by Nancy Mehl
I was encouraged by what she said, but I still wondered. Did my father think the same thing about my mother before she left us? Would Levi’s feelings for me change when he got to know me better? When he realized how flawed I really was? My fear was that someday I would see disappointment in his face. That he would be sorry he married me.
“I still remember when you came to work here,” Lizzie continued. “You told me the very first day that you intended to marry Levi. Of course, poor Levi had no idea you’d set your cap for him.”
“It must have seemed silly to you.”
She smiled. “I guess it did. But after I got to know you, I realized you were the best thing that could ever happen to him. I’m so glad you two fell in love. You already feel like my sister, but when you marry Levi, we’ll be real family. Noah’s excited too. His brother’s been alone for a long time.”
“I know. Even though we both had to wait awhile, it was worth it.”
Lizzie chuckled. “You’re still young, Callie. You didn’t really wait that long.”
“Well, it seemed like forever to me.”
Lizzie’s eyes shone as she smiled at me.
“You know what? I understand exactly what you’re saying. I felt the same way about Noah. Like I waited an eternity for him. But now—”
“It feels like he’s been in your life forever?”
She nodded. “You’re going to make me cry, and if I go outside with tears on my cheeks, they’re liable to freeze on my face.”
I laughed. “You’d better get going before Noah comes back and drags you out.”
She let go of my hands and stood up. “You’re right.” She took off her apron and started toward the kitchen.
“Leave it here,” I said. “I’ll take care of it.”
She stopped and looked around the room. “I feel awful leaving this mess for you.”
“Don’t be silly. Cleaning up at the end of the day is my job. Besides, I kind of like being in the restaurant by myself.” A small meowing sound came from the stairs. Dora had come down to check on me. “Well, almost by myself.” She ran into the dining room, stopped, and slowly stretched. Then she meowed again, this time with more enthusiasm.
“I think she’s ready for dinner,” Lizzie said.
As if he’d been waiting for his friend, Prince’s plaintive mew came from the kitchen. “I guess they’re both ready,” I said with a chuckle.
Lizzie paused as she put on her outer garments. “This certainly has been a strange day. Frankly, I’m glad it’s almost over.”
“It won’t be over for me until Levi is home.”
“I’m sure he’ll be fine, but I’ll certainly feel a lot better when I know he’s been released.”
“Me too.”
“How are you doing upstairs?” Lizzie asked suddenly.
It took me a moment to readjust my worried thoughts to something positive. I managed a smile. “I love it, Lizzie. Your apartment is so cozy and relaxing. Thanks for letting me move in.”
She nodded. “Do you miss your house at all?”
I shook my head. “No. Selling it was the right thing to do. Papa was sick and sad for so long, I’m afraid it wasn’t a very cheerful place. He was never the same after Mama went away.”
“I understand,” Lizzie said, “and I’m so glad you like our apartment. I loved living here, but I’m much more content in our new house. Lots more room.” She snorted. “And a bathroom near the bedroom. A nice luxury.”
“Well, the apartment has plenty of room for me, and I don’t mind using the restaurant bathroom. To be honest, I think I’ll miss living here after Levi and I get married.”
Lizzie chuckled. “Trust me. Getting married and moving into your own house is much better.”
“I’m sure you’re right. We’re looking forward to living in Avery’s home. It needs some work, but it will be a great place for us to start our lives together. I just wish it was closer to the restaurant. It will take me a lot longer to get here than it does now.”
“To be honest, Callie, I’m not sure the elders will want you to work at the restaurant after you marry Levi. They’ll probably expect you to be available for church work.”
“I know. And I’ll do whatever they decide. But to be honest, I’d really miss coming here. I love my job.”
She smiled at me as she wrapped a thick winter scarf around her neck. The sound of an automobile horn spilt the silence.
“Noah’s getting antsy. I’d better go.” She put her hand on the doorknob. “Lock this door behind me, Callie. I’m sure you’ll be perfectly safe, but it’s smart to be cautious.”
Until that moment, it hadn’t occurred to me that I could be in any danger. A wave of doubt washed through me. But my concerns were silly and childish. The woman on the road wasn’t from Kingdom, and there was no proof the killer was anywhere within a hundred miles of our small town.
“I will,” I said, trying to sound braver than I felt. “And I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Okay. Good night.”
Lizzie stepped outside onto the porch and closed the door, but instead of leaving, she stared at me through the big front window. I got up and hurried to the front door, making a big show of locking it. Lizzie nodded and jogged down the stairs. Then she climbed up into the truck. I watched the truck turn around and drive away from town. I wondered how long the men from the KBI would be guarding the road. The thought that they might still be out there made me feel a little better.
I spent the next two hours feeding the cats and cleaning up. Before I finished, snowflakes began to fall, illuminated by the porch light outside our door. I made a cup of hot tea and took it upstairs to my cozy apartment. Dora and Prince followed behind me, their soft, padded feet silent on the stairs. I took down my hair and brushed it out. Then I changed into my nightgown and curled up on the couch. Prince found his favorite place on my lap, and his quiet purring brought me the first feeling of peace I’d had all day. I closed my eyes, sipped my tea, and was enjoying the quiet, when suddenly, a noise from downstairs cut through the silence. The previous sensation of serenity fled, and I jumped up, spilling Prince onto the floor. He meowed loudly in an effort to relate his dissatisfaction at being dumped without warning.
I eased toward the top of the stairs, my heart racing. Why did I agree to stay here by myself? The sound of a crash almost brought me to my knees. I was alone, with no way to get help. I turned and ran to the window, staring outside, but there was no one there. The streets of downtown Kingdom looked like a ghost town at night. I hurried back to the stairs and slowly began to close the door. It wasn’t much, but at least it would afford some protection. It was almost shut when something brushed against my leg, causing me to shriek. I twirled around and found myself looking at Dora, who was busy licking her paws, her mouth suspiciously white. If I could have found my voice, I would have scolded her. I pulled the door open and walked slowly down the stairs. As I suspected, a pitcher of cream was lying on the floor. I’d accidently missed putting it away when cleaning up. After retrieving it and wiping up the floor, I went back upstairs.
“You’re a rotten cat,” I said when I returned. Dora didn’t look the least bit repentant, and frankly, I was so relieved, I couldn’t be mean to her.
I got back on the couch and tried to reclaim the tranquility I’d felt earlier. Everything was fine. I should have felt completely safe, but now an undercurrent of alarm stirred inside me. The silent streets outside my window provided no reassurance. It was as if something dark and sinister lurked in the blackness. As I gazed out on the streets of our small town, I could swear I felt something staring back at me. Something evil.
Chapter / 6
Even though we’d picked up almost four inches of snow overnight, Tuesday morning started out busy and only got more frantic. The whole town was buzzing over the events of yesterday. I kept watching for Levi to show up, but by nine o’clock he still hadn’t come in. I began to worry that he hadn’t been released last night as promised.
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br /> Around nine-fifteen, Roger walked in the front door. After hanging up his jacket on the coatrack, he motioned to me. I filled Abel Bennett’s coffee cup and rushed over to him.
“Do you know anything about Levi?” I asked before greeting him.
“That’s why I’m here. I drove him back to the farm late last night. He asked me to tell you that he probably won’t be in until lunchtime.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Roger. I haven’t been able to think about anything else all morning.”
“I was afraid you’d be worrying.”
“I was. This situation is so upsetting.”
“We need to find out who did this and why they tried to implicate Levi. For the life of me, I can’t understand it.”
“Me either. Levi’s the last person who would be involved in something so horrible.”
Roger nodded. “I agree.”
“By the way, I’ve been wanting to tell you how nice I think you look in your uniform. You seem so . . . professional.”
He laughed lightly. “Well, it may take some time before I feel that way. Right now, I feel like a kid dressed up for Halloween.”
I just smiled. I’d heard a little about Halloween, but it wasn’t a holiday celebrated in Kingdom, so my knowledge on the subject was minuscule at best.
“Your pocket’s torn,” I said. “I’m surprised Mary let you out of the house like that.”
Roger glanced down at his uniform shirt. “I didn’t even notice.”
“She must not have seen it either. She’s the best seamstress I’ve ever known.”
“If the department had allowed it, I think she would have made my uniform herself.”
“That sounds like her. How is she? I haven’t seen her for a while.”
“She’s fine. Busy, but fine.”
“How are things with her parents?”
“All in all, very good,” he said. “We’ve been to their house a few times, and they’re scheduled to have dinner with us next week. Mary’s very happy to have them back in her life.”
“I’m so glad. I know this is something you’ve both been working on for a while.”
He sighed. “That’s true. It hasn’t been easy. For any of us. The Mennonite church has a way of getting into people’s heads and keeping them prisoner to outdated doctrines.”
I stared at him in surprise, not sure how to respond.
“I’m sorry, Callie,” he said, looking embarrassed. “I shouldn’t have said that.”
I waved his comment away. “It’s okay. I’m sure there’s truth in what you say, but the church in Kingdom is changing, Roger. Moving away from some of those teachings you might be thinking about.”
He nodded. “I’m sure that’s true. Again, I’m sorry. Sometimes I don’t think before I speak.”
“Don’t worry about it.” I pointed to his ripped pocket. “Can I mend that for you? It won’t take but a minute.”
He shook his head. “Thanks, but I’m sure Mary will take care of it tonight.” He glanced around the room. “I suppose everyone’s pretty upset by what’s happened.”
I shrugged. “I can’t blame them. The situation was already unsettling. But when those men took Levi with them, it only made it worse. For the most part, people in this town respect Levi. Unfortunately, there are a few who don’t think he should be our pastor. This just adds fuel to the fire.”
“I’m sorry.” Roger took off his hat and held it in his hands. “Levi’s a good man. I hate seeing him dragged into this thing.”
“Me too,” I said. “How about some breakfast?”
“That was the plan, but it looks like you’re full.”
At that very moment, Aaron Metcalf stood up from his table and walked to the cash register.
“Why don’t you grab Aaron’s table?” I told Roger. “I’ll get it cleaned as soon as I check him out.”
Roger nodded and hurried quickly toward the empty table before someone else grabbed it. I put the pitcher of coffee I was holding down on a nearby table and went to the cash register where Aaron waited.
“How are you, Callie?” Aaron asked as I stepped behind the counter.
“I’ve been better, Brother Metcalf. First we were faced with this awful murder, and now Levi has been pulled into it. It’s disturbing.”
Aaron nodded, his dark-brown eyes reflecting his concern. He ran his fingers through his thick blond hair before putting on his hat.
“I know this trial will pass,” he said. “We’ve weathered many storms in Kingdom. This is just one more. God won’t desert us.” He smiled reassuringly. “Levi will rise above this, Callie. Everyone knows he had nothing to do with that woman’s death.”
“Thank you for your words of encouragement,” I said, smiling at him. “They are appreciated.”
He tipped his hat and handed me his money. “They are sincere, Sister.”
As he left the restaurant I wondered if he would ever marry. Frankly, he seemed very content to live alone. Aaron was a very private person, even though he ran the general store. Lizzie told me once that there was something about his past he’d confessed to the previous elder board when he’d come to Kingdom, asking to live here. But whatever he’d said was kept secret. Although I’d been told that some churches required those caught in sin to reveal it before the entire congregation, here in Kingdom, those admitting to transgressions were allowed to do so in private. Our early leaders believed that in a town so small, it would be difficult, if not impossible, for a repentant sinner to feel free of his past if everyone knew about it. So anyone who felt the need to repent sought a meeting with the elders, and it was their job to counsel the convicted church member and pray with him to be released from the power of the devil. Confessed sin was never mentioned again—unless the sin continued or someone might be hurt by the actions of the supposedly repentant soul.
I worked hard all morning, trying not to worry about Levi. Finally, when it was almost noon, he walked in the front door. It took everything in me not to run to him, but I finished taking a lunch order from Harold Eberly and then joined Levi as he stood near the cash register.
“I’m so glad to see you,” I said, trying to keep my voice calm. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” His words were reassuring, but the look on his face betrayed him.
“Why don’t you sit down? I’ll get you something to eat.”
He nodded absentmindedly, gazing around the room. Several of our customers, all church members, stared back at him. I wanted to yell at them to mind their own business. To leave him alone. But of course I couldn’t do that. He was on his way to a table that had just emptied when Noah came out of the kitchen and spotted him.
“Levi!” he called loudly. “Thank God you’re back.”
As if Noah had opened the floodgates, other people began to react. Several told him they’d been praying for him. Relief washed through me, and I felt ashamed to think I’d believed the worst about my brothers and sisters instead of trusting their ability to love and support their pastor. Maybe everything would turn out all right after all.
When everyone returned to their tables, Noah ordered me to sit down and have lunch with Levi while he finished taking orders for me. Although at first I resisted, I was grateful for his offer.
“What time did you get home last night?” I asked Levi when we were alone.
“I don’t know. Sometime after eleven. I was so tired I could barely keep my eyes open. My mother and Marvin were waiting up for me. They’d been worried about me so we talked for a while. It was almost one in the morning before I got to bed.”
I reached for his hand. Although Levi is usually very hesitant about showing affection in public, he grasped my fingers and held them tightly.
“So what happened at the sheriff’s office?” I asked. “Was it . . . awful?”
He shook his head. “No, not really. They just kept asking me about the book. Where I left it. When I lost it.” He took a deep breath and let go of a shaky si
gh that seemed to come from somewhere deep inside him. “I just can’t remember, Callie. I know I had it at the church, but I wanted to take it home to study so I could use the story of Dirk Willems in one of my sermons. Somehow, between the church and home, it went missing.” He sighed again and ran his hand across his face. “Those men just kept hounding me with questions, but no matter how hard I tried, I simply couldn’t remember the last time I saw that book.”
All Mennonites knew the story of Brother Willems, a martyred Anabaptist. He was captured in 1569 and charged with betraying the beliefs of the official church in Holland. He escaped and could have gotten away, but the man chasing him across a frozen pond fell in when the ice beneath him broke. Brother Willems turned around and went back to save the life of his would-be captor. Because of his compassionate gesture, Brother Willems was rearrested. Though the man he saved begged officials to let Willems go free, church officials burned him at the stake. Even as his body was destroyed by flames, Willems refused to condemn the men who took his life. It’s a powerful story of love, forgiveness, and choices.
“Levi, could you have left the book in your buggy? Is it possible someone took it when you were in Washington?”
His eyes narrowed as he considered my question. Finally he shook his head. “I’m not sure. I’ve had so much on my mind, I just can’t remember.”
“But it could have happened?”
“Yes, it’s possible.” He took a deep breath and let it out. “Frankly, it would make me feel better to think someone from outside Kingdom did this. If it was someone I knew . . .”
“I feel the same way. This whole situation is terrible. I feel sorry for that poor woman, sorry for you, sorry for our town.”
He looked at me, his eyes shiny with tears. “The whole time they questioned me, I just kept thinking . . . why are we trying so hard to hang on to Kingdom? The idea was to create a safe place where our families could live without fear. Without the evil that is in the world. But I’m not sure anymore if it’s even possible.”
I grasped his hand tighter. “I know what you’re saying. I’ve wondered the same thing. Even Lizzie has questions, but in the end, she believes in Kingdom. She lived out in the world, and some of the stories I hear frighten me. Surely this place is better. Safer.”