by Debra Webb
She shook her head again. “Good gracious, Sheriff. Why would they want to hurt us? We’re just common people. Serve the Lord. We sure don’t have anything valuable but our children and our souls.”
“Sarah, is it true that Wesley and your father had a falling-out a few months ago?”
She made a face. “Where on earth did you hear a thing like that? My poppa thinks the world of Wesley. You should know that, Sheriff. You were raised here. You know how much Wesley helped Poppa. My brothers were all so young and couldn’t do the things that needed to be done. We would have had an awfully hard time without Wesley.”
“Is there any reason for you to believe that your father or one of your brothers knows these men?”
“Lord have mercy, no. My brothers and I might not always get along but they would never be involved in trouble. We don’t break the law.”
“I wish I could make you understand how important it is that I speak with Wesley.” An idea occurred to Colt. “We’re worried that these two hit men may have your husband confused with someone else. I can’t help him if he doesn’t talk to me. This is a very serious situation, Sarah. It’s not going to just go away.”
“Sheriff, I’m afraid you’re barking up the wrong tree. Wesley and I are the victims here. Someone came into our home and our bakery. Two men are dead. It’s an awful thing, but it has nothing to do with us.”
Colt wished he could believe her story. “You and your whole family are in danger because of this, Sarah. I need to speak to Wesley.”
“I’ll try to find him,” she promised. “I’ll tell him how badly you need to talk to him. Maybe he can make time.”
Colt stood. “I sure appreciate your cooperation, Sarah. Please give your daddy my regards.”
She nodded and looked away as if the mention of her father pained her somehow. Well, he was dying. One estranged daughter in the family was more than enough. Obviously, Sarah didn’t want her relationship with her father to end that way.
Sarah followed Colt to the door. “Did you find anything in the bakery that will tell you what happened, Sheriff?”
The way she phrased the question, as if she already knew the answer and just wanted to see if he did, made him want to fire a dozen more questions at her.
“Not yet, but we’re working on it. We’re hoping the victims’ cell phones will give us some answers.” He stood on the porch, settled his hat into place. “Be sure to tell Wesley I need to talk to him as soon as possible.”
“I’ll let him know,” she called after Colt.
He had a feeling he wouldn’t have an opportunity to talk to Wesley Sauder until he hunted him down and handcuffed him to a chair.
The metal bracelets hanging on his belt made him think of snapping them onto Rey’s wrists. Somehow he needed to get it through her head that this investigation could turn into a very dangerous situation. He wanted to protect her.
Before he called it a day, he would be following up with her. Whether she wanted his protection or not, he needed to keep close tabs on her or she would be eyeball-deep in the trouble he suspected was about to descend on his county.
Who was he kidding? She already was.
Chapter Eight
Happy Kids Daycare Center was established nine years ago by Happy Jennings. According to Audrey’s mother—before dementia stole so many of her memories—Happy graduated from high school and went to nursing school in Tullahoma at Motlow College. She tried the nursing field working at the hospital and then a local doctor’s office. But Happy was never happy working with the sick and the injured—never mind the dying. So she started a day care center and it was a big hit. All the mothers who had made fun of Happy all through school, primarily laughing at her name, were thrilled to have someone watching over their offspring all day who was also a registered nurse.
Now, nine years later, Happy was the administrator over a dozen employees. Happy Kids had won numerous awards from the Chamber of Commerce as well as the city of Winchester. Who was laughing now?
Happy Kids was a bright yellow building that had once been a church right off the square in downtown Winchester. The fenced yard was dotted with colorful swings and slides and sandboxes. Audrey opened the gate and made her way to the entrance. Tulips and daffodils filled the window boxes and the pots on either side of the door. At this hour, half past five, most folks had picked up their little ones. According to the sign on the front door, the center closed at six.
Beyond the door, a reception area was empty. Like the exterior, the walls were a bright yellow with clouds on the ceiling and multicolored linoleum tiles on the floor. A door across the room opened and a young woman, all smiles but looking a bit harried, entered the lobby.
“Hello. May I help you?”
An employee. Great. “Hi, I’d like to see Happy if she’s available.”
“Her office is right down that hall.” The woman pointed to a narrow hall on the far west side of the room.
Audrey thanked her and headed that way. Once she was in the hall, she understood why Happy’s office was this way. Large windows overlooking the shared interior play area were on one side while windows to the outside play area were on the other. Ingenious. A handful of children were running around the inside play area, laughing and trying to be the one who got the bright red ball next. Around the perimeter of the play area were doors and more large windows; beyond each window was what appeared to be an individual classroom. Happy’s office, the entire wall facing the hall made of glass, had the perfect view into the play area and classrooms.
Ideal setup.
Happy spotted Audrey before she could rap on the glass door. She motioned for her to come on in. With a pointed look at Audrey’s flat abdomen, she asked, “Are you here to preregister?” Happy gestured to a blue chair in front of her desk. “We do have extensive waiting lists. Most mothers sign their kids up before they’re born. You’re smart to come in now.”
It wasn’t until she said the last that Audrey realized Happy thought she was pregnant. “Oh no.” She waved her hands back and forth. “No babies in my future.”
Whether it was her words echoing in the room or the other woman’s pained expression, Audrey suddenly felt hollow. She drew in a sharp breath and forced the ridiculous reaction aside. She didn’t have a significant other at the moment; how could she be having a baby anyway? Audrey felt reasonably confident raising a child was far easier with a partner.
“Oh!” Happy laughed her trademark cackle and shook her head. “I’m sorry. It’s just that most people who drop in...” She shook her head again. “Anyway, how are you? You look fantastic! Being back home agrees with you, Rey.”
Audrey relaxed, though the uneasy feeling lingered despite her efforts to dismiss it. “I’m glad to be home. Close to Mom. Taking care of the paper.”
Happy’s expression shifted to one of concern. “How is your mother?”
“She has her good days and her bad ones.” There was always that question.
Everyone who’d grown up in Winchester knew the Andersons. The name was synonymous with news. Audrey didn’t need to ask to know her mother likely spent the past decade or so raving about her world-traveling daughter always in the headlines of some big paper. Mary Jo Anderson made it sound as if Audrey was some big celebrity whose life was filled with awards, exotic locations and excitement. The awards came, that was true. And there had been plenty of excitement and great locations. But there had also been loneliness and the ever-nagging sense of regret.
What if she’d stayed home; could she have helped her mother more? Would she be married now with children to bring to Happy’s day care center?
Would she and Colt have worked things out?
Shock radiated through Audrey and she blinked, that last thought startling her more deeply than anything had recently—even finding a dead man in the storeroom of her favorite bakery.
“Don’t we all,” Happy mused. “But the bad days often remind us how lucky we are on the good days.” She sighed. “So, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Rey? You know you have always been one of my favorite people. The nicest girl in school.”
Audrey smiled. “If I recall, there was a time when you and Aaron Yoder were an item of sorts.”
Happy’s expression shifted to something slightly less than happy. “You’re looking into the murders. I heard about the other dead man they found at the bakery.”
“I am.” Audrey shook her head. “I just can’t see Sarah shooting one man, much less two.”
“I guess any of us could if he broke into our house or place of business and threatened us or our children.”
That much was true. “There are some who believe Sarah might be covering for one of her brothers. Maybe Aaron.” This part was pure conjecture. Audrey had overhead one of the deputies make a comment to that effect.
Happy’s face changed again. Shock claimed her expression, and the slightest hint of anger glinted in her eyes. “That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard.” Outrage weighted her tone. “Aaron would never shoot anyone unless they shot at him first. Were those dead guys armed? Did they fire their weapons first? Where in the world did you hear such a thing?”
“No indication either of them fired first.” Unless the bullets had lodged inside someone—like Wesley Sauder or one of the brothers. There were no bullets or casings found at the scene. This she knew for a certainty. No word yet on whether either of the victims’ weapons had been fired. If the lab had confirmed as much, Colt was holding back that information.
Happy shook her head adamantly. “I am telling you right now, Rey, he couldn’t do this. Aaron is the most tenderhearted man on this planet. He would never hurt anyone unless he had no choice.”
“Are you and Aaron still friends?” As the other woman’s expression closed, Audrey hastened to add, “I’m not here to cause Aaron any trouble. I want to help him. This is what I do, Happy. I have traveled the world, like my mom said. I’ve done all sorts of stories, but I’m most known for the ones that bring the truth to light. This is not my first murder investigation.”
Happy shrugged. “Your momma always said you were a hero to a lot of people in a lot of stories.”
Okay, that might be stretching things a bit, but mothers had a tendency to brag. “I do what I can. If there’s anything you can do to help me help Aaron, I’m sure he will appreciate it in the long run.”
“Aaron hasn’t mentioned anything like this,” she countered, unknowingly admitting to exactly what Audrey wanted to hear.
“Is there a problem between him and Sarah or between Sarah and their father?”
Happy stared at her desk for a moment, likely weighing how far she wanted to go with what she knew or suspected. No matter that she and Aaron could never have a life together; she still cared about him. That was the Happy Audrey knew. Loyal to the bone.
“Whatever you tell me will remain in confidence,” Audrey assured her. “I’ll use the information to help find the truth, but I’m not going to report what you tell me. You have my word.”
“Sarah and her daddy had a big argument about two months ago. Melvin learned some disturbing information about Wesley, Sarah’s husband. He was very upset about all of it.”
“Do you know what sort of information he discovered?” Audrey was practically on the edge of her seat. There had to be a connection between Wesley Sauder and one or both of the dead guys. One so-called button man might make a mistake and show up at the wrong place, but two different men making the same mistake? Not likely.
“He wouldn’t say.” She shrugged. “Maybe his daddy didn’t give him all the details. Either way he wouldn’t talk about what the problem was. He only said that Wesley Sauder was not the man they had all thought he was. You know, that could mean anything. I did see bruises on Sarah’s arms once. She claimed she fell and hurt herself, but I didn’t believe her. But I’ve never seen anything but good out of Wesley. Goodness sakes, he was always doing for others. Spearheading every build in their community, helping the businesses to thrive. His work even crossed over to our community. None of this makes sense.”
“Do you know Wesley beyond what you’ve heard from others about him?”
She shook her head. “Not really. I mean, I know him when I see him, but he’s not the sort who associates with you unless it somehow benefits his cause. Aaron told me he didn’t waste his time on people who don’t matter. But if you talk to anyone else, they’ll tell you what a good man he is, how he helps everyone.”
It sounded as if Aaron was definitely not a fan of his brother-in-law. And Happy was torn between her loyalty to Aaron and the reputation Wesley Sauder had garnered for himself.
“What makes Aaron so unsure of Wesley?”
“You know, he has never really said a whole lot about him. But he did remind me that Wesley just happened to come along at the same time that old bull charged Melvin and injured him so badly. Aaron said he never could understand what made the bull charge. He never had before. At the time, they were all so grateful Wesley was able to get Melvin out of the pasture and to the hospital that no one asked any questions. Looking back, I have to agree with Aaron—it seems awfully convenient that he came along on that deserted road at exactly the right time.”
“Why would Mr. Yoder put so much support behind Wesley in the community rather than one of his own sons?” This part truly puzzled Audrey.
“In part, I suppose, because he was older,” Happy offered. “Aaron and his brothers were all so young back then. By the time they were old enough, Wesley was the person everyone looked up to. It was too late to change what was done.”
“Would Aaron or any of his brothers protect Wesley? Help him hide from the police or a threat of some sort? Like those two men who showed up and broke in?”
Happy shook her head slowly from side to side. “No way. They dislike him intensely. Wesley would never go to one of them.”
Well, well, there it was. “Does Aaron have any idea where his brother-in-law might hide out?”
“If they knew, I’m pretty sure one of them would find a way to get word to Colt.” Happy looked beyond Audrey at the wall of windows across the narrow hall. “The trouble is, it could be anyone in the Mennonite community—besides them—hiding Wesley. They all love him. He’s like the messiah or some celebrity.”
“Is there any possibility that Aaron or one of his brothers handled the situation?” Audrey pressed the other woman with her gaze. “If Wesley was causing problems for the family, this situation would be the perfect time to get rid of him and allow the world to think another one of those guys from Chicago took care of him.”
Happy was shaking her head again. “They would never do that. Never. You have to believe me on that one, Rey. They’re not like that. The Yoder boys—men—are good, kind souls. They couldn’t kill anyone. I’m not even sure they could or would kill someone to protect themselves. More likely they’d just injure the attacker real bad.”
“Not even if their daddy told them to take care of Wesley?”
She laughed then, but there was no humor in the sound. “Melvin Yoder would never go against God that way. He would sooner sacrifice himself than someone else. If there was ever a man born without a mean bone in his body, it was Melvin Yoder.”
This was getting Audrey nowhere. She needed to know where to look. “Is there someone in the Mennonite community who would be more likely to hide Wesley? Maybe someone Aaron mentioned as being a particularly close friend of his brother-in-law’s?”
Happy considered the question for a moment. “Ezra Zimmerman. He and Wesley are tight, according to Aaron.”
Finally, there was a piece of information she needed. “Thanks, Happy. I appreciate your candor.”
Audrey stood; the other woman did the same. “So you know,
Colt asked me pretty much the same questions.”
“He did?”
Happy nodded. “Couple of hours ago.”
“Did you tell him what you told me?”
“No. I was actually going to drop by the newspaper after I closed the center to talk to you. No offense to Colt, but he’s following the law. If I was going to help Aaron and his family, I wanted someone who was going to follow their heart. I know you’ll do that, Rey.”
Audrey smiled. “I owe you one, Happy.”
“A nice half-page ad about our upcoming registration might be nice.”
“You’ve got it. I’ll have Brian contact you.”
Audrey left the Happy Kids Daycare Center and drove straight to Ezra Zimmerman’s dairy farm. The wife and two children were home, but not Ezra. His wife had no idea when he would be home, and she had not seen or spoken to Wesley Sauder. She thought her husband might be home later that night.
Since it would be dark soon, Audrey decided to drive back to the paper. She would check in with Brian and let him know her plan. She was staking out the Zimmerman place for the night. She’d need binoculars, water and snacks. Toilet paper for trips into the woods across the road.
Most important, she needed to borrow Brian’s black car. Her silver one wasn’t so good for hiding.
* * *
“I THINK I should do this with you,” Brian insisted as she slid behind the wheel of his compact black two-door sports car.
“One of us has to put the paper to bed, and that’s you.” She started the engine. “I have my cell, a charger, water and snacks.” And the toilet paper. All of which was in the minuscule back seat. Was a human really supposed to ride back there?
He heaved a disgusted sigh. “Fine, but if anything happens to you, just know that I’ll feel guilty for the rest of my life. How can you do that to a friend?”
Audrey laughed. “But you can say I told you so.”
“Just be careful. I don’t want you to end up like those two interlopers.”
