Covert Amish Investigation

by Dana R. Lynn

  “Lieutenant,” she greeted him. Something about him rubbed her the wrong way, though she concealed her instinct to inch away from him. “My name’s Kate. Kate Bontrager. Have you discovered who set the explosive?”

  He narrowed his eyes, obviously not liking that she was asking questions.

  “I haven’t heard yet. What I would like to know is what you and your friend were doing there?”

  She had to be careful. He might not know that she was a cop, or he might. Neither she nor Shane had carried their badges. Still, it would be easy enough for someone in law enforcement to get to the truth. Either way, she was sure that he wouldn’t take kindly to cops from Wallmer Grove coming to Sutter Springs to investigate one of his townspeople who had gone missing. If he even knew. She doubted it. The Amish rarely asked Englischers for help. Especially Englisch law enforcement. She knew that personally. The only reason she’d been brought in was because Beth wasn’t really Amish.

  The chief said the US Marshals believed a crime ring was building up strength in the area. There were doubts as to how involved Beth might be, or if she was a victim. Kate needed to stay and complete her investigation.

  Even if it meant breathing the same air as Abram.

  She stiffened her shoulders. Her past with Abram wouldn’t stop her. Never again would she allow a man to decide her fate. As long as she kept their relationship professional, all would be well.

  “I’m visiting for a time.” That was simple enough. Abram shifted. Unease skittered across his face, then disappeared. She might have missed it, if she hadn’t once known him so well. He didn’t give her away, so he probably understood that she was protecting her cover.

  She hated undercover jobs. She had never been able to shake her mother’s teachings about always being truthful. While she understood the reasons for the deception, it went against her character to lie.

  A life is at stake.

  The lieutenant scanned her face, her hair. His expression barely changed, but the unseen sneer emanated from him. What did he know?

  “That’s true.” The bishop smiled vaguely.

  “What’s your purpose in visiting?” The lieutenant leaned closer.

  Irritation bubbled up inside her. She was the victim here, not the perpetrator. Lieutenant Greer was treating her like a suspect.

  “She used to live in the area,” Abram broke in, startling her. “Her family’s Amish.”

  She whipped her head around to stare at Abram.

  Lieutenant Greer eyed her and Abram for a second.

  “Sorry. With a name like Bontrager, that figures.” He shrugged. “I didn’t see your hair up, so I didn’t connect that you were Amish. Guess I should have, with the bishop here visiting you.”

  She would have to wear her Amish disguise now. His manner eased as he continued with his questions. “How well did you know the woman who owned the house?”

  She needed to tread lightly here. “Not very well. We’d met several years ago. I decided to visit her house as long as I was in the area.”

  That was true; Beth had still been Bailey when they’d met. She’d immediately felt a connection with the battered woman. They’d both survived horrific traumas.

  “Did you see anyone hanging around or notice anything unusual?”

  She shook her head. A few minutes later, he departed. As Abram shifted, her gaze had snagged on him. His jaw was smooth and clean-shaven. She’d been so focused on the explosion and Shane she hadn’t realized the significance. He had never married. Amish men, once married, always wore a beard. Even a widower wouldn’t shave his beard.

  It wasn’t any of her business. It was a shame, though. Abram was one of those men you knew would have been a great husband and father.

  She was torn. Part of her was glad that he wasn’t married. Which was ridiculous. She had never married, either. Although her reasons had to do with a terror-filled day that had nearly destroyed her.

  A thought occurred to her. “Our car was parked at Beth’s house. It might still be there with my clothes in it.”

  Bishop Hershberger smiled. “I’m sure we can get your belongings on our way here tomorrow.”

  She peered up at Abram. His face was blank. Did he resent helping her?

  “Kate,” Bishop Hershberger murmured.

  She turned to the bishop. “Yes, sir?”

  “I know we planned for you to stay at the Plain and Simple Bed and Breakfast. I would like to suggest a different plan. Tomorrow when you are released, I’d like you to come and stay with me and my frau.”

  Staying in the house of a bishop. Not if she could help it. It made her skin crawl to think of staying under the rule of an Amish house again. “I appreciate your invitation, but I’d like to still stay at the B&B. It would be a good place to start investigating, don’t you think?”

  “Bishop Hershberger, she may be right. That’s where Beth worked, after all.”

  She glanced at Abram. “Did you know her?”

  He shrugged. “Not well. But my family owns the B&B. I think they’d be able to answer some of your questions.”

  She nodded briefly at Abram to thank him. He wasn’t looking at her. The bishop considered that. After a few moments, he agreed.

  “Ja, that would be wise. I do expect you to cumme for supper. We have much to discuss. Beth’s disappearance isn’t the only troubling event lately.” He leaned in and lowered his voice. “I went out to Beth’s haus a few days ago. I knew she was gone. I prayed she would have returned, unharmed. I would have called her handler and told her that she had come back.”

  What was he telling her? Kate tensed in the hospital bed, clenching and releasing her fists. “Did you notice anything?”

  He shook his head. “I didn’t. I stood on her back porch, the same place you and your partner stood on today.”

  She caught her breath. “The bomb. It hadn’t been placed yet.”

  Abram frowned. “So someone placed it, hoping to kill Beth?”

  “Or whoever came looking for her,” Kate muttered.

  “Ja. That is what I thought, too,” the bishop agreed.

  “Katie, are you in danger?” Abram stared at her, his gaze so intense she had to avert her eyes.

  It was a question worth considering. “If someone has figured out who Beth really is, maybe the bomb wasn’t directly targeting me.”

  Other than being a cop, what reason would anyone have to target her? Unease danced down her spine. She suppressed a shudder. The sooner this case was over, the sooner she could leave.

  Impatient, she waved her hand, dismissing the subject. Worrying never solved anything. “I’ll be fine. I doubt that bomb had anything to do with me.”

  “Then we’ll leave you to get some rest,” Bishop Hershberger declared, pushing himself to his feet. He nodded to her and excused himself.

  Frustrated, she watched him. She still had questions. Obviously, she wouldn’t get answers today. Her gaze shot to Abram. He shrugged and strode after the bishop, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

  She huffed. Really, they were leaving after giving her a morsel like that to chew on? Who was the target? She had no idea what other stuff they were referring to. It might be the issues the captain had mentioned. Or it could be entirely new information.

  Either way, she hated the idea of stewing over what the bishop could have meant until the next day. The patient in the other bed was moved out soon after the bishop and Abram departed, leaving Kate in the room by herself. Her glance flicked to the window. The sunlight filtered through the blinds.

  Despite her claims to being fine and in no danger, being alone in a hospital room in Sutter Springs gave her an itchy feeling all over.

  The medication the nurse had given her was starting to make her feel sleepy. She fought it for a few minutes. Falling into a medicine-induced sleep made her vulnerable.
/>   She couldn’t take it anymore. Throwing her legs over the side of the bed, she steadied herself and yanked the IV out of her arm. She was fine. Her clothes, battered and singed, were folded on a tray next to her. They were better than wearing a thin hospital robe. Quickly, she dressed, frowning at the sorry state of her favorite jeans. Her jacket was too torn to wear. She wrinkled her nose at the blood on its sleeve. Nope. She tossed it into the trash can, wishing she had brought a warmer shirt.

  Shrugging it off as unimportant, she stood and headed to the door.

  She made it three steps when the door was thrust open. A large man entered the room, sliding a knife out from inside his leather jacket. She halted and backed up.

  All questions about whether she was a target or not had been answered.

  THREE

  Kate continued to shift backward as the enormous stranger advanced into the room. She had no weapon. Her service revolver had been in her hand when she’d approached Beth’s house. She had no idea where it was now.

  “What were you doing, sniffing around her house?”

  Her house? Did he mean Beth or Bailey? How much did this man know? Certainly, given the question, he’d seen Kate at the house.

  “Who are you?” she countered his question with one of her own.

  His expression darkened and he moved closer. She could smell his breath now and forced down the urge to gag. Not because of the smell. No, it was a visceral reaction to his closeness.

  “Where is Beth?”

  His question reassured her that he didn’t know Beth Zook was really Bailey St. Andrews.

  Think, Kate. Think.

  There was nowhere to hide in this room. She briefly considered the alarm button attached to the control on the bed. She looked at the length of his legs and immediately discarded the idea. She’d have to turn her back on him, but he’d outrun her. She’d never make it to the alarm in time.

  She sucked in a deep breath, preparing to yell for help.

  “You make a sound, and whoever comes in dies.”

  She choked back the scream. The look in his eyes told her he meant what he said. She would not put a civilian life at risk. She had to find out what he wanted. Why had he come after her?

  “We’re going to go for a walk,” he grated out. “No funny business. No calling for help, or trying to call attention to yourself. I have no problem killing anyone who gets in my way.”

  She believed him. It was a good thing she’d decided to get dressed. She’d run if she got the opportunity once they were away from others who could get hurt in her escape attempt.

  A meaty hand reached out and grabbed her left elbow. He tugged her forward and forced her to walk in front of him through the door.

  It took all her will not to resist him. Only the knowledge that lives were at stake if she breathed wrong kept her moving calmly along the hallway beside him. They passed a patient walking through the hall with an IV pole and a nurses’ aide pushing a cart of used dinner trays. He took her in the opposite direction of the nurses’ station. When they arrived at the elevator, her stomach flipped inside her.

  She was going to be in that little box with only him. Sweat broke out on her forehead. She could feel her heart banging inside her chest. The elevator doors whooshed open. He pulled her inside.

  “Hold that door!”

  A hand flashed out and caught the door before it closed. The intern it belonged to smiled at them and stepped inside, followed by a young female aide. They stood in front of Kate and the male intern gabbed away about his fantasy football stats for the week. As glad as she was to not be alone with her captor, Kate was terrified for the unsuspecting pair. Tension vibrated from the man beside her. She held her breath, waiting for him to leap into action and take down the unsuspecting couple. He could do it. Of that she had no doubt. He was big and buff and an air of menace hovered around him like a thick cloud.

  The elevator stopped with a jarring short jolt. She swayed with the movement. Chills broke out along her spine when her captor grasped her arm above the elbow and gave her a slight push. He didn’t say a word. He didn’t need to. She understood. Kate swallowed and followed the unsuspecting intern and aide out of the elevator. They turned down a hallway leading to the labs.

  Kate obeyed the pressure on her arm and marched past the registration desk and through the sliding glass doors to the parking lot. Without moving her head, she shifted her eyes from side to side, scanning the area for a way to make her escape. An elderly man was close by, assisting his wife to their vehicle. A couple of teenagers were hanging out near an old pickup truck. A country song blared through the open window.

  There were too many innocents about. She’d need to make sure that they didn’t get harmed in any bid for freedom she made.

  And she would make one. There was no way she was going to get into a vehicle with this man. She’d never make it out alive. Was he the one after her?

  She dismissed that thought. He might have set the bomb. He might have even done something to Bailey/Beth. But her gut said this was not the person behind it all. A quick glance up at his smooth expression confirmed her thoughts. No, more likely he was a hired gun, someone paid to get rid of any risks.

  To whom had Beth posed a risk?

  And why was she, Kate, considered a risk?

  The old man and his wife exited the lot in a sleek four-door sedan. The teens were still there.

  A few seconds later, one of them called out, “Dude, you’ve been in there forever!”

  A lone kid strolled over, his left arm in a sling.

  “I had to wait my turn. Good news is, the arm’s not broken. Ready to roll?”

  He joined his buddies amid laughs and jeers, and the group split up into two vehicles, the truck and a small sedan with mud splattered all over the side doors. Within seconds, the car pealed out of the lot. The truck, its engine roaring, followed after them.

  No one was around.

  Now was her chance, possibly her only opportunity to escape.

  Mr. Menace stopped beside a dark blue Jeep Cherokee and threw open the back door and shoved her forward. Uh-uh. She dug in her heels and struggled to pull free from his grasp.

  One large hand grabbed her arm and squeezed while his other muscled forearm shot to hold her around the neck and practically lifted her off her feet as he dragged her to the open door of the car. His grip was tight, but she was still able to breathe.

  Swinging her feet wildly, Kate kicked back, hoping to hit his shins. Her boots had solid heels on them. If she could gouge him, it would hurt, maybe enough that he would drop her or loosen his grip. His arm tightened around her neck, cutting off her ability to scream.

  Spots began to dance in front of her eyes. She was quickly losing the battle to break free. If he managed to get her into the Jeep, she’d be out of choices.

  She was too young to die.

  * * *

  Abram walked down the hallway and paused before Katie’s room. Now that he was here, he felt like a fool. He’d dropped the bishop off, then had come straight back, planning to talk with Katie privately without the bishop around. He’d been determined to ask her why she’d left. Taking in a deep breath, he stepped into Katie’s room and came to a dead stop.

  She was gone. He frowned. She had no clothes other than the tattered rags she’d been wearing when she was brought in. Surely, she wouldn’t leave in those. They weren’t decent, not with the holes and bloodstains on them.

  Maybe she was in the restroom. He marched over to the door and knocked softly.

  The door wasn’t closed all the way.

  It was dark inside the little room. He flipped on the light to make sure she wasn’t passed out on the floor.

  It was empty.

  Spinning in a slow circle, a chilling thought entered his mind. Maybe she was a bit muzzy-headed from the medication or her wounds.
She could be wandering about. He recalled one of the men from his family’s painting business had fallen from a ladder and hit his head. No one had realized how hurt he really was until he’d walked in front of an oncoming car, completely unaware of the danger.

  The man was fine now, but he could have been seriously injured or killed had he been alone.

  Alone like Katie was.

  Rushing from the room, Abram stood in the hall and swung his head to the left and right, searching for anyone who might be able to help him. A nurse was leaving a room farther down the hall.

  Abram strode toward her, intent on discovering where Katie had disappeared to. The nurse saw him marching up to her and backed up, eyes wide. He forced his face to rearrange itself into a smile.

  “Excuse me. I’m searching for my friend. Katie, um...Kate Bontrager? She was in room thirteen?”

  Her expression cleared. “Oh, yes! The doctor must have discharged her. She left not more than five minutes ago.”

  “Left?” He felt a frown settling on his face again. “By herself? Did she say anything?”

  She was already shaking her head. “Oh, she wasn’t by herself. There was a man with her. I think they must have been arguing, because she was looking angry.” A sudden blush swarmed up her cheeks. “I shouldn’t be gossiping like this. Please excuse me.”

  Abram barely heard her. He knew Katie wouldn’t have left with anyone. Her partner was here, and she didn’t know anyone else to contact other than himself and the bishop.

  She was in trouble.

  Whirling around, he took off at a run toward the elevator, ignoring the nurse’s startled yell behind him. Arriving at the elevator, he punched the button twice. Nothing. It was on the ground floor. Tapping his foot against the floor, he waited. When the door finally opened, it was full. A patient on a wheeled bed and a full slate of medical personnel stared out at him.

  “Sorry, buddy. You’ll have to catch it on the way down,” one of them told him as the doors began to close.