Love Inspired Suspense June 2021--Box Set 1 of 2, page 28
“She’s visiting for a little bit.” Liddie opened the stall and sidestepped a few piles. She picked up the brush and ran it down the side of her horse. “How ya doing, girl?” She scanned the horse’s coat for any injuries. “You don’t look any worse for the wear, do you?” She let out a long breath of relief. She had worried about Brownie all night. The poor creature had really been spooked by the gunshot.
“Whose horse is this?” Andy said, scrunching up his face again.
“Mine. Her name is Brownie. I was allowed to name her when I was younger.” Liddie had been very excited when her father suggested she name the beautiful brown foal. “Remember how I went to visit my family yesterday? Well, I wanted to come home, so I borrowed Brownie. My brother is going to stop by sometime to bring her home.”
“You have a brother?”
“Yah, I have two brothers, Elijah and Caleb. Just like you are Daisy’s brother.”
The four-year-old seemed to be considering all this. “Why don’t you live with them?”
“Long story.” She smiled. “And not an interesting one like the books we read.”
Andy glanced around, searching for something. “We need more carrots for Brownie and Licorice.” His entire face lit up. “We need more! I’ll get them.”
He spun on his heel. She followed him to the door and watched him run toward the house, his muddy boots kicking up behind him. She wished she had his energy and enthusiasm.
“Where’s he off to?”
Liddie turned to find Jonah approaching from the back fields. “To get more carrots. Apparently two horses need a lot of carrots.”
Half of Jonah’s mouth quirked up. Something about the way he looked at her made butterflies flutter in her belly. “How are you this morning?” he asked.
“Fine.” She swiped at her coat. “A little mud that should wash right out. And my hip ached a bit when I got up. But, really, I’m fine. Thanks for asking.” She brushed the dirt from her palms and lowered her gaze, thinking about the cozy vibe that had lingered between them in the sitting room last night. She glanced into the barn toward the horses and she thought of a million different things she could say, but she finally settled on the most pressing. “Were you searching the property just now?” She had tried to remember if she had ever seen anything suspicious on her walks around the farm.
Jonah squinted at the sky with its first hint of pink and purple. “I was waiting for sunup.” He took a step toward her. “I’ve been standing behind the barn, listening. Taking it all in.” He shrugged. “I suppose I was also putting it off because I’m afraid of what I’ll find. I couldn’t sleep at all last night. If I discover someone was using this land for growing marijuana plants, it will be all my fault.”
Liddie’s heart went out to him. “It’s not your fault,” she whispered. “You couldn’t have known.”
He stared off into the middle distance. “If I had farmed the land like I had promised Maggie’s family, I would have known, and none of this would have happened.”
None of this. Like his wife’s murder.
Liddie wanted to counter his argument, but she suspected her words would only ring hollow. Whatever they discovered today in the fields, ultimately Jonah would have to find a way to come to terms with it. To find peace within himself. No one could do that for him.
The front door creaked open and slammed shut. Andy raced back across the field with a carrot in each hand. “I have more carrots for Brownie.” He held them up for his father and took big gulps of air. “Did you see Liddie’s horse? Now Licorice has a friend.” His excitement charged the air around him. “I’m so happy Liddie came to live with us. Aren’t you happy, Dat?”
Liddie was amazed how an innocent question could make her feel all squirrelly. Out of the mouths of babes. Her eyes met Jonah’s and held. A sly smile tilted the corners of his mouth. “Yah, I am happy that Licorice has a friend.”
Liddie couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Grateful for the levity, she turned to his son. “Let’s go feed the carrots to the horses.”
* * *
Andy’s excitement about the horses had been a wonderful distraction from the dark thoughts that had kept him awake most of the night. Had his lack of attention to the land led to this evil? Could he have prevented all of this? The sickening thought dampened his appetite, despite the wonderful breakfast of cinnamon buns, bacon and eggs that his mother-in-law had prepared. At the first opportunity, he excused himself and headed back outside. He could no longer put off the inevitable, even if the truth was too painful.
He stepped off the back porch and heard the door creak behind him. Liddie smiled somewhat apologetically as she slipped outside and adjusted the lapels of her winter coat. She hunched her shoulders and scanned the horizon. “We’ve had a mild November, but it smells like snow.”
“Smells like snow?” He tilted his head and studied her. “You have some odd ideas.”
Liddie laughed. “Surely, you’ve smelled rain. Why can’t I claim to smell snow?” She lifted her delicate hand and pointed to plump dark clouds floating in the distance. “Those are snow clouds.”
“You didn’t come out here to discuss the weather, did you?” Jonah said, impatient to head out into the fields now that he had worked up the nerve.
“Of course not. You weren’t going for a walk—” she tilted her head, emphasizing her choice of words in case little ears were listening “—alone, now, were you? Ellen is finishing up in the kitchen and the kids are settled in the sitting room, so you’re stuck with me.”
Jonah opened his mouth to protest, then decided against it. Truth be told, he could use the company.
As they crossed the field, their teenage neighbor emerged from the path connecting the two properties with something in her hands. When she got closer, he could see it was a tray with a cloth draped over it.
“Guder mariye,” Amity called to them, lifting the tray. “I brought some bread.”
“Morning, Amity.” Jonah drew in a deep breath. It was as if the world was conspiring against his plans to check the fields. “That was kind of you,” he said, his polite response ingrained in him. “Are you sure your mem minds you bringing us this food? You’ve got a lot of mouths to feed over there.”
“I love to bake and to share the fruits of my labor.” Amity shrugged as if it were no big deal. “I can take this and put it in the kitchen. Are Mrs. Stolzfus and the kids inside?”
“Neh, we’ll take it.” He reached for the tray and Amity took a slight step back. “Denki.”
“Oh, Liddie, what happened to your coat?”
“Nothing, just a little mud,” Liddie said, also apparently in a hurry to get rid of the teenager. She extended her arms. “The children will love the treat.”
“Actually, I was hoping to say hi to them, if that’s okay,” Amity pressed, making Jonah bristle. “Besides, I don’t want to hold you up.”
The teenager stared at them, apparently waiting for confirmation. Jonah wasn’t about to reveal the real reason he and Liddie were about to explore the back fields on his property. There was enough gossip swirling around his family already, and he prayed Moses Lapp was wrong.
Jonah cut a quick glance at Liddie and she raised her eyebrows almost imperceptibly. “Sure, why don’t we all go take the bread in.” He felt compelled to join them for fear of seeming rude.
The three of them entered through the kitchen and Amity set the tray on the counter. “Hello, Mrs. Stolzfus,” she said to his mother-in-law, who was drying the last pan from breakfast.
“Hello.” The older woman tilted her head, acknowledging Amity’s tray. “Looks like you’ve been baking.”
The teenager smiled. “I have.” She looked around hesitantly, as if waiting for an invitation. When one wasn’t forthcoming, she said, “If you don’t mind, I’d like to say a quick hello to the children.” Without waiting for a response, Amity strolled into the sitting room and tousled Andy’s hair. “Hello, everyone. I made some fresh bread.”
Amity crouched down in front of Daisy, who was sitting on the floor with her new constant companion. His daughter hugged her puppy tighter and seemed to recoil from their guest. Was she afraid Amity had come to reclaim the puppy?
“Now, now, Daisy,” Jonah said from the doorway separating the kitchen from the sitting room. “Amity wants to say hello. You can’t forget her generosity in giving you the puppy.” His daughter looked up at him with those eyes that reminded him of his wife, and more times than not, broke his heart with their sadness. When she grumbled and tucked her face behind the puppy, Jonah sighed. “Daisy, stop being rude.”
“It’s okay, Mr. Troyer. I’m happy that Daisy loves Snowball.” Amity picked up one of the children’s books from the basket in the corner. “If you’re headed out...” her gaze swept over Jonah and Liddie, both in their coats. “I could read to Andy and Daisy while you’re gone.”
Liddie seemed to have a refusal ready on her lips, but Jonah spoke up first. He’d rather have Amity inside with his children, than perhaps wandering out into the field behind them. If his worst fears were confirmed and someone had planted marijuana, he’d never be able to contain the rumors. “That would be fine. We won’t be gone long.”
Amity glanced down at the book, then as if mustering up the nerve, she asked, “Where are you going?”
“I want to show Liddie one of my new projects in the workshop.” The white lie came too easily.
“Okay,” she said, then to the children, “Who wants to hear a story?” Amity cheerily took a seat in the middle of the bench. She held out her arms to draw the children in.
Andy scooted up onto the bench next to her. “Me! I want to hear the story.”
“How about you?” Jonah encouraged his daughter. “Don’t you want to join your brother and Amity for a story?”
“I can hear from here,” Daisy whispered, her voice soft as she stroked Snowball over and over, keeping her gaze fixed on some invisible dot in front of her on the hardwood floor. For every step forward they took with his sweet child, they seemed to take two back. Today Daisy seemed off. Perhaps she had overheard his and Liddie’s conversation last night? The familiar hollowness in his chest expanded, reminding him that he failed more often than not at being a father. He needed desperately to protect his children.
“We’ll be back shortly,” Jonah said, unsuccessfully trying to catch Daisy’s gaze. He opened the front door for Liddie and allowed her to step out onto the porch first. “I feel I’m not doing enough by Daisy,” he said, keeping his voice low. “She should have minded me, but instead I let her stay on the floor with the puppy.” His mouth twitched. “When I was growing up, we never let pets in the house. And we certainly minded our parents.” Yet with a sickening dread he knew his concerns were much deeper than disobedience and rules.
“Daisy has been through a lot. You’re doing a gut job.” A warm smile brightened Liddie’s blue eyes, and not for the first time he wondered how he had come to be blessed with her in their lives. They had all been blessed. “She answered you in a full sentence. It’s far more than the nods I generally get.”
A moment seemed to stretch between them before he broke eye contact. “I’m sorry that Daisy has been rude to you.”
“No, no, that’s not what I meant. I just wanted to tell you that you’re doing fine. In the short time I’ve been here, I’ve seen her coming out of her shell.” A rush of breath rushed out of her nose. “Despite all the mayhem I’ve brought with me.”
Jonah returned his gaze to hers. “I guess we’re both good at blaming ourselves...” He let the words trail off and this time he didn’t turn away. A small fissure cracked the wall he had built around his heart in the days and weeks and months—the year—since his wife’s murder. He blinked, snapping himself out of the moment. A brisk wind whipped across the field, making the small wisps of hair float above her delicate neck. As if sensing his observation, Liddie flipped up her collar and pulled her coat tighter around her.
“Where should we start searching?” Liddie stepped off the porch and strode toward the overgrown fields behind the barn.
He cleared his throat and hustled to catch up. “I was thinking we should walk the perimeter first, then weave our way in.” He glanced down at her boots. “It’s bound to be muddy.”
Liddie waved her hand down her coat, still partially caked with the mud from last night’s accident. “I’m not afraid of a little dirt.” Her pretty pink lips curved upward and humor sparkled in her eyes.
He couldn’t help but return her smile. “Let’s go then.” As they headed toward the greenhouse, the short burst of levity disappeared. He’d have to finish tearing the structure down before it collapsed. “Even if someone did use my land, they may have already removed the plants this late in the season.”
“Yah, maybe we should split up. Make the search faster.”
“Neh, let’s stick together.” He palmed his felt hat and pushed it farther down on his head. He didn’t want to leave Liddie out of his sight deep in the fields. “Do you know what you’re looking for?”
“Not exactly. Do you?”
“I’ll know if something doesn’t belong.”
By the time they found a wheelbarrow and clippers next to some dried-out plants that he strongly suspected were marijuana, the plump snow clouds had moved in, casting the land in ominous shadows. A chill raced up his spine and he stifled a shudder.
Moses Lapp had been right. People—perhaps Dean Johnson—had taken advantage of his inattention and used the land to grow marijuana plants. A rock formed in the pit of his stomach.
A gust of wind made the plants sway. Jonah reached out and ran his thumb across the leaf of the fragrant plant. Several had been cut down in their entirety and lay in wait. He lifted his head and searched the field. Had they spooked someone?
“Why didn’t they harvest all of these?” Liddie asked, turning in circles, apparently wondering the same thing he had.
“Something stopped them.” That horrible sense of being watched made his scalp prickle. “We need to head in and report this.” The sound of a car on the country road whizzed by.
“They were smart. They’re not far from the road, but far enough to keep the crop hidden,” Liddie suggested.
The reality of the situation crashed down on him, making him hot under his coat. He let out a long sigh. “How could I have let this happen?” Jonah snatched up the clippers someone had left behind and began hacking away at the plants. “I should have never let this happen.”
“Jonah! Jonah! Stop! You didn’t cause this,” Liddie hollered. “Leave them. We have to notify the sheriff’s department.”
Jonah dragged a branch to the wheelbarrow and threw it on top. A sharp edge caught his palm and blood oozed out onto his dirty hand.
“Please, Jonah, stop.”
“What is the sheriff’s department going to do? Deputy Banks has been out here countless times yet look what’s here.” He paused and ran the back of his hand across his forehead. “He promised to patrol the area. Yet this goes on. Someone was out here recently with a wheelbarrow and clippers.” A muscle twitched under his beard and he stilled. “There’s no rain sitting in the wheelbarrow.”
“You have a lot of property. Whoever did this knew how to hide the crops.” Liddie took a step toward him and stumbled, then steadied herself and examined her boot that had sunk into the soft soil. “The sheriff’s department needs to question Dean Johnson. Moses told me this is exactly the type of thing he does.” She lifted her gaze and looked around him. “What if he comes back?”
Jonah picked up the clippers again and winced.
“Please, you need to get gloves. Your hand is bleeding,” Liddie persisted.
Jonah tossed the clippers aside on top of the downed plants. “If rumors suggest Dean Johnson did this, then what about the man who killed Maggie?”
“He must not have been working alone,” Liddie said in a soothing tone. His deep pain was evident on his face. “Please. Leave it be. We have to contact the sheriff’s office.”
Jonah let out a long, ragged breath and glanced around, taking specific note of his location.
“I’ve taken morning walks not too far from here.” Her blue eyes widened slightly, as if just now coming to a realization. “Perhaps their attack on me was to scare me away. To stop me from stumbling upon—” she jabbed her hand in the direction of the dying plants—“this.”
Jonah rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s November. They’d almost cleared out of here.” The wheelbarrow and clippers were evidence of that. “And we wouldn’t have known.”
Liddie frowned. “They may have had plans to return in spring.”
Jonah’s stomach bottomed out. How long had this been going on while his children played nearby in the yard? Unsuspecting. Unprotected. He had mistakenly thought that Oliver Applegate’s arrest had been the end of the evil on his farm. He couldn’t have been more wrong.
THIRTEEN
When Deputy Banks pulled up in his patrol car, Liddie’s heart sank. She had hoped when Jonah called the sheriff’s department that her friend, Deputy Bitsy King, would have responded. She supposed today was going to be one of those days where she couldn’t catch a break. She had suggested to Jonah that they call Bitsy directly, but he had seemed intent on going through official channels. Perhaps he wanted Deputy Banks to know what he had neglected to find the multiple times he had been on Jonah’s land. Because the deputy had often made clear his mild annoyance at being called out to his farm when the Amish, in general, rebuffed law enforcement. And it hadn’t helped that the deputy had been the one who rescued her from the side of the road last night. He seemed to delight in finding fault. Liddie wondered if he had the same temperament with the Englisch he was called to serve.
