They’d had search parties out until almost eleven at night. It was obvious to everyone that no progress was going to be able to be made until dawn broke.
The Schwartzes took over two of Joseph’s bedrooms. Neil’s parents had gone home. Roy, Dale’s entire family, and about a dozen other folks had simply fallen into an exhausted slumber in the early hours of the morning in Joseph’s large living room.
When dawn broke, Sheriff Brewer and Deputy Beck returned with several other officers on loan from neighboring towns. They were outside on the front porch poring over maps.
Dale and Roy were standing just on the other side of the front door, watching them.
And, in Roy’s case, debating about what to do next. “If I share my suspicions, it’s going to change my life.” Wearily, he rubbed the dark smudges under his eyes. “I’ve been praying all night. Asking God to tell me what to do. Even asking God to reassure me that it would be better to keep my suspicions to myself.”
“But He hasn’t done that?”
He shook his head. “I don’t think so.” Looking around the house’s entryway, Roy said, “Actually, I think He has been giving me a reason to share.”
“If you know anything that can help, you need to say it, Roy. This isn’t about you or me.”
Staring out the window, he nodded. But still he didn’t move.
The tension and the gravity of the situation had finally taken its toll. Dale felt his temper snap. “This is your brother we are talking about. He could be hurt. He could be dying. And Susanna Schwartz is with him. She is with Neil because your family delivers gifts every year to people in need. She never would have been out on Christmas Eve if not for that.”
“I know. Believe me, I know.”
“Then what loyalty could you possibly have that is more important than that?”
Instead of answering, Roy pulled back his shoulders, yanked open the front door, and strode out to Sheriff Brewer.
Through the window, Dale watched him say something to the sheriff. The sheriff paused, then after speaking to Deputy Beck, he walked Roy to the other side of the front porch. It was obvious, to Dale at least, that Roy had asked to speak to the sheriff in private.
As he watched, the sheriff’s expression went from confused to incredulous to intent. Then he called Deputy Beck over.
When Roy spoke again, he looked visibly upset. But his chin was lifted and he was looking directly into the sheriff’s eyes. Whatever Roy was saying, it was evident that he was sure about it.
It seemed Roy had made the right call.
Feeling the first glimmer of hope in several hours, Dale went in search of Amanda. He was so worried about her and her family. They looked to be hanging on to their hope and composure by the thinnest thread.
She’d told him sometime in the middle of the night about how sick her mother had been. How she was still not as strong as she should be. Though her father was standing strong, he was worried about his daughter. And then there was Traci, who’d looked so lost from the moment she’d first heard the news.
Last night, he’d tried his best to comfort Amanda and give her the support she needed, but he knew that Neil’s and Susanna’s fates were not in his hands. Their futures were now only in God’s. It was going to be up to Him to decide what was going to happen to them on Christmas Day. He’d ended up simply holding her in his arms while she leaned against him and dozed. Giving her comfort by simply being near.
Late into the night, several of his sisters had joined Amanda and Traci in the bedroom Joseph Vance had provided them. Dale had no idea if any of them had slept, but at least they had been able to provide them with some measure of support.
After refusing several offers of coffee or food when he walked by Joseph’s large kitchen and dining room, Dale looked for Amanda. At last he found her sitting by herself in a small, secluded reading room. It was a beautiful room. The walls were made of dark paneled wood and the oak floors were covered in a thick oatmeal-colored rug. Two leather chairs and a love seat rested in the center of the room, all surrounding a roaring fire in a redbrick fireplace.
Amanda was curled up on the love seat. A small container of fabric and thread was by her side. She was staring into the fire, lost in thought.
He paused before entering the room. “Can I come in?”
“Oh! Of course.” Resituating herself, she looked ready to spring to her feet. “Is . . . Is there any news?”
“No. I just was worried about you.”
“Oh.”
“What have you been doing? Have you been awake long?”
“I’ve been up maybe an hour. After getting a cup of coffee, Neil’s uncle said I could sit in here. I told him that I needed to be someplace on my own for a while.”
Instead of walking right in, he leaned against the doorway. He wanted her to feel free to tell him that she still did need to be alone. As much as he wanted to hold her close, he knew that her needs were what mattered most. “Looks like you’ve been working on a project.”
“I wanted to finish this gift I’ve been making for Susanna.” She held up a beautifully quilted pillowcase. It was a tulip pattern and was made of various patterns of pink, purple, turquoise, and blue fabrics.
“It’s pretty.” He smiled. “Bright.”
She chuckled. “It is, indeed.” She tilted her head to the side. “To be honest, these colors are not what Susanna usually leans towards. She may not care for it. But this is what I think of when I think of her.”
He hated to seem dense, but he had no idea what she was talking about. “You think of Susanna in terms of pink and purple tulips?”
“Nee, silly. I think of her as light. She’s bold and bright and steadfast. Those are the things I value in her.”
Dale crossed the room and knelt by her side. After carefully moving the quilt out of her hands, he took them between his own. Then he spoke from his heart. “If she’s those things to you, then they must be true. Wherever she is, whatever she is doing, she is going to survive and prevail. I am sure of it.”
Flinging her arms around him, she pressed her face into his neck. “I hope so, Dale. I really do.”
Next thing he knew, he moved his head and claimed her lips. With a sigh, she relaxed against him. Few things had ever felt so sweet.
All too soon, they heard a door open, then a lot of chatter.
Amanda broke away. “We should go see what happened.”
Taking her hand in his, he led the way.
But what he saw happening in the front lawn took his breath away. Roy was speaking to his uncle, who looked as troubled as he did. Sheriff Brewer was standing about two feet away from them, speaking on his cell phone.
Amanda visibly steeled herself as they walked down the porch’s front steps to hear what was going on. No one seemed to spare either of them a second look.
Instead, all the men who were there watched Sheriff Brewer disconnect his phone, signal to Deputy Beck, then walk over to Mr. and Mrs. Schwartz. “I think they’re in the cave. There’s an old boarded-up entrance on the outskirts of Horse Cave. Neil’s mother had forgotten that she’d asked Neil and Susanna to deliver a gift out that way.”
“We need to go there,” Amanda’s father said.
Sheriff Brewer nodded. “Deputy Beck is going to take you and your daughters there as soon as you are ready. I’m going to head there now with Roy and Joseph.”
“So, we are close.”
“I hope so, Mrs. Schwartz. Do you want to come, or would you rather wait here? I can give someone a cell phone and I can send word as soon as we have news.”
“Definitely not. I want to be wherever my daughter is,” she said. “You don’t need to wait for me to get ready. I’m ready now.”
Mr. Schwartz looked around the area. “Where is Neil’s father?”
Sheriff Brewer exhaled. “He has been taken down to my office by another officer. I’m afraid we need him there for questioning.”
Though Sheriff Brewer’s voice was l
ow, Dale felt as if every person in the whole front yard reeled in pain.
Suddenly, Roy’s reluctance to speak to the authorities made complete sense.
CHAPTER 32
Monday, December 25
Do you see that?” Neil said, pointing to a crack in the roof of the cave.
Wiping her eyes with what she hoped was a halfway-clean portion of her dress, Susanna raised her head to look where he was pointing. “See what?”
“Daylight,” he said with a smile. “It’s morning now. We made it through the night.”
She blinked, her eyes and mind finally registering what she saw. Yes, indeed, there really was a narrow ray of light shining down upon them from up above.
After spending so many hours in the suffocating darkness, it felt as if the angels up in Heaven really had been listening to her fervent prayers.
“It’s good to see, jah?”
Susanna turned to Neil, so glad that she could now actually see his face. A nasty-looking scrape was on his forehead. A dark bruise marred his right cheek. His eyes looked red and tired, and his hair was sticking up every which way. But his lips were now slightly curved in a smile as he watched her examine him.
“It is very good.” She smiled back. “I don’t think I’ll ever take sunlight for granted again.”
He chuckled. “Me, neither.” Studying her, too, he said, “You look wonderful, Susanna.”
“What? Surely not.” Brushing a hand across her cheek, she attempted to smooth some of her hair back from her face. Her kapp had fallen off hours ago, as well as most of the pins securing her hair in place.
Still studying her, he said, “You are smiling. That makes you perfect.”
Though his compliment was excessive, she knew what he meant. They could have been badly hurt last night. They could have lost hope, too. That would have been just as harmful, or maybe even worse. If they had given up, then they would have stopped trying to survive.
Shifting, she winced. Her body felt so stiff and sore. “I can’t believe I fell asleep last night. The last thing I remember is talking to you about my mother’s hospital stay.”
He yawned. “I fell asleep, too. I didn’t think it was possible, but it’s good we did.” Eyeing her hurt wrist, he said, “How is your arm feeling?”
Looking down at it, she shrugged. Her wrist was black and blue and looked at least double its normal size. “It hurts, but the cold air seems to help keep the pain under control.”
“Maybe I could make a bandage for it out of your apron. Would you like me to try? I could rip the fabric into some strips. It might help.”
She supposed it would, but for what end? There was nowhere for them to go. No place where she would be able to climb, even with two healthy arms. “Maybe in a little bit.”
Some of his enthusiasm faded. “All right. Just, um, tell me when you are ready.”
“I’ll do that.” Now, wishing she would have let him bandage her arm, if only to let him feel like he was doing something useful, she sighed.
Then, suddenly, she realized what day it was.
“Neil, guess what?”
“Hmm?”
“It’s Christmas!”
“I guess it is.” He smiled slightly. “Merry Christmas, Susanna.”
“Merry Christmas to you.”
They looked at each other. So much lay between them. Fear about being stuck in this cavern for days. Fear about never being found. Confusion about how they’d fallen into the cave in the first place.
Slowly, her smile faded away. And on its heels, tears threatened to return.
He noticed.
Scooting toward her, he shifted so he was leaning against the wall of the cavern. “Come here,” he said, reaching out for her waist.
She was at first confused about what he wanted, but she followed his directives. Next thing she knew, she was sitting in between his stretched legs and leaning her back against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her middle, holding her close.
Immediately, warmth suffused her, relaxing her muscles and enabling her to lean closer into him. “Your body is far more comfortable than hard limestone.”
He chuckled. “Glad to know.” Exhaling, he shifted so she was even more secured in his embrace. “This is better. Ain’t so?”
She nodded. Behind her, she could feel his even breathing. She imagined that she could feel his heart beat as well. Its steady cadence calmed her like little else. She snuggled a bit closer to him, enjoying his comfort.
“I bet we will get rescued today.”
“I hope so. I . . . I have a plan. If no one comes for us today, then tomorrow morning I’m going to have to find a way out.”
“Neil, nee.”
“It has to be done. You know that as well as I do.”
“All right. But today you’ll stay here?”
“Today, we can sit like this all day if you’d like.”
She would like that. Not only did his arms around her feel warm and secure, she liked simply being so close to him. “I’m going to start praying even harder. I bet the Lord answers lots of prayers on Christmas Day.”
“I imagine you’re right. It’s His son’s birthday. A good time to grant wishes and prayers, I think.”
Closing her eyes, Susanna prayed for strength and continued hope and for her family. She prayed for Sheriff Brewer and Deputy Beck and their efforts. She prayed for everyone who was no doubt tired and cold, walking outside looking for them.
“The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it,” she said aloud.
Neil lifted his chin. “What is that verse from? Matthew?”
“Nee. John. Do you remember how John speaks of light and darkness?”
After a moment, Neil said, “The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world.”
“I love that part,” Susanna murmured. “It’s fitting this morning, isn’t it?”
She felt his chin lift. “Looking at our own little ray of light, I’d have to agree.” After a pause, Neil said, “Sue, I need to tell you something.”
“What is it?”
“I . . . I think it’s my father who is behind everything.”
“Behind the accidents?”
“Jah.”
Everything inside her wanted to tell him that he was mistaken. No father would willingly trap his son in a cave. But she knew he wasn’t speaking off the top of his head. “Why do you believe that?”
“A couple of things. He hasn’t really recovered from the sale and the move. He blamed your family, himself, and my uncle.”
She wasn’t sure how that transferred to his father doing so much damage to a place that he claimed to love. Or, again, how he would go from breaking a fence to trapping the two of them in this cave. “He was really upset, I guess.”
“He needed someone to blame. When it became obvious that no one was going to take his side any longer when he blamed your parents, he transferred most of the blame to my uncle Joseph.”
“Well, the things you told me about your uncle do sound terrible.”
“I thought so, too. At first.”
“Did something change?”
“Yeah. I guess after meeting you and realizing just how much I misjudged your family, it got me wondering if I had taken too much of what my father said at face value.” He paused. Clasped his hands together tightly before releasing them. “I realized shortly after that the things he told me had been tainted by his perception.”
“Oh, Neil.”
He released a ragged sigh. “I realized that when I sat alone with Joseph. He said some things that made me think that he wasn’t the villain I had thought he would be.”
“But why would your father do so many things to hurt my family?”
“I don’t think he thought anything through. It pains me to say this, but I’m starting to realize that he doesn’t think a lot of things through. He is impulsive, I guess. Or, maybe more like he has tunnel vision. At first, he wanted to keep that far
m. He wanted to do whatever he could to make that happen, even making foolish choices and going further into debt. Then, instead of admitting his mistakes to me or Uncle Joseph, he sold the land. But instead of taking responsibility for his actions, he transferred all the blame to your parents. I think that’s when he decided you needed to leave the property.”
“But even if we had left, it wouldn’t have changed the situation. It still wouldn’t have been your family’s farm anymore.”
“I know. It doesn’t make any sense.”
His voice was hoarse. Quiet and scratchy. It reminded her a lot of how his voice sounded when she’d first heard him after the accident. Filled with heavy emotion and regret, she responded to it in a way she responded to few other things. It made her yearn to help him and maybe to fight for herself. For them.
Long moments passed. She could feel the tension emanating from his body. “What made you certain?” she finally asked.
“I wasn’t sure until last night when I remembered my father and Uncle Joseph telling Roy and me stories about all the abandoned cave entrances. I realized that he would have known what this part of the cave was like. He would have known that we wouldn’t likely have gotten too injured from our fall.”
Susanna shivered. “But how could he know that for sure?”
“He didn’t, of course. When I was trying to figure it all out, I remembered my mother telling him that you and I were going to deliver cookies. Everyone knows that no one goes to visit Velma. She’s a recluse. She wouldn’t have gone outside, and no one would have come by except for us.”
“So he wanted us to fall?”
“I think he decided that it wasn’t going to harm us. Just scare your family enough to make you move.”
“I don’t know what is going to happen to us now. But I do know that my family has been very afraid. So I guess he got his wish.”
“I’m sorry, Susanna,” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. “I hope I’m wrong. I don’t want to be right.”
Startled, she realized his phrase was just what she’d said to him days ago, when she’d been so upset about not being believed. His apology made her ache for him. If he was right, how was he going to be able to bear that burden?
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