Amish Scarecrow Murders
Page 10
When she walked back to the door, she looked at him again to see that he was just outside the picket fence and had just latched the gate behind him.
She closed the front door and made sure to lock it.
“He’s gone?” Ettie asked.
“He has.” She walked over to the couch and saw two pillows, sheets and a quilt piled on a chair in front of the couch where Ettie sat. “Are these for me?”
“Yes. Would you like me to make the couch up for you?” Ettie asked.
“When she says, 'me,' she means me,” Elsa-May said from over the top of her knitting.
Selena smiled. “It’s okay. I can do that. Thank you.”
“Now, come and sit by me, Selena, and tell me something happy. Let’s not think about scarecrows anymore tonight.”
“Okay.” She sat down beside Ettie and told her about happy memories of her childhood when they vacationed by the seaside.
Ettie and Elsa-May then entertained her with stories of what they used to get up to on their farm when they were growing up. Their light-hearted conversion worked a treat, and Selena felt much better after the sisters had gone to bed leaving her alone. With Snowy staring at her from his dog bed, she made up the couch. As soon as she finished the job by spreading out the quilt, Snowy jumped up and lay down on one end.
Selena smiled. “You can be my watchdog, Snowy.” She didn’t know if he was any good at that kind of thing, but she certainly felt better staying at the house with the sisters for company and Gabriel next door.
Chapter 16
Selena couldn’t sleep that night, but it wasn’t because the couch was uncomfortable and it wasn't that she could barely move her legs because of Snowy spreading himself out. She couldn't stop wondering and worrying about who could’ve wanted her dead.
She’d only just drifted off to sleep when she heard a loud banging sound. In the groggy land of half-asleep and trying to wake, she heard footsteps and clattering along the floor, and then voices.
She sat up to see Gabriel walking into the house, and noticed the clattering was Ettie’s walking stick.
“I’m sorry to come here so early,” Gabriel said as Ettie led him further into the house.
Selena pulled the quilt up higher over herself. She was only wearing an oversized T-shirt.
“Gabriel’s heard something,” Ettie told her.
Selena knew from their grim faces that another person had been killed.
“What is it?” Elsa-May asked as she walked out of her bedroom.
Gabriel took off his hat, and said, “It’s Laine Schrock. She’s dead.”
Elsa-May froze in place. “How?”
Gabriel glanced over at Selena as though he didn’t want to speak in front of her. “It’s another scarecrow killing. I just heard about it when I went to hitch my horse at the Troyers’. I’m sorry, that's all I know, and I have to go right away. I’ve got a job that’ll last the whole day. Will you be okay, Selena?”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Why don’t you come here for dinner tonight, Gabriel? Selena is staying with us for a couple of nights.”
His face lit up. “I’d be delighted.”
“We’ll see you at six-sharp,” Elsa-May said.
“I’ll be on time, shaved and showered.”
Elsa-May frowned at him as he turned and headed to the door.
“That’s good,” Ettie commented as she walked him out. She stood and watched him walk out the gate and was just about to close the door when she saw a car coming their direction. Being situated on a no-through-traffic road, they didn’t see many cars on their road. It was Detective Kelly’s car, she was certain of it.
“Here comes Kelly,” she called over her shoulder to Elsa-May.
“He’s early.”
“He’s here to tell us about the murder, I guess,” Selena said. “I should throw some clothes on. I'll be in the bathroom for a few minutes.”
“What kind of mood does he look like he's in?” Elsa-May was fully dressed already and made her way to her usual chair.
Ettie watched as he got out of the car. She turned around and said to Elsa-May. “He’s not looking very happy.”
“Oh dear, I hope it's not something that we've done.”
“I’ll quickly change into my day clothes.” Ettie found some sudden speed even though it hurt her back. She didn’t want to miss a word of what Kelly had to say. Abandoning her walking stick, she passed Selena, who was heading to the bathroom, and as she walked along the hallway she was pulling off her nightgown. She tossed it on the bed as soon as she reached her room, then pulled on her dress, piled her long hair into a hairnet and lastly, put on her prayer kapp at the same time as she pushed her feet into her slippers. She reached the front door just as Kelly got to it. She stood looking at him, waiting for him to speak.
“I hate to tell you this, but someone else has been murdered.”
“Laine Schrock,” she stated.
His eyebrows shot up. “How did you know?”
“We heard from Gabriel who heard from—”
He raised his hand telling her to stop. “I know news travels fast in your community, but I didn’t realize it was quite this fast.”
“Come inside. We’ve got Selena here too, as you probably know.”
Kelly sat down on his usual wooden chair in their living room, and Selena was now fully dressed and sitting on the couch.
Elsa-May said, “We know Laine Schrock, or we knew her, I should say. We knew her as Laney. We’re good friends of her family. She left the Amish. Let me see now ...”
Ettie tapped a bony finger on her chin. “That would've been about twenty years ago now. Isn’t that about right, Elsa-May?”
“I think so. Her family members don't talk about her now. I don't even know if they've been in touch with her.”
“They’ve been informed just now. I’ve just come from their home.”
“How are they taking the news?”
“Not too good as you can imagine. They had been hoping and no doubt praying that she’d return to the community. Now that possibility has been stripped away from them.”
“Should we visit them, Ettie?”
“Yes, is it alright if we do that?” Ettie looked directly at Detective Kelly.
He slowly nodded. “They might tell you something they didn't tell me.”
“That's not why we want to see them. They’re good friends of ours.”
Kelly sighed. “Do what you can to find out what you can by asking within your group of folk. This is now worldwide news, and you can imagine what pressure that brings on me. Three murders and Selena’s attempted murder.”
“I wish we could help more,” Ettie said.
“Well, there is something you could do for me.”
“What?”
“I could get you in to see Cedric."
“Who?” Elsa-May asked.
“There is one suspect whose information I left out of that file.”
“You mean there were three suspects?”
He nodded.
“That’s not fair.”
“Quiet, Elsa-May, let’s hear what he has to say.”
“His name’s Cedric Bloom. He’s serving time, that’s why I didn’t think he’d be a person of interest, but he could possibly be involved in the first murders. You see, he wasn’t allowed to marry the woman of his choice because she couldn’t, or wouldn’t, leave the Amish. She passed away soon after that. And, just weeks after her passing, her father was killed. He was the first of the scarecrow murders—the original ones.”
“Hmm, a murder of revenge, but if it was him, why go on to kill others?”
“Hate? Some kind of self-justified revenge? Who knows what goes on in the mind of madmen—serial killers? Did you know that the term serial killers wasn’t used until the seventies?”
Ettie shook her head. “No idea.”
“Yes, I knew that,” Selena said. “I remember it was someone in the FBI who named it that.”
“If I had all the answers to every question, Mrs. Smith, the case would already be solved.”
“Ettie knows you don’t know enough to solve the case yet, she’s just asking your opinion—whether you have evidence to suggest whether they’re the same killer?”
Ettie was pleased her sister appeared to be on her side for a change.
He shook his head. “It sure would make it a lot easier if we knew for sure. That’s why I’d love it if you two could visit this man.”
“Is this one of those tree branches you were talking about, Detective?” Elsa-May smirked.
He smiled. “That’s right. I want you both to visit him and see what he’ll tell you.”
“Why us?” Ettie asked. “Are we going to be used as some kind of bait?”
“He won’t be able to get at you since he’s in prison.”
“Yes, I suppose. Why us, if he hates the Amish?”
“Humph. He’ll tell you far more than he’ll tell law enforcement. That’s why. You’ll be wearing a wire so we can hear every word of what’s going on. I’ll give you information about the woman he wanted to marry and you might even know her.”
“Name?” Elsa-May leaned forward.
“Rita Hershberger.”
“Ettie, I think that’s Dulcie’s granddaughter.”
“It could be.”
“See? You’ve got something you can speak to him about already.” He leaned forward and stared directly at Ettie. Pungent aftershave wafted under Ettie’s nostrils reminding her of a mixture of gasoline and over-ripe berries. “Will you do it?” he asked.
“If you think it’ll help stop these killings, we will.”
“Yes, we will,” Elsa-May agreed.
“Good.” He clapped his hands together so loud it caused Selena to jump.
“I don’t know.”
Ettie and the detective stared at Elsa-May as she shook her head.
“You don’t know what, Mrs. Lutz?”
“I don’t know why we’re going to see this Cedric man if he hates the Amish. I'm sure he won't be happy to see us.”
“You’ll be perfectly safe. I wouldn’t send you otherwise. I need to know what he knows. As I said, he'll certainly tell you more than he’d tell a member of the force. I know it's a big ask.” He looked from one to the other.
“We’ll do it,” Ettie said. “We already said so.”
Elsa-May waved her hand in the air. “Now just a minute.”
Ettie turned to look at her. “We have to help, Elsa-May. Selena was nearly killed and now Laney is dead before she could find her way back to us.”
Elsa-May rolled her eyes before looking back at Kelly. “Okay, we’ll do it for certain.”
“Excellent. I'll arrange everything and get back to you with a time. I'll be in touch later today or tomorrow.”
“Right now,” Ettie said, “I think we should visit Laney’s parents. They'll be dreadfully upset.”
“Can I drive you ladies?”
Elsa-May shook her head. “No, thank you.”
“I can drive them,” Selena said.
“Very well. I'll see you ladies later then, and sorry to deliver you the awful news.”
“Would you like some coffee before you go?” Ettie asked.
“I don’t have the time today or I would.”
Ettie showed him out of the house.
“I’m happy to drive you to see them,” Selena said when he’d gone.
“Let me sit a moment.” Ettie walked over to the couch and sat next to Selena. “It's such a shock. How did the killer know where to find Laney?”
“She’d be fifty or sixty by now since her parents are about our age.”
“She would’ve been, you mean.”
“Jah. Maybe that talk with the fellow in the prison might enlighten us.”
“I hope so because I certainly don't feel very enlightened right now.” She turned to Selena. “We will take you up on your offer. First, I need a lie-down.”
“That sounds good to me too. I haven’t slept a wink.”
“Me either. Let’s all have a nap and then we’ll have some breakfast and then visit Laine’s parents?”
* * *
After Ettie had rested for a couple of hours, she felt much better. She wasn’t looking forward to seeing her friends right after they found out their daughter was murdered, though. Two of her own daughters had left the community, so she could only imagine how they’d feel finding out one of theirs had died outside of the faith.
When a knock sounded on the front door, Ettie sat and swung her legs over the side of the bed, forgetting about her back. She yelped in pain and rubbed her back. Then she slipped her stockinged feet into her shoes and took hold of her walking stick. “Are you getting that, Elsa-May?”
“Jah.”
Before Ettie made it to her bedroom door, she heard Gabriel talking to Elsa-May.
“Hello again, Ettie.” Gabriel waved giving her a big smile.
Ettie saw Selena in the kitchen making herself a cup of tea. “Hello,” Ettie answered Gabriel, as she straightened her kapp that she’d forgotten to take off before her nap. “Weren’t you working?”
“It’s raining. It looks like it’s set in for the day. I was happy to keep going, but no one else wanted to.”
“We’re off to visit Peter and Denise Schrock if you’d like to join us. Selena is taking us.”
“I sure will. I’ll come for the drive, but I won’t go inside. I don’t know them that well.” Gabriel crouched down to pat Snowy who was pawing his leg.
“I’m sorry, I’ll put him out.” Elsa-May swooped down and picked up her little dog.
“Nee, he’s fine. Truly.”
“Are you sure?”
“Jah. I love dogs.”
Elsa-May put Snowy back down on the floor. “I just don’t know what to say to poor Peter and Denise.”
“There’ll be nothing we can say to make them feel better. Just paying them a quick visit will let them know we’re here supporting them with our prayers.”
Gabriel nodded.
“Let’s fix something to eat now,” Ettie said.
“Come through to the kitchen, Gabriel.”
Chapter 17
Selena and Gabriel stayed in the car while Ettie and Elsa-May knocked on the Schrock’s door. Peter answered it. His face was as white as a sheet.
“I'm sorry, Peter. We just heard the dreadful news.”
“Denke.”
“How's Denise?”
“Come in and see for yourselves.”
He brought them through to the kitchen where Denise was sitting at a round table, her hands clasped firmly in her lap. She stood up and hugged them, one at a time.
“We're sorry for your loss,” Elsa-May said.
Peter said from behind them, “This wouldn't have happened if she hadn’t left us.”
“We haven't seen her in five years. Each time she came back here, we refused to talk with her. We thought that was the best way for her to come back to us. I wouldn't have done that if I knew this was going to happen.” Denise lifted a white handkerchief to her face and sobbed.
Peter put his arm around her. “It was Gott's will.”
She sniffed and then looked up at them. “Let's sit. I'll make you a cup of hot tea, or would you prefer coffee?”
“Why don't I make it? Peter, you and Denise sit,” Ettie offered.
“Denke, Ettie, a hot tea would be nice.”
Peter sat down next to his wife, and just as Elsa-May was about to sit, Ettie poked her in the ribs with the end of her walking stick. “Since I can't stand very well you'll have to do it.”
Elsa-May straightened up.
“I'm sorry, E
ttie, take a seat.” She pulled the chair out for Ettie to sit down.
“Have you hurt yourself, Ettie?” Denise asked, while Elsa-May filled the teakettle with water.
“Nothing too serious. The doctor said I've pulled a muscle. I'll get better, but it seems to be in no hurry.”
While Elsa-May busied herself putting the teacups and saucers on the table, she asked the Schrocks, “How are your sons dealing with the news?”
“I've only heard from two of them. They’re just as upset as we are. They were once close with their big schweschder.”
“Before she left, they were,” Peter added.
“Did you hear about the way she died, Ettie?” Denise asked.
Ettie froze. She hadn’t intended to raise that subject. “I heard about the scarecrow. Is that what you mean?”
“Jah.”
* * *
Ettie stared at the couple who’d just lost their child. Even though the child was an adult, and a middle-aged one at that, it didn’t matter. The pain was just as great.
Since they’d raised the subject of the scarecrow, Ettie figured she should ask some gentle questions. “I hate to ask the question at a time like this, but do you know if she had any enemies, or if you—either of you—have any enemies?”
“No,” Peter said. “I don't know about Laine, but as far as I know we don't, do we?” He looked at his wife.
She shook her head and then the teakettle started to whistle. Elsa-May hurried over to make the tea.
“The police are coming tomorrow to ask us questions, but we don't know anything.”
Ettie wondered if they did know something and didn't know that they knew. "Do you know a man called Cedric Bloom?”
“No.”
"He once wanted to marry Joel Hershberger’s daughter, Rita. Joel was killed as the very first of these scarecrow murders in the 1970s.”
“Cedric Bloom was a suspect back then because Rita’s father hadn't allowed Rita and Cedric to marry.”
“Earlier murders?” Peter asked.
Ettie didn’t know if it had been the right time to mention that. She stared disapprovingly at Elsa-May, but her sister didn’t notice. She was too busy filling teacups and putting them onto saucers, and passing a bowl of sugar, and the little pitcher of cream.