Lamb to the Slaughter (Serenity's Plain Secrets Book 1)

by Karen Ann Hopkins

“Truth always prevails. At least, that’s what Dat says,” Mervin said with the sureness of someone far beyond his years.

  Naomi watched him fill his water bottle. After a nod and a half smile her way, he headed out of the kitchen. She worked on the rest of the cups with Beth on her hip, the baby’s fingers coiled around the strings of her bonnet.

  At dinner, Naomi sat with her family trying not to look sullen. But she didn’t think that she succeeded if the funny faces Eli kept making at her from a table away were any indication. Just looking at Eli sent a stab of worry coursing through her. What if Lydia or Melinda said something to Eli about Will’s attentions toward her? She would be dead for sure.

  Sometime in the middle of the dinner, Mamma showed up and took Beth out of Naomi’s arms. She was happy that she’d be able to finish her meal for a change and she tried to stop fretting about everything and do just that. The homemade peanut butter sandwiches, which were the usual for the plain Sunday meal, were sweet and salty at the same time. Since the Amish strictly practiced the bible’s instruction that Sunday was to be a day without labor, the sandwiches, which could be made up the day before were the perfect choice. There was also the tradition of the simple fare on the holy day, and tradition was of utmost importance to her people.

  Naomi brooded and chewed and swallowed until most everyone was finished before she finally got up. With little energy, she did what was expected and helped the other girls clean the dinner plates off of the tables.

  Lydia and Melinda didn’t say another word to Naomi, but several times they giggled and whispered between glances her way. How Naomi wished Sandra was there to distract her.

  The nudge on her shoulder was unexpected and she swiveled to see Eli smiling down at her. He nodded toward the doorway. After a quick glance around to see that none of the adults were paying her any mind, she began to follow Eli. But before she escaped the building, her gaze was drawn to David, who leaned against the wall beside the doorway. Her body chilled at his scrunched up face. For the first time ever, he didn’t look away when their eyes met. Instead he stared at her with open hostility.

  Naomi didn’t shy away from his glare. She narrowed her eyes and tightened her lips when she looked back at him. For a few seconds there was a standoff, each silently willing the other to look away first. In the end, it was David’s face that turned. Naomi exhaled in victory and swept outside into the warm, fresh air.

  She blocked David face from her mind. He was of no consequence to her. He’d have to get over whatever problem he had on his own. She had too many of her own issues to deal with. Again, the thought of how different the two Lapp brothers were entered her mind. How could one be so sweet, caring and brave, while the other was such an awful dolt?

  Catching sight of Eli more than a dozen steps ahead of her, Naomi stretched her legs. He was walking briskly, but he glanced back every few steps to make sure that she was with him.

  Naomi’s mind fluttered with confused thoughts as she wondered what Eli was up to. He certainly seemed to have a plan as he made his way past the small groups of teenagers talking along the walkway.

  When they left the people, buggies, and hitched horses behind, Naomi’s mind started to fill with uneasiness. She searched the area with wide eyes, checking to see if anyone was watching them. But the coast was clear.

  The breeze stirred the leaves on the tree at the corner of the shed, sending a rustling sound into the air. Eli turned the corner around the tree and disappeared. For a last time, Naomi looked back, before she disappeared behind the shed too.

  A second later, Naomi was pulled tightly against Eli’s chest, sniffing in the smell of his cologne and feeling safe in his arms. When Eli and Naomi were like that, she almost didn’t think about Will.

  “What’s wrong with you today, Naomi? You’ve been pouting all day and you’ve hardly even looked my way either,” Eli said, frowning down at her.

  “Nothing, really, I’m fine,” Naomi lied.

  Eli lowered his head and his mouth sought hers. Softly, his tongue pushed into Naomi’s mouth and for a few seconds, she was content enough, until he pulled back, frowning even deeper.

  “Now, I know something’s up. Your kisses are just as depressing as you are. Naomi, tell me what’s wrong,” Eli begged, as he leaned back against the barn boards, his arms crossed in front of his chest.

  If it had been Will, Naomi would have told him in a heartbeat about the treatment from the other girls, but she couldn’t say a thing about it to Eli. If he knew that an English driver was flirting with her, he’d stir up all sorts of trouble. Naomi thought quickly and told him something true that would suffice.

  “Mamma’s been worse than ever lately. She’s always so depressed. Napping most of the afternoons away, and when I get home from the butcher shop, I usually end up having to make dinner.” Naomi sighed and went into his arms, laying her face against his heart. “Guess I’m just tired is all.”

  “Don’t worry, by spring you’ll be out of there and we’ll be starting our life together.” He brought his face down close to her ear and said, “I’ve got good news for you, darling.”

  Naomi pulled back a little and looked up at him. “What news?”

  “I talked to Mother and Father, and they’re thrilled with our plans. They said we can stay in the guest room until we’re ready to make it on our own.” The smile on his face was so full and genuine. Naomi wondered how she could be thinking about kissing Will Johnson all the time, when she had a wonderful man like Eli ready to take care of her for life. She felt drearier than ever, but she tried to put on an act for Eli, and forced a smile back at him.

  “That’s wonderful, Eli. I feel my spirit lifting already,” Naomi lied.

  He believed her, and satisfied, he lowered his head again, touching her lips with his. Naomi mumbled into his mouth, “Aren’t you worried someone will catch us?”

  “I don’t care anymore. You need me today—and I need you,” he said, his mouth becoming more aggressive and hers taking up the challenge.

  Eli’s optimism was contagious and for a moment Naomi forgot about everything else. She enjoyed the feel of his body pressed against hers and the rhythm of their tongues dancing. But the bliss was short lived.

  “What are you two doing?” the angry voice of James Hooley called out from under the tree.

  Eli’s head popped up and he stepped away from Naomi in a hurry. She felt very much alone as she stood there, the throbbing of Eli’s kisses still on her lips, and Mr. Hooley’s disgusted look fastened on her.

  “It was just for a minute, Mr. Hooley. I needed to talk to Naomi alone about something important.” Eli took a step forward, his voice anxious with fear.

  “You weren’t talking to her. I saw you two kissing with my own eyes, I did.” Mr. Hooley motioned for them to join him under the tree. Eli marched forward quickly, while Naomi dragged along, taking her own sweet time. She was in no hurry for what was to come.

  “We’re going up to talk to your parents and Aaron right now,” Mr. Hooley said in a stern voice that left no room for begging.

  Eli walked beside Mr. Hooley and Naomi followed a few steps behind, grateful for the cover that their bodies gave her from the curious eyes of everyone they passed. When they reached the house, Mr. Hooley asked them to remain outside while he fetched the important people and dismissed the others from the house.

  Minutes later, Naomi was seated on a plush chair in Ester’s living room. Eli sat across the room on the couch, flanked on one side by his father and the other his mother. Naomi’s parents chose to remain standing near the doorway. Naomi watched Joseph and Katherine’s facial expressions as they were told that their son had been making out behind the old shed. Joseph seemed annoyed, but Katherine hid a smile in her hands. Naomi’s parents, on the other hand, were seething with Mr. Hooley’s words, especially Mamma, who looked at her daughter with hatred.

  “Ach, why do the young disobey?” Bishop Esch said to the room, his hands spread out, his voice c
ontrolled. He looked from Eli to Naomi and back again, before settling finally on Naomi. “This is a serious matter. We have rules in place to save the virtue of our young people and keep them in line with the Lord’s will. When the rules are broken, the sinners must be punished.” The bishop took a breath and asked, “What do you have to say for yourself, Eli?”

  The bishop shifted his gaze to Eli, and Eli, not having a brave heart, lowered his head and said, “I’m sorry, Bishop. I know we did wrong. My intention was to talk to Naomi, but I was tempted and could not resist. Please forgive us.”

  Naomi looked at the faces of everyone in the room. Eli’s admission of guilt had done the trick. Their expressions had all softened at his words.

  The bishop breathed out with satisfaction before he locked his eyes on Naomi and asked the same question. Naomi wasn’t sure where the anger came from, but it bubbled into her throat, burning as she swallowed. Maybe it was the pure loathing Mamma was shooting her way, or perhaps it was the nastiness she had to deal with from the other girls on a regular basis. Wherever it came from, it came with a vengeance as she spoke to the bishop. “We we’re only kissing. That’s all. No one was touching anything and all of our clothes were on. We’re eighteen years old. We shouldn’t have to apologize for a little bit of kissing.”

  The silence in the room was louder than the birds chirping outside of the window or the children’s laughter in the yard. The shocked faces of the adults, Naomi could deal with, but the way Eli looked at her, with disappointment, made her wish that she’d controlled her temper. Now, she’d really messed things up for them.

  “Young lady, your attitude of defiance is beyond unacceptable. How your parents choose to punish you in their home is up to them, but from the church, you will receive several hours of counseling from me and the other ministers,” here he paused thinking, and then continued, “…plus four weeks of shunning to begin after your sins are announced before the church members next Sunday. I pray that your heart will be opened and you will be filled with the will of God during this time of separation.”

  The words swirled around in Naomi’s head. Somehow, she didn’t see the faces of the others, she didn’t need to. Naomi already guessed that Katherine’s would hold pity; Mr. Hooley’s would be content, and the bishop’s, resolved. Dat and Mr. Bender would still hold a mixture of shock and disappointment, and Eli’s would be sad. The hair tingled on her neck when she thought of Mamma. She would be spitting mad. Naomi was sure that if she looked real close she’d see horns popping out of her mother’s head.

  Naomi barely even heard the bishop make the announcement of Eli’s punishment, which was only two weeks of shunning, since he’d been contrite about his sins. Well, good for Eli. She guessed that if he was willing to sink to his knees, he should be rewarded. Of, course, part of the shunning meant that Eli and Naomi wouldn’t be able to see each other during those weeks either. She was sure that Eli would be pained for that part…so maybe he was still being punished as severely as her in a way too. The bishop was going to make a lesson of Naomi for all the other young people of the community. And she knew that when she finally arrived home that evening, she’d get the whipping of her life with the switch that she was so well acquainted with. Even for all that, Naomi still felt lighter than she had all day long. They could all do what they wanted to her—she didn’t care.

  In the end, she’d find her freedom somehow.

  13

  DANIEL

  November 14th

  Through the table, I could feel the vibrations of Serenity’s foot tapping the floor and I wondered how the woman could be nervous eating dinner with me when she spent her life apprehending criminals. Surely, I was pretty tame in comparison.

  Again, I tried to catch her gaze, but she studied her steak so intently that I thought maybe she was trying to figure out the breed of cow it had come from. Suddenly, she looked up and said, “Why do you think Sandra was so hell bent on telling me about Will, and yet she failed to mention the Eli Bender boy completely?”

  She had a point and I’d already been thinking about it myself. But dammit, couldn’t Serenity stop being the sheriff for a moment and just be a woman having dinner with a man who found her highly attractive?

  I sighed and leaned back. Obviously, this night wasn’t going in the direction I had hoped it would.

  Resignedly, I said, “I believe Sandra told you who she thought had a hand in the death of her friend. She’s just a kid, Serenity. She’s not looking at all the angles the way that we are.”

  “But why didn’t Timothy and Patricia tell me about Eli when I asked them? What are they hiding?” she leaned in, daring me to give her an answer.

  I could see where she was heading with her train of thought, but I couldn’t buy it myself. Timothy and Patricia were good, honest people. Patricia may have her problems, but she wouldn’t cover up for a person who might have killed her daughter.

  “You need to understand that these people aren’t going to rattle off every bit of information you want. They are secretive and suspicious of the outside world.”

  Serenity stood and began picking up the dishes from the table in a fit of anxious energy. I remained seated and watched her as I fought to keep a smile off my face.

  “They certainly seemed at ease with all the outsiders donating money to their cause at the school house benefit auction,” she said.

  Feeling the need deep within myself to play the devil’s advocate and defend my roots, I said, “They were comfortable with those people, because they’d probably spent years building up trust and friendship through business deals and just being neighbors. You come on the scene, a woman with a strong personality, and someone they don’t have any knowledge of at all—of course they’re going to be leery.”

  The doubt still lingered on her face and I added, “And besides, why worry right now when there’s nothing you can do about it tonight anyway. Hopefully, in the morning you’ll get your answers. Why don’t we relax in the living room, where you can finish off that glass of wine that you’ve barely touched?”

  I rose, waiting for her to move with me to the other room. She eyed me suspiciously for several long seconds. Finally, she picked up her drink and led the way to the couch. She made sure to sit at the far side, which bugged me, but then, I was grateful that she was sitting with me at all the way things were going.

  Her behavior made me doubt what I was doing. Maybe I was wasting my time trying to get to know Serenity better. Although, there was a sparking current between the two of us that made me want to take the risk, there was something about her independent nature that scared the hell out of me. She was just the type of woman that I could fall hard for—and then she’d break my heart.

  “You know, Daniel, I can understand why you left the Amish,” Serenity said after she took a sip from her glass. Her eyes fastened on me and I braced myself for what she was about to say. “They are pretty damn creepy.”

  Her words sunk in and my anxiety disappeared. I began to laugh in earnest. I was expecting her to say something much worse.

  When I’d finally calmed, I met her frown and said, “You’re seeing them at their very worst right now. If nothing had ever happened to Naomi Beiler and you’d gone to the school house with me, meeting the Amish for the first time there, your perception would be very different. I guarantee it.”

  “Doesn’t true character come out in a crisis? Besides, you and I would never have been there together if it weren’t for Naomi’s death.”

  I thought for a minute, staring out the sliding glass door into the darkness. I certainly couldn’t tell her the truth—that I’d wanted desperately to ask her out when I’d worked on her roof a year earlier. I’d been intimidated by the beautiful police officer, who unlike most of the women I’d encountered over the years, completely ignored me after the initial consultation. I just figured that the only woman I’d crossed paths with since Abby, who I was truly interested in, didn’t give me a second thought.

  W
hen I glanced up at Serenity’s waiting face, I wondered what had changed since then. Maybe I was tired of being alone—maybe she was too irresistible for me to ignore any longer. Whatever it was that had prompted me to open my heart to the little sheriff, I knew that it wouldn’t be easy to back out now.

  “Yeah, you’re right about that, but I’m glad to be helping you on this case. It’s given me the opportunity to put my foot in the door with my family, and that’s a good thing.”

  Serenity stared at me, her expression changing several times before it settled on hesitation. She sat up straighter.

  “Do you know Tony Manning?” she asked in a guarded voice.

  “Sure I do. Doesn’t everyone in this town?” I said honestly, wondering where she was heading.

  She huffed and rushed out, “I mean, are you buddies with the man?”

  “No, not buddies, but he’s never done me a bad turn. If you’re asking, I did vote for you.” I grinned. It hadn’t been tough call for most of the people of Blood Rock to take a chance on the young woman with the exemplary career over the old codger who couldn’t stay out of his own kind of trouble.

  She twittered her fingers and then, amazingly moved closer to me. I stiffened, suddenly very much aware of her close proximity. If I shifted and leaned toward her, she was close enough to kiss now.

  “I don’t know why I’m telling you this—maybe I’m crazy, but I trust you for some strange reason.” She breathed deep and blurted, “Tony implied that the Amish would take care of the situation on their own. I got the impression that he was talking about a vigilante type thing. What do you think about that?”

  Her pretty eyes were glued on me, waiting. Although I didn’t really want to talk about it, her question had brought up a particular incident in my head that I thought I should tell her—that I wanted to tell her about.

  “When I was five years old, so we’re going back about thirty years, there was one night that I will never forget. Aaron Esch was close to our age now, as were my parents. It was during a long, hot, dry summer when a young Amish woman, and I don’t even know her name, so don’t bother asking, had something very bad happen to her. At the time, I was too young to understand much of it, but later on, through the older boys talking, I figured out that she’d been raped by an outsider who lived within the area.”