Posen, Michigan
Present day
The customers have all left,” Faith said, entering the kitchen with an armload of dirty dishes.
Catherine looked up from scrubbing the grill. “Did you flip the sign?”
“I will after I get these soaking.” Faith lowered the stack into the basin. It’d been a hard day, especially without Olivia. Her sister arrived late, waited tables during the lunch rush, then complained of a headache and went home. But even though they were busy, Faith and Catherine worked as a team and the day sped by.
Catherine brought the dirty frypan over to the sink. “You think Olivia will feel better by tomorrow?”
“Something tells me nay. I’m sure she’ll want to do something with her Englisch friends since it’s the Fourth of July.”
“I have to say, Faith, I’m impressed how well you’ve handled the weight and responsibility of the restaurant with your parents in the hospital. At the same time, I’m disappointed in Olivia. She’s older than you, and she should have taken the brunt of the load. Instead, she’s more interested in her rumspringa.”
Faith considered telling Catherine about the money stashed in the barn, but decided it was best to change the topic. “If today was any indication of how busy the holiday weekend is going to be, we’re going to need more help. Maybe we can stop by—” Faith sucked in a sharp breath as the back door swung open, then closed.
“Just me,” Gideon called from the back. His boots scuffed the floor as he strolled out from the shadows of the storage shelving and smiled at Faith. “Hiya.”
“Did you fix your crop watering problem?”
He shook his head. “Nett totally.”
Catherine stepped away from the stove. “Hello, Gideon. Did you kumm to help?”
“Absolutely.” He sidled up beside Faith at the sink and began rolling up his sleeves. “Busy day today?”
“Jah, but we need more days like today.” She’d rather go home exhausted from being on her feet all day than go home exhausted from watching the clock tick with no customers to serve. “I feel bad you’re always put to work when you kumm here.”
“I wouldn’t turn down free labor if I were you.”
She chuckled. “Oh, trust me. I’m nett a fool.” Except she was a fool, falling in love with her sister’s bu.
He motioned to the sink. “I’ll take over here if you want to help Catherine and Olivia.”
“Olivia went home early with a headache, or so she said.” Faith spun toward the double doors and spoke over her shoulder as she pushed them open. “But nau that you’re here, I have things to finish in the dining room.”
Noticing the sign hadn’t been flipped, Faith went to the front window. As she reached for the sign, the bell over the door jingled. “I’m sorry, but we’re—”
A gloved hand with a turpentine stench covered her mouth and something cold pressed against the side of her head.
“Open the register,” the man growled under the bandana draping the lower part of his face. He shoved her forward, then slapped a canvas bag on the display case. “Fill it.”
Her hands trembled, pressing the buttons on the register.
The kitchen door whooshed open. “Catherine thought she heard—” Gideon halted midstep as the masked man slammed Faith’s back against his chest.
“Stay back!” He pressed the gun barrel harder against her head. “I’ll put a bullet through her skull!”
Gideon lifted his hands, soap suds dripping down his arms. “Let her go.”
The man’s grip tightened over her mouth as he aimed the gun at Gideon.
“Don’t hurt him.” His soiled glove muffled her voice, her plea in vain. Lord, help us!
“Put the money in the bag,” he shouted at Gideon.
Gideon’s hands shook as he emptied the cash from the drawer.
Don’t shoot. Oh, Lord, stop him, please.
The gunman snatched the bag, but instead of releasing her, he pushed her toward the door.
No! She wouldn’t let him take her. Not outside. Not in his vehicle. If he was going to kill her, she wanted to die here. Faith jabbed her elbow into his ribs, which seemed to irritate him more. His hand clamped down hard over her nose and mouth, blocking her airway. Dots of bright lights muddied her vision. She wasn’t aware of the door opening until a red-haired man appeared at the threshold.
The newcomer approached the gunman. “Release the woman,” he said authoritatively. “You’re not going to shoot. Hand me the weapon.”
In a split second, the gunman turned the gun on the red-haired man. Click. Click. Click. The man looked at the gun, then tossed it and released Faith before fleeing the restaurant.
Between hiccupping gasps, her legs wobbled and the room spun.
Gideon’s strong arms pressed her against his chest. “It’s over. You’re safe, Faith. You’re safe,” he repeated.
Burying her face in the crook of Gideon’s neck, she closed her eyes and let his soothing words melt the tension from her muscles. She was safe. It was over. Lord, danki for keeping us safe and for sending the red-haired man to help. Faith leaned back to look Gideon in the eyes. “Where’s the man?”
“He ran off with the money. I’m sorry, Faith.”
Tears washed over her face as she scanned the room for the homeless man. “Where’s the man with red hair?”
Catherine pushed through the double doors. Her brows creased and worry lines etched her forehead. “Are you two okay?”
Faith broke from Gideon’s embrace and, though she turned her attention to her cousin, she could still feel Gideon’s eyes on her. “We are nau.”
Catherine rushed over to Faith and enveloped her in a hug so tight the air left her lungs. “I called the police. They should be here any minute.”
Faith made a sidelong glance at Gideon, who was taking a few deep breaths. He’d been shaken as well.
A short time later, Officer Porter arrived. He collected the gun, then took notes as Faith and Gideon gave a full account of the event.
“The man’s gloves smelled like turpentine or maybe gasoline.” Faith’s stomach knotted.
“Forensics should be able to get a sample of residue off the gun.” He picked up the evidence bag containing the weapon. “I’ll need an idea of how much money was stolen for the report.”
“I hadn’t tallied today’s receipts yet. Should I do that nau?” Faith wiped her shaky hands on her dress. She wasn’t sure she could concentrate on the sales figures at the moment. Perhaps Catherine or Gideon could do the calculations.
“I’d like to ask you about the red-haired man you mentioned.” The officer glanced at his notepad. “Did he leave at the same time as the gunman?”
Faith nodded. He’d left before she could thank him. The bold man had placed himself in harm’s way and demanded the robber put the gun down as if he had authority over him.
As the policemen dusted the doorknob, the doorframe, the glass display case the register sat on, and numerous other objects in the room, Faith added up the meal tickets. When she finished counting, she asked Catherine to do the same. Catherine’s figure matched Faith’s. Clearly it’d been one of their busiest days all year, and now the money was gone. What would her mother think of her now? Just yesterday Mamm had praised Faith on how well she’d been doing at work.
Fighting back the tears, Faith escaped into the kitchen.
Gideon wasn’t many steps behind her. “Are you okay?”
She shook her head. “Mei parents needed that money to pay bills. They trusted me to run things and I let them down.”
He tipped her chin up with his thumb. “Don’t blame yourself. This isn’t your fault.”
She blinked, releasing the tears that weighted down her lashes. “I’m glad you were here, Gideon.”
He cupped her face and brushed his thumbs against her wet cheek. “I’m going to drive you to work each day and be here before closing to take you home.”
“Gideon, you have water tanks to build. You don’t have to—”
“Shh.” His gaze deepened. “Nothing matters more to me than your safety. Nothing.”
A slew of emotions bombarded her all at once and she broke down sobbing.
Gideon took her into his arms. “Everything’s going to be okay,” he said, soothing her sorrows away.
After a moment, she pushed back and wiped her tears. “Danki, Gideon.”
He smiled. “It will get better.”
She nodded, though she wasn’t sure things could. Dishes. Faith pushed up her sleeves and went to the sink. If she hurried, she could get them done before the police finished dusting for fingerprints.
“I’ll wash.” Gideon joined her at the sink.