by Lenora Worth
Matthew glanced around, his expression dark despite the wry smile. Then he walked around, picking up a dish here or a towel there. “We heard you had a houseguest. An Englischer.” He snarled that term. The Kemp boys were known for disliking the Englisch.
“Our guest has left,” Micah said, leaving it at that. He didn’t like how Matthew seemed to be snooping about. Was he hoping to make trouble or steal something when no one was looking? Or worse, had someone purposely sent him here?
Placing the dish on the table, Micah motioned to the door. “I’ll walk you out, Matthew.”
He wondered where the younger brother was. Had Samuel opened the gate to the hog stall? Why would he do that?
Matthew glanced back at the field. “Heard about that explosion the other day. You’ve got a lot going on lately.”
“Yes, we’re getting back to normal.”
When Matthew realized he wasn’t going to get any gossip from Micah, he frowned and lifted a hand. “Got to go. Just wanted to help, if you need me and my bruder. We like to make money during first cut and we saw you tilling one of the fields the other day.”
Had they been watching his house?
“Denke,” Micah said. “I have plenty of help right now. I’ll keep that in mind for the second cut.”
Matthew’s grin went sour. He left in a hurry, getting on his horse and taking off toward the road.
Micah’s warning radar went up. This visit seemed too coincidental and contrived. The Kemp boys did come by at times, looking for work or bringing food, but to have Matthew show up this morning, with the hogs out in the woods, didn’t seem like an accident.
For now, he’d try to believe that Matthew had truly only been dropping off food. The boys were a handful. However, he didn’t think they’d bring harm to his home.
Those ruthless people had to leave him and his family alone. Samantha had come and gone. Did they think he knew something now? They had to have seen the police and firemen here the day of the blast. What if they’d taken Emmie while he was out there with Jed? If they had sent Matthew in to find out information or to present a distraction, this could become even more of a problem than he’d thought.
Fear for his family and for Samantha filled his head.
Sitting both of his siblings down, Micah went over the rules again. “Remember, don’t open the door to anyone without me here in the house,” he said. “And don’t go to any of the outbuildings alone.”
“Will it always be this way?” Emmie asked, her tone full of resolve.
“I hope not,” Micah replied. How could he be sure?
“That’s why Samantha left, so now we’re safe,” Emmie said. “I wish you’d made her stay.”
Jed tried to look stern before Micah caught the fear in his brother’s eyes. He had to try to calm both of them.
“I know things have been strange around here since the tornado, but Samantha is not our kind. She belongs in another world and the people harassing her belong there, too. They could harm us. That’s why she left. She didn’t want to bring us harm.”
Emmie scrubbed a hand across her face. “I don’t care if she’s Englisch now, I miss her and Patch.”
“I do, too,” Micah admitted. “And even though she’s staying somewhere else, we still need to keep nearby each other. I was fearful for you, Emmie.”
His little sister nodded. “It was only Matthew.” Then she whirled. “Oh, I almost forgot. I was sweeping the mudroom and I found something odd on the shelf.”
Micah’s whole system went on alert. What now? “Show me.”
She went into the mudroom and reached up on a shelf, then turned to hand him a small flat black orb not much bigger than a penny. “What is this?”
Micah studied the thin round item. “I have no idea. You found it on the floor?”
“Neh,” Emmie said, motioning with her hand. “I was sweeping underneath the washer and looked up and saw it on the shelf by the window. I thought it was a bug, so I hit it with the broom. It fell off the shelf. What do you think it is, Micah?”
“Ah, maybe a washer part I could have placed up there,” he replied, pretty sure this didn’t belong on the old washing machine.
Micah’s pulse bumped into double-speed. Samantha had told him Leon Stanton was a techie—a person who loved all things technological, such as drones, smartphones and...the latest security measures. He didn’t know much about technology. Still, he had a bad feeling this little orb was some kind of wireless device.
Possibly a listening device or a tracker of some sort.
Was this why they’d tampered with the mudroom window? They must have lowered this device in through the small opening and tucked it far back on the shelf. The wringer washer would have shimmied and shaken enough to cause this little device to slide loose from its hiding place.
“Thanks, Emmie,” he said. “I’ll figure out where this goes.” He didn’t want to scare his sister or alert anyone who might be listening, so he put it back where it had been for now.
He needed to let Samantha know about this. If he was correct, this meant Leon had been listening in on their conversations—in this room for sure and maybe in the kitchen. This would also explain how he knew exactly where she was at all times. It also meant Leon now knew she’d left with Rebecca and Isaac. Micah had to hurry and warn her.
* * *
Micah needed to round up the hogs and pigs, but he now had a more urgent matter to take care of. The hogs might come home since they knew when feeding time happened. He placed a small trough of feed inside the open gate, hoping they’d gather there and stay.
After cleaning himself up, he took the twins to Jeremiah’s and waited until they’d run off to play with the other kinder. He showed Jeremiah the little device Emmie had found, putting a finger to his lips.
Jeremiah studied it and turned it over in his hand. Motioning to Micah, he took him out to the backyard and placed the device on a garden table.
He walked with Micah away from it and talked in a whisper. “Ja, this could certainly be what the Englisch call a bug,” he explained. “A listening device, for sure.” He kept an eye on it while he spoke. “Wireless and probably long-reaching, so they had to pry the window open and push the device to the back of the shelf. Might have used some type of adhesive that broke loose when the wringer was going, or it could have fallen when Emmie hit at it.”
Still talking low, he said, “Normally, they’d drill a tiny hole and hide it better. It could stick to any surface and remain out of sight.”
“I have to warn Samantha,” Micah said. “I’m not sure how long I’ll be.” He glanced at the porch where the twins laughed with Ava Jane and the Weaver children. Thankfully, the twins were close in age to Sarah Rose and Eli. Little JJ followed them around, his curiosity strong.
“They will be safe with us,” Jeremiah reassured him. “We love having them so why don’t you let them spend the night. They entertain JJ and they’re always willing to help with chores. So take your time and be aware. Oh, and have Samantha check anything she brought with her, too.”
“Denke, Jeremiah,” Micah said. “That’s kind of you.”
Jeremiah nodded and motioned to the device. “I will make sure this thing never works again. I have a gut sledgehammer.”
“He’ll know we found it,” Micah said. “I don’t want it in my house.”
“Don’t worry about that,” Jeremiah replied. “Go after Samantha and keep her safe. I can tell you care about her.”
Micah’s shock must have registered on his face. “She needs to know this.”
Jeremiah gave him a wry smile. “She also needs to know what I can see clearly. You do care about her.”
Micah wished he had someone to guide him through this. Jeremiah had always come through and the man had a shrewd sense of knowing things. He was right. Micah wanted to see Samantha and make s
ure she was all right. He’d have to tell her about everything that had happened today, even if he couldn’t prove the people after her were still harassing him. It could have been those rambunctious teens out for more fun.
Either way, he had to warn her about the listening device and warn her that Leon might have planted one in her personal items, too. He prayed he’d get to her before anyone could harm her.
THIRTEEN
Samantha had a plan. She’d wait until dark, then go through the woods to her grandmother’s house. She sounded like Little Red Riding Hood, but she had to stop Leon somehow. She wouldn’t put any more innocent people in his path. If that storm hadn’t hit, she would have gone straight to Gramma’s house anyway. Her car would be hidden in the barn and no one would know she was even there. Just for a few days.
Now, things were worse than ever.
Nerves scratching down her spine, she went into the kitchen to help with supper. They’d all stayed close to the house once Isaac and Rebecca had fed the animals and watched the roads and woods. Samantha’s skin burned hot, as if crawling with ants.
She had to be away from here. Away from the fear of someone getting hurt. Away from the threats and the teasing harassment of a madman. No one could find Leon and stop him. He was goading her and the authorities because he knew how to get away with things.
When she heard a buggy jingling up the drive, Samantha hurried to the upstairs window.
Micah!
She hadn’t realized how much she missed him until he got out of the buggy and tied up the horses. Where were the twins?
Patch barked a happy bark and scrambled down the stairs like a black-and-white soccer ball. Samantha’s heart roiled with Patch.
She tried to calmly make her way down the old, creaking stairs. Stopping at the last steps, she stared down at him. He wore fresh clothes and smelled like scented soap. So he’d cleaned up to come and visit?
“Hello, Samantha,” he said, his tone full of both exhaustion and acceptance while his eyes seemed to shine brightly as he watched her. Yet, he was still guarded, hesitant.
“Hi, Micah,” she replied. “Where are the twins?”
He glanced from her to Rebecca and Isaac. “They’re with Jeremiah and Ava Jane. I...I need to talk to you.”
Her pulse beeped inside her ears. Sure that he could hear it and her unsteady shortness of breath, she nodded.
“Go out on the back porch,” Rebecca said. “Can you stay for supper?”
“Maybe,” he said, looking unsure. “You both should hear this, too.”
“What happened?” Samantha said, the hopefulness she’d felt on seeing him now disappearing. Dread and fear filled her heart. “Micah, what’s wrong?”
He held to his suspenders. “So much. First someone opened the gate of the pig stall and the hogs got out. Then Matthew Kemp showed up with a covered dish, asking a lot of questions. After he left, Emmie remembered she’d found a strange black button-looking thing in the mudroom.”
“What do you mean?” Rebecca asked, hands on her hips.
Samantha closed her eyes. She knew what he was saying. “Leon’s men planted something in the mudroom?”
“Planted?” Isaac joined his wife in frowning.
Samantha held to the newel post. “It’s a device—a listening device, small and round like a black button. Am I right, Micah?”
He nodded. “Jeremiah confirmed it for me. He’s probably destroying it with a hammer as we speak.”
“A listening device,” Samantha said, feeling violated and abused. “He heard things we’ve said about...everything.”
“I think so,” Micah replied. “Which means he knows you’re here, too, probably.”
Samantha glanced at Isaac. “Someone hit Isaac over the head this morning while he was in the barn. This has to be Leon’s work. I’ve decided he doesn’t want to kill me. He wants me back long enough to tell me how I’ve ruined everything. So he’s sending people to frighten and intimidate all of us.” She stopped and took in a breath, her eyes downcast. “After he’s berated me and made me feel guilty, then he’ll get rid of me.”
“No one is getting rid of you,” Micah said. “I know you well enough to figure you’ll try to make a run for it. Tonight maybe?”
He did know her, Samantha thought. “I can’t continue to let this happen. The crimes of mischief are a distraction while he finds a way to catch me. As I told Rebecca, he’s got people doing his dirty work so he can come at me. And yes, I’m going to do what I’d planned all along. I’m going to my gramma’s house and if he shows up, I’ll be ready for him.”
Micah shook his head “Neh, I won’t let you do that.”
“It’s not up to you,” she argued. “This is not your fight, not your choice.”
“I told you, it became my fight when you landed in my field, Samantha. He’s harassing you, me, and now Isaac and Rebecca. If he knows you’re there alone, he’ll get what he wants. You’ll walk into his trap. He has to have done background checks on you and he probably knows from our conversations that you have a relative here and you want to go to her house. It’s not a wise decision.”
“And staying here is?” she asked, frustration cracking her voice. “He’ll kill one of you to get to me.”
“I think we need to keep you hidden,” Micah said, “but put out the word that you’ve left or that you’re in protective custody. Anything to make him think you’ve moved on.”
“We tried that and it’s only been a few days,” she argued. “He knows my every move so I’m going to end it by letting him come for me. I’ll be ready.”
“Ready? How so?” Isaac asked, a frown on his usually calm face.
“I don’t know yet. My phone is fully charged. I’ll call for help and maybe an officer can hide there with me. They can capture him. If that doesn’t work, I’ll run.”
“And have them ambush you in the woods?” Micah replied.
She shook her head. “I have to get away, somehow. I ran track in college. I can run fast.”
“Do you hear yourself?” Micah asked in a gentle tone.
Samantha’s gaze locked with his. Why did she feel such a pull toward this person? Maybe because he’d saved her and he’d hidden her in his home? He was a good man and she’d just left a bad man? He wanted to protect her, but she was used to protecting herself. She didn’t know how to let anyone help her.
Maybe Leon had seen that independence in her, too, and he’d hoped to break her and remold her into the kind of submissive woman he needed.
“I made a mistake in coming to Campton Creek and now I’m going to remedy that. I’ll call a cab or an Uber.”
Micah gave Rebecca and Isaac a quick glance. “No, you won’t do that either. You and I will wait here until dark and I’ll go with you to your grossmammi’s house.”
Shocked, she shook her head. “No, Micah. That’s not proper and you know it. You can’t abandon the twins to protect me.”
“The twins are safe with Jeremiah and his family and they can stay the night. I’ll only be there with you until dawn. You can call a cab or leave however you want.”
“She can continue to stay here,” Rebecca pointed out.
“She won’t,” Micah said, his eyes back on Samantha. “Am I right?”
She nodded. “Yes, I’d planned to leave tonight, one way or another.”
“So you won’t stay here and let us watch out for you?” Isaac asked.
“I won’t stay here because I don’t want Leon to harm either of you,” she replied. “I’m done running. He’s the guilty one, not me.” She sank down on a chair. “I want to go to my gramma’s home and be alone. I can find my way into town and call a cab. I’ll take a bus back to New York and turn myself in to the FBI. They can protect me.”
“Because we can’t?” Micah asked, hurt and worry in his eyes. “I’ve watched ou
t for you for almost two weeks now, Samantha. You have to know I’d do anything to help you.”
“I do know that,” she replied. “And that’s the problem. You shouldn’t have to be taking care of me.”
“Let’s have supper and think about our options,” Isaac suggested. “It’s been a long day and my sore head is hungry.”
Micah didn’t argue. Samantha went to help with the fried chicken and vegetables. They all sat down and tried to eat. Each time one of them suggested she stay, Samantha shook her head. She’d stalled long enough. She had to go back and face whatever waited in Winter Lake.
As nightfall settled in muted hues of pink and gray, Samantha prepared to leave. When she came downstairs, she looked over to where Micah sat with Isaac while Rebecca moved around the kitchen.
“Micah, you don’t have to do this. It’s a short distance to Gramma’s house. I should be okay.”
“I’m walking with you. My buggy isn’t moving so they’ll think I’m still here. I hope they won’t try to find out otherwise.”
In the end, she stopped arguing with him. Truth be told, she’d welcome his company. Micah did make her feel safe. She couldn’t let anything happen to him. Emmie and Jed needed him.
She needed him. That wasn’t an easy admission and she wasn’t sure where that kind of longing could take her. He could never know her feelings. Never.
She’d hold Micah King in her heart for a long time to come. If she could stay alive to do that.
* * *
“I’m ready.”
Micah turned from staring out into the dark to find Samantha standing with her bags, still wearing the Amish dress she’d had on earlier. She looked Amish, looked as if she belonged here in this community. With him.
He needed to tamp down these feelings that had started surfacing since the day he’d found her. Nothing could come of him pining away for someone who’d chosen the Englisch world over his world.
“Let’s go then,” he replied, walking over to join her. “Are you sure?”