Read Online Murder, Simply Stitched: An Amish Quilt Shop Mystery by Isabella Alan - Free Book Online
Authors: Isabella Alan
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phone. I required technology to function. Now, Running Stitch had a phone line, credit card reader, and Wi-Fi.
I listened to the phone ring and waited for Sarah Leham to pick up. She was New Order Amish as well. I hoped she wouldn’t have too many questions, but knew that was unlikely. Sarah was the most curious Amish woman I had ever met. That had landed her in trouble a time for two with more closemouthed members of the Amish community.
“Running Stitch Quilt Shop, thank you for calling. How may I help you?” she asked like she was a professional telemarketer. I doubted Sarah even knew what a telemarketer was.
“Sarah, it’s Angie.”
“Angie, I’m glad you called. Is Mattie on her way? I thought she would be here by now. . . .” She trailed off.
“She’s not coming.” A group of English tourists entered the tent. I smiled at them and then turned away. I didn’t want them to overhear my conversation with Sarah. “Something has come up.”
“With Mattie? Is she all right? I hope she didn’t eat anything that made her ill.”
Funny Sarah would say that, considering how the coroner suspects Wanda died.
“Mattie’s fine. She went home with Rachel and Aaron a little while ago. She won’t be going to the shop because there’s been an accident.”
“Is it Rachel?” Sarah took a short breath. “Is she all right?”
“Rachel is fine too,” I paused. “It’s Wanda Hunt. She’s dead, and Rachel’s shaken up by it.”
I waited for the flurry of questions that were sure to hit me. Nothing. Silence.
“Sarah, are you still there?”
“I—I don’t know what to say.”
Sarah? Speechless? That had to be a first.
Then the rapid-fire questions came. “What happened? How could this happen? Was she sick? Why is Rachel so upset about it? I know it’s terrible,
ya
, but what does that have to do with Rachel?”
“Sarah, I can’t talk right now.” I lowered my voice. “I’m still at the auction. I promise to tell you when I can.”
“Oh, that’s right,” she said. “Someone may overhear you. You can tell me when you return to the shop.”
“That might not be for some time. The auction doesn’t close until four. I should stay here for the rest of it. Business has been good here.” I paused. “I don’t want you to be stuck there the rest of the day. Close the shop and go home. Just leave a sign on the door and the key in the drawer below the counter.”
“I can’t do that to you, Angie. Business has been brisk here too. Auction days are always the busiest in town.”
Relief washed over me. I may have done well at the auction, but I didn’t really want to have the shop close early with so many customers in town. I couldn’t afford to.
But then guilt for keeping Sarah away from her home and children immediately replaced the relief. “You should go home to your husband and children. I can’t ask you to stay any longer.”
“You’re not asking me to stay. I am doing it on my own. Besides, there is no one at home to go to. The children are at school, and my husband is on a carpentry job in Summit County. He won’t be home until late. If the children beat me home from school, they will be fine. My oldest is eleven, and she will be able to mind the other children until I arrive home. I will call the shed phone near our house and leave a message on the answering machine for her. She knows to check the shed phone machine if we aren’t there.”
“Your shed phone has an answering machine?”
She laughed. “I’m New Order Amish, Angie. I don’t live in the Dark Ages.”
I laughed. “Thank you, Sarah. That will be a big help. I will have to make it up to you.”
“You can by telling me everything you know about Rachel and Wanda when I see you.” She hung up the phone.
As I slid my cell phone back into my pocket, a woman in a purple sweater stopped at my table and gestured across the aisle to where Rachel’s table stood empty. “Where is the sweet lady from the bakery?
I listened to the phone ring and waited for Sarah Leham to pick up. She was New Order Amish as well. I hoped she wouldn’t have too many questions, but knew that was unlikely. Sarah was the most curious Amish woman I had ever met. That had landed her in trouble a time for two with more closemouthed members of the Amish community.
“Running Stitch Quilt Shop, thank you for calling. How may I help you?” she asked like she was a professional telemarketer. I doubted Sarah even knew what a telemarketer was.
“Sarah, it’s Angie.”
“Angie, I’m glad you called. Is Mattie on her way? I thought she would be here by now. . . .” She trailed off.
“She’s not coming.” A group of English tourists entered the tent. I smiled at them and then turned away. I didn’t want them to overhear my conversation with Sarah. “Something has come up.”
“With Mattie? Is she all right? I hope she didn’t eat anything that made her ill.”
Funny Sarah would say that, considering how the coroner suspects Wanda died.
“Mattie’s fine. She went home with Rachel and Aaron a little while ago. She won’t be going to the shop because there’s been an accident.”
“Is it Rachel?” Sarah took a short breath. “Is she all right?”
“Rachel is fine too,” I paused. “It’s Wanda Hunt. She’s dead, and Rachel’s shaken up by it.”
I waited for the flurry of questions that were sure to hit me. Nothing. Silence.
“Sarah, are you still there?”
“I—I don’t know what to say.”
Sarah? Speechless? That had to be a first.
Then the rapid-fire questions came. “What happened? How could this happen? Was she sick? Why is Rachel so upset about it? I know it’s terrible,
ya
, but what does that have to do with Rachel?”
“Sarah, I can’t talk right now.” I lowered my voice. “I’m still at the auction. I promise to tell you when I can.”
“Oh, that’s right,” she said. “Someone may overhear you. You can tell me when you return to the shop.”
“That might not be for some time. The auction doesn’t close until four. I should stay here for the rest of it. Business has been good here.” I paused. “I don’t want you to be stuck there the rest of the day. Close the shop and go home. Just leave a sign on the door and the key in the drawer below the counter.”
“I can’t do that to you, Angie. Business has been brisk here too. Auction days are always the busiest in town.”
Relief washed over me. I may have done well at the auction, but I didn’t really want to have the shop close early with so many customers in town. I couldn’t afford to.
But then guilt for keeping Sarah away from her home and children immediately replaced the relief. “You should go home to your husband and children. I can’t ask you to stay any longer.”
“You’re not asking me to stay. I am doing it on my own. Besides, there is no one at home to go to. The children are at school, and my husband is on a carpentry job in Summit County. He won’t be home until late. If the children beat me home from school, they will be fine. My oldest is eleven, and she will be able to mind the other children until I arrive home. I will call the shed phone near our house and leave a message on the answering machine for her. She knows to check the shed phone machine if we aren’t there.”
“Your shed phone has an answering machine?”
She laughed. “I’m New Order Amish, Angie. I don’t live in the Dark Ages.”
I laughed. “Thank you, Sarah. That will be a big help. I will have to make it up to you.”
“You can by telling me everything you know about Rachel and Wanda when I see you.” She hung up the phone.
As I slid my cell phone back into my pocket, a woman in a purple sweater stopped at my table and gestured across the aisle to where Rachel’s table stood empty. “Where is the sweet lady from the bakery?
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