Plain Pursuit

by Alison Stone

  “That doesn’t look safe. Look how easily they could fall out.” Anna sounded horrified. A short lip on the platform of the buggy and one black bar about halfway up were the only restraints keeping the boys inside.

  “Theirs is not a world of car seats and lawsuits.”

  “But still,” Anna said. Eli watched the one boy reach across and snatch something from the other boy’s hand. The second boy seemed unfazed. They wore sky-blue shirts, suspenders and hats. Something tugged at his heart. He missed the simplicity of growing up in this community.

  Drumming her fingers on the door, Anna huffed in frustration.

  He cut her a sideways glance. “They live and think differently than we do.”

  “It’s not that. I’m anxious to see if Daniel left anything in his jacket.”

  “I don’t want to go around the buggy on this blind hill.”

  Anna pulled her hands into her lap and twisted her fingers. “I know.”

  “We’re almost there.” The Amish woman at the reins guided the buggy a little closer to the side of the road. “I used to hate when a vehicle approached my buggy.” Eli flexed his fingers around the steering wheel. “Some of the college kids used to beep their horns and swerve close, hoping to startle the horse.”

  “Really?”

  “We...the Amish—” he quickly corrected himself “—just want to exist peacefully. It’s increasingly difficult as the outside world encroaches on their way of life.” Eli carefully pulled out and around, giving the buggy a wide berth. He waved in greeting, but the woman on the buggy didn’t acknowledge him. A short distance up, Eli turned onto his family’s property.

  “Where’s my car?” Anna leaned forward, straining to see through the windshield, her eyes scanning the horizon. She sagged against the seat. “Oh, that’s right, you moved my car.”

  “Out of respect for my parents. It’s acceptable for the Amish to ride in a vehicle even when they can’t drive, but my father is pretty strict. And always worried about appearances. No sense setting him off by parking your car in front of his home. Sometimes the neighbors talk.” He tipped his head. “Even in an Amish community. They’re still human.”

  “But surely the neighbors would understand it’s not their vehicle.”

  “Yes, but whenever I come around, I try to be discreet. The bishop has suggested to my parents that I may not be a good influence on the younger men in the district. I don’t want to cause my parents any additional grief.”

  “I don’t have a childhood home to go back to, either,” she muttered. Her voice had a faraway quality that worked on the shield surrounding his heart.

  Eli drove his SUV around the back of the barn. The vehicle rocked over the ruts of the narrow wagon wheels. How many times had he ridden the horse and buggy to this point? Then he’d have to take care of the horse. Taking the key out of the ignition and climbing out seemed so simple in comparison. Yet sometimes he missed the steady beat of the horses’ hooves, the wind whistling past his ears and nothing on his mind but the task at hand.

  “You coming?” He blinked at Anna’s voice. She gave him a quizzical look and aimed her key fob at her car. The lights flashed.

  Walking alongside the vehicle, he tensed when he noticed the back passenger window was smashed. Pink blossomed on Anna’s cheeks and she shook her head.

  She peered inside, careful to hold her hands away from the shards of glass clinging to the doorframe. “Daniel’s jacket was in the backseat.” She straightened. “Now it’s gone.”

  Eli tented his hands over his eyes to block the late afternoon sun. The only thing that broke the endless tract of fields was the occasional farmhouse or barn. In the distance, someone worked the field guiding a team of horses. “I don’t get it. No one knew the car was back here. You can’t see it from the road.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Unless someone saw me move it.”

  Anna crossed her arms. “Why would someone steal Daniel’s jacket?” She opened the back door before he had a chance to stop her. She reached in and pulled out a piece of paper. She looked up, fear in her eyes. “This note says, ‘You’re next.’”

  Eli’s gut twisted. Was someone else looking for the same thing they were? Did someone else know Daniel had incriminating photos? If he had incriminating photos. Once again, a potential revelation about his sister’s disappearance was pulled out from under him. Something sinister lurked in this town and someone was determined to keep it under wraps.

  Daniel’s concern for his sister came to mind. “I don’t like this one bit.” Eli scratched his head. “I think you should go back to Buffalo until I figure out what this all means. I have a couple weeks off from the bureau. I’ll continue the investigation. But I want to know you’re safe.”

  “Buffalo isn’t that far away. Why do you think I’d be safer there?” Anna flattened her palm against her forehead, her eyes glistening with fear. “This is the same note I had on my car in the school parking lot. The same handwriting. I thought it was a stupid prank from the students.”

  A long brittle silence stretched between them before Eli spoke. “Daniel was afraid for your safety. Maybe someone had threatened you hoping it would scare Daniel into stopping whatever he was doing.”

  “What do you think he was doing?”

  “I think either he had evidence in the missing child case or he was close to uncovering it.”

  Anna’s eyes brightened. “So this means he’s innocent.” Her words came out in a rush.

  Eli touched her forearm reassuringly. “Maybe. But it could also mean your brother was going to confess and take someone down with him.” He slammed his fist against the frame of the door. A section of glass rained down the side of the car. “I don’t like this. I’d feel better if you went back to Buffalo. I will have someone keep an eye on you there.”

  “Why can’t you protect me?” A timid smile played on her lips even as tears filled her eyes.

  “Oh, come on. I don’t have time to babysit you.”

  Her eyebrows shot up. “Babysit? Are you serious? I can help go through my brother’s things. I can help you find whatever it is these guys are after.”

  “I can’t risk that.” Eli tilted his head from side to side, trying to ease the growing tightness in his neck. He wanted nothing more than to keep her close. But he couldn’t deal with losing anyone else close to him.

  “Why come after me?”

  “You’re Daniel’s sister.”

  Anna held up her palms as if to say “And...?”

  “I’ve investigated many crimes. The bad guys don’t always have logical reasons. And unfortunately, sometimes we don’t know their motives until after they’re caught.” Eli opened the back door and examined the inside of her vehicle. Glass littered the back seat and floor. As far as he could tell, the only item they had taken was Daniel’s jacket. “Maybe they think you have something they’re looking for. Maybe photos?”

  Anna’s eyes grew wide. “We have to find the photos. I just know they’ll prove Daniel’s innocence.”

  Shaking his head, Eli muttered something she couldn’t quite make out. “Listen, if you’re going to stay in Apple Creek, I want you to stay here at my parents’ house so I can keep an eye on you.”

  “I don’t want to bring trouble to your family.”

  The thought had crossed his mind. “I’ll be staying there, too.”

  Anna shrugged, seemingly resigned. “What now? Do we call the sheriff?”

  “No. The sheriff has been a detriment to this investigation. The Christophers are powerful people in this town. I wouldn’t be surprised if they have the sheriff under their thumb. And there’s the issue of the sheriff’s son.”

  “And Chase Christopher. He’s still on your short list of suspects?”

  “He had a rock solid alibi, remember?”

  “You
don’t sound convinced.” Anna crossed her arms. “It doesn’t make sense. If my brother was the fall guy, why make threats against me after Daniel’s dead? It only proves that someone else has something to hide.”

  “I was thinking the same thing.” He plowed a hand through his hair. “I’ll look into it myself. Tomorrow morning, I’ll go back to Daniel’s apartment and sort through his things and see if we can find anything. There has to be something there.” He pinned her with a gaze. “And they don’t want you to find it.”

  “I’m going with you to my brother’s apartment.” Her pinched features radiated her distrust.

  Eli pulled out his cell phone, then remembering the lack of reception, slipped it back into his coat pocket. “I’m going to drive into town and make a few phone calls. Give me your phone.”

  Anna furrowed her brow but handed it to him.

  “I’m going to program my phone number into your phone in case you need me. But if it’s a true emergency, call 9-1-1. They have the capability to track your location if necessary.”

  “Good to know.” Anna’s casual words belied the fear in her eyes. “But it’s not going to help me out here. There’s no cell reception.”

  “It will be okay,” Eli assured her. “Let’s get you inside.”

  They started to walk across the lawn toward the house when Anna caught Eli’s arm. “Wait. What about little Mary’s family? Maybe one of them is out for revenge. Maybe they hate me because they think my brother hurt their little girl? Wasn’t Isaac blabbing around town that the FBI was investigating Daniel?”

  “Isaac likes to gossip. But no, it’s not Mary’s family.” His answer came out clipped. Certain.

  “No. Just no?” Anna’s voice went up an octave. “How can you be sure?”

  Eli looked down into Anna’s eyes and tamped down the emotion brewing below the surface. “Because Mary was my little sister.”

  SEVEN

  Anna’s hand flew to her chest. “Oh, no...why didn’t you tell me?” Her mind churned to reframe everything he had told her up to now.

  A muscle in Eli’s jaw twitched. “I try to maintain some professional distance. It’s hard. Most people know my history. Apple Creek is a small town, so I don’t have to tell anyone.” He pointed toward the barn on his parents’ farm. “Let’s go in there so we can talk in private.” Without waiting for her response, he strode into the barn. Anna had no choice but to follow.

  Slits of sunlight streamed in through the walls of the barn, creating pockets of light and darkness. It would be completely dark before long. The earthy smell of hay reached her nose. She was surprised to see a tractor parked in the corner of the barn, its large wheels void of rubber.

  “Over here.” Eli gestured with an open palm to a hay bale.

  Anna sat and the coolness seeped through her khaki capris. Running her fingers along the edges of the bandage on her knee, she waited for Eli to speak. He paced the small space in front of her. “Mary was only five years old the day she went missing.” His fists tightened at his side. “My mother had asked me to run into town to get something. Our family was hosting worship service the next day so everyone was busy with preparations. Little Mary had come running over to me, begging to go along.”

  He stopped and lowered himself on to the hay bale next to hers. “On the buggy ride into town, Mary was chatty, telling me everything going through her mind.” A small smile played on his lips as he talked about his little sister in a wistful tone. Anna’s heart ached for him. She reached over and rested her hand on his solid forearm.

  “How old were you?”

  Eli met her gaze. “Eighteen.”

  Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on his knees. “I’ve replayed the events over and over in my head. We went into the general store and she wanted to look at the candy display near the front. I went in back with Mr. Lapp, Isaac’s father, and we sorted through the supplies my mother needed for the communal meal.”

  Bowing his head, he threaded his fingers through his hair. Her hand slipped from his arm. “I don’t know how long we were in the back of the store, but when I came out front Mary was gone.” Clenching his jaw, he turned away from her. “And so was my horse and buggy.”

  Anna rested her hand on his back, his strength evident under her touch. “I’m so sorry.”

  “I should have never taken my eyes off her.” Despair dripped from his voice.

  “It’s not your fault.” He flinched.

  “I was responsible for her.”

  For the first time, Anna realized why she was instinctively drawn to this man. They shared a deep pain. He understood the heartache haunting her each day.

  The creaking of the barn door hinges captured their attention. Red, the family’s Irish setter, ambled in followed by Samuel. Moving directly to Eli, the aging dog pushed his nose onto his former master’s lap and was promptly rewarded with getting his ears fluffed. “Hey, buddy. How ya doing?”

  Samuel started to back out. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

  “No, it’s okay,” Eli said. “How are you?”

  “Good.” Samuel shrugged, as if embarrassed. “I was going to get Red his dinner.” He gestured to a bag of dog food propped in one of the stalls.

  Eli pushed to his feet. “I’ll do it.”

  “Okay, then I’ll get cleaned up for dinner.” He took a few steps toward the door, then spun back around. “Mem’s probably going to be wondering if you’ll be staying for dinner.”

  Eli flicked a glance at Anna. “What do you say?”

  Tiny butterflies flitted in her stomach. “That would be nice, thank you.” She’d never admit it to Eli, but she hoped to get to know his family a little better, to help shed some light on the type of man he was. Then a part of her wondered why she cared. As soon as she had things settled in Apple Creek, they’d be going their separate ways.

  “Hey, Samuel, did you see anyone around here earlier today? Someone broke the back window of Anna’s car.”

  Samuel narrowed his gaze. “No, I was busy in the fields most of the day. We’re harvesting the corn for feed.”

  The somewhat familiar half-smile pushed up one side of Eli’s mouth. “Okay. Well, tell Mem we’ll be in shortly.”

  Samuel turned and strode out of the barn. “He seems so serious. Is that the Amish way?”

  Eli seemed to consider her question for a moment. “He took Mary’s disappearance quite hard, too.” Eli crossed over to where the dog food was stored. Bowl in hand, he scooped in some of the food. The chore was punctuated by pats and hugs to his beloved pet. He obviously loved the dog. He glanced over his shoulder at her. “Samuel is Mary’s twin. They had been inseparable.”

  Anna’s heart tightened. “I can’t imagine.”

  Eli patted Red’s head, then left him to eat.

  “You miss it here, don’t you?” Anna asked.

  “Some things, but I could never go back.”

  A little part of her was relieved. As long as Eli was part of her world, there was hope for more. Yet she feared she was confusing empathy and compassion for feelings of closeness.

  “You became an FBI agent to help find your sister’s abductor?”

  Eli settled back down next to her on the hay bale. “The FBI got involved right after my sister’s disappearance. The agent in charge had sympathy for me. I admired him. Not long after, I left home, studied hard and was admitted to college.” He ran a hand across his jaw. “It was a long journey. I had a lot of catching up to do. At the time, I only had an eighth-grade education.”

  “Really?”

  “The Amish don’t value education the same way we do. They fear it could lead the youth away from their homes.” Red noisily slopped up his dinner a few feet away. “The FBI agent pitied me and took me under his wing. The goal of becoming an agent kept me focused
. Then working as an agent propelled me forward. Guilt is a powerful motivator. I could have been destroyed by it.”

  Anna understood guilt. She often wondered how different things would have been if she hadn’t convinced her mother to leave her father. Had coming home and finding his family packing been the final straw? Maybe she should have just dealt with it and left home as soon as she turned eighteen. Instead she had embarked upon a campaign to convince her mom to leave her father, not wanting to abandon her. Anna’s pleading and her mother’s decision had sealed their fate.

  “Even though I haven’t made an arrest in my sister’s disappearance, I’ve helped a lot of other people along the way.” Red strolled over and curled up at Eli’s feet. He reached down and stroked his fur. “I guess that counts for something.”

  Anna brushed the back of her hand across his whiskered cheek. “It counts for a lot.”

  He reached up and caught her hand in his. Their gazes lingered. Something she couldn’t quite name hung, unspoken, between them, softening her heart. A sad smile played on his face in the dim lighting. “I can’t rest until I figure out what happened to my sister.”

  * * *

  After dinner Anna helped Mariam and Katie Mae clean up the dishes despite their protests that they didn’t need any help. Eli had run into town to make some phone calls. She tried not to think about everything that had transpired today. She just wanted a few minutes to quiet her mind. The routine of doing dishes provided that. When the dinner dishes were dried and put away, Mariam invited Anna to join her in the sitting room.

  Anna leaned back into the deep rocker and rested her scraped-up leg on a wooden footstool. She had cleaned the wounds out more thoroughly before dinner. Her knee throbbed a little from standing in the kitchen for so long, but other than that she figured she’d survive.

  Sitting across from her, Mariam picked up her embroidery. The even up and down of her hand as she worked the needle through the fabric was mesmerizing. The quiet ticking of the battery-powered clock filled the silence. This was such a different existence than the life she lived in Buffalo, where she often had the radio or television on for background noise.