by Dana R. Lynn
“I can’t understand why you left the property.” She flinched at his harsh tone. He sighed and reached out and pulled her close. She let him. They both needed some comfort, she thought. She leaned her head against his chest, closing her eyes and listening to the steady thump of his heartbeat. He smelled of soap and hard work. It was a comforting scent, one that made her feel safe and loved.
Loved? Her eyes popped open. Oh, no. She couldn’t go there.
But it was too late. She knew that she loved him. And soon, she would leave him. Her heart cracked inside at the revelation, knowing their story would not have a happy ending.
“I didn’t mean to yell,” he murmured, his chest vibrating under her cheek as he spoke. “Liz, when I realized you were gone, I thought my heart would stop. I have never harnessed a horse to a buggy that quickly. I know that I drove the poor animal faster than I ought to have.”
“What happened with the wheel?” She should move back, she thought. But she remained where she was. This might be her last private moment with him. What was the harm?
A soft chuckle erupted from him. “I can’t believe how little sense I showed. I would have lectured Mary if I had seen her drive the buggy the way I did. There was a pothole, Lizzy. A deep crater of a pothole the size of Lake Erie, and I was so worried I didn’t even see the thing.”
She winced. He wasn’t blaming her, she could hear that. He was merely relating the story now. Still, guilt gnawed at her.
“The moment the buggy bounced, I knew what I had done. It came down so hard, and I heard a crack as it broke. At least it was the buggy. The horse might have been hurt had he stepped wrong in that hole.”
She would have felt horrible if the beautiful animal had suffered because Isaac was trying to find her. Thankfully, no one had been injured. She would not have to carry that burden.
Lifting her head away from his chest, she raised her eyes to gaze at his face. “I didn’t mean to cause trouble. But the woman, she was having a difficult labor. I’m a midwife, Isaac. How could I ignore her distress? What if something had gone wrong with the birth? There were three lives at stake.”
“Three?”
The first smile since the accident burst from her. The afternoon had been harrowing, but there had been joy, as well. “Yes, three. She had twins. Two gorgeous boys, who had very strong lungs.”
Both boys had been wailing when she’d left the house. It was a beautiful sound. The sound of new life.
He grinned back. When their eyes held, the smiles faded from both faces.
Longing grew.
“I came so close to failing you today.”
What?
“How do you figure that? I made my own choice.”
He nodded slowly. “That you did. And I understand it, even if I can’t say I like it. But I made you a promise. I meant it, too. I will protect you. I will see that you are safe.”
She blinked to clear her eyes. He was such a dear man.
“Sorry I’m not making your promise easy to keep.”
He didn’t respond for a long moment. “Lizzy Miller, I really want to kiss you.”
She trembled. She couldn’t answer him.
Apparently, he took her lack of answer for approval. His head moved toward her. She could have moved away. Probably she should have. She didn’t, though. Instead, she held her breath as his lips brushed hers softly. It was exquisite, the tender feel of his kiss.
When he kissed her a second time, she followed his lead and kissed him back. She’d never been kissed by a man before. She knew in her heart she might never be kissed again.
When he lifted his head and searched her face, his gaze worried, she knew that she did love Isaac Yoder. He might not love her. Nor was he planning on joining the Amish church again. These two kisses would have to last in her memory for a very long time.
“Don’t say you’re sorry,” she begged when he opened his mouth to speak. “I’m not sorry. I know we don’t have a future together. I’m not expecting anything from you.”
A shadow fell over his face. He stroked her cheek once, then dropped his arms from her. “I shouldn’t have kissed you.”
She snorted. “I kissed you back.”
She moved away from him. “We shouldn’t be out here alone. I won’t leave the property again without telling you.”
She turned on her heel and marched briskly back to the house, aching as she left her heart behind with a man who didn’t want it enough to leave the Englisch world.
* * *
Isaac remained in the barn after she had stalked away. He needed time to process all that had happened and to figure out his next move. Falling in love had never been on his radar. Falling in love with a sweet and sassy Amish girl was something that he would have never chosen, not in a million years. Remembering their kiss, his pulse hitched. How could he not love her? She was gentle but strong, and the way she cared for others made him admire her even when he was ready to knock his head against a proverbial wall because she didn’t take her own safety into account.
He had an idea that she had strong feelings for him, too. The way she’d kissed him back, and the sorrow in her blue eyes, said as much.
But the matter stood that they were still from two different worlds, and that wasn’t likely to change.
A heavy sigh left him, the air whooshing from him in a cleansing surge. He couldn’t stand here all day.
Lily barked. Not a frenzied bark of trouble, but a welcoming bark. Frowning, he hastily left the barn. A police cruiser sat in the driveway. He grinned and strode to where a familiar face was waiting for him.
Ryder was standing on the front porch, his customary grin spread across his face. Isaac’s adrenaline spiked. If Ryder was here, that must mean there had been a development in the case.
“Ryder, what’s up? I’m assuming you’re not here for a casual visit.”
Ryder laughed, but his eyes gleamed. “You’d be right. The search warrant came through. I figured that since you have now actually seen Zave for yourself, it would be a good idea if you accompanied me. You in?”
Excitement started to roll through him. They were starting to get somewhere.
“Absolutely, I’m in! Hold on.” Dashing back through the house, he found his mamm and Lizzy in the kitchen. “Lizzy, can I talk with you for a moment?”
She set the plate she was cleaning down and followed him through the house and out onto the porch. Her eyes widened and she smiled when she saw their guest.
“Ryder! How lovely to see you.”
Ryder grinned and Isaac rolled his eyes. His friend flirted too much.
“Same goes, Lizzy. I just came to steal Isaac for a bit.”
“Oh? Where are you off to?”
He gestured to Ryder. “The search warrant came in. We’re going to go check on it. Oh, wait.” He turned to Ryder in consternation. “I don’t want to leave Lizzy here.” He brought Ryder up to speed. The other man whistled.
“Sounds like you have had an exciting time.”
That was one way to put it.
Ryder waved his hand. “Don’t worry. The chief called the police here. One of the officers will be driving by the house on a regular basis. If he sees any cars, or if something seems out of place, he’ll check it out.”
“Go,” Lizzy urged. “I will use your phone if I need help. You need to solve this case.”
Without thinking, he leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Stay in the house and keep Lily close. I will be back as soon as I take care of this.”
He ignored Ryder’s raised eyebrows as he got into the cruiser.
“Dude, I’ve never even seen you flirt before. I can’t believe you kissed her!” Ryder knew him too well.
“It was a peck on the cheek. Nothing to get worked up about.” He tried to shrug it off.
Ryder wasn’t buying it. “I
’d accept that from most guys. Not from you. If Isaac Yoder kisses a woman, it means something.”
He sighed. This might be a long day. “Just drop it, Ryder, okay?”
“I’m just saying.”
He threw a glare at his best friend.
“Fine, I’ll drop it. But I won’t forget it.”
Yeah, he didn’t doubt that.
They stopped by the police station long enough for Isaac to put his police uniform on. Then they hopped in Ryder’s car and were off to the restaurant. The moment the owner saw them enter, his face darkened to an alarming shade of red.
“I won’t have it!” he bellowed. “I’m a respectable businessman. I pay my taxes on time. You have no right to be here harassing me and scaring away my customers.”
“What customers?” Ryder scoffed.
There were two people sitting at a table, and they both had uniforms on.
“It’s the slow time of day. They’ll start arriving soon.”
Isaac let Ryder handle the “respectable businessman.” He held in his snort. In his experience, respectable businessmen did not consort with drug dealers and murderers.
“We have a warrant to search your restaurant.” Ryder pulled out the warrant the judge had signed.
The owner’s red face paled so fast Isaac thought he’d faint at their feet. He made a few more token protests, but it was clear that he knew there was nothing he could do to stop them.
Isaac walked to the door and flipped the sign to Closed and twisted the lock. “No one comes in while we are conducting the search.” The owner sank down into a chair, shaking and wringing his hands.
Isaac and Ryder began their search, working their way methodically through the restaurant. They tried to do it with as little damage to the premises as possible. Searches could be devastating if they got out of hand.
He pulled some books off a shelf. He opened one. It was an album filled with newspaper clippings. One of them caught his eye, but it took him a few seconds to figure out what it was that got his attention. When he saw it, he bellowed for Ryder. “I got something.”
Ryder rushed over to see it. Isaac pointed to the bakery on the picture. “What does that look like to you?”
Ryder narrowed his eyes. Then they widened. “That’s the logo!”
The logo from Bill’s hat. So now they knew where to go to get more information about what kind of a person Bill was. Maybe they’d even discover who his friends and contacts were. It was also possible they might get a lead to help them locate Sue.
“You got to see what I found.”
Isaac took the article and pocketed it before he followed Ryder to the back office. There were several pictures on the owner’s desk. Pictures of Isaac with Lizzy. He shook his head amazed. The owner didn’t look like one to take pictures or stalk people. Ryder pointed at a picture on the wall. It was the owner, and his arm was slung around the shoulders of a scowling young man. Zave.
Isaac pulled it down off the wall and carried it and the photos to the owner. The man was sweating. His shoulders sagged. He’d given up.
“He’s my stepson, Xavier.”
Xavier, Zave. Got it.
“Where’d you get these?” Isaac indicated the photos.
“Please, he’s had a hard life.” When the man could see they wouldn’t budge, he answered. “He had a, um, colleague following you.”
Isaac narrowed his eyes at the man. “When you say colleague, what kind of occupation are you talking about?”
The owner didn’t respond, but instead shoved his hands into his pocket and shifted his gaze away from Isaac.
“Just what kind of work was your stepson involved in, anyway?” Ryder didn’t shout, but the man flinched at his cold voice.
“Like I said, he’s had a hard life—”
“We know he’s dealing drugs,” Isaac stated, even though they had no actual proof. The owner sighed and hung his head. “I’m going to assume that the guy following us is also a dealer.”
The owner nodded, head still down.
Great. Followed by two drug dealers. “He lost sight of you several days ago. But he’s still looking. He says you’re trying to destroy his life,” the restaurant owner said.
“Sir.” Isaac held on to his temper. “Your stepson is wanted for murder. I am going to have you brought in to the station for further questioning.”
When the man opened his mouth to protest, Isaac stopped him with a glare. “Don’t. Right now, you’re facing possible charges of aiding and abetting a criminal.” Isaac read the man his rights and called for a car to come and transport the man to the station. He’d let him wait for a few hours before he went in to question him.
The moment they were back in the car, Isaac pulled out his phone. “I need to have Jill or Keith stop by my house and tell Lizzy and my mom what’s going on. They need to know that we’re following a lead and might be later than planned. Also, Lizzy might think of something if she gets more details.”
“We’re going to LaMar Pond, then?”
“Yep. We have a bakery to visit. I’m pretty sure Bill worked there. Now that we know for sure that Zave was dealing drugs, I think we need proof that Bill was in the drug business.” He shot Ryder a glance. “I’m wondering if the bakery sold more than pastries.”
FIFTEEN
Where was Isaac? Lizzy tried to tamp down the impatience brewing inside her. She knew that Isaac was checking on a lead. He had told her to stay in the house, and she would, but it was making her crazy waiting for him, not knowing what was happening outside his mother’s house.
“Lizzy,” his mother murmured. “It will be well. Gott is protecting my son.”
She turned and considered the woman comfortably kneading the dough that she had made that morning. Lizzy had seen her own mother do the same task countless times and knew that the bread served that evening at dinner would be heavy and flavorful, just right for dipping in soup or slathering with homemade jam. Ruth Yoder didn’t appear to be anxious for her son. How could that be? Lizzy bit back the question. Isaac had abandoned the Amish church, had left the Plain world and had become a police officer, despite his family’s desires. She understood the reasons, and her heart ached for the sorrow the death of Joshua had caused the family.
Still, to watch Ruth, one would never know that her heart had been broken, to lose two of her sons, as she must have felt she had.
Sighing, she continued the task of cutting up the vegetables that Ruth had given her. Lizzy was only too glad to have something to occupy her mind with, but she still found her thoughts wandering.
Finally, she couldn’t stand it. “How can you be so calm when your son has left the church and is doing such a dangerous job?” She bit her lip, the sound of her voice echoing loudly in the room. Wooden floors do nothing to absorb the sounds the way carpeting would.
“I trust Gott,” the woman explained, her voice as unruffled as before. Her eyes, though, glinted with a sliver of silent pain. Lizzy was ashamed for her outburst. Ruth wasn’t done, however. “Lizzy, the circumstances surrounding my Joshua’s death wounded Isaac deeply. We were all wounded. My husband, he struggled for the first time in his life about whether or not to go to the Englisch law, but in the end, decided that he would follow our bishop’s decision. Isaac, as you know, did not agree. They fought, and for a long time, Isaac and my husband had bitter feelings between them. My husband forgave Isaac, but he died before Isaac could learn of this. I have told him. And I have seen his faith beginning to awaken again. I believe that he will return. It is my comfort.”
Gathering the vegetables she had chopped, Lizzy pondered her hostess’s words. Would Isaac return to his faith? She prayed he would. Heat pooled in her cheeks as she considered the possibility of what their relationship could become if that happened. Could she allow herself to act on the love growing in her heart? She trusted Isaac i
n a way she had not been able to trust any man since Chad Weller had devastated her life. But all of her dreams meant nothing if Isaac didn’t return. A hint of an idea of leaving the Plain community to stay with him touched the edges of her mind, but she shoved it aside. Her life was in the Amish community, regardless of his decision. No human attachment could ever take precedence over God.
So for now, any dreams of a life with Isaac Yoder had to be buried.
“Lizzy,” Isaac’s sister said, entering the room. “You have visitors.”
Visitors? Who would be visiting her? The girl wouldn’t announce Isaac that way. Maybe, her heart pounded, maybe it was other officers with news. Bad or good, she couldn’t begin to guess.
Wiping her hands on a towel, she straightened her kapp, and swiftly moved out to the open living room area, the heels of her plain black boots clattering on the polished shine of the hardwood floors. Seeing the familiar face standing in the entranceway, her jaw dropped in shock.
The young woman must have felt the vibrations of the floor because she turned at Lizzy’s approach, and Lizzy knew for a fact that the other woman would not have heard her. Rebecca grinned at her younger sister; her blue eyes, the same color as Lizzy’s, sparkled with pleasure. Lizzy knew that people thought the sisters looked alike. In fact, before Rebecca had left the Plain community, they had received many comments on how similar they were.
“Rebecca!” Lizzy greeted her sister, instinctively signing even as she said her name verbally. She was a bit unsettled seeing her beautiful older sister now, when danger lurked everywhere she turned. “What are you doing here?”
