“Do you have any idea of the name of the man who died? Any idea at all?”
Robert shook his head from side to side and looked across at her. “What have you heard?”
“I’ve heard that the man was Juliana Redcliffe’s boyfriend or live-in lover or such. I guess that could be just a rumor and no one seems to know his name.” Angela knew she wasn’t supposed to tell Robert anything until the widows found out more, but now that he knew a lot more than he’d been admitting to, she considered that it no longer mattered.
“Jah, I heard the same,” Robert said.
“Robert, this gives Juliana a motive. A motive to have your bruder blamed for something. It’s a vital piece of information.”
Robert rubbed his forehead hard.
“Do you think that she deliberately blamed Ross?” Angela asked.
“I’m sure of it. I didn’t want to tell you about it before. I wanted to see what you’d find out, or rather what Elsa-May might find out, without any influence from me.”
Angela blew out a deep breath. “I understand that, but the police don’t know that Juliana, the witness against Ross, was Jacob’s biological ant or that she knew the murdered man. Don’t you think that you should tell them, and also tell them that she was trying to talk to Jacob and Ross told her to stay away? The detective said to Emma that there was nothing linking the witness to Ross. Ross must have never told the police.”
Robert rubbed his ear. “Ross would have been confident that the truth would come out eventually.”
“Nee, that doesn’t seem right. It would have got Ross off straight away, I’m sure of it. It’s a major fact and I don’t know why you haven’t made a point of telling the police. There must be more to it.”
“Every time I’d find out a piece of information I’d go in and tell the police. I kept going in there to tell them different things I found out, but they got irritable with me and didn’t want to know. I don’t know what more I can do. I even wrote them a letter explaining everything to them.”
Angela knew it couldn’t have been easy for Robert to speak of such delicate things to someone he’d only just met. Maybe she should talk of something else, but she could not get the whole murder incident off her mind. “Tell me if I am missing something. No one knows the identity of the murdered mann? The witness who named Ross as the murderer was Jacob’s biological ant?”
“That’s what I’m sure of.”
Angela wound the string of her prayer kapp around her finger. “Have you thought that the dead man might be Jacob’s biological father?”
Robert’s face remained expressionless and he slowly said, “I have considered it, but it would be too terrible a thing.”
Angela said, “The police said that they have a DNA sample, so all they would need is a swab from Jacob to see if they are a match. That way you’d know for certain.”
Robert shook his head. “He already knows both his daeds died so how would that help him?”
“It’s a piece in the puzzle to find who the real killer was, so your bruder’s name will clear.”
Robert cleared his throat. “Either way, it’s upsetting for him.”
“You’re right. It’s upsetting either way. You have to decide what’s more important to you and what’s more important to Jacob. Surely it’s gut to know the truth on a matter.”
“It’s a bad situation. It seems as whatever way I turn or whatever I tell the police, no gut will come of anything.” Robert’s eyes went glassy as if he was close to tears.
Angela put her hand comfortingly on his shoulder.
“It’s been nice talking to you. I’ve had this burden on my own for so long that it’s a relief to speak about it with someone. Denke for taking such an interest in us,” Robert said.
Chapter 9.
But as many as received Him, to them
He gave the right to become children of God,
to those who believe in His name
John 1:12
When Angela pulled the buggy up outside Emma’s haus, Emma came out to meet her.
“I’ll tend to the horse,” Emma said.
“I’ve got a lot to tell you, Emma.” Angela got out of the buggy.
“Follow me and and tell me,” Emma said while she led the horse into the stable.
“The witness, Juliana Redcliffe, was Jacob’s biological ant, and Robert’s also heard the rumor that the dead man was living with Juliana.”
Emma stopped walking the horse for a moment and looked at her. “Angela that is a huge piece of information. That would have set Ross free if that connection between the two of them was known.”
“Robert said that Ross told him that the birth mudder did not want to have anything to do with the child and they had no more contact with her. Juliana was visiting the boy and telling him about his real daed on the way home from skul and when Ross found out, he told her to stay away. I got to wondering whether the dead man might be Jacob’s birth father.”
“I never even considered that. Gut work finding all that out. We should go visit Elsa-May tomorrow and tell her everything. Had Robert know all this for a while?”
“Jah, he did, but he kept it from me. He said he wanted to see what Elsa-May would uncover.”
“Be gut if he could’ve told you everything from the start. Would’ve saved a lot of time,” Emma said.
“Don’t you think it would’ve been hard for him to tell a total stranger everything? It was awkward at first when I tried to explain who I was and he knew nothing about the letters.” Angela giggled. “He must have thought I was quite mad until he figured out that Jacob wrote the letters.”
“I guess so. He seems to like you.”
“You think he does?”
“I’m sure he does. He’d be doing well to have a fine woman like you as his fraa. He would well know it too.”
The next morning after breakfast Emma said to Angela, “I’ll quickly go to Wil’s haus to use his phone and have the widows meet together this afternoon.”
Emma wrapped her black shawl around her shoulders and walked the five minutes to Wil’s haus.
“Emma, I didn’t expect to see you this morning.” Wil stuck his head around the barn door when he saw Emma approach the haus.
“Hello, Wil. I’ve just come by to borrow your phone if I may. I just need to phone Elsa-May for a minute.”
“Sure, come in.”
The phone was in the barn on the back wall. Emma was sure to keep her voice low so Wil would not ask her questions when she got off the phone.
“Elsa-May, can you organize for the widows to all meet this afternoon? I have news of the witness's identity and we have a theory on who the dead man might be.”
“Who was he?”
“Robert seems to think that it just might be Jacob’s biological father; although he has no idea of the man’s name. According to Angela, Robert knows that the witness is Jacob’s biological ant. She even told Jacob that she’s his real daed’s schweschder. The police don’t even know the connection.”
Elsa-May was silent for a time.
“Are you still there, Elsa-May?” Emma asked.
“Jah, I’m still here. I’m trying to work things out. Did she think that she saw Jacob’s daed kill him or did she make the whole thing up, or did she see someone else kill him?”
Emma said, “Maybe she wasn’t at the scene of the crime at all and didn’t see anyone. She could have just made the whole thing up.”
“What reason would she have to make it up? Did she have something against Ross?” Elsa-May asked.
“Robert told Angela that the schweschder was talking to Jacob for a time every afternoon as he walked home from skul. Ross found out and warned her to stay away. He didn’t want anyone from the outside world talking to his boy.”
“Okay, that might have made her annoyed with him,” Elsa-May said.
“Jah, but annoyed enough to have him charged for murder?” Emma glanced up to see if Wil looked like he was listening.
“Jah, okay.” Emma looked up to see Wil looking over at her. She remembered she told Wil she’d only be quick. “I’ll see you this afternoon, Elsa-May.” Emma hung up the phone.
“Everything all right, Emma?”
Emma walked toward Wil. “Jah, everything is fine.”
“You know, you can tell me things. If there’s any kind of trouble, I’d like to know about it.”
Emma shook her head. “I know you would and if there was any trouble, or if I was in any kind of trouble, you would be the first to know.”
Wil smiled revealing his straight white teeth. “You had breakfast yet?”
“Jah, I have. I’d better get back to Angela. I told her I’d only be a little while.”
“I never see much of you when you have visitors.” Wil walked toward her and put his strong arm around her back.
Emma giggled. “I hardly ever have visitors.”
“Kumm, I’ll walk you back home.” They held hands until they got out of the barn and then Emma broke her hand gently from his grip. She did not feel it proper to have too much physical contact until they were married; even though she craved his touch, she knew that she would have to wait.
They took the usual short cut through the fields.
“I’ve been giving some thought to where we should live.” Wil looked down at his feet as he walked.
“Jah? What have you thought about?”
“We could build a haus between the two properties. Half on your side and half on my side. Come here.” He took hold of Emma’s hand and they walked up a little rise. “Right here. What about that?”
Emma looked around about her. The land was slightly higher than the surrounding land and there were gut views of both properties. “It seems like a nice place for a haus.”
“We could have the porch right here.” Wil raised his arm across in front of him. “We could sit here of a morning drinking kaffe and look at all this.”
Emma looked to where he was waving his arms to see the soft yellow wheat blowing in the wind. Clumps of dark green trees in the distance framed the wheat fields. “It’s certainly a pretty site, but is it practical, Wil? We’d have to build another barn, as well as a chicken coup and a …”
Wil laughed. “Listen to you. If I can build you a haus, I can certainly build a barn, a chicken coup and whatever else we need. I’ll rent my haus out and you can do what you like with your haus. Leave it vacant, let friends stay, whatever you wish.”
Emma turned her eyes back to the swaying fronds of wheat and tried to imagine what it would be like to sip kaffe there in the mornings in their own new haus. “Ach, Wil. I’d love it. I’d love it.”
“Gut, I’ll get working on the plans right away.”
Emma smiled and tried to still her mind as it tried to wander back to the time when Levi was drawing up plans for their haus. Levi’s in the past, she reminded herself as she consciously blocked out the memories. She knew she had to enjoy the present moments with Wil and not have memories of the past ruin what happiness she could have right now.
Wil put his arm around her waist. “We’ll be happy here, Emma.”
She pressed into his arms and tipped her head up to look into his kind eyes. “I know, I just know we will.”
They held each other tightly for a moment before Emma pulled away. “Angela will be wondering what’s taking me so long.”
As they continued on their way to Emma’s haus, Wil said, “You never told me whether Angela and Robert liked each other.”
Emma laughed. “That’s quite a story. It seems that Jacob was writing the letters to Angela.”
“Little Jacob?”
“Jah, he was writing to her pretending to be Robert.”
Wil shook his head. “That’s an embarrassment for both Angela and Robert.”
“I suppose so, but it seems they like each other now they’ve met. Angela went back to visit him yesterday. Things look gut for the two of them.”
“Must be difficult for Robert to look after the boy by himself. He seems to be spirited from what I’ve heard. I know it can’t be easy for the boy losing both his parents in that accident.”
Once they had arrived at Emma’s haus, Emma said, “You coming in for a kaffe, Wil?”
Wil looked up at the haus. “Nee, I’ve got plans to start on.”
Emma looked into his eyes and smiled. “I’ll see you soon then.”
Wil kissed Emma lightly on her forehead then turned back toward his haus.
Chapter 10.
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet,
and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret;
and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Matthew 6:6
That afternoon the widows all gathered at Elsa-May and Ettie’s haus. Angela told the ladies all they found out before Detective Crowley arrived.
“Thank you for coming, Detective,” Elsa-May said.
“It sounded important.” The detective sat on a creaky, wooden chair opposite the widows. “What can I do for you ladies?” Detective Crowley looked straight at Emma and gave her a glowing smile. Emma looked away because he had a way of making her feel uneasy, as if she had committed some type of crime.
Elsa-May told Crowley all about the suspected identity of the dead man and the identity of the witness.
“When it was mentioned to have Jacob do a DNA test, Robert wasn’t agreeable,” Emma said.
The detective was silent for a while. “The boy would’ve been through enough. I can understand Robert not wanting to put the boy through any more dramas.” The detective scratched his chin and after a moment said, “What we can do is match the boy’s birth certificate records to find his biological father’s name. Once we have his name, we’ll try and find his dental records and match them up to the records from the dead man’s autopsy.”
“Jah, brilliant idea,” Elsa-May said.
Detective Crowley smiled at Elsa-May, “I’ll get straight on to that today.”
Silvie said, “If it is proven that the witness did have some kind of relationship to the dead man then would that be enough to clear Ross’s name? Especially since the woman was keeping information from the police?”
“Possibly; it’s not up to me. It seems there’s much more to this whole case than what it first appeared. Why don’t we meet back here the same time tomorrow?” Crowley said. “That should give me enough time to find Jacob’s birth father’s name.”
* * *
The next day, Angela and the other ladies kept the appointment with Detective Crowley at Elsa-May and Ettie’s haus.
“I found the name of Jacob’s biological father from his birth certificate. His name is Wesley Conrad and he’s still alive and well, living in California. We contacted him this morning. He claims he ceased all contact with his sister some years ago, and last he heard of her she was living in England. What’s more, her description does not fit the description of the witness.”
Crowley pulled a notebook from his pocket and read his notes. “Wesley Conrad is not a pilot and he works for civil service. He has no wish for any contact with the boy that he gave up for adoption. He said that he barely knew the mother of the baby. He continued to say that he suggested to the mother that she abort the baby and she refused. She eventually agreed to adopt. Wesley heard that after she gave the baby up, she tried to get him back.”
“Who is the mother; did you find that out detective?” Emma asked.
“Ah, that’s the bit I was saving ‘til last. The mother’s name is Juliana Redcliffe.”
The widows gasped.
“That’s right. Jacob’s birth mother, the woman who is named on his birth certificate, is the woman who has claimed to witness Ross killing the man.”
Angela asked, “Why would she tell Jacob t
hat she was his ant, when she’s really his mudder?”
“Most likely she didn’t want the boy to get confused by having two mothers, who knows,” the detective said.
Ettie said, “If the witness is the mother, why would she wish harm on Ross?”
Angela said, “Robert said that Ross warned her to keep away from Jacob. He would’ve known who she was.”
Elsa-May said, “Have you talked to Juliana again now that you’ve got the new information, Detective?”
“Not yet. I’m going to see her tomorrow in the afternoon. Just wanted to check with you ladies first, to see if you’ve found out anything else.” Detective Crowley leaned forward, stretched out his hand and took a chocolate slice. “Mmm, this is very nice.”
Maureen said, “Emma made those.”
Emma glared at Maureen wishing she had not said that. The detective smiled at Emma and Emma managed to force a smile back at him.
“As I was saying, I’ll go and see the woman and see what she says about the whole thing.” The detective continued to bite into the slice.
Ettie said, “Why didn’t all this information come out before? Why wasn’t more investigation done into it?”
The detective swallowed his mouthful. “With no known identity of the deceased and with the arrested man dead, the case came to a stand still. We still don’t know the murdered man’s identity.”
“Convenient wasn’t it? The investigation ceased because Ross died; might not one suppose that Ross was killed to prevent further investigations?” Elsa-May said.
Ettie pushed a bony finger into the air. “Yes, the real killer might have killed Ross off to cover his tracks.”
“Or hers,” Silvie said.
The detective licked chocolate from his lips. “I’ve already thought of that. I checked into the buggy accident that killed Mr. and Mrs. Geiger and there were no suspicious circumstances. None whatsoever.”
“Can you double check, detective?” Elsa-May asked.
“No point. I checked it all again this morning. It was a drunk driver who was already known to the police. He was badly injured and was charged with manslaughter. There’s no connection to him whatsoever.” The detective brushed some crumbs from around his lips and stood up. “I’ll check back in with you ladies after I speak to Juliana Redcliffe tomorrow.”
Accused (Amish Romance Mystery) (Amish Secret Widows' Society #3) Page 5
