in and quickly closed the door behind her. Her attention was drawn to a white streak heading for her feet. She looked down to see a small puppy. “He’s adorable. Where did he come from?” Ettie leaned down to pat the pup.
“Your friend next door.”
Ettie bit her lip. She hadn’t meant that they’d take the dog Bernie had mentioned. “He did say something to me about a pup, and I said we’d think about it.”
“Seems you told him I needed a dog to get me to go for a w
alk.”
“I did say something to him, and he suggested that you should get a dog.”
“Well now you’ve got one, Ettie. And he’s left a present for you on the floor over there.”
Ettie stood up and looked over at the ‘present’ the dog had left, and giggled. She looked back at the dog. “Did you do that?”
“That’s why I’ve never liked dogs in the house, they’re dirty and messy. They also encourage mice.”
“Elsa-May, they do not encourage mice. He’ll learn to go outside. We’ve already got the dog door.” Ettie leaned down and patted the dog once again. “What’s your name? Did Bernie say what his name was?”
“We’re not keeping him, Ettie.”
“Not we, he’s your dog. I said I’d never have another dog after Ginger died. I don’t mind helping you look after him. I’ll even get rid of his first accident.”
Elsa-May looked over at the dog. “He is a little bit cute, but dogs are a lot of trouble.”
Ettie stood up. “What trouble? We’ve got a yard big enough for a small dog, we’ve got the dog door, and we can take him for walks. That’s what the doctor told you to do. Maybe this little fellow will talk you into taking him for a walk.”
“Do you think we should keep him?” Elsa-May asked.
“I do, now that he’s already here.” Ettie picked the dog up and walked over to her sister. “You hold him while I clean up his mess.” Ettie knew that the longer Elsa-May had him around, the more she’d want to keep him.
When Ettie finished cleaning up, she washed her hands and went back to Elsa-May, intending to talk her into keeping the pup. “Where is he?” Ettie asked when she saw that her sister wasn’t holding him.
Elsa-May pointed to the corner of the room. “I’ve made him a little bed.”
The pup was curled up on a mattress made out of one of Elsa-May’s good blankets.
“Your gold blankets are your good ones, aren’t they?”
Elsa-May nodded. “I couldn’t use the blue ones. They’re not soft enough.”
Ettie smiled. That’s when she knew they were keeping the dog. She stepped closer to see that the dog was fast asleep with his head between his front paws. “He’s asleep.”
“He won’t be much longer if you keep talking that loud.”
Murder in the Amish Bakery (Ettie Smith Amish Mysteries Book 3) Page 5