Nella raised her eyebrows. “No. What detective?”
“It seems that Levi complained to his son about some money missing and he thought you took it. Not knowing how much money was involved, John dismissed it, but then we found the money could have been possibly eight dollars.”
“No, eighty thousand dollars, Elsa-May.”
“That’s what I meant. Eighty thousand dollars.”
Nella gasped and put her hand to her chest. “No one thinks I took it, do they?”
“That’s what we’re saying. I’m sorry to tell you, but you should know that we think Levi might have, because he complained to his son and said you took some money.”
Elsa-May added, “And when his son found out there was eighty thousand dollars missing, he had to go to the police. You see, it wasn’t really Levi’s money and now John might possibly have to pay it back, and he can’t with it gone missing.”
“Oh, this is dreadful. I’ll go to the police right now to clear this whole thing up.”
“That might be a good idea,” Elsa-May said. “Ask for Detective Kelly; he’s handling the case.”
Nella stopped, looked back, and then said, “Okay. Thank you.”
They stood and watched Nella get into the passenger seat of a white car. Then it zoomed away. Ettie noticed a man was driving and he had black shoulder-length hair and his head nearly reached the roof of the car.
“You could’ve broken it to her more gently, Ettie.”
“You were the one who asked if the detective had been in touch.”
Elsa-May pushed out her lips. “I didn’t know how else to say it. I feel dreadful for her, but it’s best that she know.”
“I suppose she would’ve had a worse shock if the police had found her, and spoke to her first.”
“True.”
“What do you make of her reaction?” Ettie asked.
“She seemed upset and shocked.”
“You think she’s innocent?” Ettie asked.
Elsa-May shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know; it’s hard to say. She seemed genuinely shocked. And if she had stolen all that money, why would she come back here at all? I mean, you wouldn’t, would you?”
“Nee. If I was dishonest and had gotten away with something, I’d keep going and not look back.”
“Exactly.” Elsa-May gave a sharp nod of her head.
As the sisters stood on the porch talking about Nella Bridges, they were distracted by John’s red car approaching the house.
Ettie stepped to the edge of the porch. “This is John now.”
“I do hope it’s been good news for him.”
“If not, he won’t be happy.” Ettie shook her head, thinking about how John’s wife would react to hearing they’d been left out of the will.
“And if that’s the case, we’re not sticking around,” Elsa-May said.
“Agreed.” Ettie nodded while squinting to see John’s face for a clue as to the outcome.
Then she saw his beaming smile, and she knew he’d inherited the orchard. Connie was also smiling.
John got out of the car, gave them a wave, and then he and his wife walked to the house.
“Good news?” Ettie called out.
“Yes, I was left everything.”
“Of course, that’s what we expected,” Connie added.
“I’m sorry, did we make arrangements to meet you ladies here? So much has been happening and we’ve had so many things on—”
Ettie said, “Do you remember my sister, Elsa-May Lutz?”
“Yes, hello.”
After Elsa-May was introduced to Connie, Ettie continued, “I hope you don’t mind us being here. We just thought we’d see how things went for you.”
“That’s nice of you,” John said.
Ettie wondered whether they should keep quiet about the nurse, but then saw no real reason not to mention that she’d been there. “Your father’s nurse was just here. You would’ve passed her in the street just now.”
“Are you sure it was her?” John asked.
“Yes, it seems the police haven’t spoken to her about the missing money yet. She only just learned of Levi’s passing and came to pay her respects. She thought you might be here at the house.”
“It’s a little late for that,” Connie said as she stepped onto the porch.
John caught up with his wife and took a bunch of keys out of his pocket. “Don’t be like that; we don’t know for sure that she was the one who took the money. I’m also not totally convinced that the money ever existed in the first place. All we’ve got for proof is a receipt with my father’s signature, and that could have been forged.” He looked at Ettie. “I told the police all that.”
Connie turned up her nose. “I doubt anyone would fake a signature.”
“We won’t keep you,” Ettie said. “Do you mind if we use your phone to call for a taxi?”
“By all means, go ahead. On second thought, I could drive you wherever you—”
“No, John! We’ve got too much to do in the house.” Connie looked at the elderly sisters and then stared at her husband. “We’ve got to get rid of all your father’s junk.”
“We understand,” Elsa-May said. “When someone dies, it creates a lot of work for those left behind.”
“We do have to leave for another appointment soon, too,” Connie said, staring at one sister and then the other.
“Sorry to interrupt you,” Elsa-May said.
Ettie looked at her sister. “You call the taxi, Elsa-May.”
While Elsa-May headed to the phone located outside of the cottage, Ettie thought she would do some more questioning. “What do you plan to do with the orchard, John?
“Sell, of course,” Connie said before he could answer.
John was just putting a key in the lock when he turned and faced his wife. “We haven’t discussed it yet, Connie.”
“Why would you keep it? We know nothing about farming.”
“It’s not exactly farming.”
“It’s close enough. This isn’t the life for me, and you know nothing about it. It’s insanity to even consider keeping it.”
“We’ll have the accountant go over the figures before we decide.”
“No!”
“We can talk about this later, Connie.”
“There’s absolutely nothing to talk about.”
Ettie backed away, not wanting to get in the middle of an argument. “I’ll see how Elsa-May’s getting along with that taxi.”
John looked at Ettie. “Thanks for stopping by. I’ll call the detective again about that nurse and see where things are up to. I had hoped he would’ve talked to her by now.”
Once John unlocked the door, Connie pushed her way through, ignoring him and Ettie.
“Bye,” Ettie said to John as he stood staring at his wife.
Turning his head to look at Ettie, he said, “Yes, goodbye, Ettie, and please say goodbye to your sister for us.”
“I will.”
Ettie joined Elsa-May at the phone and then together they headed down to the road to wait for the taxi. Just when the taxi came into view, the rain came down again.
Once they were in the back seat, Ettie said, “One thing that puzzles me is this: who left those cookies for Levi?”
“We never found that out, did we?”
“Nee, we didn’t.”
“Let’s stop by Florence’s haus and see if we can find out more about the cookies.”
Elsa-May leaned over and told the taxi driver to disregard the original address he was given and she gave him Florence’s address.
Chapter 13
Once they were seated around Florence’s kitchen table, they first told her the news that John had inherited the orchard.
“I’m so glad. Otherwise, John would’ve been very upset.”
“Not to mention Connie,” Ettie said with a giggle.
“Now he’s got more money to gamble with,” Elsa-May said matter-of-factly. “To think Levi worked so hard an
d was so mean with people, and for what? Now his son is going to fritter it all away.”
“I don’t know if he will,” Ettie said.
“It’s very hard for someone to stop gambling when they have a problem, Ettie.”
“I think he wanted to keep the orchard. There’s another thing we have to tell you, Florence.”
Florence opened her eyes wide. “Go on.”
“We got to the house before them—before John and Connie—and the nurse was at the house.”
“Levi’s nurse?”
“Jah, she said she’d only just heard about his death and she was there to pay her respects to his relatives.”
“What if she’d gone back to the house to get rid of evidence?” Florence asked.
Ettie and Elsa-May looked at each other.
“We hadn’t even thought of that,” Elsa-May said.
“We mentioned the missing money and asked whether the police had talked to her and she said that they hadn’t.”
Elsa-May added, “And then she got very distressed and said she was going to the police station to clear the matter up. That’s what she told us.”
Florence nodded. “It’ll be interesting to find out if she ever went there.”
“You don’t trust her at all, do you?” Ettie asked.
“Levi didn’t trust her. He said all along she was the one who took his money. But no one listened to him just like no one listened to me about him being murdered.”
Ettie sighed. The whole thing was a puzzle.
Elsa-May leaned toward Florence. “Ettie and I were talking about the cookies. Who do you think would’ve left him cookies, since no one liked him?”
“Jah, that is an interesting question. I’ve got no idea. I’m sorry I can’t help you there.”
“You told us he got them out of a package. What did the package look like?”
As Florence thought, her gaze traveled to the ceiling. “A box, I think, maybe with a lid. Red. The wrapping he removed was red, and so was the box. Levi would’ve mentioned if there was a note with the cookies, and he said he didn’t know who left them.”
“Do you think they were homemade or store-bought?” Ettie asked.
“I don’t think so.”
“Which one?” Elsa-May asked.
“I don’t know either way. They looked homemade, but it’s hard to say these days because some store-bought cookies can look home baked. The package looked like something from a store. I didn’t taste them, either. I was afraid to. Levi thought they were good.”
Ettie said to Elsa May, “How would we go about finding out who left the cookies there?”
“Ask around, I suppose,” she replied.
“But there was no poison in the cookies, so how would that help us?” Florence asked.
Ettie shook her head. “We don’t know yet. But sometimes if we can put small pieces in the puzzle they all join and eventually fit together to tell a story.”
“Who knows?” Elsa-May said. “Knowing who left the cookies there on that day might give us a lot more information.”
“We’ll leave you to ask around about the cookies while Elsa-May and I go to the police station to see what’s happening with the nurse.”
Florence giggled. “I think I’ve got the easier of the two jobs.”
Ettie nodded. “You have.”
* * *
Later that day, Ettie and Elsa-May walked into the police station. They happened to see Kelly talking to the officer at the front desk.
The detective didn’t look happy to see them. He motioned for them to move to the other side of the room where they wouldn’t be overheard. “Have you heard?” Kelly asked them.
“Heard what?” Elsa-May asked.
“Levi’s body is being exhumed. Isn’t that why you’re here?”
“Why are you doing that?” Ettie asked.
He looked shocked that she would ask that question. And then one side of his mouth turned upward to form a crooked smile. “We have reason to believe he might’ve fallen victim to someone who could possibly be a serial killer.”
“Really?”
He raised his eyebrows.
“The nurse?” Ettie asked, clutching at her throat.
“I can’t say any more than what I’ve already said.”
Elsa-May said, “Because if it’s the nurse … What was her name again, Ettie?”
“Nella Bridges.”
“That’s right, if it’s Nella Bridges, we’ve only just talked to her.”
That got Detective Kelly’s attention. “Where was she?”
“At Levi’s house,” Ettie said.
Elsa-May added, “She said she was there to pay her respects.”
Ettie said, “We told her about the missing money, and she didn’t know anything about it. She was visibly disturbed and then she said she was coming to the police station to clear it all up with you. Elsa-May told her to ask for you.”
“She hasn’t been here and we’re looking for her. How long ago did you see her?”
“It would’ve been about two hours ago,” Ettie said.
“Was she driving a vehicle?”
Ettie nodded. “A small white car. Actually, she was the passenger.”
“Hmm. I don’t suppose you know the make and the model?”
Ettie and Elsa-May shook their heads. “But the driver was a tall man with long dark hair.”
“If you’ll excuse me, ladies, I’ve got things to do.”
“When is his body being exhumed?” Elsa-May asked as he was trying to get them out the door.
“Soon, most likely today or tomorrow. And hopefully, it’s a better day than today.”
“Before we go, we’ve just got one quick question and it’s the reason we came to see you.”
He sighed. “What is it?”
“What happened to the cookies?”
“And what about the container they came in?” Elsa-May added.
Ettie nodded. “Yes, the box too.”
“They’re still in evidence.”
“Can we see them?”
“No!”
Elsa-May frowned at him. “Can you describe the box or package at least? You might have found it in the trash. Not you personally, but the evidence technicians.”
“Can’t you ask your sister these questions? Mrs. Lapp might have seen all that.”
“We did, but she can’t remember exactly,” Elsa-May said.
“Very well, when I’m not so busy, I’ll take a look at the evidence and get back to you with a full description. Will that make you happy?”
“It will. Thank you.”
“Can I go now?” he asked.
“Yes,” Ettie muttered as she turned around.
Elsa-May and Ettie turned and headed out of the police station.
When they were on the sidewalk, Ettie suggested to Elsa-May, “Maybe it was Nella who brought him those cookies after all.”
“But what is …” Elsa-May sighed. “They said there was nothing in the cookies. So, does that mean they were wrong? Or did she kill him in some other way?”
“If she killed him, she’s done it in some way that went undetected and made it look like a heart attack. Now, Kelly must be on to something. If the nurse is a serial killer that means she’s killed people before so they must know how it was done. Perhaps she used a poison that’s not generally tested for in a normal autopsy.”
“You might be right. What do we do now?” Elsa-May asked. “Do we go back and tell Florence, so she doesn’t have to ask about those cookies now?”
Ettie shook her head. “That sounds like a lot of rushing around and besides, Florence might find something out. Meanwhile, why don’t we go to our favorite café?”
Elsa-May raised her eyebrows. “That sounds like the best idea you’ve had for a while, Ettie.”
Ettie giggled. “We can put all our troubles aside for half an hour while we enjoy a piece of cake. Cake that we didn’t have to bake.”
Arm-in-arm, Ettie and
Elsa-May headed up the road toward the café.
“This time, we’ll have different cakes and then we’ll share.”
“Okay,” Ettie agreed. They didn’t eat out very often, and when they did, they enjoyed it.
Chapter 14
Ettie and Elsa-May heard nothing else that day about the nurse, but the very next afternoon, Florence knocked on their door.
Ettie opened the door to Florence. “What is it?”
“Do you have news?” Elsa-May asked.
“Yes and no.”
“Come in out of the cold.” Ettie pulled her into the house by her sleeve.
“I spoke to Dianne Yoder and she said she saw someone at Levi’s house the morning he died.” Florence sat on the couch and Ettie sat down next to her.
Elsa-May sat on her usual chair. “Firstly, before we go any further we should tell you what we found out from Kelly yesterday.”
“The police are exhuming Levi’s body,” Ettie said.
“They’re finally taking me seriously. Good!”
“He wouldn’t tell us everything; all he told us was that Levi might’ve been killed by a serial killer.”
Florence gasped. “That’s terrible.”
“Anyway, I interrupted you. Who did Diane Yoder see?” Elsa-May asked.
“I’ve come over all trembling. Just give me a moment.”
“Would you like a glass of water?” Ettie asked.
“Jah, denke, Ettie.”
Ettie hurried to the kitchen to get her sister a glass of water. Finally, they might be closer to knowing who killed Levi.
After Florence had swallowed a mouthful of water, she held the glass in her lap and Ettie sat down again.
“Diane Yoder said it was a woman. She saw a woman walking to Levi’s house with something in her hands. It was in the early hours of the morning—just on dawn. She said the woman was holding something red.”
“It must’ve been the nurse she saw,” Elsa-May said.
“Not necessarily,” Ettie said. “What else did Dianne say?”
“Just that she saw a person—a woman—and she thought it odd since Levi hardly got any visitors. That’s why she took particular notice.”
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