Gathering Shadows

by Nancy Mehl

  I put my fork down. Although I tried to blink back the tears that filled my eyes, I couldn’t stop them.

  Reuben looked alarmed. “I’m sorry, Wynter. Have I said something to upset you?”

  I grabbed a napkin from the table and dabbed at my eyes. I glanced back toward the kitchen. August wasn’t there, and I breathed a quick sigh of relief. For some odd reason, I didn’t want him to see me cry.

  “I completely understand how Sarah feels, Reuben. You see, I’m in the same situation. I have something I need to tell you.” My voice shook, and I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. “I . . . I haven’t been completely honest with you. Not since we got into town.” Our eyes met, and the concern I saw there made me feel even guiltier.

  “You’re not really doing a story about towns in Missouri?” he asked, looking a little confused.

  “No. I mean, yes.” I picked up my coffee and drank slowly, trying to gather my thoughts. I put my cup down and tried again. “We are doing a story, but I came to Sanctuary because I saw a picture. A picture of Elijah Fisher.”

  “Elijah?” He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Wynter. I don’t understand.”

  Taking one more deep breath, I launched into the entire story. My brother’s disappearance, the reason we came to Sanctuary, and everything that had happened since we’d arrived.

  “I’ve been hiding the truth from you,” I said, keeping my voice low so no one else could hear us. “All I can say in my defense is that I had no reason to trust you. Maybe now you can understand why I got so upset when you told me Elijah and his family had left town.”

  Reuben just stared at me. I couldn’t tell if he was in shock, or if he was trying to process what I’d told him.

  “Say something,” I said finally. “I’m praying you’ll understand. That you won’t hate me.”

  “I don’t hate you,” he said softly. “But I have to admit I’m not happy about all the lies and secrecy.”

  “I know, and I feel terrible about it. I hope you can see why I couldn’t just waltz into town and start claiming my kidnapped brother was living here under a different name.”

  “Do you really believe Elijah is your brother?”

  “That’s the problem. I don’t know. And I’m not sure how to find out. I have no desire to cause trouble in Sanctuary. Especially since finding out there are people counting on their continued anonymity. I don’t want to do something I can’t take back. That’s why I wanted to talk to Elijah. I’d hoped I could find out the truth before—”

  “You called the authorities?”

  I nodded. “But then you told me Elijah and his family were gone, and I’m wondering if I made a mistake.”

  Reuben was quiet as he studied me. “So what is it you want me to do?” he said finally.

  “I want your help, Reuben. Not just to find the truth, but to handle this situation in a way that won’t harm anyone. I’ve—” My nose started to run, and I quickly dabbed at it. “I’ve started to care about this place. There are good people here. People I don’t want to hurt. Telling you the truth is scary. Until this trip, my boss in St. Louis was the only person I’d ever shared my story with. I had to tell Zac, and now I’ve told you. I don’t trust people easily.”

  “Well, I’m glad you decided to confide in me.” He ran his hand over his face. “I need time to think. Can we meet for breakfast and talk again? After I have a chance to process this a little bit?”

  I nodded. “But please don’t ask me to leave, Reuben. I can’t do it.”

  He reached out and took my hand. “I won’t. My problem is finding a way to balance my responsibilities to Sanctuary against my feelings for you.”

  “You have feelings for me?” A strong rush of emotion flowed through me, taking me by surprise.

  Reuben’s serious expression lifted a little. “Yes, they started the first moment we met, and they’ve only grown stronger the more I’ve been around you. I’d like the chance to get to know you better. Unless you have no interest . . .”

  “I-I’d like to get to know you better too,” I said softly. “But I have to warn you that I have a hard time—”

  “Trusting people. So you said.”

  I nodded. “Ever since I was a kid.”

  He smiled. “Well, I like a challenge.”

  I returned his smile but couldn’t help wondering if he really could get past the barriers I’d built around my life. As I looked at him, I knew I wanted to find out.

  “I’ll do whatever I can to help you, Wynter. But no more lies, okay?”

  “No lies. I promise.”

  He let go of my hand and nodded. “All right. First of all, we need to know if Nathan really took his family to his brother’s place. You let me take care of that, okay?”

  “But you can’t tell him the truth. If Elijah’s my brother, Nathan could move his family far away, and we might never be able to find them.”

  “I can’t believe Nathan Fisher would be involved in kidnapping a child. He’s a good person. And so is Anna.”

  “I believe you. It’s possible they have no idea who Elijah really is.”

  Reuben stared at me, his expression solemn. “Thank you for trusting me. It means a lot.”

  I hesitated a moment before saying what I knew had to be said. “Before we go any further, you know a relationship between us probably won’t work, don’t you? I live in St. Louis and you live here. It may not be that far away, but I have no plans to move, and I assume you don’t either. I don’t want you to help me because you think we have a future together. It wouldn’t be right.”

  He smiled slowly. “Why don’t we let God work that out? If we’re supposed to be together, the details will fall into place.”

  “So you still like me? Even though I lied to you?”

  He laughed lightly. “Yes, I still like you. In the end, you told me the truth. I know it wasn’t easy for you.”

  “You know, Jonathon hit the nail on the head during his sermon this morning. The day my brother disappeared, my life ground to a halt. I quit trusting people. Stopped trusting God. I can see now that almost every decision I’ve made since had something to do with what happened to Ryan.” I shook my head. “Want to hear something funny? I love being a reporter, but when I was a kid, I really wanted to be a writer. Thought I’d write novels someday.” I shrugged. “Eventually I realized I couldn’t do it.”

  “I don’t understand. Why would your brother’s disappearance keep you from writing?”

  I stared down at the table, searching for the right words. “I don’t know if I can explain it, but writers exist in their stories and characters. Their lives pour through their words. Every time I sat down to write, the hurt I carried inside tumbled out onto the paper. My characters were searching for answers—just like I was. Not the same answers, but their motivations and mine were too tightly intertwined. I couldn’t handle it. Couldn’t face it.”

  “‘Writing is easy. You just open a vein and bleed.’”

  I smiled. “You know that old Red Smith quote?”

  He nodded. “My sister Maggie writes.”

  “Really? Has she been published?”

  “Not yet. But she keeps trying. I guess it’s pretty hard to get a foot in the door.”

  “So I’ve heard.”

  Reuben drank the rest of his coffee. His eyes searched the room, looking for Randi. When she came out of the back, he motioned to her for more coffee.

  “You’ll be up all night,” I said.

  “I’ll probably be up anyway. This situation with your brother is unsettling, to say the least.”

  “Look, I know this is way off the subject, but I want to ask you something totally unrelated to Ryan.”

  “Shoot.”

  “Do you know anything about babies being stolen from hospitals in Missouri? This happened over a five-year period. I think the last one was a few years ago.”

  He looked surprised. “As a matter of fact, I do. I have a friend who is a Madison County sheriff�
��s deputy. He told me about it once. It’s been a while though. He was very concerned about it at the time. I have no idea if they ever caught the person responsible.” He frowned at me. “Why are you asking?”

  I told him about the newspaper clippings someone had left for me.

  “I don’t understand,” he said when I finished. “Why would anyone in Sanctuary save those stories? And why give them to you?”

  I shrugged. “I have no idea, but my guess is this person thinks they know something about the kidnappings and wants me to look into it. News stations get all kinds of weird stuff sent to them. It’s not really all that unusual.”

  “Does any of it ever pan out?”

  “Once in a great while. But for the most part, these tips come from people who spend too much time alone.”

  “Still, it concerns me that this package originated from someone in Sanctuary.”

  “I wouldn’t worry about it yet. Might be nothing. When you have time, I’d like to show you the stories. Maybe you can remember something your friend told you that’s not in the articles.”

  “Sure, but I really don’t know much.” He glanced at his watch. “It’s getting late, and you have a busy day scheduled for tomorrow. I’ll walk you back to Esther’s.”

  “Sounds good.”

  At that moment, Randi walked up to the table with a carafe of coffee. Reuben put his hand over his mug.

  “Changed my mind, Randi. We’re heading out.”

  “Sorry to take so long. August didn’t come into work, and I’ve been trying to cover the place by myself.”

  “Doesn’t sound like August,” Reuben said. “He’s always here.”

  “I know. I tried calling him, but there wasn’t any answer. I plan to stop by his place after I close. Make sure he’s okay.”

  “Did you check with Rae?”

  She nodded. “She was as surprised as I am. She hasn’t heard from him since yesterday.”

  “Do you want me to go by his apartment?”

  “No. I’ll do it.” She gave Reuben a quick smile, a gesture she hadn’t granted me yet. “But thanks.” Ignoring me completely, she walked away.

  “I’ve known August Metzger for a long time,” Reuben said thoughtfully. “Never known him not to show up for work.”

  “You mentioned Rae. Are they friends?”

  “More than friends. They’ve been together for a couple of years now. Unfortunately, Rae isn’t interested in marriage. I think that bothers August. He’d like to make their relationship permanent.”

  I shook my head. “Hard for me to envision them as a couple. He gives me the creeps. Always watching me.”

  “What do you mean?”

  I told him about the way August stared at me the first time I visited the restaurant. “And then I saw him across from Esther’s. He seemed to be watching the house.” I shrugged. “Maybe it doesn’t mean anything, but it was enough to give me the heebie-jeebies. To be honest, I’ve had the feeling of being watched ever since I got to town. Even the first night here, I was certain I saw someone across the street, staring up at my bedroom window.”

  “August is an odd duck, but he’s harmless. I wouldn’t worry about him.” Reuben looked around the room. Almost everyone was gone, and the only other couple left was paying their tab. “Well, Randi’s about to close up. Let’s get you home.”

  “Where’s your truck?”

  “Parked at the church. I’d rather walk awhile, if you don’t mind. I can get my truck after I leave you at Esther’s. Something about walking outside after a rain. I love it.”

  “I’m game if you are.”

  He put some money on the table, said good-bye to Randi, and we left. Reuben was right. The storm from the night before had baptized Sanctuary with the scent of rain. A light breeze carried the fragrance on its wings. It felt fresh and invigorating. I realized this unusual town had captured a piece of my heart. Leaving it behind would be difficult.

  “We’ll miss you when you leave,” Reuben said suddenly, as if he’d been reading my mind.

  “I was just thinking how much I’ll miss Sanctuary. This is a special place. Even if I don’t find Ryan, I’m glad I came.”

  Reuben stopped walking and gazed intently at me. “And if you do find him?”

  “I don’t know,” I answered truthfully. I frowned at him. “You realize that if Elijah is my brother, I’m afraid I won’t be able to keep Sanctuary out of the news. It would be a huge story.”

  “Does it have to be?”

  I took a step back. “I don’t know what you mean.”

  He sighed and stared down at the ground. “I’m not convinced Elijah is Ryan, but if he is, and if Nathan and Anna adopted him, thinking it was legal, why stir up a hornet’s nest? The authorities think your brother is dead, right? Why not just reestablish a connection and let Elijah make his own decision about what happens next in his life?”

  “Someone did this,” I said firmly. “And they need to be punished. My family has lost so much.”

  Reuben nodded. “You’re right. And if that person is still alive, I agree. He should be brought to justice. Sorry, I guess I hadn’t thought it all the way through.” He came closer to me and took my hand. “Discovering the truth and restoring your family is the most important thing. Whatever it takes, I’ll walk through this with you.”

  Before I had a chance to utter a response, he leaned in and kissed me lightly. Then he smiled. “Looks like it might rain again. We’d better hurry.”

  We walked the rest of the way in silence. When we reached Esther’s porch, I started to say good night, but the door suddenly flung open. Esther stood there, her eyes wide.

  “It’s Zac. Something’s wrong. You’d better come quick.”

  Chapter

  Thirteen

  Reuben and I rushed up the stairs to Zac’s room. He was lying on the bed, his face stark white, dark circles under his eyes. He looked awful.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked Esther.

  “I’m not sure, child,” she said. “But it looks like food poisoning. What did you eat today?”

  “We . . . we ate Italian food in Bonne Terre, but I don’t think it could have been that.”

  “Well, I gave him ipecac syrup. It’s what I used to give my children. His stomach was certainly full of something.”

  “Wait a minute. We kept part of a stromboli in the car all afternoon, and Zac ate it on the way home.”

  Reuben frowned. “That’s probably it. Something with meat and cheese should be refrigerated.”

  I felt Zac’s forehead. It wasn’t hot, which seemed to confirm Esther’s original diagnosis.

  “You can quit talking about me like I’m dead,” Zac mumbled. “And quit feeling me, Wynter. I’m not a child.”

  “Stop looking like a corpse, and I’ll stop touching you. How are you feeling?”

  Zac pulled himself up into a sitting position. My original evaluation of his color changed from white to pale green.

  “Like a big truck ran over me, backed up several times, and tried to finish the job.” He shuddered. “I will never eat Italian food again. Never ever. Nor will even one more drop of ipecac syrup ever make it past my lips in this lifetime. Not as long as I have breath in my body.”

  Although I was still concerned for him, I had to smile. No one could combine physical illness with affronted emotions the way Zac could.

  “Maybe it isn’t Italian food you need to avoid. Eating food that’s been sitting in a hot car all afternoon isn’t the smartest thing you ever did.”

  Esther leaned over and wiped his face with a damp cloth. “I think he’s doing better.” She smiled at Zac. “I know you hated my remedy, but it seems to have done the trick.”

  “I don’t think many people use ipecac now, Esther,” I said. “Maybe we should call the hospital and ask them what to do.”

  “Pshaw,” she said. “Modern medicine doesn’t have all the answers. Zac will be a little tired for a couple of days, but he’ll be up and around
soon. My children went through this.”

  Zac’s eyebrows shot up. “You gave your kids food poisoning?”

  Esther patted his shoulder. “Not to worry. It happened at church picnics. Potato salad and tuna salad that sat out too long in the sun. I never cooked anything that made them ill.”

  Zac looked relieved. “Wynter,” he whispered through pale, dry lips. “This is just what we needed. Call Ed and tell him I’m sick. That we’ll need a few more days.”

  “I . . . I don’t know,” I said. “It’s not really honest . . .”

  “You won’t be lying,” Zac said weakly. “I’ve never felt so bad in my entire life.” He pointed at me. “Just don’t tell Ed where we are.”

  “Okay. I’ll try. It would be helpful to get a little more time.”

  “I’m happy to sacrifice myself for the cause,” Zac said dramatically, falling back on his pillow.

  I patted him on the head. “You’re my hero. Now why don’t you get some sleep? I’m right down the hall. I’ll check on you later.”

  “I’m going to sit with him awhile,” Esther said. She picked something up from the nightstand. “Brought this from downstairs.” She rang a little ceramic bell. “Used this when my children were sick.” She wiped Zac’s forehead again. “After I leave, if you want anything, you just ring it,” she told him. “Wynter will hear it and come.” She nodded at me. “Sorry to put you out, but I’m afraid I won’t hear the bell all the way downstairs. You wake me if you need me though, and I’ll get up.”

  “Thanks, Esther, but I think he’ll be fine.”

  “If he hasn’t improved by morning, we can ask Rae to come by and take a look at him.”

  Zac’s eyes widened. “You . . . you mean the veterinarian? What am I, a dog?”

  “Shh,” Esther said. “She knows about people too. The closest doctor is in Fredericktown. Rae’s always willing to help, and she’s good at it.”

  Zac sighed. “Wow. Ipecac and a veterinarian for a doctor. The charm of this small town is wearing thin.”

  Reuben laughed. “Small-town living can certainly be a challenge. You were lucky to get sick at Esther’s. She’s pretty smart.”