Amish Redemption Page 5

  “She must have heard us pounding. She couldn’t have followed our scent after all that rain,” Mary said.

  “I don’t know how she knew, but she did.” Miriam patted the dog and then began walking toward the road, where a white SUV sat parked at the intersection with its red lights flashing. The sheriff followed her.

  Grateful that he hadn’t been outed, Joshua caught Mary’s arm, silently asking her to remain a moment. She did. Their brief time together was over and he needed to get going. “I’m glad things turned out okay for you and Hannah.”

  “Only by God’s grace and because you were here.”

  “You were very brave, Mary. I want you to know how much I admire that. You’re a fine mother and a good example for your daughter. I’m pleased to have met you, even under these circumstances.”

  She blushed and looked down. “I have been blessed to meet you, too, and I shall always count you among my friends.”

  “I need to get going. My folks are expecting me home in a day or two. When they hear about this storm they’ll worry.” He took a step back.

  Mary’s eyes grew round as she looked past him. “Oh, no.”

  “What?” He turned and saw the barn hadn’t been spared. Half of it was missing and the rest was leaning precariously in hay-covered tatters. He’d been so shaken to see the sheriff that he had forgotten about his horse. He started toward what was left of the building at a run.

  * * *

  Mary was tempted to follow Joshua, but she knew he might need more help than she could provide. Instead, she ran after Nick. She caught up with him and quickly explained the situation.

  Nick said, “I’ll help him. Let Miriam drive you and Hannah home and then she can come back for me.”

  “Absolutely not,” Miriam said before Mary could answer. “I’m not leaving until you and that young man are both safe.”

  He kissed her cheek. “That’s why I love you. You never do what I tell you. Call headquarters and let them know what’s going on. I don’t want them to think I’ve gone on vacation.”

  “I will. Be careful.”

  As Nick jogged toward the barn, Mary said, “I’m going to see what I can do.”

  “No, the men can manage.”

  “More hands will lighten the load.” Mary raced after Nick. When she reached the teetering edge of the barn, she hesitated. She couldn’t see what was holding it up as she slowly made her way inside the tangled beams and splintered wood. Everything was covered with hay that had spilled down from the loft. It could be hiding any number of hazards.

  Once she reached the interior, she no longer had to scramble over broken wood, so the going was easier. She saw the flattened remains of Joshua’s buggy beneath a large beam. Ominous creaking came from overhead. Joshua and Nick were pulling debris away from one of the nearby stalls. A section of the hayloft had collapsed like a trapdoor, blocking their way. She reached Joshua’s side and joined him as he pulled at a stubbornly lodged board.

  He stopped what he was doing and scowled at her. “Get out of here right now.”

  “You don’t get to tell me what to do.” She yanked on the board and it came free. She tossed it behind her.

  Joshua turned to Nick. “Tell her it isn’t safe.”

  “It isn’t safe, Mary,” Nick said.

  “It is safe enough for you two to be in here.” She lifted another piece of wood and threw it aside.

  “See what I have to put up with, Joshua? None of the women in my family listen to me.”

  Mary heard a soft whinny from inside the stall. “Your horse is still alive, Joshua.”

  He said, “We’re coming, Oscar. Be calm, big fella.”

  They all renewed their efforts and soon had a small opening cleared. The gap was only wide enough for Mary to slip through. Joshua’s horse limped toward her. He had a large cut across his rump and down his hip.

  “Oh, you poor thing.” Mary stroked his face. He nuzzled her gently.

  “How is he?” Joshua asked.

  “He has a bad gash on his left hip, but the bleeding has stopped. How are we going to get him out of here?”

  Nick said, “Even if we free him from the stall, he can’t climb over the debris to get out the way we came in.”

  “Can you cut through the outside wall?” To her, it looked like the fastest way out.

  “The silo came down on that side and left a few tons of bricks in the way.”

  Looking around from inside the stall, Mary saw only one other likely path. “If you can get into the next stalls and pull down the walls between them and this one, we could lead him through to the outside door at the far end of the building.”

  “It’s worth a look,” Nick said.

  He and Joshua headed in that direction. She heard Joshua call to her. “Mary, if the upper level starts shifting, I want you to leave the horse and get out as fast as you can.”

  “I will,” she called back. She patted Oscar’s dusty brown neck and said softly, “Don’t worry. We’ll get out of this together.”

  The sound of her father’s ax smashing into wood told her they were starting. She looked up, ready to scurry through the gap if she had to.

  She hadn’t been waiting long when the chopping stopped. She heard voices but couldn’t make out what they were saying. Oscar whinnied. From outside, more horses answered. The sound of a chain saw sent her spirits soaring. Someone had joined Nick and Joshua.

  It took less than five minutes before she saw her new rescuer cutting through the adjoining stall. It was Ethan Gingerich, a local Amish logger. Oscar began shifting uneasily. She realized he was frightened by the sound and smell of the chain saw. He tried to rear in the small space with her. She barely had room to avoid his hooves.

  “Ethan, wait! He’s too fearful.”

  Ethan killed the saw’s engine. Oscar quieted, but he was still trembling. Mary patted his neck to reassure him and spoke soothingly.

  “Use this to cover his eyes.” Ethan, a bear of a man, unbuttoned the dark vest he wore over his blue shirt, slipped it off and handed it to Joshua. Joshua climbed over the half wall with ease and quickly tucked the vest into Oscar’s halter, making sure the horse couldn’t see any light. Although the horse continued to tremble, he didn’t move. Without the roar of the saw, Mary could hear creaking and groaning from the remains of the hayloft.

  Joshua kept his hold on Oscar and gave Mary a tired smile. “I’ve got him now. Thanks for your help. You would be doing me a great favor if you went outside.”

  His shirt was soaked with sweat and covered with sawdust and bits of straw. He’d been working to the point of exhaustion to get to her, not just to his horse. She nodded and watched relief fill his eyes. “I reckon I can do that.”

  He moved closer to the half wall and bent his knee. She stepped up and swung her leg over the wide boards. Nick caught her around the waist and lifted her down. She brushed off her skirt, straightened her kapp and went down the length of the barn through the openings they had cut. Behind her, she heard the chain saw roar to life again. She was tempted to stop and make sure all the men got out safely, but she knew they didn’t need her.

  Outside, she saw Miriam standing a few yards away beside the team of huge draft horses that belonged to Ethan. She had Hannah by the hand. When Hannah saw her, she dropped Miriam’s hand and raced forward. “Mamm, Bella chased a rabbit into the field and she won’t come back. I called her and called her.”

  “That naughty dog.” She swung Hannah up into her arms.

  Miriam crossed her arms and glared at Mary. “Bella is not the only naughty member of this family. Go wait for us in the car, Hannah.”

  Mary put her daughter down and watched her run to the vehicle. Hannah loved to ride in Papa Nick’s SUV. He often let her play with the siren. Smiling, Mary turned back to Mir
iam, but her adoptive mother’s face was set in stern lines. Mary sought to defend herself. “I had to help. You would have done the same.”

  “No, I wouldn’t have. They could have managed without you. You have a kind but impulsive nature, Mary. It’s better to think things through than to rush into something only to find bigger trouble. You should know that better than anyone. Nick wouldn’t have come out of there without you no matter how dangerous it became. He would have left the horse if he had to.”

  Miriam almost never scolded her, and she never brought up Mary’s past. Chastised, Mary stared at the ground and whispered, “I’m sorry.”

  She felt Miriam’s hand on her shoulder. “I know you are. I just want you to think with your head and not let your emotions rule you. Just be more cautious.”

  Mary heard trepidation in Miriam’s voice. She was more upset than Mary’s action warranted. “I’m sorry I frightened you. You must have been worried sick all night long.”

  Miriam pulled her close. “I was. Promise me you’ll be more careful.”

  “I promise.”

  When Miriam held her tighter and didn’t release her, Mary knew something else was troubling her mother. “What’s wrong?”

  Miriam sighed. “I didn’t want to tell you this now after all you’ve been through, but there is something you need to know.”

  “What?”

  “Kevin Dunbar is coming up for parole.”

  Mary’s gaze shot to lock with Miriam’s as dread seeped into her heart. “What does that mean?”

  “If he is granted parole, it means he will be released from prison.”

  “But they sentenced him to ten years. It’s only been four.”

  “I know, and Nick and I will speak at the hearing and object to his early release, but it may not be enough.”

  Mary crossed her arms tightly. “Will he come here?”

  “He doesn’t know where you live. He doesn’t know your new name. He doesn’t know that I adopted you or that I married Nick. I don’t see how he could find you and Hannah.”

  “He said he would make me pay for speaking against him in court.” She bit her lower lip, but it didn’t stop the taste of fear that rose in her mouth.

  Miriam laid both hands on Mary’s shoulders. “He won’t find you. Nick and I will see to that. We wanted you to know so it wouldn’t come as a shock if he does get an early release, but we don’t want you to worry. Here come the men. Why don’t you join Hannah in the car?”

  “I want to speak to Joshua first. His buggy was crushed and his horse is injured. He has no way to get home. I’m sure Ada won’t mind if he comes home with us.”

  “I’m sure she won’t, but it wouldn’t be proper for you to offer him a place to stay. You are a single woman. I’m married. I can suggest he stay with my mother.”

  “But—”

  “No buts, Mary. Don’t argue about this. An Amish woman is not outspoken. She is modest and humble. You need to cultivate those virtues or you will be perceived as prideful. Don’t forget, your actions reflect on Ada, too. Nick spoils you. He’s a good man, but he doesn’t understand Amish ways.”

  Mary sighed deeply. Miriam had been raised Amish and knew what was expected of each member. While Miriam had chosen to live English, Mary had freely chosen the Amish way of life. It wasn’t an easy path, but she felt called to follow it. The freedoms she enjoyed by having English parents shouldn’t cause her to lose sight of what it meant to live a Plain life. She had placed her life totally in God’s hands. She would remain His humble and obedient servant.

  Ethan approached them with his chain saw balanced on his shoulder. Miriam said, “Thank you for your assistance, Ethan. Is your family safe?”

  “Glad I could help. The storm wasn’t bad at our place. I heard about the twister when Clara came home last night from the quilting bee. I went out this morning to see if anyone needed me, or my team. I’ve cut through a lot of trees blocking lanes and roadways and hauled them aside. I was on my way home when I saw the sheriff’s SUV and thought I’d see what he was up to out here.”

  “I’m glad you did,” Nick said as he and Joshua came up beside them.

  Mary pinned her gaze to the ground. Joshua must think she was a frightfully forward woman after the way she had acted. “Have you heard if Betsy is safe?” she asked, knowing her friend, whose oldest sister was Ethan’s wife, had been headed to the same quilting bee at Katie Sutter’s home.

  “Ja, she is fine. I took Clara and the kinder to Wooly Joe’s first thing this morning. All the girls were at their grandfather’s place. You’ve never heard such squawking as those sisters do when they have something exciting to talk about. They were getting ready to take food and supplies into Hope Springs.”

  Mary smiled at him. “I’m glad they’re okay. God is goot.”

  “Indeed He is. I need to get my team home. They’ve had a tough day.” Ethan bade everyone farewell and left.

  Mary began walking toward Nick’s vehicle. She tried not to look back to see if Joshua was watching, but she couldn’t help herself. He was.

  * * *

  Joshua watched Mary walk away and a strange sense of loss filled him. This was probably the last time he would see her. He was shocked to realize just how much he wanted to see her again. Under normal circumstances.

  Nick laid a hand on Joshua’s shoulder. “You must be exhausted.”

  He tried not to flinch from the man’s touch, but it brought back the way the police and the prison guards had grabbed him in the past. “A little,” he admitted. His strength was draining away now that the crisis was over.

  Miriam glanced toward the car and then turned to him. “Unless you have other plans, why don’t you come back to my mother’s home with us? You can clean up and have a hot meal, spend the night and then decide what to do in the morning.”

  As much as he wanted to accept, he didn’t want to spend any more time in the sheriff’s company. “Danki, but I don’t think so.”

  “Suit yourself,” Nick said.

  Miriam laid a hand on Joshua’s arm. “You need a place to stay until you can sort things out and get home. My mother will welcome you. She is Amish, so I know you’ll be comfortable there. Not another word—you’re coming with us.”

  She walked away to join Mary and Hannah. Joshua stood rooted to the spot. He hadn’t expected this kindness from outsiders. He swallowed hard and hitched a thumb over his shoulder toward the barn. “I have some clothes and a few things in what’s left of my buggy that I need. Let me get those and see to my horse.”

  Nick said, “Leave him tied up here, and I’ll have someone bring a trailer and take him to our vet.”

  “I would appreciate that, if it’s not too much trouble.” Joshua wasn’t sure he had the money to pay for a vet, but his father would send more to cover the bill. Isaac Bowman never skimped on taking care of his animals. It was a lesson he had drilled into his sons.

  “No trouble,” Nick said. “I’ve had reports from all over about loose and injured livestock. I have nearly a dozen volunteers with stock trailers helping wherever they are needed and taking all sorts of animals to our vet’s clinic. Doc Rodgers has already asked for help from other veterinarians in the state. He’ll have someone to look after your horse.”

  After agreeing to the arrangement, Joshua tethered Oscar where he could reach green grass and water and covered him with a blanket to keep the flies out of the gash. Then he extracted his duffel bag and his few belongings from his crushed buggy and joined Mary’s family in the SUV. Hannah greeted him with a big smile. “Bella came back.”

  Joshua glanced over his shoulder. The Lab mix was in the back of the vehicle panting heavily. “It looks like she had a good run.”

  “She was chasing a rabbit. She’s not supposed to do that,” Hannah told him in a low voice.
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br />   “Did she catch him?” Joshua asked in a whisper. He shared a smile with Mary, but she quickly looked away.

  Hannah shook her head. “She never catches them. She’s not very fast. What about your horse?”

  “Nick said he’ll have someone take him to the vet clinic.”

  Mary continued to avoid looking at him. He fell silent and remained that way. The sudden change in their circumstances left him feeling tongue-tied and awkward. Or maybe it was because her father kept glancing at him in the rearview mirror. Perhaps going to Mary’s home wasn’t a good idea.

  He hadn’t been able to think of a reason to refuse under the sheriff’s steely gaze earlier. He didn’t want to raise the man’s suspicions.

  Joshua’s parole agreement said he couldn’t leave the area without notifying his parole officer. Was he in violation of that even if he was still in the same county? He should have checked before he left home.

  The radio crackled and came to life with a woman’s voice. “Sheriff, do you read me?”

  Nick picked up the mic. “I read you, dispatch.”

  “We found the missing Keim children. The boys are fine.”

  Nick grinned at Miriam. “That’s great news. Where were they?”

  “At their aunt’s house. They had gone fishing. They ran to take cover there when the storm cut them off from home. It took her family a while to dig out afterward and gather their scattered horses and cattle before they brought the kids home.”

  “That only leaves the McIntyre family unaccounted for.”

  “Nope, they weren’t home. They were out camping in the woods. They came back to town about an hour ago. That’s everyone who was unaccounted for, and FEMA is now on scene.”

  “Good. Let Deputy Medford know. Lance is in charge until I return.”

  “He already knows, sir.”

  “Have you had any word on Bishop Zook?”

  “He’s out of surgery and is expected to make a full recovery.”

  “The blessings just keep coming. Thanks. I’ll be at Ada’s house in a few minutes. You can get me on my cell if I don’t answer the radio.”