LARRY ROLLED OVER AND PRIED ONE EYE OPEN TO LOOK AT the clock. How in the world had he slept until nine thirty? Worst part was, he’d missed breakfast downstairs. No homemade yogurt with granola on top today. He rubbed his eyes, then forced himself to sit on the side of the bed.
He had planned to pin down the owner this morning and get an address for Naaman Lapp. His stomach growled as he headed to the shower, past an empty pizza box and two beer bottles. It had been a great ball game, but he probably should have foregone the late-night movie—and the beer.
Once he was shaved and in his street clothes, he flipped through a binder that listed the recommended eateries nearby. After reading brief descriptions of each, he decided on Yoder’s Pantry. Authentic Amish food—breakfast, lunch, and supper.
Maybe the folks there would know where to find Naaman Lapp. And maybe they would have that yogurt he’d missed out on this morning. Surely Patsy couldn’t fault him for the yogurt. He was pretty sure it was good for him.
His knees popped on every single stair on his way down to the car, but once he pulled out, it was only a five-minute drive to Yoder’s Pantry.
When he walked into the restaurant, a young Amish woman was placing jars of jams and jellies on a rack by the door.
“Hello.” He waited for her to put the last jar on the shelf. “I need a table for one. Also, I was wondering if you know where I can find Naaman Lapp. I’m an old friend of his.”
The girl looked up at him with stunning blue eyes that seemed to see right through him. “I don’t work here. The hostess should be out in a minute.”
“I’m sorry. I saw you putting the jellies on the shelf, so I just assumed you worked here.”
“That’s all right.” She fumbled with the jars, using both hands to line them up side by side on the shelf.
“So do you happen to know Naaman Lapp?”
“Ya, I know him.” The girl looked up at him, but again she seemed to be staring through him.
“So . . . can you tell me where I can find him?” Larry saw her face muscles tense.
“I’m not sure.”
“Maybe an address?” Larry saw two other Amish women in the distance, but they were scurrying to deliver food.
“I don’t know the address.”
Larry raked a hand through his hair and sighed. Most Amish folks he knew back in Ohio had a phone in the barn, even though phones weren’t allowed in their homes, but he doubted this woman was going to share any information. “Well, could you give me directions?”
“I don’t think so.”
Larry pulled a card from his pocket. “Can you ask him to call this number, if you see him?”
“If I see him, I will.”
When she didn’t reach for the card, Larry placed it on the shelf near the jams. “Thank you.”
A moment later a much more chipper Amish woman hurried across the floor toward him.
“Hello!”
She jumped up a bit on her toes, which caused Larry to grin.
“How many? Would you like a window seat or a booth?”
“Uh, just me.” Larry started to follow her, but the other woman started speaking loudly to her in Pennsylvania Deitsch. He recognized the dialect from back home.
His hostess stopped, turned, and glared at him. It was a look of obvious displeasure, and Larry raised his brows and waited. Then she pointed to a booth right inside the entrance. “This okay?”
Before he could answer, she’d scooted back to the other woman.
“Sure,” he whispered to himself as he sat down.
TILLIE HURRIED BACK TO ELLIE. “WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE’S a sheriff looking for mei daed?”
“Irma, who works for Barbie Beiler, said that a man came into the bed-and-breakfast on Friday, dressed as a sheriff. The next day that same man asked Barbie where he could find your father. When this man started asking questions, I couldn’t help but worry it’s the sheriff Irma was talking about.”
“What did you tell him?” Tillie twisted to look briefly at the man, then turned back to Ellie.
“He asked if I knew the address, which I really don’t. Then he asked if I could give him directions. And I really can’t, because we go a different way from home than going from here.”
“Then what happened?”
“He asked if I saw your daed, would I tell him to call him.” Ellie grinned. “I told him that if I see him, I will.”
Tillie smiled. Ellie had been blind for the past several years, due to optic nerve damage. Most people couldn’t tell because her eyes looked fine—although after a short while you noticed that her line of vision was always a little off.
“I don’t think he and Mamm are coming in today, but you did gut, Ellie,” Tillie said. “Ach! I need to go tell the other girls to avoid his questions. I don’t want anyone to lie—just avoid him.”
“Why do you think he’s looking for your daed?”
“I don’t know. But things are going so gut with him and mei mamm, I don’t want to stir up trouble. Besides, I know Daed couldn’t have done anything bad.”
“He left a card.” Ellie felt around the shelf, and Tillie saw a white business card next to a jar of jam.
“I got it.” Tillie picked up the card and read Larry Dozier. And there was a phone number. She tucked it into the pocket of her apron. “I’m going to go warn the other girls.”
LARRY HAD NEVER SEEN SUCH A SPEEDY GROUP OF WAITresses in his entire life. They bustled about like there was a fire in the building.
“Here you go, sir.” An Amish woman he hadn’t seen yet placed a small bowl of cheese spread and another bowl that looked like peanut butter spread alongside a basket of pretzels. Larry had noticed the sign outside proclaiming the “best pretzels in the county.”
“Thank you. I’m ready to—”
But she was gone. Scooted right off before he had time to order. He glanced around at the four servers waiting on other customers. In between taking orders and delivering food, they would gather in a circle, then look in his direction. He wasn’t imagining it.
Everyone buzzed about, but they didn’t seem in any hurry to take his order. Finally the bubbly girl who had met him at the door showed up. “And what would you like, sir?”
“I’ll have the meat loaf with mashed potatoes.” Patsy hated meat loaf, so this was his opportunity to splurge on something he didn’t get at home. “And ranch dressing on my salad.”
“Sure.” She spun on her heel.
“Miss?” Larry made sure he said it loud enough that she couldn’t ignore him.
When she turned around, her face dropped into the saddest frown he’d ever seen. “Ya?”
“I just wanted to ask you if you knew where I could find Naaman Lapp? I’m a friend of his, and—”
The girl bit her bottom lip so hard it hurt Larry to watch.
“I have to turn in your order. We’re very busy, and if I don’t, it could take forever to get your food!” She spun around and was gone.
Larry sat motionless, watching her. “Okay,” he said again to himself.
He dipped a warm pretzel into the cheese sauce and brought it to his mouth, dripping a tiny bit on the white table. Closing his eyes, he savored the salty taste against his tongue before biting into the moist bread. This was comfort food at its best, and Larry knew he agreed with the sign outside. This was the best pretzel in the county. Perhaps in the world, he thought, as he dipped the remainder into the peanut spread. Equally delicious. Right up there with the homemade yogurt.
The doctor, along with Patsy, had said to cut back on carbs, but today was not the day for it. He reached for another pretzel and decided to double-dip—first into the cheese sauce, then the peanut butter spread. Pure heaven.
He was appreciating the last little bit of the pretzel when every waitress in the joint suddenly darted toward the front door. Larry strained to see what they were doing, but they rounded the corner and were out of sight. He shoved the last bite into his mouth, hoping his salad would arrive soon. Or that more pretzels would be forthcoming.
TILLIE MADE IT TO HER FATHER AHEAD OF THE OTHER GIRLS and pushed him back toward the front door of Yoder’s Pantry.
“Daed, what are you doing here?”
Her father scowled as he stumbled backward. “Your mamm asked me to drop off this casserole dish you left at Adam’s yesterday. And she has some raisin puffs for you and Rufus.” He narrowed his eyes at her. “What is wrong with you?”
Tillie motioned with her hand for the other girls to go back around the corner, then she whispered to Annie. “Go make sure that man doesn’t get up or try to go to the bathroom or anything.”
“How will I stop him?” Annie’s eyes rounded with surprise, but she nodded and left.
“Stop who from going to the bathroom?” Daed took a step forward and leaned his head around the corner, but Tillie grabbed his arm and coaxed him back toward the entrance.
“We’re just very busy, Daed. Tell Mamm danki, and I’ll see you later.” She opened the door of the restaurant for him to leave.
“Mei maedel, it wonders me what is wrong with you.” Daed shook his head but he did back out the door, and Tillie breathed a sigh of relief.
What had her daed done to make a sheriff come to town looking for him?