Winter of Faith Collection

by Rachel Stoltzfus

  “She’s probably either in the barn with her mamm or coming out,” Joseph said.

  “Thank you. I’ll go take her statement.”

  Ten minutes later, he returned, tucking his notebook into the breast pocket of his uniform shirt.

  “It looks like Miss Beiler was alone in the house, working, when you broke in and grabbed her. She says you covered her mouth with one hand and lifted her from her chair, attempting to force her out of the house. Under Pennsylvania law, that is breaking and entering, assault and attempted kidnapping. If we present this to the district attorney, you could be facing quite a few years behind bars, Mr. Newman, but I’m going to defer to the wishes of these good men here. Sir?” asked the deputy, looking at Joseph and swinging his glance to the bishop.

  Bishop Stoltzfus glanced at Joseph, who was struggling to hold onto Lance and thinking of what would be best for Miriam and the community.

  “Mr. Beiler, I’ll hold onto this joker,” the huge deputy offered, grabbing onto Lance.

  Joseph let go and heaved out a deep sigh.

  “Officer, normally, we don’t rely on law enforcement, but this Englischer has refused to get our message that my daughter does not want his attentions. He tried to kidnap her. I don’t know what’s wrong in his head or not. My worry is for the other young women of Ephrata, should he turn his sick attentions to them. Our warnings to him fell onto deaf ears. With our bishop’s permission, I am going to allow you to take him – my understanding is that we would have to file a criminal complaint, correct?”

  “That’s correct. We’ll be happy to write everything up for you. We will also need to dust your home for his fingerprints and we’ll be taking his car into . . .”

  “ARGHH, NO!!! That isn’t my car!” Lance screamed. “Don’t arrest me! I get the stupid message and I’ll stay away from that stupid woman and this insane community! Just don’t . . . arrest me!”

  “Ahhh, yes, I remember something about you owning a black truck. Is that Saturn what you came here in?” asked one deputy.

  Lance clamped his lips shut, refusing to say any more.

  Joseph spoke.

  “We’ve seen you here often enough in Ephrata so that we recognize you. You don’t have to be in your truck for us to know you’re here. Bishop Stoltzfus offered help and I accepted it. Miriam’s fiance and his father also offered their help. I accepted it. Now, go. Get out of here and don’t you ever try to come back again. You will not be welcomed.”

  Four men, three bearded and all wearing straw hats, glared at Lance, who allowed his angry gaze to drove from one hard, rawboned face to another. A sneer gathered on his face and he spat into the dirt at their feet.

  “Okay, we’re cuffing him and taking him off your hands. We have another unit coming by to take evidence in a minute or two, then we’ll be out of your hair,” one deputy said.

  Lance, now securely handcuffed, was marched to the back of the squad car and forced to sit in the back. The deputies got in and drove away.

  Miriam, knowing that Lance was gone, finally came out of the barn, shaking. She allowed John to hold her as he wrapped both arms around her and pulled her head against his chest.

  “OK, it’s OK, Miriam. He’s gone and he probably won’t be back. Those are some serious charges he’s facing. It’s clear that he had no good intentions in coming into our community, other than to force himself on you,” John murmured.

  At his words, Miriam, dissolved into shaky tears.

  “I’m just glad he’s gone,” she said through hiccups and sobs. “What if he had tried this to someone else?”

  Sarah spoke up with a frown on her face.

  “I don’t know all the specifics, but Miriam still isn’t eighteen. He’s over twenty-one. I think, if we call them again, the sheriff’s office and that attorney man could talk to us about whether that Lance character could be charged with harming a minor.”

  “I think you’re talking about someone called a sex offender, Mrs. Beiler. Talk to them, but unless he actually did something – sexual – to her, I don’t think that will happen,” said the bishop.

  “Denki, Bishop. I will,” Sarah said. “I know we don’t know Englischer law, but what he tried to do to our Miriam – he’s sick!”

  The Lancaster evidence van pulled into the front yard and Joseph broke from the group of men to introduce them to Miriam. The two of them went with the law enforcement officers to show them where Lance had entered the house. As they showed them around, Miriam shivered from her fear. While the officers dusted for fingerprints and walked slowly through the house, Joseph calmed Miriam down.

  “You did the right thing. You made sure the doors were locked. I should have remembered the window was open for air – that’s how he got in. It’s my job to protect you, daughter. That’s what I’m doing now and why I had your mamm call the sheriff. I didn’t want to involve them, but sometimes, we have to. That man wasn’t going to listen to anything we said, so he needed to get the message from someone whose language he understands. Now, I’m praying that they will charge him with crimes so he won’t be back here for a good, long time, if ever. You are safe, now, Miriam. Give thanks to the Lord that I had a bad feeling and had asked both the Fishers and Bishop Stoltzfus to come by here today,” Joseph said.

  As they walked outside, Joseph saw that the law enforcement vehicle parked outside had drawn an audience. Miriam spotted Anna King’s worried look.

  “Daed, there’s Anna, and she looks very worried. I ned to go and calm her down,” Miriam said, feeling somewhat calmer.

  “Ya, you go ahead and tell her what you need to say. You probably shouldn’t say anything about what that man tried to do. Just tell her that he tried to get to you and we had him arrested,” said Joseph.

  “Okay, denki, daed.” Miriam scurried over to Anna, who gave her a big hug.

  “Are you all right? I was driving by, on my way home from the market, when I saw this car. What happened?” Anna asked, her eyes huge.

  “I can’t say very much yet. Lance Newman tried to get to me again – and that’s all I can say,” Miriam said with a shaky sigh.

  “Well, it had to be bad if the police are here,” Anna said. “Do you see what I meant when I told you that he was no good for you??

  “Ya, Anna, I do. I’ve been trying to get him to leave me alone for a long time, now. My parents, John, his parents, Bishop Stoltzfus, and now, the sheriff are helping me. They arrested Lance just a little while ago and took him off to jail – thank the Lord.”

  As Miriam finished speaking, a law enforcement investigator came trotting up to her.

  “Miss Beiler, we need to talk to you, if you could come into your house.”

  “Yes.” She led the investigator in to show her where she had been when Lance grabbed her.

  The investigator walked slowly from the quilting room and down the hallway. As she did, she looked over every inch for any physical evidence she could take in building a case against Miriam’s attacker. When she spotted anything out of the ordinary, she took the evidence, explaining her actions to Miriam as she did so.

  “If you could get one of your parents in here, I need to look over you – your clothing to see if there’s any proof of his grabbing you,” the investigator said.

  “Okay. Mamm! We need you here,” Miriam said, motioning Sarah over to her.

  “Ma’am, we need to have you watch while we look over your daughter for any evidence that Mr. Newman might have left on her clothing or body. Can we go into a room for this?” the investigator asked.

  “Ya, come with me,” Sarah said, bustling to the quilting room and shutting the door.

  The investigator began by having Miriam standing up with her arms spread out at her sides. As with the house, any time she found anything, she plucked it off with tweezers and slipped the item into a sealing plastic bag. When she had finished looking at Miriam’s clothing, she moved to her body, looking for cuts and bruises.

  Miriam flinched slightly as the in
vestigator prodded around her mouth, chin and under her nose.

  “I’m sorry. Does that hurt?”

  “Ya,” Miriam said.

  The investigator sighed. “I know how the Amish feel about photographs, but I assure you, this is only for evidentiary purposes, not to glorify you. I need to take a picture of the bruise that’s starting to show up around your mouth. He gripped you pretty hard, Miss Beiler.”

  “Bruise? Mamm?” Miriam’s eyes widened in shock at the thought that Lance had actually hurt her.

  “Yes, miss, take the photos. We understand. Miriam, yes, I can see a bruise beginning to form. I think the bishop will give permission since this is to prove that Mr. Newman tried to hurt you. Miss, before you take the photograph, I need to get the bishop in here,” Sarah said, holding her hand up.

  “Go right ahead, ma’am. We just want to make sure we get all the evidence on the first go-round,” the investigator said, unzipping the pouch of a digital camera.

  Sarah came hurrying back in with the bishop close behind her.

  “Miss, go ahead and take the photo. We understand the purpose. One question, however. Would you please photograph only the lower part of Miss Beiler’s face, the part with the bruise? This way, her full face will not be shown and she will not be in violation of any of our rules,” asked the bishop.

  “Normally, we’d need to have a picture that shows her full face, but I’ll include an explanation that she’s Amish,” the investigator said after some thought.

  Miriam, feeling odd about the picture, stood stiffly with her eyes shut. She flinched as she saw the bright flash from behind her closed eyelids.

  “Mamm? This feels . . . strange,” she said.

  “It is all right, Miss Beiler. I understand why the investigator needs this photo. That bruise must show up as evidence against that man, if he is to face justice in an Englischer court. You have done no wrong. Instead, the wrongs were committed against you. Just remember to follow the Ordnung in all other matters,” said Bishop Stoltzfus.

  Finally, the sheriff’s investigators had collected all the evidence they needed. Before leaving, they reminded Miriam and her parents not to say anything about Miriam’s attempted kidnapping.

  “Mamm, I really have to get started on that quilt. I’ll be in the quilting room, if you need me,” Miriam said.

  “OK. If you need me, I’ll be making supper.”

  “Let me know when you need my help and I’ll come in,” Miriam said, walking into the quilting room.

  “Nee. Your work is more important. Besides, most of the supper preparations are done already, so all I have to do is assemble the stew and cook it. The bread is risen and only needs baking.”

  “Denki, mamm!” Settling into her chair, Miriam resumed cutting the pieces of fabric for the green-on-green quilt she had just begun. When she had finished, she looked up. “Hmmm. I think I have time to start stitching pieces together,” she whispered to herself. After another hour and a half, she had pieced together about one-quarter of the top of the quilt.

  Shutting the machine off, she placed the unstitched pieces to the side on a table. Before leaving the room, a wave of apprehension hit her and she doubled back into the room. Going straight to the window, she shut and locked it. Letting out a shaky sigh, she thought to herself.

  Until I know he’s not getting out, I won’t feel completely safe.

  CHAPTER NINE

  In the kitchen, Miriam shakily told Sarah how she might never feel safe enough to leave the doors or windows open again.

  “Miriam, he’s behind bars. He’s not getting out. We need to keep air moving through the rooms so we don’t get too hot in here,” Sarah said.

  “I know, mamm, but . . . I keep thinking that he’s going to get out and come back here,” Miriam said.

  Sarah was about to speak when Joseph came in.

  “What? What’s happening?” he asked.

  “Miriam shut the window in the quilting room because she thinks that Lance character will be getting out of jail and coming back here,” said Sarah.

  “Miriam, he’s in jail. I don’t think he’s getting out, but I can call the sheriff to ask if he knows where Mr. Newman is,” Joseph offered.

  “Daed, could you? I don’t like this feeling. I feel as if I have to be watchful – I didn’t feel like this while I was working, but when I finished, it hit me,” Miriam said.

  “Come with me and we’ll call together,” Joseph suggested. In the barn, he found the phone number and called the sheriff’s department.

  “I’m calling about Mr. Lance Newman. My daughter, Miriam, is afraid that he is going to be able to get out and come back here . . . please, if you would. We would be very grateful,” Joseph said.

  After a few minutes, the dispatcher came back on the line,

  “Mr. Beiler? I just checked with the county’s detention center. Mr. Newman is definitely still a guest of our facility. He can’t get out until he’s gone before a judge, who may or may not set bail for him. Even then, he might not get out because the amount the judge orders him to pay might be too high for him.”

  “So, he’s still in jail? When could this change?” Joseph asked as he looked at Miriam’s apprehensive expression.

  “Within two days. If he makes bail, the district attorney’s office would call you at the number you gave us when you filed the criminal complaint. That would allow you to do what you need to do to protect her and your family,” explained the dispatcher.”

  “OK, denki – thank you, miss. That’s what I thought, but I wanted to be sure. Oh, one more question. Do you know what his bail amount might be?”

  “No, I don’t. That’s up to the judge who hears his case. If he gets out, you will get a call. OK?”

  “Thank you, I understand. Yes, goodbye.”

  “He’s still in jail?” asked Miriam.

  “Ya, he is. He has to appear in front of an Englischer judge, who decides if he gets out of jail or not. If he gets out, he has to put up some money that is his promise that he won’t try to flee the county before his criminal trial. The dispatcher just told me that, if he gets out of jail, the district attorney’s office will call me. That way, we can set up some kind of protection for you – just in case that Lance character tries to come back here. You, your mamm and I have to talk after supper. In the meantime, you go open that window back up.”

  After supper, Miriam and Sarah had just finished cleaning the kitchen when John knocked on the front door. Joseph answered, saying, “Before you and Miriam begin visiting, we need to talk.”

  “Certainly, Mr. Beiler,” John said, seeing the serious expression on the older man’s face.

  Joseph explained what he had learned from the dispatcher.

  “So, we don’t know if he’ll get out of jail or not. If he does, we don’t know if he’ll try coming back here – although, if he does try, he’s mupsich. I am thinking that, if he does, we should have Miriam stay somewhere else.”

  “Daed, me stay somewhere else? But . . . my quilts! I . . . I want to obey you, but I have to finish those quilts!” Miriam said.

  “Ya, I know, daughter. I want to ask Mr. and Mrs. King if you could stay with them for a few weeks – if that man gets out of jail. If he doesn’t, then, you stay here at home. John, we won’t know for a few days if he’s going to get out or not. I plan to visit the district attorney’s office tomorrow – or the sheriff’s office – and find out when the hearing is supposed to take place. I also want to find out if I can be there. No, Miriam, you can’t be there. I’ve decided that I don’t want you anywhere that man is. You will stay here and I’ll be at that hearing,” Joseph said decisively.

  Miriam saw the resolute look on Joseph’s face. She knew better than to protest. “Yes, daed. I understand. I don’t want to see him anyway.”

  “Mr. Beiler, if this comes to a criminal trial, what will you do if Miriam has to testify?”

  “If she has to testify, that is one thing. But being in the court room for thi
s first hearing? No, she won’t be there. Once I know what’s going to happen, then we will know whether you will go to the King’s or stay here, Miriam.”

  “Yes, daed.”

  After the discussion about Lance and upcoming legal matters, John and Miriam went for a buggy ride.

  “That bruise is getting darker, Miriam. What are you going to do if you have to go out to the market?”

  “I’ll stay here and ask mamm to get my purchases for me. There’s not much more that I can do until it fades. I’m just grateful that this coming Sunday is not a meeting Sunday,” Miriam said.

  “That’s true,” John said as he guided the horse down the dirt road. “Does it hurt?”

  “It’s a little tender, but that’s all.”

  “How are you feeling . . . emotionally?” asked John.

  Miriam sighed. “Open windows scare me. Do you know that he came in through the living room window? Daed had me lock the doors before they left for the market today.”

  John stopped the horse and slipped his arm around Miriam’s shoulders.

  “Miriam, he’s in jail. I don’t know how the Englischer legal system works, but I know he has to be given the chance to pay bail to get out of jail. I don’t know how much they’ll want him to pay. If he doesn’t have the money, he can’t get out of jail. That means you’ll be safe. But if he does get out of jail, I agree with your daed. I want you to go stay with Anna until we know it’s safe.”

  John pulled Miriam against his side, nestling her close to him. As he thought about what had so very nearly happened that morning, he trembled, partly from fear and partly from anger.

  “John? Why are you shaking?” asked Miriam.

  “I . . . I’m thinking about what happened to you this morning. He could have kidnapped you today . . . how did you keep him from pulling you from the house?”

  “I fought, John. I fought hard. I’ll probably feel the soreness tomorrow because I tried so hard to keep him from getting me out of the house. Still, he picked me up, covered my mouth with his hand and carried me from the quilting room to the living room. Daed pushed the front door open and hit Lance on the head, and I think that’s how he was able to get me out of Lance’s arms. That’s about when you, your daed and Bishop Stoltzfus showed up. John, I’m sorry, but thinking about it just brings it back. Can we talk about something else? Please?” Miriam asked.