“Of course.” Jumping to his feet, he brushed off his hands, then turned to the laden cart. When she pointed to where her vehicle was, at the bottom of a sloping hill, he realized it would be easiest to simply carry each pallet there. “Lead the way and I’ll follow,” he said as he picked up a tray.
“Thank you so much.” When they started walking to her car, she chatted excitedly about her gardening plans.
Back and forth they went, Mark silently carrying flowers and bags of potting soil while the woman talked about her yard, the barbecue they were about to host, and her hope that the deer wouldn’t eat everything before the party.
“What do you think?” she asked when they were making the final trek to her SUV.
“I couldn’t say,” he murmured as he placed her last two bags of mulch on the floor of her backseat. “Deer do pretty much whatever they like. Ain’t so?”
When he turned to smile at her, she pressed her hand to her lips. “I’m so sorry. I’ve been rattling on about flower beds and parties like you are interested.”
“I don’t mind you telling me about your plans at all.” Actually, as far as he was concerned, the lady could talk about barbecues and begonias all day long. The easy conversation had been a nice break from the worries of the day.
And sure enough, when he went back to finish the bed he’d been working on, his thoughts returned to Amy and Waneta.
At two o’clock that afternoon, Mark was back inside the store and they finally had a break from the steady stream of customers.
Since Henry was in his office, Mark decided it was the perfect time to finally break the ice. But just as he was attempting to figure out the best way to bring up the subject, Waneta placed one cool hand on his bare forearm.
He looked at her in surprise.
“Sorry if I startled you. I just . . . well, I wondered, now that a couple of hours have passed, how you were coping with the news?”
Her touch, combined with her concern for him, was a soothing balm. An unexpected one. “I don’t know. My mind is kind of a muddle right now.”
“I feel the same way. The whole thing is just so horrible. I’m so worried about Amy.” She rubbed her hands over her arms. “Who do you think would have done such a terrible thing?”
“I couldn’t begin to guess. I only know it wasn’t me.”
“Of course it wasn’t.”
She sounded so sure. So resolute. Relief filled him. “You really believe that, don’t you?”
“Jah. Don’t you want me to believe that?”
“Of course I do. I just thought, you know, with my history and all . . .”
“Your history has nothing to do with what happened to Amy.”
Though he was still concerned that Amy’s attack actually did have something to do with him, he nodded.
Looking pleased that he was listening to her, Waneta continued. “As a matter of fact, Mark, I think you need to learn that there are some people in the world who only want the best for you.”
“Is that right?”
“Absolutely.”
And is one of those people you? He ached to ask that.
But how could he? It sounded like he was fishing for compliments. Or maybe it just made him seem really desperate. He changed the topic. “Did you ride your bike or walk today?”
“I was going to ride, but I got such a late start, I decided to walk instead. The later I leave, the more traffic is on the roads.”
“Okay. I am going to walk you home tonight. I’ll come get you tomorrow morning, too.”
“Mark, that ain’t necessary.”
“It is. If some man attacked your friend in her yard, then you certainly aren’t safe walking by yourself.”
Her expression softened. “All right, then. You’re right. I will feel safer.”
Mark sighed. He was glad she wasn’t arguing about her safety. “Since it’s so quiet now, why don’t you go eat?”
“Don’t you want to eat together?”
“Henry didn’t offer that today, Waneta. And I don’t want to ask him, either. He’s just as rattled about Amy as we are.”
“Oh. Well, just to let you know, I brought you some leftovers. Rather, my mamm packed you some.”
“Maybe you could leave them for me?” he asked gently. “I’ll fish them out when it’s my turn.”
She nodded, then after making him promise to call if he needed help, she walked into the storage room.
Unable to help himself, he smiled. Maybe everything was going to be all right between them. She seemed to trust him again, and he was grateful for that.
Now he needed to make Waneta realize that he was someone she could depend on.
Maybe he could start walking her to and from work. It was a little old-fashioned, but he’d have the opportunity to have her to himself twice a day. There was a benefit to that.
Jah. Maybe he could start taking her to supper sometimes after work, too. Or they could set a date to get that dog. Then they’d have lots of reasons to see each other outside of work.
The door chimed.
Mark turned to greet the newcomer. “Afternoon. Welcome to Blooms and Berries. We’ve got plenty of—” He stopped abruptly as every muscle in his body tensed up. “Calvin.”
His brother stepped closer. He was wearing dark jeans, a rust-colored T-shirt that had obviously seen better days, and a smirk. “Oh, so you do know me. I wasn’t sure.”
The comment stung, but he figured it was justified. Mark definitely had ignored Calvin when he was lurking in Waneta’s yard.
However, his brother could have handled things differently. He should have been more open. Calvin could have stopped by the house any evening to talk to him since he’d returned. Instead, he’d been hanging out with Lora and avoiding the sheriff.
Now, here he was, coming to see him in the middle of a workday. Where Waneta would see him.
Mark wasn’t ready for that. Calvin could ruin everything between himself and Waneta.
“What are you doing here?”
Calvin glared. “That’s all you have to say?”
“No, but that’s all I intend to say here. This ain’t the place to have our reunion.”
Looking around the large shop, he shrugged. “It looks good enough to me.”
“Well, it ain’t. This is Mr. Lehmann’s place.”
“You and Mr. Lehmann. Always so close. You’d think he was your flesh and blood.”
Mark had spent many hours wishing Henry was just that. And because of his regard for him, Mark wasn’t about to do anything to jeopardize Henry’s trust.
Especially not talking with a brother who seemed to be itching for a fight.
Walking around the counter, Mark said, “Calvin, I do want to see you. I really do want to catch up. Why don’t you come to the house after I get home from work? I’ll be home by six or seven.”
“That’s all you’ve got to say?”
“For now? Jah.”
Uncertainty flickered in his eyes before he glared. “You know, when we were growing up, I always thought you tried too hard to be something you weren’t. Looks like that habit has only gotten worse.”
It looked like they were going to have to talk right there anyway. “I did my best to look after you,” Mark said. “You know I did.”
“If you had really cared about me, you would have left, too.”
“Someone had to look out for Daed. Look out for our home.”
Calvin grunted. “Because Daed treated us so well and our house was such a great place.”
“It was what we had.” It was also more than he’d managed to obtain on his own. “Do you have better?”
For the first time, a hint of vulnerability clouded Calvin’s features. “Not yet.”
Another time, in another situation, Mark would have loved that answer. It would have signified that all the things he’d wanted his little brother to have had come to fruition.
But now, seeing him angry and agitated—almost looking for a fig
ht?—he only felt wary and disappointed.
“I need to talk to you about the house.”
“What about it?” Mark asked.
“It’s half mine. The money we could get for it would be half mine, too.”
It took everything Mark had not to show how disappointed he was. Calvin had sought him out for money. That was at the heart of their reunion. But even though he knew that, he couldn’t push him away.
Feeling weary and far older than his years, Mark said, “Come over tonight and we’ll talk. We can have supper together.”
“Do you cook now?”
“I can grill a steak and put some corn and potatoes in the oven.”
Just as Calvin looked about to answer him, Waneta and Henry came into the store. Each was looking at Calvin intently. Henry was obviously assessing him, taking in his T-shirt, jeans, and heavy-soled black leather boots.
Waneta was simply staring at him curiously.
Mark knew he needed to say something. But while he debated how to best handle the introductions, Waneta stepped forward.
“Calvin? You’re back!” Her smile was tremulous.
For the first time since he’d walked in the door, his brother looked unsure of himself. If he wasn’t so worried about what Calvin was going to say, he would have smiled. Waneta had that effect on a person.
“I’m surprised you remember me,” he said.
She looked confused. “Why?”
“I left a long time ago.”
“That’s true. And you’re obviously English now.”
“I got rid of my suspenders the moment I got on the bus.”
“Ah.” Waneta looked more hesitant. Even a little nervous. Mark knew she wasn’t taken aback by someone deciding not to join the faith. It certainly happened from time to time. No, she was wary because of his tone of voice. Calvin sounded snarky and belligerent.
“Like I said before, brother,” Mark said. “I’ll see you this evening. After I get home from work.”
Calvin folded his arms over his chest. “I may not have time then.”
Feeling deflated, he nodded. “Whenever you do have time to see me, I’ll be there waiting.”
“Still waiting, aren’t you? Still waiting for someone to see the good in ya.”
“He ain’t waiting for that, boy,” Henry said as he strode forward. “Your brother is a good man and always has been. But it is time you left. Unless you came in to shop, of course.”
“I ain’t shopping here.”
“Then we got nothing to say to each other. Do we?” Henry said.
Waneta looked even more nervous. Her eyes kept darting from Calvin to Mark to Henry.
Mark walked to the door and opened it. “Come by the house later,” he said again.
Two cars pulled into the parking lot. Soon they were going to have an audience. Mark feared that would spur Calvin’s anger on.
As he walked to the door, Calvin glanced at Mark. “She’s better-looking up close, Mark,” he said loud enough for Waneta to hear. “No wonder you were panting after her the other day.”
Mark’s hand clenched. Really, it was all he could do not to shove him out the door.
Obviously glad to have gotten that reaction, Calvin laughed before turning, and kept walking as two customers entered the shop.
“May I help ya?” Waneta asked.
“We’re interested in flowering trees.”
Looking pleased to escape the tension in the room, Waneta walked them over to one of the greenhouses. The man who had just come in simply wanted to look around.
“What was that about?” Henry asked when they were standing alone again.
“I’m not sure.”
“Did you know he was back?”
Mark nodded. Oh, yes, he’d known. He’d fooled himself into thinking it had been a secret he could keep a little longer, too.
It was now obvious that he couldn’t have been more wrong. Calvin had returned for a reason and Mark feared that it had something to do with him, his anger, and maybe even Amy Miller.
CHAPTER 16
Wednesday, August 10
Even at twenty-four years of age, rejection still hurt. As Calvin walked to the far corner of the parking lot where he’d parked his bike, he wondered what he had expected would happen. Had he really thought that Mark was going to drop everything, give him a hug, and announce that he was glad to see him?
Maybe.
He would have never admitted it out loud, but even after Mark had ignored him standing in the Cains’ yard, Calvin still hoped that their next reunion would be different.
That’s what love was. Well, what it was supposed to be, anyway. An emotion that overruled bruised feelings and past mistakes. Something so strong that it couldn’t be taken away.
He’d been wrong.
He’d needed Mark’s help, too. Things were getting worse with the gang he owed money to. They’d told him from the beginning that they didn’t forget about debts that were owed. Now he owed almost as much in interest as the original amount he’d borrowed. He was in over his head. He was going to have to find some way to convince Mark to sell the house and give him half the money.
If that didn’t work, Calvin was going to have to go another route. Think about using a bit of coercion. Maybe Mark could be convinced to pay him off so Calvin wouldn’t disturb his new, little perfect life and sweet romance with Waneta Cain.
Weighing his options, he decided to head over to Munfordville. There were a couple of places there to eat that offered decent food for cheap.
Just as he pulled his key from his jeans pocket, a sheriff pulled up next to him.
For a split second, Calvin considered starting up his bike and running, but it was doubtful he’d make it far. Most likely all it would do was make things worse.
Therefore, he stayed put and stared at the sheriff, his expression carefully blank.
“You Calvin Fisher?” the sheriff said as he got out of his vehicle. He was both walking and talking slowly, like he feared Calvin was going to pull a gun out and start shooting.
“Yeah.”
“I’m Sheriff Brewer. I have some things I need to talk about with you. Let’s go down to the station. There’s a place to talk there in private.”
No way was he going to go to a sheriff’s station if he could help it. “We can’t discuss whatever it is right now?”
“In the Blooms and Berries parking lot? No.”
“I’m kind of busy right now. I ain’t in the mood to get questioned, especially since I didn’t do anything wrong.”
Sheriff Brewer narrowed his eyes. “I didn’t say you did. You’re not in trouble. But we do need to chat. It won’t take long.”
Calvin inserted the key into his cycle’s ignition. “If I’m not in trouble, then I don’t have to chat with anyone.”
“I’d hate to force you to come with me.” His voice had turned hard.
“And I’d hate to contact my lawyer. But I will if need be.”
“You have a lawyer?”
He didn’t. But he hated how the sheriff thought he wasn’t good enough to get one. “Yeah. So, I’ll be seeing you around.” Facing his bike now, he exhaled. He’d done good. He’d held his ground but didn’t lose his temper or make things worse.
Just as he climbed on and was about to punch the ignition, the sheriff spoke again. “I know you brought some drugs to Lora Weaver’s. I know you hit her.”
Though he knew he shouldn’t take the bait, he said, “Did she press charges against me?”
“No, but she could have. You bruised her face pretty good. She could have been seriously hurt.”
“If she didn’t press charges, she ain’t my problem.”
“So you aren’t denying any of my accusations?”
“No. I’m saying that I have nothing to say about anything.”
“Lora told us that you have access to heavy drugs.”
Why had she told them that? With effort, he choked back a laugh. “That’s rich.”
“Why do you say that?”
“I’m not saying I was there or that I know anything about drugs. But, come on. Lora don’t need anyone to give her drugs. She can get them just fine on her own.”
“You sound like you know a lot about her.”
“I know that she’s a sad sort of person with time on her hands. I know that whatever she’s up to ain’t my problem.”
Sheriff Brewer nodded slowly. Then, just when Calvin was sure he was going to leave, he blurted, “What about Amy Miller, then?”
“Who’s that?”
“Her name doesn’t ring a bell?”
“Obviously not.” Calvin didn’t trust the way the sheriff’s eyes brightened. “Who is she?”
“Oh, she’s just an Amish girl who was assaulted last night. The man who attacked her was wearing a mask, so she can’t identify him. We’re going to have to rely on DNA.”
Calvin knew his heart was starting to race. That was the real reason that the sheriff had been watching for him. It didn’t have anything to do with Lora or a Baggie of pot. It was about the girl.
And DNA? What did that mean? Had Brewer planned on taking him in and swabbing his mouth or something? “That’s real sad,” he finally bit out. “But that girl don’t have anything to do with me.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. Calvin, I want to know what you were doing last night.”
“I was in Munfordville.”
“Any specific place?”
“Yeah. I was sitting on my bed, watching television in my motel room.”
“And the name of this motel is . . . ?”
Calvin couldn’t remember. It was just another run-down dive offering rooms for thirty-six dollars a night. “I don’t remember the name exactly. Cave something. Or maybe it was Hart Hotel?”
“You don’t recall?” Skepticism was thick in his tone.
“No, but it ain’t like there are lots of places to choose from. Go ask around if you want.”
Sheriff Brewer looked ticked. “I’ll be doing that.”
It was happening. He was going to get attempted rape or assault, or something, pinned on him. Just because he was a Fisher.
Or maybe Lora had been talking bad about him. Or Mark had.
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