The Amish Widow (Amish Romance Mystery) (Amish Secret Widows' Society Book 1) (10 page)

Chapter 12.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Psalm 23:4

As Emma drove her buggy past Wil’s place, he was out the front and waved her down.

“Emma, where have you been? I’ve hardly seen anything of you.”

“I’ve been spending a lot of time with Maureen and Silvie.” Emma was sure that sounded more believable than spending time with the two elderly widows.

“Have dinner with me tonight?”

“I’m too tired to go anywhere. I just want an early night. I’m sorry, Wil, some other time?”

“I’ve already cooked chicken and vegetables, besides it will save you having to cook and you can go home straight after you eat for an early night. I’ll even walk you home.”

Emma knew she did not have anything ready for dinner, but she knew she had all that food there that the bishop’s
fraa
had left her; all she had to do was heat it up. “
Denke
, that would be
gut
.” She decided to accept his invitation, that way she wouldn’t have to heat up food or clean the dishes afterwards.

“Come over whenever you’re ready.”

Emma noticed some wood he was working with. “What have you got there?”

“I’m working on a new invention. It’s a new plough.”

“I’ll see you soon then.” Emma smiled and moved her horse on toward home. Wil was always working on some new gadget or other. She knew better than to ask too many questions; he got rather enthused when he had a project and she wanted to get home before dark rather than listened to a long tale about the new plough.

After dinner that night they sat on Wil’s porch.

“What’s the matter with you lately, you seem so worried? Is everything all right?” Wil asked her.

“Levi’s just died; I’m allowed to grieve, aren’t I?” Emma fiddled with the strings of her prayer
kapp.

Wil pushed his fingers through his dark hair. “I’m sorry, of course you’re allowed to. I just meant that, you seem to be worried about something else. Am I right?”

“I’m a bit worried about the farm. I’ll have to find someone else to lease it, I suppose.”

“Well, of course you’ll find someone else to lease it. There’s a handful of men I can think of who’d most likely lease it from you. The Amish are always looking for farmland, you know that.”

Emma nodded.

“Anything else?”

Emma looked up across the darkness of the fields in front of her. “I’m worried about who murdered Henry Pluver.”

“Emma, you can’t spend the rest of your days worrying about things.”

Emma looked into Wil’s eyes. He never seemed bothered by much at all. If he had any advice for her, she would like to hear it. “How can I spend the rest of my days, Wil?”

“Spend them with me, as my
fraa
.”

Emma laughed a little and put her fingertips to her mouth to stifle her laughs.

“I’m serious, Emma. I want to look after you and protect you from harm.”

Emma did not know if he loved her or just wanted to look after her. She would not marry again, unless it was for love. “
Denke
for your offer, Wil.”

What followed between the two of them was an awkward silence. Emma considered it best to go home. Wil walked her the five minutes to her
haus.

As Emma lay in bed that night, she considered Wil’s offer. What was to become of her all alone? Sure, Maureen and Silvie were young and alone, but were they happy? What better
mann
would there be for her in the whole community than Wil? Maybe she should seriously consider his offer, even if he was not in love with her. She could see herself falling for him, but did he feel the same? If he were in love with her surely he would have said as much.

Emma closed her eyes. She felt she’d been on a very fast horse for a very long time and she wanted to get off and just have a normal quiet life without worrying about who killed Pluver and why.

When Emma woke up the next morning she decided to pay Mr. Weeks a visit at his work before she met with the widows at Elsa-May and Ettie’s
haus.

She knew that he worked out of a van at one of his construction sites. The van had been converted into a high-tech office.

She had the taxi drive her straight to the site. The site was deserted except for Mr. Weeks’ car parked near his office. She walked to the van and knocked on the door.

Mr. Weeks pushed the door open. “Mrs. Kurtzler, come inside.”

“Hello, Mr. Weeks. I hope you don’t mind me calling in on you unexpectedly.”

Mr. Weeks shuffled the papers that were on his desk into a drawer. “Not at all. What can I do for you? Have you come to find out about the insurance claim?”

“Well, not really. I came to find out about your daughter.”

Mr. Weeks sat down in his chair and motioned for Emma to sit in the other chair. “What about my daughter?”

“Is Liza Weeks your daughter?”

“Yes, she is.”

“Did you know about the rumors regarding Mr. Pluver and your daughter?”

“Come for a walk with me, Mrs. Kurtzler.” Mr. Weeks’ face had contorted into someone whom she did not recognize. She was scared to go for a walk with him, but she did need some more information.

Mr. Weeks motioned out the door and Emma turned and stepped through the door with Mr. Weeks close behind her.

“Your husband was a valued employee.”

“Yes, he was a hard worker.”

Mr. Weeks pointed to the building that was not yet complete. “This is not the building your husband fell from.”

Emma nodded as she looked up at the unfinished building. She hadn’t wanted to know any details.

“Let me show you the view as we talk.” Emma followed Mr. Weeks into an elevator at the side of the building.

“I’m a little afraid of heights.” She looked at the small elevator. “And closed in spaces.”

“It’s a lovely view from the top. I’d like to show it to you. It’s quite safe; the other side has a viewing platform where we take potential buyers.”

Emma hesitated at the door.

Mr. Weeks added, “It’s passed all safety regulations.”

Emma stepped into the elevator. She thought it best to go along with him if she wanted more information.
Maybe there were private papers that he didn’t want me to see in his office and he might feel better walking and talking at the same time,
she thought.

As they rode in the elevator, Mr. Weeks said, “I know that my daughter was set to run away with that old man.”

“You knew?” The elevator stopped and Mr. Weeks held the door for Emma to step through.

Once she was out of the elevator she turned and waited for Mr. Weeks’ answer.

Mr. Weeks nodded. “I would not let that happen. I knew she was slipping away at night to see someone. I had her followed and she was going to your property, to the barn at the end of your farm.”

Emma recalled that there was a barn at the end of her property as well as one close to her
haus.

“That’s why I thought it was your husband she was going to run away with, because it was your farm she was meeting the man on. I didn’t know that Pluver had a lease on your property. I found out soon after.”

A chill ran down Emma’s spine. “No, Levi would never do anything like that, never.”

“I found that out too late, Mrs. Kurtzler. I’m very, very sorry. I didn’t mean it to happen like this.”

Was he saying what she thought he was saying? If he thought Levi was having an affair with his daughter, maybe he killed Levi and maybe he also killed Henry Pluver. Emma did not know what to do. She asked meekly, “What are you sorry for?”

“I didn’t mean to kill him.”

Emma’s hand instinctively flew to her heart. “You killed Levi?”

Mr. Weeks’ mouth downturned as he slowly said, “I had to kill him. I had to protect my daughter. When I visited you at the farm, I knew it wasn’t your husband I was after. I lodged that insurance claim for you.”

Emma covered her mouth; she felt as though she would be sick. It was much worse that Levi was killed by the hands of a madman rather than in an accident. Emma knew she’d made a big mistake by going to see him alone, but she would not let this man do the same thing to her as he’d done to Levi and to Pluver. She looked out of the corner of her eye for an escape route. “You killed Pluver, as well?”

“I had to stop him ruining my daughter’s life.” Mr. Weeks took a step toward Emma and she stayed very still. “You don’t have children do you, Emma?”

Emma shook her head.

“When you have children you’ll do anything to protect them. Anything.”

Emma glanced behind her and saw that there was a sheer drop, five floors down. “Well, your secret’s safe with me, Mr. Weeks. I won’t tell anyone.”

Mr. Weeks laughed. “I’m afraid I can’t trust you with the information I’ve just given you.” He walked toward her.

Emma pleaded, “No, don’t kill me. They’ll know that you did it.”

“No they won’t.” Mr. Weeks laughed and his eyes flashed with the black evil of the devil himself. “You were so distraught over your husband’s death that you killed yourself.”

Emma closed her eyes so she would not have to look at him. “No one will ever believe that.”

“They will if that’s how I say that it happened.” Mr. Weeks was three paces from her and he closed the gap between them quickly. His face turned white and his hands shook as he stretched them out towards her.

There was nowhere for her to go and nothing that she could use to defend herself with. Emma sank to the floor and closed her eyes. She prayed; she didn’t want to die, not here, not like this.

Chapter 13.

The name of the LORD is a strong tower:

the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

Nahum 1:7

“Weeks, put your arms in the air.” A voice boomed through a microphone.

Emma opened one eye and saw that Mr. Weeks had his hands in the air. She closed her eyes and continued to pray.

The voice boomed again. “Step away from the lady. Make one false move and we’ll shoot.”

Mr. Weeks took a step away from her. Sirens of police cars sounded; there would have been at least two, maybe three.

“It’s all over, Weeks,” the voice boomed once more.

Emma opened one eye just slightly to see that Mr. Weeks lowered his arms and he took a step toward her.

“Keep your arms in the air or we’ll shoot.”

Weeks put his arms back in the air.

Emma glanced over the side of the building to see two uniformed policeman getting into the elevator. Mr. Weeks remained silent with his arms straight above his head.

Emma must have blacked out for a moment. When she next opened her eyes she saw Mr. Weeks being handcuffed by two police officers.

Another officer ran toward her. “Are you hurt, miss?”

Emma shook her head.

“Stay still,” the officer ordered. “We’ve got an ambulance coming.”

Emma watched Mr. Weeks being led into the elevator.

She closed her eyes and thanked
Gott
that He listened to her prayers. “I’m fine. I don’t need an ambulance. I’m fine.” Emma went to stand up, but her legs were like jelly. “Maybe I’ll stay here for a few moments.”

“I’ll stay with you,” the officer said.

Emma sat on the floor and all she could think of was Wil. She was certain that she would not feel safe until Wil’s arms were around her.

Detective Crowley came up in the elevator. He walked over to Emma while shaking his head at her. “What do you think you were doing? You nearly got yourself killed.”

She was still slumped on the ground. “I didn’t know he was a murderer; I was just going to ask him a few questions.” Emma heard her voice and it did not sound like her own, it was much more high-pitched than normal.

“Well, you’re very lucky. When you didn’t turn up at Elsa-May’s place, she thought you would have done something silly.”

Emma rode down the elevator with Detective Crowley. She had nearly gotten killed - murdered. Nothing seemed real to her anymore.

The ambulance arrived on the scene quickly afterwards and she was given the all clear from the medical staff, but was told to rest. Emma had the police take her home.

As she opened her front door, she was never more pleased to be home.

She sat on her couch and wrapped herself in a blanket and waited for Wil. She knew it would not take him long to come to her
haus
to see why a police car had just been there.

“Emma.” Wil burst through the door without knocking.

“Come in.”

Wil sat next to her and asked all the questions that Emma knew that he would. “Emma, you can never do anything silly like that again.” He moved closer and put his arm around. “I’m so sorry that happened to you.” He pulled her tighter toward him and she rested her head on his shoulder.

It could have been a friendly squeeze, Emma wasn’t sure.

Wil said, “Do you want me to get you anything? Some tea or some soup?”

“
Nee
, I couldn’t have one thing. You could drive me to Elsa-May’s
haus
tomorrow.”

“Of course.”

* * *

It was eleven in the morning when Emma arrived at Elsa-May and Ettie’s
haus.
Ettie phoned Silvie and Maureen and it did not take them long to arrive.

The group was finally assembled and each woman hugged Emma tightly and made a fuss over her. They had all heard what had happened. Ettie made Emma a strong cup of tea with three heaped teaspoons of sugar, saying she needed the sugar to help her get over the shock. Elsa-May insisted she stay wrapped in a blanket to keep extra warm. Emma tried to explain that she was fine and not in shock; after all it had happened a whole day ago.

Emma was glad to be alive and finally safe. She didn’t even mind sitting on the hard wooden chairs in Elsa-May and Ettie’s lounge room.

“So, Mr. Weeks killed Mr. Pluver because his daughter was going to run away with him? He originally thought that his daughter was having an affair with Levi and killed him too?” Silvie asked.

Emma was too shaken to speak. Maybe she was still in a little bit of shock.

Elsa-May spoke instead. “That’s right. And I guess Pluver wanted to buy the land so he could give it to his boy, Bob, – maybe to appease his guilt from leaving, who knows.”

Emma’s thoughts turned to Wil; she hadn’t given him all the information. She hadn’t told him that she was just nearly murdered. How could she have ever thought that Wil could have anything to do with deceiving her over her land? She smiled a little, as she remembered his proposal.

Yes, it was most likely too soon after Levi’s departure and tongues would wag, but Emma decided she could overlook that, just as she had overlooked Elsa-May’s cell phone and Ettie’s laptop computer.

Maureen interrupted her thoughts, “Does Wil know about all this?”

“Some, I told him the main parts.”

“Ettie called Wil and he’s calling to take you home,” Maureen said.

Emma frowned. “Wil’s only just brought me here.”

Maureen smiled widely. “He answered his phone in the barn when Ettie called him. He said he’d just arrived home.”

“Why is everyone fussing? I’m fine and I’ve only just gotten here. Anyway, surely, someone else could have taken me home.” She looked at the widows in turn and each one smiled at her. “You’re all up to something,” Emma said.

“
Nee
we aren’t,” Elsa-May insisted. “Now come on, I hear a buggy.”

Elsa-May lifted Emma to her feet.

“There’s nothing wrong with me, Elsa-May. I’m just a little shaken. Well, I was shaken yesterday, but today I’m fine.”

Elsa-May opened the door to Wil.

“Emma, are you all right?”

Emma could feel her cheeks flush. She wanted to run into his strong arms, but she couldn’t, not with all the ladies around. All she could do was nod, in answer to his question.

“Well, I’ll get you home.” Wil looked up at the ladies and smiled. “
Denke
, for calling me. Good day ladies.”

It was clear to Emma that the ladies were stifling giggles as they said goodbye to her and Wil.

As Wil led her to the buggy, Emma said, “You must have only arrived home and then had to turn around and come get me.”

Wil glanced over at her. “I’m not about to say
no
to anything Elsa-May asks me to do. She scares me a little.”

Emma laughed but had to agree. Elsa-May was a very forthright woman.

As soon as Wil’s buggy was out of the sight of the
haus
he’d just left, he pulled the buggy over to the side of the road. “Emma, what do you think that you were doing? I nearly lost you.” He touched Emma’s cheek softly with the back of his hand. “Ettie told me everything. She guessed that you wouldn’t have told me all that happened.”

Emma closed her eyes and savored his touch. “I don’t know what I was doing. I didn’t know that the man was a murderer.”

“You’re safe now, so that’s all that matters. I’m going to get you home and look after you properly.”

Emma giggled and looked into Wil’s eyes. In her heart she still loved Levi yet Levi was her past and she knew at that moment that Wil was her future.

To every thing there is a season, and a time to

every purpose under the heaven
:
A time to be born, and a time to die;

a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

Ecclesiastes 3:1-2

***The End***

*****************

Meet Emma and Wil again in
“HIDDEN”
Book 2 of the
‘
Amish Secret Widows’ Society’
series
OUT NOW:

It's another murder to solve for the Amish Secret Widows' Society. An elderly Amish man, rumored to be in the possession of paintings worth millions of dollars, is found poisoned. Can the widows find out who killed him before there is another murder?

Emma Kurtzler is in love with Wil Jacobson but struggles with it being too soon to marry after the death of her husband. Meanwhile, Silvie Keim is swept off her feet by Bailey Abler, a mysterious stranger who is staying within the community and proclaims he wants to be Amish.

What connection does Bailey have to the murdered man that will shock the community? What will Silvie do when she discovers Bailey's true identity?

“ACCUSED”
Book 3 of the
‘Amish Secret Widows’ Society’
series
OUT NOW:

Meet all the widows again as they endeavour to solve another murder. This time the murder took place some years ago.

On her aunt's insistence, Amish woman Angela Bontreger has been writing to Robert Geiger. When Angela travels from her small town to meet Robert in person, he denies knowledge of her and the letters.

As they talk further, Robert tells Angela that his late brother was accused of murder. Angela's aunt Elsa-May and the other widows offer to help Robert clear his brother's name. Will Robert see past the tragedies that have plagued his life to realize that he is falling in love with Angela? Will Angela go home to her small town without the love of the man she wants?

And why is Emma delaying her marriage to Wil?

NEW RELEASE
Book 4
“Amish Regrets” Out Now

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