The Search The Secrets of Crittenden Cou

Chapter 7




“Perry Borntrager was the type of boy to race buggies in the middle of the night. Though I’ve done my share of foolish things, I ain’t never done anything so foolhardy. I told him that, too.”

JOHN PAUL EICHER




Detective, maybe now you could tell me the truth about you and my daughter,” Mr. Eicher announced once the two of them were standing out in the hall. The look he sent Luke’s way reminded him of picking up his prom date back in high school and meeting her father for the first time.

And just like those days, he began to feel self-conscious. What was it about dads and daughters that never failed to change?

“Mr. Eicher, I promise, Frannie and I are just friends.”

“Friends?” One graying eyebrow rose so high it was removed from view under the brim of his black felt hat. “My daughter has a great many friends. And those are girlfriends. You are not like them.”

“Ah—”

“Now, she also has Micah.”

Almost against his will, Luke snapped to attention. “Micah?”

Bushy eyebrows furrowed together. “You’ve never heard Frannie speak of him?”

“If she has, I don’t remember.” Which was a lie, of a sort. If Frannie had spoken of a man in her life, he would have paid close attention. “Are they courting?”

This time, Mr. Eicher looked a little uncomfortable. “Sometimes they are . . . sometimes not.” When Luke stared at him, waiting for more of an explanation, he said, “Micah has been around Frannie for most of her life. He’s always had a sweet spot for her. Nothing would make him happier than for them to marry.”

Luke noticed Mr. Eicher didn’t say that it would make Frannie happier. Or him, for that matter.

“Do you think they will marry?”

“I don’t know. Perhaps they will get more serious now that Perry is gone.” He winced. “I’m sorry, that don’t sound right, does it? I just meant that Frannie had been caught in a whirlwind by Perry.”

“You don’t owe me an explanation,” he said, though he filed away the information about Perry to revisit later.

“That is true,” Mr. Eicher said smartly. “However, you still owe me one. Is there something special between you and my daughter?”

“No.” That was another lie, of course. He had become very fond of Frannie. There was something about her that was special to him—and he had a feeling that Frannie felt the same way about him. Even if neither of them had spoken a word about it.

“There can be nothing between you two, you know. You are English. You live far away, in Cincinnati. And, of course, you are a police officer.”

Mr. Eicher said “police officer” the way most people would say “child molester.”

“I realize that.” Because, after all, what else could he say? He was also starting to bristle. He knew the man was probably worried about his daughter and lashing out at him because he was a stranger, but he didn’t have to be so gruff.

“We are just friends. I used to rent a room from her. Nothing more, nothing less.”

Someone guffawed. Luke glanced down the hallway and wasn’t the least surprised to see that it was Mose. He’d texted that he was bringing Frannie’s father to the hospital. This soap opera of a visit was going to be ammunition for Mose’s jokes for years to come.

Luke couldn’t believe the situation he was in. He was almost thirty years old. He’d dated his share of women. Never before had he been treated to the steely-eyed intense glare of a concerned Amish father.

Before Mr. Eicher could think up more questions to ask, Luke decided to ask some questions of his own. “Are you uncomfortable with me being here at the hospital? If so, I could leave.”

Immediately, the man’s expression eased. “Gut.”

Ready to make good on his promise, he paused. “If I leave, are you planning to sit with her the rest of the day? Because I think we both know that she shouldn’t be alone.”

The older man averted his eyes. “I’m afraid I canna do that. I have to get back to my animals.”

“So you’d rather she sit by herself than with me?” He looked around. “Or is this Micah here? I would have thought you’d want the man who intends to marry your daughter to be a little more concerned.”

“I do not know what else he had planned for his day. I couldn’t begin to imagine.” But a healthy sheen of red floated up through his cheeks.

Now that he’d been able to make his point, Luke retreated a bit. Softening his voice, he said, “Mr. Eicher, listen. All I’m trying to do is help Frannie in any way I can. And right now, that’s not leaving her alone. Hospitals can be very lonely places.”

“You aren’t intending to court my Frannie? Because if you are, I’d like to know. I’d rather hear bad news instead of lies. I don’t care for liars.”

As prickly as Frannie’s father was, Luke was discovering that the more they talked, the better he liked him. “I don’t care for liars, either.”

“Then?”

All of a sudden, Luke felt tongue-tied. But then he remembered just how unsuitable they were for each other. And he couldn’t afford to let any romantic feelings color the investigation.

In addition, as her father had pointed out, she was Amish. Granted, she was new order Amish, and allowed a lot of modern conveniences that the more conservative sects did not.

But even so, a life with a Cincinnati detective who made his living investigating crimes and murders in the most violent neighborhoods of the city was not the right type of man for a woman whose teachings and beliefs were centered on peace and nonviolence.

“I don’t plan to court Frannie.”

Pale blue-gray eyes the same color as Frannie’s regarded him intently before he nodded, and then, without another word, started walking toward Mose.

As Luke watched him walk away, he felt slightly guilty. He hadn’t promised that he would never court her. Just that he didn’t plan to. He’d chosen his words with care. Hmm. Who was he trying to fool now?

Mr. Eicher’s voice rang through the hall. “Mose, are you ready now? Because it’s close to feeding time and no one will do the work if I don’t.”

“I’m ready. But give me a second, John Paul,” Mose replied. “I need to speak with Luke for a moment.”

“Can’t it wait? I just spoke with him.”

“It won’t take long. It’s about police business,” Mose said easily.

With a grumble, Mr. Eicher said, “I’ll go downstairs, then. Where I’ll be waiting.”

After they watched Frannie’s father deliberately ignore the elevator and walk down the steps, Mose grinned. “He’s a piece of work, isn’t he?”

“He’s something. Is he always so taciturn?”

“Pretty much. If you want to know the truth, this is a good day for John Paul. Usually he substitutes conversation with glares and sighs.”

“He was getting on my last nerve.”

“Oh, he does that with most all of us,” Mose said dryly. “He’s never been one for conversation.”

“Or smiles.”

Mose laughed with his usual ease. “That, too. Most folks think Frannie’s bed-and-breakfast would do a far sight worse if her father took a mind to spend more time there. He could run off a bull with a cold, he’s so ornery.”

“I bet.” Luke figured the bull-with-a-cold comment meant something in Mose’s mind, but he was too tired to figure it out. “Well, good luck getting him home.”

“I’ll take that luck,” Mose said with a slight grin. “Now, you ready for some news?”

He’d been so rattled by the grilling, he’d almost forgotten that Mose said he had information for him. “I am.”

“Jacob Schrock is back in town. So is Deborah Borntrager.”

Immediately, all thoughts of overprotective fathers fled. “It’s about time.” Both he and Mose had interviewed the Schrocks, the owners of the general store where Perry had worked, several times.

Their son, who was about Perry’s age, had been mysteriously absent. Deborah, Perry’s sister, had also been out of town. For them both to be called out of town right when Perry’s body had been found seemed a little too coincidental. But, of course, neither Luke nor Mose had had any cause to be suspicious of them.

But everything in his experience told him that there was more to the coincidence. “Have you questioned them?” he asked in a rush. “What did they say?”

“I haven’t spoken with either of them.”

“Why not?”

“Because I thought you might like to do the honors tomorrow, that’s why.”

“But the questioning should be done today. While the news is still fresh.”

“Ach, Luke. We both know none of the news about Perry’s death is still fresh! It’s all old, and interwoven with suppositions and secrets.”

“But what if they start talking to their families?” Luke felt bad about even mentioning it. After all, Mose wasn’t a green rookie cop; he’d been on the job as long as Luke had.

But of course, he hadn’t been investigating murders in Cincinnati like Luke had. Most of Mose’s detective work had concerned domestic disputes and a few petty thefts.

“Settle down, Luke. Deborah and Jacob will still be in town tomorrow. I checked on that. You stay here at the hospital with Frannie. She seems happy to share your company.”

Sitting with her made him feel good, too. But Luke didn’t like putting off the investigation for personal reasons. “Mose—”

His buddy held up a hand. “We’ve waited this long, we can wait a little longer.”

“Look, you need to know that just because I’m here with Frannie, it doesn’t mean I’ve gotten sidetracked.” But even as he said the words, he started to worry. Since when had he ever worked on an investigation where his complete focus wasn’t on the case twenty-four-seven?

Mose chuckled. “Oh, Luke, I know you haven’t gotten sidetracked! All that’s happened is you’re getting settled into Crittenden County.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means that you’re starting to learn how we do things. We take things slow and steady, and think them through. And,” he added with a smile, “we remember that there’s a whole lot more to life than solving somebody’s death. Now, I’d best get on downstairs before John Paul starts calling for me. And he will!”

While Mose trotted downstairs, Luke pressed the button on the elevator and went up to the third floor to where the small snack bar and coffee shop was located.

“What can I get you?” a Mennonite woman in a flowered dress at the counter asked.

“Coffee fresh?”

“Yep. And so are the Danishes. We’ve got cherry and lemon today. You should try one, they’re worth the calories, I promise.”

He laughed. “If they’re that good, I know I won’t want to pass them up. I’ll take a cup of coffee and a cherry Danish.”

“Room for cream?”

“Nope.”

After he paid, she noticed his brace. “You go take a seat. I’ll bring both out to you.”

With a grateful smile, Luke followed her directions and took a chair at one of the five tables. Just minutes later, the woman brought him his Danish and coffee.

Both were outstanding. Hit the spot.

And that’s when he started thinking that maybe Mose was right. He was starting to get used to things here. When someone offered to do him a favor, he didn’t think it was a sign of weakness to accept.

He was even coming to expect that the food and coffee offered at the hospital would be delicious.

And though he was still having trouble coming to terms with the fact that he was putting off the interviews until another day, he had to admit that what Mose said was true.

It wouldn’t make much of a difference to talk to the two new suspects tomorrow.

He really was changing in spite of himself.

“Mister, how about a refill? Free of charge.”

“I’d love one, thanks.” And instead of standing up, he merely gave the woman a grateful smile when she approached.

Yep, he was definitely getting used to things here. So used to things, it made him wonder how he was going to handle things back in Cincinnati. Back in his real world.