Amish House of Secrets Read Online Free Page A

walked in with three large glass bowls in his hands.
    “Detective, this is a nice surprise. To what do we owe the pleasure? Has someone been murdered?” Elsa-May asked.
    The detective laughed, “Not lately, not that I know of. I was in the area and thought I’d bring back Ettie’s empty containers.”
    Elsa-May took the bowls from him. “Have a cup of tea while you’re here and something to eat.”
    The detective greeted the ladies and said, “Ettie was kind enough to make me some dinners. She thinks I’m going to starve without a wife. Or, should I say a fraa. Is that right, a fraa ?” The detective sat down amidst giggles from the ladies. “Have you all been keeping out of trouble?”
    “Emma’s found some old wartime love letters,” Silvie said with a glint in her eye.
    The detective immediately looked at Emma.
    Emma’s heart began to race. Why did Silvie have to say that? Now she would have to speak to him. She cleared her throat. “Yes, I found them in an old house that Wil just bought. Although, we don’t have an address to get them to the old owner yet.”
    “I can find that out for you,” he said.
    “You can?” Maureen asked.
    “Of course; I am a detective.” The detective looked away from Maureen and back to Emma. “You say Wil bought a house?”
    Emma nodded and said, “Thank you, Detective it would be good of you to find where the lady lives now. All we’ve been able to find out is that she lives somewhere in Florida. I’ve only her post office box number.”
    “I’ll drop her address by your place tomorrow, Emma, since you don’t have a phone.”
    Emma shook her head. “No, I’ll go by your office in the afternoon to save you the drive.”
    “Very well, suit yourself,” the detective said.
    Silvie said, “Maureen and Emma are going to go to Florida to take the letters to the old lady.”
    The detective chuckled. “It’s a bit of a stretch for the horse isn’t it?”
    If the detective had not just offered to do her a special favor Emma would have been a little annoyed at his attempt at humor. “We can travel, you know.”
    “We just can’t drive ourselves anywhere. We can go on busses and trains, but our bishop will not let us travel by plane,” Ettie said. “Although, my old daed used to say that if Gott had wanted us to fly He would have given us wings.” Ettie giggled.
    Elsa-May handed the detective a cup of tea. After he took a sip, he said, “Wil bought a house, you say, Emma? What was wrong with his old one?”
    Emma glanced at Silvie hoping she was not going to open her mouth and reveal yet more of her personal information. Emma knew she would have to speak fast to avoid Silvie doing so. “We’re due to get married soon and Wil bought us a house for us to live in together.” For some reason, Emma felt the awkward need to explain further. “You see, we did not know which house to live in, mine or Wil’s, so Wil bought another house.”
    “Must be made of money,” he said in a low voice, his face expressionless.
    Emma did not take offence at his sarcasm. She was sure he wanted to get under her skin. “Yes, he’s made of money. Money is not a problem to him.”
    “Emma said that it needs a lot of work,” Silvie said.
    At that point, Emma gave up. She was a private person and did not want the detective to know all her personal information that Silvie was giving out so freely. Emma knew she should not mind what the detective thought of her, but because of Silvie’s prattling, Emma felt the need to add, “It’s going to be a nice house when it’s finished.”
    Emma was thankful that Ettie changed the subject by saying to the detective, “I’ve got some more meals in the cold box for you.”
    “Ettie, I appreciate it, but it’s not necessary. I have learned to cook over the years.”
    Ettie scrunched up her face at Detective Crowley as if she did not believe that he could cook. “I like having someone to cook for and Elsa-May and I always have so much