A Dark Amish Night

by Jenny Moews

  Timothy returned to the hospital room awake. His voice sounded like gravel, but he was able to tell his mother “I’m hungry.”

  Quinn waited patiently for Timothy to eat and even suppressed a chuckle when the boy pulled the plate up to his mouth and shoveled the food in, swallowing without chewing. Quinn figured Timothy had to be starving after nearly four days with no food. Timothy’s broken arm was in a soft sling but that didn’t seem to slow him down.

  Three full plates of food later, Hannah told Timothy it was time to start answering some questions. Timothy’s face blanched white and he looked at Quinn. Quinn did not mistake the mask of abject terror on the boy’s face.

  “First, I want you to tell me why you ran off. What were you thinking going into the woods like that? You scared me half to death.”

  Timothy stammered “I was looking for something. I would’ve been fine ’cept I fell out of that tree. I knew I was hurt bad, and I couldn’t move. Honest, Ma, I didn’t run away or nothing.”

  “Well you can thank the Lord the Sheriff found you. He had to bring in search dogs you were so far lost. Half the county came out to search for you. What were you looking for, anyhow?”

  Timothy got real sheepish. “I was looking for gold.” He said in a whisper.

  “Oh, Timothy, there’s no gold in those woods. My darling boy, you don’t have to worry about money. I promise you we are not going to lose our farm. Don’t you remember what I told you? I’m going to keep the farm for you. When you’re older we can move back out there and the farm will be yours. You’ll see. Don’t you ever, and I mean ever, go off in those woods again. Do you hear me?”

  “Yes, Mam.” Timothy cast his eyes down and didn’t say more.

  “Hannah, would you mind if I spoke to Timothy alone for just a minute? I think he and I are long overdue for a man to man chat.”

  Hannah was clearly annoyed with her son, but she conceded to go for a walk so Quinn could talk to Timothy.

  After Hannah left, Quinn pulled up a chair to Timothy’s bedside. “Well, Tim, I got a problem, you see, and I can’t fix that problem without your help. So, you think you might tell me the truth now?”

  Timothy remained silent. Quinn could tell the boy was about to cave. It had to be an enormous weight he was carrying.

  “Tell you what, let’s start with what you were ‘really’ doing in those woods.”

  “I really was looking for gold. I thought if I could find the gold then I could take Momma and Ruth Anne away to someplace safe.”

  “What makes you think there’s gold in those woods?”

  “Everyone knows the story of the lost gold there. All the kids at school talk about finding it.”

  “Well, I don’t know the story, suppose you tell it to me.”

  “The story is that a real long time ago the some thieves robbed a stage coach and buried the gold they took in an old burial ground near Willow creek. Those woods are supposed to be haunted by evil spirits. The land is cursed by the dead Indians buried there, but I’m not scared I figured if I found the gold I could take care of my mother and Ruth Anne. I didn’t mean to scare everyone, but I fell out of that tree and I couldn’t hardly move.”

  “I know you got hurt. I don’t think anyone blames you for not coming back, but aren’t you a little old to be believing in ghost stories, Tim?”

  “I just thought it was worth a try. Wouldn’t you try if you was me?”

  Quinn thought for a minute. “Yeah, Tim, I guess if I were you I would’ve tried. Now, I have some more questions to ask you about the night your father died.”

  Timothy turned his head to face the wall opposite Quinn. “I already told you everything.”

  “Well, you told your mother that there was more than one person that night. You said ‘they’ had come for you the night there was someone in your house. You wanna explain that to me.”

  “I didn’t mean nothin’ by it. I was just saying, is all.” Tim turned his back to Quinn. “I don’t know anything else, and I’m not going to talk about it no more either.”

  “Alright, Tim, I’m going to let you be for now. I want you to know that I think you’re not telling me everything you know. I don’t know what it is you’re not telling, but I tell you this: I’m going to find out what happened to your father. You can count on that. I also think you’re scared, and I want you to know you don’t have to be. Anytime you want to talk to me I’ll be here. I’m not going to let anything happen to your mother, your sister, or to you. You can count on that as well.”

  Quinn left Timothy alone with his thoughts and went in search of Hannah. He found her in the small courtyard they’d been in earlier. She sat on a bench and looked very pensive.

  “Can I sit here beside you?”

  “Of course. So did you get anything out of Timothy?”

  “Only that he was looking for lost gold. He told me some legend about a stage coach robbery with the gold buried in an old burial ground, and supposedly those woods are haunted.”

  Hannah laughed. “It’s an old tale. It’s just that, a tale. I don’t think there’s a shred of truth to it. I heard it at school when I was a small child. I guess the kids are still telling it.”

  Quinn had that niggling feeling he got when he was on to something, but wasn’t quite sure what it was yet. “Most legends have some small bit of truth in them. Has anyone ever gone out there to actually look for the lost gold or even the burial grounds?”

  “My father told me that back in the sixties a group of young Englishers spent a summer camping in the bush out there. They were supposedly searching for the gold, or the burial ground, but they didn’t find anything.”

  “I’m going to look into it when I get back.” It was a long shot, but maybe Georgie McVey was looking for the gold. What if Eric found Georgie camping out in the woods near the farm? Maybe they had some kind of disagreement. That could be motive. Quinn would have to follow up on this possible lead when they got home.

  “Quinn, are you still here? Hello.”

  Hannah’s voice broke Quinn from his train of thoughts. “Oh, sorry, yes I’m still here. I was thinking about some work I need to get done when we get home.”

  “When we get home things are going to have to be different between us, but we’re here now and I want to do this while I can.”

  Much to Quinn’s surprise Hannah scooted close and put her arms around him.

  “I want you to hold me, Quinn. Please, just hold me right here and right now.”

  Quinn put his arms around her and held her just like she asked. For several minutes, they sat not moving with her head on his shoulder and their arms wrapped tightly around each other. Quinn felt like he was home. This was where he belonged, in Hannah’s warm embrace.

  Hannah felt protected and loved. It was a feeling she planned to cherish forever. This would be the last time she would allow herself to be in Quinn’s arms. She tilted up her mouth silently begging Quinn to kiss her. When their lips met she felt it all the way to her toes as the warmth spread through her body. This was what she would carry with her for the rest of her life, this one forbidden kiss.

  Very reluctantly Hannah pulled herself away from Quinn. It would be one of the most difficult things she would ever have to do, but for the sake of her children she would walk away from Quinn. “This can never, ever happen again.” She whispered into Quinn’s ear then walked away.

  Quinn sat on the bench and realized he’d never felt more alone. Not even when Kathleen left him. He watched Hannah walk away with her prayer cap ribbons fluttering in the air behind her. That plain folk Amish lady had just rocked his entire world with one kiss. It won’t be the last time, Hannah. This is not over. Not even by a longshot.

  After Timothy got his hard cast on his broken arm the doctors declared, when it was dry, he could go home with orders to follow up with a local doctor. Hannah and Quinn were both relieved. Sleeping on the hard hospital chairs in Timothy’s room had not been fun. The hospital food was nothing like hom
e cooking and Hannah was missing her baby girl terribly.

  As glad as Quinn and Hannah were to be going home, Timothy was more so. Having to hold himself still for so many days was beginning to wear on him making him cranky. Plus, he secretly hated the hospital gowns. Hannah expertly cut and adjusted a shirt to fit over his cast.

  After what seemed an eternity, they were at last going home. Quinn brought the car to the sliding doors at the front of the hospital to pick up Timothy and his mother. Timothy had protested loud and long about having to be taken down to the waiting car in a wheelchair, but he met with a nurse who brooked no argument to hospital policy. In the end, if he wanted to go home he had to go down in the wheelchair.

  Hannah was a little concerned about going home with Quinn in his squad car, but she supposed she really had no choice. It wasn’t like they were going to be alone as Timothy would be in the car with them, anyhow. Her main concern was for Timothy and his comfort, and in the summer heat a long bumpy buggy ride was not going to be good for him. This was the best choice. Besides, it would give her a little more time in Quinn’s company before they had to go back to their separate lives.

  The trip home was over before Quinn was ready for it to be. He dropped Hannah and Timothy off at Bishop Miller’s house and drove away. He missed the look the Bishop gave him through the front window as he left.

  “Hannah, and Timothy, welcome home.” The Bishop greeted them at the door. “Go on into the kitchen, Timothy. Martha’s has been baking cookies just for you.”

  When Timothy left the room, the Bishop turned to Hannah. “Hannah, I noticed the Sheriff gave you a ride home.”

  “Yes, he did. It was nice of him to do it.” Hannah was determined to let this matter drop.

  “Please be careful where Sheriff Ramsey is concerned. He’s an Englisher, and he does not understand our ways. He doesn’t know that he poses a threat to you.”

  Hannah looked the Bishop directly in the eyes. “Bishop Miller, please believe me when I tell you that Sheriff Ramsey knows full well the threat he poses to me and my children. You’ve nothing more to worry about. He has agreed that if he needs to speak to me regarding his investigation that he will come to you first from now on.” She did not wait for a response and went into the kitchen to see Ruth Anne.

  “Lord, I really hope for Hannah’s sake that this is all over now,” the Bishop prayed.

  A Dark Amish Night

  Chapter Fifteen

  In the weeks following their return to the sleepy town of Heaven, both Quinn and Hannah threw themselves into the work they needed to get done. Hannah worked from sunrise to sunset to get the bakery open. The church had provided the funding to get the equipment and supplies she needed, as well as the manpower to get everything in place. The commercial stove and a massive refrigerator were the finishing touches to her dream kitchen. A gleaming glass counter with a cash register stood in place just waiting to be filled with cakes, pies, and pastries. A few tables and chairs placed in front of the large windows looked out over the sidewalks to the town square, giving the bakery a quaint and homey feel. As summer gave way to fall, Hannah’s Bakery was at last ready to open.

  Timothy got his cast off just in time for school to start. Hannah thought of her children as she rose early to get her day started. Both of them had adjusted to the move into town far better than she had expected. Timothy helped Hannah take care of Ruth Anne while everyone worked hard to get the bakery open. For now, Ruth Anne would be spending her days at the bakery with Hannah. A special corner of the kitchen had been set up just for her to play and nap in.

  Hannah woke the children early before the sun was up. They would have breakfast at the bakery this morning and then Timothy would walk to school from there. As they walked the two blocks to the town square in the dark, Hannah worried about what they would do in the winter. With the weather still warm, walking to the bakery would not be a problem, but in winter the icy roads could be very difficult to manage Well, that’s another problem for another time. Hannah thought as she pressed on to start a day of nonstop baking for her grand opening planned for the next morning.

  Millie and Pattie Sue had been enlisted to help Hannah until she could hire on some more permanent help. The three ladies cracked eggs, whipped batter, and rolled out pie crust for the entire morning then pulled baked goods out of the oven all afternoon. By evening the glass refrigerated counter was full of all manner of cookies, pies, cakes and pastries to start the next day with.

  The three of ladies sat at a table taking a much needed break after a long day. Hannah felt tired in a good way with a sense of real accomplishment. The front door opened and Deputy Jess came in carrying a large package.

  “Evening ladies, Pattie Sue, Mrs. Troyer, Mrs. Hershberger. I’ve brought you something from the office. The Sheriff wanted me to tell you it was from all of us, but the truth his he made this himself. It’s a sign to put out front. Here unwrap it.” Jess put the package down on the table.

  Hannah and Millie tore off the brown paper wrapping to reveal a true work of art. The sign was an intricately hand carved and carefully shaped wood hanging sign to place above the door to the bakery. In the most delicate scroll it read “Hannah’s Bakery.” The letters were surrounded by painted flowering ivy. Instead of flowers, it had tiny cakes and pies all painted in painstaking fine detail.

  Hannah gasped. She had never owned anything so ornate. This was not an item she would be able to display in her home, but she would do so proudly if her faith would have allowed for it. However, Hannah saw no reason for it not to hang above her doorway to a bakery that would serve Englishers as well as plain folk.

  “Hannah, are you thinking you should keep it?” Millie stared wide eyed at the lovely sign thinking it would be hard to give up such a beautiful thing. But by Amish law none of them should accept such a gift from an Englisher.

  “Awk, keep it for the store, Hannah, yes its fancy and not plain folk made. But it’s already made and it’ll save you the expense of buying another. It’s not like it’s a personal gift. It’s more of a blessing for the new business.” Ever practical Pattie Sue, as usual ruled in favor of waste not, want not.

  “Thank you, Pattie Sue. I think we shall hang it over the door. Jess, you give Sheriff Ramsey my thanks, please.” Hannah sat the sign on the table. “Well, why don’t we close everything up for the night and get some rest? The morning will come early.”

  When everyone left, Hannah fixed some sandwiches for the children and fed them a quick meal before heading home. Her heart was full of love for Quinn. He’d obviously put in several tedious hours on the sign. She wished he could have brought it to her himself, but Quinn had kept his word and stayed away. She supposed the sign was his way of telling her he was still around. He promised to give her some space. But he was not going away. She let that thought carry her tired self to bed that night. When she should have been thinking of all she had to do with the bakery opening in the morning, instead she dreamed of Quinn.

  The next morning came early and after Timothy left for school Hannah went to unlock the doors to the bakery. Her stomach was full of butterflies and she was almost giddy. She felt a sense of pride and accomplishment. It was hard not to. She never would have dreamed it would feel so wonderful to open her own business.

  “Okay, Millie, here we go.” Hannah turned the lock and threw open the doors. Her first customers filed in to the wonderful smell of fresh baked blueberry muffins. Hannah had the muffins fresh out of the oven in a large basket sitting on top of the counter. Millie was handing them out as Hannah rang them up on her new cash register. She was so busy she did not notice Quinn come in and he surprised her when she rang up his muffin.

  “I’ll take some of that apple strudel to go, please.” Hannah knew that voice. That deep masculine voice, she looked up into his crystal clear blue eyes and her heart sang.

  “Good morning, Sheriff, here let me get that for you and I’ll throw in some extra for the boys down at the office. And by
the way thank you for the sign. It’ll look great over the door. You must’ve worked very hard on it.” Hannah tried to keep the conversation light and professional, but she really wanted to hug Quinn very tight and thank him much more personally for thinking so much of her to have put such detail into his gift.

  “I see Jess told you, did he? Well then, he gets no strudel.” Quinn laughed, but he really wanted to talk to Hannah alone. He needed to ask her some questions. Questions he did not want to ask in front of the Bishop. When Hannah bagged his order, she brought it to the register. Quinn waited until Millie was distracted with another customer and he whispered. ”I need to talk to you. I have some questions only you can answer. If you still have the private radio handset I gave you then talk to me later tonight when no one else can hear you.”

  Hannah nodded a quick yes and spoke up. “You have a good day, Sheriff, and you don’t eat all that strudel yourself.”

  “I’ll do my best, but I ain’t promising anything. So glad you’re finally open for business. You have a good day too.” Quinn tipped his hat, took his baked goods and left.

  Hannah went right to her next costumer and did not miss a beat. Even though she was super busy, she thought of Quinn all day and wondered what it was that he needed to speak to her about.

  Quinn had done his best to honor Hannah’s wishes that he stay away, but seeing her just now made him all the more determined to not stay away. There had to be a way to make this all work, but more importantly right now, he needed to ask Hannah some questions about Peter Yoder. He still had not given up on the notion that something was up with the youngest Peter Yoder. Even though he was now suspect number two. Georgie McVey was suspect number one, but no leads to his whereabouts had turned up yet.