“He’ll probably be out tomorrow morning on bail. That’s how these things work.”
“I can’t just not go to my store. That’s my business. I can’t just close it down out of fear.”
“I’ll find someone to stay with you at the store every day until everything’s been resolved.”
“Okay. I think Ettie and Elsa-May would take it in turns to stay with me until all this is settled.”
He nodded. “How do you know you’re even safe here?”
She bit her lip. It probably wasn’t a good idea to have given Cheryl her home address. They still had no idea who Cheryl was and whose side she was on.
“I just have to hope that I am safe here.”
He groaned. “I don’t know what I’d ever do if I lost you.” He put his cup down on the side table and reached out, taking her hand. “I know it’s taken me a long time to get the courage to say this, but I need to tell you that I have strong feelings for you.”
“You do?” Right at that moment Bethany wanted him to take her in his arms and hold her tight. With his strong arms around her, she would feel safe and protected.
“I do. I want you to marry me.”
She giggled. “You do?”
“What do you say?”
“This is all a surprise. I didn’t know you felt like this.”
“I do, but I didn’t know if you’d ever be interested in a man like me. The thought of losing you is prompting me to be bold right now and speak what’s in my heart.” When she hesitated, he added, “I don’t expect an answer right away. Take your time to think things over. We’ll be a long time wed.”
“I will think it over.” Bethany couldn’t stop grinning. She had thought all she wanted in life was to be financially independent, but when she’d looked death in the face, the only regret she had was not having a husband and children.
“Make sure you do think it over,” he joked. “Now what can I get you to eat?”
“I’m not hungry.” Bethany didn’t want him to go into the kitchen again in case he noticed she barely had any food. She didn’t want him to think of her as anything other than a perfect potential wife. The perfect wife would have her cupboards lined with jars and cans of preserves. Her cold box would be filled with all varieties of fruit and vegetables, and there would be cheese and cold cuts just in case visitors popped by.
“Are you sure? When was the last time you ate?”
“I had a bite to eat the hospital.” That wasn’t a lie; she’d had a candy bar from the vending machine. “What about you? Are you hungry?”
“I’ve eaten dinner with the family already.”
Bethany nodded, thinking of Jabez’s large family and how nice it would be to eat a meal at a crowded table every night.
He stood and put another log on the fire. “If you think you might be all right now, I’ll go and talk with Ettie and Elsa-May before they go to sleep. I’ll see if one of them can stay with you in the store tomorrow.”
She nodded.
“Perhaps you could stay with them tonight?”
“Nee, I couldn’t. They have only got a small haus barely big enough for the two of them.”
“Come back with me and stay at my parents’ haus.”
She shook her head. “I’d have to say why I was there and explain everything. I don’t want everyone to know what’s going on.”
“We wouldn’t have to say anything other than you’re not feeling well and I didn’t want you to be alone. And that’s the truth.”
“I’m used to being by myself. I’ll be all right.”
“I hope you’re not too used to it.” He smiled at her.
She shook her head again. “I said I’m used to it. I didn’t say I liked it.”
“That’s gut. Gut for me.”
He took hold of the woolen throw on the back of the couch and covered her with it. “You stay there. I’ll lock the door behind me.”
“Denke, just press the button and the door will lock.”
He stood up and took the two empty teacups. “Another cup before I go?”She shook her head, not wanting to risk him going into the kitchen again and sensing her lack of kitchen skills.
“I’ll take you to work tomorrow. What time do you normally leave?”
“Nee, don’t do that. I’ve got a taxi that collects me the same time every day.”
“Are you certain?”
“Jah.”
“I’ll come by the store during my lunch break tomorrow to make certain you’re okay.”
It was after nine when Jabez left her. He’d pressed the inside button of the lock, which had locked the door, but Bethany checked it anyway. Then she walked around her house, making sure that the back door and the windows were bolted. She was glad she didn’t live on a farm, and the nearest neighbors weren’t too far away.
Ettie and Elsa-May were both falling asleep in the living room when there was a knock at their door.
“Darn it!” Elsa-May said. “Who could that be at this time of night?”
“It must be an emergency for someone to come here this late,” Ettie said, getting off her couch.
Elsa-May followed close behind Ettie. They open the door to see Jabez.
“Jabez!” Elsa-May said.
“Is Bethany all right?” Ettie asked.
“She is now, but she’s had a rough night.”
Both ladies gasped.
“Where is she?” Ettie asked.
“She’s been to the hospital. She had her arm bandaged up and was treated for shock.”
Elsa-May took Jabez by his sleeve and pulled him inside. “Come in out of the cold. I think we need to hear the whole story.”
Jabez had no choice in the matter as he was pulled through the door. He sat by their fire and told them how Creighton had confronted Bethany and had slashed her arm with a knife. “I stayed with her for a few hours to make sure she was okay. I said she should probably not stay by herself, but she wouldn’t hear of it.”
“She’s always been very independent,” Ettie said.
“I told her I’m not happy about her going to the store and being there by herself every day. I was hoping that you ladies might take it in turns to stay with her through the days at the store?” He looked from one sister to the other. “I hope I’m not asking too much.”
“Ettie and I would be happy to do that,” Elsa-May said.
“Jah, it’s best she is not alone, and perhaps she should find somewhere she can stay instead of being in that house all alone until we find out who the killer is.”
“When the detective called me from the hospital he did mention he’d send patrol cars past her house every so often during the night.”
“That’s very good of him,” Ettie said.
“Would you like tea or kaffe?” Elsa-May asked.
He rose to his feet. “Nee. I better be getting home. Everyone will be wondering where I am.”
Chapter 21
Elsa-May and Ettie had decided between themselves that Ettie would take the first turn of staying all day with Bethany in the store and Elsa-May would stay the second and so forth.
Elsa-May traveled with Ettie in the taxi to town, as she had some errands to run. They both arrived at the quilt shop before the regular opening time.
As soon as Bethany saw them outside, she opened the glass door and let them in.
“Hello. Jabez went to see you last night?”
“He did, and Ettie and I will take it in turns to stay with you. Ettie will do the first day, and I shall do tomorrow.”
“How’s your arm?” Ettie asked.
She looked down at the bandage. “It hurts a little. I’m blessed that it wasn’t a deep cut. It was just long. It goes from here to here.” She pointed at her bandage to show them exactly where the gash stopped and started. “The hospital gave me some painkillers to take. I took some last night and again this morning.”
“Jabez said the police have Creighton?”
“They do, but Jabez said that he�
��ll probably be out today even if they’d arrested him. Out on bail or something.”
“That’s why you may not be safe,” Elsa-May said.
Bethany sighed. “I pray that this whole thing will be over with soon. I only wanted to know my father, and I can’t do that now because he’s dead.”
Ettie said, “Well, for it to be over we need to find out A. what Ian wanted to give you, and B. who Cheryl is. A. and B. should tell us C. and D.”
“And what are C. and D.?” Elsa-May asked.
“I thought it was obvious.”
Elsa-may frowned. “Nee, it’s not, Ettie. Not everyone likes puzzles.”
“C. is who killed Ian, and D. is why they killed him.”
Bethany shook her head at Ettie’s logic. “Why don’t we start off with A.? That was what Ian wanted to give me, is that right?”
Ettie nodded. “And B…”
Elsa-May cut her off. “Enough with the A.B.C.s, Ettie.”
“Okay, I won’t say any more about them except to say that there was also a D.”
“Time for me to get out of here,” Elsa-May said, walking out the door.
Ettie and Bethany had a slow morning in the store. Just after midday they were surprised by a visit from Detective Kelly.
“I thought I should let you know that I spoke to Randall Whitmore’s lawyers, or rather one lawyer in particular, and she confirmed that Randall did, in fact, instruct them to draw up a new will.”
“We knew that,” Ettie said frowning.
With a gleam in his eye, Detective Kelly said, “This is something you might not know. They don’t know whether the new will was signed. Randall’s brother, Ian, took the new will for Randall to look over while he was in the hospital. That was the last they heard about the will.”
“Did they say what was in the will?” Ettie asked.
“Yes, they have a draft copy. Randall requested that the will be changed to the benefactors being his son, Creighton Whitmore, and his daughter, Bethany Parker.”
Bethany gulped. “Really? He did that?”
“Don’t look too pleased; they don’t know if he ever signed it. He hadn’t revoked his previous will, so it’ll be up to the law to sort out who gets what if the new will doesn’t surface. If the will is found and it has been signed, it’ll revoke all previous wills.”
“What normally would happen in a case like this if the will is never found but the lawyers know what Randall’s intentions had been?” Ettie asked.
“I asked Randall’s lawyer that, and she said that often in cases of a lost will the estate might be shared between the claimant named in the lost will and whoever the law deems to be his heirs. The complication arises here because no one seems to know whether the new will was ever signed.”
Bethany shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. It shows he was thinking about me and caring about my welfare and that means more to me than money ever could. I know you might not share my views, Detective Kelly.”
“You’re quite entitled to your opinion, and I do see your point, Ms. Parker.”
“Who was named in the previous will?” Ettie asked.
“Ah! That’s where it gets interesting. Cheryl Bailey was the primary benefactor.”
Bethany gasped. “Cheryl? So there is a Cheryl.”
“Yes. The family denied her existence, but the evidence tells us otherwise. She was to be married to Randall at one stage until he changed his mind. Cheryl and Randall met on the job. She once worked for a rival Engineering firm and Randall persuaded her to switch camps and come to work for him. After she began working for him, they became romantically involved.”
“Have you questioned her yet, Detective?” Ettie asked.
“Couldn’t find her. She’s disappeared.”
Ettie’s mouth fell open. “Do you think something might have happened to her as well? If she’s interested in the will and getting money, surely she wouldn’t have disappeared deliberately.”
“Interesting point of view, Mrs. Smith, but I’ve already considered that aspect of things. We won’t know more until we locate her. I’ve got people working on finding her.”
Ettie pouted.
When customers entered the store, the detective informed Bethany he had nothing more to tell her and he left.
It was right on five when Elsa-May came to the store. “How was your day?” She looked at both Bethany and Ettie.
“Sales were a little slow today,” Bethany said. “Come further inside. I’ll just lock the door behind you.” Bethany locked and bolted the glass door and swung the sign over to read ‘closed.’
“Elsa-May, the detective visited and said that there was a new will.” Ettie continued to relay all that the detective had told them.
“So whoever was not named in the new will might have been trying to destroy it because they weren’t named in it. Ian might have been trying to bring it to you, Bethany, thinking it would be safe in your hands?”
“It makes no sense to bring it to Bethany. Why not take it right back to the lawyers?” Ettie asked.
“Anyway, the whole shop’s been stripped, and there’s nothing here.”
Elsa-May walked around the store. “There would be many places to hide a piece of paper. Behind a cupboard, in the ceiling, behind the shelving, under the shelving.”
“Do you really think that might be right, Ettie?” Bethany asked.
Elsa-May had answered before Ettie had a chance. “What else would he be bringing to you, Bethany? In my mind, he was either bringing you money or your father’s will.”
Ettie made strange clicking noises with her tongue. “Do you remember how he was lying when we came into the store, Bethany?”
After she thought for a moment, Bethany shook her head. “Not exactly.”
Ettie planted two feet in the spot where the body was found. “He had his head here towards the door, his feet were facing the back door, his left arm was by his side, and his right arm stretched out this way. And if I can remember correctly, his fingers were curled under like he was making a fist—all but one finger.”
“What are you saying, Ettie? Do you think he might have been pointing somewhere?”
Ettie ignored Elsa-May’s question. “Do you have a flashlight, Bethany?”
“I do. Someone advised me to get a flashlight in case of a power outage.”
Ettie held out her hand. “Fetch it for me?”
Bethany rustled through some drawers under the till and then handed Ettie the flashlight.
Ettie flipped the flashlight on and took some steps toward one of the cabinets built into the wall. Once she was down on her hands and knees, she shone the flashlight under the cabinet. “There’s something here.”
“No!” Bethany gasped.
“What is it, Ettie?” Elsa-May asked.
“It looks like a big envelope, but it’s too far for me to reach it.”
“I’ll see if I can,” Bethany said, crouching down next to Ettie. When Bethany couldn’t reach it either, she jumped up and got a ruler. With the ruler, she was able to slide the envelope out and then Ettie grabbed it.
“Do you think that came from Ian Whitmore?” Bethany asked. “That wasn’t here before when I was having the cabinets built.”
“We shall see.” Ettie opened the large parchment-colored envelope. As soon as Ettie saw the official looking document she knew at once what she was looking at. She opened her mouth in shock. “It is the missing will.”
Elsa-May stepped closer to look at it. “Is it signed, Ettie?”
Ettie looked down the bottom for a signature. “It’s signed by Randall and witnessed by Ian.” She read on. “It’s just what Kelly said. Half to you, Bethany, and half to Creighton.”
“What do we do?” Bethany asked.
“We call Detective Kelly right away,” Elsa-May said, “before someone else gets killed.”
Chapter 22
After they called Detective Kelly, he drove to the store to collect the will from Bethany.
Detective Kelly ran his eyes over the will. “I’m no legal eagle, but looks to me that this is all official. Where did you find it?”
Bethany pointed to the cabinet it was found under.
“It was right under there,” Ettie said, also pointing. “I remembered that the dead man had his arm out, and his finger extended. It looked very much like he was pointing at where he’d hidden it.”
“Is that right, Mrs. Smith?”
Ettie nodded.
“There was no indication when we arrived that he was pointing to anything.”
“I had to take his pulse. I might have moved his arm slightly to do so.”
Detective Kelly scowled at her.
“I had to see if he was dead or alive,” Ettie said.
The detective finally nodded. “I suppose I can’t blame you for that.” Kelly crouched down and had a look where they’d been pointing. “The man must’ve come into the store to hide the will. Possibly with the notion of calling you when it was safe to do so to let you know where it was.”
Elsa-May added, “And someone knew where he was going and possibly followed him right here. Then they killed him, not realizing that he’d hidden the will.”
“Yes, and it does give Cheryl Bailey a clear motive,” Ettie said.
The detective raised both hands in the air. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We can’t assume anything like that, Ettie. Ms. Parker, I’ll need you to accompany me to the station, and do you two require a ride home?”
“We’ll call for a taxi,” Ettie said. “I just had an idea, Detective—an idea to flush out Cheryl Bailey. If you make it known that the will is found and that…”
The detective stepped forward and put a hand on Ettie’s shoulder. “I do appreciate you trying to help. It’s kind of you. But I want both of you to go home and bake a cake or do whatever it is that you like to do best. When this is all over, I’ll come and have a cup of tea with both of you. Okay?”
Ettie’s shoulders drooped. Then she nodded. “Okay.”
“I don’t think you should stay by yourself at home, Bethany,” Elsa-May said.
“I'll make the necessary arrangements to make certain Bethany is safe tonight,” said the detective.
Amish Quilt Shop Mystery Page 10
