The Amish Widow (Amish Romance Mystery) (Amish Secret Widows' Society Book 1) by Samantha Price Page B

someone?”
    “I’m not sure. The way he spoke, I would think that he was buying the land for himself; I couldn’t say for sure, but he is a realtor.” Wil fixed his gaze intently on her. “Emma, you don’t think I’m deceiving you in any way, do you?”
    Emma placed two teacups on the table. “So many things have happened in such a short space of time. I guess I don’t know whether I’m coming or going sometimes. I just want to feel safe again.” She slumped into one of her kitchen chairs.
    Wil moved from where he sat to sit beside her and reached out his hand. Emma knew it was a friendly gesture, not a romantic one, so she placed her hand in his. “I’ll always be here to look after you, Emma.”
    That’s exactly what Levi used to say to me and he wasn’t always there to look after me, she thought. Levi had left her alone; whether he wanted to or not, he had left her alone.
    Wil suddenly looked up. “Smells like the bread’s ready.”
    “Oh goodness me.” Emma jumped up. “Just as well you said something or it might have burned.”
    Emma wrapped her hands in dishtowels and pulled the loaves of bread out of the oven.
    Wil sniffed the air. “Mmm, they smell gut , don’t they?”
    “They smell delicious. I’ll cut you some pieces.”
    “I’ll do it.” Wil rose to his feet, took the large bread knife out of the drawer and cut some slices of bread.
    As they sat and ate warm bread and butter together, Emma felt it comforting to have a mann in her kitchen, sitting and speaking with her.
    Maureen’s buggy pulling up out the front disturbed the two of them.
    Wil jumped up and looked out the window. “It’s Maureen. I’ll be on my way then. Denke for the fresh bread.”
    Emma followed Wil to the front door. “Bye, Wil.”
    “Won’t be a moment,” Emma called to Maureen.
    Minutes later, Emma hurried to Maureen’s buggy with the fresh baked bread under her arm.
    “You two looked very cozy when you were saying goodbye. Come to think of it, he was over at your place very early.”
    Emma laughed. “Stop it. He smelled the bread and came over to have a few slices. That’s all. He’s a gut friend, and nothing more.”
    “All right. You don’t need to convince me so thoroughly. Now, let's go over our plan with Mrs. Pluver.”
    “I do feel a bit awful going to see her, since I don’t really like her. I do feel sorry for her of course – who wouldn’t? It’s just that under normal circumstances I wouldn’t visit so soon after her husband’s death.”
    “Relax, Emma. You think too much. We’ve got to do this; there’s no other way around it. We’ve got to find some things out.”
    As they drove down the Pluver’s driveway, a police car was driving the other way. Emma saw Detective Crowley in the passenger’s seat. The police car stopped and the detective got out and flagged the buggy down.
    “Stop, Maureen. It’s the detective.”
    Maureen pulled the horse up quickly and Emma got out to greet the detective.
    “Ah, Mrs. Kurtzler, we meet again; that’s an odd coincidence.”
    “Yes, I was just heading to the haus to pay my respects to Mrs. Pluver. That’s what we Amish do.” Emma hoped she hadn’t sounded too cheeky.
    “Carry on then.” The detective got back in the car and the police car continued back down the driveway toward the road.
    “He looks intimidating. I don’t like the way he looked at you,” Maureen said.
    “ Jah , I know. He seems to be suspicious of me for some reason. I wish I hadn’t gone there that morning, to the vulture’s office.”
    “It’ll all work out in the end; I’m sure,” Maureen said.
    Mrs. Pluver stood at her front door and waited for them to get out of the buggy.
    Maureen was the first to speak to Mrs. Pluver as they walked toward her. “We’re so sorry to hear the news, Ethel.”
    Emma nodded in agreement, and said, “We’ve brought you some food.”
    “ Denke , come in.” Ethel Pluver stepped aside to let them enter the haus.
    Ethel