Amish Trust

by Ruth Hartzler

  Rachel shook her head. “Nee, I fastened the top on myself after I used it. I even hammered it back on. I’m sure it wouldn’t have opened just by falling over.”

  “The cover could still pop off if it was kicked or hit just right before tumbling over. If the suspects were purposely trying to vandalize the place with paint, why wouldn’t they have just thrown it all over the room and walls?”

  Miriam sighed aloud and fidgeted with her fingers, clearly upset by his method of thinking. “What about the two cans of paint that were missing?”

  “Exactly,” Rachel said. “If the people that did this were just looking for some lost pirate treasure, why would they steal paint? The tools I can understand, but paint?” Rachel tried to hide her frustration.

  The sheriff scratched at his stubble. “Hmm, well I’ll give you that. I’ve heard of those treasure hunters and looters for ages, but never do they actually take things other than what they’d assume is the actual treasure. If you were missing some gold or coins or something, it’d make more sense.” He was silent for a moment. “I think it’s safe to say this was robbery. Plus I don’t see any conclusive evidence that would point to it being the treasure hunters.”

  Rachel, Miriam, and Isaac all exchanged glances. “If it wasn’t someone looking for Eden’s treasure, who could it have been?” Rachel said. “Have there been other robberies happening around town?”

  Sheriff Dobbs shook his head. “I haven’t been called to a single robbery all month, up until now that is.”

  “I know who it could be,” Miriam said, “the B&B in the center of town. Its owners showed up here the other day threatening us and telling us we should leave and not bother opening the business here.”

  The sheriff’s expression turned solemn. “Ma’am, I understand you’re frustrated and this is a major inconvenience, but that’s all conjecture. You’re just assuming those things based on your instincts. In police procedure, we need to base things on the actual evidence.”

  “I understand that, Sheriff,” Miriam said, “but the B&B has prevented us employing tradesmen. I do believe they may have tried to sabotage us. Perhaps they stole tools and paint that will not only help another bed and breakfast, but hinder us until we replace them. And I don’t believe for a moment that the paint was knocked over. It looks deliberate.” Miriam pointed at the hardwood floors that were now desecrated with paint. “They didn’t just tip it over. They poured it on a beautifully redone wooden floor. It had to be purposefully done.” She frowned.

  “Ma’am, I completely understand your points,” the sheriff said. “And trust me, they make a lot of sense. The problem is that the rival owners of that other B&B are influential around here. They’re even good friends with the mayor. I’m not saying that means they are above breaking the law, but even if they did, it could prove difficult to try to hit them with any criminal charges. Even something as petty as vandalism could be tough.”

  Miriam let out another sigh, but this one was even louder than the first. “It just doesn’t make any sense, sheriff. Their establishment is directly in the middle of town, and we’re all the way out here. I can’t imagine we’d be direct competitors all that often.”

  Rachel noted that Isaac stood quiet, not saying a word, but looking on and listening intently. Every so often she would notice him looking at her, but whenever she’d catch him, he’d look away quickly. Her heart leaped when she thought that Isaac might be interested in her, but now was not the time to focus on such things. “Sheriff Dobbs?”

  “Yes?” he said, turning his head toward her.

  “What if it is the rival B&B that is behind this?”

  He shook his head. “I’m going to take a report as a robbery and vandalism, but there is nothing that hints toward any one suspect.” He took his hat from his head and looked around again. “How about the broken window and the other room? May I see that area?”

  “Of course,” Miriam said, leading him and the others to the small room at the back of the house. When they walked in, Dobbs went to the window. He stood beside it, looking out into the yard, as if looking for a path of escape or something of the sort.

  “Well, this definitely could be the point of entry. Looks like it was punched or kicked in.” His eyes fell upon the small dents in the wall around the window. “Hmm, not sure what that could be from.”

  Miriam took a deep breath. “We didn’t even know there was another B&B in the vicinity until the tradesmen refused to work for us, and then they showed up here with veiled threats and harsh tones,” she said. “It’s clear that us being here is already bothering them, even though it will be a while before we can open for business.”

  “Ma’am, I’m truly sorry that I can’t give you a better solution, but I honestly think it’s best to just focus on repairing this place and getting it open. Once customers, visitors, and staff are mulling around, nobody, including treasure hunters and the mayor’s friends, will cause you any trouble.”

  His words were reassuring, but Rachel could tell from the look on her mudder’s face that she didn’t feel reassured in any way.

  “Is there nothing else you can do, Sheriff?” Isaac finally spoke. “I don’t know too much about crime scenes and all, but isn’t there some sort of method for finding perpetrators?”

  Sheriff Dobbs straightened his vest. “Oh, you mean like fingerprinting? Yeah, we could do that, but I’ve been looking around. There’s nothing that jumps out and says, ‘Hey look at me, I’m a fingerprint,’ and if I go poking around this investigation by dusting all the walls and having deputies on the site, it’ll become public record real fast. I think it’s best if we just chalk it up as a group of treasure hunters, and if there is another incident, I won’t hesitate to let the town know that we’re investigating it. I’ll have a forensic team here in minutes to dust for prints.”

  Rachel figured that the sheriff was clearly torn and unsure of what to do. “That’s fine, but what about in the meantime?” she asked him. “How do we protect ourselves from this happening again?”

  “Perhaps some signs on the front lawn and doors?” the sheriff suggested.

  “We’ve tried that,” Miriam said, “but that will only help against looters.”

  “Well, if it’ll give you two peace of mind at least until this place is up and running, I can assign a detail to come out here at intervals. Not sure how often it’d be, but you’d have a cop driving by at least a few times per night. That should be enough to scare off any would-be looters or vandals.”

  Miriam frowned. “I’m not sure how I feel about that.”

  Isaac walked over to her. “It will give you some peace of mind,” he sad gently.

  “I can assure you that the details won’t bother you or anyone other than possible perpetrators,” the sheriff said. “They’ll just drive by like they’re patrolling the entire town and its outer limits, and nobody but us will be the wiser. Please do keep an eye out, and if there are any more issues or concerns at all, please just call my office and I’ll get back to Eden to investigate.”

  Sheriff Dobbs placed his hat back atop his head and readied himself to leave. Miriam and Rachel followed him out, and Isaac trailed behind. “Thank you for coming, Sheriff,” Miriam said.

  “I’m sorry I couldn’t have been of more help. If it happens again, that’s when it’ll become an issue. I just don’t want to you feel like you can’t count on me next time.”

  “So, that didn’t go exactly as planned, did it?” Isaac said when the sheriff had left.

  “It was pretty much expected,” Rachel remarked. “It’s obvious that they never took steps to stop or prohibit the looters and treasure hunters, so what makes you think they’d care about some spilled paint and stolen tools?”

  “I think that’s the point, Rachel.” Isaac looked at her. “Perhaps he needs to be sure it wasn’t just a looter before he goes making a big deal out of it.”

  “Maybe, but what are we going if it happens again? My mudder is already having a ha
rd time with all of this stress.” She nodded at Miriam who was already on her knees, scrubbing at the paint on the hard, wooden floor. “We need to get this place back in order so she can be happy again.”

  “I’ll help you with the paint,” Isaac said.

  Miriam looked up. “Denki, Isaac, but what about your farm duties?”

  “I’m more than happy to help.” He shot Rachel a tender look.

  A thousand butterflies flew around Rachel’s stomach as their eyes met.

  “Denki, Isaac,” Miriam said again. “That is so gut of you. I will accept your offer on one condition, that you join us for dinner tonight.”

  Chapter 13

  As dinnertime neared, Rachel heard a soft knock on the door. It was Isaac, right on time. He stood in the doorway with a large smile. Rachel noticed that his suspenders were immaculate, which for some reason seemed funny to her, perhaps as he always seemed to have his hands dirty from some sort of work. She welcomed him in.

  They walked into the dining room to a large table which was set beautifully. Several dishes sat atop the table, and a pitcher of garden tea was surrounded by glasses of ice in the center. Rachel watched Isaac as he surveyed the setting. She figured it may have been a long time before he had dinner with others.

  “We’re just about finished, Isaac. If you would take a seat, Rachel and I will have everything served shortly,” Miriam said.

  Isaac pulled out a chair. “Denki.”

  Rachel smiled and poured him some tea before helping her mudder finish setting the table. Once the food was all brought out, and the dinner was ready, the women took their seats at the table. Rachel smiled when she realized she was seated directly across from Isaac.

  “I hope you like John Cope’s Corn,” Miriam said.

  Isaac nodded. “Jah, denki. We had it often when I was a child, and it always reminds me of my youth.”

  Miriam chuckled. “That’s never a bad thing,” she said.

  Isaac laughed at that.

  Rachel stared at him, the way his eyes crinkled up at the corners, and the way the worry lines on his forehead all but disappeared. She closed her eyes and said her silent grace. Even though life wasn’t always perfect, it was good, and it always seemed to get better, even if it was a slow process. She was so grateful that she could not put it all into words, not even in her own mind.

  When her eyes opened again, she saw that Miriam and Isaac had also finished saying their silent graces. Miriam nodded and they all began eating. As Rachel took her share of the entrée, the smell tickled her nostrils. The warm smell of dried corn baked into a casserole with milk and sugar invaded her sense of smell. She thought it was a very pleasant fragrance, and the taste was delicious. Rachel had eaten like this with company more times than she could remember, but for the first time since they had arrived at Eden, she felt as if things were finally settling into place. Sure, things were still bumpy, but the road seemed clearer now than ever.

  “Do you think anything will come of the sheriff’s visit?” Rachel asked.

  Isaac considered for a moment before replying, but he seemed hesitant even then. “Well, I’ve known Sheriff Dobbs for years, and he’s a gut mann, but if his hands are tied, he won’t be able to really do much.”

  Rachel frowned. “But it’s his job to stop things like that from happening, isn’t it?”

  “Jah, but he could be thrown out of office or worse if the mayor thinks he’s out to get some close friends of his,” Isaac said. “Those people at the other B&B are like the type of people who will do whatever it takes to get ahead in the world.”

  “I understand if he can’t go making false accusations, but if we come up with some actual proof that it was done deliberately, do you think he’ll help us?” Miriam asked.

  Isaac’s eyes wandered around the room. “Honestly, I think he will do his part when and if the time comes. He’s not one of the bad guys, but he’s one of the good guys that are afraid to stand up to them.”

  Miriam sighed. “Oh well, we can have no cares for tomorrow. Only Gott knows what the day will bring. Let’s enjoy our meal tonight.”

  The conversation soon turned to their old lives in Ohio. “I was reluctant to make the move in some ways, but of course I wanted to do whatever Mamm thought best,” Rachel said.

  “Oh, do you miss anyone back in your old community?” Isaac asked, looking directly at Rachel when he spoke.

  Rachel thought that Isaac looked a little uneasy, as if he had just been given bad news. She was not sure if the question was directed to her or to Miriam as well. Either way, she was caught off guard by the inquiry, and had to try to hide her look of surprise. “My friends in Ohio, you mean? Yes, I certainly do. I mean, I’m sure I’ll make just as many friends out here, but we lived there for a long time, so it’ll always be sad in a way, you know?”

  Isaac looked pleased with her answer. She could feel a warmth from him that she had not felt much of before from anyone else. Something about him caused her stomach to flutter, her heart to beat faster, and caused her to feel happy, an actual feeling of joy and happiness. While life was full of those moments, no one person previously had ever instilled those feelings so effortlessly in her.

  “I know how hard it can be just to up and change your life like that,” Isaac said. “It’s not about how far you’re dragged down, but how fast you are able to climb back up from it that matters, and speaks volumes as to your personal character. I miss a lot of things that I used to have as well, but we grow stronger and become better people because of it.” His tone was gentle, yet serious and honest.

  Rachel thought about Ohio and her friends. There were several whom she missed quite a bit, and even though they were far apart, those friends never left her mind. “That is very true, Isaac. I completely agree. It’s just a shame that sometimes we need to lose one or two people with whom we were gut friends.”

  He looked up sharply. “Oh, you miss someone specifically?”

  “Yes. I mean, I miss them all, but I was very close to one of my friends.”

  Isaac seemed to be forcing a smile. “That’s lovely. I hope I will have the pleasure of meeting him one day. Will he be visiting Eden when you’re open?”

  Rachel smiled when she realized that he was assuming her friend was male, and she had trouble suppressing a giggle. “No, you misunderstand me,” she said. “The person I miss is my friend, Marie, so it’s a her, not a him you’ll have to meet.” Rachel could not help smiling.

  Miriam pulled the cover off the main dish, Chicken Pot Pie. The golden, flat crust oozed with gravy as she cut it into squares. “You mentioned that you miss what you’ve lost quite a bit,” she said, looking at Isaac as he hoisted a large slice of the Pot Pie to his plate. “Your previous marriage?”

  A solemn look lingered about his face. He looked down at his chunk of pie and then spoke softly. Rachel could tell it was an emotional topic for him. “Yes, Miriam. It’s still difficult to talk about, but it caused some profound changes in my life.”

  “Would you ever consider marrying again?” Miriam asked, embarrassing Rachel entirely.

  Isaac smiled again, but his head was down and he stared at his fork. “I had always thought I would never marry again, not after my fraa ran away. It’s been a tough journey, but where I seem to be arriving at in life, is a place I’m happy to be at. If it’s Gott’s will that I marry another, I will not be saddened by that.”

  A pang of sympathy hit Rachel as she listened, but at the same time, she was a little amused by his obvious embarrassment. Isaac was such a strong, kind man. She could see through his eyes how painful the experience had been.

  “Well, I think whoever that woman ends up being, she will be extremely lucky to have such a caring young man,” Miriam admitted.

  Rachel smiled in agreement, but tried to hide it with her hand.

  Isaac’s face had darkened. “My fraa’s name was Olivia. For the first few years, we ran the farm together and had some productive seasons.” Isaac paused
and scratched at his eye with one finger.

  Rachel was embarrassed at hearing Isaac’s story, but there was nothing she could do but sit there and hear it unfold.

  “We were married for some years,” he continued. “Olivia worked for a store owner, an Englischer by the name of Mark Lambert. She had never been on rumspringa, as her parents were opposed to rumspringa for some reason. Clearly, the pull of the Englischer world was too strong for her, and she ran away with Mark Lambert and later married him.”

  Rachel jaw dropped. “She didn’t!”

  “I’m so sorry that happened to you, Isaac,” Miriam said. Rachel shot a look at her mudder and saw that she was just as shocked.

  Isaac nodded, but still did not look at either of the women. “I suppose she just didn’t want to live this way any longer.” He shrugged. “I shut out everyone for a long time after that. My farm became just as abandoned as Eden was for some time. I lost trust in everyone, even the world around me for some time.” He finally looked at Rachel, and added, “However, now I’m finally starting to feel like my young self once again.”

  Chapter 14

  Rachel woke before dawn, as usual. She and her mudder sat in the kitchen each drinking a mug of strong kaffi. Rachel stood up to pour herself a second cup, when she heard a scraping sound coming from an adjacent room. Miriam must have heard it too, because she immediately shot her daughter a worried look.

  Unsure what to do, Rachel listened closely as the noise got louder. It sounded like a scraping of some sort. “Mamm, do you hear that?”

  Miriam nodded. “It sounds like some sort of animal.”