Amish Country Hideout
highlight_author
Mary Alford
highlight_reads
15,1K
highlight_chapters
44
Chapter One
She’d put thousands of miles between herself and what happened, but she hadn’t been able to erase the horrific memory of watching her friend die. It had played through her mind during every one of those miles, like a movie stuck on a never-ending loop.
All her fault. Cheryl was dead because of her.
The fear stalking her since she’d left New York showed no sign of easing as she crossed into Montana. Because she knew what Vincent was capable of. He’d proved it by killing his wife in cold blood without a single hint of remorse.
Faith had prayed that the terrible things she’d read in her late husband’s note would turn out to be a cruel joke, but the rage on Vincent St. Clair’s face when Cheryl confronted him with the evidence had annihilated that hope, and it confirmed he was the monster her husband wrote about. And so much more.
If you’re reading this, then Vincent followed through with his threat and killed me...don’t let him get away with it, Faith.
She swiped the back of her hand across her tired eyes and focused on the road in front of her. She was barely hanging on and still couldn’t wrap her head around the truth. Vincent was Blake’s older brother. Both were decorated police detectives. How was it possible they’d been on the take for years?
Since she’d found the note Blake had taped to the bottom of his desk, Faith had existed in a state of shock. The first person she’d thought to call was Cheryl.
Faith jerked the car onto the shoulder of the road and screamed into the confines of its interior. Pounded her fists against the steering wheel. If she hadn’t been weak—hadn’t called her friend for help—Cheryl would still be alive.
The horror of watching Vincent shoot his wife at point-blank range would forever be imprinted in Faith’s mind. If Vincent had been ruthless enough to kill Cheryl simply because she’d seen the evidence Faith’s husband had accumulated, then what would he do to Faith if he caught her? She’d grabbed the evidence and run, started the car and flown from the garage. She’d been so certain Vincent would shoot her dead right there, but God had protected her. She’d gotten away, but she’d been looking over her shoulder ever since.
“I’m so sorry.” A broken sob escaped. Her heart drummed away the seconds while she glanced around at the isolation of the countryside and shivered. Sitting still was dangerous. Thirty-eight hours ago, she’d barely escaped with her life. But it wouldn’t end there. Vincent knew she had evidence that would put him away for a long time. He’d follow her to the ends of the earth to silence her.
Faith eased the car back onto the road and punched the gas. Staying alive meant quickly getting the car out of sight. Vincent was aware of the type of vehicle she drove. He’d find a way to locate her. Every second she was out in the open, her life was in jeopardy.
Her gaze landed on the cell phone in the cup holder, and a terrible truth dawned. As a detective, Vincent would know how to track her phone. He could be following her now.
Faith grabbed the phone and powered it down, praying it wasn’t too late.
She topped a hill. The snow flurries that had begun almost from the moment she crossed the state line continued to strengthen. An early spring storm was approaching.
Her fingers dug into the steering wheel as she drove through the deteriorating weather. More than anything, Faith hated bringing this nightmare to her sweet Amish grandmother. If there had been any other option, she would have chosen it instead.
A set of headlights struck the rearview mirror, momentarily blinding her. Faith whipped around in her seat. She hadn’t seen a soul in hours. The wide-open territory surrounding the Amish community of West Kootenai was sparsely populated. There were few travelers. Especially after dark. Especially in this weather.
Her stomach plummeted. Was it Vincent?
You’ll never get away from me... Vincent’s parting words had felt more like an omen.
Tension bunched between her shoulder blades while she strained to see more details on the vehicle beyond the headlights.
As far as she knew, her husband and Cheryl were the only ones who had knowledge of her Amish past in Montana.
After she moved to New York, every time she mentioned once being Amish, she’d get asked dozens of questions about why she left. In the end, it was just easier to keep that part of her life secret.
Had either Cheryl or Blake mentioned her past to Vincent?
Please, God, no.
She picked up her speed while keeping close watch in the mirror. The vehicle topped the ridge behind her, its pace normal for the conditions.
She blew out a shaky breath, nerves shot. It was probably someone who had gotten trapped in the storm like her. Her grip relaxed on the wheel. She’d been jumping at shadows since leaving New York.
The car’s headlights picked up the sign nailed to a tree by the side of the road announcing the different shops found in the West Kootenai community. Almost home. Just a little bit farther.
A wealth of childhood memories rushed through Faith’s mind. For more than twenty years she’d longed to come back. With no other choice available, she believed God’s hand had guided her throughout every mile of this frightening journey.
The Silver Creek Bridge appeared through the swirl of snow in her headlights. So many of her early childhood memories were tied to this creek. Her grandfather had taught her how to fish here. They’d searched for gold along the banks of the stream.
A smile played across her face at the way her grossdaddi could make anything seem like an adventure to a young child.
Tires squealed close and the sweet memories evaporated while goose bumps flew up her arms. A massive truck was a few feet off her bumper. She’d been wrong. This wasn’t an innocent traveler. Her worst fear screamed out of her nightmares and into reality.
Vincent had found her. Staying alive was going to take all her skills.
He flipped his lights on bright to intimidate. Faith buried the accelerator and pushed the car to its limits. Her tires spun on the slick road. Even though it was springtime in other parts of the world, here in Big Sky Country, winter still had the community in its grip.
Silver Creek Bridge quickly came up. She had to cross it before he trapped her there.
Her tires connected with the first wooden slat on the bridge. From far too close on her bumper, Vincent revved his engine. Before there was time to have a clear thought, the truck plowed into her full force. Her car lurched forward. Faith’s head flung toward the wheel then snapped backward.
She grabbed the door for support when another blow sent the full weight of her body slamming against her wrist. She screamed as pain shot up her arm. Keeping the car on the road with one working hand was difficult, but she wanted to live.
Her grandmother’s home was past the bridge down the first gravel road on the right, but she didn’t dare lead Vincent there. The next turnoff was several miles beyond. She’d never make it that far. If she drove the car cross country under these conditions, would she survive? Through the swatch of visibility the headlights created, much of the countryside appeared still covered in snow, and the storm was increasing.
Faith fought hard to right the car and keep it from slamming into the guardrail. She punched the gas and tried to put distance between herself and the vehicle that was inches off her bumper once more. The truck hit her again.
Her car spun sideways. Faith screamed and did her best to control the car, but Vincent didn’t let up. He planted the truck’s bumper against the side of her door and shoved. She watched in horror as the truck’s tires coughed up smoke as he tried to force her off the bridge.
Faith yanked the wheel hard to the left in a futile attempt to pull free of the massive truck, but it was useless. Her car’s engine was no match.
She stomped the brake pedal with both feet, but the car continued to inch closer to the guardrail.
The passenger side struck the railing. Metal grinding against metal sounded horrific as the car crumpled on impact. Vincent didn’t let up. The guardrail bent under the pressure of the powerful truck. Faith fought a losing battle. Trapped inside the car there was nothing she could do to prevent it. She was going into Silver Creek.
Her terrified gaze shot to the water below. The creek was close to overflowing its banks and had to be five feet deep.
The railing gave way with a terrible sound of metal snapping and bolts breaking free. Both passenger tires left the bridge. The car hung suspended in midair for the time it took Faith to pull in a fearful breath. Vincent’s gleeful expression would forever be imprinted in her memory. She teetered back and forth for a second longer then plunged into the icy waters of Silver Creek.
The noise of the impact was so horrendous it had her wondering if the car would break into a hundred pieces. Her injured wrist banged the door again. She screamed and blacked out for a second.
Freezing water poured in through the bottoms of the doors.
Faith fumbled with the seat belt latch. It didn’t budge. Not like this. She wouldn’t die trapped inside this vehicle. She’d fight with everything she had to live. Expose Vincent for the criminal he was.
Water continued to rise inside the car. It groaned under the shifting pressure.
“Help me. Please,” she prayed and jabbed her finger against the latch several more times. The final try released the seat belt. She’d escaped her house with just the clothes on her back and the pieces of evidence she’d tucked inside her purse that would bring down Vincent. She wouldn’t lose them now.
Faith grabbed her purse and phone before they were completely submerged. She shoved the phone inside the purse and closed it before she slung the strap over her head.
It was a blessing the car had manual window cranks because the water had shorted the electrical system.
Faith rolled down the driver’s window and eased through the opening. Immediately, she sank under the water’s surface and tried not to panic. Her feet touched the bottom, and she righted herself. Though her head was above the water, the creek was running swiftly and standing up against the current was nearly impossible.
The cold water took her breath away. From where she stood in the middle of the creek, the bank appeared miles away.
Keeping her eyes on land, she began walking. She’d taken only a few steps when she stumbled on the rocky creek bed and went under the water.
Fighting back alarm, she steadied her feet beneath her. She wasn’t a strong swimmer in the best of conditions, but she’d never make it to the shore like this. There was only one choice. She’d have to swim diagonally to reach dry ground.
One stroke at a time. Her grandfather had taught her that valuable lesson. When she was in the water, panicking was the worst possible enemy. Take each stroke and follow through. Keep your focus on your destination. She sucked in a breath, tried to calm herself and did as he’d taught her.
Where had Vincent gone? She scanned the bridge above. No truck. She hadn’t heard it leave, but she’d been too focused on saving herself.
As the car begin to settle, a sharp crack came from the woods above and close to the road. She recognized the sound immediately from the many times Blake had taken her to the gun range. Gunfire. Vincent was shooting at her. He was determined she wasn’t going to leave here alive.
More shots landed all around. Barrel flashes lit up the woods. Vincent scrambled down the embankment. The shots missed her by inches. Faith ducked beneath the surface to keep from being hit. She swam underwater until she reached the opposite side of the car.
“Did you really think you could get away? From me?” Vincent mocked. “There’s no way I can let you live. Cheryl’s dead at your house. I used Blake’s weapon to kill her. You remember—the one he taught you to shoot with. Your fingerprints are all over it. By now, my police buddies have probably found her body. I’ll tell them you tried to kill me too. No one will blame me for taking you down.”
Those ominous words threatened to destroy her. Vincent planned to frame her for Cheryl’s death. Her murder would be considered justifiable by his fellow cops.
“Where’s the evidence Blake left you?” Vincent demanded. “Give it to me and maybe I’ll let you live.”
There was no way she trusted him to keep his word. Once he had the evidence, he’d kill her.
Using the car as a barrier, she peeked around the edge. Vincent spotted her and opened fire. Faith ducked beneath the water. As she resurfaced, the purse slipped from her head and begun floating away. The clasp worked its way open. It wouldn’t take long for everything inside to be in the creek.
Faith grabbed for it like the lifeline it was. That purse contained her only means of contacting anyone and the hard copies of all the data on the thumb drive along with Blake’s note describing his and Vincent’s crimes.
She’d tucked the drive into a plastic bag inside her wallet and placed it in her purse before she’d called Cheryl. At the time, she hadn’t imagined a scenario such as this. God had planted the notion in her mind. If she lost those items, she had nothing.
Faith dove for the disappearing purse, but the current was too swift, and it floated out of her reach. Another round of shots peppered the water around her, forcing her to retreat. Desperate, she looked around for some means of escape, but there wasn’t one. It was just her and a killer who was determined to bury her at the bottom of the creek. Along with his crimes.
Gunshots—more than one—had Eli Shetler sitting up straighter on the wagon. A short time earlier another disturbing sound had interrupted his tired thoughts. Metal crunching together followed by a loud splash. Something quite large had gone into Silver Creek. Undoubtedly, a car. But that didn’t explain the gunshots. Those worried him the most.
Eli shook the reins hard. The mare picked up her pace.
The bridge over Silver Creek appeared through the snowy downpour.
Though he’d been back in West Kootenai for a little more than a month, everywhere he looked moments from his past abounded. Good times. Bad times. Those he and his wife, Miriam, had spent together reminded him of all he’d lost with her death. Silver Creek was no exception. They’d picnicked here. Taken long walks through the nearby woods to spend time together when they were courting. And he’d loved her so much. Even after two years, he couldn’t believe he would never see her or the baby they’d been expecting again.
Eli stopped the horse before she entered the bridge. Part of the guardrail to the right was missing where a vehicle had plowed through it. The image in his head was unsettling.
A little way down on the opposite side, a pickup truck was parked off the gravel road. Had the driver stopped to lend assistance? While he pondered these things, a half dozen more shots ricocheted from the creek below. This was no accident. Someone was in serious trouble.
Eli grabbed the shotgun he kept for protection when working out in the wilderness and started down the slippery embankment.
“Help!” A woman screamed at the top of her lungs. Her distressed voice sent Eli scrambling the rest of the way down.
As his eyes adjusted to the darkness below the bridge, the sight in front of him was like nothing he’d seen before. A woman was in the water near a car that was sinking quickly. On the bank nearby, a shadowy figure of a man. He had a gun aimed at the woman.
“Where is it?” the man demanded. “I want what Blake gave you. All of it. Now,” the man barked, and the woman jumped in reaction. “You should have stayed out of this, Faith. Shouldn’t have dragged Cheryl into it. Now, you’re going to die like her and your traitor husband. He betrayed blood.”
Eli was terrified the man would shoot her right before his eyes. Acting on sheer instinct, he charged toward the assailant.
The man whipped around, spotted Eli, and trained his weapon at his head.
“That’s far enough.” The man scowled as he looked Eli over without lowering the weapon. “This doesn’t concern you. I’m a police officer.” He reached inside his pocket and flashed a badge too quickly for Eli to read it. “This woman is being accused of murder. I’m here to take her back with me.”
“He’s lying!” the female yelled, her pleading eyes latching on to Eli. Something familiar about her startled him. “He tried to kill me by forcing me off the bridge. Now he’s shooting at me.”
The reality of those words sank in. Why would someone from law enforcement try to kill this woman? Something about the situation wasn’t as this guy claimed.
The man kept his finger poised on the trigger of the weapon. Would a law enforcement officer try to kill a man who had come to assist? Eli had overheard him threatening the woman earlier. The man might be a police officer, but he was definitely not following the law.
“Please don’t leave me with him.” The terror on her face wouldn’t let Eli abandoned her no matter how much this man threatened.
“She’s coming with me,” Eli said and moved toward the woman.
“I told you to stay out of it. This is a police matter.” He waded into the water and grabbed the woman’s arm, yanking her along with him. “Let’s go. It’s a long drive back to New York.”
“Stop right there.” Eli raised his weapon. “Let her go.” Though he was far from steady on the inside, Eli kept the shotgun trained on the man’s midsection.
The officer shoved the woman away and strode toward Eli.
“Don’t come any closer.” Eli fired the shotgun into the air as a warning, yet the man didn’t back down. He pointed the handgun at Eli and shot. If Eli hadn’t ducked in time, the bullet would have struck his head. He couldn’t believe stopping to lend a hand had resulted in a life-threatening situation.
Eli dove for the shooter before he could get off another round. They struggled in hand-to-hand combat while his assailant tried to get the handgun into a position to shoot again. Fighting for his life, Eli slugged the man. Watched him stumble backward before losing his footing on the slippery grass. He hit the ground hard.
Not giving his attacker time enough to right himself, Eli snatched the gun free from his grasp. Without a weapon, the man’s threat was greatly diffused, yet he didn’t appear ready to give up. He jumped to his feet, fists balled at his sides. With a look of pure malevolence on his face, he took a threatening step closer.
Eli cocked the handgun. “That’s far enough. I don’t want to shoot you, but I will.”
His attacker stopped short, realizing Eli had the upper hand.
He glared long and hard before he dusted off his clothes. “This isn’t over, and you’re in a lot of trouble for interfering in a murder investigation.”
The tingle along Eli’s spine convinced him it was a lie. Given the opportunity, this man would take the weapon from him and use it on Eli and the woman standing in the creek. What kind of police officer would do such a thing?
“You need to leave.” He kept the weapon leveled on the man’s chest. “Now, before the sheriff arrives.” Though Eli had no way of knowing if some of his Englisch neighbors had heard the shots and called the sheriff, it was a gut possibility. People around these parts looked out for each other. And he wanted this man to believe help was on the way.
“You didn’t call anyone.” But there was just enough doubt in his tone to make it clear he wasn’t certain. “And even if you did, who do you think he’ll believe. An Amish man and a woman accused of murder. Or a police detective.”
Eli shook his head. “We will find out soon enough. One of my neighbors would have called in the gunshots by now. Unless you want to explain to the sheriff why you tried to kill me and ran this woman off the road, I suggest you be on your way.”
The man hesitated for a long moment before he tossed the woman a venomous look. “I’ll be back for you and the stuff.” With that warning hanging over their heads, the man stormed past Eli and slammed his shoulder against him. Without another look their way, he stomped up the embankment and into the woods.
Reality crashed down around Eli. His knees threatened to buckle beneath his weight. He’d never been in a situation like this before. One minute he was on his way home after checking out the new piece of property he and Hunter planned to log, and the next he was interrupting a murder plot.
Near the road, the truck’s engine fired, and the vehicle screamed away. The man had left...for now.
Eli snapped out of his shock and hurried to the woman who appeared to be suffering from her own form of trauma. She clutched her soaked jacket around her body and shivered. Once again, he was struck by a sense of familiarity. Did he know her? Impossible, surely.
“Komm, my wagon is up on the road, and I have some blankets you can use to dry off and warm up. It’s best if we don’t stay here any longer. I don’t trust him not to come back.” A loud whoosh snapped their attention to the water where the car slipped farther into its watery grave. Only the roof remained visible.
If he’d taken a different path home...
Eli suppressed a shiver.
“H-he forced me off the road. If you hadn’t come along when you did, he would have killed me.” Her teeth chattered from the cold, and she held her wrist against her body as if it had been injured in the incident.
“Is it true he’s a police officer?” Eli asked because he had to know what he was dealing with.
She nodded. “It’s true. But he’s a dirty cop, and he knows I can prove it. That’s why he tried to kill me. He’s a dangerous man.” She glanced up toward the road as if expecting the shooter to return.
“You’re safe now.” But for how long? Eli went to assist her, but she shrank away. Despite his coming to her aid, she didn’t fully trust him yet. After what happened, he could certainly understand.
She pushed her dark hair away from her face and searched his. “I’m sorry. It’s just... I was so sure he’d kill me.” She blew out a sigh. “Thank you for rescuing me.”
Eli found himself swept up into the turmoil burning inside her troubled green eyes, which held fear and suspicion. He wanted to understand what had happened here tonight because there was so much more to her story.
“You are welcome. My name is Eli Shetler.” He introduced himself, hoping to put her at ease.
Surprise showed on her face. “Eli? I remember you,” she said in amazement. “My name is Faith... Cooper.”
Faith Cooper? His neighbor was Sarah Cooper. As he continued to stare at her, something about her appearance sparked the tiniest of memories. This was Sarah’s Englisch granddaughter.
“Your grossmammi is Sarah Cooper, right?” He couldn’t hide his shock as he realized the woman standing before him now was the grown-up version of that little girl who used to follow around her grandfather everywhere he went. The one who tagged along behind Eli whenever she could. He remembered the time when she and her parents had left the Amish faith.
Faith smiled at his surprise. “She is.”
“I remember you.” And he did. The sweet little dark-haired girl she’d once been. So curious about everything. How had someone like her gotten involved with a man who was trying to kill her?
“How do you know that man?” Eli asked. “He said you were wanted for murder?”
She pulled her gaze from his. “He’s lying. He killed his wife who is—was—my best friend. He did it in front of me, and now he’s trying to frame me for her death.”
Her chilling words were hard to believe. The desire to ask more questions was hard to resist, but they both needed to get out of here before that man returned. “Those are serious accusations. Way beyond what we can handle ourselves. We need to get the sheriff involved.”
She barely let him finish. “No. No police. He’s a detective. The sheriff won’t believe me over Vincent, and if the tables were turned, I probably wouldn’t believe me either.” She stumbled over the slick path as they headed up the embankment. Eli reached out to catch her before she fell. Once more, he noticed the way she kept her left wrist tucked close to her body. “You’re hurt. That could be serious.” He indicated her injured wrist. “At least let me drive you to the hospital in Eagle’s Nest.” Though the town was some ten miles away, it was the closest clinic to the community.
She shook her head. “No, it’s too risky. The best thing I can do is get out of sight as quickly as possible. He may have left for now, but he won’t give up.” She stopped as if she’d said too much. “And it is only a sprain.”
Eli kept his doubts to himself. Once they reached the road, Eli helped her climb onto the wagon. He glanced back at Silver Creek and tried not to think about what might have happened if he’d worked a little longer. Taken a different path home. Gott had been looking out for her.
Grabbing blankets from underneath some of his tools, Eli then wrapped one around her legs. The other he placed over her shoulders.
Springtime in West Kootenai was deceptive. The warmer temperatures lulled you into a false sense of hope. And then a storm like this one happened.
He climbed up beside her, yet he did not attempt to take up the reins. The questions pounding his mind needed answering, but Faith appeared to be one more bad thing away from falling apart.
So far, she hadn’t said anything to settle his doubts. Faith claimed this man coming after her was a dirty cop who had killed someone. Was he involved in more illegal activities? Was she?
I’m a police officer. This woman is being accused of murder. The man’s troubling words played through Eli’s mind again and again. Though he didn’t believe Faith was capable of murder, there was much about what happened that he didn’t understand.
He thought about the trouble following him for the past two years. Losing his wife was hard enough but being accused of setting the fire that caused her death was unthinkable. He’d had firsthand experience with being accused of something you didn’t do.
Eli gathered the reins from where he’d slung them in haste.
“Thank you, Eli,” she said and faced him. “I’m sorry I put you in the middle of this, but I’m truly grateful you stopped. I’d be dead by now if you hadn’t, and I doubt if anyone would know about it.”
Those alarming words confirmed the seriousness of what happened tonight.
“You and I were friends as kinner, and Sarah is my neighbor. I would do whatever I could to help either of you.”
She smiled at his recollection. “You used to walk me home from school sometimes. I remember you always chose pretty rocks for me.” Her smile disappeared. “It’s been so many years ago since I left here. At times, it feels like another lifetime.”
He certainly understood that feeling. He’d been gone from West Kootenai for a long time himself. The life he left behind was not the same one he possessed now. It would never be the same.
“Your grossmammi isn’t expecting you, is she?”
She shook her head, confirming this wasn’t a friendly visit to catch up. Faith was running for her life.
Eli gave the reins a shake, and the horse responded to his skilled direction.
“Why is this man trying to harm you? Why would he try to frame you for someone’s murder?”
She put up her guard. “Because of the things I found out. It’s better for him if I disappear.” The answer didn’t settle anything in Eli’s mind. Far from it.
They passed by the damaged railing. Eli had a feeling the truth was going to be far worse than anything he could imagine.
The mare clomped along the slushy road while snow continued to fall. Eli kept a close eye behind them. The truck had headed away from the community, but something told him this wasn’t the last they’d seen of the man.
Most people around the town and the surrounding countryside knew each other. Had grown up living with the same neighbors for several generations. A stranger would stand out. He’d ask some of his Englisch neighbors if they’d seen a stranger. Eli hoped the man would realize it was better off for him to go back to where he came from.
The turnoff to his and Sarah’s homesteads appeared up on the right. At one time all the property on this side of the road was deeded to the Cooper family.
When he’d first come back to West Kootenai, he’d remembered the property that once belonged to Sarah’s son was sitting vacant, so he’d asked to buy some of the land and the old house. She’d been more than agreeable.
Being reunited with his family again had come at a heavy price. If it weren’t for his fraa’s passing, he wouldn’t have come back. For more than ten years, his relationship with his brothers had been strained. After losing Miriam and their unborn child to the fire, living under suspicion had gotten to be too much. He’d wanted a fresh start. Eli had reached out to his mamm and found the welcoming he’d longed for. But he still felt it necessary to keep some distance between himself and the family. Maybe out of a sense of guilt for his part in what happened between himself and Bruder Mason.
And so, he’d bought the place next to Sarah’s. It was some distance from the rest of the family and away from most of the community. He enjoyed the privacy and Sarah’s calming presence.
Her modest homestead came into view. Eli guided the mare down her narrow drive and stopped in front of the house. Puffs of white smoke disappeared among the snowy night air.
He turned to Faith. Tears glistened in her eyes as she stared at the house, and he wondered when she’d been here last. He of all people understood how hard homecomings could be.
Eli hopped down and helped her from the wagon. In the distance an engine revved, and she spun at the sound.
“It could be coming from the highway. Sound travels far out here.” Yet he understood exactly what she was thinking because he’d thought the same.
She relaxed. “You’re probably right.” Without another word, she hurried up the steps to the porch. Faith stood in front of the door for a long moment before she knocked.
Eli followed at a slower pace. He didn’t have it in his heart to tell her the engine noise was much closer. After what happened at the creek, there was no way he was leaving two women alone with a killer on the loose in the community. He’d find a way to stay close. Sarah wouldn’t have a problem with him bunking on the sofa.
Even though he’d been home for just over a month, he and Sarah had become gut friends. As a widow alone, she relied on him, and he was happy to help her out in any way he could.
A single lantern showed through the window. Sarah would be working on her quilting. The one thing she enjoyed most these days.
“Sometimes her hearing isn’t so gut,” Eli told her. “You have to knock louder.”
Faith drew in a breath and knocked harder. Waited.
As he listened, the familiar labored steps of the woman who had welcomed him back to the community with open arms came toward them. The curtain near the door moved.
“Sarah, it’s me, Eli. I have someone here to see you.”
The curtain dropped and the door opened. A smile creased her face. Sarah’s smile always made the darkness that haunted him flee.
“Eli, I’m glad you stopped by. Komm inside. The night is cold. I’ll make some coffee to warm you up.” Sarah’s gaze shifted from him to the woman at his side. “And who is this?”
She stepped closer. Recognition dawned in slow surprise. “Faith.” Tears quickly filled her eyes. “It is you.” She swept her granddaughter into her arms and hugged her tightly. “Oh, my boppli. My precious boppli. You’re finally home.”
As much as Sarah was overjoyed to see her granddaughter, Eli worried that the danger following Faith would find its way into this gentle woman’s life.
