The Crow’s Call: Amish Greenhouse Mystery Book 1

by Wanda E. Brunstetter, Kristin Billerbeck, Kristy Dykes, Aisha Ford, Birdie L. Etchison, Pamela Griffin, Joyce Livingston, Tamela Hancock Murray

  Virginia rolled her eyes. “And when have you ever needed encouragement?” She rescued the container and snapped the lid on. “I’d better take these to kitchen and put them away before you end up eating all of them.”

  Her husband mumbled something as she left the room. Virginia sometimes felt like she was living with a child. She placed the container on a shelf in the pantry and took out her grocery list. She needed to come up with something for lunch this afternoon but wasn’t in the mood to make anything. Maybe we’ll go out to one of the restaurants in town. That way, if the neighbor lady stops by to meet us, we won’t be home.

  The bell on the door jingled, and Belinda turned in time to see a tall, cleanly shaven Amish man enter the greenhouse. His dark brown hair had a bit of gray in it, and a few wrinkles showed on his face. Even after all these years, she knew he was Monroe Esh. At the same moment she spoke his name, he said hers.

  “Belinda, you’ve hardly changed a bit.” Monroe removed his straw hat and stood looking at her from his side of the counter with a wide smile.

  Her cheeks warmed, and she reached up to touch them with her suddenly cold hands. Monroe was every bit as good looking as she remembered him. Only now, much older and hopefully wiser, he was no longer a young man full of adventure and flirtation; Monroe was a mature-looking man in his midfifties. It was surprising that he sported no beard—a sign that he was not married. Either that or he’d been unable, like a few other men she’d met, to grow any substantial hair on his face.

  “Did your daughter tell you I was here the other day?” he asked, leaning on the counter.

  “Jah, she did.”

  “I wanted to let you know I was sorry to hear about Vernon.”

  “Danki. It’s been most difficult to accept that he’s gone.” Belinda’s throat felt swollen, and her eyes burned with unshed tears.

  “My folks told me all about the tragic accident that took three of your family’s lives.”

  Monroe’s sympathetic expression was almost Belinda’s undoing. Talking or even thinking about the accident was still very raw. The last thing she wanted to do was break down here in front of Monroe or any of the other customers in the greenhouse.

  “I understand you’re running the place by yourself.” Monroe’s tone was soothing.

  “Amy and Henry—he’s my youngest son—help out here, and we’re managing.”

  “Do you have other children?”

  “Jah. Sylvia, my oldest daughter, has been living with us, along with her two small children, ever since her husband was killed in the accident.” Belinda shifted on the stool she sat upon. “I also have a son who lives in a small Amish community in New York.”

  “I’m sure it’s a comfort for you to have family during this time of grief.”

  She gave a nod. “Do you have your own family, Monroe?”

  “Just my folks and siblings.” He reached up with one hand and rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ve never married, so …” Monroe’s words trailed off when Amy entered the store and stepped behind the counter next to Belinda.

  “I see you came back empty-handed. Guess that means the neighbors must have been home?” Belinda tipped her head in Amy’s direction.

  “Yes, they were. The man thanked us, and I told them you’d be over to meet them soon.” Amy glanced at Monroe then looked away. Belinda couldn’t read her daughter’s thoughts.

  “Well, I should get going.” Monroe placed his hat back on his head. “I’ll drop by again sometime to see how you’re doing. No doubt you could use an extra pair of hands around here from time to time.”

  Belinda could barely find her voice as she said quietly, “It’s kind of you to offer, but we’re getting along okay.”

  “Even so, it’s not good for you to be here without a man.” Monroe’s forehead wrinkled. “You never know what might happen.” He tipped his hat, said it was nice seeing her again, and went out the door.

  Amy looked at Belinda with furrowed brows. “I hope that man doesn’t have any ideas about courting you again, Mom.”

  Belinda lifted her gaze toward the ceiling. “Of course he doesn’t. I chose your daed over Monroe, remember?”

  “Jah, but …”

  Belinda put a finger against her lips. “Let’s not talk about this right now. There are other people here in the building.”

  “Sorry, you’re right.” Amy stepped out from behind the counter. “I’ll go see if I can help any of them find what they need.”

  As her daughter walked away, Belinda’s thoughts returned to her conversation with Monroe. I surely hope he doesn’t have any idea about us getting together again, because that’s never going to happen. I loved Vernon with all my heart, and no one will ever replace him.

  Amy needed to talk to someone about Monroe Esh. She was concerned about the way he’d looked at her mother this afternoon. Didn’t the man have work of his own to do or something else to keep him busy? Why would he want to come here and help out?

  Who could I discuss this with? Amy asked herself as she closed things up in the greenhouse. Mom had already gone up to the house to rest awhile before it was time to start supper. Poor thing looked exhausted at the end of their workday, and she hadn’t said much after Monroe left the greenhouse.

  I wonder if seeing her old boyfriend upset my mamm. It sure upset me. It’s way too soon for my mother to even be thinking about a suitor, and I have a feeling that’s what Monroe has in mind.

  Amy walked up and down the aisles, making sure everything was in place and all the hoses for watering were turned off. I could call Ezekiel and leave a message, letting him know what happened here today. But if I do that, my brother will make a call to Mom right away, and then she’ll be upset with me for alarming Ezekiel for what she would refer to as “nothing to worry about.”

  But Amy was worried. She flexed her fingers, and then pulled them into the palms of her hands. Oh Dad, if you hadn’t been so determined to get ice cream, none of this would be a problem. Mom and I wouldn’t be working so hard in the greenhouse; Henry would be in better spirits; and Sylvia could be at her own home with her children, living happily as Toby’s wife.

  Amy had gone over all of this so many times, and the same words would pop into her mind. Of course, it did no good to rehash the past that couldn’t be altered, but it helped to release some of her tension and the emotions she kept bottled up most of the time. She would like to talk to Sylvia about her concerns, but that would upset her sister even more. For now, at least, Amy would keep her thoughts and concerns to herself. She would, however, keep a close watch on things, and if Monroe kept coming around, acting all friendly and nice toward Mom, she might have to put the man in his place.

  When Belinda opened the front door and screen door to the greenhouse the following morning, a swarm of honeybees headed right for her. She ducked, nearly hitting her head on a shelf full of vegetable plants. Looking up, she watched as the flying insects made a hasty exit out the open door and into the yard. She hadn’t yet opened the door at the other end of the building, which they usually kept open during business hours for cross-ventilation.

  Oh, dear … That was too close for my comfort. It’s a good thing I’m not allergic to bees. Belinda’s skin prickled as she straightened to her full height. “Henry King, where are you, young man?” she shouted as she hurried out the door.

  “What are ya yelling about, Mom?” Henry stepped out of the barn, his straw hat askew.

  Belinda pointed in the direction of the bees circling the yard. “How did those ieme get into the greenhouse?”

  With open palms, Henry gave a brief shrug.

  “Did you go back in after Amy locked up last evening?”

  “Nope.” He rubbed at the red blotch on his left cheek. “Well, come to think of it, guess I did.”

  “How come?”

  “I remembered that I’d left my can of soda pop in the greenhouse, so I went back to fetch it.” He dropped his gaze. “When I couldn’t find the can, I stepped ou
tside and looked around, thinking I might have gotten it earlier and forgot where I set it.”

  “Did you find it?”

  Henry shook his head. “I left the door open a ways, and the screen door may have blown open in the wind when I went lookin’ for it, but I wasn’t gone long and I did eventually close and lock both doors.”

  “Apparently, while you were out looking for the soda can, a swarm of the honeybees got into the greenhouse. They almost hit me in the face when I opened the door a short time ago. What if it had happened when we had customers? Someone could have gotten stung. And no doubt it would have frightened them to see all those bees flying around.” She tapped her foot, trying not to give in to the anger she felt.

  “Sorry, Mom.”

  “Jah, well, the next time you come into the greenhouse for anything, be sure you shut all the doors, even if you’re planning to come right back.”

  Henry dug the toe of his boot into the ground. “Ya know, if we didn’t have those stupid bees, they wouldn’t be flyin’ all over the place. When Ezekiel moved, he shoulda sold the bees to someone else in Lancaster County who raises them for hunnich.”

  “He could have done that all right, but Abe agreed to take care of them.”

  Henry scrunched up his face. “Jah, Abe—not me. I hate takin’ care of those ieme.”

  “They don’t demand much of your time, Son. And the extra money we earn from the honey sales helps out.”

  Henry’s arms hung at his sides as he stared at the ground. “Jah, okay … whatever. Nobody in this family cares about me and my needs anyway.” He tromped off before Belinda could respond.

  She gave a frustrated shake of her head. Henry should set his own needs aside and realize that we all need to pull together right now. Belinda understood that her son was still young and often acted impulsively. But he had to grow up sometime and learn to be more responsible. She couldn’t think of a better time for that to happen than now.

  “I’ll join you in the greenhouse as soon as I get the mail,” Amy called to Mom when she stepped out the front door. She’d left Sylvia in the kitchen to do the dishes by herself, since she and Mom were running behind and needed to get the business opened before any customers showed up.

  Sylvia had said she didn’t mind. With the exception of going to church every other Sunday, Amy’s dear sister hardly went anywhere these days. Amy didn’t think it was good for Sylvia to stay cooped up in the house so much, but she tried not to be pushy or pressure her about it. It was best to let Sylvia deal with things in her own way. Amy hoped that eventually her sister would come through this crisis stronger and better able to serve the Lord.

  Amy hadn’t admitted it to Mom or anyone else, but she too was having a difficult time coping. The loss of Dad, Abe, and Toby was never far from her mind or the fact that she’d also lost Jared by breaking up with him. The thing that helped her the most, however, was staying busy and concentrating on her duties in the greenhouse rather than focusing on all that she’d lost or given up. Amy felt thankful for every day she worked there and had the chance to talk to their customers about flowers and plants and answer all kinds of gardening questions. In addition to taking her mind off the grief she felt each and every day, Amy enjoyed being able to share her knowledge of gardening with others. She knew without reservation that Mom did too. It gave Amy a sense of satisfaction to be able to work alongside her mother to keep their business running and money coming in.

  She’d heard a little more the other day about the new greenhouse that was in the process of being built. She’d read about it in the local paper, and it stated there would be three large buildings that would house nearly everything related to gardening. Amy hoped it wouldn’t hurt their business, because it was a much smaller operation.

  We might need to think of adding on and for sure offering more items for people to buy that would be related to gardening. It’s important that we stay up with things so we don’t lose customers to the new greenhouse when it opens.

  As Amy drew close to the end of their driveway, her mouth gaped open when the mailbox came in sight. The sides and top of it had been smashed in so badly, Amy wasn’t sure she could even get the flap open in order to retrieve the mail.

  Her forehead creased. Who would do such a thing?

  Amy looked at the mailbox next to theirs. It belonged to the neighbors across the street, but it had not been vandalized, nor had the ones up the road. For some reason only theirs had been singled out. Why? Could someone be angry or unhappy with them? Amy wondered what Mom would have to say about this. No doubt she’d be upset.

  Amy grabbed the handle on the mailbox and gave it a tug, but it had been so badly bent, it wouldn’t budge. She gave it another hard yank, but it still didn’t move. She’d have to go get Henry and see if he could get the mailbox unbent enough to at least open the flap.

  Amy ran back toward the greenhouse, but spotted her brother coming out of the barn. “Henry, I need to talk to you,” she called.

  He put both hands on his hips. “What do ya want now?”

  “Our mailbox has been vandalized.”

  “Are you kidding?” He scratched under his straw hat.

  She shook her head. “It’s all bent up, and the door won’t open. I tried to wrench on it, but with no luck.”

  Henry groaned. “I’d better go take a look. But first, I’ll see what I can find in the toolshed to pop the lid free.”

  “Okay. I’d better get to the greenhouse now and tell Mom what happened.”

  “I’m so tired of bein’ stuck here at this stupid greenhouse all the time.” Henry turned and headed for the shed.

  Amy chose to let his comment go. She was about to enter the greenhouse when their first customer arrived by horse and buggy. It was their bishop and his wife. She waved at them and stepped inside, where she found Mom sweeping around the checkout counter.

  “What took you so long getting the mail?” Mom paused from her work.

  Amy was about to respond when the bishop and his wife entered the building. Everyone exchanged greetings, and as Mom continued talking to the elderly couple, Amy picked up the broom and finished cleaning the floor. While their customers began browsing through the plants, Mom returned to Amy and asked a second time about the mail.

  In a hushed tone, Amy explained about the mailbox.

  Mom’s eyes widened. “I can’t believe anyone would do such a thing.”

  “It seems we were singled out for some reason, but I don’t understand why someone would do this to us.” Amy gave her mother a hug. “I told Henry about it, and he’s going out to see if he can get the mail out of the box.”

  Mom leaned against the register. “This was not a good way to start our morning. We’ll need to get the mailbox replaced.”

  Amy figured one of them, probably Henry, would have to go to the hardware store in town and buy a new mailbox. Perhaps it would be good to get a larger, stronger one this time—maybe the kind that locked. If someone was mean enough to ruin their mailbox, she wouldn’t put it past them to steal the mail inside the box either.

  That evening, after the little ones had been put to bed, Amy sat in the living room with her mother and Sylvia. After only a few minutes of idle conversation, Mom mentioned the vandalized mailbox as well as all the bees that had gotten into the greenhouse.

  She stopped rocking in her chair and looked at Amy and Sylvia, sitting beside each other on the couch. “I waited until Henry went out to the barn to check on the animals before I brought this topic up, because I didn’t want him to know what I’ve been thinking.” She paused and pushed her reading glasses firmly on the bridge of her nose. “I’m deeply concerned about what happened today.”

  “Henry knows about the mailbox.” Amy’s lips pressed together in a slight grimace. “After all, he’s the one who got the mail out of the box, and he also went to the hardware store to get a new mailbox. So why would you want to keep him in the dark about our conversation?”

  “I am well a
ware of what your bruder knows.” Mom leaned forward in her chair. “He also knows about the honeybees that got into the greenhouse, but I am equally sure he has no idea that I suspect he’s the one who did both of those things.”

  Sylvia’s eyes widened, and Amy shook her head in denial. Although Henry had a bad attitude these days, she felt sure he would not be capable of doing either one of those things.

  “You’re both aware that your brother is full of anger, and on top of that, he does not want to take care of the bees or help in the greenhouse. He may be looking for ways to vent that aggravation.”

  Amy sighed. “If it actually was our own brother who bashed in the mailbox, he may have gotten up early this morning and done it or even snuck out of the house sometime during the night. But do you really think our little brother would go to such lengths as to release the bees into the greenhouse and damage our mailbox?”

  “I hope not, but it is a possibility that we can’t ignore.” Mom pinched the skin at her throat, as she often did when she was worried.

  “Maybe Henry needs another phone call from Ezekiel,” Sylvia suggested.

  Mom shook her head vigorously. “If Ezekiel even thinks things are not going well for us, he might change his mind and decide to move back here.” Her gaze traveled from Sylvia to Amy. “I don’t want him to know anything about this.”

  “We could ask one of our ministers to talk with Henry.” Amy pointed to the Bible on the end table closest to Mom’s chair. “They’re full of wisdom and know the Bible so well. Maybe it would help.”

  “Just having a little talk with him about facing his responsibilities without grumbling might improve things,” Sylvia added.

  “That’s a good idea. I’ll speak with one of the preachers sometime tomorrow. I’m sure he’ll be willing to come over and talk to Henry.” Mom gave a nod. “I’ll go as soon as the greenhouse closes for the day.”

  “Hang on!” Breaking hard, Amy’s driver, Pauline, gripped the steering wheel so tightly that the veins on her hands protruded.