Amish Country Murder (Love Inspired Suspense)

by Mary Alford

“Let me take a look at your cheek,” Sutter told her. His fingers gently probed the area.

  “It doesn’t hurt,” she murmured, but she was still terrified.

  “I need something to clean the wound.” Sutter glanced around.

  “Here.” Rachel handed a damp cloth to him and hovered while Sutter wiped the blood from her cheek.

  “Something happened in the woods, didn’t it?” Catherine asked.

  He hesitated. “There’s been another victim.” His voice was low.

  “Is it...?” All she could think about was Elizabeth.

  “The victim isn’t your sister,” Sutter said. “And there’s good news. She’s alive.”

  A breath escaped. “Oh, thank You, Gott.”

  “The killer’s getting sloppy. Coming here with her was an act of defiance, but he hadn’t counted on us detecting him so fast. He wasn’t able to take his time. She probably fought, which saved her life.”

  Shock flowed through Catherine’s veins. “I am grateful she is alive.”

  He inclined his head. “Me, too. Hopefully, Aden was able to grab this guy before he escaped.”

  “So this is not Proctor. He can’t be the killer.”

  Sutter confirmed it with a nod. “Unless he’s working with someone else. In any case, we’ll need to move you out of here as soon as possible.” Something in his eyes suggested there was more he wasn’t telling her.

  A loud rap on the door had her whirling toward it, clutching her throat.

  “It’s Aden,” the deputy called out.

  Sutter answered the door and spoke briefly with the deputy.

  “I’m going back to wait for the ambulance with the victim and Cole.”

  Something touched her leg, and Catherine glanced down. Lily stood beside her. She lifted the little girl up onto her lap. Catherine’s heart swelled with love for the child. “I’m oke.”

  Please bring her mamm home safely.

  Outside the window, two patrol cars pulled up alongside an ambulance. They exited their vehicles and headed toward the woods.

  Sutter faced her. “I need to go with them,” he said quietly.

  She slowly nodded and watched him leave.

  Wanting something to do with her hands, Catherine set Lily on her feet and together they moved to the kitchen, where Rachel was preparing the evening meal.

  Lily pulled out a chair next to where Katie sat at the table and the two began playing with Katie’s doll.

  “You should not be moving around. You’re hurt,” Rachel said.

  “I’m fine.” Catherine dismissed her concern with a shake of her head. “It’s just a scratch.” She told Rachel about the other victim.

  “Ach, but this is gut news. I pray he will be caught soon.”

  “Me, too.” Catherine pulled in a breath. “What are you preparing?”

  “Meat loaf. Noah’s favorite.” Every time Rachel spoke about her husband, her eyes lit up. Catherine had once felt that way about John, until she’d realized the truth. She didn’t love him the way she should. Their relationship would not have been strong enough to last the test of time. In a way, she was grateful to John for seeing this before they made a mistake.

  Against her will, Catherine thought about Sutter. He was a gut man. It hurt like crazy to think someday she would never see him again.

  Catherine let go of a breath. “What can I do to help?”

  Rachel mixed the ingredients together with her hands. “You can cut up the sweet potatoes to boil. I’m making sweet potato croquettes to go along with the meat loaf.” Rachel pointed to the table.

  “I would be happy to.” Catherine washed her hands, then picked up a knife and started cutting the potatoes.

  “How is Sutter?” Rachel asked as she worked. “Such a terrible thing to happen to him.”

  “He’s in a lot of pain, but he’s a strong man,” Catherine said, without looking at her.

  Rachel stopped mixing. “Sutter is troubled. Noah told me he left the faith many years ago.”

  Catherine could feel her cheeks grow warm under Rachel’s scrutiny.

  “You have feelings for him?”

  The question didn’t really surprise her. Rachel was intelligent and she’d seen how close Catherine and Sutter were becoming.

  “I barely know him,” she murmured.

  Rachel placed the meat loaf into the oven and came over to where Catherine worked.

  “The heart has a will of its own, sometimes,” she said with a sympathetic smile. “Believe me, I know.”

  Catherine watched her curiously. “You didn’t wish to fall in love with Noah?”

  Rachel shook her head. “No, I’ve loved Noah since I was a young girl. But Noah was not Amish.”

  “But he joined the faith for you?” she asked in surprise.

  “For himself. And for me. We reconnected when my sister was in trouble. Noah was still a deputy back then. He and the sheriff and the team helped bring Eva home safely.”

  She was glad Rachel’s love story had a happy ending, but Sutter had left the Amish way to escape his pain. Returning to the only life she could ever imagine living would be impossible for him. There could be no happy ending for them.

  * * *

  “The bullet nicked an artery. We need to get her to the hospital now,” the female paramedic said, once Esther King was loaded into the ambulance.

  “I’ll go with her and stand guard outside her room until you can arrive,” Aden told his boss.

  Sheriff Collins nodded his approval. As soon as the sheriff had arrived on scene, he’d recognized the young Amish woman. “I’m going to stop by Bishop Aaron’s home and ask him to go with me to speak with the parents. I can give them a ride to the hospital.”

  “That’s a good idea,” Sutter told him. So far, the young woman was hanging on by a thread. He prayed she would survive her injuries.

  He and James headed toward the house. As they approached, he noticed Catherine watching from the window.

  “Is she going to be oke?” she asked, when they came inside.

  Sutter shook his head. “We’re not sure. She’s in pretty bad shape.” He struggled to fit the pieces together. Had the killer stolen the car from Proctor? Sutter’s gut told him Proctor wasn’t involved with the killings, though it wasn’t unheard of for serial killers to act in tandem.

  James had told him the interview with Proctor hadn’t yielded anything useful. If he wasn’t involved, then had the killer somehow broken into Proctor’s garage and stolen the car? According to Proctor, he left it locked in the garage.

  “Let’s talk to Proctor again.” Sutter faced Catherine. “We have to move you and Lily now. Every second you’re here you’re in danger.”

  James nodded. “For the time being, we’ll go to the station until we can figure something else out.”

  “You should gather your things. We’ll be leaving soon,” Sutter told her. She hesitated a second before leaving them.

  Once she was gone, Sutter studied one of the photos left behind with the note. He’d placed both in separate bags. “This is a much clearer picture of Elizabeth.” She was tied to a chair, but she didn’t appear to be any worse than she had been in the last photo. What the second photo showed was more frightening. A young woman cut and bloody, her face swollen and bruised. The Dead of Night Killer had taken another victim along with Esther. He was spiraling out of control.

  “She appears younger than the others.” Sutter handed the picture to James.

  “She does, but she’s clearly dressed Amish. I’ll snap a photo and send it to the sheriff. Have him ask Bishop Aaron if he knows who she is.”

  Catherine came back carrying her suitcase, and Sutter stuffed the photos inside his pocket.

  “I’m ready,” she said, and gathered up Lily.

  Rachel came over to them.
“Are you sure you won’t stay for the evening meal?”

  Sutter shook his head. “I wish we could, but we need to get back to the station. Our being here is putting your family in danger. This guy seems to know our every move.”

  For the life of him, Sutter couldn’t understand what kind of sick game the killer was playing with Catherine and her sister, but he was positive if they didn’t stop him soon, there’d be more victims to add to the growing list. How many more innocent women must die to quench a madman’s thirst for death?

  SIXTEEN

  “Cole will be right behind us. You and Lily are well protected,” Sutter said, yet she didn’t feel protected. Anything but.

  Sutter kept his statements brief, yet Catherine couldn’t help but believe there was something important he wasn’t telling her.

  He pulled her a little away from the others. “Sheriff Collins was able to get a search warrant for Proctor’s home. Deputy Clark and some of the men from Sanders County are going there now. I’ve asked Megan to let us know whatever they find.”

  “This man is married?” Catherine couldn’t believe the killer could keep his crimes hidden from his wife.

  “Yes.” He pulled in a breath. “Believe it or not, we’re making progress. We’re getting closer to identifying the killer. Don’t lose hope, Catherine. I need you not to give up.” The tenderness, meant for her alone, made her want to cry. Sometimes life could be cruel.

  His eyes held hers. “I want this to end for you. You’ve suffered enough at this man’s hands. Elizabeth has, as well.”

  She swallowed. Amid all the danger surrounding them, she’d fallen in love with Sutter, and she wasn’t sure she could hide it from him.

  He said her name softly. The longing in his eyes thrilled her and broke her heart at the same time. She turned away, determined to protect herself.

  “I think I left something of Lily’s in the room. I will be right back.” She left without waiting for him to answer. Once she reached the room, Catherine closed the door and sank down on the bed. She was so mixed up inside.

  A gentle knock was followed by the door opening. Rachel came in and sat next to her.

  “You’re in love with him.”

  Catherine would give anything to be able to deny it, but she couldn’t. She did love Sutter.

  She lifted her shoulders.

  “I see the way he looks at you. He cares for you.”

  Catherine couldn’t let herself have hope. “It does not matter. Sutter is no longer Amish, and my life is in turmoil.”

  Rachel covered her hand. “If it is Gott’s will, nothing is impossible.”

  As much as Catherine wanted it to be true, she couldn’t imagine a future with Sutter.

  With a sigh, she rose. “Right now, I have to think about my sister.” She smiled at Rachel. “I will miss you. You have been a gut friend.”

  Rachel hugged her close. “I will miss you, too. I hope this all works out for you and your sister. I will be praying for you both.”

  “Denki for your hospitality. I know it was not easy having us here.”

  “Nonsense. I enjoyed having you all here. Perhaps when this ends and Elizabeth is safe, you will come for a visit?”

  “I would like that very much.” Catherine grabbed Lily’s jacket and returned to the living room, where Sutter and James waited.

  Sutter picked up her suitcase. “Ready?” he asked.

  She couldn’t look at him. “Jah, I am ready.” Yet she wasn’t anywhere close to ready to face what lay ahead. Bringing the killer to justice would just be the beginning. There’d be questions. More ugly details would come out. The trial might drag out for years. Each time, she would be forced to see Sutter again, to reopen the wounds in her heart.

  Outside, the day was quickly fading. Was the killer close by, watching their every move?

  Sutter held the vehicle’s back door open. With a final wave to the Warrens, she slipped inside next to Lily.

  The little girl didn’t understand anything that was happening. All she wanted to do was play with her friend. It scared Catherine that Lily still hadn’t spoken a word. Would there be a time when she felt safe enough to come out of her shell? Catherine prayed so, because she was convinced the little girl would wear enough scars without losing her ability to communicate.

  “It’s okay, sweetie. We are going back to the sheriff’s station.”

  She watched Sutter say his goodbyes to the Warrens. He’d grown close to the couple, as well.

  Once James was behind the wheel, Sutter climbed in next to his partner and they were on their way.

  From her seat, Catherine noticed the taut set of Sutter’s jaw. He was concerned.

  His cell phone rang. Catherine listened to the one-sided conversation, sitting on the edge of her seat. There was news.

  The call ended. Sutter glanced back at her. “That was Megan. They’ve finished the initial search. There’s no sign anyone’s been held in the basement. We’re still gathering trace evidence, though. Megan said she reached Proctor’s wife, who was shocked by the allegations against her husband. She has no idea who might be driving the car. Said it’s been in their garage for a long time. According to her, it’s rarely used.”

  “Would she cover for her husband?” Catherine wondered aloud.

  “I guess it’s possible, but Megan knows the family pretty well. She believes her.”

  “But if it is not him, then who?”

  He didn’t answer, which was the scariest of all. There was something he wasn’t saying.

  Minutes passed before he said, “I need you to take a look at a photo and see if you recognize the woman in it. It’s pretty graphic,” he warned.

  Fear crawled up Catherine’s spine. “He’s taken another victim other than the one left at the Warrens’ place?”

  The slightest nod confirmed the truth. He handed her the photo. The second she got a good look at the young woman in the picture, her world collapsed. Catherine dragged in deep breaths to keep from hyperventilating as the photo fell to the floor at her feet.

  “Catherine?” She barely registered the concern in Sutter’s tone. Couldn’t get words to come out.

  After several more breaths, she found the world coming back into focus.

  “Who is the woman?” Sutter pressed.

  Saying the words was hard. “My younger sister, Abigail.”

  The shock on Sutter’s face told her how unexpected the news was. He grabbed his phone. “Ryan, how far away from the Fishers’ place are you?” He listened to the answer while his full attention was on Catherine. “Go back. I need you to find out when they last saw their daughter Abigail.”

  “She won’t be there.” Catherine hesitated as memories of her younger sister cleared the confusion in her head. “I remember Abigail cleans houses for several of the Englisch couples around Saint Ignatius. Sometimes if it gets late, or the weather is bad, she will spend the night with her friend who lives near town.”

  Sutter gave her a strange look before conveying the message to Ryan.

  Pulling her thoughts together was hard. All she could think about was that her seventeen-year-old sister had become the latest target of a serial killer, and they still had no idea who he was.

  * * *

  This wasn’t happening. The victims were piling up and their only lead had proved to be a dead end. Now Catherine’s younger sister had become a victim. Why was the Dead of Night Killer targeting Catherine’s family? There had to be a reason. This wasn’t random. All Sutter could think about was how to keep Catherine safe when the killer appeared to be one step ahead of them at every turn.

  Twilight settled around them. Another day faded. For the life of him, he couldn’t see a happy ending for Elizabeth or Abigail.

  At the end of the Warrens’ drive, James pulled onto the main road leading past the small group of A
mish businesses.

  Sutter couldn’t get rid of the uneasy feeling that warned the villain was just getting started. And the key to solving the case was finding out how Catherine and her family connected to him.

  The shops came into view. The clock on the dash said it was almost five. Several businesses had closed already. He wondered if Bishop Aaron would blame them for what had happened to Esther. By allowing Catherine to stay with the Warrens, had they opened up the community to a vicious killer?

  As they headed toward Silver Creek, Sutter found himself glancing all around, his pulse hammering in his ears. Behind them, Cole kept a short way back in his own vehicle. What was Sutter so worried about? They had adequate protection.

  “Do you see anything?” he asked James, because he couldn’t relax.

  His partner shot him a look. “Nothing so far. What’s got you so worried?”

  Sutter couldn’t explain it. “Nothing. A feeling.” He glanced at Catherine. She seemed keyed up, too.

  “Let’s get to the station as quick as possible.”

  “Copy that.” James picked up speed as they crossed the bridge and headed toward Eagle’s Nest.

  Sutter’s uneasiness didn’t settle down as the station came into view. His gut screamed that things were coming to a head.

  James pulled the vehicle behind the building. A quick look around proved the alley was empty. He exited while James gathered the sleeping child in his arms, Sutter rushed Catherine to the door of the station. Cole parked next to them and followed.

  Bernie McIntyre, the nighttime dispatcher, hurriedly unlocked the door. Once they were inside, he relocked it.

  “Is everyone okay?” Bernie asked, his expression concerned.

  Sutter answered. “We’re fine. A little tired.” Still, even safely inside the station, he couldn’t relax.

  “I can imagine. I heard what happened at the house. Sheriff Collins is at the hospital now with the family. So far, Esther is holding her own. Praise God.”

  “Yes, that’s good news.” Sutter glanced at the sleeping child in James’s arms. “Why don’t we put her down in the sheriff’s office. She’s worn-out.”