Amish Trust and Betrayal

by Rachel Stoltzfus

  John rubbed his chin, running one hand down his long beard. “Hmmm. Gut question. I don’t know. What leads her to do such things, to tell such lies? Shall we go outside?”

  This was a message to Lovina that John needed to speak privately to his deacon. “I need to speak with Mildred anyway. Mildred, what did you think of the new patterns?” The two women drifted off to Mildred’s quilting area.

  Outside, John and Eppie rested their feet against the slats of the porch railing. Both men allowed the pastoral scene to calm their troubled spirits. “John, I suspect she lacks something necessary in her temperament. This leads her to create lies about others. In so doing, she fills that empty space.”

  “I agree. Even though she can’t own what she is spreading, she might be getting affirmation from the reactions of people here. For sure and for certain, I’ll know more after I come back from Indiana next week.”

  “Did the Hoffstetters offer to drive you?”

  “Ja, they did, but I don’t want to take them from their endeavors. Plus, such a trip by car would just take too long. Even though I may spend only two or three days speaking with Mr. Hoffstetter and others in Goshen, I want to be done as fast as possible. Because the situation between us and the English is becoming...untenable.”

  “Ja, I understand.”

  “So, you are okay with this Sunday’s message as it is now?”

  “Ja, except for one thing. Let’s go back inside, and I’ll write it down.” Inside, at the kitchen table, Eppie wrote down what he had in mind. As he wrote, he spoke. “If this person isn’t English, but Amish, I would urge him or her to consider the fraying of our relationship with the English of Big Valley. We have lived side-by-side for years, generations, working toward goals held in common. Is it worth it to destroy that for temporary fulfillment? What do you think?”

  John spun the paper around so he could read Eppie’s words and compare them to his own. “Ja, it’s gut. Denki. It gives the message we need to give without directly accusing her. I’ll take this to the ministers and let them know we’re delivering this message on Sunday. I want you to read it.”

  “Me? Why?”

  John had considered this for days. “Because, if it is Katie, I want her to know, first, that we are not discounting anything. Second, because I’ll be away next week, you can stay up to date on what happens after we deliver this message. I will call the phone house after supper. On Monday and Wednesday. I’ll want you to tell me what’s happening, especially with Katie and this rumor.”

  “Ja, I will be happy to do so. As I’ll spend most of the week delivering carpentry orders to my English customers, I’ll be well placed to watch what’s happening. Oh, I just had a thought. It would be a gut idea to invite the mayor to our service on Sunday. Would you like me to go and deliver the invitation this afternoon?”

  John considered for a few seconds. “That’s excellent. Yes. Tell her that you are coming to her office with my knowledge. If she hears what we have to say on Sunday, she’ll know that we’re serious about stopping Katie—or whoever it is.”

  “Also, if she sees the mayor there, Katie will realize that we are working with her office. That may induce her to stop and just let this rumor die.”

  After he and Lovina returned home, John went outside and walked around his property. Feeling the warmth of the sun on his neck, he began to feel calmer. Knowing that one of his own community members might be responsible for the corrosive rumor making the rounds, he was heartsick. As he considered his upcoming trip, he reminded himself that this bad time would come to an end. The steady clip-clop of horses’ hooves distracted his attention.

  Looking to his left, he saw a familiar set of horses. That’s what I wanted to ask. I’m going to Eppie’s to see if he and his son can also shadow Katie to see where she goes and who she talks to. Mind made up, he hurried to the barn. Coming out a few minutes later, walking the horses, he stopped at the front of his house. “I’ll be right back.” Bounding up the steps, he found Lovina in the kitchen. “Lovina, I’m going to Eppie’s house. There’s one more question I need to ask him.”

  “About Katie Miller?”

  “Ja. Whether he and his son will shadow her and see what she does, who she speaks to.”

  “Gut idea. Okay, just as long as you’re back in time for supper. I’m making a potpie.”

  John smiled. “I’ll keep that in mind!” Kissing Lovina, he left quickly.

  ARRIVING AT EPPIE’S, John waited for someone to answer the door.

  “Ach, John! Did you forget something?”

  “Ja, I did. I saw Katie Miller passing my house when I was outside a while ago. It occurs to me that we would make much faster progress if you and your son, Caleb, would shadow her. Make a note of where she goes and who she speaks with. But don’t let her see you!”

  “Gut idea, John. As it turns out, Caleb is already doing that.

  “Caleb, Elisabeth! How are you?”

  “Gut, denki, Bishop. How are you?”

  “Much better, thank you. I am wondering if you and your dat would begin following Katie Miller around. Here and outside our community. I want to know where she goes. Who she speaks to. If you can manage, what she says. I’m going to Indiana Sunday afternoon after services, and I expect to be gone for the better part of next week.”

  Caleb smiled. “I’m doing so already. Along with my sister, Annie. She’s been following Katie around for a while, now.”

  “Ja? I hope she's careful! I don’t know what Katie is capable of.”

  “Let me see if I can find her.” Caleb moved quickly down the first-floor hallway, poking his head into Annie’s quilting studio. “Annie? Bishop’s here. He wants to ask you a favor.”

  Annie grinned. “I’ll be there in just a minute, denki.” Finishing basting the last few inches of the almost-finished quilt she was working on, Annie laid everything down. Smoothing her apron and hair, she hurried into the living room. “Bishop, it’s a pleasure. My brother tells me you need to speak to me?”

  “Ja, I do. Your brother tells me you’re shadowing Katie Miller. Normally, I wouldn’t condone such an action, but considering what we’ve been learning... I will just say, I do hope you’re being careful. And, what have you discovered?”

  “Denki, I will be careful. She goes into town, against your expressed wishes that we stay clear of the English until this mess is cleared up. She did go to a Mennonite fabric store a few weeks ago. Earlier this week, I saw her heading in that direction, and then she took a side road and went to the English fabric store in the strip mall. When she came out, she and Libby King were so upset. I got curious, so I went inside. The manager and English customers were...less than happy to see any Amish customers. I made my excuses and got out of there as fast as I could.”

  “Denki. Ja, I will go speak to her and let her know that I’m the one who saw her going into the English store. I’m going out of town. It’s far past time for us to stop this nonsense, and I got some valuable information from Mrs. Hoffstetter.”

  “Oh, the owner of the fabric store?”

  “Ja. I can’t say anything yet. But she told me she remembered Katie’s name. She called her family in Indiana and seems to have confirmed her suspicions, so I’m going to find out what Miss Miller’s history is.”

  “Would you like to go outside so we can enjoy the day?”

  “Ordinarily, I would say yes. But today, I don’t want Katie Miller seeing me here again, even if it is in connection to my ministerial responsibilities. I want to ask you one favor. Along with taking care, I want you to watch Katie during services this Sunday. We elders will be making an important announcement, and I want to know what her reaction is.”

  “Ja, gladly.” After finishing her conversation with the bishop, she went back to finish her quilting work for the day.

  Caleb and Eppie stayed in the living room, discussing their ideas for shadowing Katie.

  THAT SUNDAY, THE MEETING was held in the Yoder’s house. As directed, Annie s
at close enough to Katie that she could monitor her reactions to the words the bishop had said he planned.

  Katie sat alone, hoping Libby would join her. She had told her mam that she wanted to sit with her friends. Waiting, she saw the teen girls looking at her empty bench, then veer away to other nearly full benches. Looking down, she pretended she didn’t care that she sat by herself. Feeling someone sitting on her bench, she looked up. Seeing Annie Yoder sitting at the end of the bench, her jaw dropped, and she considered moving. Then, swinging her gaze over to her mam, she changed her mind. She knew she would hear no end of it if she moved, so she sighed and stayed where she was.

  Chapter 9

  “Gut morning, Katie. How are you?” Annie had edged closer and spoke to her with no smile on her pretty face.

  “I’m good, thank you. I hope you’re good as well.” Katie said. She doubted Annie had suddenly decided she wanted to be friends, but she would play along.

  “Gut. Busy with my quilting orders. You?”

  “Busy as well. I’m nearly done with two juvenile quilts for an English customer.”

  “English...how are they treating you?”

  “The English? Gut, actually.”

  “I was coming down the street one morning last week. I saw you coming out of the English fabric store with Libby King. You looked upset. Was everything okay?”

  Katie flushed, not wanting to talk about it. She shrugged, trying to derail Annie’s interest. “Not much. It was just a stressful day.”

  “Hmmm, really? I went into the store myself. I noticed that right before I entered, the manager and the customers were friendly and smiling, but when I walked in, everyone just went...well, cold is the best word to describe the atmosphere in the store. I couldn’t get anyone to smile. Getting any help with fabric was impossible, so I just went to that little Mennonite store at the north end of the community. Do you know that one?”

  “Ja, that’s where I found the fabric for my juvenile quilts. I was going to go there last week, but I decided that I’d find more of what I needed at the English store.”

  “Seems to have been a mistake. I wonder if that English person wanting us out of here has convinced the people in the store that they are right?”

  The story hovered on the tip of Katie’s tongue, desperate to escape, but Katie couldn’t trust Annie’s sudden change of heart. “Uh, I don’t think we should be...”

  “Nee, I know. I was just putting my opinion out there. The elders are about to start.” Annie looked ahead to where the elders stood, waiting for the beginning of the 3-hour service. As she waited, she thought. She really wanted to say something. More so than anyone else who’s been talking about this. I’ll just keep my eyes and ears on her for this next week.

  Katie, seeing the direction of Annie’s gaze, faced forward herself. Her heart pounded hard.

  “Oh, look who just walked in!” Annie pointed toward the front door.

  Katie swung her head around and gasped as her eyes widened. Isn’t she the English mayor? What is she doing here? Katie would soon get her answer.

  “Gut morning, everyone. Let’s get started.” The bishop started the long service. After all of the sermons had been spoken and the lessons taught, he moved to the front of the room again. “Before we move for lunch, the elders and I decided that it is necessary for us to give everyone an update about the messages from the mysterious English person telling us to get out of Big Valley.”

  He unfolded two sheets of paper. “I want to make sure that I deliver every thought because we sat down together to work on this. We have been dealing for months with the possibility that some hate-filled English person wants us to leave Big Valley, where we have lived for generations, raising our families, growing our crops and building our furniture. Making our quilts and baking our goods as well. Whoever this person is, male or female, they are counting on the fear that he or she causes. In the end, it may come to nothing more than a ploy to gain publicity or attention.

  “Regardless, it is up to us, as a community, to come together and rely even more strongly on each other and on Gott. Remember, we rely on each other and on our Gott for our strength. This person may intend no harm to come to us.” He stepped aside for Eppie.

  “They...he or she...may not really want us to leave. Instead, it may be nothing more than a deep psychological need to gain attention, indirect though it may be. If this person isn’t English, but is, instead, Amish, I would urge him or her to consider the fraying of our relationships with the English of Big Valley. We have lived side-by-side for years, if not generations, working toward goals held in common. I—we—ask you, is it worth it to destroy that for a temporary fulfillment?” Eppie finished speaking and allowed his eyes to roam over the entire congregation. As he did, he was struck by Katie’s face. Or rather the expression she had. She looks...stunned. Now, it’s the difficult part. Reading our message was easy. The hard part will be to see if she reacts. And indeed, she is.

  Hearing the message read by the bishop pulled every support out from beneath Katie. She held tightly to the bench, feeling like she was about to fall. They know! Of course, they knew. Drawing a difficult breath in, she forced herself to get calmer.

  “Bishop? Do...are you saying it could be a lie that’s going around?” asked widow Kopp.

  “Ja, Mrs. Kopp. Yet, I implore you, be careful. Until we know for sure and for certain, I don’t want anyone relaxing their guard. I asked Mayor Winters to be here. She told me she wants to say a few words. Mayor?”

  Kerry Winters walked forward, wearing a subdued, spring-yellow suit with gray heels. Her shoes clicking on the wood floor as she walked to the front, she smiled slightly. “Thank you, Bishop Lapp. Good afternoon! I may ask one of you for a translated version of the sermons that were given today. It sounded beautiful. Your bishop and elders asked me to be here today, so I could tell you what we are doing to stop these horrible messages that you are getting. I saw the painted sign on that fence several weeks ago. A few days ago, your bishop came to my office with a letter that seemed to have been written by someone with a real beef about the Amish.

  “That note said the writer wanted you to sell your farms and leave here. In fact, that letter set a two-month deadline. I asked the bishop if I could make a copy of that letter so members of my staff could write a letter to be delivered to the ‘English’ residents of Big Valley. They got that message Friday and yesterday. Now, I am here to give you the same message. I want you to be assured. We are beginning to get the feeling that there is no English person wanting you out of here. That this is nothing more than a cruel hoax. Bishop, if you would, hand these copies out, please.”

  The mayor continued speaking as she handed a thick sheaf of pages to the bishop. “We—that is, my staff and I—have been spending many days and hours, speaking to everyone we could about these messages. I want to read you some of the responses that we have received: ‘I love having the Amish here! They are ideal neighbors, stewards of the land.’ Someone else said, ‘They live their creed. How can we hate that?’ A little girl I spoke to said, ‘I love their cakes and brownies! If they leave, I’d miss all that.’” A spattering of laughter went around the room at this. “One gentleman said, ‘Why would someone want to go to the trouble of creating such a fearful message? There’s so much more stuff going on that needs our attention. Sure, I’m angry about this, but two wrongs are just that: two wrongs.’ And finally, ‘I love going to the Amish shops. I’ve made several Amish friends, and my life would be absolutely empty without them.’

  “Now, this is only a very small percentage of Big Valley. I would guess that a very small percentage of our residents don’t understand your culture and beliefs. But I doubt they would try to run you away from here. We are going to continue working to identify the culprit. Our law enforcement will continue monitoring every entrance into and out of this part of Big Valley, just to make sure you’re safe. That’s in the very small instance that there is someone out there who hates you. But hone
stly, seeing all of you, seeing friends I’ve made here, I doubt that.” The mayor’s voice quivered slightly as she struggled with sudden emotion. Stepping away, she took an empty seat on a bench near the front. Shaking hands with the young woman she sat next to, she smiled and nodded.

  “Okay, that’s all for our lesson today. Please think about what the mayor and all of us here have said. If you know anything, please come to one of us. The sooner we settle this, the better.”

  Katie sat, frozen. She only dimly heard the bishop’s exhortation. She doesn’t believe there’s an English person giving those messages! I need to do more to prove her wrong! Almost too late, she realized her mam and dat had heard the same message. Rearranging her features, so she looked calmer, she looked up and directly at her mam. Mary was looking straight at her.

  Mary considered the possibility that Katie had been the one to start the hateful rumor. Katie had done such things before. She’d always told stories. But Katie was genuinely upset now. And someone had been following her. Mary doubted her daughter could feign such fear.

  A sudden stab of memory overtook her. Katie had been terrified the second time Levi had taken her out to the fair as a child. One of the petting zoo animals, a llama, had tried to bite her. She’d had a bruise on her arm where the animal’s teeth had almost pierced her skin.

  But she’d been scared before...

  It was shortly after that she’d told them the story about the body in Levi’s cornfield. A young girl with Katie’s hair and eyes.

  Mary blinked the memories away. Levi had forgiven them and even brought Katie a candied apple later on that week. Levi had always been so kind to them. Mary wondered if he still held feelings for her. It was wrong of her to wonder such things about a man other than her husband, but sometimes Mary couldn’t help herself.

  And Katie...she’d learned her lesson from Goshen. It had been a hard one for all of them, but Mary and John had stayed strong, and now their daughter was on the right path. She had to be.