A sense of frustration welled in Grace’s soul. Had she really expected he would admit what he’d done?
“Look, Gracie,” he said in his most charming voice. “I don’t know anything about any break-ins, but I do appreciate the information.”
Her mouth dropped open. “You … you appreciate it?”
He nodded.
“Why is that?”
Gary pulled a notebook from his shirt pocket. “Because this will make one great story.”
Chapter 14
Are they accepting the little bottle with the formula we made up?” Judith asked as she stepped into the barn and found Martha bent over a box, trying to feed Heidi’s puppies.
Martha looked up and offered a weak smile. “They’re eating some, but not as well as they would if their mamm was here feeding them.”
Judith gave her daughter’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Even if Heidi doesn’t come home, I’m confident that the pups will live; you’ll see to it.”
“I spent the whole day searching for Heidi. Luke and Dad even helped me look during their lunch hour, but it was a waste of their time.” Martha frowned. “If Dad would only let the sheriff know about the things that have been happening to us lately, maybe he could find out who’s doing this and why.”
“Your daed believes the things that have happened were merely pranks, and he sees no need to notify the sheriff.” Judith reached into the box and stroked one of the whimpering pups with the tip of her finger. “Just pray, dear one. That’s the best we can do.”
When Martha left the barn sometime later, she noticed a gray SUV pulling into their yard. John Peterson opened his door and stepped down, and to her surprise, Toby King climbed out of the passenger’s side, holding a cute little sheltie in his arms.
“Heidi!” Martha raced down the driveway and scooped the dog out of Toby’s arms. “Where have you been, girl? I was worried about you.”
“I found her wandering along the side of the road near my house,” Toby said. “I knew you had a couple of shelties, and I decided to bring her over and see if she was yours.”
“I was heading to town and saw Toby walking alongside the road, so I gave him a ride,” John put in.
“I appreciate that.” Martha stroked the top of the dog’s head. “Heidi gave birth to a batch of pups not long ago, and she’s still nursing. When she went missing this morning, I was afraid she’d been stolen.”
John’s eyebrows furrowed as he pulled his fingers through the sides of his dark, curly hair. “She probably just went for a run and lost her bearings.”
“But she knows where she lives, and she’s always come straight home before.”
“Maybe she forgot.” John tipped his head, making his slightly crooked nose look more bent than usual. Martha figured he’d probably broken it sometime—maybe when he was a boy. She didn’t think it would be polite to ask, so she averted her gaze and focused on the trembling dog in her arms.
John pointed down the driveway toward her father’s shop. “When I brought some of my tools for your dad to borrow, he said he thought the incidents that had happened to your family were probably done by some rowdy English kids. Does he still think that?”
Martha nodded soberly.
“Luke’s been hanging around with some English fellows. I wouldn’t be surprised if he wasn’t in on some of those pranks.” Toby gave one quick nod.
Martha pursed her lips. “I doubt Luke would take part in anything like that, but if I could prevent more pranks from happening to us or anyone else, I surely would.”
John shook his head. “You’d best not do anything foolish, girl. I told your dad I would keep my eyes and ears open, and if I hear or see anything suspicious, I’ll be sure to let him know.”
Martha almost laughed at John referring to her as a girl. He wasn’t much more than a boy himself—maybe in his mid-twenties.
“I’ll keep a lookout for things, too,” Toby said. “And if I find out Luke had anything to do with it, I’ll inform my daed.”
Martha was on the verge of telling Toby there would be no need for him to tell his bishop father anything, but she figured the less said about Luke, the better.
“I should get Heidi back in the box with her brood.” She smiled at the young men. “Thanks for returning her to me.”
“Glad we could help,” they said in unison.
Grace leaned against the buggy seat and closed her eyes. She was glad Ruth had been willing to drive home, because after the encounter she’d had with Gary awhile ago, she probably couldn’t have kept her mind on the road if she’d been the one in the driver’s seat.
Ruth reached over and touched Grace’s arm. “Does your head still hurt?”
“Jah.”
“Sorry about that. Was the restaurant real busy today?”
“No more than usual.”
“Things were sure hectic at the bakeshop. Seemed like everyone wanted a dozen donuts, all at the same time. At one point, there must have been twenty customers milling around the store, and even with Sadie’s help this afternoon, I could barely keep up.”
Grace nodded. She didn’t feel like talking right now. All she wanted to do was go home, take a couple of aspirin, and lie down.
“I’ve been mulling over what you told me on the way to work this morning,” Ruth said. “I think you should tell the folks about that reporter fellow.”
Grace opened her eyes and blinked a couple of times. “No.” The word was nearly a whisper. “I don’t want them to know. At least, not yet.”
“Why not? It isn’t as if you’re running around with the Englisher now. You were only a teenager when you dated him, and it was during your rumschpringe, so Mom and Dad should understand.”
Grace inwardly cringed. There was a lot more to the story than she’d told Ruth, and if her folks found out everything, she was sure they wouldn’t understand. She knew she should have told them that she’d married Wade and that a year later he’d been killed in a car accident. But if she’d told them that much, she might have had to reveal other details she’d rather not talk about.
Grace’s thoughts went to Cleon, the way they always did whenever she reflected on her past. If she had only known him when she was a teenager, she might not have run off with her friends to try out the English world. Too bad his folks hadn’t moved from Pennsylvania to Holmes County a few years sooner than they did. The love she felt for Cleon was strong—not based solely on physical attraction or having fun, the way it had been with Wade. With Cleon, she felt an assurance that he would always be there for her, through good times and bad. If that’s so, then why haven’t I found the courage to tell him the truth?
“If you won’t tell Mom and Dad about the English reporter, then at least let me go with you when you speak to him,” Ruth said, breaking into Grace’s thoughts.
Grace’s eyes snapped open. “Uh … I saw Gary this afternoon when I was walking to the bakeshop to meet you after work.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about this before now?”
“My head hurt, and I—I didn’t want to talk about anything unpleasant.”
Ruth pulled back on the reins.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m pulling over to the shoulder of the road so we can discuss this some more.”
Grace shook her head. “Better keep on driving. There’s no point in us being late and worrying Mom. She’s had enough to worry about lately.”
“That’s true.” Ruth glanced over at Grace. “What did Gary say when you talked to him? Did you come right out and ask if he’s responsible for the awful things that have been done at our place?”
Grace moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue. “I did, but he denied knowing anything about it.”
“Do you believe him?”
“No.”
“Did he say when he would be leaving Holmes County?”
Grace clenched her fists as she relived the anxiety she’d felt during that conversation. “He says he’s go
t lots of money and plans to stay here longer and write more stories.”
“That’s not good.”
“No, it’s not, and there’s more. After I told Gary about the break-ins and the brick that was thrown through the kitchen widow, he said it would make a great story. I—I think he’s planning to tell the whole world about the troubles we’ve been having.”
Ruth gasped. “Oh, Grace, that would be baremlich. Dad will have a conniption fit if this gets written up in some magazine or newspaper.”
“I know it would be terrible, and now I’m wishing I had never mentioned it to Gary. Nothing good came from it, since I couldn’t get him to admit that he’s involved.”
“If you’re not planning to tell the folks about this, then what are you going to do?”
Grace shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“Maybe Gary will decide he’s got enough information on the Amish, leave the area, and never come back.”
Grace pursed her lips. After seeing the determined look on Gary’s face today, she felt certain that he would write the story. The only questions remaining were how soon until he found a publisher, and when would the story be released?
Chapter 15
For the next several weeks, life was quiet at the Hostettlers’. Grace felt grateful that her family hadn’t been attacked again, and she figured if Gary was behind the earlier incidents, he was lying low so as not to cast suspicion on himself. If he’d written an article about their break-ins, either it hadn’t been published or none of the Amish in the area had seen it, because no one had mentioned it.
Since Grace didn’t have to work at the restaurant this Saturday, she decided it would be a good opportunity to hem her wedding dress and get the apron and cape made. Ruth and Martha had gone shopping in Berlin; Mom was visiting her friend Alma Wengerd; and Dad would be working in his shop most of the day. The house would be quiet, and Grace would have no interruptions.
As she checked the kitchen table to be sure it had been wiped clean after breakfast, her thoughts went to Cleon. I’ve got to find a good time to tell him what’s on my mind, and I need to come up with the right words to say, Grace thought as she spread the white material for her apron on the table.
She hadn’t seen much of Cleon lately, between him working on their house, helping his dad and brothers on the farm, caring for his bees, and making honey deliveries.
Her fingers trailed along the edges of the soft white fabric she would wear over her wedding dress. Would it be best to wait and tell Cleon the truth after they were married, or should she keep the secret she’d been carrying for the last four years locked in her heart forever?
Grace picked up the scissors. If she could only cut out her past as she was about to cut out her wedding apron, things might go better for all.
A knock on the back door brought Grace’s thoughts to a halt. “I wonder who that could be.”
She opened the door. Cleon stood on the porch with a jar of amber honey is his hands. “Guder mariye,” he said. “This is for you.”
“Good morning to you, too, and danki for the honey. It’s always so sweet and tasty, and I enjoy putting some in my tea.” Grace took the jar and motioned Cleon inside. “I didn’t expect to see you today. I figured you’d be helping your daed and bruders on the farm.”
“Now that the corn has been harvested, we’re pretty well caught up with things, so I decided to use today to make some deliveries to the stores in Berlin that sell my honey.” He smiled and leaned so close to Grace that she could smell the minty odor of the mouthwash he must have used that morning. “Thought maybe you’d like to ride along if you’re not busy with other things.”
Grace nodded toward the table. “I was working on the cape and apron for our wedding, but I can finish up with that later on.”
“You sure?”
“Jah.” Grace would never pass up an opportunity to spend time with Cleon. “Just give me a minute to clear the table, and we can be on our way.”
As Ruth and Martha left the market with their sacks of groceries, Ruth noticed a few more Amish buggy horses had been tied to the hitching rail since she and her sister had arrived. She wrinkled her nose as the sweaty scent of the horses greeted her and wondered as her horse nuzzled the one next to him what these animals would have to say if they could talk.
“Say, isn’t that Luke over there with those English fellows?” Martha pointed to the other side of the parking lot, where several cars were parked.
Ruth turned to look. Sure enough, Luke stood beside two young Englishers who were dressed in blue jeans and white T-shirts. They leaned against a fancy red sports car and seemed to be engrossed in conversation.
Martha nudged Ruth’s arm with her elbow. “I wonder what Luke’s doing in town. I figured he would be working for Dad today.”
Ruth nodded. “I thought so, too, but maybe he had a delivery to make and stopped by the market to buy something for lunch.”
Martha opened the door of the buggy and set her paper sack in the back. “I didn’t see anything in his hands, did you?”
“Maybe he hasn’t gone into the store yet.”
“If you’d like to go over and say hello, I’ll wait here with the buggy.”
Ruth was tempted to follow her sister’s suggestion, but she and Luke hadn’t been courting very long, and she didn’t want him to think she was throwing herself at him. She placed her own sack of groceries in the back of the buggy and shut the door. “I don’t want to interrupt his conversation.”
“He’d probably like to introduce you to his friends since you’re his aldi and all.”
Ruth stared across the parking lot and squinted. “You think those Englishers are Luke’s friends?”
“The other day when Toby brought Heidi home, he mentioned that Luke’s been hanging around some English fellows, and if they weren’t his friends, then why would they be gabbing away like there’s no tomorrow?”
Ruth shrugged. “I don’t know, but I’ve never seen either one of them before. If they are Luke’s friends, wouldn’t you think I would have met them, or at least seen them around Berlin somewhere?”
Martha shrugged. “You’ll never know what’s up until you go over there.”
Ruth hesitated a moment, and when she caught Luke looking her way, she decided it would be rude not to at least say hello. “You’re welcome to come with me,” she told her sister.
“You wouldn’t mind?”
“Not a bit. I’ll be less nervous if you’re by my side.”
Martha chuckled. “Jah, right.”
Ruth walked beside her sister, and when they reached the spot where Luke and the Englishers stood, she halted. “Hello, Luke. I’m surprised to see you here. Did you come to town to make a delivery for my daed this afternoon?”
He shook his head. “Uh … no. I’m not workin’ for him today.”
“But I thought Dad was getting behind on things.”
“Maybe so, but he said he didn’t need me today.”
“Oh, I see.”
One of the English fellows, whose curly blond hair reminded Ruth of a dust mop, snickered and nudged the other fellow, whose straight, black hair looked like it hadn’t been combed in several days. His clothes smelled of smoke, and she turned her head to avoid sneezing.
The other Englisher mumbled something under his breath, but Ruth couldn’t make out the words.
When Luke made no move to introduce her, she backed slowly away. “Well, I … uh … guess we’d best be on our way. It was nice seeing you, Luke.”
“Right. See you around, Ruth.” He offered her sister a half smile. “You, too, Martha.”
“I wonder what’s gotten into Luke,” Martha said once they had climbed into their buggy. “He sure was acting kariyos, don’t you think?”
Ruth nodded. “I thought he acted a bit odd, too. Maybe it was because he was with those English fellows and didn’t want to let on that I’m his girlfriend.” She clutched the folds in her dark blue dress. “But then, if he
cares for me, why would he be too embarrassed to let anyone know we’re courting?”
“Luke hasn’t joined the church yet, and since he’s still going through rumschpringe, I’m sure he feels he has the right to run around with those Englishers.”
“It’s not the Englishers I have a problem with,” Ruth murmured. “It’s the fact that he didn’t bother to introduce me. He barely acknowledged he knew me at all, much less that I’m his aldi.”
“Guess you’ll have to ask him about it.”
“I might the next time we’re alone.”
“Changing the subject, is there anyplace else you’d like to stop while we’re in town, or did you want to head for home now?” Martha asked as she gathered up the reins and backed the horse out of her parking spot.
“Let’s stop by the bakeshop,” Ruth suggested. “I’ll treat you to a lemon-filled donut.”
Martha smacked her lips. “Sounds good to me.”
Grace and Cleon traveled along the hilly road toward Berlin in his buggy. “The other day when we went bike riding,” Grace said, “I was going to discuss something with you, but we got interrupted when Ruth and Sadie came along.”
He glanced over at her and smiled. “What was it you wanted to discuss?”
She gulped in a breath of fresh air and blew it out quickly, hoping to steady her nerves. “I have an aunt who moved away from Holmes County and never returned.”
“Which aunt is that?”
“Her name is Rosemary, and she’s my daed’s only sister.”
Cleon’s forehead wrinkled. “I’ve never heard your daed mention having a sister. I thought he only had brothers.”
“Dad probably wouldn’t mention Aunt Rosemary. He rarely speaks of her, and when he does, it’s always with a tone of regret.”
“How come?”
“From what I’ve been told, Aunt Rosemary fell in love with an Englisher and left the Amish faith almost thirty years ago.”
“I see.”
“In all that time, she’s never once come home for a visit or contacted any of her family.”
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