Rising Darkness

by Nancy Mehl

  When it was my turn, I read his name tag. Evan Bakker. He smiled as I stepped up to the counter.

  “May I help you?”

  I nodded. “I just need to mail out some envelopes. They already have stamps.” I opened my purse and handed him my stack of mail.

  “No problem.” He took it from me. “Are you visiting someone?”

  “I’m in town doing some research about a relative who recently passed away. Miriam Byler.”

  “Miriam?” He shook his head. “Lovely, lovely woman. She will be missed.” He smiled. “I can see the resemblance. Around the eyes.”

  Well, that was new. He must really need those glasses he wore. “She was my great-aunt.”

  A man came in the door, and Mr. Bakker greeted him. I thanked the postmaster for his help and had started to leave when he said, “Miss?”

  I turned around and saw him holding up the picture of Terrance Chase.

  “This must have gotten mixed up with your mail.”

  I hurried back and took it from him. “I’m sorry. Thank you for finding it.” I smiled at him. “A relative.” Thankfully, there wasn’t anything with Chase’s name on it or any way for the clerk to know he was looking at the face of a missing murderer. The man standing at the counter glanced at the picture, but he didn’t seem interested.

  I took the picture and quickly left the building. When I got in my car, I stuck Chase’s photo inside my wallet. What I should have done in the first place. Neither man seemed to recognize Chase, but I wondered if I should have asked them if he seemed familiar. Had I missed a chance? After thinking about it, I decided showing his picture around wasn’t the best way to find him. First I needed to narrow down my suspect list. Tipping my hand too early could backfire. It might alert Chase that I was looking for him. Besides, if he really was in Sanctuary, he’d probably changed his appearance drastically.

  It occurred to me as I sat in my car that the postmaster might be someone who could help me if the church records led nowhere. If anyone knew who came to town and when, it would be the postmaster. I filed that option away in the back of my mind where I could pull it up if I needed it later.

  I did feel some relief knowing my payments were finally on their way. Paying my bills on time—even early—was almost an obsession with me. My parents hadn’t taken responsibility for their debts, and I had no intention of following in their footsteps. I could still remember being sent to different stores, trying to return used items and asking for the money back. The memory still caused me acute embarrassment.

  I drove farther down the street and checked out the two restaurants in Sanctuary. Between The Oil Lamp Restaurant and The Whistle Stop Café, I chose the latter because it seemed a little more crowded. Although it was a long shot that Chase would be sitting at a table just waiting for me to spot him, I needed to start my search. I laughed to myself at the thought that it could be that easy. I just hoped it wouldn’t take too long. I didn’t want to hang around this town any longer than I had to.

  As I picked up my purse, I couldn’t help thinking about Cora’s Corner Café, the only restaurant in Kingdom. At first, the Mennonite crowd had shunned it, believing food should be prepared by wives and served at home. But as single farmers began to drift in for breakfast, word spread. By the time I left Kingdom, it was almost always packed. Even the most stubborn member of the church eventually broke down and joined his friends around a table at Cora’s. After Cora moved away, Lizzie took it over. It was just as popular under her leadership.

  I got out of the car and headed for the front door of The Whistle Stop. As I reached for the handle, a man’s hand came from behind me and pulled the door open.

  “Here, let me,” he said.

  I turned to thank him and found myself looking straight into the striking blue eyes of Jonathon Wiese.

  Chapter

  Six

  I froze, unable to accept what I could clearly see. For a split second, I wondered if I’d lost my mind. Was this a hallucination? Was I seeing Jonathon because I’d been thinking about him? But it wasn’t a dream. Somehow, Jonathon Wiese was standing next to me. He was so close I could smell the soap he’d bathed with. I felt dizzy, but I quickly gathered myself together as much as I could under the circumstances.

  “Thank you,” I said softly. As I walked into the restaurant, my legs felt like rubber.

  A pretty young woman walked up to me. “Just one person?” she asked with a smile.

  I nodded, not able to think clearly about anything except the knowledge that Jonathon was right behind me. More than anything, I wanted to turn and run out the door. Get as far away from this place as I could. But that would only draw attention to me, and there hadn’t been any sign of recognition from Jonathon. I was fairly confident he wouldn’t recognize me. Tom hadn’t known me, so I had to hope Jonathon wouldn’t either. I looked nothing like the dirty child I’d once been.

  The waitress’s eyes swept across the room. “We only have one table clear right now.” To my horror, I heard her say, “Jonathon, would you mind sitting with this lady? At least until we have another table cleaned off?”

  “I’d be happy to. Thanks, Rosey.” That wonderful voice. The one I’d been trying to erase from my memory for so long. I felt a touch on my shoulder. “I hope you don’t mind, ma’am.”

  All I could do was shake my head. Once again, a feeling of unreality enveloped me. How could Jonathon Wiese be in Sanctuary?

  I followed the waitress to the table she indicated. As we made our way across the room, people called out to Jonathon, greeting him with enthusiasm and confirming that I hadn’t been mistaken. It was definitely Jonathon.

  When we reached our table, he held out my chair, and I sat down. As he slid into his seat, I scanned his face again. As impossible as it seemed, I was sitting across from a man I’d never planned to see again in this lifetime.

  I suddenly noticed a hand in front of my face. I turned to look up at the young woman who’d seated us.

  “I’m Rosey,” she said. “My mom and I own this restaurant.”

  I took her hand and shook it. “I—I’m Emily McClure. Just visiting. Trying to find out something about a family member who used to live here.”

  She frowned and let go of my hand. “Oh? Do you mind if I ask who?”

  “Miriam Byler. Turns out she was my great-aunt. Her sister, Clara, was my grandmother. My mother just found out she was adopted and that she was Clara’s daughter.” I was babbling, but frankly, I was just happy I could get any words out at all.

  Rosey’s eyebrows shot up. “I knew Miriam pretty well. Met Clara, too. She came to town quite often before she passed away. When she came to visit, she and Miriam would come here to eat.” She smiled. “They were both wonderful women. You should be proud to be related to them.”

  “Thank you,” I said, trying to smile back. “I really appreciate that.”

  She nodded. “What can I get you two to drink?”

  “I think I’d like a cup of coffee.”

  Rosey smiled at me. “You’re stronger than I am. If I had coffee in the afternoon, I’d be up all night.” She swung her attention to Jonathon. “And for you, Pastor?”

  Pastor? My mouth almost dropped open. Jonathon was wearing contemporary clothing, not the usual Mennonite uniform. I noticed his hair was shorter than I remembered it. He’d always worn it a little long back home. But as a pastor, he probably felt the need for a more conservative hairstyle. Suddenly, I remembered the other church I’d passed as I came into town. Jonathon must be that church’s pastor.

  “I think I’ll join the young lady,” he said with a glance at me. “I’ll have coffee, too.”

  “Two brave souls,” Rosey said. “Here are your menus. I’ll be back in a minute.”

  I took the menu from her hand, but Jonathon waved his away. Obviously, he’d been here before.

  As Rosey went to help someone else, I quickly scanned the room. I’d come here hoping to spot Terrance Chase, but at the moment I
couldn’t think about anything except Jonathon. Unwillingly, I met my dinner companion’s eyes.

  “I’m Jonathon Wiese,” he said with a smile. “Welcome to Sanctuary. If I can do anything to help you, please let me know. Miriam and I were friends.”

  I steeled myself the best I could, running my affirmations through my head. I was no longer Sophie Wittenbauer, a wayward, pitiful child. I was Sophie Bauer, educated, sophisticated, and strong.

  “I appreciate that,” I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt. “Right now I’m working with her pastor.” Though I tried to maintain some degree of control, my voice shook slightly.

  He nodded. “Pastor Troyer. Good man.”

  I decided to try again. This time my voice sounded stronger. “May I ask how you knew my great-aunt?”

  Jonathon shrugged. “In a town this small, it’s hard not to know everyone. Miriam was a lovely lady who enjoyed company. I spent a lot of time visiting with her. I pastor the other church in town, Agape Fellowship.”

  Before I could say anything else, Rosey came up to the table with our coffee. “Do you know what you want?” she asked. “Or do you need more time?”

  “I—I’m sorry. I haven’t even looked at my menu yet.” I nodded toward Jonathon. “You go ahead. And please, don’t feel you need to sit with me. If another table opens up . . .”

  “Unless you mind, I’d like to stay,” he said. “But maybe you’d prefer to eat alone?”

  Yes, I want to eat alone! Go away! But I couldn’t say that. I looked very different from the girl he’d known, but I still needed to keep up my façade so he didn’t become suspicious.

  “No, please stay. I enjoy meeting new people.”

  Liar! I really didn’t like meeting people. I didn’t like people, period. People had baggage, and most of them loved to dump it off in your life. I had no time for that.

  “Thank you. Why don’t you come back in a few minutes, Rosey?” he said. “Do you mind?”

  “Of course not. You take your time, honey.” She touched my shoulder, and I jumped involuntarily.

  “I’m so sorry.” She chuckled. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m kind of a touchy-feely person.”

  “Well, I’m not,” I snapped. I was instantly sorry for my sharp remark. I sighed and shook my head. “Now it’s my turn to apologize. Please forgive me. I’m just tired from my trip here.” I gave her my best smile, designed to charm. “And obviously cranky.”

  The hurt look on her face vanished. “That’s okay, honey. I understand completely. After being on my feet all day, I usually feel like knocking a few heads together.”

  Jonathon laughed. “Oh, Rosey. You and your mother are the nicest people I know. If you raised your voice, I’d pass out.”

  “We have our buttons. I don’t have to remind you about what happened in Farmington last summer.”

  He grinned. “No, you don’t. That story circulated through town for quite a while.”

  She leaned toward him conspiratorially. “Now you hush, Jonathon. Don’t tell our visitor my family secrets.” She winked at me. “I’ll be back in a few.”

  “So what happened in Farmington?” I asked when she walked away.

  “Rosey and her mother, Mary, went there to buy some supplies for the restaurant. On the way into the store, they discovered a dog locked in a hot car. The poor thing was already half dead. After trying the doors, Mary got a rock and broke open a window. They got the dog out, gave it some water, and called the police. When the owner finally got back to his car, he was greeted by Rosey, Mary, a crowd of concerned bystanders, and the cops. Believe it or not, his main concern was his car window. He started yelling, and Mary got up in his face. Told the guy off big-time.” Jonathon motioned toward the restaurant’s kitchen. “When you meet Mary, you’ll understand. She’s one of the sweetest, most mild-mannered people you’ll ever run across. But hurt a child or an animal, and something explodes in that little woman. Something fierce.”

  “So what finally happened?” I asked.

  “Well, let’s just say the guy ended up with a citation and a broken window no one had any intention of replacing. And Mary and Rosey walked away with a new dog.”

  “They got the man’s dog?”

  Jonathon nodded. “Mary told him they were taking her, and he was too afraid to say no. Livy is a very happy beagle, being loved and pampered by Mary and Rosey.”

  “The dog stays alone all day while the restaurant is open?”

  Jonathon chuckled. “Another animal lover, I see. You don’t need to worry. First of all, The Whistle Stop isn’t open in the evening. But even so, Livy isn’t alone. At last count, she lives with six cats and four other dogs—Pogo, Maggie, Candy, and Teddy. They have a doggy door that opens into a fenced backyard so they can come and go as they please.”

  “Six cats and five dogs? Wow. That’s a lot of mouths to feed.”

  “That doesn’t include the horses, cows, and chickens. I love animals, but Mary and Rosey seem to have a heart for them that only God could provide.”

  I didn’t respond. Sure, God loved animals. Too bad His great love didn’t extend to abused children.

  I picked up my menu and perused the offerings. When I finally settled on something, I put the menu back down on the table.

  “So what do you do, Emily?” Jonathon asked.

  I pulled out my rehearsed answer. “I work for an accounting firm in St. Louis.” Since it sounded like the most boring job in the world, I figured it would stop further questions cold in their tracks.

  “Oh?” He stared at me for a moment. “You don’t look like an accountant.”

  “Really? And just what kind of person do I look like?”

  Before he could answer, a pretty woman with long blond hair stepped up to the table. “Are you ready to order?” she asked.

  “Emily, this is Mary Gessner. The woman I was telling you about.”

  Mary’s eyebrows arched in surprise. “What have you been saying about me, Jonathon Wiese? It had better be good.”

  “It was. I promise.” He nodded toward me. “Mary, this is Emily McClure. She’s visiting our fine town for a while. She’s related to Miriam Byler.”

  “No kidding? Nice to meet you, Emily. Where are you staying?”

  “With Esther Lapp. It seems to be the place strangers end up when they come to Sanctuary.”

  “You’re right about that.” She pulled a notepad out of her apron pocket. “What can I get you two?”

  “You know what I want, Mary. My usual.”

  “Let’s see.” Mary pursed her lips and looked off into the distance to show she was thinking. “It’s Wednesday, and the special is chicken fried steak. So I’m guessing you want meat loaf?”

  Jonathon’s wide grin made it clear Mary was pulling his leg.

  “Chicken fried steak for you. And what about you, Emily?”

  I ordered a small side salad and a bowl of soup.

  “This is why this lady is so trim and you’re . . . not,” Mary teased Jonathon.

  “I’ll have you know I’m still at my high school weight,” Jonathon said with an exaggerated pout.

  “Yes. But that was muscle.”

  Mary flipped her long hair and walked away, leaving Jonathon laughing softly.

  “I don’t get it,” I said when she was out of earshot. “You’re not the least bit overweight.”

  He smiled. “I know. We’re just teasing each other because we like to. It doesn’t mean anything.”

  “I’m surprised to hear someone treat a minister so lightly.”

  “Oh really? May I ask what kind of church you attend?”

  I felt myself blush. “I don’t anymore. I’m sorry to sound so judgmental. Old habits, I guess. In the church I used to go to, married pastors didn’t joke around much with other women.”

  “I’m not married.”

  I noticed for the first time that he wasn’t wearing a ring, although in the Conservative Mennonite church, married couples didn’t w
ear wedding rings. I’d been so certain he’d married Hope Kauffman, the woman he’d loved in Kingdom, that I had simply assumed she was here with him.

  “You look surprised. I know it’s unusual for a pastor to be single, but I couldn’t marry someone just because I wanted to pastor a church. Wouldn’t be fair to her. Or to me.”

  Surprised wasn’t the word for how I felt. Shocked was a better description. I tried to find a way to cover my reaction. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get personal.”

  “It’s okay. I’m not offended. The truth is, I was in love once. But she picked someone else. If I ever find a woman who makes me feel the way she did, I’ll consider marriage again. But so far that hasn’t happened.”

  So he wasn’t with Hope. She must have married Ebbie Miller instead. I felt a twinge of pity for Jonathon. He’d been head over heels for Hope. But even though I had compassion for him, something inside me leapt with pleasure. Just as quickly as the feeling came, I squashed it. I couldn’t go down this road again. I’d been madly in love with Jonathon once. So in love it hurt. But he didn’t love me back. Didn’t see me that way. To him I was only a troubled teenager. A child. Even now that I was an adult, he would never be interested. A man of God wouldn’t want anything to do with a woman who’d turned her back on Him. A woman too damaged to be worth anything to any man.

  “What about you?” he asked suddenly. “Is there a Mr. McClure?”

  I shook my head. “No. My job comes first. There’s no time for anything else.”

  He looked at me strangely, and I immediately realized how odd my comment sounded. Most people wouldn’t be so passionate about accounting.

  “I want to own my own firm someday.” I spewed the first thing that popped into my head. “It’s my dream.”

  “Oh.”

  I watched him study me, and I felt myself melting under the power of those astonishing eyes. Was there any chance he’d recognize me? Was my goal of tracking down Terrance Chase in jeopardy already?

  When he finally spoke, his voice was low and soft. “I don’t know, Emily. It’s like I’m seeing one person, but I sense someone else hiding inside. Someone who seems so familiar.” His eyes suddenly widened, and he laughed. “Wow. Where did that come from? Sounded rather ominous. Sorry. I must be feeling a little melodramatic today.”