Secrets in the Grave (Serenity's Plain Secrets Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

her that I couldn’t penetrate no matter how hard I tried. She didn’t trust me.
    “Father and Ma wanted to talk to me about Jonas Peachey—”
    “The medicine man?”
    “Yes. He moved into town right about the time we were doing the arson investigation in Poplar Springs.”
    “Yeah, I know. The bishop paid me a visit early on. He wanted me to run the man and his family off or something. It was weird. He didn’t give me any actual reasons for his intense discomfort with Mr. Peachey. He was keeping secrets, as usual.” Serenity scoffed.
    I didn’t know whether to frown or chuckle. Serenity’s lips pressed tightly together.
    “Why didn’t you mention this to me a long time ago?”
    Serenity shrugged. “It didn’t seem important at the time.” She shifted her feet. “I thought it was just Amish drama—nothing the authorities needed to be involved with.”
    I half-laughed, shaking my head. “Since I used to be Amish and these are my people, it should have occurred to you that I’d be interested. Hell, you should have wanted to share the information with me.”
    Several emotions passed over Serenity’s face. Anger flashed and turned to reluctant contriteness.
    “Sorry. I got busy with other things. Can we talk about it now?” Serenity’s eyes glittered with hopefulness.
    “I guess we have no choice.” Serenity’s pretty face darkened with hostility and I added, “Ma told me that there have been some strange healing practices going on in the community lately. She was concerned that things might get out of hand. She wanted me to talk to you about it.”
    “I can’t arrest people who haven’t committed a crime yet,” Serenity pointed out.
    “Would it make you more inclined to do so if you knew that Jonas had visited the Kuhns family several times in recent weeks? And that Jonas’ wife died in childbirth?”
    Serenity pulled her little notebook out of her pocket. “Go on,” she said.

3
    SERENITY
    I stared across the table at Bishop Esch, my mind swirling. “Robyn Peachey, Jonas’ wife, was your sister?”
    “She was the youngest child in my family. That’s why I’m so well acquainted with Jonas,” the bishop said.
    The Amish man was tall and thin. His long beard was mostly white, as was his hair and his bushy eyebrows. His black hat, coat and pants made him look like the harbinger of death. I still remembered him standing over me as I had lain bleeding and bruised on the dirt floor of the abandoned barn. He was a vigilante leader—a scary guy. But for all that, I’d managed to come to a truce with him, although it was awkward at times.
    The bishop leaned further across the table on his elbows. “I was visiting Robyn and her girls at their home in Ohio when she died.”
    “Was her death similar to this one?” I pointed straight up, indicating where Fannie Kuhns died.
    The bishop frowned. “She was in labor when it happened. Her daughter survived.”
    I glanced at my notes. “The girl would be about ten years old now?”
    “Yes, that is correct.”
    I glanced at my notes. “And your brother-in-law takes care of his two youngest girls, Verna and Esta?”
    Bishop Esch shook his head. “Jonas may live in the same house, but it’s his sister, Ada Mae, who cares for the children. Always has, since Robyn’s death.”
    My eyes strayed to Daniel as I organized the relationships of everyone we’d been discussing in my mind.
    “So. Jonas Peachey came to the Kuhns’ home on several occasions to provide medicinal relief to someone this month? That’s all you have?”
    “Isn’t that enough, Sheriff?” His eyebrows rose.
    “I’m afraid it’s all circumstantial.” The bishop slumped in his seat at my words. My gut tightened and I went out on a limb. “Let me interview a few more people and get the autopsy and toxicology reports back.” I didn’t flinch when I met Bishop Esch’s hard gaze. “Don’t worry. We’ll keep an eye on Jonas.”
    Daniel and I left the bishop whispering to