by Debby Giusti
“It’s a conundrum,” Aunt Mary said.
“Whenever I need to ponder a situation, I think better with food in my stomach. Plus, it is well into the afternoon. Let’s have some cold cuts and cheese and finish the meal with a cup of coffee and a slice of pie.” She looked at William. “Does that sound gut?”
“It sounds perfect,” he said as they hurried inside.
The cold cuts were filling, and the coffee and pie boosted their spirits as they discussed various reasons the money might no longer be on the property. By the time they finished dessert, they were as confused as they had been earlier about the funds.
“You should stay with me to ensure your total safety,” William said again as he helped the women with the dishes. “You will sleep more soundly and will not have to worry about strange sounds you hear in the night.”
“I understand and appreciate your concern,” Julianne assured him, “but we’ll be fine.”
He wasn’t sure of any such thing. “I have chores to do and animals to feed. If you change your mind, know that the offer remains.”
He left mildly frustrated that Julianne insisted upon remaining at home. Dark clouds stretched across the horizon, and he feared more storms would pass through in the night. Whether a prowler appeared at her door or not, the storms would disturb her slumber.
His own sleep would be unsettled as he worried about what could be happening at her house. William was confident the locks would hold the doors and keep anyone from entering using a key, but windows could be broken, and sly foxes had ways of sniffing out their prey.
Julianne thought she could confront her assailant, but she hadn’t been able to cock her father’s rifle, and she’d trembled when the police had arrived. For all her bravado, she was scared, and for good reason.
Maybe Aunt Mary would talk some sense into Julianne as night fell. He would prepare two guest rooms, just in case. If only the women would realize they were safe with him.
Or was that the problem? Did Julianne still question whether he had changed his life for the better? She could trust him. He knew that for sure, but did she?
* * *
The house had seemed full earlier in the day when William was with them, but as night fell and the storm clouds rolled overhead, the house turned dark and cold. Julie lit the oil lamps and added a log to the woodstove.
Aunt Mary fixed an egg omelet with ham and sliced bread for dinner. Julie declined another piece of pie and felt overcome with fatigue after the dishes were washed and dried.
“You look tired,” Aunt Mary said as they returned the last of the dishes to the cupboard.
“I haven’t slept much since I arrived.” She glanced through the window at the trees bending in the wind. “If the storm hits, I may not sleep much tonight.”
“We could stay with William,” Mary suggested.
Julianne nodded. “We could, although I hate to be a burden.”
Mary smiled knowingly. “I doubt you could be that, but think about accepting his offer. It might be safer.”
“I’ll talk to William in the morning,” Julianne said. “But I’m tired tonight and need to get to bed.”
“I’ll follow you upstairs, dear, as soon as I finish my coffee.”
Julianne prepared for bed and then peered from the upstairs window, seeing the Lavy farm in the distance. A light in the kitchen window filled her with a sense of comfort, as if knowing William was nearby added a layer of protection.
She thought again of the locks he had installed, appreciating his resourcefulness. Even if the burglar returned with a key, she and Aunt Mary would be safe. At least, for tonight. Tomorrow, after a good night’s sleep, she would be able to think more clearly about accepting William’s offer.
She heard Mary’s footsteps coming up the stairs and hurried to open her bedroom door. “I’m glad you’re here, Aunt Mary. Thank you!”
“Of course, dear. I wouldn’t want you to be alone. The two years you were with me brought joy to my heart. I am relieved we can be together again.”
“I... I’m sorry.”
“For leaving? Do not fret. You needed to gain your independence. I understood completely, even if I didn’t want you to leave.” She stretched out her hand and touched Julianne’s cheek. “We’re family. That means we want the best for each other. My heart broke from the pain I saw in your eyes for so long after Bennie and Daniel died. For some time, I did not know if you would be able to heal.”
“Without your love, I wouldn’t have.”
“It was not my love, dear, it was your own determination and will to survive. And Gott, Who did not want more pain to come into your life. You can turn to Him.”
Julie shook her head. “I don’t think He would listen to a woman who is not sure of His love.”
“You can question, Julie. I will pray that your questions draw you back to your faith. Life is easier and richer with Gott, but it is your choice. I will not stand in your way, although I will continue to pray for you.”
She patted Julie’s arm and then moved to the guest room.
Uplifted by Aunt Mary’s love, Julie slipped into bed and closed her eyes, but before she fell asleep, a clap of thunder shattered her sense of calm. She hurried to the window and stared into the gathering storm. In the distance, she saw something move.
A man rounded the corner of the barn and stared at the house.
She stepped away from the window, her mouth dry and her ears ringing. The prowler had return. Or was it her attacker? Or the burglar?
He was dressed in black and wore a red bandana over his face. Her heart nearly stopped beating, and fear tangled around her spine.
She reached for her cell phone. No bars. No service. Probably due to the storm.
Her hands trembled and a lump of anxiety lodged in her throat.
Why hadn’t she accepted William’s offer to stay at his house? She would have been safe with him, but she’d needed to prove to herself that she was strong. Was it because the sheriff claimed Bennie had killed their dad? A murder-suicide placed a huge mark on her family. Was she trying to redeem her family name?
More than anything, she wanted to be with William now. He would keep her safe, she knew that for sure, but she had rejected his invitation. Because of her stubborn determination to sell her father’s farm, she could lose more than a night’s sleep. She could also lose her life.
* * *
Too many cups of coffee coupled with his worry about Julianne’s and her aunt’s safety kept William up late into the night. Or maybe it was the howling wind and torrential rain that had him on edge. The storm kept coming and mimicked his own inner storm. After stoking his wood-burning stove, he settled into his bent-hickory rocker and reached for his Bible, the small leather-bound volume that had belonged to his grandmother. She had passed during his teen years, and her dying wish was for William to remain in the faith. With gnarled fingers, she had placed her Bible in his hands. Her murky eyes had cleared for a long moment as she stared at him with love. He remembered the warmth that had settled over him during that moment, knowing his grandmother saw beyond his disruptive actions and the mistakes he made and instead focused on his goodness.
He had accepted the Bible from her, thinking he would leave it unread, but upon his return home to care for his father, the worn pages had soothed his troubled soul. As he read of God’s forgiveness, he was filled with a desire to embrace his father even more. When he’d finally found the courage to ask forgiveness from both his Heavenly Father and his earthly datt, William had seen his own past in a new light. No longer focusing on his mistakes, he was able to see a youth who was searching for love and affirmation. He had received both from Gott and then eventually from his father before his death.
He wished the same for Julianne. She was running from her past and from the hurt of her father’s and brother’s deaths. In some way, she felt
what had happened was her fault. That burden had made her flee from everything she had been raised to believe. Whether she would ever return to the Lord, William did not know. If only she would turn back to her Amish upbringing, she might find what she was searching for—namely forgiveness and affirmation.
The storm grew in strength, and he peered from the kitchen window. The Graber house sat dark in the night, and was almost impossible to see through the pouring rain. Surely, no prowler would be afoot tonight. Everyone, even the most hardened criminal, would be hunkered down at home. At least, that’s what William kept telling himself.
Knowing he needed sleep, even if his mind kept swirling with thoughts of Julianne, he placed the Bible on the side table and extinguished the oil lamp.
A crash of thunder rocked the house. The strike had been close. Knowing how lightning could split a tree in two, he thought of the tall oak trees near Julianne’s house and the branches that might fall on the farmhouse. Death could come in so many unforeseen ways.
He shut the thought from his mind and started for the bedroom.
A car pulled into his drive. A rush of footsteps sounded on the porch. His heart pounded with worry about what could be wrong. There was a knock at the door. Then another and another.
“William?” Julianne’s plaintive voice came from outside.
He threw open the door. “Are you all right?”
She stood on his doorstep, her hair wet, her eyes wide and confusion in her gaze.
Aunt Mary climbed the steps more slowly.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“The man in the bandana came back,” Julie said. “He hovered around outside and then disappeared. I was wrong about remaining at my house. We can’t stay there alone, William. Mary and I need your help.”
He opened his arms and pulled her inside, feeling the beating of her heart and the softness of her embrace. Mary remained on the porch, shaking her head and staring into the darkness.
“Hurry, Mary.” William motioned the older woman into the house and locked the door behind her.
“Who’s doing this, William?” Julianne dropped her head into her hands. “Someone wants me to leave my property. I don’t know why, but I need to find out who it is and why he wants to do me harm. I...”
She looked up at him. Her eyes glistened with tears. “I need your help. I can’t do it alone. My phone wouldn’t work tonight due to the storm. Tomorrow, I’m going to town to talk to the sheriff. A hateful man is on the loose, maybe two. I need protection.”
William drew her closer. “You’re here now. I’ll keep you safe.”
She rested her head on his shoulder and started to cry. Her tears broke his heart. He shouldn’t have left her tonight, no matter how determined she had been to stay at her own house. Julianne needed to realize she didn’t have to do everything on her own. William wanted to help her and protect her and keep her safe.
If only she would let him.
He also wanted to tell her about the feelings that swirled within him and made him want to wrap her even more tightly in his embrace, but this wasn’t the time or place. Tonight, he needed to be William, the neighbor, who would give her shelter, instead of the man who remembered their long-ago kiss on a moonlit night.
NINE
Julianne hurried downstairs the next morning to find Aunt Mary at the kitchen stove. Warm biscuits sat in a basket on the table.
“I overslept,” she apologized. “How can I help you?”
“You needed to sleep. William is outside. Call him for breakfast. I’m sure he is hungry.”
“You waited for me?”
“Of course, dear.” Aunt Mary smiled. “Although had you slept much longer, I would have awakened you. My stomach was getting hungry as well.”
“I’m embarrassed.”
“Ack, this is not necessary. You have not rested because of the danger hovering outside your house since you arrived home. Finally, you felt secure when we came to William’s house.”
“I should have agreed to come here earlier, Aunt Mary. You were right.”
“You had to arrive at that decision in your own time. Now call William while I fry the eggs.”
William was pouring feed into one of the troughs when Julianne hurried outside and waved to get his attention. “Breakfast will be on the table by the time you wash up at the water pump.”
“Tell Aunt Mary I will enjoy her cooking.” He finished filling the feed trough and then hurried to where Julianne stood. “You look more rested this morning.”
His smile caused her cheeks to warm. She appreciated the openness of his gaze and the lightness of his tone. “Evidently, I needed sleep.”
“Sleep is fitful when we are worried about what might happen. Storms are unsettling, and having someone out to do us harm is even more so. I’m glad you decided to stay here. The room was comfortable?”
She nodded. “Thank you for preparing it for me. The quilt was beautiful. I presume your mother made it?”
“Along with her mother, my mammi, before my mamm married. It covered my bed when I was a boy.”
“Such a lovely heirloom. Perhaps I should not use it.”
“It is to be used and enjoyed. I am glad you could get the sleep you needed.”
“You’re probably behind on your chores after all you’ve done for me, but...” She hesitated, unsure how to ask him. “If you have time, I would appreciate your company when I talk to the sheriff in town.”
“The morning chores are done. Anything else can wait. Of course, I will go with you. Aunt Mary can join us, or if she chooses to remain here, she will be safer than if she were at your house.”
When they went inside, Mary declined their offer. “William has a stocked pantry and a good supply of flour and canned fruit. I will enjoy baking while you are gone. Do not worry about me. The man in the bandana is interested in you, Julianne. He will not look for an older Amish woman on a neighboring farm.”
“We will go only if you promise to lock the doors and stay inside,” Julianne said.
“Yah, I will be busy in the kitchen until your return.”
“Do you need anything from the grocery store?”
Aunt Mary’s eyes brightened. “A few items. I will write a shopping list, but only if you have time.”
“We will make time,” William said. “Besides, right now I want to check Julie’s house and make sure nothing was harmed either by the storm or the prowler.”
After clearing the table and washing the breakfast dishes, Julianne tucked the list Aunt Mary had given her in her purse and met William outside.
“Was everything okay at my house?” she asked.
“A few broken twigs littered the drive, but the outbuildings and house were secure. I brought back your aunt’s mare and buggy. Both are in the barn.”
“Thank you, William.”
“Watch out for each other,” Mary called to them as they climbed into Julianne’s car.
“Don’t forget to lock the door.” Julianne waved goodbye. Once on the road, she turned to William sitting next to her in the passenger seat. “Reassure me Aunt Mary will be safe.”
“I’m not worried about your aunt, Julianne, but I am worried about you.”
She shrugged off his concern. “You’re with me, William, so there’s nothing to fear.”
The morning was overcast, but the storms had ended, and after a good night’s sleep, Julianne had a new perspective on the day. Being with William brought comfort and a sense of security.
“Thanks again for coming with me.” She glanced at William’s long legs and muscular arms and chest.
He caught her gaze, causing her cheeks to burn.
She smiled back at him for a moment too long. In that split second, a white SUV pulled out of an intersecting farm road in front of them.
Julianne slammed on the
brakes. Her car skidded across the still-damp road, missing a collision with the other vehicle by no more than a hair. She gasped, clutched the wheel and worked to get her Honda back in the right-hand lane as the SUV accelerated.
“Where’d that car come from?” Julianne’s pulse raced.
“The road leads to an abandoned farmhouse not far from the old quarry.” William stared in the direction from which the car had come. “No telling why anyone would be back there.”
“He didn’t even slow down.”
“If you hadn’t hit the brakes, we would have rear-ended him. Good work, Jules.”
“Did you get the license-plate number?” she asked.
Will shook his head. “It was smeared with mud.”
“Brad Abbott drives an SUV, and he’s interested in abandoned property. Plus, the man who chased me the night I arrived home drove a white car.”
“An SUV?”
“I couldn’t tell.”
“We’ll mention it to the sheriff.”
But the sheriff wasn’t in his office when they arrived in town. Deputy O’Reilly had left Julianne’s typed statement at the reception desk. She read and signed the form as a rather young deputy took William’s fingerprints. Once the task was completed, she returned the signed statement to the deputy and then explained about the white SUV that had nearly caused an accident.
“The sheriff needs to know,” Julianne insisted. “Will he be back later today?”
“At some point. He’s in a meeting with the mayor. I’ll tell him you were here.”
“Let him also know someone was prowling around my house again.”
“The sheriff said you’d had problems.”
Julianne titled her head and eyed the youthful deputy. “What kind of problems?”
“Only that your farm will be hard to sell. Word travels, and folks don’t want to buy a house where something tragic happened.” He shrugged. “You know what he meant—the murder-suicide case.”
