Deadly Amish Reunion

by Dana R. Lynn

  Jennie wanted to grab up her son and run. Where, she had no idea.

  Someone was watching her baby. She didn’t think she could handle any more shocks. Having Luke appear this morning had been hard, but this was worse. Much worse. She had to keep her mind from exploring the many possible scenarios that could have happened before she realized they were in danger.

  LJ is fine. They’d protect him.

  Trooper Carter immediately left the room after noting the name of the man who’d been watching the playground.

  “This can’t be a coincidence.” Luke’s face was like granite.

  Funny, she’d not noticed that hardness in him before. Luke had always been so gentle and easygoing. Not now. The man beside her was intense. The look in his eyes as he gazed at LJ told her more than words could that he was taking his new fatherhood seriously.

  Her pulse stuttered. What did it mean for them that he was back? They were married, but she didn’t know if that mattered anymore. He was obviously Amish again. She was not.

  Not to mention the fact that she didn’t know him anymore.

  Trooper Carter returned. “The school has been informed that a known felon has been spotted around their premises. Oliver Deets is his name. He’s been busted on some petty crimes. A car has been sent out to his last known residence to bring him in for questioning.”

  Carter inquired if they needed anything more before leaving them again. Jennie continued looking though the images, but her mind was on the alert, willing someone to come and give them more information. It was hard to focus when her mind kept replaying the moment when LJ had said someone had been taking pictures of him at school. How much more could they take? It seemed unreal that a full-grown man could stalk preschool children and no one would notice.

  Finally, she backed away from the database. Carter returned. “Have you finished?” he asked.

  “Yes. I didn’t see the man who attacked me in there.”

  “Okay. I’m going to take you to the conference room to wait until we have more information.”

  It was a tense group that waited for the next hour in the conference room. Luke tended to pace. She remembered that habit from when they were together. Jennie kept to her seat, but only because LJ was sitting so close to her. The child seemed to sense something was wrong.

  When the door opened again and Carter appeared with a younger trooper, the flat expression on his face chilled her blood.

  “We didn’t find Deets in his apartment. It was obvious that he’d fled. We did, however, find these.”

  He handed her a couple photographs of the walls in Deets’s apartment. One wall had been filled with pictures that Deets had obviously taken. Bile rose in her throat as she looked at dozens of candid shots. LJ at school. She and LJ at the store. Getting into her car to leave in the morning. The pictures spanned back two months. For two months, this man had been trailing her and her son, documenting their every move outside the apartment.

  There was even a picture of an article relating to her brother’s wedding. Were Aiden and his family in jeopardy?

  She pointed a shaking finger at the article. “That’s my brother’s wedding, several years back. Aiden, that’s my brother—he used to be a cop—he’s out of the country right now.”

  Trooper Carter nodded. “We’ll be notifying him of the possible dangers. I’m sure he’ll know what to do.”

  That was true. A small part of her relaxed at that. But not much. There didn’t seem to be a part of their life the stalker had missed.

  This was not a spur-of-the moment attack. This was a planned-out offensive. But how? How had Steve orchestrated this from prison? What else did he have up his sleeve that she wasn’t aware of?

  “What should we do?” Luke asked, his voice low. Jennie blinked at him. It might have been her imagination, but his voice almost sounded dangerous. Which seemed odd when combined with his Amish attire.

  But he’d lived away from the Amish for several years. He might not remember those years, but could those experiences be affecting his responses anyway?

  Trooper Carter met his gaze. “Don’t play the hero. If you see anything, let us know. We’ll be watching for any movement around the apartment. Keep your doors locked. I would suggest not going out alone.”

  She understood. Trooper Carter wanted them to stay together. She was relieved. As much as Luke’s reappearance had unsettled her, she was glad she wouldn’t be on her own.

  “We could put you up in a hotel,” Trooper Carter said.

  She was shaking her head before he finished speaking. At Steve’s trial, it had become apparent that she was not his only victim over the years. However, he had many friends and connections. She wasn’t going to go anywhere that a stranger might have access to. At least her landlord was familiar. She knew he was a Christian man.

  Jennie hadn’t wanted anything to do with God since she’d landed in the foster care system. In her mind, He’d turned his back on her and failed to protect her when she needed Him most. She still respected that others had faith. And she knew enough of the landlord to believe that he would not be in league with criminals.

  There weren’t many others she could be sure of.

  “LJ won’t be returning to preschool,” she decided out loud. If he did, it would not be to the same school. She could never drop him off again without recalling that a man had been scoping out the school. That trust had been broken.

  “That’s probably for the best, at least until we have more information.” Trooper Carter gathered up the pictures again. She was happy to have them out of her hands.

  It was after four by the time they finally left the station. The temperature had dropped, and it had started to snow while they were inside. Soft, fluffy white flakes that looked like they belonged in a snow globe dusted the landscape. The beauty of it was at odds with the ugliness of what was happening inside her world.

  “We’re out of milk,” she said.

  “Excuse me?” Luke replied.

  Jennie blushed. “Sorry. This morning, I went shopping, but I dropped the milk when I found out Steve was out of prison. I need to stop by the store.”

  He nodded, a slight smile curling the corners of his mouth. “Then let’s stop and get some.”

  She suddenly realized that Luke was going to be coming home with her and LJ. She couldn’t get over the fact that he hadn’t been killed.

  She cast a sidelong glance at him. He hadn’t said anything since they’d exited the building. His face was mostly closed off, but even as she watched, a grimace of pain crossed his brow.

  He was limping.

  “Did you hurt your leg when you pulled that man off me?”

  He looked at her, brow creased in puzzlement.

  “You’re limping. I thought you might have been hurt.”

  “Jah, I know I have a slight limp. I told you I injured my leg. It was a partial fracture, but it still pains me at times.”

  “Sorry. Didn’t mean to pry.” A flush stole up her cheeks. She hoped he didn’t think she was rude for pointing it out.

  He shrugged. “Nee, don’t be sorry. I’m used to it now. I get by.”

  She nodded. Without comment, they bundled LJ into the car. She was so weary, but LJ always wanted milk with his dinner. The drive to the store was silent. Jennie couldn’t get up the energy to talk. It seemed no one else wanted to, either. Every few seconds, she heard a small murmur from her son. With each sound, she tensed a little more. LJ being quiet was not a good thing. It usually meant he was upset or sick.

  They pulled into the grocery store parking lot three minutes later. Jennie found a space near the middle and pulled in. Her car was boxed in by a truck in front of her and an SUV on either side. She turned off the engine, leaned her head back against the seat and closed her eyes. Just for a moment.

  “Jennie? Are you all right?” Luke
asked.

  She sighed. No, she wasn’t all right. “I’m fine. Let’s do this and go home.”

  Mentally bracing herself, she pushed open the door and got out, stretching for just a moment before she opened the back door to get LJ. She contemplated asking Luke to wait in the car with him, but quickly decided against it. The idea of letting LJ out of her sight for five minutes made her stomach clench.

  She stretched her mouth into what she hoped was a cheerful smile. “Come on, LJ. We’re on a mission to score some milk.”

  Normally, her son loved “going on missions.” Today was not one of those days. He scrunched up his little face in a scowl.

  “I’m tired,” LJ said. Oh, no. She knew that voice. Her son was getting close to an exhaustion-driven melt down. She needed to get into the store and get the milk before that happened.

  “Hey, LJ, want me to carry you?” Luke appeared at her side.

  The boy’s eyes lit up at his father’s question. “Yeah!”

  Jennie moved away to let Luke get LJ out of his seat. When she heard her son laugh, she turned away to hide the sudden tears in her eyes. She’d often thought about how much Luke would have loved being a father. She walked to the back of her car to wait for them, hoping the space would allow her to get her balance back.

  A sharp squeal of tires rent the air. A car turned the corner of the parking lot and was racing down the aisle.

  It was going to hit her. Jennie’s legs wouldn’t move. Had Steve come to take her out at last?

  FOUR

  The car was almost to her when she felt two strong arms wrap around her waist. Luke pulled her out of the main lane and threw her against the driver’s door of her car, slamming the back door shut at the same time. He flattened himself against her back, shielding her from danger with his own body. They were guarded on either side by the SUVs parked there.

  The driver swerved away, nicking the bumper of her car, before barreling out of the parking lot. If only she could see his face! Was it Oliver Deets, the man who’d been watching her son?

  Tires squealed as the vehicle roared off down the street.

  Jennie’s heart was pounding inside her chest so hard it was painful. “LJ!” she managed to gasp out.

  Luke stepped away from her and opened the back door. LJ was still sitting in his booster seat, his eyes wide and confused. The buckle was undone.

  A chill went down her spine. Five seconds later, and Luke and LJ might have been out there in the parking lot with her.

  “Thanks,” she murmured to Luke, her blood still roaring in her ears. “That was a close one.”

  Luke stared at her, his eyes narrowed as they scanned her face. “Are you hurt? I threw you against the car pretty hard.”

  “No. Terrified at what almost happened, yes. And definitely grateful that you acted so quickly. But not hurt.”

  “Did you get a look at the man who was driving the car?”

  She heard what he didn’t ask. Was it Steve? She shook her head, frustrated. “No! I was too panicked. And the sun was in my eyes, so I couldn’t see anything.” A new thought struck her. “Did we get a look at the car? And by we, I mainly mean you, because I only know that it was blue.”

  He shrugged. “It was blue, four doors. Looked like your average small sedan.”

  “So, no.” She used to tease him that he was the only guy she knew who wasn’t into cars. Growing up Amish, cars weren’t something he paid attention to.

  He looked at her for another second. “Do we abandon the milk run?”

  She was so tempted to say yes. But then she looked at LJ. “No, let’s go get milk and then go home. LJ won’t understand if we don’t get it.”

  How did you explain all that was happening to a four-year-old?

  Luke hefted LJ in his arms, pretending the child weighed a ton to make him laugh, and then they power walked into the store, both of them constantly scanning the now peaceful parking lot. In the store, she grabbed two gallons, because she remembered Luke liked milk, too. Then she pushed past the lines with cashiers and went to the self check-out area. She normally avoided those. After dealing with technology all day on the job, it was nice to have some human interaction. But today she wanted to be done and home, locked in her own space.

  They were back in her car in under ten minutes and on their way to her apartment. When they pulled in, she realized that home no longer provided the safe feeling she’d had before she left for the store earlier that morning.

  “You know,” she commented in a low voice to Luke, “when I woke up this morning, everything was normal. Now I have people trying to kill me, my home has been invaded and my husband has returned from the dead with no memory. I think that sets a record for weird days.”

  He didn’t answer for a moment. “I don’t know what to say to that. I’m sorry that I left you alone, although it wasn’t something I planned.”

  She opened her mouth, ready to protest that she hadn’t meant for him to feel bad, but he raised a hand. She shut her mouth to listen.

  “I don’t remember the time we spent together, but I am getting flashes. Insights? Maybe memories of feelings rather than actual events? I’m not sure. Maybe I’ll remember more, maybe not. But I do want you to know that I never would have left you alone intentionally.”

  “I know that, Luke. That wasn’t the type of person you were. You weren’t a great one for planning, but you were never negligent. You were always responsible.” She cleared her throat. “Let’s go in, get out of the open.”

  Anything to change the subject.

  When they arrived at her apartment door, she paused again, uneasy. “The last time I came home, someone had invaded it.”

  Luke gently nudged her aside. She stepped back, LJ at her side, while he checked the lock. When it wouldn’t budge, he held out his hand. “Key,” he mouthed. She nodded and dropped the key into his waiting palm. Briefly, the pads of her fingers tapped his palm. The warmth singeing them was familiar. She ignored it. Now was not the time.

  He slowly unlocked the door, trying to be as quiet as possible. They entered the living room together. Luke held a finger to his lips and pointed to the wall next to the door. Jennie nodded in understanding, then moved herself and LJ so that they were both standing with their backs against the wall.

  She watched, her gut aching with anxiety, as Luke walked with whisper-soft steps to the kitchen. He exited a few moments later, then disappeared down the hall. She strained her ears and heard the bathroom door open. The bedroom doors were already open wide.

  LJ started to speak. Quickly she shushed him, then squatted down to his level.

  “We have to be quiet until Daddy comes back,” she whispered to her son.

  “Is Daddy on a mission, Mama?”

  “Um, yeah, you could say that.”

  “If he finishes his mission, can we have ice cream?” His blue eyes were hopeful.

  Her heart melted, even while she wanted to cry. Her son was so innocent; he had no idea of the evil that had entered his world. She wanted to keep him ignorant of it as long as she could, if it was possible.

  She was also impressed with his burgeoning bartering skills. “If you don’t talk until he returns, then yes.”

  His sparkling eyes told her he wouldn’t say a word until Luke returned.

  Twenty seconds later, Luke walked back into the room, his smile and nod letting her know all was clear. Only then did the knot in her belly melt. She let out the breath she’d been holding in a long whoosh.

  LJ tugged at her arm. When she looked down at him, he pointed at Luke, then he jabbed his finger at his mouth. Jennie let out a laugh, her first real laugh all day.

  Luke raised his eyebrows. “What’d I miss?”

  She bent to kiss the top of LJ’s curly hair. “Your son was very good and quiet while you were on your mission to check out the apartme
nt. He gets ice cream as a reward.”

  Luke’s eyes went soft at the words your son. She fussed with LJ’s hair a moment longer, pretending not to notice until she heard Luke clear his throat.

  “Chocolate chip cookie dough?” he asked. His eyes lit up, reminding her of LJ.

  She snorted. “What do you think? Is there any other kind?”

  “Yay!” LJ raced to the kitchen. She could hear him climbing into his booster seat at the table.

  She and Luke followed after him, both of them more relaxed than they had been five minutes earlier.

  She scooped out the ice cream into three bowls.

  “The hard stuff, Mama.”

  She reached into the cupboard and grabbed the homemade chocolate shell topping. She shook it up and poured a generous amount on LJ’s ice cream. He tapped it with his spoon.

  “Give it a few more seconds, honey. It needs some time to harden.”

  When he tapped again, his spoon thunked against the hard coating. “Oh, goody. It’s ready!”

  “Hey, I want to try some, too.” Luke held out his bowl. Jennie rolled her eyes, but complied and poured the chocolate goodness on his treat. Then she shrugged and added some to her own bowl. She usually tried to watch what she ate, but she deserved something special after the day she’d had.

  Luke and LJ both bit into their ice cream. LJ looked at his father. “Yum!”

  “Jah, it is yum.”

  Jennie snickered but refrained from commenting. A few minutes later, she collected the bowls and washed them. LJ took Luke to show him his room and his toys. Jennie looked at her phone. The light was blinking. She pushed Play to listen to the message.

  “Jennie, it’s Randi. Hey, when you get this message, call me, please? It’s important.”

  She frowned. When she’d talked with Randi earlier that day, Randi had been her normal chatty self. Her voice on the answering machine sounded tense.

  Jennie picked up her phone and called Randi. It rang four times before going to voice mail. “It’s me, Jennie. I’ll be available all evening. Call me back.”

  She hung up, still frowning, wondering what Randi could have wanted. A voice in her mind whispered that maybe it had something to do with Steve, but that was ridiculous. Randi had never even met Steve. And what she did know about him from Jennie was vague. The only person Jennie had ever shared everything with was Luke.