A Dark Amish Night

by Jenny Moews

  “Ahem… Well aren’t you full of surprises. Either you’re a natural or you’ve two-stepped before¸ Hannah.”

  Hannah lowered her lashes and a smile spread across her face. “I’m guilty. I did have a Rumspringa, Quinn. I learned the two-step then. The dancing was one thing I enjoyed the most about that time in my life.” Hannah sighed and walked back to the porch steps. Quinn followed her and sat down beside her.

  “Rumspringa, there’s a word I’ve heard before. But what’s it exactly?”

  “In Pennsylvania Dutch it means ‘to run around’; for the plain folk it is the time when a youth in the community reaches the age of sixteen until they are twenty-one. It is during this time when we are given the chance to see how the English live and then we must choose to either be baptized in the church as adults or to stay in the English world.” Hannah was silent for a moment as memories of her Rumspringa made her both smile and wince at the same time. It had been a happy time for her, but also a trying one. Her coming of age had not been without the angst that many young Amish faced.

  “So what do you do during this Rumspringa?”

  “Well, here in our community those that are in the Rumspringa age gather for Sunday night sings. At the sings we play English music and dress English. There is dancing. Some will even smoke and drink. I admit I liked the dancing, but I knew that I would choose to be in the church. I never thought otherwise. I wanted to be married to Eric. It was after one of the sings Eric finally asked me to marry him.” Hannah paused for a minute as tears welled in her eyes. Quinn put his hand on her shoulder.

  “You don’t have to talk about this if you don’t want to.” His voice was barely a whisper.

  Hannah smiled in the dark. “No, I want to talk about it. It’s just that it was one of the happiest days of my life, but it was also a scary time for me. I remember I was so afraid that I was going to lose Eric. You see, he was promised to marry Margaret Miller, and when she decided to leave the community for good he was heartbroken…” Hannah’s voice trailed off as memories of being young and in love with a man who was promised to another flooded her mind. She kept talking as the memories flowed.

  Somehow Eric caught wind that Peter Yoder was trying to court me. Peter had taken to picking me and some others up in his father’s buggy to give us all rides to the Sunday night sings. And yes, I mean the same Peter Yoder who used to pull my hair in school. But, as we all do, Peter grew up. Anyway, I liked Peter; it’s just that I loved Eric. But Eric had become withdrawn after Margaret left. Eric barely spoke to anyone much less me.

  I tried to talk to Eric at one of the Sunday meetings I always sat next to him if I could after the meetings when we had dinners or picnics. But this one time he told me not to sit with him, that he wanted to be alone. I was heartbroken. Eric knew he hurt me. He just left me and sulked off on his own. I thought maybe he would come to me and tell me he was sorry the next Sunday, but instead he ignored me. My feelings were so hurt I cried. I tried to hide my tears by hiding out in one of the buggies, but Peter found me. He let me cry on his shoulder and told me to forget about Eric and asked me to come to the Sunday night sing with him.

  So for the next few Sundays I went with Peter and his friends to the Sunday sings. I was having fun and enjoyed the dancing. One night I had been dancing with everyone and I asked Peter to step outside with me so I could get some air. Peter was very gracious and kind about it. I remember he started telling me how much he’d always liked me and was so sorry he was so mean to me when we were growing up. So I wasn’t surprised when he kissed me. It was a gentle innocent kiss and he didn’t try anything more. Honestly, the more time passed, the more I liked Peter. I guess somebody told Eric that they saw me and Peter kissing and at the next Sunday sing Eric came and danced with me all night. Eric took me home in his buggy and in my parent’s yard he proposed. I was so happy. That was in August and the next November, in the marrying month, we were wed. Eric never made me regret our marriage not even once. He was never cross with me. I don’t think we ever really fought.”

  Quinn waited for Hannah to stop talking before asking the obvious question. “So what happened to Peter?”

  Hannah sighed. “Peter was hurt and he left the community for a few years. But he came back with his new wife, Rachel. They’re wonderful people and very happy by the looks of them. Rachel gave birth to their second boy this past February. Joshua and Jason are beautiful boys. Peter helped bury Eric. They were good friends in the end.”

  Quinn looked at his watch. It was past midnight. It had been so easy to let the time pass in Hannah’s company. “Well its getting late. You better go get some sleep. I’m going to make a perimeter check and then I’ll be out here in the car if you need me.”

  Hannah stood up and dusted off her skirts. “Yes, it’s late. Good night, Quinn. I do hope you can get some sleep.”

  “I’ll try.” Quinn waved as Hannah closed the door behind her. When he was sure she’d gone upstairs he started his search of the perimeter. He made a mental note to check out Peter Yoder first thing in the morning. Maybe he’d just stumbled on someone who could have wanted to harm Eric Hershberger.

  A Dark Amish Night

  Chapter Ten

  Quinn allowed himself to doze off in the front seat of his cruiser after making a last perimeter check in the dark. Just as the sun came up, he was woken by a stout tapping on the driver’s side window. He was not surprised to see a menacing looking Bishop Miller peering at him through the window. He grabbed his Stetson from the seat beside him and shoved it on his head as he exited the car.

  “Morning, Bishop Miller.” Quinn tipped his hat at the scowling Bishop. “Sherriff Ramsey, you cannot continue to stay outside of Widow Hershberger’s home unattended. This has got to stop. So I’m taking her and her children into my own home until other arrangements can be made. You can leave now. Your services are no longer required.”

  “Bishop I will remind you that I’m conducting a murder investigation and I will remain as close to the Hershbergers as I need to until I am done with my investigation and I am certain Hannah and her children are safe.”

  The Bishop looked as if someone pinched him with Quinn’s use of Hannah’s given name. “As I told you, Sheriff, we will look after the Hershbergers from here out. I thank you for aiding us in an emergency last night, but I can take it from here. You’re welcome to visit my home any time you need to speak to the widow from now on.”

  “Fine, let me just tell Hannah I’m leaving.” Quinn started toward the house but the Bishop blocked his way.

  “There’s no need for that I’ll give her your regards and tell her that you’ll visit her at my home if you have any further questions for her.”

  “You do that then,” Quinn said as he turned back to his car and left.

  He returned to the cabin he’d been semi-living in and packed up his gear. He wondered why the Bishop had irritated him so badly. The Bishop was right in taking Hannah in. It certainly made things much easier that way, truth be told. Now he could focus on other matters like finding Eric’s killer. Then why was he pouting like a child who’d just had his candy taken away. Hannah. She was the reason and Quinn knew it. He longed to be close to her, and around her his own broken heart did not seem so battered. Her children made him happier as well. The whole family had become dear to him in a short amount of time.

  Quinn shoved his gear in the trunk of the car and slammed it shut. Get a grip, Ramsay. Hannah and her kids are much better off without having you lurking over them, and you’re much better off steering clear of this kind of involvement.

  Quinn arrived back at the Sheriff’s office in a foul mood and a craving for a strong cup of coffee. He went to the electric coffee pot only to find it empty. When he opened a cabinet to reach for the can of coffee grinds he found the can empty as well.

  “Why is it every time I want a cup of coffee we’re completely out? Am I the only one who can buy coffee around here?” Quinn shouted and walked back out the door.
He slammed it shut behind him leaving a bewildered Porter and Jess in his wake.

  “What’s up his butt this morning?” Porter asked.

  “Who knows?” Jess replied with a shake of his head.

  Quinn decided to walk over to the mercantile and clear his head some. He would apologize to his deputies later. This thing with Hannah had him all twisted up in knots. It would be good to put some space between him and her. He realized that while it felt good to talk about Kathleen last night and get some of that old hurt out in the open, it didn’t mean anything. Hannah was a friend and someone who needed his help as the Sheriff. That was all this ever could be. With a heavy sigh, he decided he could now get back to his usual routine and maybe even get some sleep.

  The bell tinkled over the shop door and Pattie Sue looked up from her counter as she was going over some ledgers.

  “Morning, Sheriff, can I help you with something?”

  “Morning, Pattie Sue, I just need some coffee.” Quinn walked through rows of shelves till he found the coffee he wanted and brought two cans to the counter.

  “You know, there is something I wanted to ask you about. You’ve lived here a long time, Pattie Sue, right?”

  “You know that, Sheriff. Told you as much the last time we spoke.”

  “Yeah, right. What can you tell me about the Yoder family?”

  “Yes there are plenty of Yoder’s in this area, anyone in particular?”

  “Peter Yoder, in particular.”

  “Which Peter Yoder? There’s three of ’em: the senior, the junior and the junior’s son.”

  “I’m asking about the one that would be about Eric Hershberger’s age.”

  “Well, that Peter Yoder has had a rough time of it to be sure. He ran off about ten or so years ago and came back with his wife. Asked the church to take both of them into the community that was about four years ago?”

  “And the church took him back and accepted her just like that?”

  “Oh, they had to endure a long period of shunning before the community accepted them both into the fold. They had to live with his family and be shunned in their own home. No one could talk to them or do any business with them. Had to be hard having no one but themselves to talk to and to be at the mercy of his family for their every need.”

  “I bet. So what happened at the end of the shunning?”

  “Peter had to confess his sins in front of the entire congregation. Then they both got baptized in the church and are now members in good standing. Rachel, his wife, is a good woman. She tended the store for me when my husband John passed two years ago. They’re all a good family, the Yoder’s.”

  “So was Rachel Amish before she came here?”

  “No, she was an Englisher like you.”

  “Huh, so where do they live now?”

  “They bought land from the Bishop when he retired from farming about six miles south of here not far from the elder Yoder’s. But if you need to know more than that, Sheriff, I suggest you ask the Bishop. He’s the one to be answering your questions about others in the community. Or you could be asking your deputy, Jess, seeing as he is Peter’s cousin and all.”

  “What? Jess is Amish?”

  “His mother and Peter’s mother are sisters. But Jess never was baptized into the faith. You really should ask him about that.”

  “I’ll do that then. Thanks for the coffee and the information.”

  “Any time you need coffee or anything else, you come on back, but I do hope you’ll be going to the Bishop with any other information you need. It really isn’t my place to talk.”

  “Sure thing, Pattie Sue, you have a good day now.” Quinn tipped his hat and left Pattie Sue to her books.

  Hannah was not happy about having to stay with Bishop Miller and his wife. But she could not keep Quinn at her side any longer either. At least if she was closer to town, it would be easier to find a place for her and the children. The sooner the better. Hannah muttered her thoughts to herself as she finished unloading her things from the Bishop’s buggy. She’d brought enough clothes for herself and the children, but very few personal belongings. She planned to make her stay here as brief as possible. The small handset radio Quinn gave her was stashed safely in her apron pocket, just in case she needed to contact him.

  Her one relief was that Abe and Millie had agreed to stay on the farm and work a crop as they tended the livestock.

  Timothy had seemed reluctant to leave the farm. He had taken off again and it took several hours of hunting for him before he was found. He was up in the loft sitting on the hay bale landing looking out over the fields when Hannah found him. He had been in such deep thought he did not hear Hannah come up behind him, even though she called out to him.

  As before, Hannah tried to talk to him but it was if Timothy was completely lost to her. Hannah hoped that this move would be a good one for him, but she could understand his reluctance to leave his father’s farm. No matter his outburst of the previous day about how he wanted nothing to do with the farm, Hannah understood his behavior to be coming from grief. Anyhow, Hannah was eager to get started on getting her bakery open. But first, she had to find a place for them all to live.

  The first night away from home was a long one for Hannah and the children. Timothy was not happy to be sharing a room with his mother and sister, but finally fell asleep in a cot on the floor. Ruth Anne was restless and kept asking to go home before she at last fell asleep too. Hannah lay awake on the small bed next to Ruth Anne all night. She missed Eric. She missed the farm. She missed the quiet and simple life she had with Eric in her own home. And she was fearful for her children. Sending up prayers, she finally drifted off to sleep just as the sun started to rise.

  In a very rare start to her day Hannah slept later than usual. Mrs. Miller had the children in the kitchen feeding them breakfast, and Hannah’s cheeks were pink with shame that she had let the Bishop’s wife wait on her and the children. She ran into the kitchen out of breath as she hastily tucked her hair up into her prayer cap. The children and the Bishop were seated at the table as Mrs. Miller stood at the stove.

  “Please forgive me Ms. Miller. I’m ashamed that I have left you to tend to the children.”

  “Hannah, sit down and let me get you some coffee and a bite to eat and in my home you will call me Martha.”

  “Yes Mam, I mean thank you, Martha.”

  Hannah reluctantly took a seat at the table next to Ruth Anne as Martha set a steaming cup of black coffee in front of her with a plate full of eggs, bacon, and toast. Timothy sat almost woodenly in his chair not touching his food. When they were all seated, the Bishop led them in a silent prayer.

  “Eat up Timothy. I need you to walk with me to the mercantile this morning. So get on with it.” Timothy knew better than to cross his mother in front of the Bishop and his wife, and he took a few bites before he pushed his plate away.

  “May I be excused now?”

  “Yes and go get washed up then.”

  “Yes, Mam.”

  When Timothy left the room, Hannah apologized for his behavior to the Bishop. “I’m afraid Timothy has not been himself since his father passed. Please forgive us. It’s not been easy on any of us, but my boy, he’s taking it real hard.”

  Bishop Miller smiled at Hannah’s. “Give him some time. Losing your father is a terrible loss for any child but for a boy Timothy’s age it’s especially hard. We will pray for him.”

  “Thank you Bishop. Come on Ruth Anne we need to get you cleaned up too.” Hannah started to leave the kitchen table with Ruth Anne when Martha stopped her.

  “Hannah, why not let the children stay with me today. I’m sure you have lots to do and I know you want to look into getting your own place. So why not let me keep them. I’m happy to do it.”

  “Well, I truly do not want to impose. I mean you’ve done so much already.”

  “Awk, let the children stay. Martha and I love having the little ones. Don’t we dear? And on that other note, Elijah Fishe
r has a couple of rental houses in town. Both suited to the plain folk. I talked to him this morning and one of them is available now. He usually only rents to folks visiting the area, tourist types who want the Amish experience. But he’s willing to let you have one for as long as you need and you can pay him when you’ve money to pay him. The church is willing to help you with that until you get on your feet. I’ll take you over this afternoon in the buggy.”

  “Thank you Bishop. I’m very grateful. Ruth Anne you behave for Mrs. Miller.”

  “Yes, Momma.” Hannah started to ruffle her daughter’s red curls but then stopped herself. She had to remember that she was not in her own home and displays of affection were frowned upon by the plain folk. She left the house a little overwhelmed by the generosity of her community, and while her pride wanted to say no to the rental house, she would do it for her children. She would just make it a priority to pay Mr. Fisher back as soon as possible.

  Hannah stepped out into the bright sunlight and found Timothy waiting for her in the front yard.

  “The Bishop and his wife have invited you to stay with them today and as we are their guest I would like you to stay with them. Would you do that for me, Timothy? I want you to know that I love you very much. I’m so sorry that you’re struggling right now. I wish you would talk to me, though. I’ll always be right here for you.”

  Timothy looked up at his mother. “I’m glad we’re off the farm. At least I’m glad you and Ruth Anne are safe.”

  “Why do you say that? Why say at least me and Ruth Anne are safe? Timothy what is it that you know that you haven’t told me.”

  “I already told you I don’t know nothing. I wish you would stop trying to baby me all the time. I’m not a baby you know.” Timothy spat out his words and ran back into the house. Hannah watched his retreating back. Maybe he was right. Maybe she was smothering him. He would be eleven soon and that meant only a few more years and he would be done with school in the plain folk way.