kitchen window himself, as if he were
being chased, then banged out the back door, picked up a piece of firewood and
hurried toward the bridge.
* * *
F RIGHTENED FOR B EN ’ S SAFETY , Abby kept her
nose glued to the side windows for at least a quarter of an hour. Only when she
saw him striding back across the bridge did she think to wet a paper towel and
wash her face and hands. She finally glanced around his large, wood-paneled
living area with its dominating, raised stone hearth. This old place needed
work, a woman’s touch, but it suited his needs.
On the big table and two end tables, and on two of the three
chairs, lay various types of wood, tools, sandpaper and jars of stains. And
displayed in a corner cabinet were four completed boxes, with their satin
finishes and creature carvings so real they looked as if they could take flight
or swim through the waves….
She let him in the front door.
“You didn’t bring the note back,” she said.
“It wasn’t there, nor your hemp sacks, or any kind of mask.
Though I saw your spade leaning against the back door, neatly stowed next to
your hoe and broom.”
She stamped her foot in frustration. “In other words, things
are just as if it never happened, as if I’d made it up.”
“Abby, I didn’t mean that. Though if I thought you were
creating dangers just to run into my arms, that would be fine with me… I’m
kidding. But this is no kidding matter.”
“My enemy is very tidy,” she mused as she looked back across
the river through the side windows. “He arranges things nicely, whether he’s
making diamonds or pieces of paper disappear.”
“Let’s sit at the kitchen table. I need to explain some things
before you go to the sheriff and I see the bishop. This has gone too far.”
She nodded, but hoped he didn’t mean too far between the two of
them.
* * *
B EN FELT REALLY NERVOUS . He hoped he wasn’t dooming
Abby if the Amish learned she was in close contact with someone under the meidung . And he was finally going to tell her the
truth about what had happened in Cincinnati. He had hoped to keep her admiration
for him building, but he had to protect her at all costs. He had admitted
everything to the sheriff and the bishop, but somehow, confessing all this to
Abby was going to be worse.
He poured two cups of reheated coffee and plunked down a plate
of glazed doughnuts he’d bought in town. “This is nothing like your delicious
food,” he said, trying to keep his voice light and his spirits strong. “And
sorry, but not a mushroom in sight.”
She took a sip of her coffee and stared at him over the edge of
her cup. He wanted to vault over the table to hold and kiss her again. She
seemed watchful, maybe distrustful of what was coming. Such a bright, beautiful
woman, and here he was probably going to blow it all.
“Abby, I haven’t told you everything about my life in the
world, though Sheriff Freeman knows and I explained things to Bishop Esh. One
reason I came back here was that I lost my job in Cincinnati. Someone robbed the
store where I worked of a fortune in gems and jewelry, and the owners and police
there decided it was an inside job, meaning someone on the staff—”
“I know what that means.” Wide-eyed, she put her coffee cup
down with a clink. “So they are blaming you?”
“I’m under suspicion, still under surveillance by the police
and an insurance investigator.”
“Then it’s them!”
“I’m not sure. Abby, I vow to you, I had nothing to do with it.
Unfortunately, I had been in the store earlier that night to drop off some boxes
they needed the next morning. I had been given the security code, which I
punched in. Although I left without touching a thing I shouldn’t, I was the last
one in there before the theft. My fingerprints were here and there, and some of
my boxes were used by the thief or thieves to carry out their loot. And just a
couple of days before, I’d watched one of the owners, Mrs. Tornelli, get
being chased, then banged out the back door, picked up a piece of firewood and
hurried toward the bridge.
* * *
F RIGHTENED FOR B EN ’ S SAFETY , Abby kept her
nose glued to the side windows for at least a quarter of an hour. Only when she
saw him striding back across the bridge did she think to wet a paper towel and
wash her face and hands. She finally glanced around his large, wood-paneled
living area with its dominating, raised stone hearth. This old place needed
work, a woman’s touch, but it suited his needs.
On the big table and two end tables, and on two of the three
chairs, lay various types of wood, tools, sandpaper and jars of stains. And
displayed in a corner cabinet were four completed boxes, with their satin
finishes and creature carvings so real they looked as if they could take flight
or swim through the waves….
She let him in the front door.
“You didn’t bring the note back,” she said.
“It wasn’t there, nor your hemp sacks, or any kind of mask.
Though I saw your spade leaning against the back door, neatly stowed next to
your hoe and broom.”
She stamped her foot in frustration. “In other words, things
are just as if it never happened, as if I’d made it up.”
“Abby, I didn’t mean that. Though if I thought you were
creating dangers just to run into my arms, that would be fine with me… I’m
kidding. But this is no kidding matter.”
“My enemy is very tidy,” she mused as she looked back across
the river through the side windows. “He arranges things nicely, whether he’s
making diamonds or pieces of paper disappear.”
“Let’s sit at the kitchen table. I need to explain some things
before you go to the sheriff and I see the bishop. This has gone too far.”
She nodded, but hoped he didn’t mean too far between the two of
them.
* * *
B EN FELT REALLY NERVOUS . He hoped he wasn’t dooming
Abby if the Amish learned she was in close contact with someone under the meidung . And he was finally going to tell her the
truth about what had happened in Cincinnati. He had hoped to keep her admiration
for him building, but he had to protect her at all costs. He had admitted
everything to the sheriff and the bishop, but somehow, confessing all this to
Abby was going to be worse.
He poured two cups of reheated coffee and plunked down a plate
of glazed doughnuts he’d bought in town. “This is nothing like your delicious
food,” he said, trying to keep his voice light and his spirits strong. “And
sorry, but not a mushroom in sight.”
She took a sip of her coffee and stared at him over the edge of
her cup. He wanted to vault over the table to hold and kiss her again. She
seemed watchful, maybe distrustful of what was coming. Such a bright, beautiful
woman, and here he was probably going to blow it all.
“Abby, I haven’t told you everything about my life in the
world, though Sheriff Freeman knows and I explained things to Bishop Esh. One
reason I came back here was that I lost my job in Cincinnati. Someone robbed the
store where I worked of a fortune in gems and jewelry, and the owners and police
there decided it was an inside job, meaning someone on the staff—”
“I know what that means.” Wide-eyed, she put her coffee cup
down with a clink. “So they are blaming you?”
“I’m under suspicion, still under surveillance by the police
and an insurance investigator.”
“Then it’s them!”
“I’m not sure. Abby, I vow to you, I had nothing to do with it.
Unfortunately, I had been in the store earlier that night to drop off some boxes
they needed the next morning. I had been given the security code, which I
punched in. Although I left without touching a thing I shouldn’t, I was the last
one in there before the theft. My fingerprints were here and there, and some of
my boxes were used by the thief or thieves to carry out their loot. And just a
couple of days before, I’d watched one of the owners, Mrs. Tornelli, get
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