by Marta Perry
Slowly, her fear subsided and her common sense returned. If they wished her harm, they would come to the school, for it must be obvious she was alone. Instead, they’d merely watched from a distance and left.
Perhaps they hadn’t been watching the school at all. Perhaps they had merely been resting, and only happened to stand up while she was looking.
Reassured by her logical explanations, Lena gathered her courage and went downstairs. She grabbed her cloak, wrapped herself in it and hurried down the path to the covered bridge. When she reached the far side, she paused in the shadows to check the edge of the woods. Nothing moved. She left the safety of the bridge and hurried along the road, but couldn’t help glancing over her shoulder numerous times until she reached Clara’s farm. Only then did she feel safe.
Clara Jenkins was a teacher in the township’s public school. Sometimes Lena envied the fact that Clara had only one grade to teach instead of eight. Clara’s husband had worked at a local sawmill, but he, like many others, had been laid off when the mill went bankrupt. For now, the couple was scraping by on Clara’s salary. Lena helped her friends by bringing them fresh produce from the garden and fresh baked goodies from her kitchen. When she refused to take any money, Clara began loaning her books.
“Honey, what’s the matter?” Clara was standing in the yard shaking out a throw rug.
Lena stopped and drew a deep breath. She held out the books. “Nothing’s wrong. I’m just in a rush to get home, and I wanted to drop these by first.”
Her friend smiled and came to the white rail fence that bordered her yard. “Did you finish them already? They aren’t due back to the library until next week.”
“I finished one of them, but I decided to return them all. You know my church does not allow us to read such books.”
Clara’s smile faded. Deep concern filled her dark eyes. “Did someone catch you with them? I’m so sorry if I got you in trouble.”
Shaking her head, Lena said, “No one saw them. I realized that it’s important to follow all the rules of my faith rather than just the ones that are easy for me.”
“But you haven’t been baptized. You aren’t bound by those rules yet.”
“I will be baptized one day soon. I need to know in my heart that I’m ready to accept the path God asks me to travel.”
“When you say it like that, I see your point. However, I’m going to miss discussing them with you.”
Lena grasped Clara’s hand. “We will find new things to talk about. You are not my friend only because you loan me books. Has Brad found a job yet?”
She shook her head. “He’s been everywhere within a fifty-mile radius and hasn’t had any luck. Lately, I’m starting to worry. It’s like he’s given up. All he’s doing this week is hanging out with some high school friends who’ve been laid off, too. I guess everyone is struggling.”
“God will smile on Brad’s efforts, I’m sure of it.”
“I hope you’re right. Let’s not talk about our hard luck. What’s new with you?”
Lena considered telling her about the dead deer and the men watching the school, but decided against it. Clara was her friend, but still an outsider. It was better to talk about ordinary things. “I have a new student. Her name is Ruby Bowman and she is mute. She and her father recently moved here.”
“Mute, but not deaf?”
“Ja. Her hearing is fine. Her father said she hasn’t spoken since her mother died. I’m afraid she’s going to be a handful to teach.”
Clara playfully punched Lena’s shoulder. “You’re up to the task. You’re a natural-born teacher. So the father is a widower. How interesting. Is he good-looking?”
Lena folded her arms and managed a mock glare. “That has nothing to do with his daughter’s ability to learn.”
“He is good-looking! Ah, I smell romance in the air.” Smiling brightly, Clara rubbed her hands together.
“Don’t be ridiculous. You’ve been reading too many of those books. I only met the man today.”
“Love can happen in a single glance. I knew the first time I saw Brad that he was the one.”
Lena took a step closer and lowered her voice. “Did you? How could you be so sure without knowing what kind of man he was?”
“People will say it’s crazy, but I knew because when he looked at me…I went all jittery inside.”
“Like nervous butterflies in your stomach, only worse?”
“Yes!”
Lena shook her head. “It has to be more than that. Love can only come after knowing a man for many months, even years.”
Clara smiled. “Oh, I agree that love must grow over the years in order to be the real thing, but sometimes it starts with a sparkling glance. So what’s his name?”
“Who?” Lena pretended ignorance.
“Don’t give me that. You know who I mean. The man that makes you jittery inside when he looks at you.”
“I don’t know anyone like that.”
“Play coy, it won’t matter. Let me rephrase my question. What is Ruby’s father’s name?”
“Isaac. Isaac Bowman.” The name rolled off Lena’s tongue easily and brought a tiny smile to her lips. She quickly suppressed it. Clearly, she was the one who’d been reading too many books. No wonder her church discouraged such things.
Isaac Bowman might also be a poacher. Taking two steps back, she said, “I should get home. Goodbye, Clara.”
Leaving was the only way to avoid further questions from her friend.
On her way home, Lena looked back only once to see if she was being followed, and saw no one. Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being watched.
CHAPTER FOUR
TWO DAYS LATER, Isaac stood in the doorway of John Miller’s office located at the back of his furniture store and factory. The familiar odors of fresh cut wood, varnish and lemon-scented wax filled Isaac with a desire to pick up his tools and get to work.
John sat behind a large metal desk with a heavy ledger open in front of him. Isaac was surprised by how much his cousin had aged in the few years since they had seen each other. Worry lines creased his forehead and frown lines bracketed his mouth.
“Am I interrupting?” Isaac asked.
John looked up from his accounts. “Isaac! I wasn’t expecting you until next month.”
“When the landlord you found for me wrote to say the house was ready, I decided to come early.”
John closed the ledger, slipped it into the drawer and rose to his feet. He extended his hand. “It’s mighty gut to see you, early or not.”
Returning his hearty handshake, Isaac grinned. “I was wondering if I might set up shop today? I don’t need much room. Just enough for my tools and a workbench.”
“I have more than enough room for you here. We are not so busy as we once were before the local mill closed. Now we must get our wood from farther away. The price of shipping goes up and my profits go down.”
Isaac frowned. “I hope my being here won’t make things harder for you.”
John shook his head. “You are family. There is no hardship in helping someone in need, especially if they are family. Besides, your mother tells me your skill as a master wood-carver has brought you much business. I’m hoping the folks who come to buy your work will also buy some of mine.”
Isaac smiled. “That is my hope, as well.”
John sat down at his desk again. “Make yourself at home and start work as soon as you w
ant.”
“Gut. I have orders for two fireplace mantels and four corbels that need to be shipped by early next week. How does the bishop here feel about using the internet for our businesses?”
“I have an Englische woman who takes our phone and internet orders and posts pictures of our pieces to a website that she runs for me. The bishop has no objection as long as it is handled by her and not by my Amish employees. Where is Ruby?”
“At school.”
“Is she better? Your wife’s death was sad business.”
Isaac’s throat tightened. Even now he found it hard to talk about the tragedy. “Ruby still doesn’t speak, but I think she will do well in her new school. The teacher seems to have a gift for helping her fit in.”
“You’ve met Lena Troyer?”
“Ja, I took Ruby to school the day before yesterday and spent the day there.”
John crossed his arms over his chest. “I haven’t had a chance to tell Lena you were coming. Was she upset?”
“She was surprised, but she took it in stride.” Isaac was pleased with the way she had handled his daughter. He felt comfortable knowing Ruby would be under her care.
John’s scowl deepened. “Lena was not my first choice for our teacher. She is much too lax with the children. They need discipline at school as well as at home. Let me know if you feel she isn’t doing her job. I have someone else in mind for the position, if need be.”
Isaac kept silent. If Lena lost her job, it wouldn’t be from something he said.
The outside door of the shop opened just then and two men in suits entered. John’s face paled when he saw them.
Isaac sensed his cousin’s alarm. “John, who are they?”
“Moneylenders come for their pound of flesh.”
Shocked, Isaac asked, “Is your business in such dire straits?”
He pulled himself up straight. “It was, but I have collected some outstanding debts, and I will be fine now. Excuse me, cousin. I must speak to these men privately.”
Isaac left John with his unwelcome visitors and went outside for his tools. A group of tourists were busy snapping pictures of his horse and buggy tied up in front of the store. He kept his face turned away and held up his hand to signal that he didn’t want them taking his photograph. The group immediately lowered their cameras and moved off.
A voice behind Isaac said, “They’re a polite bunch for outsiders. Don’t turn around, brother. I’d rather we aren’t seen together.”
Surprised by the odd request from someone he wasn’t expecting to see, Isaac pulled his tool chest from the back of the buggy without looking at his youngest brother. “I didn’t know you planned to be in Mount Hope, Samuel.”
“I didn’t. When I suggested that you move here, I had no idea I’d be coming, too. But I go where the action is, and right now the action is here. How’s Ruby?”
After glancing about to see who was near, Isaac moved to his horse and lifted her front foot as if to check her shoe. “Ruby is much the same. I take it this is not a social visit?”
“Nope. Just business.”
“It is dangerous business you do, Samuel. You must take care.” Isaac lowered his mare’s foot and patted her shoulder.
“Always.”
Isaac glanced toward their cousin’s business. “Does John know you are in town?”
“No. I doubt he’d recognize me, but I’d rather he didn’t know. The fewer people who do, the safer I’ll be.”
Isaac adjusted a strap on Sophie’s headstall. “I understand, but I don’t like it.”
“I don’t like it, either, but this is the way it has to be for now. Don’t go out late at night, big brother. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt.”
Isaac heard a door open, followed by the musical chime of a bell that belonged to the hardware store next to John’s business. A cigarette butt was flung between Isaac’s boots, followed by harsh laughter. The sound of footsteps faded away. He stepped on the butt to put out the smoldering end. Only then did he look to see where his brother had gone.
Samuel had joined two other men Isaac had never seen before. His brother was right about one thing. Isaac doubted John would recognize him. Samuel was dressed in faded jeans and a gray corduroy jacket, his hair long and shaggy beneath a red ball cap. A short dark beard and mustache altered the look of his face. If Isaac hadn’t heard Samuel speak, he might not have recognized him, either.
The three men got into a late-model pickup and drove out of town. Isaac watched them leave with a heavy heart. Samuel had left the Amish faith instead of choosing to be baptized. His decision had shocked and saddened the family. What had he gotten himself into now?
* * *
“TEACHER, TEACHER, my brother and me seen another deer with its head cut off.” Eli Miller’s breathless announcement made everyone in the school turn to look in his direction.
It was the third such occurrence in the past week. When would it end? When the last buck had been slaughtered? Lena had no idea if Goliath was still among the living. She hadn’t seen him since the poaching started, and she still didn’t know who was responsible. Was it Isaac?
Eli ran up the center aisle with his twin brother, Marvin, close on his heels. They were seventh-grade students and overly eager to be done with schooling. Lena scowled at them. “That is not how we enter the school building. Take your seats. You are both tardy.”
“We had to stop and check if the poachers were still about,” Marvin declared.
“Did you see them?” Katie asked. “I heard shooting again last night. That’s the third time this week. I don’t know how anyone can hunt in the dark.”
Eli slid into his seat. “My dad works with Isaac Bowman in John Miller’s shop. Isaac told my dad that they use spotlights. The deer just freeze when a bright light hits them, and it’s like shooting fish in a barrel.”
Lena remembered the bright light in the woods and the sound of gunfire the first night she’d seen Isaac. Once again she thought it was odd how much Ruby’s father knew about poaching. Was it merely a coincidence that his arrival had coincided with the start of these activities?
Daily, he’d been bringing Ruby to school and staying briefly to chat. Lena wasn’t sure what to make of his behavior. Surely he could see Ruby was settling in.
She glanced at the child. Like the rest of the students, Ruby was staring at Eli and hanging on his every word. Did she know anything about her father’s activities at night? Lena tried to think of a way to phrase the question without having it sound like an accusation, but nothing came to her.
If Isaac was involved in something illegal, Lena realized there was little she could do about it. Her only acceptable option would be to tell the bishop of her suspicions. But suspicions were not proof of wrongdoing. If she had proof, that would be another story. Even then, nothing was likely to be done. Isaac had not yet joined their church. The bishop had no authority over him.
To go outside of the church and inform the local Englische authorities would only get her in hot water with her family and the bishop. Such a thing was not done unless the church elders made the decision. Lena couldn’t see them putting the lives of a few deer ahead of the deeply held Amish belief that they must live separate from the world.
If these crimes were to be reported, it would have to be by someone from outside the Amish community.
There were only a few Englische families in this rural and predominately Amish part of Ohio. Most of them lived in t
he nearby towns. Lena considered telling Clara about the poaching and asking her to report it, but decided against confiding in her friend. Clara had enough troubles of her own. The last thing Lena wanted to do was add to them.
The obvious choice was to speak with Wilfred Cummings about what she had seen. It was on his land that deer were being poached. It seemed strange that a man who disliked hunting of any kind would ignore gunfire on his property at night, but maybe his advanced age or his recent stroke had robbed him of his hearing. Perhaps he had already informed the authorities and an investigation was under way. She prayed it was so.
Eli gave a huge sigh. “I hope the poachers leave some deer for my daad to hunt. Mamm makes wonderful venison stew.”
Marvin folded his arms tightly. “If I see them, I’m going to tell them to go hunt someplace else.”
Lena immediately dismissed her concerns about reporting the crimes, and focused on her responsibilities to the children. “If you see them, Marvin, you are not to speak to them. I want all of you to be especially careful coming to and from school. I don’t want anyone taking shortcuts through the woods, and I certainly don’t want anyone going to look for these men. They may be dangerous.”
The obstinate set of Marvin’s chin drooped. “You sound like my mamm.”
Lena leveled a stern look in his direction. “Your mother is a wise woman, and is to be obeyed. Shall I mention this conversation to her?”
Marvin sank a little lower in his seat. “No.”
“All right, enough about poachers. It’s time for school to begin.”
Lena opened her Bible and began the day as always. When she was finished reading and prayers were over, the students filed to the front of the room and lined up to sing some of their favorite English songs. Ruby stood with the other children in her class and mouthed the words, but no sound emerged from her throat. After the singing, the classes began to work quietly on their assignments.