Dangerous Amish Showdown

by Mary Alford

  “Why? Tell me why?”

  How could she put to words the sorrow in her heart?

  A sound nearby had them pulling apart. Ethan came into the room. Willa was grateful for his appearance because their discussion would serve no purpose.

  “How is he?” Mason asked, his voice rough.

  “Holding his own, but the wound is definitely infected.” He motioned to the door. “Seems quiet. Any sign of the sheriff?”

  “No.” Mason shook his head. “And I can’t reach him on the phone.”

  Ethan eased himself to the window and looked out. “I see their police lights. They seem closer.”

  Mason moved to the window beside Ethan and glanced out while Willa did her best to collect herself.

  Why, Gott? Why bring this to me now?

  She did not wish to think of Gott as cruel. He had blessed her life with so many wonderful things. Her mamm and daed. Her sister, Miriam. Special memories of living in this wonderful community and being friends with the Shetler family, among others. How could she think of Gott as cruel? And yet...he’d allowed her mamm’s suffering. Without a cure, she most certainly would die before her time. Willa selfishly thought about her life. She would never know the joy of having a mann or kinner of her own.

  “Strange that Bartelli’s people aren’t taking advantage of the sheriff’s absence.” Mason frowned. “It doesn’t make sense.”

  “Yeah, to tell you the truth, I don’t like it. In battle, quiet usually comes before all-out war.”

  Ethan’s chilling words hung in the air as a man outside yelled, “Attention inside the house!”

  Willa hurried to Mason’s side.

  “Bring the girl out and you’ll all live. Don’t try to be heroes. You don’t get paid enough to die. All we want is the child.”

  Revulsion rose in Willa’s heart. “I can’t believe it. They are asking us to trade Samantha for our lives?”

  Mason slipped his arm around her shoulders.

  “We aren’t going to hurt her. We’ll take her to a place where she’ll have a family to care for her, and she can’t cause any more problems. It’s what’s best for her and you. If you don’t bring her out, you all die. The choice is yours.”

  “It’s a lie.” Mason’s jaw tightened. “They’ll kill us all, including Samantha.”

  A frightening moment passed.

  “Last chance,” the man called out.

  Mason turned Willa to face him. A pulse beat in his jaw. This was the moment they’d been expecting. A second later, the outdoors exploded with gunfire coming from all directions. Mason hit the floor with her. He covered her body with his. “Are you hurt?”

  She shook her head and searched for Ethan among the chaos.

  The rancher crouched low, protecting his head. “We can’t stay here.”

  “The kitchen,” Willa told them.

  A moment of peace had them scrambling to their feet. Willa grabbed Mason’s hand and started for the kitchen, but stopped when she caught movement out of the corner of her eye.

  “Mr. Mason!” Samantha called. The child had heard the noise and fled the cellar.

  Mason grabbed the little girl up in his arms. Someone kicked the front door open, forcing them to duck behind the kitchen wall.

  The window above the sink shattered with round after round of bullets.

  “Keep Samantha with you behind the wall.” Mason handed the child to Willa, who gathered the trembling little girl in her arms. Samantha buried her face against Willa and sobbed uncontrollably.

  Two men rushed into the house.

  Mason and Ethan opened fire. The men dropped.

  “Do you hear that?” Ethan turned toward them, a shocked expression on his face.

  Over the nightmare taking place around them came a welcoming sound. Sirens.

  Mason looked into Willa’s eyes. “Help is coming. Stay low to the floor. We just have to hold out a little while longer.”

  But that wouldn’t be an easy task with Bartelli’s men pouring into the house.

  Mason and Ethan continued to protect them as the multitude of soldiers stormed in.

  The entrance to the cellar stood open only a few feet away and yet it might as well be a mile with so much danger all around.

  Willa slipped the handgun from her pocket and kept it close while praying with all her heart that Gott’s will was for them to be saved.

  The battle continued as Samantha clung to Willa and sirens wailed closer.

  Several screams came from the living room as Bartelli’s men went down, yet more replaced them.

  The whole house had become a war zone.

  Ethan and Mason crouched low behind the wall and reloaded their weapons.

  “I’m almost out,” Mason told the man beside him.

  “Same here. We have to make each shot count.”

  Mason scrambled close to Willa, his troubled gaze holding hers. “No matter what, I want you to know I love you.”

  Her eyes filled with tears. A sob escaped.

  Ethan leaned past the wall and opened fire. An onslaught of shots answered. He screamed and fell backward onto the floor. Blood quickly covered the front of his sweatshirt.

  “Ethan!” Mason grabbed hold of him and pulled him out of danger.

  Willa untangled Samantha’s arms.

  “No,” Samantha moaned when Willa tried to move. “Don’t leave me.”

  “I have to. Ethan needs me.” While Mason continued to hold off Bartelli’s men, Willa searched for a safe place for Samantha to hide. She wouldn’t be able to safely reach the cellar stairs with all the gunshots spewing through the broken kitchen window. Willa spotted one of the cabinets close enough for the child to reach without being in danger. “See that cabinet there.” She pointed to it and the child’s tear-filled eyes followed. “Climb inside and don’t come out no matter what. My sister and I used to play hide-and-seek in there. You will be safe.”

  “No, I can’t,” Samantha sobbed. “It’s too far.”

  “You can. You are strong.” Willa opened the cabinet door. “Hurry, Samantha.”

  The child scrambled from her arms and into the open cabinet. Once she was safely concealed, Willa closed the door and crawled to Ethan. His pained eyes sought hers. She examined his injury.

  “It’s not so bad.” But they both knew differently. Willa slipped off her prayer kapp and knotted it up against the wound. “Just rest.”

  “How is he?” Mason said, tossing his weapon aside and reaching for Ethan’s.

  “I need something more to stop the bleeding.” She looked around the small space where they hid.

  “Here, use this.” Mason managed to reach a dish towel and handed it to her.

  She replaced the bloody prayer kapp and applied pressure.

  Outside, the sirens screamed closer. Sheriff Collins’s people would have another battle on their hands once they reached the house. And until they could clear it, the EMTs wouldn’t be allowed inside. Two injured men might die.

  Willa struggled to hold back those dark thoughts. It couldn’t end like this. Not with lifesaving help a few feet away. Not after they’d battled so hard to live.

  Her frightened eyes sought out Mason’s. All the same doubts plaguing her were there.

  “Don’t give up,” he whispered, and squeezed her hand. Both glanced at the man lying on the floor. Ethan had tried to save them and now he might die.

  Mason dropped her hand as another of Bartelli’s men tried to enter the kitchen. He emptied the last of the shells and ducked behind the wall.

  “Here, use this one.” Willa tossed him her handgun. He quickly checked the clip. “It won’t last long.” A man entered the kitchen, and Mason whirled and fired.

  Willa kept pressure on Ethan’s gunshot wound and prayed for the nightmare to end. The dish towel s
oon became soaked in blood. Ethan’s head slumped sideways. He’d lost consciousness. Mason fought off wave after wave of enemies.

  Outside, the sheriff’s people engaged Bartelli’s soldiers. And more men poured into the house.

  TWELVE

  The distinct click when he pulled back the hammer confirmed Mason’s worst fears. He’d used up all of Willa’s bullets and yet the men kept coming. While the battle continued outside, he and Willa wouldn’t stand a chance without a weapon.

  He eased himself behind the wall’s protection. Two men came into the kitchen. Mason dove for one of the dead men’s weapons and shot. Both jumped out of the room.

  “Stay here,” Willa pleaded when he tried to shift the battle away from her and Ethan by going after the men. “Let the sheriff handle them.”

  He looked into her eyes and read all the things she wanted to say. “We don’t have that long. Take care of Samantha and Ethan.”

  Tears shone in her eyes. Before she could say anything, Mason started for the opening, keeping low. Someone fired. He tucked against the wall and waited for the shooting to stop.

  The chaos taking place in the house made it hard to see clearly.

  “Mason, watch out,” Willa yelled.

  A man appeared only a few inches away and shoved the weapon in his hand against Mason’s side. Before Mason had time to react, Bartelli’s soldier pulled the trigger. A bullet ripped through Mason’s body. He stumbled forward, holding on to his weapon with difficulty.

  “No,” Willa screamed. She reached him and grabbed his gun, then fired at the enemy. Mason staggered on his feet. The world around him blurred. He was losing consciousness. He slammed into the door frame. Slid to the floor while the shot throbbed through his injured body.

  He became aware of gunshots flying all around. Willa tried to drag him out of the line of fire while her frightened eyes held his.

  “I’ve got you, Mason, I’ve got you. You will be oke.” But the pain coursing through his body indicated otherwise.

  Bullets sprayed through the kitchen. Willa hauled him deeper into the room and waited out the onslaught before she continued to pull him deeper into the kitchen and out of danger of the gunfire.

  While he tried to get enough air into his lungs, all he could think about was Willa and his youngest witness.

  The shooting outside seemed less frequent. The sheriff was gaining control.

  Mason’s gaze landed on the cabinet where Samantha had hidden. The door stood open. “Where’s Samantha?” He managed to get the words out. Willa jerked toward it.

  “Samantha!” she screamed, and frantically searched the kitchen. “They have her.”

  Mason grabbed his side and stumbled to his feet, trying to stay focused. Samantha needed him.

  Putting one foot in front of the other took all his concentration. Willa moved to the kitchen entrance. “I don’t see anyone.” She turned back to him. “Wait here for me. I’ll find Samantha.” She slipped from the room while all sorts of bad outcomes ran through his head.

  “I’m coming with you,” he murmured to himself as he lost his footing and fell hard. Grabbing his side, he tried to breathe through the pain. The injury slowed him down, but the battle wasn’t over. Samantha. He wasn’t about to let Bartelli and his people hurt her. He had to get up. Keep fighting. Through the haze of blood loss, he heard more sirens headed their way. The ambulances had been dispatched. It was almost over.

  Gripping his side, he forced himself up to his knees and then to his feet. Crossing the room seemed to take all his energy. Another of Bartelli’s soldiers lay dead near the kitchen entrance. Mason inhaled painfully, leaned down and grabbed his weapon.

  He stumbled from the room. He had to keep it together for a little while longer. Had to find the little girl who he’d promised to protect.

  * * *

  None of Bartelli’s men were in the living room. The house had been teeming with them earlier. They must have realized the sheriff’s men had gotten control.

  Where was Samantha? Willa’s midsection tightened. She raced to the open front door. Her frantic gaze searched the porch. Nothing but a wave of police officers. Bartelli’s soldiers wouldn’t take the child out that way. Which left the back door.

  She ran toward it. Through the darkness in the house, a man dragged Samantha along with him.

  The child’s frantic gaze latched on to Willa’s. “H-help me,” Samantha whimpered.

  Willa pointed the handgun at the man. “That’s far enough. Let her go.”

  He stopped dead and whirled toward her. A gun was placed near Samantha’s head. “She’s coming with me.” A nasty grin spread across his face. “And you can’t stop me.” He moved closer to the door.

  “Stop or I will shoot,” Willa warned. No matter what, she wouldn’t let this man leave with Samantha.

  He kept the weapon trained on Samantha.

  She was now in a standoff with an armed man who wouldn’t think anything of killing Samantha and her.

  Though terrified, Willa stood her ground, kept the weapon pointed at the man’s head and edged toward him. “Let. Her. Go.” Samantha’s frightened gaze never left Willa’s. “It’s oke, sweetie. I’m not going to let him hurt you.” And she wasn’t. Even if she had to take a bullet. She’d protect Samantha to the death.

  Willa breathed deeply. A surprised expression showed on the man’s face as he glanced past her to something else. She never took her focus off him as she aimed. But the shot didn’t come from her. The man’s eyes snapped shut and the weapon fell from his hand to the floor. His hold on Samantha released, and the little girl ran straight for Willa. She gathered the child behind her as the man tumbled to the floor with a loud thud.

  “Oh, thank You, Gott.” The prayer flew from Willa’s lips. With Samantha clinging to her side, she grabbed the man’s weapon and tucked it into her apron, then she spun toward where the shot had come from. Mason. He lay on the floor near the kitchen opening, and he wasn’t moving. Willa ran toward the man who meant so much to her.

  She dropped to the floor beside him as his glazed eyes stared into hers.

  “Mr. Mason, please don’t die.” Samantha wrapped her tiny arms around his waist and sobbed against his chest.

  Willa gently extracted the child’s arms. “He’s not going to die. I won’t let him.” She wasn’t sure if she’d said it for Samantha or herself. Willa set the gun beside her and quickly removed her apron. She wadded it up against the wound.

  Please send help now.

  Several people stepped into the house. Holding back tears, Willa grabbed the weapon before she realized it was the sheriff and two of his deputies.

  “Over here!” she called out.

  The three spotted her. “Get the EMTs in here now,” the sheriff told the female deputy at his side.

  Sheriff Collins and his second deputy closed the space between them.

  “Ma’am, my deputy is a former EMT,” the sheriff told Willa. “Let him help.”

  The deputy took over while Willa and Samantha huddled close to Mason.

  “There is an injured man in the kitchen and another in the cellar.” Willa did her best to stay calm and explain the men’s injuries.

  Two EMTs hurried into the house and worked on getting Mason stabilized while others went to assist Ethan and Erik.

  The sheriff took Willa and Samantha aside. “Where’s your mother?”

  She struggled to pay attention to what he asked. All she could think about was Mason. “She’s in the cellar with Erik. She’s suffering from Huntington’s disease. This has been hard on her.”

  The sheriff nodded. “We’ll have someone take a look at her, as well.”

  Willa couldn’t stop shaking.

  “What about you and the little girl. Are you hurt?” The sheriff leaned down to Samantha’s level. “Honey, why don’t I have someone
take a look at you?”

  Samantha shrank against Willa’s skirt. Willa held her tight.

  “She’s just frightened. Otherwise unhurt.”

  The sheriff straightened. “And you?”

  Her? She wasn’t sure. Willa glanced around at the devastation that had once been her home and all she could think about was Mason. After everything they’d gone through, she still loved him. With all her heart she loved him. And he loved her. Yet his injury was severe, and the things that stood between them seemed insurmountable.

  The EMTs working on Mason lifted the gurney. They were ready to transport him to the hospital.

  Both Ethan and Erik were brought out to additional waiting ambulances.

  “I’m going with Mason, but I want to check on my mamm first.” With Samantha clinging to her hand, Willa hurried down the steps of the cellar to where her mother was sitting up in her chair.

  Mamm spotted Willa and her face lit up. “I’ve been so worried about you, dochder. There were so many shots.”

  Willa hugged her mother. “Mason’s hurt.” She fought against tears.

  Mamm clutched her hands. “Go with him. I’ll be fine here.”

  Willa shook her head. “How can I leave you?”

  The female deputy who had been waiting with Mamm came over. “I told your mother we’d like to take her to the hospital to check her out just to make sure everything is well. With her health condition and after what’s happened, I’d feel better if you’d let us take you in,” she said to Mamm.

  “She’s right. You’ve been through a lot.” Willa faced the deputy. “Can we take her with Mason?”

  The deputy glanced up the steps. “Let me check. I’ll be right back.”

  Willa glanced down at herself covered in Mason’s blood. “I can’t believe what has happened.” She held Samantha close and prayed the girl would not have to go through anything like this again.

  The deputy returned. “We have room for you, ma’am.”

  The EMTs brought a stretcher down for her mother then gently lifted her onto it and carried her up the steps. Willa and Samantha followed them out to the ambulance.