He was still too far away to know for certain what the apparent argument was about, and it wasn’t possible for him to hear their conversation. Hiram remained hidden from their view, thanks to the many trees that lined the long driveway that led out to the main road. Before he was able to get any closer, the Englischer picked up a bag from the back of Hiram’s buggy and took off walking down the road.
Hiram held back for a moment now that Levi was no longer in any immediate danger. He watched the young mann unload the remaining produce onto the stand as though nothing had happened. Had the Englischer been the same mann that Hiram had heard talking to Levi earlier that morning in the barn? He decided to slow his pace more than was necessary to allow the Englischer time to walk down the road and out of sight, and to allow Levi a little space before he approached him.
Levi picked up the cell phone that Bruce had tossed at his feet. Bruce had warned him to answer it when he called tomorrow, but Levi had no intention of doing that. Levi intended only to carry out his own plans for a change. A plan that would put him on a Greyhound bus back to Ohio in search of the aunt he’d never known. Rachel had told him about her, explaining to him that Abby had found the woman a few years ago when she visited the area. Levi knew the woman’s name and general location, and that was good enough for him. He prayed that she would take him in like she’d done for Abby until she got a job and her own place. If he had a relative that kind, he would do everything he had to in order to make his life right. He was prepared to do whatever it took to turn his back on the life of crime his dad had forced him into. With the fact that he was about to turn eighteen, he knew that he could be put in jail the way Bruce had so many times. Levi’s belief was that there wasn’t anything in this world worth going to jail for.
Levi shoved the cell phone in his pocket as Hiram came into view. He was still several yards away, but he instinctively looked up the road to be sure Bruce was no longer visible. Relived at not seeing him, he greeted Hiram cheerfully.
Chapter 29
Hiram decided to give Levi time to tell him about the strange visit from the Englischer when he was ready. He’d suspected something was amiss, but when he’d gotten confirmation that there was indeed a Levi Schrock from the Ohio community, he’d thought the young mann had told him the truth. But after overhearing part of a disturbing conversation between Levi and the Englischer earlier, Hiram decided to take a second look at the records he’d received from the Bishop in Ohio. He’d noticed inconsistencies with Levi’s story, and now, his confrontation with the Englischer confused Hiram. So had the part of Levi’s story about living in town with only his daed, and having no mamm or siblings. According to the records from that community, Levi Schrock was one of the youngest of nine kinner, and both his parents resided in the haus.
Hiram trusted Levi to come to him with the truth in his own time, and so he let the matter drop for the time being. He’d watched Levi from the window since he’d become ill, and he was a hard worker. He’d always proved he could be trusted. But there was one thing that nagged at the back of Hiram’s mind.
Was Levi an Englischer?
****
Levi cleared his throat nervously several times, pacing the length of the dock, waiting for Rachel. His palms were drenched with nervous sweat, and his heart raced to the rhythm of the cricket’s fast song. He’d rehearsed his speech several times on the way to his meeting with her, so he knew exactly what he wanted to say. It would be those first few words that would be the toughest to speak, but he was determined to see it through, even if it meant he would lose her. He would rather lose her in the truth than keep her in his web of lies.
“Do you always pace nervously when you’re waiting on me, Levi?”
His heart sped up at the sight of her. She’d left her hair down, and she’d never been more beautiful than she was now. Rachel closed the space between them and lifted her head to press her lips to his. He tasted the sweetness of her lips. Did he have the right to kiss her one last time? Or should he stop her before they got lost in the moment? He would give almost anything right now if he didn’t have to break the news to her, but he’d prayed all afternoon that his announcement would not break her heart. He wasn’t certain he could live with himself if he hurt her in any way. He loved her, that he knew, and holding her was only going to make things harder on both of them.
Rachel dropped her arms to her sides and stopped kissing him. “You’re doing it again.”
Levi looked at her quizzically.
“The other day I felt you pulling away from me, and now I feel it again. Is there something wrong? Have you changed your mind about me?”
Levi swallowed the lump in his throat. This was going to be harder than he thought. He didn’t want her thinking he was rejecting her. There was no turning back now. She’d given him the out, and now he had to take it.
“Levi, what’s wrong? You can tell me.”
He took a deep breath and let it out, turning toward the pond and looking out over the expanse of the calm water. The surface was so smooth it looked like glass in the reflection of the moonlight.
“That’s part of what’s wrong.”
“What’s part of it?” Rachel interrupted.
She is not going to make this easy, is she?
“My name is not Levi Schrock, and I’m not Amish.”
Rachel smiled, thinking she’d play along with his joke. “Then who are you?”
He cleared his throat. “My real name is Blake Monroe and I’m English—an Englischer.”
Tears filled Rachel’s eyes and she backed away from him. “If you’re an Englischer, why did you come here pretending to be Amish? Did you think that was the only way you would be hired to work on the farm? We have plenty of Englischers who work with us during harvest season and they assist with barn-raisings. Are you mocking us?”
She was not going to make this easy for him. He’d expected nothing less, so he pressed on. He was shaking, but he needed to press through before he lost his nerve.
“Bruce, my dad, sent me here to get something from your sister Abby, my cousin.”
Rachel’s eyes grew wide. “You’re Abby’s cousin? I kissed you!”
Blake tried to comfort her, but she pulled away.
“You and I are not related. Only Abby and I are because our dads were brothers. She is your half-sister.”
Rachel moved to the end of the dock and sat down, inviting Blake to join her. “I don’t understand. Why wouldn’t you just ask your cousin for help instead of going through all this trouble to try and fool us? I feel humiliated. Do you even like me, or is that a lie too?”
Blake turned to her. He wanted to kiss her pouty mouth so badly. He wished he could wipe her tears away. Knowing he’d caused them made his heart sink.
“Of course my feelings for you are real. I love you, Rachel. Nothing will ever change that.”
She looked over at him. She could see the sincerity in his eyes. She loved him too, and she owed it to him to listen to his reasons. Rachel leaned her head on his shoulder. He let out a sigh of relief and continued his story.
“Bruce had the idea that if I could come here and work as a hired-hand, that I could keep him at the local motel while I worked on getting information out of Abby. He thought she might be more inclined to spill her guts to a total stranger before talking to someone who was related to her real dad. We’d heard she never knew him and that her mother—your mother—had run from him before she gave birth to your sister.”
“Jah, that’s all true, as far as I know. But since she never met her real dad before he died, why is it so important for you to get information about your daed’s brother from Abby? She never knew him.”
Blake put his arm around Rachel. “I thought as much and told Bruce that was probably the case, but he gets all riled up when he drinks. He’s not been a good parent to me. He’s been a poor example—teaching me to lie and to steal since I was real little. I’ve prayed a lot and asked forgiveness, but I need to know
that you forgive me too.”
“That depends.”
Blake held his breath for a moment. “On what?”
“Do you want to become Amish? Do you plan on joining the church?’
Blake sighed loudly. “I’d like nothing more, but I don’t think Bruce is going to be too willing to just let me stay here. What happens when your grandfather and the rest of the community finds out I’ve been lying to them?”
Rachel smiled warmly. “I told you. We are a peaceful and forgiving people. Occasionally we have a trouble-maker in the bunch, but that is true with any group of people. They will forgive you and welcome you the same as they do now.”
Chapter 30
Rachel sat quietly next to Blake. She hadn’t really answered him, and she knew he was waiting. Part of her was hurt that he’d not trusted her with the truth. Another part was angry over being lied to and made a fool of. But most of her loved him.
“It is the way of our people to forgive. But that doesn’t mean I will stand by and let you lie to me again.”
Blake’s heart fluttered happily. He was forgiven, but he would do everything to earn back her trust.
“Thank you. It means everything to me that you forgive me.”
“I’m curious about something. Is your daed mean to you, Lev--Blake?”
His real name sounded strange coming from her lips. Blake swallowed hard as he nodded. He was embarrassed by his answer, but Rachel deserved to know the whole story. “He forced me to steal and threatened me that if I didn’t get his important papers from Abby, I was going to pay. How can I go back to him empty-handed? I’m afraid my only choice is to leave here and find a safe place where he won’t know where I am. I will have to start a new life there, but at least I won’t have to live a life of crime anymore.”
“What if you make him think you’re leaving here? Then you can stay here after telling him some odd destination. Would he fall for such a trick?”
Blake played with her hair that hung down her back. “He might. But he threatened to come here and tell you and your grandfather everything if I don’t bring him what he wants.”
“What does he want?”
“It’s not important. Your sister obviously never knew anything about Eddie Monroe.”
Rachel looked up at him. “Is that the only reason you’re telling me the truth now? Because your daed threatened to tell me?”
“No!” Blake bravely touched his lips to hers.
“I’ve wanted to tell you since the first time I met you at the bakery. All this lying has given me an ulcer.”
Blake found no reason to tell her about the money. It was not an issue and would only worry her. He’d told her the most important thing, and that was his true identity. He’d already made the mistake of saying too much to Abby the first time he’d met her at dinner a month ago. Had he only been in the community a month? It had felt like a lifetime.
“It seems like a lot of trouble to go through just for some papers about his own brother. Was it his Will?”
Blake shook his head. “Something like that. Eddie supposedly left some important papers behind, and Bruce thought he might have given them to Abby before he died.”
“The only thing he had with him when he died was a copy of a children’s book. The Velveteen Rabbit. Eddie’s half-sister was given his personal effects when he died. She gave the book to Abby a while back when she visited her in Ohio.”
Blake sighed. “Well I guess that settles it then. Bruce will have to go back to Ohio empty-handed. A children’s book would be of no use to him. He isn’t going to be happy about this. I’m going to have to be very convincing if I want to make him think I’m leaving Indiana too. I like the idea of staying here, but only if your grandfather will let me continue to work for him.”
“I’m sure you won’t have to worry about that. I must say, mei grossdaddi is really quite a clever mann, and I have to wonder why he hasn’t already figured all of this out for himself. Must be because he’s been ill.”
Blake shook a little. “Do you really think he might suspect me? I wondered if he’d overheard my conversation with Bruce this morning in the barn.”
Rachel gasped. “Bruce was here? He was in mei grossdaddi’s barn?”
“He spent the night in there last night. Quite possibly more than one night. He’s lucky he didn’t get caught. Would your grandfather be the type to call the police?”
Rachel giggled. “Nee. He would probably invite him in the haus for a glass of lemonade.”
Blake shook at the thought of it. “That wouldn’t be a wise thing to do. Bruce can get a little rough when he’s been drinking.”
“He wouldn’t hurt him would he?” Rachel sounded worried.
“He’s bloodied up my lip a few times, but I don’t think he’s capable of violence. At least I would hope not. But there is no telling what a man is capable of when his thinking is altered with whiskey.”
The two of them stood up, and Blake pulled her into his arms. He was happier than he’d ever been, but there was still a big hurdle he had to clear before his life would be at peace.
Chapter 31
Bruce struggled to get Rachel into the back of the buggy. It wasn’t easy with her hands and feet bound. Her whimpering was getting on his nerves.
“I guess your boyfriend didn’t tell you he had a daddy, did he?”
Rachel leered at him with tear-filled eyes. She was angry. Bruce could see it in her eyes. He closed the buggy door and sat in the driver’s seat. He pulled on the reins, surprised at how easily the horse obeyed. When he pulled onto the main road, he looked back at Rachel to make sure she was paying attention to him.
“That’s right. Your boyfriend came here pretending to be Amish so he could get his hands on the map my brother left to your sister, so we could be rich. You see, right before my brother died, we stole the largest amount of money we’d ever stolen. He was going to stash the money away, and we were going to sit for a while and let the heat cool down before we went back and collected it so we could start spending it. But he crashed your mom’s car and died before he could get back with the map. My brother promised me he’d make a map that would mark the money’s hiding place. Did my son tell you about the million dollars?”
Rachel’s heart sank. Levi—Blake had not told her about a map or a million dollars of stolen money. She’d been such a fool to think he loved her. He only wanted the money—the money he expected Abby to find for him. If she’d had a map from Eddie, she would have said so before now.
Unless she doesn’t know she has it! What if it’s in the book somewhere? It could be hidden. But how can I tell this mann with tape on my mouth?
Bruce steered the horse down Main Street toward the motel. “I bet you didn’t know your boyfriend is a thief and a liar. He’s quite good at it. He stole the Amish clothes so he could fool all of you into thinking he was just like you. Of course, it was my idea to make him go in under-cover. He wanted to go and meet his cousin like a fool, but I warned him she wouldn’t talk to him about it unless she thought she could trust him. That’s when I came up with the plan to dress him up like the Amish. He didn’t want to because he can be stubborn. But after I gave him a good “talking to”, if you know what I mean, he was all for it.”
Rachel had an idea she knew exactly what he was talking about. It was obvious this mann was far more violent than Blake had let on. Was he even aware that his father was capable of such an act as this? Was it his fault she was in danger now? Or was Blake a victim in all of this too? How would she ever be able to trust him again? Or would nothing matter since she would be dead soon?
“How does it feel knowing that your boyfriend fooled you? You didn’t really think he actually liked you, did you? His goal was to get his hands on the money the whole time. As soon as your family gets the ransom note, me and my son will be rich. He won’t think twice about you when he’s counting all his money.”
Rachel wept quietly. Her heart was broken and she didn’t think she
would ever live to see her familye again. She knew too much already, and he kept telling her more. He would have no reason to let her go when she could identify him.
Dear Gott, please spare my life. Soften this mann’s heart toward me and make him let me go. Give me the courage to forgive him if he should decide to end my life.
****
Blake packed his things in the knapsack he’d carried with him when he first came to live with the Miller’s. He knew that Bruce would not be convinced that he was leaving Indiana unless he had his things with him, and he knew that man would check his bag. Blake had considered drawing a fake map that would lead his dad on a wild goose chase looking for the money, but Bruce would never believe it. There was no way Blake could make a map to look almost as old as he was. It would take too much time and planning, and he didn’t have that kind of time.
Sneaking out of the house with his things, Blake knew it would be easier to get away once it turned dark. The Miller’s would be in the sitting room reading from the Bible at this time, just as they had every Saturday night. The sun rested just above the horizon and it was sinking fast. If he didn’t get away now while they were preoccupied, he might not get another chance. The walk into town to the motel would take him at least forty-five minutes, and by then, the sky would be pitch-black.
He quickly passed by the bakery and was slightly disappointed to see that Rachel had already left for the day. He’d hoped he could get one last bit of encouragement from her before he faced his father, just in case he walked away with a black eye. He drew comfort from knowing Rachel was safe at home for the night.
Chapter 32
“Rachel’s been abducted!”
Abby ran through her parent’s haus looking for Caleb and her daed. This was all her fault. If she’d paid closer attention to Rachel, she wouldn’t be in jeopardy. She had thought there was something strange about Rachel’s new beau asking so many questions, but she’d dismissed it. She’d been too busy with her own life to pay attention to what was going on in her dear schweschder’s life.
Amish Summer of Courage: Book Six Page 9