“Daed, I confess, I... I did the same to Beth when she refused to quit her job at the diner. But she is still working!”
“Ach, she is a stubborn woman, ain’t? Then, that’s when you deliver such a harsh physical punishment that she can’t work—for weeks. She gets fired, and you get your wish. If she dies after you deliver your punishment...oh, well. You had to teach her a lesson.”
As John was telling his son how he kept his wife and daughters under his control, Vernon King happened to be walking by. Hearing the ugly topic under discussion, Vernon stopped and listened. When he heard Big John tell his son to deliver a “harsh physical punishment,” that was when he got scared. When he heard John brush off the possibility of Beth’s death, he tiptoed away as quietly as he could. When he was a good distance from the barn, he ran home.
***
“Daed! We have to talk.” Vernon bent over, gasping and trying to get his breath back.
“Son, what is it? You look scared!”
“Daed, I just overheard John Andrews—the daed—telling his son how to get Beth Zook under control.” More gasps. “He said...he told John to beat Beth up so badly that she wouldn’t be able to work for weeks. ‘She gets fired,’ he said. Then he said, ‘If she dies after you deliver your punishment, oh well’!”
Hannes sat down, his legs refusing to hold him up. “Son, sit down here. This coffee should still be warm. Here.” He shoved the thermos over to Vernon.
Vernon drank deeply of the still-warm coffee. “Daed, what are we going to do?”
“Tell Eli Yoder and the other elders. Then, you and I are going to go talk to Sheriff Mathis. We cannot allow this to be carried out. We would be condoning murder. Let’s go tell your mamm where we’re going and why.” Locking the shop, Hannes and Vernon hurried into the house.
“Lovina! There you are. Vernon and I have to go meet with Eli and the elders. Vernon, tell your mamm what you just told me.”
Vernon repeated what he had heard.
Lovina went pale and her eyes widened. “Oh my, no! Ya, go. I’ll go to the diner. Beth and her mamm may be working. I’ll warn them both.”
“I’ll hitch the second buggy for you. Be careful! If you see either of the Andrews men, steer clear of them.”
“Ya, Hannes, I will.” Lovina took Hannes’ and Vernon’s hands and squeezed them. “You be careful.”
***
In town, Hannes and Vernon, along with Eli and the other elders, jumped out of his buggy and strode into the sheriff’s office. “Ya, we need to speak with Sheriff Mathis, if he’s available.”
The deputy behind the desk was wide-eyed. It was rare for the Amish to request a meeting with law enforcement. “I’ll go see if he’s available. Take a seat, please.”
The men only had to wait a minute. Sheriff Mathis came out quickly. “Hannes, Joseph, I take it today’s visit isn’t social. Would you all come into my office?”
In the closed office, the Amish visitors sat or stood. “Sheriff, my son, Vernon, overheard something. Vernon?”
Again, Vernon repeated his words. “I think they’re serious, sir.”
“It sounds like it. Joseph, what do you think? I know you don’t encourage violence or the use of weapons. Handle this situation the same way we handled the Lapp situation?”
Looking at the elders and Eli, everyone nodded. “Ya, we all think that’s best.”
***
Sheriff Mathis visited Joseph Kurtz at his home. “Joseph, have you heard of anything that tells you where John Andrews will be spending time with Miss Zook?”
“We spoke with Beth. She told us that she has agreed to a meeting with John. It will take place this coming Saturday night. She says that John likes to stop at a popular picnic spot, with tables. You know which one?”
“There’s several. Is there one in particular your community members patronize?”
“It’s the one about a mile-and-a-half away from the Andrews home, off state road twenty-three. It’s just south of town.”
“Oh, yes, I know which one you’re talking about. Okay. What time do they generally get together?”
“She said he’ll pick her up at about seven, after she’s had time for supper with her mamm and time to clean the kitchen.”
“I’ll have my deputies positioned close by, but not visible. You know, we’re going to have to alert Beth’s mother.”
“Really? I was praying we wouldn’t. She and Beth have been through so much since her husband died.”
“We have to. Once we move in and grab Beth, we’re going to take her straight back home. When she sees people she doesn’t recognize, she’s going to get worried. And if John is able to do any harm to Beth, she may need medical attention. Again, her mother will have to know so we can take her to where Beth is being treated.”
A knock sounded at the door. “Let me answer that. It’s Eli, his son Jethro and the other elders.” Loping to the door, Joseph answered it. “Come in. John Mathis is here and we are starting to work on particulars.”
“I think that would be an excellent idea.” The sheriff had spoken up. “Beth and her mother are going to be shaken up and they’ll need all the emotional support they can get. Is Beth’s mother seeing anyone?”
“Not that we know of. She’s been so busy with work, just trying to survive.”
“Agh, poor woman! It just irks me when men think they can order women around to puff up their own egos.” The sheriff grumbled as he thought about Beth’s situation.
Finally, the plan was approved. “Okay, everyone, Sheriff Mathis will run this just as he did the situation with Wayne Lapp. His deputies will be dressed like us. Sheriff, we need to know how many men and how many women, and their approximate sizes so we can loan you Amish clothing. We will meet at the picnic grounds close to the Andrews home. Beth knows this, so she will suggest it to John.”
The sheriff took over. “We want to move in as soon as it looks like Andrews is going to get violent. Allow my deputies and me to take care of that. You stay in the background. It’s much safer that way.”
“Would it be helpful if one or two of the wives approach Beth when it looks like things are going to get, well, difficult?” Eli really wanted to help.
“No, that will only put them at risk of physical harm, especially if John knows he has been outed.”
“‘Outed?’ What does that mean?” One of the ministers was confused about the term.
“I’m sorry. That just means that he’s been found out and we’re going to stop him. He will be even angrier and may try to take his anger out on Beth. We don’t want that. It could also put other women in harm’s way. This guy sounds like he’s not afraid of hitting a woman to make his point or get his own way.”
“Sheriff, what will happen to John’s daed? And his mamm?”
“Well, since Vernon reported that he overheard John’s father plotting to harm Beth, we will send uniformed deputies to their home to arrest him. Is his wife participating in your meetings?”
“Not yet. We’re working to make that happen, and she told us she would let us know at our next Sunday meeting. She really fears him. Whatever he orders her to do, she does.”
***
Over the next few days, the elders met with Eli, Vernon, Jethro and the sheriff’s office. Amish clothing changed hands and the final plan came together. “We’ll meet at the picnic grounds at five p.m. I want a few of your community members to be there, doing something like a quiet celebration or something.”
“Maybe we can make it look like a group meeting before it gets too cold. You know, in the next month, it will get seriously cold before winter starts.”
***
Finally, the day arrived. Various people in Peace Valley and outside the Amish community woke up knowing that at the end of the day lives would change.
John woke up, and after breakfast he went with his daed to clean up the fields after the harvest. “Daed, was it a gut harvest?”
“It could have been better, son. Muc
h better. But, with Gott’s guidance, we will get through this winter. Let’s begin cleaning up the chaff and the stalks left behind.” Four hours later, sweaty and dirt-covered, the men came back into the house. “Wife! We’re going to clean up. I want dinner in thirty minutes!”
“Ya, husband. It will be ready. I’ve been working on it.” Emma scurried around, brewing coffee and heating vegetables. The beef potpie bubbled in the oven. Emma stirred some potatoes on the stove, checking them for doneness. She had already set the dessert on the counter, where it cooled.
Upstairs, Big John finished wiping the caked dust off, washed his face and combed his hair back. He put on clean clothing. Walking into his son’s room, he saw that John Junior was doing the same. “Son, where are you taking Beth tonight?”
“She wants to go to the picnic grounds and just enjoy the evening, she said. What she doesn’t know is that I am giving her my final ultimatum. She quits her job, and she goes home uninjured. If not...” John’s voice was quiet, but not quiet enough.
Emma had quietly come upstairs, planning to tell the men that dinner was ready. Overhearing John’s voice, she stopped in the hallway. Knowing what he meant, she covered her mouth and wheeled back around. As small as she was, her steps didn’t make much sound. Still, she was cautious, avoiding parts of stairs that she knew creaked. Wringing her hands and pacing, she wanted to do something, but knew she couldn’t. But maybe... She was jolted out of her musings by the noisy footsteps of her husband and son. “Dinner’s ready.” She was nervous, not wanting them to see that she knew what they had been talking about.
Neither man noticed Emma’s nervousness. Instead, they dug into their meals, eating silently after their prayer. “What’s for dessert?” Big John wiped his face and whiskers clean of his lunch, waiting.
“Apple crisp with ice cream. Here you go.” Emma’s hand trembled slightly as she handed them their bowls. “More coffee?”
“Ya.” John wolfed down his apple crisp and indicated he wanted a second serving. He waited as Emma hurried to comply. “Son, we should get back outside. It’s a bit cool out there today.”
“Ya, but it’ll feel gut.” Without thanking his mamm for the delicious dinner, John walked out with his daed.
***
After picking Beth up at her house, John drove her to the picnic area. Lifting the small basket she had prepared, he took it to the nearest table.
Beth glanced around, half-hoping to see signs that help was close by. She closed her eyes briefly when she saw the Yoders and Millers at the far end of the picnic area. “This looks gut. I’ll spread the tablecloth so our food stays clean.” She quickly snapped the oval tablecloth out and spread it over the concrete table. Removing the jars of spreads, bread, cheese and sliced meats, she invited John to sit.
John made a thick, hearty sandwich for himself. “Mmm, this is gut. So, have you made a decision? When will you quit working at that diner?”
Beth sighed. She had hoped to delay this part of the evening. “John, can we enjoy our meal for a few minutes, then talk about that?”
John looked deeply at Beth. “I would like an answer. Tonight.” His voice deepened.”
“Ya, I know. I will let you know, but I just want to enjoy a little supper and time with you first.”
John couldn't see anything wrong with that. “Okay. This time.” After finishing two large sandwiches, he dug into half of the cookies Beth had packed. Without thanking her, he burped loudly, and then took a large slurp of coffee. “Well?”
Beth took her time. Wiping her mouth and setting her napkin down, she sighed. “John, Mamm and I are by ourselves. Other than the small amount of savings Daed was able to set aside for us, we have nothing. Mamm needs my earnings to keep us in the house so the bank doesn’t foreclose on it. Oh!”
John had slammed his meaty hand on the table in anger. “You know what I want! You know I want a wife who stays at home and doesn’t work. She should only take care of the house and our kinder!” Rising, he moved around to Beth’s side of the picnic bench. Grabbing her by the arm, he pulled her up and tried to pull her away from the table.
Beth tried not to resist. Still, her foot caught on the high, concrete foot of the bench. As John tugged at her arm, she tried to free her foot. Her leg and foot twisted painfully as he pulled on her arm. Nearly horizontal, she was unable to balance so she could pull her foot free. Feeling her leg twisting, she heard a sharp snap as the bone broke. “Ach, John, you hurt me! Let me go, now!” Beth’s voice was shrill.
Hearing Beth’s exclamation, the deputies surrounded the couple. They had moved closer as John grabbed Beth’s arm. He hadn’t noticed their presence.
“John Andrews, let her go!” One of the deputies stood close behind John, handcuffs in his hand.
John, turning, didn’t recognize the faces. “Who are you? This is a private matter.”
“Not when you hurt her, it isn’t. Deputy, cuff him.” Sheriff Mathis read John his Miranda rights. “We need a second set of cuffs. He’s too big for one set.”
Beth, lying on the picnic table by now, breathed deeply, trying to stave off nausea. She was angry. “John, we are not a couple anymore. I am not leaving the diner and I am not marrying you!”
“What? I’m your only—”
“Nee! I’d rather stay single!”
“Take this disgusting weakling away.” The sheriff’s voice was disgusted.
***
Weeks later, the peer group had made headway, signing up several new couples shaken by Beth Zook’s beating. The group’s main focus continued to be discussing and teaching sexism and its effects on Amish families.
THE END.
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Rachel
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ALSO BY RACHEL STOLTZFUS
Have you read them all?
AMISH OF PEACE VALLEY SERIES
Denial. Redemption. Love.
Amish Love Saves All Page 8
