Amish Protector

by Marta Perry

  It couldn’t go on, she guessed, but she’d take the relative peace for as long as possible. Teasing her brothers about volunteering them to help prepare for the wedding, she kept the conversation lively while they ate Mamm’s delicious chicken potpie.

  Naturally, the moment came when she and Mamm were left alone in the kitchen to do the dishes. For a few minutes Mamm didn’t say anything, then she looked at Joanna.

  “I heard what you said to the boys outside. I was by the window.”

  Joanna clasped her hand, her own wet and soapy from the dishwater. “They surprised me. I hope I said the right thing.”

  Mamm squeezed her hand. “Just right. You did mean it, didn’t you?” Her voice turned anxious, and Joanna’s heart clenched painfully.

  “Of course I did. Nothing can change what I feel for my family.”

  What else could she say? Mamm probably would only be entirely relieved if she said that Meredith had left, never to be heard of again.

  She couldn’t do that, so they’d all have to stumble along as best they could. But she knew now that she must not say anything to Mamm about the DNA results. She’d have to keep silent and hope for the best, whatever that might be.

  At least her mother seemed content with that answer. They talked easily about the dresses for Cathy’s wedding and the new quilting class Aunt Jessie wanted to start until the darkness was drawing in, and she knew she had to leave.

  Spotting Daad bringing the horse and buggy to the porch steps, Joanna hugged her mother, pulled on her sweater and hurried outside. She’d thought she might be able to talk to Daad about what the test showed, but she should have gotten going earlier to do that.

  “You should have gone earlier.” Daad echoed her thoughts as he helped her into the buggy. “I don’t like you coming out alone now that it’s getting dark so early.”

  “I’m not used to it yet, or I’d have planned better, but I’ll be fine, Daad. It’s only three miles, and Princess could do it in her sleep.” Everyone seemed to be worrying about her, but she wouldn’t let herself start jumping at shadows. “Tell the boys I said good-night.”

  Daad held her hand for a moment, looking as if he wanted to say something more. But then he stepped back, watching. When she reached the turn onto the main road, she glanced back. Daad still stood there, watching.

  By the time she’d gone a mile, Joanna realized Daad had been right. It had begun clouding up while they were eating, and that made visibility worse.

  Still, her buggy was well equipped with reflective tape and lights, unlike those of some church districts. But the darkness pressed in, and she could only see as far ahead as Princess’s nose.

  A car passed her going away from town, slowing as it came closer. Most folks around River Haven were used to buggies on the road, and it had been a couple of years since the last accident. Still, it paid to be cautious.

  Glimpsing the reflection of lights coming up behind her, Joanna urged Princess a little to the right. There was plenty of room to pass, that was for sure, but the driver behind her seemed to be moving fast.

  There, he slowed down, and she let out the breath she’d been holding without being aware of it. Then, before she had time to think, the car accelerated, coming fast, too fast. Heart pounding, she pulled Princess’s head to the right, trying to get off the road. Better to turn over than to be hit, but she couldn’t get far enough; it was going to hit her—

  With a wordless prayer, she braced herself. The car struck, jolting her so that she clung to the buggy rail. It raked the side of the buggy with a loud shriek. She felt the buggy tip, then lurch and topple over toward the ditch.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  STUNNED, JOANNA GROPED her way toward understanding. She heard the car screech off in the distance, but she couldn’t see it. Moving her arms cautiously, she found that they were still working. She reached out with her hands and felt soft, damp grass underneath her, while above her the darkness formed itself into the buggy.

  That explained it. The buggy had tipped. She’d slid off the seat and the soft earth of the roadside ditch had cushioned her fall. Squirming a little, she found that she’d probably be able to get out with a bit of help, but Princess—

  Her heart clutched, and for an instant she couldn’t breathe. “Princess.”

  As if in answer, she heard the horse move. Working her way up on her elbows, she could see the mare’s paler color against the darker surroundings. No way of telling if she was injured, but she’d certainly be trapped between the harness and the shafts.

  Hearing her scrabble with her legs, Joanna reached out to pat what proved to be the mare’s haunch. “It’s all right, girl. Just be easy. I’ll get you out. Hush now.”

  The tone of voice, if not the words, seemed to get through to the mare. Princess stopped thrashing, and in another moment, Joanna heard her champing at the damp grass.

  Now to get herself out. Before she could make the attempt, she heard a car approaching, heading for town. Thanking God that the battery lights were still working, she crunched herself as far from the road as she could get.

  But she’d obviously been seen. The car slowed, drawing carefully to the side of the road, and warning lights started flashing. Relief flooded through her. She wasn’t alone.

  Car doors slammed, and footsteps rushed toward her. “Hello? Is anyone there?”

  “I’m here,” she called. “Under the buggy.”

  She heard exclamations, and then someone moving toward her. A flashlight shone briefly in her face and then moved away.

  “Are you all right?” It was a man’s voice, and she could see the shape of him now.

  “I don’t think I’m hurt.” Until she could move entirely, she wouldn’t be sure.

  Beyond him, illuminated by the battery lamp, a woman leaned in. “We’ll get you out.” She spoke in much the same comforting tone that Joanna had used to Princess.

  “Looks like it’s just your foot that’s caught under this piece of metal.” The man gave an experimental tug. “If I lift it up, can you pull it out?”

  “Yah, I’m sure I can. Denke. Thank you,” she added, not sure they would understand the word.

  “Okay, on the count of three.” He didn’t waste any time. “One, two, three.” He lifted, and she scrambled out, feeling the woman’s hands helping her.

  Sensing Joanna’s movement, the mare made a convulsive attempt to free herself. Joanna spoke quickly in Pennsylvania Dutch, soothing her.

  The woman touched her arm. “Are you sure you’re not hurt? Maybe we should call 911.”

  “No, please don’t.” She probably sounded upset and hoped they couldn’t tell how shaken she was. Thinking of all the fuss if the police came made her feel worse. “I’ll be a little bruised, but I’m all right.” She took a breath, trying to get her mind to work. She had to see if Princess was hurt. Her stomach tightened at the thought. “Can you shine the light over here? I must see if the horse is injured and get her out before she hurts herself.”

  “I don’t know much about horses, but...”

  Before he could go on, a voice called out from the farm lane, and Joanna realized that it belonged to an Amish neighbor. Relief flowed through her. Aaron would help her with the horse.

  “Aaron?” she called out in Pennsylvania Dutch. “Is that Aaron Esch?”

  A figure materialized out of the dark. “Yah, it’s me. Joanna, what happened?”

  “A car just clipped the buggy and sent us into your ditch.” Realizing the Englishers wouldn’t understand, she switched to Englisch. “These kind folks helped me get out.”

  With the added light from the lantern Aaron was carrying, she could make them out more clearly. Fortyish, a married couple, she’d guess, the woman looking anxious and the man clearly relieved that someone else had come to help.

  “I’m Joanna Kohler,” she said. “I have the q
uilt shop in town, if you know it.”

  “Of course,” the woman exclaimed. “I should have recognized you. I’m Patty Moore, and this is my husband, Tim.”

  Now that the courtesies had been observed, Joanna turned her attention to Princess. Aaron knelt beside the mare as two of his boys hurried up to them with large flashlights.

  “Mamm says to say come in the house if you want.” The older one, Thomas, smiled shyly at Joanna.

  “Denke, Thomas. And tell your Mamm I said thanks, please.”

  She turned back to the mare, kneeling beside her head. “Is she all right? I haven’t had a good look at her yet.”

  Aaron moved around the mare, studying her by the lantern’s light. “No scrapes or cuts. We’ll have to get her out to see anything more.”

  “Thank the gut Lord. We’d best try to get the harness off first, and then I think I can lead her out.”

  Both the men started talking at once, suggesting the best way of doing that, and Joanna’s head started to spin. She couldn’t very well shout at them, but she’d like to.

  Before she lost control of herself, a buggy was heard coming quickly down the road. The relief she felt when she saw Noah told her too much about her feelings for him, and she struggled to control the tears that rushed to her eyes.

  She stood as he ran to her. “I’m not hurt,” she said quickly, glad of his stolid calm. “We need to get the mare out.”

  With a searching glance as if to be sure she was telling the truth about herself, Noah nodded. In a moment he had begun unbuckling the harness. He and Aaron, working together, had it off in minutes and checked to be sure nothing else was entangled in Princess’s legs.

  “I think she can...” But before Noah could finish the thought, Princess gave a convulsive heave and scrambled to her feet. Shaking a little, she turned to nuzzle Joanna.

  “You’re all right, girl.” She stroked the mare, relieved.

  “She can stay in my barn tonight,” Aaron offered, running a hand along the mare’s legs.

  Noah glanced at her. “If she’s moving all right, maybe it’s best to keep her moving so she doesn’t stiffen up, ain’t so? I can tie her to the back of my buggy and take both her and Joanna home.”

  “I think that would be best,” Joanna said. “Denke, Aaron.”

  Her smile included the boys. Thomas, without a word, handed her a lead rope he must have pulled from the buggy.

  “That’s just what we need. Denke.”

  She and Thomas led the mare a short distance along the road, to be sure she was walking all right. It also gave Joanna a chance to assess her own body. There’d be bruises, for sure, but she seemed to have come out of it whole.

  Thomas looked at her for approval, and she nodded, smiling inwardly at his shyness. With an air of pleasure at helping, he led the mare to Noah’s buggy and tied her to the back.

  When Joanna returned to the others, they were already getting into position to lift the buggy onto its wheels. She moved as if to help, and Noah gave her such a frown that she backed off.

  “Ready?” he said. “One, two, three.” On the count, the buggy lifted, rocked a little and then settled on its wheels.

  Aaron played the light around it. “Doesn’t look too bad,” he said. Relief swept through Joanna. New buggies came expensive.

  “That’s gut.”

  “We’ll pull it into my lane,” he said. “It will be fine there until tomorrow. I’ll stop at the farm and let your daad know first thing.”

  He obviously assumed her father would take charge of repairs, and she didn’t feel up to pointing out that it was her buggy. Besides, she had no doubt that Daad would insist on taking over anyway.

  “Denke, Aaron.” She hesitated. “Try not to let my mamm hear, yah? She worries.”

  He grinned. “She’s your mamm. For sure she worries. I’ll catch your daad when he’s milking, yah?”

  Nodding, she thanked the two boys, and turned to the Englisch couple. The man looked a little uncomfortable but the woman clasped her hand for a moment.

  “You get a good rest tonight. I’ll stop by the store tomorrow to see how you are.”

  They left almost before she could finish thanking them. She was free to go home at last. She raised a hand toward Aaron and his boys, already moving the buggy into their lane. Then she took the few steps to Noah’s buggy, feeling as if she were carrying an enormous load on her shoulders. With a quick movement, Noah lifted her up to the buggy seat. He was moving around the buggy to his side before she could react, and she sank back with a sense of relief.

  Noah reached behind him, pulled out a buggy blanket and wrapped it around her. She hadn’t even realized, until she felt the soft folds settling against her, how chilled she’d been.

  “Denke.” She hugged it close against her as Noah clicked to the gelding and started the buggy moving down the road, Princess trotting along behind. Joanna leaned back again, feeling safe for the first time since she’d heard that car roaring down at her.

  * * *

  NOAH TOOK A lingering look at Joanna next to him on the buggy seat. The fears that had driven him out here had been realized, but she was all right, no thanks to the driver of the car. The anger that roiled inside him at the thought had to be dealt with, but he wasn’t sure he knew how.

  She moved a little on the seat, and he reached over to tuck the blanket more closely around her.

  “You must be cold, landing in the wet grass that way. You need to get home.”

  She snuggled into the blanket, moving a little closer as he did so. Well, if his warmth could help her, he’d gladly provide it. And control himself.

  “I didn’t realize it until I sat down, and then I started shivering.”

  Her voice was faint, making him long to have her home more quickly. But it wasn’t safe to try to speed up on this narrow road.

  So instead he patted her arm. “Probably shock, as well as being wet and cold. We’ll soon be home, and Aunt Jessie will take care of you.” He found he was gritting his teeth. “She should have been with you, and maybe this wouldn’t have happened.”

  She roused. “I don’t know why you think that. The car might still have clipped the buggy.”

  “Maybe. But maybe the driver would have thought the better of it if he saw you weren’t alone.”

  He could almost feel the intensity of her stare. “You think running into me was deliberate?” Her voice rose.

  “Don’t you?” It had been his first thought when he saw her, as well as being the fear that had driven him along the road to find her.

  “You think this has something to do with Meredith. But it might have been a coincidence. Accidents do happen, especially at night.”

  He shot a glance at her, wondering if she really believed that. “I don’t think I believe in coincidences any longer. Not after everything that has happened. At any rate, Jamison will have to do something about it now.”

  She stiffened. “I’m sure he is already doing something. He had a guard on Meredith’s door, and he’s trying to find out who would want to harm her.”

  “Yah, fine.” He fought to control his anger at circumstances that had put her in danger. “He should be putting a guard on you, it seems to me. It’s not just Meredith, it’s you. You’re the one whose home was broken into and searched. The man at the hospital attacked both of you. And now this.”

  She was silent for a moment. “I suppose so.” She sounded reluctant. “If only Meredith could remember more about her life. Even if she didn’t remember the accident or the attack against her, she could tell us who would want to harm her.”

  Her voice shook a little when she spoke of someone harming Meredith. Her kin, in one way or another. Joanna would feel responsible even if it weren’t for the relationship. He knew that, because he knew his Joanna.

  “It has to have something to do w
ith your relationship. You know that, don’t you?” He spoke harshly out of his frustrated need to keep her safe. “That was probably what brought her here. Why else would she come to River Haven?”

  “I don’t know.” He could hear the fatigue in her voice, and he felt instantly guilty. He shouldn’t push her when she was shaken and upset. But if not now, when? They had so little chance to talk... Things were happening too fast.

  “There’s bound to be some way of finding out.” He tried to keep his tone gentle. “Whatever reason someone thinks he has for hurting her, it has to go back to her life in Philadelphia. She was only in River Haven long enough to have an accident. If that’s what it was.”

  Joanna moved slightly, and then she reached across the seat to grasp his hand. Hers was cold, and when he wrapped his fingers around it, it felt fragile in his grasp.

  “Jamison doesn’t seem convinced that she fell, and with the other things that have happened...” She let that trail off, but still she clung to his hand. “Maybe she was attacked because she came here.”

  “You mean somebody didn’t want her to talk to you? You know what that means. He can either get rid of her or get rid of you.”

  His fingers tightened on her hand, and he had the crazy notion that he could take her away and hide her someplace until all the danger was past.

  “If he was trying to get rid of me, he didn’t pick a very good way.” He could sense her rallying, summoning her courage. “The buggy tipped over, but it slid me into a nice soft ditch.”

  “He may not have realized what the effect would be of hitting the side of the buggy. Just because he’s not very good at it doesn’t mean he won’t try again.”

  She shivered, withdrawing her hand and wrapping the blanket more securely around her. “Stop it. You’re scaring me.”

  “You should be scared.” Did she really not see that? “And you shouldn’t be running around in the dark by yourself. If your family wants to see you, let them come to you.”