Read The Amish Widow (Amish Romance Mystery) (Amish Secret Widows' Society Book 1) for Free Online Page A

nothing. “Is there a chance you’ll change your mind?”
    Bob stood beside his father and never looked at her or spoke to her once. Mr. Pluver said, “ Nee , everything’s set in place. I’m sorry to do it at a time like this.”
    Emma nodded and Mr. Pluver and Bob wasted no time to get into their buggy and drive away.
    What would she do now? She didn’t even have Levi to talk things over with. She was on her own and about to lose her husband’s legacy. She wondered what else could go wrong. Emma walked back to the buggy and took out the pitchfork and the spade and placed it in the utility room of her kitchen – she was not going to be without some self-defense in her haus tonight. She might even keep one of the objects under her bed. Bob Pluver sent shivers up and down her spine and so did McAllister, the vulture.
    * * *
    Half an hour later, Emma was pleased to see Maureen’s happy face.
    “So, how are you handling everything? It can’t be easy with Levi gone.”
    Emma inhaled deeply. “I’m glad I went to Elsa-May and Ettie’s place. I think I’ve found new friends in them and Silvie, of course.”
    Maureen remained silent and sipped her tea. “John, my bruder can come help if you need anything done around the place.”
    “ Denke , Maureen, but Wil’s only next door. He comes over nearly every day to make sure everything’s okay.”
    Maureen raised her eyebrows. “Does he?”
    “Stop it, Maureen. Don’t say it like there’s something going on.”
    Maureen pursed her lips and leaned toward Emma. “I’ve always thought that he was in love with you. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s never married because he’s always been in love with you.”
    “What? Don’t be ridiculous. He’s always been Levi’s best friend and nothing more.” The situation with the vulture and Wil kept playing on Emma’s mind. “Oh, I’ve had a dreadful day.”
    “Why what’s happened?”
    Emma swallowed hard and steeled herself to speak. “Did you see a small balding Englisch man at the funeral?”
    Maureen put her elbow onto the table and cradled her full face onto the palm of her hand. “There were a few Englischers. The one that John and I nearly ran over in the buggy?”
    Emma recalled the scene of the vulture nearly being trampled by a horse as he backed away from Wil’s buggy. “Oh, was that your buggy?”
    “ Jah , we saw he’d grabbed onto Wil’s horse. Who is he?”
    Emma pushed her lips out. It was hard for her to talk about the farm. “He wants me to sell the farm to him.”
    “ Nee . And he asked you at the funeral?”
    Emma nodded.
    Maureen’s green eyes flashed. “You wouldn’t sell, would you?”
    “ Nee , I mean – I had no reason to sell until today. Henry Pluver just came and told me he wouldn’t be leasing the farm any longer. Anyway, that’s not all I was going to tell you.”
    “What else?”
    “At the funeral, Wil scolded the man and told him to leave me alone, but today when we were at the craft store I saw them across the road. They were speaking to each other real friendly.”
    Maureen frowned and pouted her lips out in an exaggerated manner.
    Emma continued, “Then later I saw them together in a coffee shop and they were having lunch together. What do you think of that? They were speaking as if they were great friends.”
    Maureen placed her teacup back on the table and nibbled on a cookie. “It’s quite clear, actually. It would appear that the two of them are in cahoots.”
    “Ca… what?”
    “You know, in it together. Either they are trying to buy your property together or the short man has paid Wil, to encourage you to sell – like a spotter’s fee or something. There could be a number of scenarios.”
    “ Nee , Wil would never do anything like that.”
    Maureen completely ignored Emma’s comment. “Or, maybe Wil is buying it and has instructed the short man to act as his agent so you won’t know it’s really Wil buying it.”
    Emma considered what Maureen