Murder in the Amish Bakery (Ettie Smith Amish Mysteries Book 3)

by Samantha Price

  Ettie walked up behind her sister. “Oh, Snowy looks all sad now.”

  “I don’t want a barking little dog. There’s nothing worse than a yapping irritating dog.”

  “Come in, Ava. Are you early, or am I late?” Ettie asked.

  “I’m a little earlier than I said I’d be.”

  “Well, I’m already to go. Elsa-May has decided to stay home.” Ettie reached behind the door to lift her black cape off the peg. As she wrapped it around her shoulders, she said, “Bye, Elsa-May. Bye, Snowy.”

  Elsa-May picked up Snowy’s paw and waved it at them.

  Ava closed the door behind them. “She’s really attached to that dog, isn’t she.”

  “Jah, she’ll never admit to it, though. Since it’s on the way, Ava, do you mind driving me to the police station? There are just a couple of things I’d like to ask Detective Kelly.”

  “Of course, that will be okay.”

  “Denke.”

  Half an hour later, Ettie and Ava were waiting at the police station for Detective Kelly to see them. He suddenly appeared and beckoned for them to follow.

  When they sat down in his office, he asked, “Now what can I do for you today, Mrs. Smith?”

  “I have a question for you, Detective.”

  “Yes? Go ahead.”

  “I was wondering if you’ve questioned Hugh Dwyer yet about the knife?”

  “Mrs. Smith, I know you’ve been helpful to me in the past, but that doesn’t mean I can let you in on my entire investigations.”

  Ettie frowned. “It was a simple question, Detective, and you’re right about me being helpful to you. And I’d like to be helpful to you again in the future. Remember how hard you found it when no one in my community would talk to you? That wasn’t so long ago.”

  Detective Kelly drew his lips together as if he’d sucked on a lemon. “What is it in particular that you want to know?”

  Ettie licked her lips. “I just had a question about the knives in Hugh Dwyer’s kitchen. Did you see that the largest knife was missing? And, if I’m right, isn’t it exactly the same as the knife that was sticking out of Alan Avery’s back? I did have a good look at the handle, and the inscription in the metal part of it just above the handle, when I was checking for a pulse.”

  “You’re correct. The knives you saw in Dwyer’s kitchen are the same brand and model of the knife that killed Alan Avery. When we checked his set of knives, they were all present and accounted for.”

  “They were? Well when we went there, the largest knife was not on the rack.”

  “Normally I’d say it could’ve been elsewhere, in the dishwasher or somewhere like that. I had a good look at the knives and noticed that the largest one seemed to be newer than the rest of them. I questioned Mr. Dwyer about it and asked him if the larger one had been more recently acquired. He denied it and said he purchased the set overseas, and said he’d find the receipt, and then he’d scan and email it it to me.”

  “Isn’t that reason enough to look more closely at Hugh Dwyer? Both Hugh and Alan Avery wanted Ruth’s bread recipe, and you said yourself it looked like his knife had been replaced.”

  “If I took those two pieces of information to a judge to get a warrant for his arrest, or even a search warrant, I’d be laughed at. I do want to be taken seriously in this town. I’m not saying that you’re wrong; I need more evidence than Dwyer using the same brand of knife as the one that killed Alan Avery. I did do some research and found out that the knife is not commonly available, so I’m following up on suppliers.”

  “Hugh made it sound as though the knives were rare.”

  Kelly’s lip curled. “You questioned him?” When Ettie nodded, Kelly shook his head in disgust. “Mrs. Smith, go home and forget the whole thing, would you?”

  “Detective Kelly, my friend and I found a dead body in her office. It’s not something I’ll ever forget.”

  Kelly blew out a breath. “I found out there is one supplier of those knives here in the US. I’m waiting for a call back from them regarding who they’ve supplied around this area.”

  Ettie was a little pleased that he was starting to follow some leads.

  The detective continued, “It’s a good thing you’ve come by today because I want to show you some photos to see if you recognize anyone.” The detective opened a folder on his desk, pulled four photos out, and placed them in front of Ettie. “I want you to have a close look and tell me if you’ve seen any of these men in or around the bakery.”

  Ettie picked up the photos of each of the four men and studied them in turn. “No. I can’t say that I’ve ever seen them before. These faces, I would remember.”

  “Yes you’d remember their faces, but you wouldn’t want to remember them.

  They’re hardened criminals.”

  “Who are they?” Ettie asked.

  “These are the loan sharks Alan Avery borrowed money from.” Detective Kelly tapped a finger on one of the photos. “This one is known as ‘Big Freddy.’ He’s the head of the criminal organization, but we’ve never been able to pin anything on him.”

  “They all look rather intimidating,” Ava said.

  “You wouldn’t want to meet any of them in a dark alley,” Kelly said.

  “And the other three work for Big Freddy?”

  “Yes. As far as we’ve been able to tell. Seems as though Big Freddy sits back and calls the shots and the other three do his bidding.” The detective put the photos back in the folder.

  “Can I have one more look at them?” Ettie asked.

  He retrieved the photos and pushed them toward Ettie once again.

  Ettie picked each one up and had a closer look. “Has Ruth seen these photos?”

  “Yes. I was down at the bakery this morning speaking to Ruth. She claims to have never seen these men before in her life.”

  Ettie’s gaze fixed onto the detective’s face. “And you don’t believe her?”

  “That’s not true. I’ve got no reason not to believe her.” Detective Kelly leaned forward. “Do you know something that I don’t, Mrs. Smith?”

  “No. It’s just when you said ‘she claims never to have seen the men before’ it sounded like you didn’t believe her.”

  The detective sighed, and then rose from his chair. “Is that all I can do for you today, Mrs. Smith?”

  Ettie raised her eyebrows. “I just came here to find out what you’d learned about the knife at Hugh Dwyer’s place.”

  “Very good; call and see me again if you wish. I enjoy our chats.”

  Ettie rose to her feet. “Yes, I’m sure that you do. Come on, Ava, let’s go.” Ettie hurried out of the police station with Ava following her.

  “Ettie wait! I’ve never seen you walk so quickly.”

  When she got to the door of the station, Ettie turned around. “Well the man infuriates me. I couldn’t wait to get out of his office. Sometimes he’s just downright rude, and after all the help I’ve given him in the past it’s unacceptable.”

  “Are you sure you want to come with me today?” Ava asked.

  Ettie forced a smile. “It’s all right. I’ll calm down in a minute. How far is Coatesville again?”

  “I’m leaving the buggy at the farmers’ market where Mamm parks her buggy, and then we can catch a bus from there. It’ll be less than an hour’s bus ride.”

  Chapter 15.

  Later that day, Ettie and Ava arrived at Healey’s Fabrics in Coatesville. As soon as they walked in, Ettie smelled the odor of freshly cut material. It reminded her of how her mother sewed constantly for Ettie and her brood of siblings.

  “Do you know exactly what you’re looking for, Ava?”

  “Jah. I’m looking for charcoal-colored wool, or some kind of wool blend. Mamm said I’d need five yards for each suit. So that means I’ll need twenty yards. There’ll be Jeremiah, and his three friends will want the same suits. Charcoal isn’t gray and it’s not black either.”

  “Jah. I know what a charcoal color is.”
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  A male sales assistant approached Ava, and when she explained what she wanted, he pointed her toward the fabrics at the back of the store. The sales assistant said that he’d let them browse.

  “Come on, Ettie. It’s down this way.”

  “Jah. I’m coming.” Ettie’s attention was taken by the intricate pattern in the samples of lace by the window. Just as she was about to turn and join Ava, something caught her eye. She looked out the window to see a familiar woman walking past. Ettie looked again to make sure she wasn’t mistaken. There was no mistake about it; the woman walking past the window was Melissa Avery. Melissa was with a man. Ettie had a good angle to see who the man was. She was certain it was one of the men in the photographs that Detective Kelly showed her earlier that day. Ettie quickly turned around so she wouldn’t be seen if either of them happened to glance into the store.

  Ava came up to her. “What is it, Ettie?”

  “It’s Melissa Avery, and she’s with one of those men in the photos.”

  “The girl’s whose father was killed?”

  Ettie nodded.

  Ava peered out the window at the couple who were just past the store. “Are you certain?”

  “Yes, I got a clear look at him. It’s definitely one of those men in the photos.”

  Ava gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. “Not Big Freddy?”

  “Nee. One of the others.”

  “Are you sure you’re not mistaken?”

  Ettie grabbed Ava’s hand and pulled her out the door. Melissa and the man were now some ten yards in front of them. “Let’s follow them and see where they go,” Ettie whispered.

  “We can’t do that, Ettie.”

  “Why not? Detective Kelly says it’s a free country.”

  “They might see us.”

  “And?”

  “If you’re right, then he’s a bad criminal.”

  “Has a criminal history,” Ettie corrected her.

  “Okay. We’ll have to stay back so they don’t see us.”

  As they followed the pair, they saw the man put his arm around Melissa’s waist. Ettie and Ava looked at each other with raised eyebrows. It seemed they were a couple. They followed them until they walked into a café a few doors up and across the road from the fabric store.

  “We’ll give them a few minutes and you can go in and see what they’re doing,” Ettie said.

  “Me? Why me?”

  “Melissa might recognize me from the funeral, and you weren’t at the funeral, so she won’t recognize you. Go in and order a take-out coffee. While you’re waiting for it to be made, see if you can sit close to them and hear what they’re saying.”

  “It’s not very likely that I’ll be able to do that.”

  Ettie shrugged. “Less talking and more action.” Ettie made shooing motions with her hands. “Go on, go in now. I’ll wait back in the store.”

  Ettie went back into the fabric store and stayed by the window. If she stood in just the right place, she had a good view of the door of the café.

  Fifteen minutes later, Ettie saw Ava heading back with two take-out coffees. “I didn’t tell her to get two coffees, I only told her to get one,” Ettie muttered to herself as she stepped outside the store. “Well, did you hear anything?”

  Ava handed Ettie a cup of coffee. “Nothing. I didn’t hear anything. I couldn’t get close enough. They were snuggled in a corner, holding hands and smooching.”

  “What? They were kissing?”

  Ava nodded, and then took a sip of coffee. “Ahh. This is hot. Anyway, I did get a good look at him and you were right. He is one of those men from the photos this morning.”

  Ettie nodded and then looked at her cup. “Well we can’t drink this in the store. We’ll have to sit down and drink it before we go back in. I don’t think they’d like us spilling coffee all over their fabrics.”

  Ava followed Ettie to a nearby seat, and when they sat down, Ettie said, “I’m glad you’ve seen him too. This does put an entirely different slant on things.”

  “What are you thinking, Ettie?”

  “It seems to suggest that the daughter is somehow involved in her father’s death. She lied about the loan sharks coming after her.”

  “Are you sure? How could she have something to do with her own father’s death?”

  “Many people kill for money and her father’s life was insured.” Ettie took the lid off her coffee and took a sip. “Ah, it is hot.”

  “I wonder what they’re doing here?”

  “He might live here for all we know. It’s too risky to keep following them. We might be seen and we could end up in danger. I don’t think there’s anything more we can do except tell Kelly that we’ve seen Melissa with one of those men he pointed to in the photographs this morning.”

  Ava and Ettie sat in silence for a while. Ettie had one eye on the entrance of the café. The couple hadn’t come out.

  “When we finish here, Ava, do you mind taking me back to the Police Station?

  “Jah, of course, I will, Ettie.”

  Ettie took another mouthful of coffee. “I don’t think I can drink any more of this.”

  “It’s not very good.”

  “Nee it’s not. I’m going to throw mine out.” Ettie stood up and put her hand out for Ava’s cup. Then she threw both containers of coffee in the trashcan.

  “Ettie, do you think we should call the detective instead? Maybe he’ll want to know right away.”

  “Jah. I don’t know why I didn’t think about that. Let’s find a phone and call him before we do anything else.”

  When they found a public phone, Ettie made a call only to find out that detective Kelly wouldn’t be back until much later in the day. The officer on the other end of the call offered to take a message, but Ettie declined to leave one.

  “He’s not there?” Ava asked.

  Ettie shook her head. “He’s out and won’t be back until late today.”

  “That’s okay, we’ll call in and see him on the way home.”

  “Let’s go and have a look at that fabric, shall we?” Ettie said.

  Ettie and Ava walked back into the fabric store. Ava found the exact charcoal-colored wool blend material she was looking for and the store was able to supply the quantity she needed.

  As they stepped out of the store, Ettie said, “I wonder if they’re still in the café.”

  “They might be. Do you want me to go and have a look?” Ava asked.

  Ettie shook her head. “Nee. It won’t do any good since you won’t be able to get close enough to hear anything.”

  They caught the bus back to the farmers’ market and continued by buggy to the police station.

  When Ava stopped the buggy close to the station, she said, “You go in and I’ll wait here.”

  “Okay. I shouldn’t be too long.” Ettie hurried into the station only to be told that Detective Kelly still wasn’t back.

  Ettie stepped up into the buggy.

  “He’s still not there?” Ava asked.

  “Nee. I’ll have to call him tonight.”

  “How long does he work for?”

  “Detective Crowley used to work all hours. I’m guessing Detective Kelly is the same.”

  When they were just about at Ettie’s house, they came across Elsa-May carrying her pup.

  Ava stopped the buggy when it drew level to Elsa-May. Ettie yelled out “Isn’t the dog supposed to walk too?”

  “He was walking, and now he’s tired. He sat and refused to go any further. I’m just going a little farther and then I’ll turn around and come back. Are you pleased about that?”

  “Gut! I’ll see you at home.”

  Ava continued the buggy onward, and stopped outside Ettie’s house.

  “Come inside and show Elsa-May the fabric. Do you have time?” Ettie asked.

  “Jah, I do.”

  “Gut. Elsa-May will be pleased to be the first to see it, besides me, of course.” When they walked into the house, they saw chewed
up pieces of wood and small stuffed animals on the floor.”

  “Looks like a storm hit the place,” Ava said.

  “Jah, a Snowy storm.” Ettie kicked the toys out of the way as she walked to the kitchen with Ava close behind.

  Just as they sat down at the kitchen table, they heard Elsa-May close the front door. She joined them at the kitchen table, sitting down with the dog in her arms.

  “I don’t know why everyone keeps telling me walking is good for me. I feel like it’s going to kill me,” Elsa-May said.

  “I’m sure you’ll get used to it. Now have a look at this.” Ava unwrapped a corner of the package in front of her to reveal the fabric.

  “That looks lovely, Ava. I want to touch it but my hands aren’t clean. That’ll make beautiful suits.”

  “It should, for the price of it,” Ettie said.

  “I’ll only have one wedding, Ettie.”

  Ettie pulled a face. “And that’s all you’d be able to afford.”

  Ava giggled. “I don’t care. I just want everything to be perfect.”

  “Where did all those toys come from?” Ettie asked Elsa-May.

  “Your new best friend from next door brought them over. His dog grew out of the toys, he told me. Anyway, I hope it keeps Snowy away from my boots.”

  Ettie grasped Elsa-May’s arm. “Elsa-May, you’ll never guess what we saw today.”

  “Get me a glass of water first, and then tell me,” Elsa-May said.

  Ava jumped up. “I’ll get it”

  While Ava was getting the water, Ettie told Elsa-May about the photos that Detective Kelly had shown her, and then told her that they saw Melissa Avery with one of those men.

  After Elsa-May took a mouthful of water, she said, “Are you certain your eyes weren’t playing tricks on you, Ettie? It’s an easy thing to do, especially since you just saw the photos this morning.”

  “Nee, Ava saw him too.”

  “That’s right, and I’m positive, too, that it was one of those men.”

  “Really? Well that doesn’t look too good for Melissa Avery. Have you told Kelly what you saw?”

  Ettie shook her head. “We tried to call him as soon as we saw the man, but he was out of the station. Then we stopped in on our way here, but he still wasn’t back.”