“It’s asking for a phone number with an address. How about I just put my name down?” Selena suggested. “I can deliver messages.”
“Sure. Thank you.”
Selena took the form back from Elsa-May and jotted down her details. “That’s it.” To save Elsa-May getting up, Selena handed the form back to the receptionist.
While she did that, Elsa-May whispered to her sister, “You’ll have to come in with me, Ettie.”
“No. I’m not.”
“I already told them you were going to come in with me.”
“Told who?”
Elsa-May nodded toward the receptionist. “The lady who answers the phones. I would like you to come with me.”
“It’s not necessary.”
“Please?”
Ettie sighed. Her sister always got her way with everything. “Very well then if that’s what you want.”
When Elsa-May’s name was called, they walked into the doctor’s office and sat down. There were two chairs against the wall and then the doctor walked in after them. He was tall and a little grim, just the way Ettie remembered him. She was glad when he sat down behind his desk.
“Which one of you am I seeing today?”
Ettie pointed to Elsa-May.
“I would prefer you to see my sister about her back. I’m okay.”
Ettie glared at Elsa-May. This had all been just a ruse to get her there. “No, my back’s fine.”
“You were yelling and complaining about it only this morning.”
“That’s right; it’s getting better, though.”
“Which one of you is…” He looked down at the file in front of him. “Mrs. Lutz?” He looked up at the two of them.
“That’s me,” Elsa-May said.
“I’ve got it down as your appointment. If you want me to see your sister then —”
“So, you remember us from the other day?” Elsa-May asked.
“Yes, I remember you at the retirement home. I gave you my card.”
“What do you know about Don Shallot?” Ettie didn’t want to let an opportunity pass by.
He frowned at them. “I’m usually the one asking the questions, and it’s only about medical issues. Why are you asking me about him?”
“How long have you known him?” Ettie hoped to get some information out of him before they were thrown out onto the street.
“We’ve known each other for many years. He’s been a patient of mine for many years.”
Then Elsa-May caught on. “And what research have you done on the Amish community?”
“If it interests you, I’ve got my research papers online. Now, what did you want to see me about, Mrs. Lutz?”
The corners of Elsa-May’s thin lips turned down. “I was hoping Ettie would relent and see some sense about you looking at her back.”
“No one’s looking at my back.” Least of all the strange doctor in front of her.
“Did you want to see the doctor about anything?” Ettie asked Elsa-May. “Otherwise, we’ll need to go and stop wasting the good doctor’s time.”
“I’m sorry. We’ll pay you for the appointment of course,” Elsa-May told him.
He bounded to his feet. “It’s perfectly alright. I can’t charge you for something I didn’t do.”
“But she wasted your time,” Ettie said.
He sat back down. “You ladies might be able to help with my research by donating some blood.”
The very thought of that made Ettie sick to her stomach. She was keeping all of her blood.
“Are you still researching?” Elsa-May asked.
“Once a researcher, always a researcher. I won’t stop until the day I die. Is that young lady you arrived with one of your granddaughters?” He looked from one sister to the other.
“She’s a friend. Her grandfather was a friend.”
“I’d be able to use her blood too.”
Ettie winced and wished he'd stop saying the b word.
Elsa-May didn’t seem to notice and talked about something else entirely. “Have you heard about the scarecrow murders?” Elsa-May asked. “They involve Amish folk.”
“I have.” He shook his head. “A dreadful business.”
“It surely is.”
“And the same thing happened back in the seventies,” Ettie added, staring into his face.
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Were you around this area when they were happening?” Elsa-May asked.
“I worked between here and another location in the seventies, but I’m afraid I don’t recall them.”
“There were about five murders.”
He glanced at his watch. “I shouldn’t keep you ladies any longer.” He rose to his feet. “Good day.” He took two steps away from the desk and opened his office door.
Elsa-May helped Ettie to her feet and they both walked out. The door was quickly closed behind them. Ettie could feel her cheeks were burning red-hot with embarrassment.
“What happened?” Selena stood up when she saw them walking out.
“We’ll tell you outside.”
Once they were outside, Ettie told Selena, “She tried to trick me into seeing the doctor. It wasn’t her appointment. She made it for me.”
Elsa-May’s bottom jaw jutted out. “I was trying to help.”
“Anyway, he acted kind of weird when we mentioned the murders, don’t you think?”
Elsa-May nodded. “Yes, I don’t believe a word of what he said. He is the right age—he would’ve remembered the scarecrow murders, and he had an interest in Amish people, so what do you think about that?”
“And he looks like a murderer,” Ettie said with a shudder, “all pale and creepy with his slicked-back white hair.”
“Yes, except murderers often look like regular people,” Elsa-May commented as they all walked to the car.
“But not always.” As Ettie looked back at the building, she noticed the doctor peering out the window at them. It sent a chill through her body. She turned around without mentioning a thing.
“You can’t say, 'He looks like a murderer,' that’s just what I’m saying,” Elsa-May said.
“Who looks like a murderer?” Selena asked.
“The doctor.”
Selena looked confused.
“What we should’ve told you was that we met this doctor at the retirement home, Happy Valleys.”
“True Valleys, Ettie.”
“You went to the retirement home to see Don Shallot?”
“We did and that’s where we met Dr. Grifford.”
Ettie was still thinking about what Elsa-May had said. “What I meant to say was that he looks how a murderer would look like in my mind.”
“Well why didn’t you just say that?”
“I thought I did.”
“But you’re right. Surely, he would’ve heard about the scarecrow murders and he’s pretending he didn’t,” Elsa-May said. “Especially because he’s been involved with the community.”
“How’s he been involved?” Selena asked as they all walked to her car.
“He does research on Amish people. He asked us for blood.” Ettie noticed that Selena grimaced, so she didn’t tell her that he was interested in her blood as well.
Once they got to the car, Elsa-May allowed Ettie to sit in the front where there was more room since she had a sore back. Elsa-May sat in the back seat.
Ettie said, “I don’t like the way you tried to trick me into seeing another doctor.”
“I’m sorry. I thought you’d relent when you got in there. Now, how about the walking stick? Selena might be kind enough to drive us to the other doctor.”
Ettie looked over at Selena. “Would you mind? It’s not far.”
“That’s fine. I’ll take you wherever you want.”
“Thank you. I’ll go back now to the other doctor and give his walking stick back.”
“And it’s about time.”
When they arrived at the original doctor’s office, Selena decided to w
ait in the car.
Elsa-May stayed by the front door, while Ettie walked up to the receptionist. “Excuse me, can I see the doctor?”
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No, I don’t. I just want to see him about—”
“I do have an opening at two o’clock.”
“I just want to give him back this.” Ettie held the walking stick in the air.
“Oh, he’s been looking for that. Just a moment.”
The receptionist left her desk and walked over to the doctor’s office and knocked lightly on his door. After a moment, the door opened and Ettie heard her talking to the doctor. A moment later, she closed the door and walked over to Ettie. “He said you could have it.”
“Oh.” Ettie was shocked and felt bad. “I don’t want to keep it.”
“It’s all right, he’s got another one.”
Ettie looked down at the walking stick in her hand. “Thank you. I suppose I should make another appointment while I’m here.”
“He said he can recommend some other doctors for you. I’ll write them down.”
“I don’t want to go to another doctor.”
The receptionist walked back behind her desk and started writing. Then she handed a piece of paper to Ettie. “I’m sorry, but the doctor would prefer you go elsewhere.”
“Pardon?” Ettie was sure she hadn’t heard correctly.
The woman grimaced. “I’m sorry.”
“Oh. He doesn’t want to see me again?”
“I’m afraid not.”
Ettie turned around and walked toward Elsa-May.
“What’s happening?”
“I’ve been sacked as a patient.”
Elsa-May’s eyes bugged out and her mouth dropped open.
“It’s true. And, don’t say another thing about it.” On the way back to Selena’s car, Ettie grumbled. “I feel so bad.”
“Don’t let it upset you.”
Embarrassed, Ettie had to tell Selena what had happened. Selena just grinned, and then she laughed about it until tears rolled down her cheeks, which made Ettie laugh too, and feel better about the whole thing. Elsa-May looked at them like they'd gone mad.
Over breakfast the next morning, Ettie remembered Kate was moving away. Even though Kate was no longer in their community, Ettie wanted to see her before she left. Besides, she had told Kate she would. “You know what we have to do today, Elsa-May?”
“Nee, what?”
“Visit Kate.”
“We just saw her at the funeral.”
Ettie nodded. “I know, but I said we’d stop over and say goodbye before she left.”
“Okay. We can do that.”
Chapter 12
Ettie’s head swirled and she closed her eyes. She was transported to Kelly’s office and he towered over both her and her sister.
“I’ve got my eye on the two of you.” He turned away from them and then spun back around with a newspaper in one hand. “All the victims were ex Amish or had a link to the Amish. Someone has a grudge and we have to figure out who.”
“We?”
“Mrs. Smith, all you need to do is ask around.”
“We’ve been doing that.” Ettie looked over at Elsa-May who huffed.
“We’re getting a bit old for this kind of thing. All we want to do is enjoy our last days here. Is that too much to ask, Detective?” Elsa-May said irritably.
He sighed and pulled one of his gruff faces.
Ettie was ready to go. Solving mysteries was what she thrived on, but she’d given her word.
“Mrs. Smith?” Detective Kelly leaned in toward her.
Licking her lips, Ettie looked over at her sister once more. “What do you think, Elsa-May?”
“You know what I think.”
Ettie nodded. "Jah, I do. And I’m sorry, Detective Kelly, but I’ve given my word.”
He opened the newspaper and flung it down on his desk. “How will you feel if you open the paper tomorrow and see another murder like this and you might’ve done something to prevent it?” He stabbed his finger hard on the picture of the crime scene. Ettie looked down. An evil scarecrow stared right back, a threatening click-click-clicking sound in the background. Fear paralyzed her—she couldn't breathe. She jolted awake, gasped a ragged breath, and looked around to see she was in her living room. Her heart was pounding.
“What is it, Ettie?” Elsa-May was right there, still knitting as she always did after dinner.
“I had the most awful dream. I’d given my word to you that we’d no longer help Kelly.”
“That doesn’t sound too horrible. Haven’t you given your word to me before?”
“Nee, not as a binding promise, and it truly was a horrible dream. Kelly was urging us to find the person responsible for the killings, the one who has a grudge against the Amish. Then he pointed to the newspaper and there was an awful photograph of a menacing scarecrow. I sensed great evil. What a relief to wake up, sitting here with you and your knitting. I even heard your needles clicking, except it seemed to come from that horrible scarecrow.”
Elsa-May sighed and put her knitting in the bag by her feet. “It’s nearly bedtime. Would you like a cup of hot tea?”
“Don’t you care? Where’s your empathy for what I’ve just been through?” She pulled up her sleeves and looked at her wrists. “Look—I’ve broken out into a cold sweat.”
“It was just a dream.”
Ettie’s shoulders slumped. “It felt more powerful than that. Almost like it was a warning something bad was going to happen. Like one of those stories in the Bible.”
Elsa-May pushed herself to her feet. “I’ll check that we’ve locked all the doors and windows. That should make you feel safe and we’ll say an extra prayer for Gott to watch over us and our loved ones.”
“Yes, you do that, and yes, I’ll have a cup of hot tea please when you’re ready. And yes, let's say those extra prayers.” While Elsa-May checked the windows and doors, Ettie wondered what more they could do.
Once they each had a cup of tea in hand, Ettie said, “I wonder if we’ve met the killer or know of him.”
Elsa-May took a sip, and then placed the cup back down on the saucer balanced on her lap. “Let’s say it’s the same killer … wait, are you talking about the old murders or the new ones?”
“Hmm. If it’s the same man, we know he’s got to be a certain age. We’d have to think that he would’ve been twenty at least when he committed those murders, so by now he’d be what, seventy or so?”
“Who are our suspects?”
Ettie sighed. “Don Shallot, Eli’s neighbor, Kevin. David—Eli and Kate's son.”
“He’s only in his thirties.”
“I know, but he had a big falling out with his father, as we heard.”
“Hmm. It would be easier to find out if we knew whether we’re looking for one killer or two."
"The differences are significant, aren’t they?”
“Over the years, he might’ve decided to do things differently.”
Ettie shook her head. “I wouldn’t think so. The person who kills with a gun might not like stabbing someone. It’s too close for comfort. Like how I like to eat my cake with a fork so I don’t get my fingers dirty.”
Elsa-May scowled at Ettie. “It’s hardly the same thing.”
“I know, but it’s a preference.” Ettie put her hands in the air. “Fork or fingers, gun or knife?”
“There’s no point even talking about this with you.”
Ettie took another sip of tea while Elsa-May stared at her. “I think we need to tell Kelly that Selena saw her ex-fiancé. I think he’s dangerous.”
“We don’t know it was him for sure and Kelly’s got so many other things on his mind.”
“I know, but I believe that man’s been abusive in the past despite her remaining quiet about that. He might wish her harm.”
“Say we mention it, what can the police do anyway?”
Ettie sighed. Nothing was ever done unle
ss someone got hurt. “Nothing I suppose.”
“That’s right. They can’t do anything until after he does something.”
“It wouldn’t hurt to mention it.”
Elsa-May jutted out her bottom jaw. “Selena should tell Kelly, not us.”
“Why don’t you suggest that to her?”
“I will.”
“Good.” Ettie drank the rest of her tea in silence, while Elsa-May finished hers, too, and then started back at her knitting.
Chapter 13
That night, Selena couldn't sleep, she’d been tossing and turning pretty much all night, and it was five o'clock in the morning when she gave up her quest for slumber, got dressed, and made herself a cup of hot milk.
Sirens wailed through the air, and then they got closer. Selena froze. Then she heard something out the front door, a loud noise. She ran to the living room window and looked out. Five policemen with guns drawn were running to her front door while blue and red lights whirled, lighting up the pre-dawn.
She hurried to the front door and opened it. “What's going on?”
She was grabbed and pulled aside by one officer while the others ran past her into the house.
“Are you okay, Ma'am?”
“I’m fine. What’s this about?”
“Are you alone?”
“Yes.”
“One of your neighbors called in. Have you heard about the murders around here lately?”
“I have.”
“Someone left a scarecrow in your front yard.”
Selena looked past the officer and saw the scarecrow.
A white car pulled up as the other four officers completed their search and joined her and their fellow officer at the door. “Nothing,” one of them said.
They all stared at the man getting out of the white car and Selena recognized him as Detective Kelly.
“Did you see anything, or hear anything, unusual last night?” asked one of the officers standing with her.
“No. I didn’t.”
“Wait here.” The officers walked back to their cars and two of them spoke with Kelly.
Detective Kelly then looked over at Selena and then more words were said.
Ettie Smith Amish Mysteries Box Set 7 Page 20
