Lamb to the Slaughter

by Karen Ann Hopkins

  Nancy winked. When I peeked around the booth behind me, my heart stopped. It took just a second for Daniel to hone in on me and when his gaze met mine, he frowned slightly. The look got my heart started again. His face cleared of emotion and he walked leisurely to our booth.

  “Oh, great,” I sighed, thudding my head back against the bright red plastic cushion.

  Todd half stood, looking in the direction of the door before I could tug him down. When he seated himself again, he chuckled, “Looks like you have a stalker.”

  In the few seconds it took Daniel to arrive at our table and take the seat beside Bobby that Nancy had vacated, I’d regained my composure. I hoped my face was neutral when I chanced a glance back at Daniel.

  Without taking his eyes off of me, he said, “How did Eli’s arraignment go?”

  When I stubbornly refused to speak, Todd answered for me. “The judge agreed that we can hold him for questioning while we wait for the DNA evidence to come in.”

  “I take it that you’re no longer in need of my services?” Daniel directed the question at me, and unless I wanted to look like a juvenile to Bobby and Todd, I had to answer him.

  “I’m not sure, but I think we’ve got things covered for now,” I said meeting Daniel’s gaze and feeling weak kneed just looking at him.

  My response obviously hurt his feelings, although he was careful to conceal it when he abruptly rose. “If you need anything further, Sheriff, don’t hesitate to call me.”

  Daniel left us to join his crew at the counter. When Todd, Bobby and I passed him on our way out, he didn’t even look up, instead staying in conversation with his buddies. I could hardly blame him for ignoring me. I’d been quite the bitch.

  The cold air cleared my hot thoughts and I looked at Bobby as we neared the patrol car. “Do you want to head over to Mary’s with us?”

  “No, I have some paperwork that I need to get caught up on if I plan to take Thanksgiving week off.”

  “All right, we’ll drop you off at the department and Todd and I will go meet Mrs. Clark.”

  Before Bobby slid into the back seat, he turned to me and asked, “Why is it so important for you to talk to this former Amish woman about an incident that happened thirty years ago?”

  I didn’t really have an answer for him—at least, not one that made any sense. I just felt the pull to follow through with it, almost as if I were being guided by an invisible force to do so. But, hell, I couldn’t tell Bobby that.

  I gathered my wits, and said, “The more I can learn about the Amish the better. I’m sure other situations will arise where the knowledge will come in handy. And I’ve already discovered that the best place to learn about the Amish is from those who used to live among them.”

  Bobby was satisfied with my answer and questioned me no more. Once we dropped him off, Todd and I headed to the south side of town where Mary lived with her husband. Todd was rather subdued during the drive, and against my better judgment, I turned and said, “What’s going on with you? You haven’t said one rude thing to me today.”

  Todd slowed the vehicle and glanced over. Seeing that he was about to spill the beans, I silently kicked my curious side.

  “Heather’s pregnant,” Todd said firmly, right before he began rubbing his hand over his buzzed hair in distress.

  That was the last thing I was expecting him to say. I was trying to figure out how to respond when he began talking again.

  “Now she wants me to marry her.”

  “You were planning on marrying her anyway, so what’s the big deal?” I oversimplified it for sure, but I had more important things on my mind.

  “That’s not the point. Before, I had a choice in the matter. Now, she just expects me to do it. Everybody expects me to do it.” Todd sounded really depressed and for the first time in twenty years, I felt sort of sorry for him.

  I put Naomi, the Amish, and Daniel out of my mind for the moment. “Todd, Heather is your high school sweetheart. You’ve been with her, on and off, for all these years. Really, you should have popped the question a long time ago.”

  “Yeah, maybe, but what about you—you’re not married either.”

  Why on earth the conversation had drifted into my personal space, I had no idea, but since Todd wasn’t cracking any jokes, I decided to be honest with him.

  “I guess it’s because I haven’t met anyone I felt right about marrying yet. I mean, I’ve dated a few guys seriously, but not one of them I’d want to spend the rest of my life with. You and Heather are different though. You two have already shared a life together, and even when you’ve gone your separate ways, you both always ended up back together again. I think that you’re just being stubborn about the whole marriage thing.”

  “Do you really think that two people could be meant to be together—like soul mates?” Todd asked.

  I gazed out the window and thought for minute. My parents had been married for forty years and I certainly couldn’t see either one of them with any other person. And, Laura and Ryan had been together for about twenty years and they were still going strong. Maybe, what Todd said was true. But, certainly, I wasn’t a relationship expert. I couldn’t even begin dating someone without screwing it up completely.

  Glancing back at Todd’s anxious frame, I decided to be nice. “Yeah, I do. And, I think you and Heather are two of those people.”

  Todd nodded and said, “You know, I think you’re right. When I get home tonight, I’m going to ask Heather to be my wife. I’m really going to do it.”

  I was glad to get it out of the way before we met with Mary. Now, Todd should be able to concentrate on his job. A couple of minutes later we pulled into the Clark’s driveway. I thought that the little, one story cookie cutter house fit perfectly into the usual idea of American living—and, how it was a far cry from the type of Amish household that Mary probably grew up in.

  The dried out orange Mums in pots to each side of the doorway caught my attention while we waited for someone to answer the door. The cold winter was fast approaching and all of nature was bracing for it. Already, I missed the blazing sunshine of warmer days.

  “Hello, Sheriff. I just got off the phone with Nancy, but I wasn’t expecting you so quickly,” the woman at the door said. She had a head full of dark hair that was lightly streaked with gray. Her eyes were bright and friendly.

  I held out my hand and Mary lightly shook it. “You must be Mary Clark. Please call me Serenity. This is Todd.”

  After the introductions were made, we found ourselves seated around the table in Mary’s blue and yellow kitchen. I looked around the room, taking in the country décor, while Mary poured a cup of tea for herself and me. Todd was already sipping the cola that she’d given him.

  “Nancy said that you wanted to ask me some questions about my sister, Rachel. Is that true?” Mary said, finally taking a seat across from me. Her face was still open, but her body had tensed with her words.

  “Yes. Bobby Humphrey told me about Rachel’s death. I must admit, I became intrigued with the story. You see, I’m investigating the death of another Amish girl and I thought that the information about your sister might help me understand the Amish psyche better,” I said.

  Mary absorbed my words and sighed.

  “I must say that there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about my sister and how she took her own life, but I haven’t talked about it for, oh, so many years. Did Mr. Humphrey tell you that Rachel killed herself by stepping in front of the train?”

  “Yes, he told me that part. Do you have any idea why she would have done such a thing?” I asked softly. Mary’s eyes met mine and they were moist. I suddenly questioned my visit with the woman, realizing how painful the memories were to her. I hastily said, “If you don’t feel comfortable talking about this, I understand.”

  Mary sniffed, “No, no. This is a conversation that I’ve been waiting to have for almost thirty years now. It’s long overdue. I believe I owe it to Rachel to tell it.” Mary took
a sip of her tea and settled into her chair before she continued.

  “Rachel was the prettiest girl in the community. All the boys were after her, but she wasn’t interested in any of them. Instead, she had her eye on an English boy who lived up the road from our farm. I admit, he was a handsome young fellow, and a hard worker, always helping us put up the hay or bring the crops in for some extra money. But he was also a rowdy character, and it didn’t take long for the leaders in our community to see it and restrict the Amish youth from interacting with him. Well, my sister had her own rebellious ways. Even though she knew it was forbidden to mingle with English boys in general, and this boy particularly, she went ahead and started up a relationship with him anyway.” Seeing my eyes widen at her words, she smiled. “Yes, it was quite the scandal. I won’t get into all the details, but in the end, when Rachel was caught, she did the most horrible thing imaginable. She lied, telling the bishop and ministers that the young man had attacked her.

  “Rachel was young, and she said what she did in a moment of panic and fear. Our father had a violent temper and she was terrified of what he would do to her if he knew the truth. What Rachel didn’t think about, was what our father and the other men of the community would do to her English lover.

  “To this day, I don’t know exactly who was in on it, but I do know that the boy did pay for his accused sins.”

  Mary paused, looking out the window, while I tried to slow my heart. My God, I knew who did it. Daniel’s story was weaving into Mary’s, giving me the picture of an incredible Shakespearian type tragedy.

  Mary’s voice pierced my runaway thoughts. “That’s why she took her life with the train. The guilt pestered her for days, until it was too much for her to live with. I tried to talk to her about it but failed, being angry with her myself for her destructive ways and decisions. But I never dreamed she would commit the ultimate sin.”

  Mary’s voice trailed off and she dabbed her eyes with a napkin. After glancing at Todd, whose own eyes were wide, I swallowed and asked the questions that had been nagging me since Mary began speaking. “Who was the boy, Mary? Did he die?”

  Mary’s face firmed and she sat up straighter. I could tell that she was weighing in her mind whether she should tell me. After an uncomfortable minute of near silence, the only sound being the tick-tock of the wall clock, she looked me straight in the eye, and said, “No, he didn’t die. As a matter of fact, he’s still very much alive today.”

  I whispered, “What’s his name?”

  “Anthony. Anthony Manning,” Mary whispered back.

  20

  NAOMI

  October 20th

  The bellowing finally stopped after the shot gun’s boom blasted through the room. Naomi squeezed her eyes shut for a few seconds trying not to think about the cow that was now lying dead in the adjoining room. All too soon, chunks of the animal’s meat would be beneath her hands, ready to be wrapped. She swallowed down the queasiness that suddenly hit her belly, wondering why, after a year of suffering though this horrible job, she was just now becoming physically ill from it.

  When Naomi opened her eyes and saw the men tying the rope around the cow’s hind legs so that it could be hoisted up and cut open, her insides rolled and hot bile rose in her throat. Dropping the knife, she pulled the plastic gloves off and covered her mouth as she sprinted from the room. She flung the door open and ran to the side of the building, where she vomited into a clump of green grass. Just as Naomi was straightening back up, Sandra’s hands were on her shoulders.

  Sandra’s voice rang in Naomi’s ear. “Are you all right?”

  Sandra handed Naomi a paper towel. She pressed it to her mouth, wiping the wetness away. Her stomach was still wavy, but not like before. She took a trembling breath before she answered Sandra.

  “I guess I’m getting sick. My belly’s been rocky all day.”

  “You probably just need some fresh air,” Sandra said as she wrapped her arm around Naomi’s shoulders and guided her to the picnic table. “Let’s see if you feel any better after sitting for a minute.”

  Naomi’s legs were still wobbly, and she was happy for the help from her friend’s strong hands. Once they were seated, Naomi lifted her head to the cool breeze, letting the brush of air dry the dampness from her forehead. After a minute, she opened her eyes and looked at the only friend she’d ever had. Naomi felt a deep sadness that she’d be leaving her behind. Seeing the concern in Sandra’s eyes, the pull to confide her plans became too strong. In a second of reckless trust, Naomi made the decision. Glancing over her shoulder to make sure that they were completely alone, and seeing that they were, she turned back to Sandra, who was waiting patiently for her to say something.

  “Sandy, I have a secret to tell you. But if I do, you have to promise to never speak to anyone about it.” Naomi said it in such a serious voice that Sandra’s eyes became as round as saucers as she leaned in close.

  “Course you can trust me, you know that. So what’s the secret?”

  Naomi swallowed down the sudden misgiving and whispered, “I’m running away. I’m leaving Blood Rock and never coming back.”

  Sandra’s jaw dropped and she grabbed Naomi’s hand squeezing it tightly, “What are you talking about? Are you crazy?”

  “No, I’m perfectly sane, maybe the only one, besides you, in this entire community. I can’t take it anymore. The way Mamma treats me and how the elders are against me. This is for the best. I know it is.”

  “How are you going to do it?” Sandra’s voice was half panicked and half in awe.

  Naomi looked around again before she whispered to Sandra, finally allowing herself to speak the words to her friend that she’d wanted to for so many days.

  “Will Johnson is taking me to Montana with him. He loves me…and I love him. I’m going to become English.”

  “My goodness, you are crazy!”

  “No, I’m not. I’ve thought it all out. I’m not Amish material,” Naomi said with sureness that must have convinced Sandra, because after the girl absorbed her friend’s words, she nodded slowly.

  Sandra whispered, “When is this going to happen?”

  “Tonight—I’m leaving tonight. All I have to do is crossover the cornfield to Burkey Road, where Will will be waiting for me.”

  Sandra took a deep breath, “Oh, my. I can hardly believe it…but I do understand. You have it even worse than the rest of us it seems, with your crazy mother. But are you sure that you can trust Will?”

  With no hesitation at all, Naomi said, “Yes. I trust Will with my life. Don’t you go worrying about me—I’ll be fine for sure.”

  “I’ll miss you,” Sandra said with glistening eyes. It took all of Naomi’s inner strength not to begin tearing up herself.

  “After I’ve settled in, I’ll send you a letter. Maybe if we’re real careful, we can stay in touch that way. And, who knows, maybe someday we can see each other again.”

  “Oh, I hope so. I don’t know what I’m going to do without you.”

  Naomi put her hands over her friend’s. “I’ll never forget you, Sandy.”

  Sandra smiled sadly and now the tears flowed down Naomi’s cheeks unchecked. Naomi knew deep down that she was doing the right thing—but then why did it feel so terrible, she wondered?

  21

  SERENITY

  November 17th

  My head was swimming as I walked into my sister’s kitchen. The warmth of the lights and the steam rising from the pot on the stove instantly calmed my nerves. Laura was bent over Taylor at the kitchen table, helping my niece with her homework. Their heads popped up at my entrance.

  “I wasn’t expecting you, Serenity. What’s up?” Laura asked, leaving Taylor at the table and approaching me with a concerned look on her face.

  That was the thing about my sister—she could read me like an open book.

  I shrugged and averted Laura’s gaze by opening up the fridge and searching the interior for nothing in particular.

  “H
ow’s Will doing?” I asked, trying to avert attention from me.

  Laura leaned against the counter top. “He’s still a mess, but he’ll survive. He went out and worked his horses today. That’s a good sign.”

  Grabbing a cola, I shut the fridge door and faced my sister. “You know, he’s going to internalize this for a while and that’s what you have to watch for. Keep the lines of communication open. I’m sure he really wants to talk about it, but it hurts too much right now.”

  I glanced at Taylor. She was pretending to do her homework, but in reality, her ear was tilted our way, listening. I crossed the floor and sat beside her, placing my hand on her back and rubbing her the way I always did.

  “How are you holding up, kiddo?” I asked, cringing when I saw the advanced algebra questions in front of her.

  Taylor was a tough little cookie, reminding me of myself when I was her age. There was sadness in her eyes, but she had it under control, just as I expected her to.

  “I’m all right, Aunt Rennie, but poor Will is heartbroken. You know, he really loved Naomi. I think they would have gotten married and everything.”

  I sighed, again wishing that I could have met Naomi before she died. “I believe that you’re right, but now we have to help your brother get through this.”

  “By loving him a lot, right?” Taylor said, her upbeat nature shining through even in tragedy.

  “Yep, we’ll all smother him with hugs and kisses. I’m sure he’ll just love that,” I joked.

  Taylor giggled and slammed the text book shut. “I’m finally done.”

  After Taylor left the kitchen, Laura took a seat and stared at me with a worried frown. “Have you heard anything about the paternity test yet?”

  “No, and I don’t expect to for a few more days.” I was toying with the edge of the table cloth, my mind drifting back to my conversation with Rebecca Clark. If I settled my thoughts on it for too long, goose bumps rose on my arms and my heart sped up. I still hadn’t decided what the hell I was going to do with the information—and how I could even confirm what had happened that night to Tony Manning. The question that had me in a confused tizzy was why the ex-sheriff was so buddy, buddy with the Amish after they’d tried to kill him.