Amish Country Murder (Love Inspired Suspense)

by Mary Alford

  “There are no IDs in the rest of the place, either. My men searched. It’s as if someone made sure to take anything that would identify the occupants,” the sheriff said. “We’ve combed the woods surrounding the house. There’s nothing. My men are checking in at the neighboring houses. If someone was living here, maybe the neighbors saw them.”

  “He did this. The Dead of Night Killer is responsible. Either he took their purses when he snatched them, or he came back to the scene to claim them,” James said.

  “Maybe that’s how he knew we were in the area. He saw us when he came here to get the IDs,” Sutter said. “Got spooked and dropped off the child, knowing we’d find her. Lily may be a witness to the killer’s identity, but she’s in no condition to talk to us yet.”

  “So we have a serial killer with a conscience,” Sheriff Collins said with disgust.

  It didn’t make sense in Sutter’s mind, either. The villain was fine with taking the lives of women between the ages of twenty and twenty-five, but children were off-limits? “Maybe he has a connection to this child somehow. He knows her.”

  The sheriff’s curt nod showed he’d considered the idea, as well. “It’s possible, but I didn’t recognize the little girl. Though she may be new to the county.”

  “The killer could be someone she came in contact with at the grocery store or some other shop,” Sutter said. “I’ll start checking around town. See what I can come up with.” Sheriff Collins scanned the room. “We’ll see if our friends from DCI can get any trace evidence here, but I’m not holding my breath.”

  They left the room. In the kitchen, Catherine had made mac and cheese for the little girl, who took tiny bites. She didn’t appear to be starving. If the killer had had her, he’d taken care of her basic needs. Fed her. None of this made sense.

  “How is she?” he asked Catherine, as he watched the two of them.

  She smiled at Lily. “She is doing gut.”

  “Have you remembered anything more about her mother?”

  Her smile disappeared. “No, I’m sorry.”

  He kept his disappointment to himself. “We should probably call child protective services to take care of Lily.” Though he hated the thought of turning the frightened little girl over to the social agency.

  “I won’t leave her, Sutter,” Catherine told him, and straightened her back as if ready to do battle. “She’s been through enough. Her mother is missing. I won’t let them take her.”

  He wasn’t surprised by her courage. He’d seen it displayed many times. “I’ll see if I can find a way to make it happen.” Lily would be better off with someone she knew over total strangers.

  Sutter glanced outside. “Where’s the vehicle?” He swung toward James and asked, “This woman and Catherine didn’t come here without some means of transportation. Where’s her car?”

  James’s gaze whipped to the drive. “Good question. Do you think the killer took it?”

  “Possibly, but without knowing a name, we may never find it.” In other words, they’d reached another dead end.

  It seemed like they were met with those at every turn. And time was running out for the woman whose little girl waited for her mother to come home.

  EIGHT

  Catherine watched the little girl sleep in her arms, the faceless doll she was positive she’d given Lily tucked close to her heart. She was thankful Gott had revealed the correct information for them to find Lily alive. In time, the rest of her memories would return. She had to believe it.

  Sutter came into the small living room just then, holding something in his hand. A pale blue dress. She recognized it right away.

  “You’ve seen this before?” he asked, noticing her reaction.

  “It is mine.” Her eyes met his. There were no more doubts. “I’m Amish.”

  She knew this now, but where was she from? West Kootenai was not her home. Nothing about it beyond the Amish way of life was familiar.

  Sutter sat next to her. “That’s good. We know something more about you.”

  When she looked at him, she smiled. He’d been so encouraging. So strong. Someone to lean on. Count on. Someone to... She couldn’t let her mind go any further.

  “Do you mind if I change?” she asked. Now that she knew her faith, Catherine understood why she felt awkward in the clothes she wore, with her head uncovered and her hair left loose.

  As she clutched the dress close, another memory returned.

  “What’s wrong?” Sutter asked, correctly interpreting her reaction.

  “I remember why I was dressed the way I was when I was rescued. My friend and I were having some fun. I decided to see what it was like to dress Englisch. And then he showed up.” She struggled to bring out more, but all that was there was more frustration.

  “Give it time,” he assured her, seeing her anxiety. Yet time was something none of them had.

  Sutter pointed toward one of the bedrooms. “That’s where we found the dress. There are other pieces of clothing in there.” He glanced at the sleeping child. “Here, let me.” He eased Lily into his arms. “She’s fond of the doll, isn’t she?”

  “I brought it with me...” Her voice trailed off. Where had she come from?

  Catherine rose. As she watched Sutter with the child, something dark entered her mind. She fought to bring it out. There’d been someone in her life once, hopes for a future together, but he’d ended it. He came to her home and told her he wished to be with someone else.

  “Catherine?” Sutter’s gentle voice broke through her tangled thoughts.

  “I was to be married once, but something happened. He changed his mind.” The words hurt, hearing them out loud.

  “It was his loss,” Sutter told her, his gaze unwavering. “You’re better off without him in your life.”

  Even without knowing all the details of the breakup, she was positive what Sutter said was true. Still, it didn’t take the embarrassment away.

  Without answering, she carried the dress to the bedroom. Closing the door, she held it up and breathed in the clean scent of it.

  A small bed was shoved against the wall. A window reflected the clear day outside. A suitcase lay at the foot of the bed. She removed her apron, cape and prayer kapp from it and pulled the curtains closed. Changing with the shoulder injury wasn’t easy. She struggled to get the dress over her head and fastened, followed by her apron and cape.

  Once she’d pinned the prayer kapp in place, a sense of normalcy returned for the first time since she’d escaped the killer’s control.

  Catherine smoothed her apron. The suitcase contained a single change of clothing, a flannel gown, black stockings, and a quilted bag that was empty. What had she kept in there? A pair of simple black boots peeked out from under the bed. Catherine undid the sneakers and slipped on the boots, placing the sneakers in the suitcase along with the rest of her clothes.

  A noise close to the window caught her attention. Were the deputies outside, investigating?

  Gathering her courage, she pulled the curtains back. A scream died in her throat as new fear grabbed her. The killer stared back at her, his face covered as always, and the hatred in his eyes brought flashbacks of her time in his presence.

  Her hand flew to her mouth as he pointed his gun at her.

  Run! The warning slithered through her thoughts again. Catherine hit the floor. Glass shattered. A bullet flew across the room and lodged into the wall. She screamed. Time stood still. She didn’t dare look up.

  The sound of someone running down the hall was followed by that of the door opening. Sutter crossed the room and knelt in front of her, clasping her arms.

  “What happened? I heard a gunshot!” He spotted the broken window and whirled to the door, where Sheriff Collins appeared. “Get your people back here now. He’s here.”

  The sheriff pulled out his phone and turned away, whi
le Sutter helped Catherine to her feet. “Let’s get you out of here.”

  With his arm around her waist, he guided her to the living room, where James stood watch over Lily.

  In shock, Catherine sat next to the sleeping child. She had to keep it together for Lily’s sake.

  Seconds strung together into minutes, yet all she could think about was how ruthless this man was. Why was he so determined to kill her? What threat did she present to him?

  The front door opened.

  “We followed his trail into the woods bordering the lane,” Sheriff Collins said. “There were tire tracks heading back out to Estes Road. Sinclair and Scott are in pursuit. Until we know for sure he didn’t circle back around, I think it’s best to stay put. As soon as I hear from my deputies, we can clear out.”

  “How are you holding up?” Sutter asked her, his full attention on her face. Catherine couldn’t begin to hide her turmoil from him. She wanted to scream. Run away. Put as much space as possible between her and the killer. But Lily was counting on her. So was the child’s mother.

  Catherine needed something to do to take her mind off everything. “Is it alright if I look around the house?” she asked, hoping something from her time here before the attack might be revealed.

  Sutter understood and agreed. “Of course. Take your time.”

  She started in the living room, walking around the claustrophobic space containing a couple chairs and a sofa. The fireplace was framed by two windows now obscured by curtains. The fireplace poker lay on the floor. She shivered, positive it was the tool he’d used to knock her unconscious. She told Sutter that.

  “I’ll have the crime scene team see if they can lift prints,” he assured her. There wouldn’t be any. The killer had worn gloves.

  Very few knickknacks decorated the living room. No photos. Why had she been here and how did she know Lily and her mother?

  The rest of the house was more of the same. Sutter followed her as she entered another larger bedroom that held a few pieces of clothing, none Amish. A purse was tossed on the floor, its contents strewn around—lipstick, a compact with a mirror. No wallet. The killer must have taken away any means of identifying them.

  She sank down onto the bed while tears formed in the corners of her eyes. Lily’s mother needed her to remember something that would help Sutter find her, yet as hard as Catherine tried, the missing pieces would not come forward.

  Sutter sat beside her and covered her hand with his, holding her gaze. “I know this is hard.”

  “Lily needs me to remember her mother, but I can’t.” Her voice rose in frustration. A tear slipped from her eye.

  He brushed his thumb over her cheek. “You will. I spoke to Dr. Rolland again. He’s positive, now that part of your memories have returned, it’s only a matter of time before the rest come back. You’ll recall who Lily’s mother is soon.”

  She so wanted to believe him.

  As she looked at his handsome face, Sutter made her wish for things that were not hers to claim. Their lives were so different.

  Rising, he held out his hand. “Let’s get out of here. The sheriff heard from his men. The car is nowhere in sight. I’m sure he cleared out. We’ll head to the sheriff’s station and change vehicles. The sheriff is having Deputy Megan Clark and Deputy Cole Underwood continue to pose as our doubles. He’s setting them up in a visible location to try and lure the killer out.”

  With all her heart, she prayed the ruse would work.

  Catherine picked up her suitcase and together they returned to the living room.

  “I had a child’s car seat in the back of my cruiser,” Sheriff Collins told them. “I keep one in case I need it when I’m out on a call. It’s in your SUV for now.”

  “Thanks,” Sutter murmured, and gently lifted the sleeping child into his arms. “Are you ready?” he asked Catherine. She nodded and they stepped outside, flanked by the deputies. Catherine was quickly sequestered inside the vehicle and Lily strapped into the car seat.

  “Does the name Victoria Robbins sound familiar to you?” Sutter asked, once they were on their way.

  She repeated the name in her head. “No, it doesn’t. Why?”

  “She owns the house where you and your friend were staying. Only she died three months ago. We’re wondering why you were there.”

  To this, she had no answer. Catherine glanced into the backseat at the sleeping child. “I can’t imagine what went through her mind, seeing her mamm hurt by that terrible man.”

  “It must have been terrifying. Then being left in his care...” He shook his head. “She was fortunate you recognized the countryside from that photo.”

  Catherine couldn’t imagine what would have happened once the killer grew tired of taking care of Lily.

  “There’s a chance she may have seen the killer without his mask. It stands to reason he’d take it off to keep the child calm. She’s a witness, Catherine.”

  She shifted in her seat to face him as the reality behind his words became clear. “She’s been through so much. She’s not ready to talk about what happened. Not yet.”

  No matter what she had to do, Catherine would protect Lily. Even if she had to take on Sutter and the entire FBI in the process.

  * * *

  Sutter pulled around behind the station to where the sheriff and his people parked.

  He glanced at the backseat. Lily had awakened a few minutes earlier. She stared at him with tears glistening in her wide eyes. There was no mistaking her fear. Though he debated the wisdom of taking an already traumatized child into what could prove to be a dangerous situation, he’d have a battle on his hands if he tried to separate her from Catherine.

  Turning to Catherine, he said, “We’ll go in for a little bit to give Cole and Megan time to get set up at the location where they’ll be staying. Hopefully, the killer is watching and will follow them. They’ll have other deputies staked out around the house. If he comes after them...” He didn’t finish, wasn’t sure he believed it himself. His gut told him the killer was way too smart to fall into their plan.

  Catherine climbed out. Sutter did the same. Going around to Lily’s side, he unbuckled the car seat straps. The little girl stared up at him with frightened eyes that broke his heart. No child should have to go through what she had.

  Lily spotted Catherine and stretched out her tiny arms.

  Sutter stepped aside and let her scoop up the child. Lily clung to her, the only familiar face among a sea of strangers, while he picked up the faceless doll.

  He held the door while they went inside the station.

  “I’ll see if I can arrange some food. It’s been hours since you ate, and I’m sure Lily could use something more.” Sutter headed to the front, where the dispatcher abandoned her post when she spotted Catherine and the child.

  “Well, who have we here?” All smiles, Janine patted the little girl’s arm. “Now aren’t you precious.”

  “Janine, meet Catherine and Lily.” Sutter had been introduced to the fiftysomething woman when he’d first arrived. He’d taken to her spunky attitude immediately. Though she presented a tough-as-nails exterior, he’d seen the caring person inside.

  “We’re going to camp out in the corner of the conference room, if that’s okay,” Sutter told her.

  Janine spared him a glance in between making funny faces at Lily. “Sure. The team’s already set up at the table.” She grinned at Lily. “And I just happen to have a few toys around for this one to play with.”

  A crooked smiled hovered at the corner of Lily’s mouth. Janine had the magic touch.

  “Seems like you’ve made a friend.” Sutter was glad to see Lily smiling a little.

  Studying the child and Catherine together, he realized how similar in looks they appeared. Was it possible Lily might be related to Catherine?

  “Janine, do you think you could r
ound us up some food?” he asked.

  She pulled out a basket full of toys from behind her dispatch station and handed it to Sutter. “I sure can. I’ll be back in a moment to take orders.” She winked at Lily and hurried away.

  “Let’s get you both settled in,” he told Catherine. “I’ll be right there in the room with you if you need anything.”

  The look in her eyes assured him she didn’t want to let him out of her sight for a moment. She trusted him, was counting on him to protect her and Lily. The weight of the realization settled around him once more. So far, he’d failed her. He didn’t know how many more chances he’d get before it was too late.

  With Catherine and Lily at the table in front of the basket of toys, Sutter was able to focus again on one question plaguing him. How did Catherine know the owner of the house?

  “Do we have anything new on Victoria Robbins?” he asked the sheriff, pulling out a chair next to Catherine.

  “Not much,” the sheriff said. “She moved into the place around ten years ago. She was a private person. Lived alone until three months ago, when she passed away. She died of natural causes,” he added, in answer to Sutter’s unasked question. “The ME confirmed a heart attack. We haven’t located any living relatives.”

  Nothing about the information added up, in Sutter’s mind. “Why are the utilities still on?” He watched Lily clutch the faceless doll as she tentatively peeked inside the basket. More than anything, he wanted answers for her.

  Sheriff Collins glanced down at a paper in front of him. “Apparently, Ms. Robbins liked to pay in advance. She’s paid up through the summer.”

  Catherine’s brows shot up. “You are kidding! Isn’t that’s unusual?”

  The sheriff nodded. “It is. I’ll dig into her past further and see if I can locate a relative to contact.”

  Somehow, Victoria Robbins was connected to Catherine and the missing woman. He was positive of that. They just needed to figure out how. “Do you have a photo of this woman?” Catherine asked. “Maybe I know her by another name?”