“If I knew, I wouldn’t have asked.”
Tucking the handkerchief back under the edge of her sleeve, Elsa-May grunted. “I’ve created a problem in not collaborating with a certain person when I arranged to make teddies for the hospital.”
“The bishop?”
“Nee, you know who.” Elsa-May shook her head vigorously causing the loose skin around her neck to wobble.
“Ah. I know now.”
Elsa-May had gone rogue and taken a group of ladies with her from the other knitting group in the community. The other ladies were knitting for other causes including one of the children’s hospitals. Now there was a rift among the knitters in their Amish community, which Elsa-May had been accused of creating.
Ettie pressed her lips into a thin line. “I don’t know why everyone can’t work together.”
“That’s what they were doing when I told the lady at the hospital I’d knit for her patients.”
“You over-committed yourself.”
Elsa-May leaned toward Ettie and jutted out her jaw. “And, it was your fault.”
Ettie looked up from the sampler she was sewing. “How does everything end up my fault?”
“It was because of you I met the lady at the hospital.”
“Me?”
Elsa-May nodded.
Ettie tried to recall how they met the head of the volunteers at the hospital some months back. They'd been asking the lady questions about a mystery, she was certain of that. “I can’t remember exactly. It’s all a bit fuzzy.”
“That’s always convenient for you not to remember things. I’d say your memory is selective.”
“I’ve always been the same. I can always recall the important things so that wasn’t important enough for me to remember. Anyway, you were the one who opened your mouth and flapped your gums. I didn’t even know you were going to offer to make those teddy bears, and that was even before you stole the other ladies to help.”
“What’s done is done.” Elsa-May grabbed her handkerchief just in time for another sneeze. This one was louder than the last, and it woke Snowy.
“It’s all right Snowy, it wasn’t an earthquake. It was just your Mamm sneezing.”
Elsa-May chuckled. “Mamm. You’re so silly, Ettie. I’m his owner.”
“He doesn’t know that.” Ettie looked back at Snowy as he closed his eyes and placed his head back down on his furry pillow. It was okay for a dog to sleep all day, but Ettie didn’t want another day being trapped inside the four walls because of Elsa-May’s cold. Her sister resented her going anywhere without her while she was ill, so she was stuck there. Ettie frowned at her sister and then picked up her needlework.
“It seems like another lovely day outside.”
“We wouldn’t know, trapped in here.” Ettie glanced out the window.
“I can see the blue skies from here.”
It might as well be raining. In fact, Ettie would’ve preferred if it were. “When you’re better, the first thing we’ll do is visit Ava. We can’t see her with you coughing and sneezing everywhere. She won’t want your germs near the boppli. Come to think of it, we’ll need to wash all those teddies in that bag over there before we send them to the hospital.”
“Did you think I didn’t think of that? Of course, we’ll wash them and then hang them in the sun.”
Ettie kept silent, shaking her head carefully so that Elsa-May wouldn’t see her out of the corner of her eye. After several minutes of silence, Ettie’s thoughts turned to their neighbors. “Have you noticed the Charmers are quieter than usual?”
Looking over the top of her glasses, Elsa-May said, “That’s where you’re wrong. They’ve been quiet for some time, so that is the pattern of things now.”
“Jah, but why so quiet all of a sudden after they’ve been complaining about Snowy, complaining about the fence, and everything else?”
“Greville’s been in the hospital and obviously he’s not well, so that’s why. It doesn’t take a genius to figure that out.”
Ettie ignored her sister’s jibes. “I know. He hasn’t been to work for two weeks.”
“Jah, well, you’d know, seeing you’ve been hanging out of the window spying on them ever since they moved in.”
“I haven’t.” Ettie’s mouth fell open at her sister’s rudeness.
“Jah, you have, Ettie, and you can’t deny it. You’ve even moved that chair close to the window so you can spy on them.”
Ettie looked over at the wooden chair she’d positioned to get a better view. “It’s to see the birds flying about in the trees out front, and to enjoy the scenery of the distant hills.”
Elsa-May chuckled. “What about the pink and orange hues of the beautiful sunsets?”
“Jah, that too.”
“Ha, got you there! The sun sets over the back of the haus and not the front.”
Frowning, Ettie huffed, not liking to be caught out. “Well, I’m only checking on them because I don’t trust them. What about how Stacey stole our mail?”
“She gave the letter back, so technically it wasn’t stolen and she had an excuse for doing that.”
“What about the mail she didn’t give back? Jah, what about that?”
After another sneeze, Elsa-May groaned. “Oh, Ettie, there was never any mail she didn’t give back. Why would she want to read any of our letters anyway? They’re not interesting even to us.”
Ettie thought back to their last interaction with Stacey Charmers. She’d told them Greville was in the hospital with … “Was it stomach problems he had?”
“I don’t know. Don’t you have that in your notes?”
“Notes?”
“Jah, the notes you’re keeping on them.” Another giggle escaped Elsa-May’s lips and Ettie managed a chuckle.
“You’re very funny, aren’t you?”
“Not according to you. The Charmers are probably moving out because you’ve been spying on them and making them feel uncomfortable by always looking out the window at them like some kind of madwoman.”
“The way the light hits the window, they wouldn’t be able to see me looking at them. You can’t see through the glass when you’re outside. We can see out, but they can’t see in. I keep telling you this.”
“Hmm.”
Ettie laid her sewing down and tapped a finger on her chin. “Maybe he’s killed her and then he left in the middle of the night. Now, he’s on the run. He could be in a faraway country by now before anyone has even found her. She could be lying there on the floor just hoping we’ll stop by and help her as she gasps for air holding her throat. What if she’s in the house now taking her last breath?”
“Ettie, you’ve such an imagination. You’ve always been like that.”
“She’s got no children and no friends, so who would find her? Will you come with me to peep in the window? Just the one at the front?”
“I’ll do no such thing. Anyway, you said this morning that their car was in the driveway and that means they’re home, doesn’t it?”
“That’s right. Don’t you think it’s strange that we haven’t heard a thing from them?”
“Nee. It’s good. Greville’s unwell. Anyway, all he does when we see him is complain about something we’ve done or haven’t done, or complain about Snowy.”
Snowy lifted his head and looked at Elsa-May.
“He’s heard you.”
Elsa-May chortled when she looked over at her dog. Slowly, he abandoned his small pillow, pushing it aside with his head, and then put his head back down between his paws closing his eyes. “Anyway, there’s an expression, don’t poke the bear. Let sleeping dogs lie.”
“That’s two expressions.”
Elsa-May’s lips turned upward at the corners, and Ettie guessed her sister was amused at her saying something that she would normally have said to Ettie. “There is no way I’m going over there. I’m not setting a foot on their land and you shouldn’t either.”
“I wouldn’t worry if he wasn’t so aggress
ive, but you’ve seen the way he is with her.”
“You don’t know what goes on behind closed doors, Ettie. She could be a monster to live with.”
Ettie sighed and looked back at her needle-worked scripture sampler she was stitching. She was glad it wasn't a verse about patience as she'd about run out of it. There was no point talking to her sister. They rarely agreed on anything these days. “I only hope you’re right.”
“Just stop thinking about the Charmers. You’ve been obsessed with them ever since they moved here and it’s not healthy. The scripture says to set your mind on things that are above, not earthly things.”
“Okay. Although, it’s hard to set my mind on heavenly things when I’ve never been to heaven, but I’ll do my best to put the Charmers out of my mind.”
“That’s all I’m asking.”
Ettie resisted the sudden urge to look out the window again, she’d never hear the end of it from Elsa-May if she’d done that just now. Elsa-May dropped her knitting, grabbed her handkerchief, and caught another sneeze. Snowy didn’t flinch this time. It seemed he was getting used to the loud sudden noises.
After a quiet day at home having no one stopping by, Ettie and Elsa-May had an early night.
“Ettie!”
Ettie was in the middle of dreaming she was walking in the sun-drenched fields on the farm where she and her husband had raised their children. She half-opened her eyes annoyed with Elsa-May for waking her in the middle of such a beautiful dream. It had been the same the last two nights. Elsa-May had said she had heard scratching in the attic. “I told you to call Jeremiah about it. It’s just a rat or a mouse or something. He’ll catch it and block off the opening where the thing’s getting in. Gut nacht.”
“Nee, it’s not that this time. I heard a scream from next door.”
Chapter 2
Ettie opened one eye and saw her sister looming over her. “It’s your imagination. We’ll call him tomorrow and worry about it then.” Ettie turned away from Elsa-May, and sank her head into her pillow once more, wishing she could slip back into that nice dream.
“Get up, Ettie. I think it was Stacey who screamed.”
Ettie sat bolt upright. “Stacey? Stacey, from next door … screamed?”
“Jah.”
“Why didn’t you say so?” Ettie flung the covers off, reached up and grabbed her dressing gown from its peg beside her bed. Swiftly, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and slipped her bare feet into her boots.
“What should we do?”
“I’m going over there.” Ettie grabbed her white prayer kapp and pulled it on her head, noticing her clock read a little after eleven. “You said you heard a scream?”
“I’m sure it was.”
“Let’s go. I told you he’d kill her one day. I just knew it.”
Elsa-May hurried into her room and came out dressed in her coat and pulling on her prayer kapp. “I’m ready.”
“Shoes.” Ettie said looking down at Elsa-May’s bare feet.
“They’re at the door.”
Both ladies hurried over to the door and, after Elsa-May pulled on her boots, Ettie opened the door. Snowy was close behind them and Elsa-May pushed him back and closed him in the house. They crossed to the neighboring house, carefully because of the darkness, and knocked on the door. “Stacey!”
“I’m coming,” Stacey called out. Then they heard footsteps, someone rushing about inside the house.
Ettie gasped. “She’s alive.” Then Ettie worried Greville would come to the door and yell at them for disturbing them in the middle of the night.
Stacey flung the door open and her face said everything. “He’s dead. He’s dead. Greville’s dead.” Her face screwed up and her eyes opened wide.
“What happened?” Elsa-May asked.
Ettie held her hand over her wildly pumping heart.
Stacey leaned over taking a few deep breaths. When she straightened, she said, “Masked men came in. They were robbing the place. Greville tried to stop them.” She howled then, burying her face in her hands.
Ettie put her arm around her. “Have you called the police?”
“Yes. They’re coming. And the ambulance,” she managed to say through sobs.
“Are you sure he’s dead?” Elsa-May asked.
“I think so. He’s lying on the floor and won’t move.”
“You better check, Elsa-May,” Ettie told her sister.
Elsa-May nodded. “Where is he?”
“This way.” Stacey led the way and the two elderly sisters hurried along close behind.
“What about the men?” Elsa-May asked before they walked through the door.
“They ran out and drove off.” Stacey stopped and looked at her. “Didn’t you hear their car drive away?”
“Quick, he might still be alive,” Ettie said. “Every second counts.”
Stacey ran through to the living room where he lay on the floor. Elsa-May stooped over the body. “He’s not breathing.”
“Feel for a pulse,” Ettie ordered. It was then that they heard sirens and Stacey ran back outside.
“I’ll leave it for the paramedics,” Elsa-May mumbled.
Ettie pushed Elsa-May out of the way. She picked up his wrist. “Nothing.” Then she went to feel for a pulse at his neck. Ettie saw the neck tie wrapped tight around his throat and red marks on his skin, and she backed away. “Looks like he was strangled.” She looked around and nothing in the room seemed out of place. Then she saw what looked like a pair of men’s pajamas on the floor in the corner of the room. Looking back at Greville, she noticed he was wearing a suit, complete with socks and shiny black shoes.
When the paramedics rushed through the door, Ettie and Elsa-May stepped back while Stacey sobbed just inside the doorway. Another paramedic came in and moved them all into the sunroom closer to the front door.
“He’s gone,” Stacey said, as they waited.
“What were these robbers after?” Ettie asked her. “Do you have valuables?”
“They were just thieves. I don’t know what they wanted. Money, or anything they could sell for money, I suppose. They didn’t get anything. I’ve only got my rings that I wear and a small amount of cash that was in the bedroom.” They heard another siren, and then Stacey walked closer to the door and looked out. “That’ll be the police. They’ll want to know what happened. Can you tell them you heard a car?” She looked back at Ettie and Elsa-May.
“I was asleep,” Ettie said. “I didn’t hear a thing until Elsa-May woke me.”
“Me too. I heard a scream, and that’s all.”
“That was me,” Stacey said.
Elsa-May nodded. “That’s what I thought.”
“Can’t you tell them you heard a car, Elsa-May? I mean, you probably did if you heard me scream, but you just need to remember you heard it.”
“I can’t say it if I don’t remember it,” Elsa-May said.
“So, it’s a possibility it happened and you just don’t remember it?”
“Anything’s possible,” Ettie said, earning a glare from Elsa-May. “Well, that’s what they say. They say—”
“Who’s this 'they,' Ettie?” Elsa-May’s voice boomed and Stacey shuddered.
“Please, my husband has just died.”
“We’re sorry,” Ettie said. “She didn't mean to be so loud.”
Elsa-May patted Stacey’s shoulder.
The three ladies moved into the hallway and, over Stacey’s shoulder, Ettie saw two uniformed police officers walking to the house.
“It would make things easier, that’s all,” Stacey whispered. “It would make it easier if you could only remember you heard that car, Elsa-May.”
“I didn’t.”
“Forget it.” Now, Stacey was angry rather than upset.
Stacey walked outside and Ettie and Elsa-May stayed behind her. Once Stacey had spoken a few words to the police, Ettie stepped forward.
“We’re just the neighbors. We live next door.”
/> “In that house.” Elsa-May pointed.
One of the officers nodded. “We will need to talk with you because you were on the scene when we arrived,” he told her.
“Okay, but we don’t know anything,” Ettie said. “We just came here now because we heard a scream.”
He tipped his head toward his female partner. “Officer Larriby will look after you for the moment, Mrs. Charmers, and then the paramedics will want to take a look at you.” He looked at Ettie, saying, “You two will need to be interviewed, here or at your house.”
“We’ll go home and wait,” Elsa-May told him. “Will you be okay, Stacey?”
“I don’t know. I think so.”
Officer Larriby walked toward Stacey as Elsa-May looped her arm through Ettie’s. The sisters said a quick goodbye to Stacey and walked away.
“Do you think we should’ve stayed with her? She’s got no one else.” Ettie glanced back at Stacey’s house.
“We can go back after the police have gone.”
“Okay.”
When they were halfway to the house, a car’s headlights blinded them, then the car pulled up and the lights went off. Detective Kelly stepped out of the car.
“Well, well, well. I knew this address sounded familiar.” He sauntered toward Ettie and Elsa-May.
Chapter 3
“The man … the man next door,” Elsa-May—who'd seemed calm until now—stammered, trying to give an explanation.
Ettie sucked in her lips. “Seems like he’s dead.”
“What were the two of you doing there, might I ask?”
“Elsa-May woke me after she heard Stacey screaming.”
Elsa-May glared at Ettie. “One scream, Ettie. Not screaming.”
Kelly blew out a deep breath and then stabbed a finger in the air pointing at them. “I’ll be back to speak with you two. Maybe not tonight. I’ll stop by tomorrow.” He glanced at the next-door house. “I know you haven’t always gotten along with these neighbors.”
“Okay,” Elsa-May said, pulling Ettie along with her. “We’ll see you tomorrow.”
Ettie Smith Amish Mysteries Box Set 6 Page 26
