Adam followed behind until they came to a spot where two thick branches ran parallel and provided a sort of bench for them. He settled her in the seat and then lowered himself beside her. Branches full with leaves fanned around them, so thick that he had to pull a branch aside to be able to peek out. This would do well.
He couldn’t see anyone below, but that didn’t mean it was safe to emerge from their hiding spot. He turned to the Amish woman, her face startlingly close to his in their tight surroundings. “I’m Adam Troyer, by the way.” He kept his voice to a whisper. “Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agent.”
She turned to him. “Katie Schwartz.” Her dark blue eyes flashed in the dimness of their cover as she pierced him with her gaze. “What are you doing here?”
Wait a minute. He was the one who should ask the questions. “Surveillance.” He would answer that one, though, hopefully to build rapport, and then fire his questions at her. From his position earlier, he had seen her approach the cabin, acting suspicious and watching over her shoulder. Yes, she looked Amish. Even sounded Amish. But he had no way of knowing, at this point in time, that she actually was Amish. What if she was part of the criminal ring he was seeking, perhaps sent out for an errand, innocent-looking in her Amish garb, and now she was returning? He would stick close to her until he knew for sure who she was. In the meantime, though, there was no harm in her knowing he was ICE. He would not tell her any more.
“I heard a man in the cabin tell you to run away. Why are you here?” He peeked through the leaves again. Still no one had approached the tree. This was not the time or place to question her, but he could gather a little bit of information. If she was one of them, then she would be arrested. If she wasn’t, then perhaps she had some insider information that would be helpful to the investigation. So much about her seemed suspicious and made the hair on the back of his hands raise up.
“I am looking for mein bruder.” She scrunched her eyes and rubbed at them, a tear squeezing out and running down her cheek. She sniffed, a sound too loud for their concealed location.
A crashing sounded somewhere below, and Adam parted the branches to see the man with the weapon several yards off. He was looking straight ahead, and Adam couldn’t see his face, only the top of his head, which was covered with a baseball cap.
Katie sniffed again, and Adam raised his finger to his lips to shush her.
“Allergies,” she whispered. She wrinkled her nose and held a finger underneath.
Oh, no. This wouldn’t help at all.
In a split second, she tilted her head back as if a sneeze was imminent. Adam grabbed her with both arms and, with his hand on the back of her head, pulled her into his shoulder. Her sneeze was muffled in his shirt, but she instantly pushed away from him. He cast what he hoped was an apologetic look in her direction and shrugged his shoulders, but he didn’t dare speak. A peek between the branches revealed that their hiding space remained secure.
Without knowing how many men were in the cabin or how much firepower they had, he couldn’t take them on all by himself. It was very likely he was outmanned and outgunned, and the best thing to do was wait for local law enforcement to show up. Still, despite the softness of the Amish woman next to him, or perhaps because of it, the hiding place was growing more uncomfortable by the second.
The woman sniffled again, and he pulled her into his shoulder as the second sneeze erupted. He wanted to shush her, but sneezes were uncontrollable. It wasn’t her fault. Plus he didn’t want the man somewhere below to hear him. They were like sitting ducks up here in their perch.
As the shuddering of the sneeze subsided, Katie pushed away. She seemed as uncomfortable as he was. But her push must have been too hard, for she wobbled on the branch, her hands grasping for anything to keep her steady. She finally found traction with one hand on the branch and one hand on his arm. Once settled, she let go and straightened her kapp and her skirt.
“Danki. You have saved me two times.”
Before he could whisper his response, the tree trunk exploded next to him.
“Ach!” Katie cried, her hand flying to her leg, obviously in pain but still trying to keep quiet.
Instincts kicked in, and he grabbed her close and pulled her down, trying to shield her from any other gunshots. Did the shooter know where they were, or was he the type to shoot randomly? Adam peered through the branches, but he couldn’t see a thing.
“Are you hit?” he whispered, but he knew the answer already.
Katie drew her hand away from her leg. There was blood on it. “Is that what has happened? My leg burns terribly.” Tears sprang to her eyes as she clutched the spot on her leg.
“Let me see.” After one more look through the branches, he gently removed her hand from the spot and separated the folds of her skirt. The fabric was torn and bloody around the edges, but the injury was not bleeding profusely. She whimpered in pain as he touched the spot and then gathered the folds of her skirt to apply direct pressure to the wound. “Hold this here. We have to get out of here.”
But was it safe to descend? He gingerly pulled the branches apart, but he couldn’t see anyone. A squirrel chattered nearby. Could that have been what drew the attention of the shooter? At least there hadn’t been another shot. Could Katie wait until law enforcement arrived? If they left the tree now, they could put themselves directly in the path of the shooter.
As Katie applied the pressure, her face grew pale, a sheen of perspiration breaking out over her forehead. “I have never been in danger before.”
Suddenly she didn’t look steady enough to sit on the branches. “An ambulance should be coming with the police any minute now. Can you make it?”
She moaned and clutched her stomach. “I do not know. Can we get down now?”
It wasn’t the best idea, considering he still hadn’t figured out the whereabouts of the shooter. But the alternative, Katie fainting and both of them falling out of the tree, wasn’t any better. Down it would be.
“Sure. Let’s go.” He stepped down a couple of branches and then turned to hold her around the waist and help her down. They stairstepped down to the bottom branch before a loud rustling sounded from brush nearby.
His heart thrust itself against his chest, and he turned back to signal Katie to be quiet. But with a look of dismay, she stared at her fingers, bloody from her leg wound, her face even whiter than before. He grabbed her around the waist. “Katie?”
Another shot rang out, tearing through the branches around them.
Surely they had been found. That shot had been aimed more directly at Katie.
She stared at him with glassy eyes. Time seemed to stand still in the nanosecond before she closed them. Then she pitched forward, off the branch, and plummeted to the ground, her lifeless body pulling him with her.
TWO
The pierce of sirens slowly circled in her mind as she became aware of the trees, the clouds and even the ground spinning around her. She grasped for something to steady herself with so that she wouldn’t fall off. But off what? Where was she?
The sirens stopped, and the buzz of summer insects filled the silence. Something tickled her forehead, and with great effort, she lifted a hand to brush it away.
“Katie?”
Whatever was tickling her sprang back, and she brushed it away again.
“Katie, can you open your eyes?”
It was a low but strong male voice, and she forced her eyes open to find that this man was the one tickling her forehead, brushing and smoothing her hair away with his hand. She closed her eyes again, wanting to lie there and rest. But the man squeezed her shoulder. “Katie, you fainted. Can you wake up? Are you all right?”
Adam. That was his name. The events of the afternoon came rushing back—looking for her bruder, finding him at the cabin, climbing the tree with the ICE special agent.
Her head rested on
a soft surface, and she noticed he now wore only a navy T-shirt with his khaki cargo pants. His button-down shirt was gone. He must have used it as a pillow for her.
Where is Timothy? With her abdominal muscles, she pulled herself to a sitting position. The sky and trees began a violent spin around her, and she swayed against Adam. With eyes closed, she leaned against him until the spinning subsided.
Slowly she opened her eyes. “Are we safe now?”
“Yes. The police are here. They found the cabin cleared out.”
“Mein bruder? Timothy?”
“I’m not sure who your brother is, but everyone was gone. I would guess they scattered when they heard the sirens.”
“Who are they? What are they doing here?”
“First let’s get you some medical care. The paramedics are here. Can you make it to the ambulance? They drove off the country road and into the grass, but they’re going to have a tough time getting through the trees to us.” He scanned the horizon behind her.
“Jah, I think so. But will you stay close? Just in case?” It felt like a weak smile that she offered him, but he smiled in return, a kind look in his eyes that hadn’t been there before.
It seemed a long way through the trees to the spot where the ambulance had pulled up into the clearing. Katie breathed with relief to see that the paramedic was a woman. She looked barely older than Katie, with dark hair knotted into a bun. As she helped Katie lie down on the cot, she smiled warmly, and Katie had instant faith in her.
As Adam leaned against the open door of the ambulance, the paramedic quickly assessed the situation, taking her temperature and blood pressure, as well as asking a dozen or more questions. Then she removed solutions and bandages from various bins and boxes in the vehicle. “Special Agent Troyer was correct. The first bullet grazed your outer thigh. It didn’t go anywhere close to your femur, your upper leg bone. It just skimmed the soft tissue, so I’m going to clean and bandage the wound. You might be hobbling for a week or so, but there won’t be any lasting effects. If you need them, you can buy crutches or a cane from any local drugstore.”
“Praise Gott for His protection.” She closed her eyes for a quick prayer, but when the darkness began to spin, she popped them open again. Gott would hear prayers with eyes open, as well.
Adam had stepped away from the door of the ambulance, but he soon returned with a long, stout stick. He dug out a pocketknife and began whittling one end of the stick.
With a gentle touch, the paramedic cleaned and bandaged her forehead. “You have some minor abrasions, probably from your fall from the tree. They will also heal up with time. I don’t expect you to have any scars.”
“Did I faint? Is that why I am so dizzy?”
“Yes. It’s called vasovagal syncope. Do you faint at the sight of blood?” She nodded toward Adam. “Special Agent Troyer told me you found your injury first by the blood on your skirt.”
Katie glanced at Adam, but he was studying his stick. Surely he was listening. “Nein. Not that I know of. When one of my twins scrapes a knee, I do not like that she is hurt, but the blood does not bother me.”
“Extreme emotional distress is probably your trigger then. You’ve been shot at twice. That makes for a difficult afternoon. In response, your heart rate slowed and your blood pressure dropped. That made you faint.”
The paramedic made it sound so matter-of-fact, but that was her job. Still Katie pressed the back of her hand to her forehead, an effort to wipe away the stickiness of anxiety.
“Would you like to go to the hospital? They can do a more thorough examination there.”
“Do I need to?”
“Not necessarily. It’s completely up to you.”
Concern for her bruder was pushed aside by thoughts of her twins. The sun was slanting lower and lower, and the four-year-old girls must be anxious for her return. Her friend Sarah would take gut care of them, feeding them supper and probably too many treats. But Katie didn’t like to be away too long. A mother needed to be with her children, and children needed to be with their mother. A trip to the hospital would most likely extend into the nighttime hours.
“Danki, but nein. I am sure I will be fine with some rest.” How much would an ambulance cost, anyway? For sure and for certain, it was expensive, a cost with which she did not want to burden the community.
“I’ll take you home.” Adam looked up from his whittling. It wasn’t even a question. It was a statement, and a shiver stairstepped down Katie’s spine. Was it from the richness of his baritone voice or the insinuation that he had more questions for her?
An hour later, with the help of the paramedic, Katie scooted off the cot. A strong twinge of pain shot up her leg from the site of the wound. In the couple of steps toward the ambulance door, though, she determined that she could make it. But Special Agent Troyer was there with hand outstretched, and she willingly leaned most of her weight on him to get out of the vehicle.
Once both of her feet were firmly planted on the ground, Adam held the stick out to her. “It’s a rough job since I didn’t have much time, but I think it will serve its purpose.” His voice sounded apologetic.
She took the walking stick from him and touched the simple spiral handle he had whittled at the top. It fit in her hand perfectly. Without letting go of his arm, she leaned into the cane. It held her weight comfortably. “Danki. You have skill. That is gut.”
Between the cane and Adam’s arm, she hobbled to his vehicle, a large black monster of an SUV called a Tahoe. The Amish Taxi that she used was a simple minivan. She had traveled in a van that had carried fourteen of them from their community in Northern Indiana for shopping in Fort Wayne several years ago. Most likely, vehicles like this had passed her buggy many times on the roads, but she had never noticed. Why would she when she had little use for or interest in cars?
“I’ll get your bicycle.” He left her leaning against the side of the vehicle, retrieved her bicycle from the trees and loaded it into the back. Without breaking a sweat, he returned to her.
At the door, she stared up at the seat. Ach, how would she ever get up that high?
As if he had read her thoughts, Adam leaned in and pointed. “Lean on me to get your good leg on the running board. I’ll help you up.”
A moment later, with Adam lifting on her elbow, she was perched in the SUV. Adam jogged around the front and quickly seated himself behind the wheel. He didn’t start the vehicle, though, but turned to her with his eyebrows scrunched into a questioning look.
Apparently he wasn’t just going to take her home. She would have to answer more questions first. Her heart thrummed within her chest.
“Why don’t you tell me about your brother. What’s his name? When did you last see him?” He tapped one finger against the steering wheel.
From this height and location, she had a clear view of the cabin. Several officers were working at various tasks, including one putting yellow tape around the perimeter. What had Timothy been doing there? She couldn’t imagine, but it hadn’t involved sketching.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, but everything began to spin. With her eyes open, it wasn’t much better. Anxiety overwhelmed her, and her hands began to shake in her lap. Her brother was still out of contact, she sat in the vehicle of a law enforcement officer who had saved her from two bullets and she wasn’t sure when she would see her twins again. She grasped one hand with the other, an act of will to stop the trembling, but it only worsened until tears cascaded down her face. She swiped at her cheeks, desperate to get some control over her emotions and be strong for her daughters, but it felt hopeless. Her parents were gone, her husband had been killed two years ago and now she seemed to have lost her bruder, as well.
Was she in custody? What were the intentions of this agent? When would she get to Jed and Sarah’s house to see her twin girls again? With no husband to step in for her, she would
have to have a special reliance on the care of Gott. Her leg throbbed, and although the officer was kind enough to make a cane, how would she keep up with the household chores?
Her world was crashing down, and she had no family to which to turn.
* * *
The Amish woman sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly, lifting a dainty finger to wipe away a stray tear.
She was lovely, wholesome, innocent-looking. But Adam couldn’t let that influence him. Until he found out exactly what she was doing there and confirmed it with someone reputable, he would consider her a person of interest.
He shifted in his seat to get a better look at her. As he waited for her to begin answering his questions, he noted her light green dress with the white apron, which was soiled from the tree and the shooting. Her dark blond hair was pulled back into a bun, but her kapp now sat askew.
Stray thoughts wandered unbidden through his mind. Where would he be right now if his own father hadn’t rejected his Amish upbringing? Adam knew a little of the Amish from his infrequent visits to his grandparents, but the faith and lifestyle he had seen in them hadn’t saved them from difficult circumstances, including outright rejection and scorn from their own son, Adam’s father.
He shook his head to force himself back to the present task, a responsibility that had nothing to do with his own Amish heritage, a generation removed.
Katie stared out the front window, not blinking, and said, “Mein bruder is Timothy Schwartz.”
Okay, that was a start. Silence stretched between them, but Adam could sit for as long as it took.
“I last saw him on Easter. I do not know where he is or what he has been doing. That is why I was looking for him today.” She paused, but he waited patiently. “I found a social security card in his shop, but I do not know the name on it.”
Adam hid his surprise. He tucked that valuable piece of information away for later examination as he quickly completed a mental calculation. “So, it’s been over two months since you talked to your brother. Isn’t that unusual for the Amish? Unless you don’t live near here?”
Amish Covert Operation Page 2
