Austin screwed up his face as he looked up at her. “Are you going now? You just got here.”
“Yes.” She walked toward the door.
He staggered to his feet. “Thanks for coming, Thea. You’re a real friend. And I never had many of those.”
Turning around she said, “Can I get you anything, Austin. Maybe some food?”
He leaned over and picked up his beer bottle. “I’ve got this.”
She frowned at him and couldn’t just leave him like that. “I’ll see what you’ve got in the fridge.”
“No, I couldn’t eat anything anyway. Just go home. I’ll be okay tomorrow.”
“Will you?”
“Yeah! I’ll snap out of it. If they want to arrest me, then let ‘em do it.”
“Go easy on the beer, would you?”
He smiled. “I don’t have any more left after these, so I’ve got no choice.”
“Good. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Bye, Thea.”
Thea left his apartment feeling satisfied that she’d checked on him. He wasn’t in a good way, though, and she couldn’t blame him.
Chapter 9
Ettie and Elsa-May traveled to the funeral with Elsa-May’s grandson, Jeremiah and his wife, Ava. The first part of the funeral would be the viewing of the body at Thomas’ parents’ house, and then the body would be taken to the grave, followed by a long procession of buggies.
“We’ve heard that it might not have been an accident,” Ava said as she turned around and spoke to the elderly sisters who were in the backseat of the buggy.
“Ava, there’s no need to say things like that,” Jeremiah cautioned her.
“It’s only Elsa-May and Ettie. They don’t mind. They usually know what’s happening around the community. It’s not as though I’m spreading rumors.”
“Okay,” Jeremiah agreed, "I guess that's true."
Ava turned back to the sisters. “Well?”
“Detective Kelly is on the case. He’s waiting to hear back about the coroner’s findings. There seems to be some delay.”
“Unless he knows already and he’s not telling us,” Ettie said to her sister.
“Either way, he thinks that there’s some doubt about it being an accidental death.”
“They say Roy found him,” Ava said.
“Jah, he found him and he also witnessed the argument at the market,” Elsa-May said.
Ettie added, “The one that fueled the rumors about it being a murder rather than an accidental death.”
“Sure sounds like gossip to me,” Jeremiah said.
“It’s sharing of information,” Elsa-May told her grandson.
“Jah, Jeremiah, Detective Kelly asked for our help in keeping our ears open to help him with clues,” Ettie said. “And he’s helped us before, so we are repaying his kindness.”
Jeremiah raised one hand while holding the reins in the other. “Okay. I’m clearly outnumbered here so I’ll keep my mouth shut.”
Ava giggled at what her husband said and then turned around to the sisters. “Let me know if you need any help.”
“We will,” Elsa-May said. “We’re hoping to talk with Roy today if we can get him alone.”
“Why don’t you leave it for today? It’s his bruder’s funeral,” Jeremiah said.
“I thought you were keeping your mouth shut, Grandson?” Elsa-May asked.
“Jeremiah, if it were up to you, we’d never talk with Roy about what happened,” Ettie added. “We’re only trying to help. We’re not being destructive.”
“I’ll try to keep out of it,” Jeremiah said.
Minutes later, Jeremiah stopped his buggy at the end of a long row of buggies at the Strongberg home.
There was a crowd just inside the house when Ettie and Elsa-May made their way through the front door with Ava close behind them. In front of them was the coffin with Mrs. Wilma Strongberg beside it. It was a sight that saddened Ettie. The woman would never have expected to lose a son so suddenly, accident or otherwise.
People milled past the coffin paying their respects and then saying a few words to the rest of the family who were on the right side of the room.
Ettie, Elsa-May and Ava followed the general direction of the crowd. It was Ettie’s habit not to look at the dead, as she’d rather remember people as they’d been. Once they got to Mrs. Strongberg, Elsa-May was the spokesperson for the three of them. After her kind words, they gravitated to converse with the rest of the Strongberg family. When Roy, Thomas’ older brother, broke away from the group to go outside, Ettie and Elsa-May were quick to follow him.
“Roy!”
Roy turned around and looked at Elsa-May. “Jah?”
“Ettie and I are concerned about something.”
“What is it? Do you need a ride to the gravesite?”
“Nee, denke, Jeremiah has kindly offered to drive us. It’s about Thomas.”
“What about him?”
“We know he was troubled about something. Do you know what it was?”
Roy lowered his eyes and rubbed his dark beard. When he looked up, he said, “He told you something was troubling him?”
“Not us ourselves, but we think he was upset about something.”
“The day he died, he was going to tell me something. I got the idea he might have been in trouble. It was something to do with a friend he made on rumspringa.”
“Did he ever say what it was?”
“Or who the friend was?” Elsa-May added.
“He was about to tell me that day. He said he couldn’t keep it in any longer. He came to see me and then Olive wanted to go to the market and I ended up going instead. He came along and when we were there, Thomas said he would go to say hello to Thea. When I took him home, we talked along the way, and he said he wanted to tell me what was going on in his life. I knew Olive needed the meat for our dinner that night, so I took him home and said I’d be right back to hear what it was.”
“Why didn’t he go with you?” Ettie asked.
Roy stared at Ettie a while before he answered, ‘I don’t know. He didn’t ask and I guess I didn’t offer. I was in a rush to get the meat home to Olive. I knew she’d be waiting for it.”
“Then what happened?” Elsa-May asked.
“When I got back, he wasn’t in the house. I thought he might be in the barn and then I found him as soon as I walked in.”
“Was there anything out of place?’
“I didn’t look, but ever since Thomas had come back from rumspringa, the barn was left in a mess with stuff everywhere. Anyway, the ladder was across him, so I pushed it away and saw he wasn’t breathing. I did my best to revive him and nothing I did worked. I heard a buggy and rushed out to see Mamm and Dat had just arrived home. I hollered out to them and told them what had happened. They rushed in and saw him. It was too late. He’d gone.”
“He was already dead when you found him, though?” Elsa-May asked.
“Jah. So Dat and I carried him into the house and we called the funeral director. We didn’t know what else to do.”
“Did you see any sign of anyone else there? A car leaving or anything like that?”
“Nee, I passed no car on the way, not near the haus; I would’ve remembered if I had.”
“Who called the police?” Ettie asked.
“It must’ve been the funeral director who called the paramedics. And the police, because they actually arrived first. It seems the police think it wasn’t an accident and they’re suspicious that he was moved.”
“You weren’t to know,” Ettie said.
“How would I?” Roy commented. “Anyway, he’s gone now and I was too late to help him.” Tears came to his eyes. “I was his older bruder and I should’ve been able to protect him. That was my job as an older bruder and I failed him.”
“It might have been an accident, though, and if it were, we know that it was Gott’s will.”
Roy blinked a couple of times. “It was a shock to see him there. I never eve
n thought that one of my siblings would die so young.” Roy managed a smile before he hurried away.
“I feel awful asking him questions like that right now,” Ettie said.
“I know, me too, but it’s best to ask before he forgets anything.”
“I suppose, but today is the funeral.”
“Ettie, you’re starting to sound like Jeremiah.”
Ettie nibbled on a fingernail. “I just wish we knew what really happened.”
“We will—I hope.”
Chapter 10
That night, Detective Kelly came to Elsa-May and Ettie’s house.
“I’ve got some interesting information,” he announced at the door.
Once Kelly was seated in front of them, he began. "The coroner has delivered his findings. From the angle Thomas Strongberg was hit, it could either have been a blow to the head or a fall, although he's judging it as inconclusive."
"Well, that's not really helping me at all," Ettie said.
“Surely a blow to the head would’ve done more damage than a fall?” Elsa-May asked.
“I’m no expert. I just go on what I’m told.”
"What do you do now, Detective? Do you look for a killer, or not?" Elsa-May asked.
"You're right; it's very difficult. All we can do is ask questions and investigate further and then if nothing turns up, we’ll have to wrap up the case. With the findings being inconclusive, we’ve got no other choice."
"So, it's likely that a murderer might get away with it if Thomas was killed and you can't do anything about proving it?"
"That's right. We'll just have to close the case and put it down to an accident.”
"But we don't even know it was a fall for certain."
"According to the brother, he found the ladder across his brother's body. And that's all we've got to go on. There was no one else there at the time."
"Why isn't anything ever simple? " Elsa-May asked.
"It gets more intriguing, Elsa-May."
Elsa-May leaned forward with her eyebrows nearly reaching her starched white prayer kapp.
The detective continued, "Thomas Strongberg was arrested during his rumspringa, and that was one year ago."
Elsa-May dropped her knitting and her mouth fell open in shock.
“What were the charges?” Ettie asked.
“Drug charges. He was mixed up with a group of people who were selling and smuggling drugs.”
“Smuggling them to where?” Ettie asked.
“Into the country.”
“What happened?” Elsa-May asked.
“The charges were eventually dropped. The person he was arrested with claimed that Thomas had nothing to do with it. He was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. We had no evidence to make anything stick, so the charges were dropped.
“With whom was he arrested?” asked Elsa-May.
“A man by the name of Bart Crittenden. He’s serving time now, but he’s due for parole soon.”
Ettie breathed out heavily.
“That’s not good," Elsa-May said.
The detective continued. “Thomas was keeping bad company, but I suppose I shouldn’t speak ill of the dead.”
Ettie scratched the side of her face while she thought for a moment.
Detective Kelly and Elsa-May stared at her.
“What are you thinking, Ettie?" Elsa-May asked.
"It ties in with what Thea said. She said that he wasn't the same when he came back from his rumspringa. Perhaps he had been on drugs and that had changed his personality. I’ve heard of that happening."
“You've been talking with Thea Hersh?" the detective asked.
"Yes, she came to see us just after you left, the last time you were here."
"Well, that would've been nice to know."
"We’re telling you now. This is the first chance we’ve had."
Elsa-May added, "She told us she told you the very same thing—he wasn't himself after rumspringa. Unless she was speaking to another detective."
"No, it was I.” He grumbled, "I'll let you off the hook this time."
Elsa-May put her hand on her chest. "I'm glad we got out of that one so easily."
"And is this man—is he still in jail?" Ettie asked.
"He’s due for parole soon, but he’s in jail right now, yes. I wouldn't read too much into things, Ettie. It might be something to go on or it might not. Many young men get involved in things they shouldn't when they’re young and then they set themselves on the right path. I remember I did the odd bad thing myself once or twice when I was a youngster." The detective chuckled.
Elsa-May shook her head. "I find that very hard to believe."
"It's true. My friends and I used to hide with a bunch of raw eggs and throw them at passing cars. More times than not, the driver would get out and chase us." Kelly laughed again. "They never caught us. Luckily we could outrun them."
"That sounds like a dreadful thing to do. How old were you when you did that?"
"I don’t remember exactly. Let's just say I was a young teenager."
Elsa-May shook her head while making tsk tsk sounds with her tongue.
"So you think it had nothing to do with anyone Thomas was involved with?" Ettie asked.
"All I can do at this time is keep an open mind and keep asking questions and see what else happens. Now, if you like a good story, Bart Crittenden appears to have gotten away with twenty thousand dollars.”
“What do you mean?” asked Ettie.
“We were following a trail of money laundering and we traced the money to Bart. That’s how we originally came across Bart; it wasn’t originally the drugs it was the money laundering racket. Anyway, when we busted him he was supposed to have the twenty grand on him, and he had nothing. He claims to know nothing about the money.”
“So it’s out there somewhere?” Elsa-May asked.
Kelly nodded. “He’s got a nice little nest egg stashed away for when he gets out.” Kelly looked over at Ettie. “Do you know what money-laundering is?”
Ettie nodded and hoped he didn’t ask her what she thought it meant. She had a bit of an idea, but she’d ask Elsa-May when the detective left.
There was another knock on the door, and Ettie was pleased with the interruption.
"We’re popular tonight, aren't we?" Ettie pushed herself up to answer the door.
Ava stood before her on the doorstep.
"Ettie, why did you and Elsa-May leave the funeral so quickly?"
"You and Jeremiah looked like you wanted to stay on and we don't have the stamina we once had."
Ava walked through the door and then stopped suddenly when she saw the detective.
The detective turned his head to look at her. "Ava, hello."
"Hello, Detective." Ava sat down on one of the wooden chairs next to Detective Kelly.
"Did you hear something else at the funeral? Is that why you’re here?” Elsa-May asked.
"Yes, that's why I'm here, to tell you about it. Even Jeremiah thought I should come here and let you know."
"Well, it must be something important if even Jeremiah thought you should come here," Ettie said.
Ava glanced sideways at Kelly. "I don't know if this is something you know too, but I heard that Thomas had won a contract over an Englischer called William Spreed and I've heard that some people were angry over it."
“What kind of a contract?"
"I didn't get that far. Some kind of business contract, I’d assume. I don't even know what kind of business Thomas was in."
"Is that all you know?" Elsa-May asked.
Ava shook her head. “There are half a dozen stories that were flying around at the end of the funeral. There was another one that Thomas had an Englischer girlfriend as well and she wouldn't believe it was over and she kept trying to win him back. She’d been following him and everything."
"We call those kinds of people ‘stalkers.’ They can be dangerous," Kelly said.
Ettie straightened herself up and starte
d taking notice when the detective appeared interested in what Ava had to say.
The detective turned toward Ava. "What else did you find out? Did you get the girl’s name?"
"Her name is Breanna Taylor. I'm sure it was that."
The detective wasted no time reaching into his pocket to pull out his notebook and pen. "Breanna Taylor,” he repeated as he wrote the name down. "Good work, Ava. And the other name was William Spreed?"
"Yes, that's right."
Detective Kelly chuckled. "I should've just come straight to you, Ava."
Ava gasped and her hands flew to her throat. "Oh no. That would be the last thing Jeremiah would want."
"I'm only joking," he said. “The last thing I want is to upset anyone.”
When the detective left, Ava leaned over and whispered to the two sisters, “I think that they were both possibly at the funeral. That’s why there was talk about them.”
“Who were there?” Elsa-May asked.
“That William Spreed man, and the girl, Breanna Taylor.”
“I saw a couple of Englischers standing around. I didn’t stop to think anything of it,” Elsa-May said.
“Why did you keep that from the detective, Ava?” Ettie asked.
“I don’t know. I thought we shouldn’t tell him everything. It’s not as if it really mattered, did it?”
Ettie pushed out her lips. “He’s going to look into them anyway. In my book, being at his funeral makes them look like they had more than a passing interest in Thomas’ life.”
“Shall we attempt to find out what we can about each of those people?” Elsa-May asked Ettie.
“I could go and look them up tomorrow on the computer in the library. I have to do some work for my mudder in the afternoon, but I could collect both of you in the morning and we could all go.”
“Denke, Ava. Why don’t we do that?”
“Sounds like a gut plan,” Ettie agreed.
“Would you like a cup of tea, Ava?”
Ava stood up. “Nee, denke. I told Jeremiah I wouldn’t be away long.”
Chapter 11
Amish Barn Murders Page 4