Accused (Amish Romance Mystery) (Amish Secret Widows' Society #3) (3 page)

Chapter 5.

A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,  

but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.

Proverbs 15:18

That evening, not only did Elsa-May and Ettie come to Emma’s
haus
for dinner, Silvie and Maureen came as well.

Angela was well aware of her
Ant
Elsa-May’s crime solving abilities and she guessed that these widows helped her.

As the ladies were all helping to prepare the meal, Elsa-May pulled Angela aside for a quiet word. “How did you like Robert?”

“
Ach
, it was terrible. It wasn’t he who wrote the letters; it was Jacob.”

“His nephew, little Jacob?”

“Yeah, he’s most likely eleven or twelve. He admitted to it and he said he wanted his
onkel
to be happy. I still find it hard to believe that I was fooled by a child of his age. It’s obvious that he is a very smart boy.”

Elsa-May chuckled. “Bless his little soul.”

“I was extremely embarrassed. I felt such a fool going there to meet someone I thought I might marry and he knew nothing of me, nothing at all.”

Elsa-May waved her hand dismissively. “Apart from all that, what did you think of Robert?”

Angela giggled a little. “He was lovely. Just the sort of
mann
I’d like. You were right about that,
Ant
.”

Elsa-May leaned toward her and spoke quietly. “Don’t give up;
Gott
works in mysterious ways.”

“Did you know about his
bruder,
Jacob’s
daed
?” Angela asked.

“
Ach,
jah.
A terrible business, on bail for murder and then killed before he could clear his name. Both Ross and his
fraa
, Linda, died in that buggy accident.”

“So, you believe he was innocent?” Angela’s eyes grew wide.

Elsa-May filled her cheeks with air. “I don’t know any details. I’ve always assumed he was innocent. No Amish
mann
would ever have done what he was accused of.”

“Robert wants to clear his
bruder’s
name for Jacob’s sake. He thinks that’s why Jacob has been unruly. Although, he’s not sure whether Jacob knows or not, but he must have heard some kind of gossip. Anyway, I said I’d get your help.”

Elsa-May nodded slowly. “
Jah
, I’ll help. We’ll all help. Did he tell you anything?”

“He told me everything he knows and I even wrote it down.”

Elsa-May patted her on the arm. “Tell the ladies over dinner.”

Angela drew her chin backwards. “
Ant
, that’s not very nice dinner conversation for the ladies.”

Elsa-May held Angela’s arm firmly. “Believe me, they’ll appreciate the conversation more than talking about the last quilt they sewed or the batch of strawberry preserves they’ve just bottled.”

Once the dinner table was set, they all sat down to eat.

Elsa-May began. “Now ladies, you all know Robert Geiger and how his
bruder,
Ross Geiger, was accused of murder before he died in the buggy accident?”

The ladies nodded.

“We are going to try and clear his name,” Elsa-May said.

“What if he’s guilty?” Ettie said.

Elsa-May glared at her
schweschder.
“Then things remain the same, but if he’s innocent, we will be able to clear his name for his son’s sake.” She looked at all the widows. “All in?”

“
Jah
,” the widows chimed.

“Tell us what you know, Angela.” Elsa-May said.

“This is what Robert told me. Two years ago a man was found dead, tied to a wooden cross. He was found by a couple of children on their way to
skul
. A witness came forward and said that she saw Ross hitting the man on the head with a rock and she saw him tie him to the cross. It was the woman’s testimony that had him arrested, even though Ross’
fraa
said that he had been home all evening. The police believed that it was an Amish person because of the religious implications of the murder, with the cross and all.”

“Who was the man who was killed?” Maureen asked.

Angela shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. Robert says that no one knows.”

“How did Ross get bail if he was charged with murder?” Emma asked.

Ettie said, “From what I remember of the case, they did not think he was a flight risk since he had no passport and did not know anyone outside of the community.”

“Is that all you know, Angela?” Elsa-May asked.

“
Jah
, that’s all I know. I’m seeing Robert again tomorrow. Is there anything I should ask him?”

The widows looked at each other.

“
Nee,
that’s all we need for now until we think of some questions,” Elsa-May said.

Ettie said, “Elsa-May, you’ll have to go and ask Crowley some questions.”

“Indeed.” Elsa-May nodded. Detective Crowley had been a source of information to them in the past and was always more than willing to help. Although, not everyone liked Detective Crowley even if he was helpful.

“Better you than me.” When everyone looked at her, Emma said. “He always makes me feel guilty and uncomfortable.”

Ettie pointed a long, bony finger at Emma. “He always helps us.”

Emma nodded and put her head down and wished that she hadn’t spoken at all. She knew Ettie was right.

Silvie said, “What’s the plan, Elsa-May?”

Elsa-May placed her knife and fork down and swallowed the chicken she had been chewing on. “Let’s see now. I’ll visit Crowley to find out what he can tell me about the case. That’s really all we can do until we have more information. I’ll go first thing in the morning.”

Angela turned to Emma. “I hope you didn’t mind having this conversation over dinner, Emma.”

“
Nee
, not at all. Everyone here has had a little experience in these matters. We’re all happy to help in whatever way we can.”

“You came here to see Robert?” Silvie asked.

Angela’s face flushed scarlet. “I suppose it doesn’t matter if everyone at this table knows. Elsa-May had me write to Robert, but it appears my first letter was intercepted by his nephew, Jacob.” Angela put her fingertips to her forehead and continued, “Jacob wrote back to me and he’s been writing to me ever since, pretending to be his
onkel
. Both Robert and I only just found out today.”

Maureen giggled. “
Ach
, that little - naughty boy.”

Silvie asked, “So what’s the plan, Elsa-May, where do we start?

“Ettie, you go visiting people and see what you can find out. People like to talk to you.”

“Okay,” Ettie said. “I’ll start visiting tomorrow and ask a lot of questions.”

“Emma, you go and visit Crowley,” Elsa-May said.

“Me? Why do I have to visit Crowley? Didn’t you say you were going to do it, Elsa-May? You’re the one he respects. I told you he makes me feel uncomfortable and guilty all the time.”

“Just do it, Emma. The rest of us will spread out, visit people and ask questions without appearing obvious. Everyone in the community should recall the incident. We have to find out who the witness was and who the dead man was.”

“You’re going back to Robert’s place tomorrow aren’t you, Angela?”

“
Jah
, I am. In the afternoon,” Angela said.

“Ask questions about the witness and the dead man. Find out if Robert knows anything about them and find out what other little things he might have forgotten to mention.”

Angela nodded. “I will.”

“Now, if we’re all done with that business, we’ve got dessert,” Emma said.

Angela looked up to see Emma and Maureen carrying desserts to the table. There was a tall chocolate cake with pink and white marshmallows on top, chocolate slices, ice-cream and round chocolate balls covered with coconut.

“Someone likes chocolate,” Angela said with a laugh.

“Chocolate is a weakness of mine,” Emma said as she sat down.

Maureen took a large knife and cut the tall chocolate cake into slices. “I hope no one here is watching what they eat.”

“Not anymore,” Ettie said.

After a large meal and an even larger dessert, the widows went home.

“I’ll dry the dishes, Emma. That way we can talk,” Angela said.

“
Denke
. How are you liking Lancaster County so far?”

“Everyone seems really friendly. I like the countryside; it’s quite similar to back home.”

“I heard you tell Elsa-May that you like Robert,” Emma said.

“
Jah
. I don’t know what he thinks of me. A strange lady showing up at his
haus
expecting that he should know of me. It was the most embarrassing moment of my life.”

“He’s a
gut
man, from what I know of him. He would have felt bad when he found out what Jacob had done.”

Angela looked thoughtful. “He did.”

“Seems to me as though Robert is always sad or distracted by something. Now I know more of what happened to his
bruder,
it all makes sense. Mind you I didn’t know the Geigers that well.”

“I appreciate you letting me stay here, Emma.”

“You’re doing me a favor. I like having company. I told Elsa-May you are welcome to stay as long as you want.” Emma took the opportunity to try and find out more about the cases Elsa-May had worked on in the past. Emma was involved in the Pluver case and the more recent murder of old Frank, but she knew that Elsa-May and Ettie had worked on many more cases with Detective Crowley. “You’re aware then of Elsa-May working on similar cases to try and solve them, and such?”

“
Jah
, someone was murdered once, down my way, and Elsa-May helped with that,” Angela said.

A smile spread across Emma’s face. “I see. I knew she’d done these things before.”

“Don’t tell her I told you; she’s very secretive about these things. I don’t want her to be cross with me.”

“I won’t tell,” Emma said.

“My
daed
used to say that Elsa-May’s every bit as smart as a
mann
.”

Emma raised her eyebrows and bit her tongue to avoid making a comment, although she couldn’t help but say, “I guess your
daed
would see that as a compliment.”

“Very much so.” Angela laughed. “I guess he thinks that
menner
have to be smarter.”

Emma vigorously scrubbed a saucepan. “Women are just as smart, I’m sure.”

“Elsa-May said you might be married soon?”

“
Jah
, to Wil Jacobson. He lives next door. You met him yesterday, didn’t you?”

“
Nee
, I didn’t meet anyone,” Angela said.

“That’s right; he left just before you arrived. Your taxi passed him just as he was leaving my
haus
.”

“That’s right, I do remember passing a buggy that looked as though it was coming from your place. Is he nice?”

“He is. I’m blessed to have had two
gut menner
in my life. Why have you never married before now, Angela?”

“Where I come from isn’t like here. There’s not many
menner
to choose from and they get snapped up pretty quickly. I’m quieter than the other girls so it made things that much harder for me. The other girls can talk to the boys easily. I never had any
bruders,
so I’m not used to boys. There was one boy I liked once.” Angela rubbed her neck. “I was too nervous to speak to the boys especially the ones I liked. Anyway, before too long, they were all married.”

“That’s the disadvantage of a small community, I suppose.”

“My
Ant
Elsa-May’s been telling me about Robert for a long time. I finally gave in and wrote to him and well… you know the rest.”

Emma put the last saucepan in the cupboard and wiped down her long, wooden table in the kitchen. “All done; just a quick sweep with the broom and we can sit down.”

“Let me do it, Emma.” Angela rushed for the broom and began to sweep the kitchen.

“
Denke
, I’ll make us some meadow tea.” Emma put the kettle on the stove and got the tea ready. “Don’t fuss too much with the floor, Angela. I’ll wash it tomorrow.”

Once the tea was poured, Emma carried the tea, chocolate cookies and her favorite chocolate soft centers out to the living room.