A Dark Amish Night (4 page)

   After a few moments Bishop Miller came back to stand in front of Hannah again.

   “Very well, Hannah, we will consider your request and I will let you know of our decision personally. Remember you are much loved and respected in this community and we only desire that you and your children be safe and happy here. It is my hope that you will reconsider our offer to help you remain on your farm with a husband to cherish and protect you.”

   Hannah’s heart softened. She could see that the bishop and the deacons did have a care for her and her children. “Yes, Bishop Miller. I can see that you only have my best interest at heart. But I loved my husband. I’m not yet ready to be wed to another, and I don’t know if I ever will be.” Hannah thanked all the deacons and the bishop before she left. Her heart was heavy with her loss of Eric, more so now than ever, but she was leaving with some small hope for a secure future for herself and her children. The matter was in God’s hands now and Hannah would abide by his will.

   Quinn walked with Timothy around the town square. The dogwood trees were fully dressed with deep magenta colored blossoms and the air was fragrant with fresh flowers blooming everywhere. Timothy hadn’t uttered a single word since they’d left the station.

   “So, how are things at home, son? I can imagine it’s been real hard on all of you. But it must be real hard on you stepping up to be the man of the house and all now.”

   Timothy looked up at Quinn with big round eyes. “Yes, I hope to make my Pa proud by looking after Mom and Ruth Anne.”

   
Good, now we’re breaking the ice here.
Quinn decided to keep playing it cool. By the looks of the boy, he was ready to bolt at any minute.  “I don’t suppose you could help me out by letting me ask you some more questions about your dad, could you?” Quinn stopped in front of a bench on the courthouse lawn and gestured for Timothy to sit down.

   Timothy sat with a heavy sigh for one so young. It seemed as if the weight of the entire world weighed on this boy’s shoulders. Quinn wished he could take the boy’s cares away from him completely, but maybe he could at least lighten the load a little.

   “I suppose I could help you out.” Timothy stated after some deliberation.

   “Thanks. I wonder why your dad never delivered the baked goods for your mom that night. Do you know why?”

   “I don’t know why. We were right here on the square. Pa was talking to Peter Yoder about selling him one of our horses and I just got kind of tired of waiting for him so I went back to the buggy. I feel asleep in the back floorboard. It was starting to get dark when I fell asleep.”

   “Okay, do you remember if your dad stopped at Pattie Sue’s house to drop off her pie your mom made her?”

   “No! We didn’t stop at Pattie Sue’s. I fell asleep and I didn’t wake up until you found me in the back of the buggy. That’s all.” Quinn could see that Timothy was on the brink of tears and he put a hand on the boy’s shoulder to help him calm down.

   “That’s fine, Tim, I think that’s enough for now, okay?”

   Timothy sniffled and rubbed his nose. “My Pa used to call me Tim.”

   “Well, would it be all right if I call you Tim, too?” 

    “I suppose it’d be alright.”

    “Okay, Tim, we’d better get back to the office now. I imagine your mom is gonna be looking for you soon.”  

   On the walk back the wheels in Quinn’s analytical mind started spinning. Timothy had a knee jerk response when he’d been asked about Pattie Sue’s pie delivery. There was something not right about this whole situation. All the puzzle pieces were not coming together right.  He’d found other evidence at the site where Eric had left the buggy but until he had more answers than questions there was nothing he could put together that pointed him in one direction or another. The next step was to talk to Pattie Sue.

   “Here you go, one young man delivered back to his mom safe and sound.” Quinn ruffled Timothy’s hair as the boy went to Hannah who was already waiting for him at the station.    

   “Hannah, can I talk to you for a second before you leave?”

   “Sure, Sheriff.”

   “Jess, would you take the little one and help Timothy get her loaded up in the buggy while I visit with Mrs. Hershberger?”

   “Sure thing, Boss.” Jess lifted Ruth Anne out of Hannah’s arms and walked with her and Timothy to the buggy.

  “Is something wrong, Quinn? Did Timothy give you any trouble? I can talk to him some more if you want, but I think he just needs a little time.”

   “No, no. Timothy is fine. It’s just that I need to tell you that I don’t think Eric’s death was an accident. I don’t have any concrete proof and maybe I’m wrong, but some things are not adding up. Is it possible that Eric had any enemies? Someone who would want to do him harm? Did he owe anyone any kind of a debt?”

   “No, we own everything free and clear. The farm, our animals… We have no outstanding debt except our revolving account at the feed store and with Pattie Sue’s mercantile, but we’re current with both accounts. Things have been tight financially with the drought and all, but we weren’t doing without anything necessary.” That sick feeling that Hannah had been harboring was back. She couldn’t blame Quinn for his uneasy feelings about Eric’s death if she were having the same feelings herself.

   “Okay, I’m going to do some more digging. In the meantime I want to make sure you and the children are safe. Do you still have a working phone?”

   “Yes.”

   “I want you to call me anytime day or night if anything comes up, and don’t be afraid if you see patrol cars coming and going. I am going to have my men checking on you round the clock. I don’t suppose you’re ready to move into town yet?”

   “No I can’t leave the farm just yet.” Hannah started to protest on having the house watched but decided to accept the offer of protection for her children’s sake. If someone out there had killed her husband then it was better to be safe than sorry.  But who would want to kill Eric? Everyone who knew Eric liked and respected him. A shiver ran down her spine at the thought at what may have happed to Eric, and even worse that her son had been there the whole time.

   “Quinn, who could’ve done such a thing, and with Timothy right there in the buggy?” Worry for her son washed over her. “What if they know that Timothy was in the buggy the whole time and come for him? Quinn, you have to find who did this. Timothy isn’t safe, is he?” 

    “Hannah, I’m going to find out what happened to Eric. Don’t worry, but for the safety of all of you I think it would be best if you stayed in town for now. I found a small house on Jefferson Street. I spoke with the owners already and they’ve agreed to let you stay there for as long as you need until I sort things out.”

   “That’s very kind, but I couldn’t just walk away from the farm. We have animals to tend and what would I tell the children. They wouldn’t understand and I don’t want to scare them.”  Hannah started to shake her head. This was just too much with the loss of Eric and now this.

   “Well…” Quinn scratched his head. “We can just figure something else out, but I’m not leaving you and the children out there all alone. Can you think of anyone who could stay with you?”

   “The only person who might be able to do it is Pattie Sue, but that’s not an ideal situation either. Maybe I could ask her to stay with us for a few days, though, until we figure something else out.”

   Quinn had to think fast. As unlikely as it seemed, Pattie Sue was a farfetched suspect, but a suspect, nonetheless, in Eric’s demise, and until he’d crossed her off his list, he didn’t want Pattie Sue involved in his ongoing investigation.

   “No, Hannah, until I have some idea of what happened to Eric it would be best to not involve anyone else. In fact I’d like for you to keep all this to yourself for now.”

   Hannah nodded her head in agreement.

   “I have an idea that I need to check out. How much longer will you be in town?”

   “I have some deliveries to make still, but I hope to head home after midday. I promised the children I’d take them to Pattie Sue’s for lunch.”

   “Why don’t you swing back by the office before you leave town. I may have something worked out by then.”

   “Fine, and Quinn, thank you for watching out for us. I don’t think I could’ve come this far after losing Eric without your help.”

   Quinn tipped his hat forward and told Hannah no thanks were necessary and he’d see her after lunch.

A Dark Amish Night

Chapter Four

     “It’s so good of you to have us for lunch, Pattie Sue. I had so many things to get done this morning I didn’t have time to think of preparing a meal for the road.” Hannah was genuinely grateful to Pattie Sue for a warm meal.

   “Hannah, surely you know that the pleasure is all mine.” Pattie Sue seemed somehow softer and less abrasive then usual to Hannah, but then most everyone was gentle with hints of sadness since Eric’s death.

   “Still, you’ve out done yourself. It’s been awhile since I’ve had your fried chicken and mashed potatoes. I’ll have to let my dress out when I get home. I’m afraid I’ve stuffed myself.”

   Pattie Sue reached across her white linen covered table and patted Hannah’s hand. You look like you could stand a good meal or two anyhow. Have you not been taking care of yourself? It seems like you’ve lost some weight since I last saw you.”

  It was true; in the last month since she’d buried her husband, Hannah had no appetite. She’d filled her days with work and let her children’s needs consume all her time. It was a way of coping with her heartbreak over losing Eric.

   “I guess I’ve been too busy to notice. I’ve decided to sell the farm and move into town. I’d like to start my own bakery, and I’d very much like your help, Pattie Sue. Do you think you could help me find a vacant storefront for a bakery?”

   “I think that is a fine idea, and you know I think I have just the place. You could rent my storeroom. It would be perfect. I have the windows boarded up and the whole place needs a good cleaning, but I bet we could do it. Now you’d have to get a good commercial grade stove and refrigerator…..” 

   Hannah’s heart began to lift with hope as Pattie Sue and she formed a plan. If the church agreed to help her then she could get started on the basic supplies and inventory to open her bakery. In the meantime she could work on selling the farm.

   It was late afternoon when Quinn came to the mercantile looking for Hannah. With all the plans for the bakery beginning to take shape, Hannah completely lost track of time.

   “Oh, Sheriff, I’m so sorry to have kept you waiting.” Hannah stammered when she came out to her buggy to find Quinn waiting for her.

   “It’s fine. I needed some time to track down an old buddy of mine, anyhow. I’ve got all my gear packed up and I’m going to head out to your place now.”

   Hannah blushed. “Uh, Quinn, I don’t think it would be wise for you stay with me. What would Bishop Miller and the deacons think? No, there has to be another way.”

   “Relax, Hannah, I’m going to stay on my buddy Hal Tucker’s property. He’s got a hunting cabin on his land that adjoins yours. It’s less than a quarter mile from your place. I’ll keep my phone with me and I’ll only be five minutes away from you if something happens. Besides I kinda like the idea of getting out of town for a break. That makes this a win-win in my book.”

   “Quinn, this is just all too much. Surely you have more important things to do than watch over me and the children.”

   “Like I said, I need a break and Jess is going to run things down at the office while I’m gone. Trust me; this is going to be a vacation for me.”

    “Well then let me get the children home. I’ll expect you to come for dinner and I’ll serve at six-thirty.”

   Quinn tipped his hat again. “Thanks, Hannah, I’ll see you then, but we’ll need to lay down some ground rules and I want to talk to you some more about that this evening.”

   On the trip back home Hannah wondered what the Sheriff meant when he said ‘ground rules.’ 
It doesn’t matter. What does matter is that help will be nearby if something happens.
Hannah looked over at Timothy in the backseat with his sister asleep in his lap. Timothy had become quiet and distant since the night Eric died. Until today, Hannah thought it all to be a natural form of grief.