Ettie Smith Amish Mysteries Box Set 3

by Samantha Price

  Detective Kelly shook his head. “The man’s a drunk, and he's nearly been disbarred twice."

  “That’s dreadful!” Elsa-May said.

  Kelly nodded.

  "So, he's not a good lawyer?" Ettie asked. “Or did he do things to help his clients?”

  "He’s not a good lawyer at all. I don’t know how he’ll get past the fact that her prints were the only ones on the tire iron and the locket.”

  After a moment of silence, Elsa-May said, "Ettie has a theory. Go on, tell him, Ettie."

  "Okay. What if Nora’s husband had intended to kill Paula and frame his wife for her murder? That way, his wife would be out of the way so he would be free to carry on with his business partner?"

  The detective coughed and then smiled at the two of them. “Usually people divorce.”

  “Yes, but if his wife went to jail that would restrict her from getting a decent settlement—would it not?”

  “How do you know about things like that, Ettie?” Kelly asked.

  “I overhear things. Am I right?”

  “I think you are. It’d be easier for him to get a divorce and she wouldn’t be in a position to do much about it, but why would he want Paula out of the way?”

  Elsa-May added, "She might have had some information about him, or possibly his store."

  Ettie took over, "And that way, he would've been getting rid of two birds with one stone. And…"

  Elsa-May interrupted, "What if he were the one who rang in that anonymous tip that they overhead Nora wanted to kill the person her husband was having an affair with.”

  “It’s possible,” the detective said. “It was a woman who called in, but he could’ve put someone up to it.”

  “Yes, he could’ve paid someone to call,” Elsa-May said.

  “The mistake he made was that Paula wasn't dead."

  “And thank goodness for that.” Detective Kelly sighed. “You think that Nora's husband attacked Paula with the tire iron that only had his wife’s prints on it, and then he dropped the locket at the scene of the crime? He also must’ve had the foresight to steal the locket from his wife weeks before?"

  "Yes, he would’ve planned it all." Ettie nodded. “That’s right.”

  "It sounds like it was his car in the street, but no one ever saw Nora in the street."

  "What you’re forgetting is that Nora lied to us. There was no claim lodged with the insurance company and no police report was made—ever. I’ll be speaking with your taxi driver first thing in the morning and I’ll see what he has to say about the woman he delivered to Paula’s street.”

  “That’s good. I’ve been meaning to ask you about that.”

  Kelly asked. "What makes you think he was having an affair, or is having an affair, with his business partner?"

  Elsa-May said, "According to Nora, her husband was having an affair with someone."

  “Did she admit that to you?”

  “No, but you said that she told someone that.”

  “Elsa-May, haven’t you been listening? The detective just agreed that Cameron George might have put someone up to making that phone call about his wife—the tip that came into the hotline.”

  Kelly nodded. “We can’t place much store on hearsay, it would be helpful if we could find someone to testify that Nora suspected her husband of having an affair.”

  “Who?” Elsa-May asked.

  “I don’t know yet. Cameron George himself admited the affair with Paula, but what makes you think he’s having an affair with his business partner?" Kelly asked.

  “They looked like there was something between them,” Elsa-May said.

  “We need more than that,” Kelly answered. “We need proof. And even if he’s having an affair with someone, it doesn’t mean that he framed his wife for murder.”

  Ettie and Elsa-May glanced at one another.

  Kelly said, “Theories are well and good, and I’m happy to listen to them, but there’s no escaping the fact that we’ve got solid evidence that it was Nora George who attacked Paula.”

  “Nora looks too sweet and too small to cause anyone harm.”

  Ettie frowned at Elsa-May’s reasoning.

  “It’s all too obvious. The fingerprints on the weapon that was all too conveniently left in clear view; then there was the locket, which obviously would’ve been traced back to Nora,” Ettie said.

  The detective nodded. “Yes, my job’s usually not that easy. I’ll investigate other avenues to satisfy the lingering doubt I have.” He shook his head. “It sure would’ve helped if Nora had an alibi for the time Paula was attacked.”

  “She was alone?” Elsa-May asked.

  “Where was her husband?”

  “He was on a business trip and he was able to show us a receipt from the hotel.”

  “Was he alone in that hotel?”

  “He said his business partner was with him. He was quick to point out they had separate rooms.”

  “Was he close enough so he could’ve driven through the night and back again?” Ettie asked.

  “Yes, as a matter of fact, he was. Just to satisfy you, I’ll run a check on car-rental companies. He wouldn’t have used his own car, I wouldn’t think, if that had been the case.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Detective Kelly, I’ve been wondering something. What did Nora say when you told her there was no report of the locket being stolen?” Elsa-May asked.

  Kelly’s face soured. “She admitted to lying—said she was nervous, but she maintains the locket had been missing for some time.”

  “Nora might be telling the truth,” Ettie said.

  “If that’s so, she shouldn’t have lied. She’s got no evidence to back up her claims and she lied during questioning. That’s not good.” He shook his head.

  "Would you like to stay for dinner, Detective? We’ve made far too much for just us two."

  "I'd love to. I smelled it when I first came in."

  Over dinner, Kelly said, “Do you know what we found when we searched the Georges’ house?"

  "No. You never told us that you searched their house at all."

  "It's standard procedure. The woman's going on trial for murder and we need as much evidence as we can get to back it up."

  "What did you find?" Ettie asked, wondering whether the house was searched before or after they had visited the Georges’ residence and found him there with the business partner.

  "We took three laptops out of the house and on those laptops we found various emails between Cameron George and many different women he’d been having affairs with over the years. We didn’t ask him, but it was apparent from the emails. Paula Peters was one of those women while she was working at the furniture store. She ended things shortly after the current business partner appeared on the scene.”

  "That lined up with what you knew."

  "Yes. We also found various sites and Internet searches on how to implicate someone in a murder."

  "You mean, frame them for a murder?"

  "Exactly. And that was on Mr. George’s computer, which was password protected. But, of course, my team technicians were able to get past that small obstacle."

  "That’s why you’re listening to our theory? That’s why you’re starting to believe us that Nora’s husband might have something to do with this after all?"

  He nodded. "That’s something we’re now looking into.”

  Elsa-May set her knife and fork down against her plate. "Didn't you say Cameron George used to be a police officer?"

  Kelly nodded.

  "Then he would’ve known exactly what he was doing. He would know the very things that would make his wife appear guilty."

  He nodded again.

  Elsa-May asked, "Have you spoken to his business partner? She might have some information to give you."

  "Yes, we did. She denied having an affair with Cameron George until we told her that we'd found the emails that had gone back and forth between the two of them. When she knew we had those, she admitted
it.”

  “Detective Kelly!”

  “We just talked about that moments ago and you made us appear silly for thinking she was having an affair with Cameron.” Elsa-May glared at the detective.

  “You’re right.” He loaded his fork with chicken.

  “Is that all you have to say to us?” Ettie asked.

  Kelly lowered his fork. “Okay, you got me. I just want you to know only what you need to know. It would be helpful if you would tell me what I need to know. I ask you questions and you find the answers for me—and nothing more.”

  Ettie exhaled. “Sometimes that’s not so easy.”

  “Particularly when you’ve got someone in jail for a crime they didn’t commit,” Elsa-May added.

  Kelly popped the chicken into his mouth while the two sisters stared at him. When he finished chewing he said, “All right, point taken. Casey Campbell told us that Cameron told her he was leaving his wife.”

  “That’s exactly what he told Paula.”

  “Yes, and every other woman he had been involved with and we’ve got the emails to prove it. Anyway, Casey said the thing that was holding him up was that he knew he’d lose a lot of the money in the divorce.” Kelly looked down at his food.

  "What's wrong detective?” Elsa-May asked.

  "Why do women believe men like him when they never intend to leave their wives at all?" he asked.

  Ettie shook her head. "I don't know, but in Cameron George’s case, it seems he found a way of getting his wife out of the way and keeping all or most of his money.”

  Elsa-May added, “Yes, in one way, or another. His wife being in jail was a way to get her out of the picture.”

  Kelly waved a hand in the air. "Spare me the details. I know what you think; you’ve told me often enough."

  Ettie leaned forward and set her gaze on the detective. "So when are you going to believe us? You’ve got enough evidence."

  "No, I haven’t!"

  Just when they'd finished dinner, they had another guest arrive. It was the retired detective, Ronald Crowley.

  “Come in and sit down. We’ve got Detective Kelly here,” Ettie said.

  “Yes, I saw his car outside.” Crowley took one step inside and looked into the living room of the small house.

  The detectives nodded to one another, and then Kelly got up to shake hands.

  “I’ve heard what happened to the Amish woman,” Crowley said once everyone had sat down.

  “Is that why you’re here?” Kelly asked.

  “Yes.”

  Kelly crossed one leg over the other. “Do you want a story?”

  “I’d love one. There’s nothing like trying to solve a good mystery and from the expression on your faces you’re all baffled about something.”

  Elsa-May leaned forward, “Not baffled, disturbed.”

  Ettie asked, “Before the story begins, would you like some dessert, Ronald?”

  “Have you had dinner?” Elsa-May asked.

  “Yes, thanks, I have had dinner, but I’m always ready for dessert.”

  Crowley took a seat on a wooden chair next to Kelly's, while Kelly filled him in on everything that had happened, and about the fact that Cameron George had wanted his wife out of the way, according to his business partner.

  Minutes later, when Ettie handed Crowley a bowl of apple pie and cream, she asked, “What do you make of what Detective Kelly just told you?”

  “Yes, Crowley,” Kelly said. “I’m interested in hearing your take on it.”

  “I’d say it would be crucial to find out who was visiting Paula all the time, and why.”

  “The plates very nearly match the black car that was often seen in the street. And that car belongs to Cameron George, Nora’s husband and Paula’s old boss,” Kelly said.

  “But, Elizabeth has bad eyesight for distance,” Elsa-May added.

  Crowley twitched his nose and then rubbed it while clutching the dessert bowl in his other hand. “Would it be possible she saw two different cars—both black?”

  “I suppose that’s possible,” Kelly said.

  “Elizabeth only wrote the plate number down once. What if Paula’s old boss only visited her once and that was the very time she recorded the plate number?”

  “You think she had two visitors, both in black cars?” Kelly asked.

  “I’m just thinking like a lawyer. I know Ettie and Elsa-May aren’t very knowledgeable about makes and models of cars.”

  “That’s true. One car looks like another to us. And Elizabeth is nearly our age. I think it’s the younger ones who know more about cars for some reason,” Ettie said.

  “So Paula’s neighbour taking down the plate number is not going to convince anyone that the husband had anything to do with it?” Elsa-May asked Crowley.

  “Yes, particularly when she has bad eyesight and didn’t get the exact plate number. I know both of you say you suspect the husband, but you’re going to need more than Paula’s ex-boss visiting her. He’s quite entitled to visit her.”

  Kelly stared at Ettie and Elsa-May. “Particularly when his description matches the description of other men that she knew.”

  Ettie sighed. “I feel so bad for the poor woman sitting in jail for something she didn’t do.”

  “If she’s not guilty she has nothing to worry about,” Kelly said.

  Elsa-May jutted out her bottom jaw. “We both know that’s not so, Detective Kelly.”

  “I’ll do my very best to uncover anything that might be hidden,” Kelly replied.

  “Is there anything we might be missing, Ronald?” Ettie asked.

  Crowley rubbed the side of his face. “The motive’s not strong from Nora’s point of view.” He turned to Kelly. “So far you think that Nora did it because you found evidence, but what was her motive?”

  Kelly frowned at Crowley. “Nora had a strong motive! Her husband had been having an affair with Paula over an extended period of time. We had an anonymous tip that Nora said she’d find out who her husband was having an affair with and kill her, but Nora denies that her husband had an affair. She knows nothing of that part of her husband’s life, either that, or she’s in denial.”

  “Anonymous tip?” Crowley asked before he took a mouthful of pie.

  “Yes.”

  When Crowley had swallowed, he asked, “Is that it? Nora and Paula had never met before?”

  “I forgot to mention that Paula was once employed at Cameron George’s furniture store,” Kelly said.

  “Cameron George?” Crowley asked. “Was he the same Cameron George who was on the force some years ago?”

  Kelly nodded. “Many years ago.”

  “Yes, I vaguely remember him.”

  Ettie leaned forward. “What do you remember about him?”

  “He left after an incident where someone was shot. There was an investigation. The details are hazy; it was too long ago.”

  “I’ll look into that,” Kelly said.

  “Any other thoughts?” Elsa-May asked the retired detective.

  “Yes, I’d be interested to hear them. It doesn’t hurt to have a fresh perspective,” Kelly said.

  “If Nora George is innocent, who are your suspects?” Crowley asked.

  “There’s Obadiah Lapp who thinks Paula is his girlfriend.”

  Ettie protested, “It wouldn’t be Obadiah. He’s just a simple boy.”

  Kelly looked at Ettie. “Crowley asked me, so I’m telling him how things are. As I was saying, Obadiah Lapp, Cameron George, Jason Peters who is Paula’s brother, and possibly the business partner of Cameron George.”

  “Why the brother?” Crowley asked.

  “He matches the description of the person seen visiting and he owns a black car very similar to Cameron George’s car.”

  “But, do Paula’s brother and Nora George know each other?”

  Kelly wagged a finger at Crowley and smiled. “I see where you’re going with this. I’ll check into it.”

  Elsa-May and Ettie exchanged glan
ces.

  Ettie said to Crowley, “You think Paula’s brother might have framed Nora? Paula’s brother wouldn’t have harmed his own sister.”

  “You’d have to find out more about their relationship and see if there was some kind of family feud. It stands to reason if Nora’s innocent then she’s obviously been framed. All we have to do is figure out who framed her.”

  “Her husband of course,” Elsa-May said. “He had easy access to her car and her locket. He wanted his wife out of the way and what better way to do it than to get rid of two unwanted women in his life, both in one go?”

  “Yes, Elsa-May, but we’ve got to look at these things from all angles,” Kelly said before he turned to Crowley. “Anything else on your mind?”

  “No. We just have to hope that the woman in the hospital recovers enough to tell us who attacked her.”

  “That’s what we’re hoping,” Kelly said.

  Chapter 10

  The next morning, Ettie said to Elsa-May over breakfast, “You know, we should visit Paula’s family and see what they knew about the relationship with her old boss.”

  “Cameron?”

  “Yes. See if Paula mentioned anything to them.”

  “Do you think they’ll talk to us if they think we’re members of a cult?” Elsa-May asked.

  “We have to try something.”

  “Okay, let’s do it. How do we find out where they live?”

  “The bishop gave Kelly their address. We don’t want Kelly to know we’re going there, so we’ll call the bishop and get the address from him,” Ettie said.

  “You will, not ‘we,’” Elsa-May said.

  “It’d be better if you do it. You get along with him far better than me.”

  “Than I,” Elsa-May corrected Ettie.

  “Gut, you agree. So you’ll ask him?”

  Elsa-May breathed out heavily. “Okay.”

  * * *

  Elsa-May arrived back at the house after calling the bishop. “They live in Kutztown.”

  “It sounds familiar. How far is that?”

  “The bishop said about an hour by car. I guess it’ll be longer by bus.”

  “Let’s get to the bus depot as quick as we can.”