Bloody Ties (Serenity's Plain Secrets Book 8)

by Karen Ann Hopkins

  Ryan made a curious face. Kind of like he was relieved. “Good for you, Serenity. You always get your man—I’m sure this time won’t be any different.” He stood up abruptly.

  “I’ll see you at the joyous event tomorrow,” he said, getting ready to leave.

  I rose and followed him out of the booth. “Be on your best behavior, Ryan. CJ deserves to have her beautiful day.”

  He nodded, winked, and left me standing beside the booth. Ryan might still have feelings for CJ, but I didn’t expect him to do anything stupid to ruin her wedding.

  I chalked the uneasy feeling I was experiencing to exhaustion and pre-wedding jitters. I still had four murder cases to deal with. Taking a two-hour break the following day would be a nice reprieve. Then it would be back to business.

  27

  Daniel

  Pausing from the job at hand, I glanced up at the blue sky. Only a few puffy, white clouds drifted overhead. The breeze was warm and birds chirped happily. The view from Joshua’s front yard was breathtaking. Rolling, green hills stretched out for as far as the eye could see. Thick hedgerows and small stands of trees broke up the white board fences where cows and horses grazed. Bright metal roofs of barns glistened from the sunshine, and occasionally a cow bellowed or a rooster crowed. It was a tranquil setting for a wedding.

  Hammering the final nail in, I stood back and admired my handy work. It was a simple trellis for the couple to exchange vows under, but it served its purpose. I would have liked to put something more elaborate together, but with the time constraints, this would have to do.

  Still, it was definitely missing something. I scratched my head, staring at the structure.

  “Flowers. It needs some color,” Elayne said. She held up her finger and jogged back to the front porch. Her agile movements in high heels were impressive.

  My gaze drifted to Ryan, who stood on the porch with Bobby, Todd, Heather, and the judge. The five were seated on rocking chairs and their lively talk carried on the breeze. Todd and Heather must have gotten a sitter for their baby daughter, and it seemed like Heather was enjoying herself. Ryan was less engaged with the others. He kept stopping to look out over the farm. It was hard to believe he cared so much about the view.

  “Here—this will help.” Elayne returned with her arms full of potted flowers from the corner of the porch. I quickly took a few to lighten her load. She didn’t seem to mind the fact that she’d gotten dirt on the front of her shiny purple dress. You could take the girl out of the Amish, but never the Amish out of the girl.

  Watching Elayne fuss with the quickly made up wedding decorations made me remember back to when we were kids. She’d had a green thumb and an eye for decorating back then too.

  She stood up and wiped her hands briskly of the sides of her dress. “What do you think?”

  “Perfect,” I said. “Just what it needed.”

  “It’s such a pretty place, not much is really necessary, but every wedding needs some flowers.” She glanced sideways, eyeing me. “Is Serenity with CJ?”

  I nodded. “She arrived about ten minutes ago.”

  “I’m surprised that she tore herself away from the investigations.” Elayne was her usual blunt, honest self.

  I turned to face her. “It wasn’t easy for her. Of course, she wanted to be here, but there’s a lot going on in town. The mayor had scheduled some kind of last-minute meeting. Serenity had to refuse to go. I guess Fred had a conniption over it.”

  “Figures. The man is an imbecile when it comes to decorum. Our sheriff has every right to take a short break to be in a friend’s wedding. It’s been several days since anyone new has been murdered in Blood Rock. It seems to be calming down.”

  I considered her words. Sure, nothing had popped up in the past forty-eight hours, but four dead men in a week was really too much for a town the size of Blood Rock. “Let’s hope so.” I probably didn’t sound very convincing.

  “Do you think Joshua will adjust well to his new life?” she asked.

  “Some things will be rough—like Sundays. I never thought I’d miss those long, boring services, but years later, I still do,” I admitted quietly.

  “I know what you mean. I mostly miss spending time with my mother and sisters.” She lifted her chin, giving her head a little shake. “I guess everyone’s lives change from their childhoods, not just Amish kids who go English.”

  “Don’t sugar coat it—it’s never easy, and it won’t be for Joshua either. At least he has his children, CJ, and this farm. Judging from the fact that he hasn’t shaved his beard or started wearing regular clothes yet, I don’t necessarily think too much in his life will change anyway.”

  “It will be interesting to see it all play out. Most of our people leave the Amish when they’re young. I can’t hardly imagine doing it in your thirties, with three kids in tow. Quite extraordinary, really.” Elayne winked at me. The look on her face was positively evil. “CJ must be some woman.”

  I looked away, feeling my cheeks burn. That’s when I heard clip clops on pavement. Out of habit, I found what I looked for and watched the two buggies make their way around the curve in the road. When they slowed at the driveway and turned in, I shot a look at Elayne.

  “Why would they be here?” I asked.

  “The larger question is who are they?” Elayne began walking down the hill and I felt compelled to join her.

  We might not be Amish anymore, but we once were. These were our people. If they were about to stir up trouble at Joshua and CJ’s wedding, we had to stop them.

  Elayne’s face held confident determination as she crossed her arms and waited at the lower hitching rail next to the stable. I quietly joined her, watching the buggies come to a stop in front of us.

  When Lester Lapp and his wife, Mary Ester, got out of the first buggy, I inhaled sharply. They wore their Sunday best, indicating that they might actually have come for the wedding itself, and not to incite mischief.

  Lester grinned at me, taking hold of his horse’s head and leading the bay horse to the rail, where he quickly tied it.

  By the time he finished, the Bishop and his niece had exited the other buggy. Rosetta led the horse to the rail, while Aaron made his way directly to me and Elayne.

  I glanced over at Lester, who was still grinning. Mary Ester never looked happy, so it was hard to tell her mood. I reluctantly asked, “Is something amiss?”

  My old friend Lester slapped me on the back. “Don’t look so worried, Daniel. We’re here for a wedding, nothing else.”

  Elayne spoke up. “I don’t understand. How is it possible?”

  The bishop curled his lip at Elayne. The man was still just as bothered about her leaving the fold as he was about me going English. “We have come to witness Joshua and CJ’s joining. Since we’ll be doing business with them in the future, and they live in our community, we discussed it and came to an agreement that’s it’s in our best interest to show this small act of kindness.”

  I couldn’t help furrowing my brow. Of course, my father wasn’t present. He’d never support easing up on shunning protocol for Joshua Miller. He still fumed that the man wasn’t becoming a minister, let alone that he’d left the Amish altogether. I personally knew the other minister and guessed he felt the same way as my father.

  “How did you reach a majority vote?” I asked.

  I caught Elayne’s tilted head and waiting face. She was just as intrigued as I was.

  “I cast a vote, and it tied things up,” Lester said. “We decided a long time ago that if there wasn’t a majority vote, we could make our own decisions in situations like this.”

  I’m sure Lester saw the confusion on my face, but it was the bishop who quickly cleared things up. “We’ve named Lester the newest minister in our church.” His eyes drifted to the house on the hill and quickly returned to me. “We needed a younger man to join us, and Lester h
as proven himself to be honest, hardworking, and well liked within the community. He’s the perfect choice.” He tugged down his beard with a jerk. “In this instance, it worked out especially well.”

  “I’m sure Joshua will be happy to see you all here.” I pointed up to the house. “The ceremony will begin shortly. You can head on up there.”

  Aaron nodded and brushed by me. His niece wasn’t far behind him, and Lester and Mary Ester brought up the rear. When they were out of earshot, I turned to Elayne.

  “I seem to recall Serenity saying something about the bishop’s niece putting the moves on Joshua.”

  Elayne’s smile reminded me of a cat in a windowsill. “Oh yes. She was quite smitten by Joshua and had given poor CJ some trouble, but if CJ’s ex can be here, I don’t see why Joshua’s love interest can’t attend.”

  I sighed heavily and Elayne swatted my arm. “Don’t be such a killjoy, Daniel. Weddings are usually boring affairs. Any little thing to spice it up is welcome, don’t you think?”

  Shaking my head, I left the hitching rail, following the Amish. “No. The last thing any of us need today is spice.”

  Hearing her chuckle from behind me, I rolled my eyes. For Joshua and CJ’s sake, I hoped everyone behaved themselves.

  28

  Serenity

  CJ turned around, holding up the corners of her wedding gown. It was cream colored and off the shoulder. Little lacy vines crept along the dress’s train, all the way up the bodice. It made me think of a fairy forest. With her long, light brown curls and bluish-green eyes, she looked like an elvish princess.

  “You’re lovely, CJ,” I said.

  Her face brightened and then returned to a fearful expression. “You don’t think it’s too much for a yard wedding?”

  “Absolutely not. Joshua is going to be stunned.” I picked up her wildflower bouquet and handed it to her. “Let me get some pictures.”

  CJ eagerly obliged. The background of the old-fashioned bedroom, hardwood floors, and pale blue walls was perfect for the quick photo shoot.

  “Ooh, how pretty!” Sylvia gushed. The six-year-old ran into the room, closely followed by her ten-year-old sister. I’d gotten to spend some time with the girls over the past few weeks and I could honestly say they were adorable.

  “Come on, girls. These won’t be very good pictures without you two on either side of me,” CJ said, holding out her arms to them.

  The girls ran up to her and after quick hugs, they took up their positions and posed with their soon-to-be stepmother. Unlike a Disney movie, CJ would be the most loving and kind stepmother ever.

  She’d dressed the girls in matching blue dresses that had a little yellow and white flower pattern on them. I handed out their bouquets and backed up to take the pictures. For a few long moments, everything else was forgotten, except CJ and the two joyous little girls.

  Suddenly remembering tradition and proud of myself for actually being on top of things, I unzipped my tote and pulled out a silver barrette. My sister had given it to me for my wedding. It originally belonged to our mother, and since CJ’s mom and sister weren’t here, I thought she should have it. “Something old.”

  “This was your mother’s. I can’t possibly take it.” She lifted her face and her eyes were moist.

  I made a swatting motion with my hands, glancing at the girls and their impressed little faces. “All I ask is that you pass it on to the next beautiful bride that you care about.”

  CJ nodded without hesitation. Next, I pulled out a small white box and gave it to her. She sat on the bed and Nora leaned over her shoulder to get a better view, while Sylvia was almost in her lap.

  She opened the box and gasped, taking out the turquoise earrings.

  “I’m killing two birds with one stone with this gift—something new and something blue.”

  CJ quickly put them on and rushed over, throwing her arms around me. “Thank you, thank you. They’re wonderful.”

  I let her squeeze me tightly for a few seconds more, and then disengaged from her arms. I knew that if I let CJ go on, we’d both be crying, and that would just mess up her makeup. Everyone knew I avoided crying at all costs.

  “Now we’re ready for more pictures,” I said in a sheriff’s authoritative voice.

  The girls squealed and CJ’s smile was brilliant.

  After I’d taken about one hundred photographs of every angle, pose, and facial expression possible, I finally stopped. “I should get a few pics of Joshua and John—what do you think?”

  CJ’s eyes rounded. “That’s a great idea! We’ll wait in the family room downstairs. When you’re done, tell them to take the staircase to the side door. They shouldn’t see us that way.”

  I grinned and left the room. CJ was a planner. She had a detailed life, the same way I handled my investigations. Heading down the hallway, I stopped at the last door on the left and knocked.

  “Come on in,” Joshua called out.

  I slipped inside. This room had a much more masculine vibe. The walls were plain wood, matching the floor. The brown bedcovering was exactly what I’d expect from an Amish man’s room. John, Joshua’s only son, was thirteen. He sat on the edge of the bed, looking as bored as any typical teenage boy would be in the same situation. The black suit looked nice on him and when he saw me, he quickly jumped to his feet and began shifting from foot to foot. Being sheriff, I sometimes had that effect on kids. Joshua on the other hand, appeared to be about as relaxed as a man could be. He’d trimmed his beard shorter, but hadn’t shaved. His suit matched his son, and with his tall frame and broad shoulders, he filled it out quite nicely.

  Flashing light blue eyes at me, he spread his hands wide. “How foolish do I look? I trust you to be entirely honest.”

  I took a breath, remembering the first time I’d met Joshua Miller. I’d initially thought he was arrogant and difficult, but over time, I’ve come to see that he was witty and kind hearted—a perfect match for CJ. The fact that he’d actually left the Amish to be with her had spiked his likability meter. I was now his biggest fan.

  “You and your son look dashing. I can’t wait to see CJ’s face when she sees you guys standing there, waiting for her and the little girls.”

  “Did we get the ties right?” he asked.

  I hurried over and examined John’s, giving him the thumbs up. Joshua’s was loose. “May I?”

  Joshua bent down so that I could reach the tie and give it a quick tug. “There you go.”

  He straightened up. “Are the girls ready?”

  I was amazed at how steady his voice was. Sure, he’d married before, but it seemed more to me like he was just ready to make it official and begin his new life with CJ.

  “They sure are, but it’s English tradition to get photos before the wedding.” I held up my phone. “Are you all right with that?”

  Joshua and John were more comfortable having their pictures taken than I thought they would be. John really got into it, doing both serious and comical faces.

  After I’d gotten more than enough to fill CJ’s wedding album, I said, “All set.”

  Joshua glanced over at John. “Son, go find Daniel and tell him I’ll be right down—that we’re almost ready to begin.”

  John raced out of the room, appearing eager for the opportunity to stretch his legs and start the ceremony.

  Joshua faced me. “Thank you, Sheriff.”

  “First, you can stop calling me sheriff, okay.” I shook my head, raising my shoulders. “I haven’t done anything special.”

  “Yes, you have. Arranging for the judge to come to the farm, and being there for CJ during”—he searched for a word—“everything that we’ve been through. I know you’re awfully busy right now, and I just want you to know how much I appreciate you being here. It’s made CJ’s day.”

  My eyes teared up and I quickly wiped them with my fingerti
ps. Funny, I thought if anyone made me cry, it would be CJ. Instead, it was the groom.

  “Just make her happy. That’s all I ask,” I told Joshua.

  “No worries there,” he assured me.

  I took a deep breath and shooed him from the room. “Go out the side door. We’ll join you in about ten minutes.”

  Joshua’s smile spread from ear to ear, and then he was through the doorway almost as fast as his son’s departure had been.

  Wiping my forehead, I let out a long sigh. Who would have thought I’d ever be in charge of the last-minute details of a wedding? Could life get any crazier?

  29

  Daniel

  Todd and I had hastily set up the dozen white folding chairs and now everyone was seated except for me, Joshua, John, and the judge.

  I leaned over to Joshua. “Do you have the rings?”

  His face went blank for an instant and then he dug into his pocket before pulling out two loose golden rings. He handed them to John and whispered into the boy’s ear. John nodded, swallowing hard. I held in a grin. It was serious business for a newly turned English boy to handle the rings. In the Amish world, couples didn’t wear wedding rings or jewelry of any kind.

  Clouds had blotted out the sunshine for a moment, casting a long shadow over the yard. Everyone was turned toward the front door. When the door finally opened, all eyes followed Joshua’s daughters as they slowly made their way down the porch steps, holding their bouquets. The youngest girl also had a basket hung on her elbow. She carefully tossed pink petals out as she walked.

  I heard Elayne make an oh noise. It was then that I noticed the bishop’s niece watching the girls with great interest and wondered what was going through her mind. Ryan simple stared at the girls as they passed by, not showing any emotion on his face at all.