Yvonne lay back on the bed with her phone on speaker and wiggled her freshly painted toenails. “Yes, I did my own toenails,” she said to Trevor. “And I’m even going to do my own fingernails.”
“Well, look how well you are adapting to the Amish way of life.”
Yvonne laughed. “The Amish don’t do their fingernails or toenails, at a salon or otherwise. And I suspect that if it were allowed, they’d all have to paint their nails the same color, and what’s the fun in that?”
She was happy to keep the conversation light, keeping to her plan that she would discuss the book with Trevor in person.
“Well, I’ve almost wrapped up my business, and things are going really well. So well, I’ll wait and tell you all about it when I get home, which will be Monday midday.”
“Oh, that’s great. I can try to get a flight out tomorrow afternoon. Oh, wait, I promised Eva I would have lunch with her on Monday. I gave her a little coaching on how to snag the Amish guy she’s interested in, which happens to be the same guy who won’t sell me the book. I’d like to hear how it went and then say goodbye to both of them.”
“Sounds like you made some new friends, so it wasn’t a totally wasted trip.”
“Well, the beginning of a friendship, I guess. I haven’t been here long. Even though Jake Lantz might be ruining my career by not selling the book.” She paused, tapped a finger to her chin. “Although, I gotta tell you, I’m quite the buggy driver. You’d be impressed.”
“Maybe we can take a trip there the first of the year. We’ve got Hawaii coming up as our honeymoon.”
She closed her eyes as visions of margaritas by the pool danced in her head. Then she was assaulted by an unpleasant thought. She leaned up on her elbows and scowled. “I talked to George.”
“Hmm . . . How did that go?”
“Not good.” Yvonne sighed. “You know, I have found him every book he’s asked me to track down and managed to close the deal. But he almost acted like I was going to lose him as a client if I couldn’t secure this sale.” She recalled the harsh tone George had used while they were on the phone. “It’s uncharacteristic for him to be like that.”
“The book must be really important to him.”
“Apparently.” She recalled those first forty pages and shivered. She’d felt violated. By a book. It was silly, but it was as if the author had wormed his way into her most private thoughts and tried to infuse his own, which left her with a mushy place in her mind. “George approved more money, but I already know Jake won’t sell. So I might be in a jam soon unless more offers from prior clients pop up. Although none of them pay as much as George.”
“I told you that you don’t need that job. After we’re married, I’m putting you on all my accounts, and you can still do whatever you want. We can take care of it when we get home. We don’t have to wait until after we’re married. You can just sign a new signature card when you become Mrs. Trevor Adams.”
Her independence might need to take a short hike if she lost George’s business. She had bills to pay. “You are overly generous, Mr. Adams, but you know I would like to take care of my own debts if at all possible.”
“I know that, and I respect that. But I don’t want you worrying about anything. We can talk about it when I get home.”
Among other things. “Okay. I’ll eat lunch with Eva, tell her and Jake bye on Monday, then drive to Indianapolis to catch a flight, assuming I can get a flight. I’ll work on that when we hang up.”
“Do your best because I miss you terribly, beautiful.”
“I miss you, and I love you with all my heart.”
“I love you, too, Mrs. Adams.”
Yvonne pressed End and kept her word. She hopped on her iPad and was able to get a flight back to Houston at four on Monday. All she needed was the security code on the back of her credit card since her other information had autosaved. She reached for her purse, which was bulging and filled with too much stuff, things she carried when traveling. After she rummaged through loose receipts, she tossed a small tote bag filled with a portable battery and extra charging cords on the bed. She dug her hand inside all the way to the bottom.
Her heart flipped in her chest until she recalled the rummaging she’d done to find the lavender spray and lip gloss for Eva. Her wallet had to be in the back room at the bookstore. As much as she hated to interrupt Eva and Jake’s reading session, she needed her credit card. The airlines only showed three seats for the flight home on Monday.
It wasn’t quite dark yet, so she carefully slipped her freshly painted toenails into a pair of flip-flops, even though it was probably too chilly for sandals. She’d be in and out of the store in a flash unless her wallet had fallen out in the rental car. She grabbed her purse and room key, then headed out. Please be in the car so I don’t have to interrupt Eva and Jake.
* * *
Jake released his hold on Eva when she groaned a little. He didn’t realize he was holding her so tightly as he strained to hear what was going on upstairs. The musty smell of the basement hung in the air amid the total darkness.
“They know we’re here,” Eva whispered as she stayed in his arms. “The horses are tethered outside with our buggies.”
“The horses are under the lean-to out back, so maybe they didn’t notice them. Either way, that’s a big bar across the door. I don’t think they can push it open.” Jake wondered if they had guns. “What could they want from mei small bookstore?”
“Money. Is it still in the cash register?”
Jake sighed. Most folks paid with credit cards today. “Ya, it is. Not much. Maybe a couple hundred dollars.”
“Maybe they’ll just take the cash and be on their way,” she said in a trembling whisper.
Jake eased his left arm from around her but kept his right arm draped over her shoulders, his hand cupping her arm. “We’re going to be all right.” He spoke with as much conviction as he could muster. It wasn’t their way to be violent. They’d been taught passiveness their entire lives. But as he pulled Eva closer, Jake wasn’t sure he could abide by those teachings if anyone tried to hurt her.
He squeezed her arm and held his breath when someone wiggled the doorknob to the basement, then began pushing against the door. Eva covered her face with her hands. “Ach, nee,” she whispered before she buried her face against his shirt.
Jake sat perfectly still as he held tightly to Eva, once again cupping her neck with his free hand. “Don’t make a sound,” he whispered, but they both jumped when the doorknob jiggled again.
“We know you’re down there,” one of the men said. “And if you stay down there, maybe no one will get hurt.”
Jake’s shirt was wet from Eva’s tears as his pulse picked up. He’d never been in a position like this, and he was more scared than he wanted to admit, but as time ticked slowly by, he was sure he would fight to keep Eva safe, right or wrong.
He clicked the flashlight on and shone it on the wood floor. “Take this, keep it pointed down, and tiptoe to that corner.” He pointed. “And hide behind those boxes.”
She shook her head and pressed her trembling body closer to his.
“Eva, please.” They both jumped again when one of the men pounded on the door. “Just go. And turn the flashlight off when you get there.”
She finally did as he asked. Jake felt around the desk for the other flashlight he knew was there. He gripped it with clammy hands and held his breath as he kept it turned off. Heavy footsteps pounded against the wood floors for another couple of minutes, then all was quiet. Jake wasn’t sure how long to stay down there. How would he know when the men were gone?
After another long ten minutes, he could barely hear Eva crying, mostly sniffling. “Eva,” he whispered.
The flashlight clicked on as she shone it toward the floor. Even in the darkness he could see her tear-streaked cheeks. He put a finger to his lips and motioned for her to join him. She kept the light pointed toward the floor as she shuffled back his way, then sat shoulder to shoulder with him in silence.
After another few minutes, he said, “I think they’re gone.” He clicked his flashlight on and laid it in his lap before he twisted to face her and gently held her cheeks in his hands. “You’re okay.” With his thumbs, he cleared the tears from her face and instinctively leaned in to kiss her on the mouth, but at that last second, he pressed his mouth to her cheek. She was trembling. “You’re okay,” he said again, and she nodded.
“I should go see if they’re gone.” He started to lift himself from the chair, but she latched onto the sleeve of his blue shirt.
“Nee. Don’t go up there.” Her voice shook as her eyes, barely visible in the dim light of the flashlight, begged him not to leave her.
“We’ll wait a few more minutes.”
They sat in silence, side by side, not moving or talking. Then Eva actually squealed when someone pounded on the basement door. Jake froze. If the intruders weren’t sure they were down there before, they were now.
“Jake! Eva! Are you down there?”
“It’s Yvonne.” Jake clicked on the flashlight, bolted from the chair, and took the basement stairs two at a time, tripping once before he reached the top and lifted the arm that kept anyone from entering.
He bumped shoulders with Yvonne as he rushed past her and toward the front of the store. He stared at the broken glass for a few seconds, then eyed the opened drawer of the cash register, which was empty.
After he checked the rest of the store, he met Yvonne and Eva, who had come upstairs, just outside the entrance to the basement.
“I called the police.” Yvonne put a hand to her chest. “I totally freaked out when I saw that the glass in the window was broken. I knew right away that someone must have broken in when I saw the cash-register drawer open.”
In the distance, Jake heard sirens. “What are you doing here?” he asked her, his heart still pounding against his chest as Eva stood nearby, sniffling.
“As much as I hated to bother you two, I think I left my wallet here somewhere.” She turned to Eva. “Remember, when we were sitting on the floor and I was digging around in my purse? I think I must have taken out my wallet, and it didn’t make it back into my purse. And there were all those boxes around us . . .”
Jake headed toward the back, and after he’d moved a few boxes around, he said, “I don’t see it.”
“Great,” she said. “There wasn’t much cash, but my credit cards were in there.” She groaned as she slammed her hand to her forehead. “And it’s going to be hard to get on a plane without my driver’s license.”
“Police!”
Jake did an about-face and rushed to the front of the store, glad to see a familiar face.
“I heard the call come in, so I took it.” Abraham Byler had left the Amish faith to become a police officer when he was nineteen. He hadn’t been baptized yet, so he wasn’t shunned by the community. He tended to respond to anything criminal in their area. “You all okay?”
Eva and Yvonne had joined them up front.
“Ya, Eva and I were in the basement, and I had the door bolted.” Jake took a deep breath as his pulse started to return to normal.
Abraham raised an eyebrow.
“We were reading a book,” Eva interjected. “We had both seen the men loitering around outside. I saw them a couple of days ago. Jake saw them today. We thought we’d feel safer in the basement.”
“Looks like you were right.” Abraham had pulled out a small pad from his pocket like he was going to take notes, but his eyes were on Yvonne. “Did you make the 911 call?”
“Yes. I saw the broken glass.” Her bottom lip trembled. “I knew Jake and Eva were here reading, and I was scared to death for them.”
Abraham took a pen from his pocket, but he still hadn’t written anything down. He couldn’t seem to take his eyes from Yvonne.
“The horses! I’ve got to go check on them.” It wasn’t even dark yet, so Jake didn’t argue when Eva scurried toward the front door, but he was glad when Yvonne followed her, just to be safe.
“Who’s the Englisch woman?” Abraham had held on to some of the Pennsylvania Dutch he’d grown up with.
“Her name is Yvonne. She’s in town on business, and she and Eva have become friends.” Jake didn’t feel the need to say what kind of business Yvonne was here for. He silently thanked God that he’d had the book with him in the basement. Although he doubted the crooks would have known its value.
“The horses are fine.” Eva was winded as she walked back into the store, frowning as she eyed the broken glass. “I gave them some extra water, but their pails were mostly full from the heavy rain earlier.”
Abraham—or Officer Byler as he was officially known—nodded at the register. “Anything gone besides money?”
“I haven’t checked, but there’s not really much to steal.” Jake shrugged, but Eva was already going around the corner, so he followed. Yvonne hung back and told Abraham that her wallet was missing.
“I can’t tell for sure if any of the gift items are missing. I’d have to check everything against the inventory, but at first glance, I don’t see anything, do you?” Eva’s eyes scanned each shelf, before she moved to the next aisle.
“I don’t see anything missing.” He took off his straw hat and ran a hand through his hair, then locked eyes with Eva when she was back in front of him. “Are you okay?”
She didn’t hesitate to throw her arms around him and bury her face against his chest. “Ya, but I was so scared.”
Jake thought about how close he’d come to kissing her on the mouth. But now that they were out of harm’s way, he gently eased her away. “I wouldn’t have let anything happen to you.”
“I know.” She smiled meekly but also spoke the words rather dreamily.
In those moments when he’d feared for their lives, he hadn’t given much thought to his body language during the ordeal. He only knew that he would probably have broken the rules to save Eva if it had come to that.
Abraham was questioning Yvonne when they returned to the front of the store.
“So, you didn’t see a car when you pulled up?” he asked.
Yvonne shook her head. “Nope. And I didn’t see anyone. They must have fled on foot.”
“We don’t have much crime around here.” Abraham wrote on his small pad before glancing at Yvonne. “The occasional domestic situation, car accident . . . things like that. I’m guessing whoever did this were drifters.” He glanced back and forth between Eva and Jake. “Did either of you see the men?”
“I-I think I know who might have done it, but I can’t be sure.” Eva described the two men who had come into the store.
“Jake, you got any plywood that we can put over this broken glass until you can get someone out here to replace the pane?” Abraham stashed his small pad and pen back in his pocket.
“Nee, not here. I’ll have to go home and find something.” He glanced at Eva then Yvonne. “Could you maybe follow Eva home, just to make sure she gets home safely?”
“Of course.” Yvonne tucked her hair behind her ears. “Officer Byler, do you need me for anything else?”
Abraham had stared at Yvonne a lot, but he shook his head. “Nee, but be sure to get your credit cards canceled.”
“Ugh.” Yvonne stuffed her hands into the pockets of her blue jeans. “I’ve also got to find an alternate means of identification so I can get on a plane Monday.” She winked at Eva. “My man is coming home Monday, so I shall be”—turning to Jake, she grinned—“ out of your hair. But Jake, can I talk to you privately for a minute?”
“I’m done here.” Abraham tipped his hat, mostly at Yvonne, before he walked out. Jake thought Abraham might have asked her for coffee or something if Yvonne hadn’t made the comment about her fiancé coming home. Officer Byler had been eyeing her ever since he saw her.
“I can wait outside,” Eva said after Abraham had left.
Yvonne shook her head. “No, it’s okay. I just didn’t want to say anything in front of him.” She nodded to Abraham, who was getting into his patrol car. Then she cringed before she looked at Jake. “As much as I hate to bring this up, I talked to my client last night, and he is willing to go a hundred fifty thousand for the book. I told him you wouldn’t sell, but I’m obligated to mention it.”
Jake stared at the broken glass, and again he thought about what that kind of money could do. He just offered up a weak smile.
“Yeah, I didn’t think so.” She lowered her eyes for a few moments before she met eyes with Eva. “What did you think about the book?”
“We didn’t get to read much of it, but I can see why it upset you.” She paused. “The author also lost both of his parents.”
“Well, yeah, that was a jab in the heart from the beginning, but it’s his story that . . .” Shrugging, she looked away. “I don’t know. Confusing.”
Jake cleared his throat. “You two should get on the road before it gets dark. Danki for following Eva home, Yvonne.”
“No problem. I’m sorry this happened. I hope you didn’t lose too much in the register.” She nodded to the open drawer, and Jake shook his head. “I guess I’ll go back to my room and start canceling credit cards. And Google alternate forms of ID so I can get on a flight back home on Monday. Eva, if I can’t get a flight out Monday afternoon, I might have to bail on our lunch and leave Monday morning.”
“You do whatever you need to do.” Eva smiled before she went to Jake and hugged him, kissing him on the cheek. “Danki for not letting anything happen to me.”
Jake forced a smile, but the feel of Eva so close to him brought forth more feelings he didn’t know he had. In the face of danger, he’d reacted spontaneously. Right now, he was sure he was blushing. He wasn’t sure what to do with these new feelings cropping up in all directions. He supposed he had to take a wait-and-see attitude and give John a chance. It had a been a long and stressful day. Right now, he just needed sleep.