“Please, try to enlighten me.”
He pivoted and faced me. The air turned cool with the loss of sun. “I was a teenager when Marie Bruno came to Mt. Carmel. I fell fast and hard for the beautiful outsider, but even at that young age, I knew it couldn’t last. I loved my life among the Amish far too much. Farming and working the horses were my contentment, and I had no wish to leave the community. When Marie pestered me to run away with her, I told her no. She wasn’t happy and continued to press me on the matter. In desperation, I told my brother and friends that the girl I’d once held deep feelings for wouldn’t leave me be. They took matters into their own hands. I had no inkling they’d go so far as to harm Marie. When they confessed their sins, I was horrified. I’d barely digested the news of Marie’s death at the hands of those closest to me when the Bruno’s arrived in force. It only took the outsiders an hour to murder four of us.” He opened his mouth, drawing in a breath before he continued. “The elders knew nothing of what had happened to Marie until the day the Bruno family attacked. My brother’s and friends’ actions put the entire community in jeopardy. My people were truly afraid. Yes, they should have gone to the police, but they chose to handle matters themselves, which is normal for us. By the time I became bishop, the pact was our blood-stained tradition. One that we had become so accustomed to, we stopped questioning it.”
“Until Fannie King and Melinda’s parents snuck her away to Blood Rock, right?”
His jaw sagged. “That was the first time a family defied the pact.”
I swallowed down the lump of anger that formed in my throat. “You killed Mark Yoder to keep the damn pact going,” I accused.
The bishop took a sharp breath and stared at the porch ceiling. “He wouldn’t stop—he wouldn’t let the matter drop. We warned him, and he wouldn’t listen.”
“You murdered him for loving his girlfriend and trying to get her back?” I snarled.
His gaze met mine and the thoughtfulness I’d seen a moment earlier had been replaced with steely resolve. “Mark Yoder drowned. The Blood Rock coroner wrote that on the death certificate.”
“I might not be able to get you or anyone in your community for the brothel business, and the Bruno’s already dispensed punishment on Marie’s killers, but I’m not closing Mark Yoder’s case.” I stood up and pointed at the bishop’s face. “If there’s any way for me to bring justice to that boy and his family, I will.”
“As you wish, Sheriff.”
I left Ezra Coblentz standing on the porch. I wasn’t through with him. The Yoder boy’s death wasn’t the usual cold case. I already knew exactly what had happened to him, and it was not an accidental drowning. It might take a while, but I’d keep my eye on the Mt. Carmel leader. Someday he would step wrong, and when he did, I’d be ready.
The real tragedy of Mark Yoder’s story was that Melinda King had never even asked about him.
24
I pushed my empty plate aside and leaned back on the red plastic seat of the booth. I felt full and a little sleepy. Nancy’s food did that to a person. Not only was every item on the menu delicious, the portions were huge.
“Good to have you back, Serenity,” Todd said. “I hope you’re not planning to go gallivanting off anywhere else soon.”
I glanced at Bobby. His eyes were on me as he took the last bite of his grilled chicken sandwich.
“Nothing on the schedule, but you never know.” I took a sip of cola and shrugged. “The marshal might need me on another case.” When Todd snorted loudly, I muffled my chuckle with my hand. “Just kidding. I doubt I’ll work any more cases with him in the future.”
“Good. I never liked him much anyway,” Todd said firmly.
Bobby cleared his throat. “You’ve given us scanty details about what happened in Nevada. Care to fill in the blanks some more?”
The dinner crowd was thinning, and darkness had fallen beyond the windows. Main Street was quiet, except for the occasional pedestrian or passing vehicle. Daniel had a late job at the excavating site and would be arriving home shortly. I didn’t have enough time to get into the nitty gritty of my brothel experience with the guys, but there were a few things I wanted to get off my chest.
“Mission was accomplished. Toby’s fugitives are located, although deceased, and he spearheaded the apprehension of the leader of one of Las Vegas’ prominent crime syndicates. Tommy Bruno is now in jail awaiting trial, and his brother is dead. The Bruno’s connections to the Mt. Carmel Amish were uncovered and subsequently, their disgusting agreement, broken. I brought two women home, and by the looks of it, I think they’ll be all right.”
“I sense a but coming.” Bobby pushed his spectacles up further on the bridge of his nose.
I looked around and seeing that no was paying attention to us, I still dropped my voice. “It was a bloody mess. I don’t have a notebook big enough to write down all the crimes I witnessed that were committed in just three days in the desert.” I shook my head. “There’s not enough time to go into it all right now.”
Bobby nodded and Todd pushed the remnants of his food around with his fork.
“Was justice served, Serenity?” Bobby asked.
I stared out the window, focusing on the soft glow around a streetlamp. “I guess it depends on who you’re asking. A dangerous crime family had been illuminated. Sure, a new one will pop up in its place, but criminal activities were stalled, and the brothel is independent now. The Mt. Carmel Amish are free. It was out of my hands, and honestly, I’m not sure if I would have handled it differently than the marshal did. I’ve learned over the years that sometimes you have to make friends with the devil, so to speak, to get the job done.”
“What about the Yoder boy? Any further evidence surface during the investigation?” Bobby’s focus was sharp. That case bothered him immensely. After all, he was the one who listed Mark’s death as accidental drowning. He didn’t like to make mistakes, especially important ones.
“I talked to the Mt. Carmel bishop a few hours ago. He didn’t come straight out and admit that his people had something to do with the Yoder drowning, but he let me know it was true in a roundabout way.” I blew out a breath and ran my hand through my hair. “They won’t talk, especially after all these years. It’s going to be hard, if not impossible, to bring charges in the case.”
“That’s what I was afraid of,” Bobby said. “Perhaps if Tony had been paying more attention, he would have gathered enough evidence and witness testimony to prove the case.” He picked up his mug of coffee and held it in his hands. “Drowning death autopsies are usually straightforward. A submerged person holds their breath for a while, and then, involuntarily gasps for breath, inhaling the water. The last phases are loss of consciousness, brain damage, and death. It would play out pretty much the same for a person accidently drowning as someone being held under water. Since there wasn’t any other marks or bruises on the Amish boy’s body, foul play wasn’t suspected.”
I frowned at Bobby. “It’s not your fault. You did the best you could with the presented information. It took nearly two decades to bring his death into question. Once again, if the Amish had come forward, the ending might have been different.”
“It’s hard to say, really. Tony was never the investigator you are. If the evidence wasn’t handed to him on a silver platter, he lost interest quickly.”
I finished off my cola. Oh, yeah. I agreed wholeheartedly with Bobby on that.
Todd leaned in. “What was it like?”
“What?” I reached for my car keys.
“The brothel.” His cheeks reddened. “I’ve never been in one, but I’ve heard stories.”
I grunted softly. I understood his curiosity. I had been too. It would be impossible to convey the sad, almost pitiful feel of the place. “It wasn’t exactly what I expected.” Todd flashed me a go-on look. “It resembled like a lodge, and was in the middle of nowhere, sur
rounded by desert. The terrain was so inhospitable, making me think the brothel itself would be just as wild, but it wasn’t. The inside reminded me of a tacky, outdated hotel. There was a large staff of non-sex workers in the kitchen and doing maid service. The place had over twenty security guards. Remarkably, everything was very efficient and organized. Until it all went to hell.”
“Do guys get to pick out the girls they want or what?” Todd’s cheeks darkened even more.
I narrowed my eyes on my first deputy. I’d let the last question slide, but I wasn’t doing a deep dive into the brothel’s activities. “Actually, the girls decide who they accept as clients. That’s one good thing to come out of all of this. Melinda King has empathy for the women who work for her. She’d climbed her way up from the bottom and knows exactly what the job entails. I think she’ll take care of her employees” —I snorted— “the best she can.”
“Disturbing to imagine…”
“No doubt,” I agreed with Todd.
“It’s said to be the oldest occupation,” Bobby said. “Hopefully, the madam follows the regulations and abides by the law.”
I’d already seen that Melinda had no problem breaking the rules, which was ironic considering she used to be Amish.
The Wild Colt Ranch was in the best hands under the circumstances. And that would have to do.
25
I walked in the front door to the smell of roasting meat. I couldn’t stop myself from inhaling deeply as I entered the kitchen and dropped my purse on the counter. Daniel was at the stovetop with his back to me. A glass of wine had already been poured and waited for me next to his bottle of beer.
I didn’t have the heart to tell him I’d already eaten. Touching my belly, I was glad that I had a lumberjack’s appetite. Petting Hope’s head, I gave her a quick rub before I snuck up behind Daniel and looped my arms around him.
He didn’t startle, and I rested my head against his back.
“I’m making your favorite,” he said, pausing from his ministrations with the steaks.
“What’s the occasion?” I mumbled into his soft, flannel shirt.
He chuckled. “I seldom get to cook for my wife since she’s rarely around anymore.”
“I see.” I pushed away and ignored the glass of wine, even though I really needed a large gulp of it.
Daniel turned around. His brow shot up. “Is everything alright?”
The look on his face was classic. Poor Daniel was afraid he was about to be ambushed, and he might be correct.
“I took Lynette and Clara out to Mt. Carmel today.”
Daniel swiftly turned off the stove and set down his spatula. “How did that go?”
I noted the tenuous way he asked the question. “It went well for the women. They both reunited with their families and are spending the night with them. I think Clara will go back to Amish life. I’m not so sure about Lynette. If she doesn’t, her mother will support her. After being forcibly separated for four years, I doubt she’ll be shunned if she chooses to remain English.”
The corner of Daniel’s mouth rose slightly. “That’s good news. I wasn’t sure how that would play out. Some Amish would consider the girls tainted, even though they were forced into prostitution by their own people.” He wrinkled his nose. “I still find the entire situation incredible.”
“You and me both.” I was tired and yet my heart pounded in my chest. Daniel’s jaw was covered with stubble and his thick, dark hair tumbled messily across his forehead. His handsomeness squeezed my gut and I hated the way his close proximity made me feel like a lovesick school girl. I avoided his probing gaze and looked down at Hope’s wriggly body as I spoke. “I talked to Bishop Ezra Coblentz. He’s obviously relieved that he doesn’t have to deal with the Bruno family and the blood pact anymore, but he won’t come clean about Mark Yoder.”
Daniel didn’t look surprised. “You know how that goes. The Amish will protect their own, even if they don’t deserve protecting.”
“It leaves a bad taste in my mouth. They’ll be getting away with not only involvement with a prostitution ring, but also murder.”
He leaned back against the counter. “Every crime can’t be solved, Serenity. As much as you want to set the world right, you have to have faith that it will all sort itself out in time.”
I gently shook my head. “You know I can’t do that.”
“I know.” Daniel flashed his teeth. “Do you want to skip dinner? You look like you might need something else to satisfy you tonight.”
I returned the smile, but my hands were shaking. If it was only that easy. I couldn’t bring myself to say it, so instead, I unzipped my purse and pulled out the box.
“What’s that?” Daniel asked, taking a step closer. I handed it to him and his eyes widened. “Are you serious?”
“Trust me. That’s the last thing in the world I wanted to pick up today. Thank God for self-check-out registers.”
Daniel engulfed me in his arms and I hugged him back tightly. “I love you, sweetheart.”
I felt like a child clinging to him, but I couldn’t let go. I’d faced the real possibility of death several times this past month, but this moment terrified me more. I wasn’t ready. “It will probably be negative,” I said between breaths.
Daniel leaned back and grasped my shoulders. “Let’s go find out.”
I nodded and not letting go of his hand, I followed him into the bathroom. We read the directions together. It was rather simple, and I’d done it once before when we’d been dating only a short time. After I peed on the stick, I set it carefully next to the sink and stood back. Daniel picked up my hand again and kissed it.
“Regardless of what that test says, you know I love you, right?”
My heart banged so hard in my chest, I thought he might be able to hear it. “I know,” I forced the words out.
Daniel rubbed my palm and I stared at the tiles on the floor. When the time was up, I turned my head. “I can’t read it,” I breathed.
He went to the sink and looked at the device. I shifted slightly and glanced his way. I didn’t need to look at it. Daniel’s giant smile said it all.
Oh, my God. I’m pregnant.
26
I stared out the Jeep’s windows but couldn’t see anything distinctly because of the pouring rain. The countryside was a hazy green, watery blur. The back and forth of the windshield wipers was soothing and could have lulled me to sleep if I wasn’t on edge.
“We should have waited until next week,” Daniel said. His voice was still upbeat.
Daniel had wanted to celebrate the baby news by staying in bed all day long. The pampering had already begun with offers to run out to buy ice cream and do my daily household chores. I’d waved him off both things. I had to convince him it wasn’t wise to tell anyone, even my sister or CJ, about the pregnancy until I was further along. He’d reluctantly agreed, but then came the exciting scheduling of my first doctor’s visit. The morning had flown by in a fog even before we’d gotten into the Jeep to drive through the rainstorm for a visit with Blood Rock’s bishop, Aaron Esch.
It was the final thing I had to do before I could move on from the last case. Although the pregnancy had a tight hold of my thoughts, Melinda King had weaseled into my mind.
The weather kept everyone inside and the community was empty. We passed a single buggy going the opposite direction, but that was it. I imagined families gathering by their woodstoves and eating tasty baked goods. When the Amish weren’t involved in my criminal investigations, their cozy lifestyle had a certain appeal. I understood what initially drew Marie Bruno in.
In several months, Daniel and I would move into the house he was building. We’d live inside the settlement then. Not long after, we’d have our own child. I must have made a noise when I inhaled sharply because Daniel looked sideways at me.
“Are you alright?”<
br />
“I’m fine, just thinking.”
“Do you mind sharing?” Daniel’s tone was coaxing and I held in a smile. I could really milk this pregnancy thing.
“Todd is going to drive me crazy. Bobby too. Ugh.” I thudded my head back against the headrest.
“It might not be as bad as you think. Todd’s a father and Bobby will be nothing but encouraging.”
Daniel was probably right. Women had babies all the time. No big deal. I gazed out at the rain-soaked fields. In my position, it was a big deal. Not every new mother faced the challenges and dangers that I did on a daily basis. Threats against my life were real, and although that might not have overly worried me before, it terrified me now.
We turned into Bishop Esch’s driveway and my attention immediately went to the giant willow tree in his back yard. I could make out the top of the tree beyond the farmhouse swaying in the wind. That’s where poor Rosetta Bontrager had been poisoned, raped, and murdered. A shiver rocked through me and I looked away.
Daniel parked the Jeep and grabbed the umbrella from the backseat. “Are you ready?” he asked with gleaming eyes.
I chuckled. Getting rained on wasn’t a concern of mine after the week I’d just had in the desert. Daniel jumped out of the Jeep and met me on the other side. He had a hard time holding the umbrella steady in the driving wind. Rain pelted the side of my face when the umbrella lifted and I turned my face into it. The tiny stings felt good, waking me from the oppressive melancholy I’d been feeling.
We’d barely jogged across the wooden planks of the front porch when the door flung open. The bishop encouraged us to enter the house quickly with a sweeping gesture of his hand. “My good Lord, what brings you out on such a soaking day?”
The bishop handed me a towel as Daniel closed the umbrella and sat it beside the door. I wiped my face on the towel and the men clutched hands.
I smelled coffee brewing. “Can you spare of cup of coffee?” I asked.
Wicked Legacy (Serenity's Plain Secrets Book 10) Page 16