by Alison Stone
Abram pushed back and stood. He slapped his palm on the table, his body shaking with rage. “Why do you bring this here and say it’s Mary’s? It could be any child’s.”
Mariam reached for the bag and pulled it toward her. “It is Mary’s.” Through the bag she traced the ragged gray stitching his little sister had taken great care with. And the initials his sister had stitched.
Abram picked up the chair and slammed the four legs down with one loud thud. “We must have faith in God. It is a fool’s errand to keep after this ten years later. We must forgive and move on.” Fear blended with his anger.
Katie Mae found her voice, albeit soft and tremulous. “Where did you find this?”
Eli stared at the white garment. “In Daniel Quinn’s apartment.”
“Anna’s brother hurt our Mary?” Katie Mae’s voice rose into a near screech. “Daniel was here. On our farm. Taking photographs.” Covering her face with her hands, she crumpled into soft sobs.
“I’m trying to figure it out.” Eli glanced toward the kitchen door, wondering if Anna could hear the conversation. “Anna is upstairs packing her things. I’ve arranged for Dominic to take her home. It will be better for everyone.”
Mariam folded her hands on top of the table. “We must have forgiveness in our hearts. We cannot blame her for her brother’s actions. She is hurting now.” The Amish’s ability to forgive was remarkable.
“Mem, she needs to go.” Eli rose and turned to find Anna standing in the doorway with her suitcase in hand. Pink rimmed her hazel eyes.
Katie Mae stood and approached Anna, her hands twisted in the folds of her dress. “I forgive your brother.”
Anna’s eyes grew wide and filled with tears. Her mouth opened, then snapped shut. Her knuckles whitened on the handle of the suitcase. “I’m sorry about Mary. But I don’t believe my brother did this. I think he was trying to help solve the case because he suspected—”
Eli gave her a curt nod, indicating he didn’t want her to say anymore.
Anna covered her mouth. “I am so sorry for your loss.”
Mariam sat at the table and nodded, a single tear trailing down her cheek. Abram stood silently in the corner. Both of his parents seemed transfixed by the child’s kapp in the center of the table.
Anna crossed the kitchen and stopped by the door, her back to them. Her shoulders rose and fell, her chestnut brown curls flowing down her back. Slowly, she turned around. “I know my brother could have never hurt your child.” She hiked her chin and drew in a shuddering breath. “I will keep you all in my prayers.”
She turned and left. The screen door closed with a resounding thwack. Eli forced himself to stay seated for a moment longer, knowing Dominic would keep her safe until he could go to her. For now, he had to be here for his family.
* * *
Anna stepped onto the porch, and the cool evening air hit her fiery cheeks. The whisper of doubt regarding her brother was going to kill her. How could she move forward if they never found the truth? Yet she knew Eli was right. She had to leave town for now. She took some consolation in knowing she’d return to her high school students. Her mind needed the distraction.
And finally, she could inter Daniel’s ashes next to their mother’s. She bit her lower lip and pushed the thought aside.
Filling her lungs with the fresh country air, she crossed the yard. She’d miss this place. Dominic opened the back door of his black SUV and Anna tossed her bag in. Her car was still at the shop getting the window replaced. She figured the car was ready, but Eli insisted she ride with—she flicked a glance at her chauffeur’s bulging biceps—the Hulk. Eli said he’d have someone drop her car off at her house in Buffalo in a few days. She held on to the small hope that someone would be Eli.
As she walked around to the passenger side, she heard Eli calling her name. She turned to see him jogging down the steps and across the lawn. Her mood buoyed.
Dominic climbed into the car and closed the door, presumably to give them privacy. Eli took Anna’s hands in his. “I’ll keep you posted.”
Pursing her lips, she nodded. “I hope you find the truth. I need to know my brother’s innocent.”
Eli squeezed her hands but didn’t say anything. Not exactly a ringing endorsement for her brother’s innocence. “It was great to meet you. I wish it had been under better circumstances.” His words seemed stilted.
“Is this goodbye?”
“I want to know you’re safe. I know Dominic will take care of you while I investigate things here.”
Anna’s gaze drifted to the cornfields behind him. Much of the corn had been harvested for feed. The scent of earth filled her nose. Finally finding her nerve, she leaned in and brushed a kiss across his smooth cheek. He smelled of soap and aftershave. “Goodbye, Eli,” she whispered in his ear.
He swept his thumb across the back of her hand. “Goodbye, Anna.”
FIFTEEN
With an unfocused gaze, Anna stared over the fields as Dominic pulled onto the road. Gently, with the pad of her finger, she traced the spot where Eli’s whiskers had brushed her face. If only they had met at a different time, under different circumstances, she might have finally been willing to let down her guard. To give someone a chance. Even someone in law enforcement. But as long as there was an inkling in Eli’s mind that her brother was guilty of hurting his sister, they’d never have a future.
The SUV crested the hill and eventually fields gave way to more frequent houses. Anna glanced at Dominic. He stared straight ahead. Unfortunately he wasn’t the chatty type. She could have used the distraction.
As they approached the center of Apple Creek, her cell phone rang. She pulled it out of her purse. Her brows furrowed. “Hello.”
The man on the other end of the phone cleared his throat. “Yeah, Anna. It’s Tom Hanson.”
“Hi, Tom.” She sensed his apprehension. “Is something wrong?”
“I hate to do this to you, but my aunt Beth, uh, Mrs. Christopher, is determined to get rid of your brother’s things. She told me to put it all out by the curb tonight.” A pounding started in the back of her head. A long pause floated across the line. “And tomorrow’s garbage pickup.”
Looking out the window, she realized they were driving farther out of town. A warning voice whispered in her head. Don’t lose what little connection you have to your big brother. “Any chance you can put the stuff in a corner of the garage for now?” She cut a sideways glance at Dominic. “I’m busy now.”
“My aunt’s pretty mad. I don’t want to lose my job over this.”
Anna worked her bottom lip. She sensed Dominic looking at her. “What’s wrong?” His deep voice startled her.
“Hold on,” she said into the phone. Turning to Dominic she said, “The Christophers are going to throw my brother’s things out.”
“Tell him to store them. Eli wants you out of Apple Creek.” Eli wants you out... Dominic’s words hurt more than they should have.
“Please, it will only take a minute.” She thought about her grandmother’s end table, and her brother’s photographs were like a window into his soul. What Mrs. Christopher considered junk were the only things she had left from her family.
When Dominic didn’t say anything, Anna put the phone back to her ear. “I’m not far. I’ll be there in a few minutes. Can you meet me at his apartment?”
“I’m here now. See you in a few.”
Anna tossed the phone into her purse. “Dominic, we need to make a quick detour.”
“No way. Eli told me to get you out of Apple Creek.”
“It will take five minutes. My brother’s apartment is just down the road. Turn around, please.”
Dominic huffed and slapped the steering wheel. When he slowed the vehicle and did a three-point turn in the middle of the road, Anna’s shoulders sag
ged. “Thank you.”
They drove back through Apple Creek toward Daniel’s garage apartment. She pointed to the house. “Turn in here.” The sun had set and long shadows gathered in the corners of the long driveway. “Pull around back and park near the steps. It should only take a few minutes to load up. Tom says he already put things in boxes.”
Dominic threw the gear into park. “If Eli gets wind of this, he’ll have my head.”
“He won’t ever know,” she said conspiratorially.
Dominic muttered under his breath, then pointed to the steps hugging one side of the garage. “Your brother’s apartment is up there?”
“Yes.”
“Okay.” Her bodyguard turned and glared at her. “You stay put. Stay inside the vehicle. Give me your cell phone.” She handed him her phone and he punched in a few numbers, programming his number directly into her cell. “Call me if you see anyone. Got it?”
Anna swallowed hard. Icy fear pricked her skin. All they were doing was picking up her brother’s things. So why did she suddenly feel like they were on a covert mission?
Tom appeared at the bottom of the steps. He waved them over. “You hear me?” Dominic said in a commanding voice. “Stay put. I’ll get your brother’s things.”
Dominic climbed out of the vehicle, then paused in the open doorway. “Take the keys. Just in case.”
Anna’s mouth grew dry. They were picking up a few things, she reminded herself. Just getting a few things. She hoped he remembered the end table and the framed photos. Leaning back against the cool leather of the seat, she tried to relax.
She watched as Dominic followed Tom up the steps. From her vantage point she could see them enter the apartment. A moment later, Dominic came out and put a box on the landing. He went back into the apartment. Anna tapped her fingers on the armrest of her door. She glanced down at her cell phone. Nervousness raked across her flesh when time seemed to stretch with no sign of Dominic or Tom.
She leaned forward. Where are you? Her fingers brushed against the handle, but Dominic’s stern warning whispered across her brain. Stay put. She stared at her cell phone and waited ten minutes before dialing Dominic’s phone number. No answer.
Her heart jackhammered. She glanced down at the keys in her hand. She could leave and go get Eli, but what about Dominic? She suddenly felt foolish. Dominic was probably helping Tom move something and couldn’t get to his phone. She waited a few more minutes then dialed his number again. Still no answer.
A whisper of dread made the fine hairs on the back of her neck stand at attention. She shook the phone in her hand, willing it to ring. Maybe she should call Eli. And tell him what? That she convinced Dominic to ignore his instructions? A new wave of apprehension washed over her. Even if she wanted to call Eli, he didn’t have cell phone reception at his parents’ home.
Despite the fluttering in her chest, she unlocked the passenger door and pulled the handle. The dome light snapped on, bathing her in stark white light. She tried to shake the fear pulsing through her veins. She slipped out of the car and closed the door with a quiet click.
The deep hum of something mechanized made her pause. The garage door rumbled open. A mixture of relief and apprehension twined up her spine. Maybe they had used the back entry to carry some stuff out through the garage. Anna walked around to the back of Dominic’s vehicle to pop the rear hatch. She was already out of the vehicle so she might as well help.
Soft steps crunched on the gravel driveway. She spun around to see Mrs. Christopher standing there with a sour expression on her face. Anna pressed a hand to her chest. “Oh, my goodness, you scared me. I’m picking up Daniel’s things right now. We’ll be out of your way shortly.” She hated the breathless quality of her voice.
Mrs. Christopher narrowed her gaze. “Come with me.”
Anna moved back around to the passenger door of Dominic’s vehicle, suddenly wishing she had taken his advice and stayed safely inside.
“No, over here.” Mrs. Christopher jaw clenched as she tilted her head toward the garage.
“I don’t understand. A friend of mine is helping Tom bring my brother’s things down.” She glanced toward the steps, willing Dominic to appear.
That’s when Anna saw the black object in Mrs. Christopher’s hand. Anna’s heart plummeted to her shoes. She blinked in confusion as she tried to process everything.
“Walk.”
“Where...?”
Mrs. Christopher jammed the gun against Anna’s rib cage. “The garage. Go.”
Anna’s gaze shifted to the stairs.
“No one is coming to help you,” the older woman said. “Get in the driver’s side.”
Anna’s eyes slid across the fancy sports car. “You want me to drive?”
Mrs. Christopher seemed mildly amused. “I can’t very well drive and keep an eye on you.” The way she waved the gun around made Anna wince. “Get in. I don’t have time for this nonsense.”
Anna did as she was told. She climbed into the driver’s seat and her knees hit the steering wheel. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Mrs. Christopher walk around the back of the car. She took that moment to slip her cell phone out, dial 9-1-1 and hide it under the front seat. Her heart beat wildly in her ears when Mrs. Christopher got in the passenger’s side.
“What were you doing?” The older woman’s blue eyes flashed rage.
Anna’s panicked thoughts mercifully tended toward survival. “I needed to adjust the seat. My knees....” She lifted her knee to bang against the steering wheel.
Silence stretched between them. Anna clenched her jaw. Mrs. Christopher leaned forward, keeping the gun trained on Anna. Please don’t let her find my phone. As if an answer to her prayer, Mrs. Christopher leaned back. “It’s the button on the side.”
Anna reached down with her left hand and found a few buttons. She raised, lowered and moved her seat, pretending to be clueless, but she really was buying time. Hoping Dominic would suddenly appear.
“Hurry. It’s time to go.”
Not wanting to tempt fate, Anna pushed a button to start the car. Gripping the gear stick, she put it in drive and drove out of the garage.
“Drive and don’t do anything stupid or—” she jerked her thumb toward the trunk “—you’re not the only one whose life is at stake.”
A horrible realization took hold. Had she somehow overpowered Dominic? As unreasonable as that seemed, a mental image of Dominic stuffed in the trunk came to mind. As she eased the car forward, she glanced around for Tom. No sign of him, either.
Her eyes dropped to the gun. With regret, Anna realized even if this crazy person was a bad shot, she had a pretty good chance of hitting her in this small space.
“Where are you taking me?”
“To get the answers you’ve been dying to get.”
SIXTEEN
“I’m taking you to the cabin. That’s where the problem began...and ends.” Mrs. Christopher sniffed.
“I don’t understand. Why me?” Anna tracked the gun out of the corner of her eye.
“It didn’t have to be this way. If only your brother had left well enough alone.”
“My brother’s dead. I bet you messed with his plane.”
Mrs. Christopher chuckled, low and slightly amused. “You highly overestimate my willingness to get my hands dirty. But, yes, I did arrange it. Once I learned he had photographs, I had to find them. And you and your boyfriend just wouldn’t quit.”
“You won’t get away with this. Eli will find you.” Please, Lord, let Eli find me in time. She prayed the sheriff’s office was tracking her 9-1-1 call on her cell phone neatly tucked under her seat. She only wished she had the time to tell the dispatcher her emergency. Please, please, please let them investigate the call.
Mrs. Christopher lowered the gun slightly an
d laughed. “No, he’ll be coming after Tom Hanson. Not me. I’m a well-respected member of Apple Creek.” She covered her mouth in mock surprise. “Your bodyguard never saw me. He didn’t know what hit him. And, oh, dear, someone stole my car. Tom—the black sheep of the family—never could be trusted.”
Mrs. Christopher sat up straighter in her seat. “Here, turn here.”
Anna slowed the vehicle and turned up the familiar narrow road leading to the cabin in the woods. The vehicle rocked over the deep ruts and Anna wondered if the sports car would make it without getting stuck. Her gaze shifted to the gun. She wished Mrs. Christopher would move her finger away from the trigger. One deep rut and it would all be over.
The large tree still blocked the road. Mrs. Christopher’s face was shrouded in shadows, but Anna suspected she hadn’t anticipated this obstacle. “Get out.”
Anna did as she was told. A breeze rustled the leaves, sending a whisper of dread across her goose-pimpled skin. Her gaze cut to Mrs. Christopher climbing out the other side. A momentary thought flashed through her mind. Run. She glanced down at her sandals, realizing she had a better chance of getting shot than getting away.
Dear Lord, let Eli find me in time.
Mrs. Christopher came up behind her and jabbed her in the back. Anna’s head bounced forward. “Stop stalling. Get moving.”
Moonlight poked through the branches. Maybe I should run. The gravel crunched under their unsteady steps. Mrs. Christopher wrapped her thin fingers more tightly around Anna’s forearm, as if reading her mind.
“What happened to Mary?” If this was it, Anna wanted answers.
“What are you talking about?” Mrs. Christopher squared her shoulders, seemingly indignant.
“That’s what this is all about, right? Something happened to Mary and the Christopher family wanted to pin it on my brother.” It was the most logical conclusion.
“My son Chase has been in trouble since the day he was born.” She pushed Anna forward again. “It only got worse after his father left.”