Appleseed Creek Trilogy, Books 1-3

by Amanda Flower

  I placed my hand on the back of Grandfather Zook’s rocker. “Okay, okay, you two. I’m standing right here.”

  The hostess stand was only a few feet away. Ellie returned from seating an English couple and dropped a stack of menus into a holder on the side of the podium. The line to be seated was nearly to the front door. “Your table should be ready in one minute,” she said to the next couple. “They are bussing it now.”

  The couple thanked her, and Ellie caught sight of Tanisha and me standing by Grandfather Zook. “Chloe, I have been holding Joseph’s table for twenty minutes. What took you so long?”

  Tanisha raised her brow at me. With so many tourists and Amish in close eavesdropping range, I couldn’t really say anything about Jason, the box, or our conversation with Chief Rose. “We got held up. I’m sorry.”

  Ellie sniffed and placed her hands on either side of her hips. “Held up. This is an Englisch problem, I see.” She had on the same blue dress worn by all of the women on her staff—even the English ones—and a black apron with “Young’s Family Kitchen” embroidered on the hip pocket. Her steel gray hair was parted in the middle and tied back at the nape of her neck in the Amish style. “Who is this?” She nodded toward Tanisha.

  “Ellie, I’d like you to meet my good friend, Tanisha.”

  Ellie inspected Tanisha from head to toe.

  Tanisha shot me a nervous glance. I smiled back. Ellie could be pushy, but she was harmless.

  Ellie nodded as if she had decided something. “If you are a friend of Chloe’s, you are a friend of mine. You look a bit thin. I hope you came here to eat.”

  “I did. I’m starving. Chloe said that this was the only place to go.”

  Ellie nodded with satisfaction. “That is the truth.” Then it was my turn to be scrutinized. She watched me, curiously. “I heard you’ve made another unpleasant discovery. How are you holding up?”

  The last person I found in Katie’s condition was Ellie’s thirty-year-old son, Elijah. His death was only a month ago and I knew the pain was still raw for Ellie, as well as Uriah, Elijah’s identical twin. “I’m okay. How are you?”

  “It comes and goes. Gott gave me much work to do, which is a blessing. My mind wanders when my hands are still.”

  Thomas led Naomi by the hand. “Chloe, you came. We have been waiting.”

  “I know. Ellie just told me. I’m sorry to make you wait so long.”

  The seven-year-old shrugged. “Did you see the Christmas tree? It is so pretty.”

  Naomi clutched her doll in its new purple dress in her arms. “It sparkles.”

  “I wish Daed would let us have one.”

  Grandfather Zook shook his finger at his young grandson in mock scolding. “Oh no. You don’t go asking your daed that. I’ll be the one who is blamed for putting the idea in your head.”

  Thomas and Naomi giggled.

  I smiled at them. “I’d like you to meet my friend, Tanisha.”

  The two Troyer children smiled shyly at Tee. “You live in Italy,” Thomas said. “I showed my teacher where you lived on a map. It looks like a boot.”

  “That’s right,” Tanisha said.

  Movement over Tanisha’s shoulder caught my eye. Curt was watching us. My body clenched, and I turned my back to him. Do I tell the family about Curt’s presence here? Ellie knew his history with the Troyers and would certainly kick him out of Young’s if she recognized him. I took a deep breath, steeled myself, and spun back around.

  He was gone.

  Had I been hallucinating? Or should I go look for him to make sure he was really gone?

  Tanisha laughed at something that Grandfather Zook said and gave Naomi a hug.

  No. I would not let Curt ruin another moment for this family.

  “I’m starved,” I said. “Let’s go to the table.”

  “That’s what I’ve be trying to convince you to do for the last five minutes,” Ellie said. “Now, scoot with you.” She handed me a stack of menus. Tanisha helped Grandfather Zook up, and Thomas handed his grandfather his arm braces.

  I led the way into the dining room. The aroma of roast beef, yeasty bread, and cinnamon permeated the air. My stomach growled. I had been so caught up in finding Jason in the barn I had not realized that I was hungry until that very moment. Naomi and Thomas walked right behind me, followed by Tanisha and Grandfather Zook. Tourists stared at us as we made our way to the table Ellie always reserved for Grandfather Zook. I’m sure we were an unexpected sight—an elderly Amish man on metal braces, two Amish children, a red-headed English woman, and Tanisha with her wild curls and dark skin.

  Like an experienced waitress, I placed the menus on the table by the large window overlooking the snow-covered cornfield to the property’s west. When everyone was seated and studying their menus, I asked, “Where’s Ruth?”

  Grandfather Zook shook his head. “She didn’t want to come today. She wanted to stay back and help her mamm.”

  Ruth complained about chores constantly, so I found Grandfather Zook’s excuse hard to believe.

  Thomas pulled on my arm. “She’s sad because she can’t see Anna anymore.”

  I frowned. “I know.” More likely, that was the real reason Ruth hadn’t joined us. “Did Mr. and Mrs. Troyer stay back at the house because Ruth didn’t want to come?”

  Grandfather Zook rubbed a paper napkin back and forth across his mouth, mussing his beard. “Nee, my son-in-law wanted to visit his mother in Holmes County today. She hasn’t been well.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  A waitress in a Young’s uniform approached us. Tanisha let Grandfather Zook order for her, and he selected the meat trio. Tanisha rubbed her hands together. “It’s nice to have a break from pizza and pasta.”

  Thomas’s mouth fell open. “Tired of pizza? Becky made us a pizza a week ago and it was the best thing I’ve ever eaten. I could eat a whole one all by myself.”

  Grandfather Zook shook his teaspoon at Thomas. “Don’t let your mamm hear you say that. What about her roast turkey? You like that?”

  Thomas nodded, seriously considering Grandfather Zook’s alternative for the best food ever. “But the pizza has cheese on it.”

  “Mushrooms,” Naomi piped up.

  Grandfather Zook shook his head. “Of all the Englisch words, she knows mushrooms.”

  The little girl squeezed her doll tightly to her chest. From Tanisha’s expression, I guessed she wanted to stick Naomi in her pocket and take her home. Most people felt the same way about the little girl.

  Conscious of all the calories I’d taken in over the holidays, I opted for salad. While the family continued to discuss the merits of Becky’s pizza, I wove across the room to the salad bar. I pulled a plate from the stack inside the chilled case, and Becky sidled up to me with a square, two-tiered metal cart with salad refills.

  I piled shredded iceberg lettuce onto my plate. “You’re on salad bar duty today.”

  “Yes,” she said with a sigh. “No tips, but we all have to take our turn at it.” She switched out the coleslaw containers. “If you want to see Nathan Garner, he’s right over there.” She nodded toward a long table near the back wall. I counted heads—nearly twenty people sat there, all of them Amish. I recognized Nathan Garner from seeing him briefly at the Troyer barn the day Timothy and I found Katie. His dark, wavy hair was barely contained by the Amish bowl haircut, and a dimple just like his father’s appeared in his right cheek. On looks alone, I could see why Katie Lambright would agree to let him court her over Caleb. The young Amish man laughed at something the person next to him said and his dimple caught the light. His father, Levi Garner, sat at the head of the table laughing and joking with his guests.

  Becky placed the empty pickled beet tray on her metal cart and replaced it with a fresh one. “Nathan’s one of the most handsome boys in the district.”

/>   “Even more handsome than Aaron?”

  Becky blushed and ducked her head.

  I added broccoli to my salad. “Do they come here a lot?”

  “The Garners bring their family and those that work for them here every year on Second Christmas.”

  “It’s like a Christmas party?” I whispered back.

  As if he sensed my gaze, Nathan glanced in my direction. We made eye contact for a few seconds. He didn’t look particularly upset over Katie’s death. What did he think about the Englisch girl holding a spoonful of black olives over her plate at the salad bar? I might never know because the Amish were experts at hiding their emotions. That trait had taken some getting used to for me after living with Tanisha and the demonstrative Green family since I was fifteen. This aspect of the Amish reminded me of my father. Dad always hid how he really felt—except for his disappointment in me.

  Becky gripped the handles of the cart. “I’d better head back to the kitchen. We are out of diced ham and eggs. They are always favorite toppings.”

  “Stop by our table if you have a minute. Tanisha is here with us.”

  She promised she would. I moved further down the salad bar and contemplated my dressing options. The most popular in this area was the Amish-made sweet and sour, but I opted for ranch. Just like Tanisha needed a break from pizza, I needed a break from Amish food.

  Nathan stood up from the table and headed for the front of the restaurant. I set my salad on the bar and went after him. An English man stopped me and said, “You forgot your salad.”

  “I’ll grab it later,” I said.

  “She must really have to use the john,” he said to his companion.

  I reached the front of the restaurant in time to see Nathan walk down the long hallway toward the restrooms. Ellie led a couple to their table and muttered, “Where’s the fire?” as I passed her.

  The checker players were no longer in front of the Christmas tree as I hurried past. I caught up with Nathan at the door to the men’s room. “Nathan Garner?”

  He spun around. “Ya?”

  “I’m Chloe Humphrey. I was wondering if I could talk to you for a few minutes.”

  He pointed his thumb at the men’s room. “Now?”

  Heat rushed to my cheeks. “Whenever it is a good time for you.”

  “Now is not a gut time.”

  My face burned. “I’m so sorry.”

  He pushed on the door and half-turned his body. “What is it you wanted to ask me? Is it about furniture, if so you’d be better off asking my daed.”

  “It’s about Katie Lambright.”

  His hand slid from the door. “Are you the police?”

  “No.”

  “Then, I don’t have to talk to you.” Nathan’s skin went pale, as if he might be sick. “I can’t talk about Katie.”

  “I know this must be difficult, but it’s important I talk to you. I’m not the police but I’m working with Chief Rose to find out how Katie died.”

  The dimple receded into his cheek. “I already know how she died.”

  “How?”

  He pushed the door opened wide. The sound of the paper towel dispenser going on and off echoed into the hallway. “I don’t owe you an explanation. Leave me alone, Englischer.”

  “Should I ask Caleb my questions? Would he know what happened to her?”

  His eyes flashed. “Ya, he would know,” he paused. “Because he killed her.”

  The door to the men’s room slammed in my face. A heavyset English man cleared his throat behind me.

  “I’m sorry,” I murmured and stepped out of the way.

  Thomas ran down the hallway. “Chloe, there you are. Grandfather Zook sent me after you. He thought something was wrong when you didn’t come back to the table.”

  I ruffled his silky blond hair that felt like a baby-fine version of Timothy’s. “I’m fine. I need to go to the salad bar and pick up my plate.”

  “You haven’t gotten your salad yet?”

  I shook my head.

  He took my hand. “I will have to help you then because this is taking too long.”

  I let Thomas lead me back into the restaurant and to the salad bar but not before shooting a backward glance at the men’s room door.

  Chapter Nineteen

  The first salad I made, which had disappeared from the bar by time that I had gotten back there, was much healthier than the one Thomas helped me create. I believe he dumped the entire container of croutons onto my plate when I wasn’t looking. We reached the table just as the waitress placed the rest of the group’s meals in front of them.

  Tanisha was gap-mouthed when she saw the pieces of chicken, roast beef, and ham along with the green beans and mashed potatoes on her plate. She pulled her camera out of her bag. “I need a picture of this to show my friends in Italy.”

  Thomas pointed at his drum leg. “Take a photograph of mine. They will want to see it too.”

  Naomi, too, pointed at her plate.

  In the end, Tanisha took photographs of everyone’s plate for her friends back in Milan to enjoy. “They will love seeing real Amish home cooking. Most of them have never heard of the Amish before.”

  Thomas’s fork stopped halfway to his month. “They don’t know the Amish?”

  Tanisha cut into her roast beef. “There aren’t any Amish living in Europe.”

  Thomas seemed to consider this. “But most of the people I know are Amish.”

  Tanisha laughed. “That’s because you live here.”

  Grandfather Zook chuckled. “Let’s bow our heads and thank Gott for this, His beautiful meal.”

  Thomas sat between Tanisha and Grandfather Zook. He folded one hand into Tanisha’s slim brown one and the other into his grandfather’s white wrinkled one. I took Tanisha and Naomi’s hands and bowed my head too.

  Grandfather Zook said the prayer in English. “Gott, please bless this food we are about to receive to our bodies, and let us remember Your birthday every day, not just during Christmas. We pray for continued comfort for Katie Lambright’s family and friends. Amen.” He picked up a knife and fork and began cutting Naomi’s ham slice into tiny pieces. Thomas advised him where to make the cuts.

  Tanisha leaned toward me. “What took you so long over there? Couldn’t you decide between the crumbled blue cheese and the shredded cheddar?” She examined my plate. “I see you went for both.”

  “I saw one of the boys who courted Katie Lambright,” I whispered. “I wanted to talk to him.”

  Her eyes widened. “What did he say?”

  I placed my napkin on my lap. “He knows who killed her.”

  Tanisha jumped up in her seat, her hip hitting the underside of the table. I saved her water glass before it tipped over. Grandfather Zook and Naomi stared at Tanisha, while Thomas held the drumstick in his teeth, about to bite down.

  “Oops,” Tee said with a laugh.

  Thomas lowered the drumstick. “Did you get stung by a bee? I jumped like that when I was stung.” He leaned across the table. “It stung me in the behind when I was going down the slide.”

  Grandfather Zook chuckled. “There are no bees this time of year. Maybe it was a spider.” He lowered his voice. “Don’t tell Ellie I said that. She’d chase me with a wooden spoon if she thought I told folks there were pests in her place.”

  “No bees or spiders. I’m fine.” Tanisha insisted.

  Thomas squinted at her as if he wasn’t quite buying her story.

  Tanisha gave me a desperate glance.

  Thankfully, Becky approached the table. “Is everyone having a good meal?”

  Thomas nodded. “Tanisha got bitten by a spider.”

  Becky took a step back from the table. “Did you kill it?”

  “There wasn’t a spider,” I said.

  Thomas shook his h
ead and mouthed “spider” at his older sister. Then he held out his hands as if to say the spider was roughly the size of a Chihuahua.

  Becky backed farther away from the table. “I’ll just return to the kitchen, then. I’ll see you later tonight, Tanisha.”

  Grandfather Zook pointed his fork at his grandson. “Thomas, you know your sister does not like spiders.”

  “She doesn’t?” Thomas asked in an innocent voice.

  Naomi pulled on my sleeve, and I bent my head toward her. “What is it?”

  “He stares,” she whispered.

  I straightened up and noticed Curt two tables away, watching us. A chicken dinner sat in front of him, but it didn’t look like he had taken a single bite.

  I dropped my gaze. I hadn’t been imagining Curt’s presence. He was here. Did Becky know? How could I convince him to leave without making a scene in Ellie’s restaurant?

  A waitress, thankfully not Becky, stopped at Curt’s table. He said something to her and she nodded. Their exchange seemed pleasant enough. Maybe he didn’t plan to make trouble, but his presence made trouble for me, no matter his intention.

  The waitress returned a minute later with a to-go box and his check. Curt packed up his uneaten meal, placed a stack of bills on the table, and left.

  Tanisha pulled on my sleeve. “Tell me again what this guy said.”

  Guy? Curt? I blinked at her. No. She referred to Nathan. “Later,” I whispered.

  Tanisha nodded and turned her attention back to Grandfather Zook and the children.

  When we finished eating, I looked across the room, but the Garner table stood empty. Two young Amish women removed the dirty glasses and dishes from its surface. When had they left?

  “Now, can you tell me?” Tanisha whispered as we followed Grandfather Zook, Thomas, and Naomi across the dining room.

  I leaned toward her, my voice low. “He said his rival for Katie murdered her, but considering the source, it could just be his jealousy talking.”

  Tanisha’s eyes sparkled. “Let’s go talk to him.” She was really getting into this sleuthing thing. “We can decide whether or not he’s lying. You ask the questions, and I will put on my liar glare.”