Plain Secrets

by Kit Wilkinson

“I know. I know. But you are safe now.” He put a gentle arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to his side. “You’re safe. Relax.”

  Hannah could not tell if she stiffened from his touch or melted into his arms. There was such a mixture of emotions inside her. For certain, her heart beat faster and her breath shortened. But it was no longer from fear that her body reacted, but from Elijah’s scent and touch and kindness to her.

  “What happened next? You were near the stairs when I got here.”

  “Jah, so I run for the stairs but he pushes me down and asks me for… he asks for…for something. I don’t remember.”

  “Did you see his face?”

  “No. It was too dark. Pushed me to the floor. Very strong.”

  “Yes, you have a nasty bump on your forehead. How about we get some ice on that? You should put your feet up, too.”

  Eli propped her feet on the table in front of the couch then left her to fetch a few ice cubes from the oil-powered freezer. He wrapped some ice in a dish towel and returned to her side, placing the homemade cold pack on her head.

  “Aye.” She backed away from his hand. “It must be more than a bump.” She reached for the ice bundle and took it from his fingers.

  “It’s quite a knot.” He smiled and sat down again. “I should call my sister and have her take a look at you.”

  “No. Thank you. I’m sure I’ll be fine.” Hannah located the giant bump on her head with one hand, then gently placed the ice around but not directly on the sore.

  “Okay, but I’m going to stay here and keep an eye on you for a while. It’s a nasty bump.”

  Hannah smiled at his concern, knowing she wanted him to stay for more than just to see about her health—his presence gave her a comfort she longed for.

  “Can you remember anything else?” he asked. “I heard his voice when I got up to the house. Seemed he was saying quite a bit.”

  Hannah thought hard. “He did. He spoke like he was nervous. He mentioned Jessica. It was…it was almost like he knew me. And I knew him.”

  “What do you mean? Like he was Amish? Or someone from town?”

  “I—I don’t know.” She closed her eyes, but her mind was blank. “I only remember thinking that there was something familiar about his voice. That is all. I am so sorry, Elijah. I wish I could keep it all straight in my head.” She looked up again into his soft blue eyes. Why was it she could not remember five minutes ago while old forgotten feelings seemed so completely alive to her? Maybe Eli was right and she should have his sister look at her head. “We should inform Thomas of what has happened. He will not be pleased.”

  Eli didn’t look so pleased, either. “Yeah. Okay. I’ll go and wake him.”

  Hannah closed her eyes as he moved away. Her head pounded. “I’m sorry I cannot remember.”

  “It’s okay, Hannah. It’s been a long day. And you’re doing as well as can be expected. Just relax and let the details come back na…”

  Hannah opened her eyes when Elijah stopped midsentence. When she looked up, he was standing at the bottom of the stairs staring downward with a strange expression. “What is it?” she asked.

  “The bottom step. It’s been opened. You know, the storage area under the stairs. Did you keep anything in it?”

  “Opened?” Hannah swallowed hard. Panic flashed through her as she remembered her attacker reaching over her toward the step. “Yes…or at least Thomas used to keep some things there. Why?”

  Eli turned back, shaking his head. “Because it’s empty. What was in it?”

  “I am not sure. Maybe nothing. Perhaps Thomas or Nana Ruth keeps something there, but I do not think so.” The intruder had asked her for a journal, for Jessica’s journal. What had the poor girl done? Gotten herself into? Hannah could not imagine. The room seemed to spin like the confusion in her head. Her chest tightened. The lump on her head ached.

  “What is it, Hannah? Tell me.”

  Hannah could hardly hear Elijah’s words over the noise in her own mind. She began to shake, her thoughts jumbled. In her head, voices, noises. The intruder. Jessica. Thomas. Elijah. Chief McClendon.

  If only she had been a better mother to Jessica. None of this would be happening. “I should never have tried to be Jessica’s mother. God did not want me to have children. I should have understood that. I should have—”

  Eli stood before her. His warm hand touched her cheek. Hannah opened her eyes. He lifted her chin tenderly. “You were a wonderful mother, Hannah. I don’t know what is happening here, but I am certain that it is not the result of your parenting skills.”

  Tears spilled from her eyes. How many people she had hurt in her own selfishness. How Elijah could be so kind to her after she had refused him she did not know. She grabbed his hand and the wrist and pressed her face against his warm palm. “You are gracious.”

  “No. Hannah, I’m not. But I can put the past in the past. And I can assure you that you are in no way responsible for the things happening here.”

  Tears flushed from her eyes. He did not understand. Perhaps it was better that way. Perhaps he should never know the truth about why she had refused him, about how she had never stopped loving him, about how feeling his warm touch against her cheek brought her more comfort and pleasure than he would ever know.

  He drew back. “I know there is more that you have to tell me. I can see it in your eyes, but you’re tired. I’m tired.” He smiled. “Let’s continue this in the morning. I’ll go and tell Thomas what’s happened. Stay here. I’ll be back to help you up the stairs.”

  Hannah nodded in agreement. She was ready to tell him everything about Jessica, whether Thomas agreed to it or not.

  Screech! The back door swung open.

  Hannah squealed. Someone was there. Someone tall and dark and hidden in the darkness of the kitchen.

  Elijah stepped forward, pulling his Glock from his waist. She turned her head away, not wanting to hear the gunfire. Nor see death. She had seen enough of that for a lifetime.

  SEVEN

  “I take it you did not expect me back so soon.”

  Eli relaxed his defensive stance. The man at the door was Thomas, dirty, disheveled and wet with sweat. Eli couldn’t help picturing him as the man he’d seen mounting the horse and riding off in the night. Anger tightened Eli’s fist around the butt of his gun as he put it away.

  “Expect you back? We didn’t know you had gone anywhere,” he said. “At least now I understand why you didn’t hear Hannah scream for help. You weren’t here. Are you crazy leaving her after what happened this afternoon?”

  Thomas’s angry expression dropped. He came farther into the kitchen, his eyes wide. “But was it not you who sent me to go to Hostetlers’ farm?”

  “Me?” Eli laughed. “Why would I do such a thing?”

  “I—I… .”

  “I’m not the enemy here, Thomas, and the sooner you figure that out, the safer we’re all going to be.” Eli clenched his teeth. His hands rolled into fists. “Hannah was attacked. Good thing I wasn’t asleep in the stable or I would never have heard her scream.”

  “This is true?” Thomas looked worried now.

  “Yes, Thomas. There was an intruder. I—” Hannah tried to stand, but not having the strength wobbled off balance.

  Eli reached an arm to steady her. Thomas, having the same idea, moved forward as well, but stopped, as he was not needed.

  “You are not well, Hannah. Allow me to fetch Abigail Miller or Dr. Peters for you,” he said.

  “No, brother. Truly, I am fine. Just a bump on the head.” She pulled away from Elijah and made her way to the stairs.

  “Would you not tell me what has happened?” Thomas asked.

  “There will be time to talk tomorrow. I am tired.”

  “Good night, Hannah.” E
lijah smiled at her brave front. He knew inside she was hurt and very scared. He wanted to help her to her room, tuck her into her bed and kiss her soft cheek. He wanted to let her know he would keep her safe…if he could.

  Thomas turned to Elijah. “Forgive me. I’d found a note at the front door saying that there was an ill foal at the Hostetlers’ farm and that they requested my help. It is not unusual for a neighbor to ask such a thing, but when I got there and saw there was no trouble I rushed back and found you two together. I…I—”

  “Do you have this note?” Eli asked. “Could I see it?”

  Thomas produced a small white sheet of paper from his sleeve. The message was just as he’d said, written in carefully scripted block letters. Elijah studied it then handed it back to Thomas. “Hold on to this. I doubt it will be of use, though, as the script looks stilted. Probably anyone could have penned it. Although if it were the intruder… Hannah did say she thought she knew his voice. Did any neighbors know what you kept in the bottom stair?”

  Thomas blanched and turned toward the staircase. A deep frown forced creases around his eyes. “This is…this is most disappointing.”

  “What did you keep there?” Eli hated to pry. It was not the Amish way, but he needed to know. He needed Thomas and Hannah to tell him the truth. He regretted that Thomas had cut his time with Hannah short. He sensed that finally she had been ready to tell him more about Jessica and the events leading up to her death. Hopefully, tomorrow he would get another chance.

  “Cash.” Thomas lifted up the step and examined the empty hole. He turned back, looking even more ill than before. “A lot of cash. I made some good trades recently. I was saving for…” He removed his hat and shook his head. “Oh, what does it matter? The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.”

  “God didn’t take your money, Thomas. A man did. A man that wore dark clothing and rode off on a horse. Was there anything else in there?”

  Thomas nodded. “Some documents concerning the horses and a journal I keep on all their breeding and trades.”

  “Your trades?” Eli repeated, thinking of Thomas’s high-dollar horse recently sold to the governor. “How involved was Jessica in your trading and training?”

  “Not at all, really. Jessica was here in the house with Hannah, learning to cook and sew and garden. She fed and groomed the horses from time to time but nothing more and not much of that since she started courting.”

  “Jessica had a beau?”

  “Daniel Hostetler, of course. They’ve been inseparable since they were children. It was no surprise to us that they began courting last year.”

  “And he is a large boy? Full grown?”

  Thomas looked away. “I will not accuse my own brethren, nor help you to do so.”

  Elijah ground his teeth in frustration. What were they all hiding? And how was he ever to figure any of this out if they didn’t help him instead of keeping secrets? “I’ll need to talk to Daniel and any other friends of Jessica’s first thing in the morning.”

  “If you must.”

  “I must… .” Eli sighed heavily. “I’d like to see where you found Jessica’s body, as well.”

  “Why? She is no longer there.”

  “Of course not, but I can imagine the scene as it was and try to piece together in my mind the events of that night she died.”

  “It is not our way to wonder about what has happened.”

  “No. But it’s mine and I’ve been asked to look into it. Anything you can tell me about Jessica or anything unusual around here would be helpful.”

  “I can’t imagine I know anything that would make a difference.”

  “How about your horse trade with Governor Derry?”

  Thomas’s face twitched. “Yes. A pony for his daughter and a good sale it was. But it has nothing to do with us now.” He walked over and put a hand on Elijah’s shoulder. “I am thankful you have helped Hannah this day. She is in a fragile state. But you will not take advantage of that to pry into things that are none of your concern—or to get any closer to Hannah than is proper. In any case, now that I think on it, I can keep a better eye on you if you stay here in the house.” He gave a quick laugh. “Come now. We must get to bed. All this talk leads us to nothing.”

  “Did you want me to call McClendon about your break-in and the money that was stolen?”

  “You see what good calling the police has brought us so far. No. And no more talk of it. Come. I’ll show you to the spare room.”

  Eli locked the doors both front and back, something the Amish rarely did, and followed Thomas into the Dawdi Haus and up to the extra bedroom, too tired to think over all that needed sorting out. In particular, Mr. Daniel Hostetler.

  * * *

  Morning came all too quickly and Hannah rose, reminded of the lump on her forehead as standing brought a wave of pain to her head. At least the swelling had reduced during the night, she decided as she ran a cold, damp cloth over her face. A little headache never hurt anyone. She would be brave and face the day no matter how much she’d like to crawl back into her warm bed. There were still things to be happy about. She missed Jessica terribly, but she was in heaven now and at peace. Life on Earth moved on. She would move with it and her God would be enough. He would get her through this just as she had gotten through losing Peter. Oh, how thankful she was that He had already saved her from saying too much to Elijah last night. She must take care to guard herself better. He was not for her and she was not for him. Baring her soul to him would only make things harder when he left. And he would leave. That she was sure of. Just as he had left before.

  Hannah dressed, taking great care when she pinned on her prayer Kapp, then went down and began breakfast. Nana Ruth came behind her and then Thomas, who looked as if he had not slept at all.

  “You should fetch Elijah from the stable,” Nana Ruth suggested to Thomas. “I am sure he will not be used to waking at this hour.”

  “I don’t think Elijah Miller will be joining us for breakfast,” Thomas said. Hannah nearly dropped the pan from her hands. What did he mean by that? Had Elijah left? Had Thomas sent him away?

  She cracked an egg and dropped it into the hot skillet. It sizzled and popped and the room filled with its rich aroma of butter and breakfast. “Nana Ruth, would you watch over this egg while I fetch more from the henhouse? I’m afraid we’re down to the last three.”

  Nana Ruth smiled. “I will go and fetch them myself,” she said, taking the basket. “My old bones need a shake this morning.”

  She left through the back door.

  Hannah fixed Thomas his plate and brought it to the table.

  “How’s your head?” he asked.

  “Better.” She stood back as Thomas prayed over his food. “Did he leave?”

  Thomas took a bite of his breakfast and mumbled something inaudible. “It would be best that he would go back to the city. He’s brought nothing but trouble here.” He studied her. “Be careful, Hannah. He is not the boy you once knew.”

  “I do not know what you mean.”

  “I see how you look at him.”

  “I give him no better treatment than I would any guest in your home.”

  “Is it not your home, too?” He gazed into her eyes.

  Hannah looked down. “I—I do not know. Now that Jessica is gone you do not need me here. I have no one to teach the sewing and cooking to. Nana is in good health. You can care for yourself. You did not even tell me that you were leaving the house last night. I thought…”

  “We could marry this November, Hannah. Everyone expects it. That would give you the security you want.”

  “You cannot ask me to think on marriage so close to Jessica’s death. I cannot.” She hurried to the stove, embarrassed she had revealed her fears to him. Her question sounded like a push for him to renew his offer of marriage.
And it was not. How could she think of marriage to him when her head was full of nothing but Elijah?

  “Elijah showed you the bottom step? I told him I didn’t think you kept anything in it,” she said.

  “There was the money there, Hannah.”

  “I’m sorry. I did not know.”

  “I have always kept a bit of cash on hand for emergencies. I am not troubled by its loss. It is nothing. The money was not mine. It belonged to God. I’m sure He knows where it is. I am only thankful you are safe.”

  Hannah looked back at him. “What if all of these events are related?”

  “How do you mean? The money and Jessica? Were you listening to our conversation last night?”

  “I was not.”

  “Did Elijah suggest this idea to you?”

  Hannah began to feel angry with Thomas. He was being obtuse because of his jealousy. “He did not. I am perfectly capable of having the thought all by myself, I assure you. It makes sense. The man last night asked for a journal—he said it belonged to Jessica. He must have thought that he might find it there in the step.”

  “A journal? Did Jessica keep a journal?”

  “I do not believe so. But I obviously knew very little about Jessica.”

  “Perhaps you are right. The events are related somehow. There was a journal in the step—my journal, listing my trades. That must have been what was meant by the man’s demands. And now that this person has our money and journal, there can be nothing left for anyone to come for. We are safe.”

  “You have already sent Eli home, haven’t you?” Hannah turned back to the stove, her heart sinking. “I think your decision is unwise.”

  “You may think what you like. But I believe the intruder got what he wanted. There was a lot of money there, Hannah. That is what he wanted. Nothing more. And this is what we will report to the bishop and to Mother. There is enough talk amongst the people already because of Jessica’s accident. This will end it…. Fix yourself some breakfast and trouble yourself no more over this.”

  Hannah began to fix a plate of fried eggs even though she wasn’t hungry in the least. In fact, Thomas’s talk of marriage had made her nearly ill. “But this man said he wanted Jessica’s journal. Not yours. And not money. He was quite serious. He may have taken your money, but he will come back when he sees your journal is not the one that he wanted.”