by Dana R. Lynn
Just like that, it was decided. Jennie and LJ were staying with them. His mamm put Jennie and LJ in with Theresa. It would be crowded, but they would be warm and dry.
It felt good to be clean again. Luke hurried to the barn to assist Raymond and their oldest brother, Simon. His brothers weren’t shy about asking questions. Fortunately, there was too much work for them to spend too much time quizzing him. Their father would not appreciate it if they fell behind on the chores.
When he came inside for dinner, he placed his hat on the hook inside the door, just as his daed and his brothers did. He was greeted first by Anna. His sweet sister was only ten, but she had the innocence of a much younger child. She had the most loving heart he’d ever known.
“Luke!” She was almost jiggling up and down in her excitement at seeing him. “You’re home!”
“Jah, I’m home. Were you gut while I was gone?”
She ducked her head. His parents encouraged her to use her voice to communicate, but she frequently responded with nonverbal gestures. It was fine. They understood her and loved her the way she was.
When he entered the kitchen and saw LJ and Jennie, his pulse took off. He’d enjoyed seeing Jennie dressed Amish before, but seeing her now in his home, wearing a dark purple dress and a fresh white kapp, he knew he’d never seen anyone prettier. He dropped his eyes so he would not stare at her. But he wanted to.
As the family sat around the table, they bowed their heads in silent prayer. When his father said “Amen,” it was time to eat.
Jennie and LJ were both quiet that night. He guessed they were both feeling shy. They were also most likely exhausted from their long journey.
Luke was exhausted, but had trouble falling asleep. His mind wouldn’t shut down enough for him to rest.
He kept seeing the face of the man who’d followed them into the Christmas tree farm. Where was he now? Had Trooper Carter been able to find him, or was he still at large, hunting them down?
* * *
Jennie awoke in the middle of the night, her heart pounding in her chest. It took her a few moments to get her bearings and figure out where she was. When she realized that she was in Luke’s home, sleeping in his sister’s room, she released the deep breath she’d been holding and relaxed back into the mattress.
It was still dark outside. LJ was snoring lightly beside her. She tucked the blanket around him and tried to settle down again. Luke had been right. His parents’ house was not as bright as his uncle’s had been. Still, she appreciated them allowing her and LJ to stay. Once the shock had worn off, his parents and siblings had all welcomed them, although she sensed their caution. She doubted if they knew what to do about the fact that their Amish son was legally married to a non-Amish woman.
She managed to fall asleep again, but woke up shortly after dawn. When she heard people moving about in the house, she got up and helped LJ get ready. When Theresa offered to take the child downstairs, Jennie accepted gratefully. When they were gone, she dressed quickly. After rebraiding her hair, she pinned the braid up and then donned the white kapp that Sarah had given her.
She actually liked the kapp in an odd sort of way. When Sarah had explained that in the Amish world, the women keep their hair hidden from all men except their husbands, she had liked the idea. It might have seemed old-fashioned, but she liked how it emphasized the unique bond and intimacy that existed in marriage.
The kapp was also different than any she’d ever seen. Not that she’d seen that many.
She walked down into the kitchen and was startled to see that both Theresa and Anna had their long, straight hair hanging down their backs.
“Gut morning, Jennie.” Sarah finished combing Anna’s hair, then she deftly braided it. When she placed the kapp on the girl’s head, Jennie remembered her thought upstairs.
“Sarah, I was curious, why are your kapps different than the others I’ve seen?”
Sarah smiled and picked up the kapp that Theresa had set down. “See this?” She pointed to several small pleats around the edge. “We make our own kapps. Each one has sixty pleats.”
“Sixty!” The amount of work and care that took seemed formidable.
Sarah handed the kapp to Theresa. Jennie watched the blonde girl put it on. Theresa was probably around sixteen or so, she guessed.
“Do you sew, Jennie?” Sarah began setting the table for breakfast. Jennie quickly offered to help.
“I can mend things. But I’ve never sewn an entire outfit.”
“We sew all our clothes,” Theresa said, joining the conversation as she poured hot coffee into a carafe to set on the table.
“Jah, we do. Theresa is seventeen now, so she joins in the singings. When she gets married, she’ll sew her own wedding dress.”
Theresa blushed.
“Singings?”
“Jah. Singings are social gatherings for our young people who are old enough to court and start searching for a spouse.”
Jennie tried to wrap her mind around the idea. Seventeen seemed so young, although she’d only just turned nineteen when she’d married Luke.
The realization that she had fallen for him again made her uncomfortable, so she thrust it from her mind. There were more important things than romance to consider at the moment. Staying alive was at the top of the list.
When the men joined them for breakfast, she was pleased to note how happy LJ seemed.
“Mama!” He zoomed right up to her. “Guess what?”
“What?”
“There are puppies in the barn. I helped Onkel Raymond name them. One of them is Buster.”
Of course. Did Onkel Raymond remind her son that the puppies would remain here when they left? She aimed a level stare at the man.
He grinned back. “They are blue heeler pups. Buster is a pretty little girl pup. She’s not really a pup anymore. There’s a younger litter. She’s almost a year old.”
She laughed. LJ didn’t realize that Buster was the name for a boy dog. The innocence of it all stole her breath.
After breakfast, she ran up to her room and grabbed her phone. Then she and Luke grabbed their coats and boots and managed to steal away to the barn for a few minutes. Jennie turned her phone back on. It was a good thing she’d charged it in her car before they’d crashed. She still had 47 percent battery life. “I promised Trooper Carter I’d listen to messages daily.”
Her phone buzzed several times. She ignored the social media notifications. She had three text messages, two from the trooper and one from Aiden. She responded to Aiden’s first, telling him she was fine. Then she listened to Trooper Carter’s messages. His first one made her nearly faint with relief. “They picked up the guy from my apartment building. His name is Zane. He’s Steve’s nephew.”
Luke nodded. “That would explain why he was so willing to do his dirty work.”
“Carter says they know he was the one who tried to break into my apartment through the window. Apparently, there are cameras in the halls, but none on the outside of the building.”
She could never go back there. Not to live. Not after this.
The second message was far more menacing. She listened and then raised stricken eyes to Luke’s face. “Steve Curtis has been spotted outside of Grove City. He’s getting closer.”
Luke placed his hands on her shoulders. “He doesn’t know where you are. There are no cameras here. We’ll stay on the grounds. There’s always someone around.”
She nodded. His words comforted her, but she couldn’t shake the feeling of impending doom. Later that morning, she walked over to the side of the house. There was a lovely picturesque view. The land sloped down into a sort of steep, rocky cliff. It was isolated and peaceful at the same time.
It was the perfect place to pray. She closed her eyes, feeling as if she were in the midst of God’s presence. She prayed for her son and Luke and for the re
st of his family. When she opened her eyes, she was at peace.
She didn’t have time to ponder for long. The next day would be Christmas morning. She didn’t know if the Amish gave gifts or not. If so, she had nothing to give anyone. Not even LJ. That made her sadder than anything.
* * *
Christmas Day dawned bright, the blue sky and white snow the perfect setting for celebration. Jennie found a few minutes to pray in the little area she’d discovered the day before. The view of the area around her and the sky was breathtaking. After a few minutes, though, her peace was invaded with a strange sensation. The space between her shoulder blades tingled.
Was she being watched? She turned in all directions. When she saw no one there, she shrugged but could not shake her anxious feeling. She strode from the spot, arms clasped tight around her stomach, determined to keep herself and LJ close to the house that day.
The family celebration surprised her. There were gifts. Each family member received one. When she and LJ each were given a small gift from Luke, she was touched. “I have nothing for you,” she mourned.
He shrugged. “We only generally get one gift. I already have mine.” It was true. His mother had made him a new shirt.
After breakfast was cleared, Jennie witnessed her first ever singing. It was a tradition she wished she could experience every Christmas. It seemed to be the perfect blend of worship and fellowship.
It was the best Christmas she’d ever had. Luke was at her side. Several times that day, their hands or shoulders had touched. Nothing dramatic. But little touches that filled her with warmth. She went to bed that night happier than she’d felt in a long time.
The next day, she woke, planning to spend the day helping Sarah in the kitchen. She made time to visit her little rocky cliff to pray. She stayed there for fifteen minutes, enjoying the peace, before the sense of being watched invaded her calm.
She set out to find Luke. “I think we’re being watched.”
Luke didn’t tell her she was imagining things. He took Raymond and went to look around the area. She and LJ stayed near the barn.
LJ was enraptured with Buster. “She knows me, Mama. Daddy showed her how to find me by how I smell.”
That was no small thing. And it also told her why they’d been so quick to give him a puppy. Luke was making sure he could protect them to the best of his ability.
When he came back, she relaxed.
“Nothing was there, Jennie. We’ll keep watch. But for now, I think we’re okay. Maybe stay in the haus today?”
She agreed and took LJ with her.
He was restless and complained. All he wanted to do was go play with Buster. But dogs were not allowed in the house. Theresa finally managed to convince him to go play a game.
“I’ll keep him out of your way while you help Mamm.”
For a moment, Jennie felt guilty. She was LJ’s mother, after all. But LJ was feeling fractious, and he was happy with Theresa.
Jennie helped Sarah, and the older woman explained how Amish women spent their days. They made fresh bread from scratch and Sarah even showed her how to make a homemade pie crust. Jennie had never really cared for cooking, but suddenly she realized she loved to bake. It was a revelation to her.
When it was almost time for lunch, she went in search of LJ. He and Theresa had gone to play in the basement.
They weren’t there. Jennie frowned. Where could they have gone?
She went upstairs. Anna was in the living room. “Anna, have you seen LJ?”
Anna pointed to the hook where the coats were kept. LJ’s coat and Theresa’s cloak were missing. “Outside. On the porch.”
Her breath stopped. Theresa had taken him to play on the porch. Outside. In the open.
Dashing out the front door, Jennie ran around to the side of the porch. They weren’t there. She raced down the steps and out onto the driveway, finally coming to a stop, terrified.
Theresa’s black bonnet was lying on the ground. But there was no sign of the girl. Or of LJ.
The pit dropped out of Jennie’s stomach. She knew that Theresa would never walk around outside without the bonnet. And she definitely would never leave it lying on the ground where a buggy could roll over it. Footsteps thudded on the porch behind her. “Jennie? What’s going on? Anna told me you needed me.”
Panicked, she turned to face Luke. She pointed at the bonnet on the ground. The chilling shimmer in his eyes told her he’d drawn the same conclusion she had.
LJ and Theresa were missing.
FIFTEEN
Jennie raced off the porch, her sides heaving as sobs shook her. She tried to call for LJ, but she was too distraught. She knew what kind of monster Steve was.
“Jennie!” Luke ran up beside her and grabbed her hand.
She turned to face him, her whole being quivering with terror. “Luke,” she finally managed to sob out. “He has LJ and Theresa. I know he does! We have to find them!” Inside she was struggling not to give in to despair. There was still hope that they would find LJ on the property.
Luke leaned in and put his forehead briefly on hers. “Lord Gott, please, help us find our son.”
A simple prayer, but one she felt deep down in her spirit. “Amen,” she choked out.
“I’ll go out back, search the pastures.”
She nodded. “I’ll look out front and in the side yard.”
He squeezed her hand one final time, then he was off. His gate was uneven on the snow-covered lane, but Jennie didn’t watch for long. She pivoted and ran, pumping her arms for additional speed. As she whipped around the corner of the house, her white kapp flew off her head. She didn’t pause. LJ needed her.
He wasn’t in the front yard. She ran between the tractor and the equipment, peering underneath everything. Nothing.
That left the side yard.
The yard that seemed so peaceful in the morning when she came out to pray now appeared desolate. In some ways, it even seemed to have a menacing edge—all the rocks, plunging down at such a sharp angle.
LJ wouldn’t come out here, she told herself. He knew it wasn’t a safe place, and she had told him often enough that he wasn’t allowed here. He would not have disobeyed her.
But he was four. What four-year-old boy could resist the lure of the forbidden?
She stepped closer to the edge, peering down the cliff. At first, she didn’t see anything. She almost left, relieved that he hadn’t fallen down.
But something urged her to look again.
There. Beneath two slabs of rock, a sheet of paper jutted out. Her breath caught sharply when she saw her name printed in large blocky letters on the top of the page.
Someone knew she was here.
Edging down the slope a couple feet, she slipped on the icy terrain and caught herself on her hands. They stung where the skin was scraped off. She ignored the pain. Reaching the paper, she pulled it out from between the rocks. When she climbed up to the top, she opened the folded sheet, vaguely aware of the blood from her hands smearing the page.
Jennie. Such a pretty place you’ve found to walk in the mornings. I like watching you.
She shivered, remembering the feeling that someone had been there. Oh, why had she ignored that? Just because she hadn’t seen anyone! A tear slipped out of her eye. She brushed it away with angry fingers.
I have your little boy and the girl. Cute little thing. He’s not hurt. Yet. If you want him to stay that way, you will do exactly what I say.
Ditch the Amish people you’re with. Come down to the end of the drive and follow the bike path across the road. If you bring your friends with you, your son and your friend will pay for your disobedience.
There was no signature, but it didn’t matter. She knew exactly who had sent it. Steve. No one else would want her dead this badly.
She had no choice. How she wished she ha
d one last chance to see Luke. She had no doubt Steve would kill her. But maybe Luke could still find LJ and Theresa. If Steve released them.
Carefully, she bent and placed the letter under a rock on the dirt portion of the driveway, leaving it so it wouldn’t blow away, but neither would it be hard to see.
Following the directions, she strode down the lane, looking behind her to make sure no one was following. She didn’t want Luke to find she was gone, not yet. If he did, she didn’t know what would happen to LJ or Luke’s sister. Their safety had to be her first and only priority.
When she crossed the road, she found the neglected bike path. None of the Amish in the area would have used it. Luke had told her once a long time ago that their bishop didn’t let them ride bikes or anything with rubber wheels. The path grew dimmer with each step she took under the overgrown trees.
A movement to her left startled her. With a small shriek, she spun, her hand flying to cover her heart.
Brenda, the clerk from the bank, emerged from the trees, a cold smile on her face.
“Brenda?” Jennie gasped. The idea that she could be involved in something so heinous was unbelievable.
The other woman laughed, a sound that scraped against Jennie’s raw nerves. It was a bitter, angry sound. “You have been more trouble than you’re worth. The tracking device under your car was supposed to make you easy to find. But then you left your car behind. It’s taken too much time finding you again.” Brenda tossed her head, her eyes narrowing to slits. Jennie was reminded of a snake. “If you’d died like you were supposed to, none of this would have happened.”
Jennie’s head swam, unable to process what was happening. “But why? I never knew you until I moved to Meadville, did I? What did I ever do to you?”
Brenda grabbed her arm, shoving Jennie in front of her and forcing her to walk. “To me? Nothing. But to Steve, plenty.”
“How do you know Steve?”
“Keep moving,” Brenda snapped when Jennie’s steps slowed. “I wrote to him in prison. We fell in love. He told me how you framed him, how you had schemed against him.”