CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

“Her counselor wasn’t the one who killed her,” Aiden said, leaving no room for argument.

Aubrey blinked at him. “But that’s what Gabe said.”

“He’s wrong. The counselor has an airtight alibi for the time of the murder.”

“Then who could have done it?” She blinked, and her eyelashes stuck together for a second before we could see her eyes again.

“That’s what I would like to know,” Aiden said. “At the very least, you’ve told us why she took up drinking again. That’s helpful.”

It was also helpful, I thought, to know that Leeza had had contact with her family shortly before she died, and RJ had lied about it.

“Do you know where I can find Gabe Johnson?” Aiden asked.

Aubrey shook her head. “He never told me where he lived . . .”

I winced. I would have taken that as a hint that he wasn’t romantically interested. Apparently, Aubrey missed that message.

“We have his address from his car registration. He’s not home right now. Where else might he have gone?” Aiden asked.

She shook her head. “I don’t know.”

“What’s your boss’s number?” Aiden asked.

Aubrey pulled her phone out of her pocket and rattled off a number. Aiden made a note on his minuscule notepad.

“Aubrey, I’m likely going to need to talk to you again. Please give me your contact information.”

She told him her address and phone number.

Tears were in her eyes. “Can I go now?”

Aiden nodded.

She jumped into her car and pulled away as fast as possible. I stepped back to escape the dust and gravel coming off the back of her tires as she peeled out.

When her car disappeared from sight I set Jethro back down on the gravel parking lot.

Cass folded her arms. “Aubrey spoke about girl code, but it seems to me that she broke it way worse than Leeza did. How could she go to Leeza’s family like that? That’s cold.”

“Jealousy is a powerful motivator,” Aiden said.

“Bull,” Cass said. “It was plain cruel, and I think that we are going to learn that Aubrey’s action was the catalyst for Leeza’s murder.”

I thought that was true, too. Jethro bumped his snout against my bare leg.

“I’m not happy that the two of you came here alone, but you did open up a whole new avenue for the investigation, and I’m grateful for that,” Aiden said. “It shouldn’t be long before we have Gabe Johnson in custody.”

Cass swung an arm over his shoulder. “Just admit it, Deputy Brody. We make a great team.”

Aiden made a face.

I picked up Jethro again. “We’d better get back to Swissmen Sweets. We’re pretty well set up for the Fourth of July celebration, but I want to double-check everything. Margot seems to think this will be the biggest event the village has ever seen.”

“Margot thinks every event on the square is the biggest,” Aiden said.

I nodded.

“I need to get back, too. Not only is the department investigating this murder, but we have to monitor firework use across the county. You would not believe the number of injuries that will go to the clinic over the next forty-eight hours.”

“I thought personal use of fireworks was illegal in Ohio,” I said.

“It is, but you can sell them.”

“So stores can sell them, but the people who buy them can’t shoot them off?” Cass asked.

Aiden nodded.

“That’s stupid.”

“It’s Ohio law,” he said in a resigned way.

We walked back to our cars. Cass opened the back door for me, and I tucked Jethro inside. On the back bench seat, he circled three times before settling down in the middle. He really was more like a hairless cat than a pig.

“Thanks for taking Jethro,” Aiden said.

“I didn’t have much of a choice,” I replied with a smile.

Aiden laughed. “Maybe not, but I still appreciate it.”

We climbed in our cars, and I noted that Aiden didn’t pull out of the parking lot until I pointed my compact car in the direction of Harvest. There might be some trust issues there, not that I didn’t deserve them. I should have told him about the matchbook as soon as Cass found it.

Cass turned to me. “Are we really going back to Swissmen Sweets?”

I nodded. “We really are. I think we need to take some time to make candy and think over what we should do next.”

Cass looked behind her. “And Hot Cop seems bound and determined to follow us all the way to the candy shop.”

Jethro put his front hooves on the back seat for a peek at Aiden, too.

“I think if Aiden had his way, he wouldn’t let us out of his sight for a second,” I said.

“Smart guy,” Cass said with a chuckle.

When I parked in my usual spot on Apple Street, Aiden accelerated and passed by with a toot of his horn.

“If he wasn’t such a great guy otherwise, I would find his following us super annoying,” Cass said.

“Me too.” I opened my car door.

As we walked back to the candy shop, I got a text message. I pulled my phone from my pocket, expecting it to be Aiden. Instead, I found that it was a message from his mother.

“Bailey, Aiden told me that you have Jethro. I’m so glad! You take such good care of him. You are just the sweetest almost-daughter-in-law. Aiden wouldn’t take Jethro’s things. Can you stop by the church and pick up his bag? I just packed a few things for him to make his stay with you more comfortable. I will meet you at the church in a few minutes. Love, Juliet.”

I showed the text to Cass. “She does know that she doesn’t have to sign her text messages, right? Your phone will tell you who the message is from.”

“I don’t know what Juliet knows when it comes to technology. Do you want to come with me to the church?”

“I think I’ll pass. If I go along, you will just end up being there longer because Juliet will ask me a hundred questions after asking you a hundred questions.”

I laughed.

“You should take the pig with you,” Cass said. “If she’s really leaving for her honeymoon soon, she will want to say goodbye to him.”

I sighed and scooped up Jethro, who had been toddling along after me on the sidewalk.

Cass stopped me. “Before you go, I think someone is here who wants to talk to you.”

“Who would . . . ?” I asked, but the rest of the question died on my lips when I saw Becca Stout standing outside Esh Family Pretzels, her hands clasped in front of her apron. She glanced at Cass nervously.

“I can take a hint,” Cass said. “Tell me everything later.” She went inside Swissmen Sweets then, leaving me on the sidewalk with Becca.

I walked over to her. “Becca, can I help you?”

She looked up and down the street. “I’m so sorry to bother you like this, and if my husband knew that I was here, he would be furious with me. I really should not have come.”

“Do you want to sit down?” I pointed to the park bench in front of Swissmen Sweets.

“Nee, nee, I can’t stay long. I have to get back to the gift shop. It’s a busy day, and I left two of the young girls in charge. It does not take much for them to become frazzled.”

“Then how can I help you?”

“I’ve been thinking about Elizabeth—Leeza. It’s just horrible what has happened.” She was on the verge of tears. “I can’t even bear to think of it. Have the police had any luck finding the person responsible?”

“They are still looking,” I said.

“And you are helping them?” she asked.

“I’m doing what I can. Because I have a good relationship with the Amish community, it is easier for me than it might be for sheriff’s deputies to get information.”

She frowned. “I can’t believe that an Amish person would have done this. Elizabeth left the faith so long ago. I know that she wanted to make amends with her family, but I can’t see them hurting her. I wouldn’t pester them if I were you. I know this is very painful for them.”

No matter how much RJ denied it, I guessed that she was right. Even so, I said, “The police have to talk to them.”

“Have you told the police about me?” she asked in a panicked voice.

I shook my head. “No, I haven’t needed to yet.”

“And you won’t,” she assured me. “I’m so sorry that I have lost my dear friend, but I can’t be involved. My husband wouldn’t like it,” she said in a low voice.

I bit the inside of my lip and wondered how strict Becca’s husband actually was. If she had been in my grandmother’s district, I just would have asked Maami if she knew, but she wasn’t.

“I’ll do my best not to tell them,” I said.

“Danki. You don’t know what that means to me.” She licked her lips. “Please, if you learn who is behind this terrible thing, will you tell me? I’m not sure I will hear the whole story otherwise, and it would bring my spirit peace to know that justice has been served.”

“I will.”

“I should go.”

I glanced up and down the street, but I didn’t see a horse and buggy anywhere. That was unusual in Harvest. “Did you come with an Englisch driver? I have to run an errand at the church.” I nodded to Jethro. “I need to take him to say goodbye to Juliet. She and Reverend Brook will be leaving soon, but after I am done with that I would be happy to drive you over to your shop in Berlin.”

“Nee, I will be fine. I left my horse and buggy at the Harvest market. It was a short walk between the market and your candy shop. It is a warm but fine day for a walk, and it gave me time to gather my thoughts.”

“Do you want any more marshmallow sticks for your shop?” I asked. “I can run inside and get you more to stock up.”

“Nee, they sold very well, but let’s wait until after the holiday.”

“Okay,” I said.

She nodded at me one more time and then made her way down the sidewalk in the direction of the small village market. My heart went out to her. It must be awful to know her close friend had died and she couldn’t grieve as she wanted to because her community had shunned Leeza. It sounded to me as if her husband was controlling, which wasn’t unusual in the Amish world. I frowned. I wished there was some way I could help her.

Jethro tugged on his leash, heading toward the village square. I thought that he must be eager to see Juliet. I knew Juliet would have a tough time away from Jethro, and the reverse would be true, too. The little pig was used to being treated like a king by his mistress, and he wouldn’t be getting that kind of treatment in my house, not by a long shot.

Several Amish men were already on the square setting up for the Fourth of July celebration the next day. Uriah Schrock, who was the temporary caretaker of the square, wrapped red, white, and blue twinkle lights around the trunk of a tree. He smiled at me. “Guder owed to you, Bailey King.” His face broke into a wide smile as he said good afternoon to me.

“Guder owed, Uriah.”

He nodded at Jethro. “I see you have the troublemaker sau with you.”

“Troublemaker pig?”

“Oh yes, that little rascal was on the square earlier today with Juliet, and when no one was looking he pulled a string of lights from the gazebo.” Uriah wiped at his brow with a blue bandanna. “He’s lucky they weren’t plugged in or he would have gotten quite a shock indeed.”

I looked down at Jethro. He cocked his head as if to ask me What?

“Despite Jethro’s behavior, the square has always looked nice since you’ve taken over its care. Visitors to the village have noticed, too. Many who come back year after year have commented to me about how nice it all looks.”

“I do enjoy the work and give it my best. It gives me something to do while I’m in this time of waiting.”

I wanted to ask Uriah what he was waiting for but thought it was best not to pry. I was dealing with enough problems at the moment.

“Margot runs a tight ship,” he went on, shoving the bandanna into the pocket of his trousers. “I knew when she hired me that she would expect the very best. That’s why I’m here just about every day, working.” He put a finger to his lips. “Don’t tell my bishop that I’m out here on Sundays. That’s a no-no for my community.”

“Are you really working on Sundays?” I knew every Amish district considered it bad form to work on the Sabbath.

“Not too much. I pull a weed here and there. Mostly, I’m just checking on the place. I want the green to always look its best.”

“And it does,” I said with a smile.

I had every intention of leaving then when he cleared his throat. “I heard about what happened over at the church. Terrible business.”

I nodded, but I wasn’t the least bit surprised that he had heard. The Amish grapevine was widespread, and now that it was known Leeza was former Amish, there would be even more tongues wagging.

“You found the body?” he asked.

I nodded.

“I hate to hear about something like that happening to Elizabeth.”

I blinked when he said her Amish name. “Elizabeth?”

“Elizabeth Chupp. That was the woman they found on the church steps. I happened to be walking by on my way to the square and had the misfortune to see her face. I recognized her right away. She was a member of my district here in Ohio.”

“You knew Leeza?” I asked.

“I didn’t know her very well,” he said. “But her grandfather was a great friend of mine, and he told me all about the choices she made.”

“What kinds of choices?”

“Choices that could have gotten her killed,” he said quietly.