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

  Belinda couldn’t believe she’d been home two weeks already. It seemed like just yesterday that she’d been holding baby Vernon and reading stories to Angela Mary.

  Where has the time gone? Belinda wondered as she went outside to see if Henry had gotten her horse out for a trip to the store. And now here we are, halfway into August.

  Seeing him standing beside her horse at the hitching rail, Belinda realized they had been so busy in the greenhouse lately, she’d forgotten about the talk she wanted to have with her son.

  Smiling, she stepped up to him. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you, Henry.”

  He tipped his head. “Something I need to do in the greenhouse while you’re in town?”

  “No, it’s about your future.”

  Crossing his arms, he stared at her. “I suppose you want me to take over the greenhouse someday when I’m older.”

  She placed her hand on his shoulder and gave it a gentle pat. “I would never expect you to take full control of the business unless it was something you wanted to do.”

  Henry shook his head. “I’d rather do somethin’ else, Mom.”

  “Like what?”

  “I’m not sure. Just know it’s not in a humid greenhouse with a bunch of flowers, trees, and plants.”

  “I understand. Ezekiel didn’t care for that kind of work either.”

  Henry dug the toe of his boot in the dirt. “I might wanna learn the woodworking trade or become a roofer like Jared.”

  “Whatever job you choose will be your decision. However, for the next few years, I’m going to need your help here, just as I need Amy and Sylvia’s.”

  “Jah, right. Sylvia hasn’t done anything in the greenhouse since you got home from Ezekiel’s. All she does is stay in the house and take care of her kinner.”

  There was a hard edge to Henry’s voice, and the tightness around his eyes reminded Belinda once again that her son still harbored bitterness in his heart. Although she too hurt deeply from the death of their loved ones, Belinda realized she must press on and try to find some joy in life. Spending time with her children and grandchildren had given her a sense of purpose and something to smile about.

  “Son, you need to understand that your sister’s children are small, and they need their mother’s full attention.”

  “They did all right with Mary Ruth takin’ care of them.”

  “That may be, but friends can’t give a child what their mother can. The fact that Sylvia is taking care of her kinner the way she feels best is a good thing.” Belinda paused to choose her next words. “Also, Sylvia’s still struggling with her loss and doesn’t do well in situations where she must converse with a lot of people—most of whom she doesn’t know.”

  “Puh!” Henry pulled off his straw hat and fanned his face with it. “I don’t like talkin’ to strangers neither, but I put up with it.”

  Since Belinda was having no success getting Henry to understand his eldest sister’s situation, she gave her horse a pat then climbed into the driver’s seat. “I won’t be gone long, and since it’s near the end of our workday, there shouldn’t be too many customers. Is there anything you would like me to get you while I’m in town?”

  Henry shook his head, but then, as she backed the horse and buggy slowly away, he hollered, “Wait! I’d like some chocolate milk. And Mom, could you stop at the hardware store to get some suet for my pet crow? I think he’d like that better than seeds.”

  Belinda didn’t mind picking up a few things for her son. “You got it, Son!” she shouted.

  Amy had decided to wear her new sandals to work today. They felt comfortable as she sat on the stool behind the cash register, watching a young Amish couple who’d come into the greenhouse a short time ago.

  Amy reached for her can of tropical punch, but in so doing, she lost her grip. The sticky liquid spilled onto the front of her apron and dripped all the way down to the floor, just missing her sandals. She hopped off the stool and snatched a roll of paper towels and cleaning spray from under the counter. Amy worked quickly to clean the mess off the floor, and then she moved on to her apron. She did her best to clean it off, but it was too wet to wear any longer, so she took off the apron and hung it from a peg on the wall behind her. She would put it in the laundry room when she went up to the house.

  After putting the cleaning items away, Amy glanced at the Amish couple again, observing their happy expressions. Caleb and Susan were newlyweds from their church district. Their wedding had taken place two weeks ago, while Mom was gone. Amy had been invited to the event, but with so much to do at the greenhouse, she’d decided not to go. She felt it was more important to keep their business open and money coming in than to attend the ceremony for a couple she didn’t know that well. Susan and Caleb seemed happy as they walked down the first aisle, talking about all the plans they had for their new home and yard. Susan mentioned planting flowers this fall that would bloom in the spring, and Caleb said he’d like to have a few fruit trees.

  Amy thought about Jared and how well their relationship had been going before the horrible accident. I can’t help thinking about what we’d be doing these days if things would have remained unchanged. Amy was almost certain that he’d been about to ask her to marry him, and she’d felt ready to accept his proposal.

  She struggled to hold back tears. I have to keep reminding myself not to give in to self-pity. My first obligation is to Mom and keeping the greenhouse running. Maybe someday, when Henry is old enough to take over the greenhouse, I’ll be free to begin a relationship again. Only it won’t be with Jared because I can’t expect him to wait for me that long. Maybe I’ll be so old by the time I’m free to marry that no man will want me.

  Amy’s self-pity was getting her nowhere, so she shook herself mentally and walked down a row of indoor plants to make sure they’d been getting enough water. They appeared to be fine, so at least it was one less thing to worry about. Now on to the next row.

  Virginia had finished her breakfast when the cell phone rang. She left the table and limped over to pick it up. “Hello.”

  “Virginia, is that you?”

  “Yep. Who’s calling?”

  “It’s Stella. I haven’t heard from you since that first call you made right after your move to Pennsylvania, and I’ve been wondering how things are going.”

  “Not the best. Livin’ here with all the country odors has been hard for me to adjust to.” Virginia took the phone over to the table and sat in her chair. It had been awhile since she’d talked to her friend from Chicago, and it might take some time to get caught up, so she may as well be comfortable.

  “Have you made any new friends in the area?” Stella asked.

  “No, not really. Earl’s made a few at work, but because of my bum knee flarin’ up so often, I hang around the house most of the time.”

  “That’s too bad. You should get out more and maybe attend some community functions. Those kinds of events are good places to seek out new friends.”

  “Didn’t ya hear what I said, Stella? My knee hurts—especially when I walk a lot.”

  “I assume you’re still too stubborn to use a cane?”

  “No, I don’t use a walking stick. I’m only forty-six years old, and using a support would make me look and feel old.” Virginia drank the last bit of water in her glass. Truthfully, she wasn’t interested in making new friends, but there was no point in telling Stella that.

  “Are you completely unpacked?”

  “Pretty much. There are still some boxes in the garage, but I’ve put all my dishes and other kitchen items away. It’s looking pretty good in here.” Virginia glanced at her new faucet above the sink, remembering how calm Earl had been over her damaging the old one when she’d tried crawling through the kitchen window. He’d replaced the window in the back door without a complaint too. She had half-expected him to blow up when he saw the mess she’d created.

  “Are you still there, Virginia?”

  “Yeah.” />
  “I was wondering if you heard my last question.”

  “Sorry, Stella. What was it you said?”

  “I asked if you planted a garden this summer. As I recall, you mentioned wanting to do that when you moved to the country.”

  “I tried to but didn’t have much luck.” Virginia went into detail about the tomato plants that had died.

  “That’s a shame. Guess we have to learn some lessons the hard way.”

  “You got that right. I’ve learned a good many lessons over the years.” Virginia released a lingering sigh. Too bad I can’t undo the past and start fresh again.

  “Do you think you might try a garden again next year?” Stella asked.

  “Maybe.” Virginia fingered the edge of her empty plate. “There’s a greenhouse across the road where I can buy seeds and plants, but I’d rather not go there again.”

  “How come?”

  “The people who own it are Amish.”

  “Is that a problem?”

  “It is to me. They’re so old-fashioned.”

  “But if they have the items you need for gardening, why worry about the way they live?”

  Virginia’s toes curled inside her sneakers. “I’m not worried about it. I just don’t care to be around them that much.”

  “Each to his—or in this case her—own, I guess.”

  Virginia determined it was time to hang up before her friend asked a bunch more questions she’d rather not answer. “I should go, Stella. I just finished eating and still have dishes to do.”

  “All right, but let’s keep in better touch.”

  “Okay. Talk to you later then.”

  When Virginia ended the phone call, she leaned back in her chair and let out a puff of air. Stella has no idea how hard it is for me to live here in the middle of nothing but horse sounds and smelly manure.

  Jared felt pleased with how well things were going as he and his crew worked on the roof at the home of Lydia’s parents. Even though the place had been added onto through the years and there were different pitches to work with, the challenge was kind of fun. This type of encounter was usually common on Amish farmhouses due to the addition of more children and the attached daadihaus for grandparents who either needed or chose to live with their adult children.

  It was a hot and sultry day, but Lydia’s mother kept them well supplied in snacks and cold drinks. Sometimes Lydia brought the refreshments out. Other times her mother delivered them to the men, like now.

  “Our new roof is certainly going to look nice.” Darlene directed her comment to Jared. “We should have done this long ago, but I couldn’t talk Lydia’s daed into putting out the money until now.”

  Jared smiled and drank a glass of the lemonade she’d brought out. “I’m glad we were able to fit you in, because your old shingles were pretty worn and many were missing. Probably wouldn’t have been long before you had a leak in the roof during a bad storm.”

  “My thoughts exactly.” Darlene glanced at the wicker lounge chair on the lawn, where Lydia sat reading a book. “My daughter’s birthday is coming up in a week, and we’re going to have a little gathering for her. Would you like to come, Jared? I’m sure Lydia would enjoy having you there.”

  Jared couldn’t control the apprehension he felt from his head down to his toes. Should I do this? What would Amy think if she heard about it? He reached for one of the peanut-butter cookies Darlene held out to him. Maybe I’ll see Amy at the party. “What night will it be?” Jared asked.

  “Saturday. Will you be free to join us?”

  Jared figured that Amy, being Lydia’s best friend, would also be invited. So, if he came, it would give him a chance to talk with her for a bit. At the very least, he could find out how she was doing and ask if things were going okay at their place. He swallowed the last bite of his cookie. I sure do miss my aldi. If only there was a way to win my girlfriend back.

  Jared looked at Lydia’s mother and nodded. “Sure, I’ll be there. What time will the party start?”

  “Six o’clock. We’re planning to have a barbecue supper and then play a few games. Of course, there will also be ice cream and chocolate cake for dessert, since those are Lydia’s favorites.”

  “Mine too.” Jared finished his lemonade and gave the glass to Darlene. “Danki for the refreshments, and if I don’t talk to you before, I’ll see you Saturday night.”

  “Jah, we’ll see you then, Jared.” Darlene spoke in a bubbly tone. “I have a few things to do inside now, so if you need anything, just let Lydia know.” She walked away humming a cheerful melody.

  After Darlene returned to the house, Jared glanced into the yard at Lydia. I wonder if her mother is hoping Lydia and I will start courting. Could that be the reason she invited me to the birthday gathering?

  Belinda’s first stop in town was the hardware store, where she purchased two packages of suet. She still couldn’t get over her son’s attention to the silly crow hanging around their place and his wanting to feed it. Belinda understood that Henry needed a few distractions these days, which might make him happier. But a crow?

  After Belinda left the hardware store, she went to Sara’s flower shop to see if she might need any more summer flowers.

  When Belinda entered the shop, she spotted Jared’s mother talking with Sara. She held back until they concluded their business, looking casually at the various things Sara had for sale in her store in addition to floral arrangements.

  Maybe we should try selling more things in the greenhouse that might attract people’s attention. Although some local people, as well as tourists, bought the jams, jellies, and honey she sold, there might be other items of interest that could bring people into the greenhouse. This was something Belinda would ponder and talk to Amy and Sylvia about.

  “Well, hello there.” Eva Riehl smiled as she approached Belinda. “I didn’t realize you were back from your visit to New York.”

  “I’ve actually been home two weeks and was at church last Sunday. I’m surprised you didn’t see me there.”

  Eva rubbed her chin. “Now that you mention it, I do recall you sitting on a bench by your daughters. How have you been, Belinda?”

  “Doing fine. And you?”

  “Things are going well at our place too.” Eva’s voice lowered to a whisper. “My son told me what happened with Henry.” She clicked her tongue. “It’s such a shame when young people think they have to ride around with their friends in cars, especially when they go sneaking around in order to do it.”

  Belinda’s brows furrowed. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”

  “One night while you were gone, Henry was seen coming out of the bushes and getting in a car that sped off. Jared was going by at the time and saw it. The next day, he mentioned it to me.”

  Belinda’s facial muscles went slack. She glanced around to see if Sara might be listening, but she’d slipped out from behind the counter and had gone to her desk for something.

  “This is the first I’ve heard of this incident. I’ll have to ask Henry about it.”

  “I hope I didn’t speak out of turn. Jared didn’t say I shouldn’t mention it.”

  “It’s all right. Don’t worry about it.” Belinda’s fingers trembled as she touched Eva’s arm. “It was nice seeing you.”

  “Jah, you too.” Jared’s mother blinked rapidly. “Since my son and your daughter are no longer courting, we don’t get to see Amy or any of your family that much anymore.”

  Belinda gave a slow nod. “I’m sorry about their breakup. I tried to tell Amy that it wasn’t necessary for her to make such a sacrifice, but she wouldn’t listen.” She sighed. “I wish there was something I could do to get those two back together.”

  “It might have been for the best. Did you ever think maybe they weren’t meant to be together?”

  Belinda’s thoughts swirled so quickly, it was hard to follow them. Surely Ava didn’t mean what she’d said.

  “Well, I’d better go. I still have several e
rrands to run.” Ava said goodbye and hurried out the door.

  Belinda remained in place, trying to let everything Jared’s mother had said sink in. I don’t want my son to become the topic of other people’s conversations. I hope Ava doesn’t mention it to anyone else.

  “It’s nice to see you, Belinda. Did you come in to see about my next order from your greenhouse?” Sara stepped up to Belinda, scattering her contemplations.

  She cleared her throat and tried to collect herself. “Umm … yes, that is why I came by.”

  “I have a list on my desk of things I need to order. Funny thing, I called and left a message on your answering machine a short time ago.” Sara smiled. “If I’d known you’d be dropping by, I would have waited to let you know in person about the flowers I need.”

  “I came to town to do some shopping,” Belinda explained. “So, I figured while I was here, I’d stop in and see if you needed anything from the greenhouse.”

  “Well, it was perfect timing. Let’s go over to my desk and I’ll give you the list.”

  If not for Sara’s request, Belinda would have already left the store. She was anxious to get home and speak to Henry.

  “I wonder how things are going for Mom as she runs her errands,” Amy commented to Henry while he restocked the shelf full of honey jars.

  He shrugged. “Beats me. I hope she gets back soon though. I’m eager to hang out the fett she promised to buy for me.”

  “I’m sure all the birds that come into our yard will appreciate having suet to eat in addition to the seeds we put in their feeders.”

  “The fett is for my pet crow not all the other birds that hang around.”

  Amy looked upward and shook her head. “I’ve told you before—the crow is not a pet. Furthermore, if you hang out the suet, you can’t keep other birds from eating it.” I don’t even like crows, and this one in particular whenever it caws. I’d be happy if that pesky fowl doesn’t get any of the suet and the other yard birds hog it all. Maybe he’d find someplace else to make a home.