As she sat on the couch next to her daughter, Ettie wondered why Myra was there. Ettie was pleased to see her but she was acting like they should've been expecting her.
Elsa-May continued, “We always like to see you, Myra, but I have to wonder, why are you here?”
"I came for a Christmas party that I'd never forget. Mind you, Mother, I was quite surprised to get that note from you and I’m willing to hear what you have to say.”
Ettie glared at Elsa-May. Had her sister written a note pretending it was from her? What was Elsa-May doing meddling in her relationship with her daughter? She’d never stuck her nose in before. They’d always kept out of one another’s business.
"When is everyone else arriving?" Myra asked.
When Ettie opened her mouth to say something, there was another knock on the door.
Ettie only wished that Elsa-May had let her in on her plans.
Chapter 2
Ettie opened her front door and was most surprised to see Naomi Fuller standing there with a casserole dish in her hands.
She held out the dish toward Ettie. "Am I too early?” Naomi asked.
"Um, I don't think so,” Ettie said, glancing over her shoulder. "Come in.”
Naomi passed the casserole dish to Ettie and then walked in the door.
"You sit with the others in the living room, Naomi, while I put this in the kitchen.”
Once Ettie got to the kitchen, she stayed there trying to work out what was happening. Had she invited people and forgotten?
She heard Myra and Naomi greeting each other. They would've remembered each other from when they’d been young girls together.
"Mother, what are you doing?"
Ettie looked around to see Myra standing in the doorway of the kitchen with hands on hips.
"I'm just putting the casserole in the oven to keep it warm until we’re ready to eat.”
"That's not what I meant," Myra hissed. "I didn't think you’d be having too many other people over; certainly not people from the community. When are we going to get a chance to have that talk?”
“Elsa-May and I are from the community.”
"That's different. I thought you wanted the two of us to sort out our differences.” Myra raised her eyebrows, and added, “One of us owes the other an apology.”
"Neither of us has ever agreed on exactly who owes whom that apology. Why would today be different?”
“Well, why am I here? Do you think that we’ll come to some common ground without an apology?"
Before Ettie could answer, there was another knock on the door.
"I'll get it,” Elsa-May called out from the living room.
"Just how many people did you invite, Mother?" Myra spoke through gritted teeth.
Ettie shrugged her shoulders. If she told her it was Elsa-May who’d invited her, this might ruin her last chance to have Myra back in her life. "I don't remember,” Ettie said.
"Just as I suspected, you’re losing your mind. I had hoped that you were finally ready to reconcile and apologize for my lost youth, but I guess I was wrong. You’ve got no idea what you're doing.”
Ettie was upset at her daughter, but was distracted when Myra closed her eyes and took deliberate slow breaths. "Are you alright, Myra?"
“I'm trying not to get angry because it's not good for my aura. It fragments and changes color with stress.”
“We wouldn’t want that,” Ettie said, wondering if she’d heard Myra correctly.
"Ettie!”
Ettie looked over at Elsa-May who’d stuck her head around the kitchen door. "What is it?"
"Why did you invite Moses Stoll and Naomi Fuller here—both at the same time? The two of them are reminded of bad things when they’re together. Don’t you remember?”
"Nee."
Elsa-May stepped closer. “That’s hardly a response.”
Ettie bit her lip. “Can you excuse us a moment, Myra?”
Myra threw up her hands and left the room in a huff.
Ettie glared at her sister. “Why are you making out I invited the people? Is that your plan, for Myra and me to make amends? You could’ve told me about it at least.”
Elsa-May huffed. “If you wanted to be around people we could’ve gone to Jeremiah’s haus.”
“I wanted to, but you didn’t!”
Elsa-May shook her head. “That’s not what you said before! We’re hardly prepared for all these guests. I suppose it’s just as well that they all brought food.”
There was another knock at the door.
“How many people did you invite, Ettie?” asked Elsa-May in shock.
Ettie glared back at Elsa-May. “I thought it was you who invited them. Didn’t you invite Myra here to force us to speak to one another?”
“Nee. Are you certain that you didn’t.”
“Nee! Jah, I mean. I'm certain that I didn't."
“Why are they all coming here?”
“I have no idea!”
“I better go and see who’s at the door this time.”
Elsa-May hurried out to open the front door while Myra came back into the kitchen.
"What's going on, Mother?” Myra asked.
Just as Ettie had opened her mouth to answer, yet another knock sounded on the door.
“It appears we’re having a few people for dinner.”
* * *
Half an hour later, the kitchen table was covered in food and the living room was crowded with people.
"Ettie, are you sure you didn’t do this?” Elsa-May asked as they both stared at all the food on the table.
"I already told you I didn't do anything."
"How could you invite all these people without letting me know?”
“Elsa-May, do you think you invited them and forgot about it? Believe me, I know nothing about this.”
Myra entered the kitchen. "Mother, before you drop dead of a heart attack, I must tell you that I’ve invited two men to come here tonight. I hope that's okay with you. I’m in a serious relationship and I want to be with him on Christmas night. He said he might come. You’d like him, he’s keen for you and me to reconcile."
"That's okay," Ettie said nodding. “He’s welcome. Who’s the other man?”
“He’s a man who’s caused me a lot of trouble. He used to be in the community. His name is Earl Fuller.”
“Not Naomi’s husband?”
Myra’s fingertips flew to her mouth. “Oh no. I forgot that he married someone in the community before he left.”
Ettie leaned in and whispered, “Not only that, Myra, Earl ran away with a young girl from the community, leaving poor Naomi alone.”
“Jah,” Elsa-May added. “I don’t know if he’ll be welcome here. Ettie and I shouldn’t have him in the house. He ran away with young Betsy Stoll and she never came back to the community. Oh dear, and Betsy Stoll’s father, Moses, is here tonight, too.”
“I didn’t even stop to think about all that. I just thought that Christmas would be a perfect time to make amends between Earl and myself. We’ve had a huge upheaval business wise. I had planned to tell him I’m no longer going to contest that the idea was his. He can have it and run with it.”
“What idea?” Ettie asked.
Myra shook her head. “Never mind. It’s a long story. I’ll call him and tell him not to come. I’ll talk to him another time.”
“That’s best. Do you have a cell phone?”
“Yes, Mother.”
Elsa-May suggested, “It’s best you go outside to use it.”
When Myra left the kitchen, Elsa-May started at Ettie again. "So are you saying you didn't invite anyone here—no one at all?"
"Why would I do that? I thought we were possibly going to Jeremiah’s.”
"Well, it wasn’t me! Why have they all turned up and brought food?”
“I’ve got no idea in the world.”
The sisters stared at each other and then Ettie’s gaze swept over all the food on the table. "At least they brought food wit
h them."
"We might as well start feeding them.” Elsa-May began taking the lids off the food. “Ettie, you get the plates and the cutlery. We’ll have people file through the kitchen and help themselves. I only hope we have enough plates.”
When they were nearly finished doing that, there was another knock on the door.
“I'll go,” Ettie said hoping the person on the other side of the door had thought to bring extra plates with them. When the door opened, she was surprised to see her old friend, the retired Detective Crowley, standing before her.
"Hello, Ronald. Did you get an invitation too?"
"No. I’m sorry if I’m disturbing anything. I was just on my way home from a celebration at the club and I wanted to wish you and Elsa-May a Merry Christmas. Although, I'm not sure that you celebrate Christmas.”
Ettie looked over her shoulder at the people crowded into their small home. "It looks like we do this Christmas. Come in. Elsa-May will be pleased to see you. We’ve got quite a gathering here tonight.”
"I won’t stay. I don't like to interrupt anything.”
“Nonsense. Come inside and get warm.”
When Crowley took a step through the door, Ettie suddenly remembered that Myra was in the living room. Crowley and Myra had dated briefly some time ago. She turned to warn him that Myra was in the living room, but it was too late.
Myra bounded to her feet when she saw him and looked pleasantly surprised. "Ronald!"
"Myra!"
The two stood there staring at one another as though there was no one else in the room. Ettie quickly disappeared into the kitchen to tell Elsa-May what was happening.
"Elsa-May!" She grabbed onto Elsa-May’s sleeve and pulled her to one side of the kitchen so no one would hear what she said. "Ronald Crowley has just arrived."
"What?"
"Detective Crowley."
"He’s here?"
"Jah, he’s here, but he didn't get an invitation like the others. He just stopped by to wish us a Merry Christmas. Then I forgot that Myra was in the room. He came in, they saw each other, and they both stood there staring into each other’s eyes like two lovesick puppies.”
Elsa-May pushed Ettie out of the way, hurried to the door of the kitchen and peeped around the corner. A high-pitched chuckle escaped her lips and she turned around to Ettie. "Who would've thought?"
"Do you think they might rekindle their relationship?" Ettie asked.
"Didn't I hear Myra say she had a boyfriend or something and that he might come here tonight?"
That was typical of Elsa-May; she never missed anything.
"That's right, and she did say that he might be coming here tonight.”
"You don’t have to repeat everything I say, Ettie.”
“I’m sorry. My head’s in a muddle. I haven’t seen Myra for years and now all this is happening. All these people are here and we don’t know why.”
Elsa-May took two steps toward Ettie, and patted her on the shoulder. “I’m sorry I’m so bossy sometimes. I don’t mean to be.”
“That’s okay. I’m used to it.” Before Elsa-May could say another word, Ettie spoke again. “What’s going on here tonight?"
"We need to get to the bottom of this, Ettie."
"Of course we do, but how do we do that?"
"Simple. All we have to do is find out how these people were invited and once we find that out, we’ll be closer to knowing the truth of the matter."
“Will we do that before or after we eat?" Ettie asked, looking at the food.
"I don't want to wait another minute longer. Let's see what we can find out now."
“Okay, I'm right behind you."
Ettie pushed Elsa-May out the door first and she followed close behind. Before they could do or say anything, the front door burst open with a gust of wind, and flakes of snow whipped through the door.
When the snow settled, a flush-faced Santa Claus was framed in the doorway. “Help!" he shouted. "There’s a dead man!”
Chapter 3
Ettie and Elsa-May stared at the red-suited Santa Claus who sported a long white bushy beard and a red, fur-trimmed hat.
He held his broad stomach as he yelled again, "There's a dead man!" The house fairly shook from his voice.
Crowley was the first to make a move. In no time, he was in front of Santa Claus. “Where?”
“Out there.” Santa Claus stepped back and pointed outside.
Crowley ran through the door. Ettie and Elsa-May hurried to look outside. They could make out a dark figure lying halfway through their gate.
"Is he dead?" Ettie asked.
Elsa-May replied, "Jah, I'm sure that's what he said. You go out and see what it's all about, Ettie. I'll see if I can find out who invited all these people.”
“Will do.”
While Ettie slung her black shawl over her shoulders, everyone present returned to their conversations. It seemed that no one believed Santa Claus that there was a dead man outside.
Crowley was now on his phone reporting the incident to the authorities. Ettie could see the man lying on his back in front of her. His body was half in her garden and half on the sidewalk.
Santa Claus was now leaning over the man until Crowley assured him that the man was well and truly dead and that he shouldn’t touch anything. Ettie hurried closer to get a better look wondering if she might know the man. When Ettie looked into the man’s face, she gasped. She did recognize him. He was older than when she’d seen him last, but she never forgot a face. Names yes, but faces never.
"Do you know him, Ettie?" Crowley asked.
"I do.”
A strained voice from over Ettie’s shoulder said, "I know him, too."
Ettie swung around to see Myra.
Myra continued coldly, "His name is Earl Fuller. We grew up in the community together and then we met again recently.”
“I’m sorry Ettie, and Myra,” Crowley said.
“I feel responsible,” Myra said.
Crowley frowned. "And why is that?"
"We had a huge falling out and I asked him here today to try to work things out with him.”
Detective Crowley pulled his phone out of his pocket and immediately called in the man’s name. When he put his phone back in his pocket, he looked at Santa Claus. "How did you happen to be in this street?"
"I'm just going up and down asking for donations for charity. I do that at this time of year. I made that big trip last night delivering the presents to all the little kiddies all over the world, so they could wake up to their stockings."
Detective Crowley frowned at the man. "This isn’t the time for jokes."
"No, it’s not. I wouldn't joke about a thing like that."
Ettie asked, "What do you think happened to him, Ronald?"
Detective Crowley pointed at the man's neck. “Looks like he's been strangled with something." He looked around on the snowy ground. “Whatever they strangled him with, they could’ve taken it with them unless it's already been covered by snow. “There are no drag marks so it looks like he didn’t go any closer to your house than this.”
Ettie looked to where Crowley was pointing.
Crowley breathed out heavily. He looked Santa Claus up and down. "The police will need you to make a statement. Ettie, can you take this man inside? All of you stay in the house and I’ll wait here by the body.”
“Yes, come into the house,” Ettie said to Santa. “I've got some warm food and drink to keep out the cold.”
Once they got inside, Ettie suggested to Myra that she take a blanket outside for Crowley to cover himself with. Ettie then wasted no time hurrying to the kitchen to tell Elsa-May that Earl Fuller had been found murdered in their front yard.
"Strangled! That's what Detective Crowley said.”
"Ettie, did you say Earl Fuller?"
“Jah, that's the one. Myra said she was going to call and tell him not to come. She knew him, but they’d had a falling out. Earl’s abandoned wife is here, and Moses.”
<
br /> Elsa-May added, “And you remember that Earl ran away with Moses’ daughter, don’t you?”
"Jah, we talked about this earlier.” Ettie rubbed her chin.
“I've got chills running up and down me, Ettie.” Elsa-May pulled out a kitchen chair and sat down.
Naomi Fuller came into the kitchen just as the sisters had finished talking. "Can I help with anything in here?"
"Sit down, Naomi,” Elsa-May said matter-of-factly.
Ettie continued, “Jah, I'm afraid we have some bad news for you.”
After they had told Naomi that her husband, Earl, who’d run out on her years ago, was now lying dead in the front yard, she stared into space.
"Are you sure that it’s him?" she eventually asked.
Ettie nodded. "He has quite distinctive features."
"Well, it serves him right. I suppose you think it's dreadful of me to say such a thing, but he ruined my life when he ran off. I was never permitted to marry again because the bishop thought there was a chance he would return. Now I’m free to marry, but it’s too late for me.” She pulled a tissue out of her sleeve and wiped her nose.
Elsa-May patted her on her shoulder.
“Excuse me. I need to go to the bathroom.”
When Naomi was gone, Elsa-May said, "We need to get all these people fed."
"Okay. Everybody can take a plate and help themselves buffet-style."
"There would be no other way to do it.”
Ten minutes later, people filed into the kitchen to get their Christmas meal. All except Santa, who was still warming himself by the fire.
Ettie walked over to him. "Would you like something to eat? Or maybe a hot drink perhaps to warm you up?"
"Mrs. Claus won't be too happy if I eat before I get home.”
"And how are you going to get home? Did you drive here? There’s a phone in the shanty down the road if you’d like to call a taxi.”
"I don't need a car or a taxi. I've got the reindeer and the sled. They're coming to get me later."
"How about a hot drink, then? A cup of hot tea?"
"You're very kind, Ettie."
Ettie giggled. "You know my name."
"I know everyone's name. It's my job to watch all the little children to see if they’ve been naughty or nice.”
Amish Christmas Mystery Page 2
