Amish Undercover by Samantha Price Read Free Book Online

‘em.”
    Bailey put a hand on Marvin’s shoulder. “You’ve got a second chance now, Marvin, use it.”
    Marvin looked into the distance.
     

 
    Chapter 7.
    For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth;
    even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
    Proverbs 3:12
     
    Bailey was at the next widows’ meeting when he shared the following information. “They won’t authorize me to put a maid at Richard Starks’ house.”
    “Why not?” Elsa-May asked.
    “Too much man power and too much money has already been spent, they said.”
    Emma could see the disappointment in Bailey’s face. He’d worked so hard for so many years, and now he was so close.
    Elsa-May’s jaw dropped. “But, they’ve given that Marvin man a deal for helping you and then they’re not going to carry through with things?”
    Bailey blew out a heavy sigh. “Yup, seems so.”
    “One of us will have to do it then,” Silvie said looking at the other widows.
    “I’ll do it,” Emma said before she properly thought it through.
    Bailey shook his head. “I don’t know if it’s a good idea that any of you do it.”
    “You need someone in there, don’t you?” Emma desperately wanted to help Bailey so he could settle down and be happy with Silvie.
    “It would be good if we had someone in there, but I don’t want to put anyone in danger. No, we can do it without someone in there.”
    Emma saw the look of concern on Silvie’s face; her smooth forehead was furrowed with worry lines. Emma took a mouthful of hot kaffe and when no one else spoke she said, “Bailey, look at it this way, I’m going to get a job soon and what if I’d applied for a job and went to work for this Mr. Starks not knowing who he was? I could work for anyone not knowing if they were a criminal or not and not knowing what they were involved in.”
    Bailey raised his eyebrows.
    Ettie said, “Emma’s sensible, she won’t put herself into danger.”
    “I don’t know. Are you sure you want to do this, Emma?” Bailey asked.
    Emma nodded. She was sure, but she was not too sure how Wil would take the news. She knew that he would not forbid her to do it if she really wanted to, but he might not be happy about it.
    “ Nee , I should be the one to do it,” Silvie said.
    Bailey frowned at Silvie.
    “ Nee , Silvie,” Emma said. You’ve got your job to go to, and I don’t have a job at the moment. I’m really the obvious choice.”
    The widows all murmured in agreement. After all Emma knew she was right; Elsa-May and Ettie were far too old, and both Silvie and Maureen depended on the income they got from their part-time jobs. 
    Bailey clapped his hands together. “Okay, that’s settled. Thank you, Emma.”
    Emma smiled at Bailey, but inside she had butterflies in her tummy at the thought of pretending to be someone who she was not. She had never liked to deceive people, and she was glad that it was only going to be this one time. She did not know how undercover agents could do it on a regular basis. “You’ll have to tell me everything I have to do. I’ve never been a maid before; I need to know how to act and what to do.”
    Bailey nodded. “I’ll arrange for the agency to give you a rundown of all that. I’ve already found the employment agency Starks gets his staff through. I’ll arrange for the current maid to be taken out and you, Emma, to be put in.”
    Bailey ran a hand over his short-cropped hair. “I’ll give you a small camera, which will look like part of your apron. Snap anything that looks suspicious and take photos of all the paintings. Not that I’d expect that he’d have anything stolen on display; he’s not that stupid. Your name will be Tracey Cook. I’ll see that you get a maid’s uniform. You can’t wear your Amish clothes.”
    Emma nodded and set about memorizing her new name. Then she took another mouthful of kaffe wondering how to break the news to Wil.
     

Chapter 8.
    Righteous lips are the delight of kings;
    and they love him that