Ruth sniffed. “The bishop spoke with my husband about this for a long time before deciding. This was not an easy decision, and the elders’ permission should not be abused. Even if the Amish do not appear in the program, we trust that you will present our culture in a favorable light.”
“Of course,” I said.
Ruth looked me up and down as if to gauge whether I might be lying. She picked her bonnet up off the island and set it on her head, leaving the ribbons untied. “We should be getting home, husband. Dinner will be late as it is.”
He nodded and stood up much more slowly. I backed away as they and my grandmother walked into the front of the shop. Nutmeg was waiting by the entrance, ready to make a break for it as soon as the door was opened. I scooped up the little orange cat.
Maami held the front door as the elderly deacon shuffled through. Ruth paused and tied her bonnet ribbons under her chin. “Clara, don’t make my husband regret his decision by bringing shame on the district or the Amish community.”
My grandmother frowned.
Ruth looked at me. “The same goes for you. I would hate for you to jeopardize your grandmother’s good standing in the district.” With that she went out the door, and to me, her parting words sounded like a threat.
The next morning, I woke up on the floor. I had slept on the floor an awful lot since moving to Holmes County, and it was really starting to get old. The night before, I had let Charlotte sleep on her cot as usual and had given up my bed to Cass. I really had to get my own place.
I sat up, and unsurprising, Charlotte’s cot was empty. She was an early riser, and I knew that she would be helping my grandmother make sweets for the day. They would have to make twice as many as usual. The shoppers at yesterday’s Christmas Market had all but wiped us out. The peppermint table had been a hit. More surprising, the bed was empty too. Cass woke up early every morning as the head chocolatier at JP Chocolates, but I didn’t expect her to be up before me when she was away from home.
I needed to get moving, but I flung my arm over my eyes and lay back down. The day before had been one of the most confusing of my life. Could it be that I had only found Rocky’s body in the gazebo twenty-four hours ago?
Cass walked into the room with a hair dryer in her hand. As usual, she was dressed head to toe in black, and her purple and black hair was perfectly styled. “You know,” she said, “it’s super inconvenient to have to go downstairs to dry my hair. Would it really be so bad to put an outlet or two up here?”
I sat up and pulled my knees into my chest. “If my grandmother did that, she would be breaking her district’s rules. They can have electricity in their businesses but not in their homes.”
“Am I the only one who sees how ridiculous that is?” She dropped her hair dryer back in her suitcase, the contents of which were spilling out all over the floor.
I sat upright. “Oh no!”
She stared at me. “Oh no, what?”
“What time is it?”
Cass checked her cell phone. “Almost seven. Why?”
I jumped off the floor. “I forgot to tell Maami the filming would start this morning. Eric and the crew will be here any minute!” I rushed around the room, looking for something to wear. “I have to get down there before they arrive.”
“Bailey?” Charlotte stood at the door. “Clara sent me to fetch you. Eric and the TV people are here.”
“Too late,” Cass said.
It seemed that I was running into too late a lot recently.
“Tell them I will be downstairs in twenty minutes,” I said. I turned to Cass. “I don’t know what to wear.”
“Already handled.” Cass pointed at the bed, where the perfect outfit was laid out.
“When did you do that?”
“While you were whirling around the room like your tail was on fire.”
I hugged her.
Chapter 31
Twenty minutes later, I hurried down the stairs from the upstairs apartment to the main room of the shop. The shop wasn’t open yet for the day, so the front room was dark and empty. Voices floated into the room from the back kitchen through the open swinging door. As I came around the counter on my way to the kitchen, I saw that someone had propped the door open with a huge jar of molasses.
I stepped into the kitchen, and even though it was a large industrial space, it felt cramped. Maami, Charlotte, Cass, the members of the crew, and Eric were all there. Adding myself to the mix made eight people. Not to mention all the filming gear.
“There is our star,” Linc said in a booming voice.
Eric beamed at me too.
I waved. “I just want to speak to my grandmother for a moment, and then I will be right back.”
Linc looked as if he wanted to protest, but I didn’t give him the time to do it.
I pulled my grandmother aside through the swinging kitchen door.
When we were in the main part of the shop, my grandmother blinked at me. “Bailey, dear, what is going on?”
“I should have told you that I agreed for Eric to film here today.”
“And Linc said that he is doing this for when you go to New York. Are you going back to New York? Are you moving there?” There was hurt in her voice.
That was another thing I hadn’t told her. The conversation with the deacon and his wife the night before had been so tense, I hadn’t wanted to upset her any more by telling her about my chance to have my own show, a show that would keep me in New York for at least three months of the year. That had been a mistake.
“I have an opportunity. It would be good for the shop,” I said. “It’s just a chance. Nothing might come of it. I’m so, so sorry that I didn’t tell you about it before now.”
She looked back through the door at the crew setting up in her kitchen. Roden was putting up large lights that pointed at the island where we did most of our candy making. Pike was setting up microphones.
“This opportunity will take you to New York?”
“Yes, but—”
“Bailey, we need you for makeup.” Josie popped through the door and walked to the other side of the counter. She held a makeup case in her arms. She set all of her tools out on one of the café tables in the middle of the room.
“You should do what you agreed to,” Maami said.
Charlotte came through the kitchen door.
My grandmother took Charlotte’s hand. “They won’t be very long, I hope, in the kitchen. Charlotte and I will go upstairs and wait until they have gone. It is what the elders have told us to do. We have many candies to make today.”
“Bailey.” Josie waved her makeup brush at me. “I’m ready.”
Linc poked his head through the kitchen door. “Let’s go. We are burning daylight here.”
I looked from Linc to my grandmother. I had thoroughly messed this up.
Maami shuffled to the narrow hallway that led to the stairs to the second floor. She took Charlotte’s arm, and the pair of them walked up the stairs.
I stared at her. Everything in me wanted to go after her so that I could explain that I would only leave Holmes County to make her life easier, so she wouldn’t have to work so hard in the future. I was doing it for her and the shop. A small voice in my head reminded me that I was doing it for myself as well.
“Bailey,” Linc said. “We don’t have all day.”
I bit my lip and sat in the paddle back chair that Josie had pulled out.
“Thank goodness I have a battery-operated curling iron,” Josie said, “for when I’m on set. It’s not easy finding outlets around here.”
While Josie did my hair and makeup, Linc told me about what the shoot would be. “The scene is this: You and Eric will be making peppermint bark together. Be friendly and approachable. For goodness’ sake, act like you and Eric are at least friends. I want you to teach Eric how to make the candy, and I want you to be in the moment.”
“I don’t have script?” I asked.
“You’re a natural. You will know wh
at to say. A script would feel too stilted, and I don’t want you looking at cue cards when you should be looking at the camera. Just think of the camera as your best friend.”
Cass was leaning against the counter. “So just think that the camera is me. You’ll be great!”
I sighed as Josie fluffed my hair.
“We’re going for casual waves,” Josie said.
Cass nodded. “I love that look.”
“You have five minutes more in hair and makeup, and then we are rolling,” Linc said as he went back into the kitchen.
I looked at Cass, and she must have recognized the worry in my eyes. She walked over to me and squeezed my hand. “Don’t worry. I know you’re upset that you didn’t get a chance to warn your grandmother about this, and I’m sure it was a bit of a shock for her to find out this morning, but she’ll come around. You and I both know that. She only wants what’s best for you.”
I wasn’t so sure of that.
Josie finished my makeup, and I went into the kitchen. I blinked. Bright light made the room look as if it was a kitchen in a hospital.
Linc clapped his hands to get everyone’s attention. “Let’s roll.” He paused. “Where’s your grandmother? I’d like her in this scene.”
I shook my head. “She doesn’t want to be a part of it. Her bishop was against her and Charlotte being on camera.”
“That’s ridiculous. Can’t you talk to her?” he asked.
“No. That’s the Amish way,” I said, leaving no room for argument. “Her church district won’t allow it. Just be happy that we are able to film here.”
Linc frowned. “Since we’re running out of time, we’ll just have to go on without her, but it would be helpful if you could get her on board for your show. Having actual Amish people in the program will be one of my selling points to the network.” He clapped his hands again. “Enough of that. Let’s get rolling.”
“We’re just about ready,” Pike said. “Should we have some tribute to Rocky at the beginning? Or we could put it at the end. It might be nice if Eric said something about her.”
Eric winced.
“Why would he want to do that?” Roden asked. “We will put an in memoriam line in the credits. Why should we do more than that?”
Pike’s eyes went wide. “I just thought it would be a nice gesture. None of us would be here without Rocky. This show was her idea. I thought it would be appropriate to acknowledge her, that’s all. She did a lot for each of us by giving us this job.”
“You think Rocky hired you for who you are?” Roden asked. “She didn’t care about you. She didn’t care about anyone but herself.”
“Aww, man, I think that might be a little harsh,” Pike said. “Rocky was always cool with me.”
“I knew her for fifteen years; you didn’t.”
“Please,” Linc said. “Let’s drop it. I agree with Roden that the credits are enough.” He waved me over. “Bailey, we’re ready.”
I nodded and went to stand by Eric. He squeezed my elbow. “It’s just like old times.”
“The old times are long over, Eric,” I whispered out of the side of my mouth.
“We’ll just have to make new ones then.”
Before I could correct him, Linc shouted, “Action.”
Chapter 32
Two hours later the filming was complete. Roden and Pike had finished packing up the gear and carried it out to the production van parked in front of Swissmen Sweets. Linc stood in the front room of the shop appearing very pleased. “You were a natural, Bailey. There aren’t many people who have so much ease in front of the camera right from the start.” He shook my hand. “We’re going to shoot a few more exterior scenes here in the village, but I believe that when we add in what was already filmed in New York, we now have enough footage for Eric’s special. I am certain after seeing this, the network will give you a shot. It will be a pleasure to be your producer.” He went out the door.
Eric, who was the last one to leave, stood by the door. “He’s right, you know. You could be a star, if that’s what you want.” He turned and walked through the door.
I closed the door behind him and locked it. “I’m glad that’s over.”
Cass flopped onto one of the café chairs in the front of the shop. “Me too. Being your manager is a lot of work.”
“I have an idea.”
“Why don’t I like the sound of that?” Cass asked.
“Charlotte and Maami will be busy the rest of the morning making more candies for the shop, and we have two hours before the Christmas Market begins again this afternoon.”
“Oh-kay. I still have a sense of foreboding here.”
“I think we should go back to the Christmas tree farm and talk to Grandma Leah. There must be a connection between Thad and Rocky. Maybe she doesn’t know exactly what is going on, but there might be something she can tell us to point us in the right direction.”
“Is there a chance that Thad would be there?” Cass asked.
I had told her the night before everything that I had learned from Aiden and about seeing Thad in the crowd during the parade. “Possibly, but I’m sure he wouldn’t try anything. He has to know by now that the police are looking for him. He could be hiding with anyone in the district.”
“The Amish would hide a murderer?”
“I don’t think they see Thad as a possible murderer. He’s just another member of their community who is being mistreated by the police. The Amish in this county don’t trust the police. A lot of that is because of the sheriff’s poor attitude toward them. They would hide one of their own from the police.” I stood up.
“I don’t think Aiden would like it if he knew that you were going back out to the Christmas tree farm.”
“I’m sure that he wouldn’t.”
“What about your grandmother?” Cass asked. “Don’t you want to talk to her about the show in New York before we go?”
I shook my head. “I think I need to really make up my mind about it before I talk to her.”
“That’s fair. As for the Christmas tree farm, I think if we’re going to keep bothering Grandma Leah, we should really buy a tree this time.”
“I agree.”
Ten minutes later, Cass and I were back in my car and headed to Tree Road. Overnight a blanket of fresh snow had fallen over the county, making it appear that a giant white sheet had been spread out over the pastures and open fields. As we turned onto Tree Road, a red-tailed hawk perched on the street sign. His feathers were fluffed out to protect him from the cold. As I turned the car into the long driveway that led to the tree farm, crystalized snow glistened on the trees’ thin needles.
I parked, and Cass and I got out of the car. We walked to the front door of the house, and I noticed animal tracks in the snow. I saw deer, rabbit, and maybe even the tracks of a fox.
I knocked on the door. There was no answer.
“Maybe they aren’t home,” Cass said.
“Or maybe they just aren’t answering the door,” I said.
“Hello there!” Grandma Leah called from across the snow-covered yard. “Come on over. We’re in the barn.”
Cass raised her eyebrows at me. “I wonder who’s with her.”
“I hope not Thad.”
“Me too,” she said, and removed her cell phone from the pocket of her black coat. “I’ll be ready in case we have to call the cops.”
“Let’s hope that won’t be necessary.”
Cass and I made our way across the snowy yard. Our boots left deep prints in the snow.
Grandma Leah stood at the barn door. She wore a long down coat over her Amish dress. The hem of her skirt was encrusted with snow and dirt. “You just caught us as we were finishing up the chores.”
I was about to ask who was with her when Daniel popped his head out of the barn. I gave a sigh of relief, but it didn’t appear that Daniel was as happy to see me as I was to see him. In fact, Daniel looked as if he felt trapped by our arrival.
Grandma Le
ah smiled widely. “Have you girls returned for your tree? I had a feeling that you would be back. I can always tell when a person finds just the right tree for Christmas.” She beamed. “After selling so many trees over the years, I just have a sense of it.”
“We would love to look at the tree again,” Cass said. “Do you think it would fit on the roof of Bailey’s car?”
Grandma Leah peeked out of the barn door. “That is a small car, but Daniel can make it work. It is a short ride to the village. If you just go slowly, you should be fine.” She turned to her great-grandson. “Daniel, can you help these girls cut down and tie up their tree?”
He nodded with his shovel in hand.
“Before you do that,” I said, “I wondered if I could ask you both about Rocky.”
Daniel let go of the shovel handle, and it thudded against the barn wall. The cow in the back of the barn mooed in response.
“Rocky? Is that the woman staying at the guest house down the street whom you asked me about earlier?”
I nodded. “I think she knew you, Daniel.”
The boy stared at the top of his boots.
Grandma Leah rubbed the bottom of her chin. “Maybe she knew him because Daniel helps his father to care for the guest house.”
I shook my head. “I think she knows him better than that. Daniel, can you tell me about Rocky?”
He continued to stare at his feet.
When he refused to say anything, I decided to press a little harder. “Daniel, where is your mother? What was her name?”
“Rachel, his mother, is dead,” Grandma Leah said. “She died when Daniel was just a baby. It was such a tragedy for both Thad and Daniel. My husband died close to the same time, so I invited my grandson to move here from Indiana to take care of the tree farm with me. I’m so grateful that he did. I would have had to sell this place many years ago if he hadn’t arrived.”
I turned my attention back to Grandma Leah. “Who told you that Rachel had died?”
“My grandson told me, of course.” Her brow wrinkled.
“Was there a funeral? Did you go?” I asked.
“They lived in Indiana. Even though I was younger then, I would not have made such a journey alone, and as I said, my own husband had just passed. It wasn’t possible for me to travel. Why are you asking about Rachel?”
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