Crowley added, “Meanwhile, Earl had collected Roslyn for a date. He told her he had to stop in at someone’s house and he wouldn’t be long. She told us she’d had enough of his philandering and empty promises and he was behaving as though he was drunk and she took that to mean he’d come to her from meeting a woman for some drinks. Which was true, but he wasn’t drunk, he’d been poisoned. As soon as he got out of the car, Roslyn grabbed a rope that was around a box in his back seat.”
Ettie rubbed her chin. “Roslyn got out of the car and strangled him with the rope?”
“She said she thought he was seeing other women. Which he was; he was going to speak with Myra, who he was stalking and harassing.”
Elsa-May reached forward and took a piece of cake. “After all this time, Earl had kept a relationship going with Roslyn.”
Crowley said, “As you put it the other night, Ettie, he’d kept her dangling on a string for years, it seems.”
Ettie said, “Then she left on foot after but not before wiping the car of all evidence that she was ever there? She slipped away without being seen, just seconds before Santa arrived in the street.”
“Yes. That sums it up nicely.” Kelly nodded.
“All’s well that ends well,” Crowley said. “I’m just glad that Santa Claus didn’t have anything to do with the murder.”
Kelly shook his head. “I didn’t think for a moment the harmless old man had anything to do with it.”
“I feel sad for him thinking he’s Santa Claus,” Crowley said.
Ettie smiled as she pictured the dear jolly old man. “He seems happy enough. I don’t think you need to feel sorry or sad for him.”
Kelly frowned at Ettie. “Mrs. Smith, the man thinks he’s the real Santa Claus. How can you say not to feel sorry for him?”
Crowley laughed. “Maybe he is the real Santa and he’s been telling the truth all along and no one will listen to him.”
Elsa-May looked at Ettie. “Don’t say it, Ettie.”
“Why not? I was telling Elsa-May earlier that I know he couldn’t be the real Santa Claus because his elves would’ve gotten him back to the North Pole.”
Elsa-May shook her head and looked across at the detectives. “See what I have to put up with?”
‘Amish Christmas Mystery.’
The next in the series is:
Who Killed Uncle Alfie?
Is he on the run, or dead?
When former Amish man, Uncle Alfie, is found murdered the police are concerned that Jazeel his nephew is missing. Jazeel's fiance turns to Ettie Smith for help.
Ettie soon finds herself unravelling lies, reasons for revenge, and ulterior motives, and they're just from Uncle Alfie's family.
How can Ettie possibly find out who murdered Uncle Alfie and locate Jazeel when she's contending with a secretive housekeeper, a hostile rescue cat, and a nosey neighbor?
Find out what happens in this lighthearted, Amish cozy mystery.
Who Killed Uncle Alfie?
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ETTIE SMITH AMISH MYSTERIES
Book 1 Secrets Come Home
Book 2 Amish Murder
Book 3 Murder in the Amish Bakery
Book 4 Amish Murder Too Close
Book 6 Amish Baby Mystery
Book 7 Betrayed
Book 8: Amish False Witness
Book 9: Amish Barn Murders
Book 10 Amish Christmas Mystery
Book 11 Who Killed Uncle Alfie?
Book 12 Lost: Amish Mystery
Book 13 Amish Cover-Up
Book 14 Amish Crossword Murder
Book 15 Old Promises
Book 16 Amish Mystery at Rose Cottage
Book 17 Amish Mystery: Plain Secrets
Book 18 Amish Mystery: Fear Thy Neighbor
Book 19 Amish Winter Murder Mystery
Book 20 Amish Scarecrow Murders
About Samantha Price
USA Today Bestselling author, Samantha Price, wrote stories from a young age, but it wasn't until later in life that she took up writing full time. Formally an artist, she exchanged her paintbrush for the computer and, many best-selling book series later, has never looked back.
Samantha is happiest on her computer lost in the world of her characters. She is best known for the Ettie Smith Amish Mysteries series and the Expectant Amish Widows series.
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