Plain Murder (Amish Romance Mystery): Clean Mystery series (Amish Secret Widows' Society Book 8) (6 page)

Chapter 10.

If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

1 John 4:20

As soon as they were outside in the car park, Sabrina looked at all the cars and knew exactly which car was his. It was a low, sleek sporty car and from the way it shone, Sabrina guessed that it was brand new. He clicked his remote to unlock it and Sabrina sank into the leather of the front seat.

“Where do you recommend? I haven’t lived around these parts for a while.”

Sabrina shrugged. “I don’t eat out much at all.” Sabrina only went to coffee shops with friends and rarely went out for a meal.

“We’ll drive ‘til we find something that looks good.”

Sabrina nodded. “What line of work have you been in?” She knew he must have done something that brought him a lot of money by the look of his car.

“I’ve always been in sales. Then I worked my way up to managing a team of sales people.”

“What were you selling?”

“I’ve always sold luxury cars.”

“Like this one?” Sabrina ran her hand along the highly polished door.

“She’s a beauty isn’t she?”

She had to agree with him. “Very nice.”

“I suppose you have a horse and buggy being Amish?”

Was he being condescending to her? “I don’t have my own. My sister and her husband have two horses and buggies – I live with them.”

Jamie looked across at her and then looked back to the road. “Haven’t you heard that three’s a crowd?”

Sabrina rolled her eyes. “That’s what I’ve been saying to them. Well, saying to my sister, she won’t hear of it. Mr. Caruthers, your father, promised me fulltime work and when I have enough, I’m moving out by myself. My sister doesn’t want me to though; we argue about it quite a bit.”

“Seems families have to have things to argue about.”

“My sister’s been good to me. I moved here from Ohio nearly two years ago and now she’s just married her second husband, Bailey. Her first husband died suddenly. I get along well most of the time with Silvie.” Sabrina wondered why she was telling him so much about herself. She cautioned herself to tell him no more.

“I will put you on fulltime if that’s what my father promised you.”

“You will? Thank you.”
Maybe talking to him so much was a good idea after all.

“At least that’s one way my father can keep one of his promises.”

Sabrina had heard that
Englisch
families were not happy like Amish families and that there was a high divorce rate. “Sounds like you did not like your family very much?”

“It is what it is, Sabrina. I learned a long time ago if you have very low expectations, you are seldom disappointed.”

Sabrina thought on what he said and it made sense to her, even though the concept was rather depressing. She wondered if he was married and had a family of his own. If she asked straight out it would sound as if she were interested in him and she did not want to give that impression. “Have you moved back here now?”

“I’m staying in a B&B and then I’ll look around for a place to rent. As much as I dislike my family, I couldn’t see my grandfather’s business go to wrack and ruin. My father’s father started the business in the forties.” He looked over to Sabrina. “That’s why I came back.”

Ah, he has some decency,
Sabrina thought.
And he said he was staying in a B&B and he did not say ‘we’ are staying in a B&B.
Sabrina had to find out more about him.

“This place looks alright.” Jamie stopped the car in front of a small Italian restaurant. “And not too crowded.” Jamie got out of the car and hurried to Sabrina’s side of the car. Sabrina saw that he was going to open her car door, so she opened it before he got there.

As soon as they were seated in the restaurant, a waiter handed them both menus. “My treat – eat up. You look like you need a good feed.”

“I eat a lot,” Sabrina said looking up from the menu. “You’d be surprised at the amount I eat.”

He looked back at his menu and muttered, “You’d never know it to look at you.”

That might be his way of giving me a compliment, unless he does not like skinny women,
Sabrina thought. “Well, thank you for treating me to lunch. It’s very kind of you.”

“Yes, we Caruthers are very kind people.” Jamie chuckled quietly almost as if it were his own private joke.

Sabrina screwed up her nose, unsure of why he would say such a thing. May was very kind, but Trevor certainly was not. “How’s your mother doing?”

Jamie’s eyes looked up, but his head remained cast downward. “As well as anyone could expect her to be.” As soon as he finished speaking he looked back at the menu.

“Ready to order yet?”

Sabrina looked up to see a young man ready to take their order.

“We’ll have a bruschetta, I’ll have the calamari and the young lady will have the Spicy Shrimp Scampi and the Stuffed Mushrooms,” Jamie said.

Sabrina had been looking at him the whole time waiting for him to ask her what she would like to eat. She was surprised that he ordered for her, but perhaps that was how the
Englisch
did things. Or was it just the annoying
Englischers
who did things like that? She would have to ask someone later.

After the waiter left, Jamie said, “I hope you don’t mind that I ordered for you?”

“Not at all.”
Ah, so that’s not the way things are normally done.
Sabrina fiddled with her napkin while wondering what to talk about. “Are you still going ahead with opening the other branch like your father intended?”

Jamie placed his elbows on the table and entwined his fingers. “I’m having the lawyer look into it. At this stage, I don’t see how we can cope with the expansion. With Dad, Trevor and May gone we’re far too short on management staff. It appears Dad signed a lease, it depends whether it’s still within the cooling off period – I’m hoping there was a cooling off period. If not, I’ll just have to throw myself on the mercy of my new landlord and hopefully he’ll take pity on me and let me out of the lease.”

“You’re speaking as though May and Trevor aren’t coming back. Surely this whole thing will be sorted out soon,” Sabrina said.

“I can’t depend on probabilities. If there’s one thing I learned from my father and that is to rely on no one and always make decisions based on the worse possible scenario.”

“So, play it safe?”

Jamie nodded.

“Here’s your bruschetta.” The waiter placed the plate in the middle of the table.

“Help yourself,” Jamie said.

Sabrina pulled apart a slice of bruschetta and took a bite then placed the rest on the side plate. “Mmm, it’s good.”

Jamie swallowed his mouthful then licked a couple of his fingers before wiping them on his napkin. “Tell me about yourself. You live with your sister and brother-in-law, I know that much. Do you have any other family?”

“My mother and father and my five older brothers live in Ohio. All my brothers are married but one.”

“It would be rare for an Amish person never to marry, wouldn’t it?”

Sabrina opened her mouth to speak, but Jamie cut across her, “You lot always get married young and have loads of ankle-biters it seems.”

A frown crinkled Sabrina’s forehead. Did he know he was being condescending? “To answer your first question about Amish people not marrying, it does happen. There are some older folk who have never married. And what about yourself?” Sabrina put her elbow on the table and rested her chin in the palm of her hand and looked into his eyes.

“Me?” Jamie asked, his eyes twinkling.

Sabrina smiled and nodded.

“I’ve never married if that’s what you’re asking me. Never came close to it. I wonder sometimes if love is real or whether we talk ourselves into feeling it. People watch movies and read books and get all caught up into trying to find their one true love. It could be all a lie.”

“Well, I know that love is real.” Sabrina had been in love before, and she saw how much Silvie and Bailey were in love.

Jamie said, “I’m sure it does happen to some people – finding love I mean, but I can’t believe that the majority of the people in the world find it. I think it could be a myth, a fairytale, like the tooth fairy, Santa Claus and G…” Jamie threw his head back and laughed.

“And God, right?” Sabrina knew what he was about to say. He thought that
Gott
was a fairy tale. It was clear that they would never find common ground if he did not believe in love or in
Gott.

“I’m sorry, Sabrina. I’m forgetting my manners and I’m embarrassing you.”

Sabrina smiled at him. “A little.”

Sabrina had never met anyone like Jamie before. Maybe she should eat something with a lot of garlic in it just in case he had any ideas of getting too close to her on the drive home. She had to fight her attraction toward him. The fact that he did not believe in love made him more appealing, almost as if it were a challenge to her. Could she make this man fall in love with her?

“Look, Sabrina, I’ll get straight to the point of why I’ve asked you to lunch. I didn’t want to talk about it in the office.”

Sabrina felt silly; she thought that he was interested in her and that’s why he asked her to lunch. She knew many men found her attractive and because she got compliments all the time; she thought that he was another man interested in her. She should have been relieved, but she was disappointed. “What is it?” She pretended to look interested to hide her embarrassment of thinking that it was something other than a business lunch.

“For the past few years my father has bragged about some great investments he was putting his money into. He tried to tell me about it, but I didn’t want to hear about it because I’m wary of anything that makes money too fast. Anyway, about a year ago he suddenly stopped talking about his investments, and whenever I asked about it, he changed the subject.” He stared into Sabrina’s eyes. “Do you have any idea why he would suddenly stop speaking of his investments?”

Sabrina scrunched up her nose and thought hard if she had heard him mention anything. Had he given money to those two men who had phoned? What about the man whose name she found in his notebook? “Well, you know that I’ve only worked for him for a little over a year and it’s only been part time doing the bookwork, so I’m probably not the best person to ask. Maybe you could ask May or Trevor. What about his accountant?”

“That’s the odd thing. His accountant won’t talk to me at all. He said he’d send across my father’s paperwork once he has proper legal instruction to do so.”

Sabrina nodded. She thought that a little odd, but had no idea how these things worked. “I’m sorry I’m not able to help you.”
And I’m sorry that you paid for lunch for nothing,
Sabrina thought.

“Did he ever mention having a business partner?” Jamie picked up a glass of iced water and took a mouthful.

Sabrina watched his lips as they gently touched the cool glass.
Concentrate Sabrina
, she told herself. “No.” She shook her head. “I only do the simple bookwork, send out invoices, do filing, answer the emails, that kind of thing.”

“Yes, I know.” Jamie pressed his lips together and looked thoughtful.

Chapter 11.

 
I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel:

my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.

I have set the Lord always before me:

because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

Psalm 16:7-8

Sabrina rushed in her front door to see Silvie cooking dinner. “Silvie, you’ll never guess what happened.”

“Bailey told me.”

“So you know about May and Trevor; how they both confessed to killing their father?”

Silvie looked up from mashing potatoes. “
Jah.”

Sabrina pulled out a chair from under the kitchen table and sat down. She thought about May coming to see her the same night that her father was found murdered. She hadn’t seemed overly upset. Perhaps she was in some kind of shock. “Why would May tell me that she thinks Trevor killed their father then go and confess to it herself?”

“Love. She’s trying to protect him from going to jail I’d say.”

“She didn’t seem to be feeling too protective of Trevor when she was speaking to me yesterday. Where’s Bailey?”

“He went back to the police station.”

Sabrina picked up a bean out of the colander and bit it in half. “I didn’t think he wanted to get too involved.”

“
Nee,
he didn’t. He’s coming with us tonight, so he should be home anytime.”

Tonight the widows were all meeting again.

“Trevor and May have an older
bruder
called Jamie. He’s stepped in to run the place while things are being sorted out.”

Silvie turned around to face her. “Am I hearing something in that voice of yours?”

Sabrina giggled. How did Silvie hear in her voice how attractive she found Jamie? “Okay, I do find him a little interesting. He took me to lunch and he’s given me the fulltime work that Mr. Caruthers promised me.”

Silvie raised her eyebrows. “Be careful, Sabrina. He’s an
Englischer
and he’s your boss.”

“That’s the least thing on my mind with May in jail. Anyway, Bailey was once an
Englischer,
Silvie.”

Silvie turned back to the potatoes. “That’s different. Well, I suppose you’re right, but not every
Englischer
will want to become Amish, it’s a big risk to think that it might happen.”

“If it’s
Gott’s
will it will happen. Don’t worry, Silvie, I know I made some mistakes in the past, but things like that won’t happen again.” Sabrina recalled the terrible time when she had gotten involved with an
Englischer
and he was found murdered. It was a dark time in her life and Silvie had been there to help her through it.

“You still have to be wary. If you’re not careful, you’ll be in a bad situation before you know what’s going on. You have to keep away from temptation, not go near the edge of temptation,” Silvie said.

“Okay.” Even though Silvie was being annoying, Sabrina knew that what she was saying was true. She could not go to lunch with him again or get too close.

After dinner, Bailey, Silvie and Sabrina went to meet with the widows again at Elsa-May and Ettie’s house.

Emma, one of the widows, was the last to arrive. “Maureen’s had to work tonight so she won’t be able to come,” Emma said.

Once Ettie came back into the living room with the tea tray Sabrina spoke. “There’s been a development with the murder.”

“What is it?” Elsa-May leaned forward.

“Mr. Caruthers’ son and daughter both admitted to killing him and each say that the other was not involved. They’re in jail right now.”

Ettie pressed her lips together and began to pour tea into everyone’s cups.

“Bailey was there today with Crowley and he said that neither of them is weakening with their story.”

Bailey said, “Crowley says that they most likely each think that the other did it, so they are protecting each other.”

“Well, do you think that one of them did it or do you think it might have been someone else?” Elsa-May asked.

“Did you find anything out about those two names I gave you?” Sabrina asked Elsa-May. “Clarkwell and Addison?”

“I found out that Addison does lawsuit loans.”

“What’s that?” Sabrina asked.

“I didn’t know either, but I found out that people who are waiting on a lawsuit claim or money from an insurance company can get their money earlier – before the claim is settled. They also provide litigation funding if you want to sue someone.”

“I’m not sure I understand, but anyway, what about Clarkwell?”

“He is a simple loan shark. If someone isn’t able to get a loan from a bank, they can go to a private lender. From what I found out, Clarkwell’s interest rates are high, so someone would only go to him as a last resort.” Elsa-May sighed heavily. “That’s all I’ve been able to come up with for the names and phone numbers you gave me.”

Ettie was back in her chair after pouring all the teas. “It doesn’t make sense that one of them killed Mr. Caruthers, does it? If he’s dead, how would they get their money? Sabrina can’t find any record of her boss owing them that money, so to me it seems unlikely that either of them killed him.”

Elsa-May turned to Ettie. “Who do you think might have done it?”

“Most likely one of his children,” Ettie said.

“Speaking of Mr. Caruthers’ children. His eldest son, Jamie, is running the stables while both May and Trevor are in prison. He was there this morning when I got to work.”

Ettie looked at Bailey. “Have the police questioned him?”

Bailey nodded. “He was interviewed yesterday. He’s got a solid alibi for the time of his father’s murder. He wasn’t even in the county.” Bailey put both hands to his chest. “I’m trying to step away from helping Crowley. I thought I’d left that kind of thing behind me. I’ve got enough to do with looking for a job and still helping Jack out on the dairy farm.”

Ettie took a lemon cupcake from the table in the center of the room. She peeled back the paper casing. “Are you going to the funeral, Sabrina?”

“
Jah
, I’m going.”

Ettie nodded. “When is it?”

“It’s the day after tomorrow. I hope May and Trevor will be out by then.”

“If not, I’m sure they’ll get permission to go, as long as they are accompanied by some officers. Their lawyer probably has already submitted a request,” Bailey said.