The grim expressions on both David and Liam’s faces did not bode well. David had a duffel bag slung over his shoulder. Elizabeth assumed that meant he would be staying with Liam.
David stored the duffel in the back seat, before sliding in. “I’m afraid I have bad news. Someone ransacked my house.”
She twisted in her seat to face him. “When did this happen?”
“I haven’t been home in several days, so I can’t say for sure.” David’s gaze locked on hers. “But I need to stay on your sofa, Elizabeth. It’s possible the intruder followed me to your place, and waited for us to walk by this morning. If he knows where you live...” He shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I can’t take that risk. Please don’t ask me to stay away. I feel responsible for placing you in danger.”
“Ach, this is not your fault, David.” She couldn’t believe the man who’d fired at them had been aiming at David, not her. Was it possible Jacob wasn’t responsible? The news was sobering, but she also felt a hint of relief. She’d been determined to do the right thing by staying away from David, especially since Jacob had agreed to leave her alone, but there was no denying she’d feel safer with him nearby.
His presence would be a problem for Mammi Ruth, though. And she didn’t relish listening to her mother-in-law’s complaints.
“I would like you to let David stay, too,” Liam said, breaking into her thoughts. “I stopped by the Green Lake Grill but haven’t found anything helpful. Until I know more, I’d rather you both take extra safety precautions.”
“I understand,” she murmured.
“If you won’t let David stay, the other alternative is to move you, Ruth and David to my place to stay with me and Shauna. It will be cramped, though—our house isn’t that big.”
She drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Ach, no need for that, Liam. David is wilkom to stay with us. I will smooth things over with Mammi Ruth.”
“I can help with the chores,” David said.
“Denke, I know you will.” She managed a reassuring smile, deciding to trust in God’s plan for her. “Let’s get home, then, ja?”
“Thank you,” David said, as if she were doing him a favor. When in truth it was the other way around.
His friendship was a blessing. Which was why she was determined to keep her attraction in check. Marriage didn’t interest her, and even if she wanted to consider it, she had Mammi Ruth to care for.
The grieving mother deserved to be comfortable in her own home.
Less than fifteen minutes later, Liam pulled up in front of her house. The lantern in the upstairs bedroom was the only light visible, and Elizabeth felt a bit guilty for leaving the woman for so long.
“Denke, Liam.” She moved to push open her door, but David was already there, opening it for her.
She hurried inside, with David following close behind. After removing her cloak and wiping the snow off her boots, she glanced at David. “I must see to Mammi Ruth.”
“I’ll stoke the fire.”
Her mother-in-law was sitting in her chair, reading the Bible. “Ach, my apologies for the delay. How are you feeling?”
“Weak, but otherwise fine,” she admitted.
Elizabeth privately thought she would be stronger if she moved around more, doing things for herself, but mayhap she wasn’t being fair. “I have beef vegetable soup and bread for dinner. Would you like to come down to join us?”
“Us?” Mammi Ruth’s eyes narrowed. “Did you invite that Englischer to stay for dinner again?”
“Yes.” Elizabeth decided to confront the issue head-on. “David is a friend, and his home has been damaged. He needed a place to stay, and I offered him the chance to sleep on the sofa. Providing for those in need is what God expects of us, ain’t so?”
Ruth scowled, glanced down at the Bible in her hands and said nothing.
“Komm, shall we get you downstairs for dinner? Certain sure it’s best to move around a bit.”
Her mother-in-law seemed indecisive. Elizabeth knew she didn’t want to spend time with David, yet she probably also didn’t want the two of them to be alone.
“Mammi Ruth, we are just friends, nothing more.” Elizabeth rested her hand on the older woman’s arm. “Please don’t worry. I have no plans to marry again.”
“Humph.” Mammi Ruth didn’t look convinced. “Help me up. I’ll join you downstairs.”
Elizabeth assisted the woman to her feet, and helped her don a fresh dress and apron. Ruth leaned against her, as if she was indeed weak.
Together they carefully navigated the stairs down to the first floor. David was busy at the stove, and the warmth radiating through the room brought a flush to her cheeks.
“It’s nice to see you again, Mrs. Walton.” David’s tone was very respectful.
“You may call me Mammi Ruth,” her mother-in-law said.
If David noticed she didn’t return his greeting, he didn’t let on.
Thanks to the prep work she’d done earlier that morning, which seemed like a lifetime ago after everything that had happened since then, the meal was soon ready.
David bowed his head and said grace. “Dear Lord, we thank You for providing this wonderful food we are about to enjoy. We also thank You for seeing us safely through another day, and we ask for Your continued blessings, amen.”
“Amen,” Elizabeth echoed. Then she repeated the blessing in Pennsylvania Dutch, for Ruth’s sake.
“I guess I need to step up and learn the language,” David murmured.
She smiled. “Don’t worry, I am happy to translate. And many of the younger generation of Amish speak Englisch.”
“But not the elders,” David said. “I’ve picked up some of your native language from church services.”
“You’ll be attending services with us on Sunday?” Mammi Ruth asked.
“I would like to,” David said. “If you will allow me.”
“Certain sure you’re welcome, David.” Elizabeth glanced at Ruth, silently daring her to argue. “God’s word is open to all who wish to hear, ain’t so?”
“Ja,” Ruth grudgingly admitted.
“Sehr gut.” Elizabeth dug into her meal, suddenly famished. She had to smile when she saw how eagerly Ruth ate, too.
Throughout the meal, Elizabeth chatted about how many customers they saw at the Amish Shoppe, hoping to deflect any negative conversation about David’s presence.
When they finished eating, she helped Ruth upstairs. By the time she’d returned to the kitchen, David had finished the dishes.
“I think that went well.” His blue eyes gleamed. “She’s beginning to like me.”
“Mayhap that is true.” Although Elizabeth wasn’t entirely convinced. She glanced over to the sofa, his duffel bag on the floor beside it. “I’ll get the pillow and quilt for you, ja? Is there anything else you need?”
“No, but I plan to look around outside before I retire for the night, so don’t be surprised if you see me outside.”
Her entire body went tense. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
“I’m here to keep you and Mammi Ruth safe,” he said gently. “I’ll be fine.”
Many Amish men had rifles to use for hunting, but she’d gotten rid of Adam’s. Now she wished she’d kept it.
David donned his coat and hat, then headed outside. She quickly went up to get the pillow and quilt, then returned to watch his progress through the windows. She went as far as to move from one to the next to keep him in view.
When he returned unharmed, she let out a sigh. “Did you find anything?”
“All is well,” he confirmed.
“Do you really think the gunfire is related to your past?” She felt nervous bringing up what was obviously a sore subject. “After all this time?”
“It is a possibility I cannot afford to ignore,” David said. “I can’t blame Carson Wells’s family for being upset. His parents lost their son, and that is difficult to accept.”
She wanted to reach out to offer some comfort, but stayed where she was. “You mentioned he started the fight. And that he was inappropriate with a woman, ja?”
“Yes.” He grimaced. “But don’t you see? I lost my temper. And losing control of my anger killed a man. It’s something I’ve had to learn to live with for the past six years.”
“I understand how difficult that must be. But don’t judge yourself too harshly.”
“I must take responsibility for my actions,” he said firmly. “Good night, Elizabeth. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Good night.” She forced herself to head up to her room. While some might call her foolish, David’s troubled past didn’t bother her. She admired the man he was now, however that man came to be.
Oddly enough, she couldn’t wipe the silly smile from her face.
Being in danger was never good, but for the first time in months, she was looking forward to the next few days.
To spending more time with David.
By the time he’d finished walking Elizabeth’s property, he’d convinced himself that he’d overreacted to the level of danger. The way she’d spoken to Jacob must have been enough to convince the man to let it go.
Yet even if Jacob had been behind the two incidents in Elizabeth’s barn, there was still the gunfire to consider.
Not to mention, the ransacking of his house.
He was grateful that Elizabeth didn’t seem to hold his criminal past against him. Maybe because they were friends, with no possibility of anything more.
Any woman would surely think twice about marrying a man who had killed someone.
He fed more wood into the fire, washed up in the bathroom, then took off his boots and stretched out on the sofa. Elizabeth’s quilt was plenty warm, and the sofa more comfortable than the cot in his workroom, but sleep wouldn’t come.
The memories of the worst night of his life were as clear as if they’d happened yesterday. Carson Wells had been so arrogant, a spoiled rich kid who was used to getting anything he wanted. The way he’d inappropriately touched Amanda, the waitress at the pub, had made the girl angry. She’d told him several times to stop grabbing her bottom, but Carson had only sneered at her. As if what she wanted didn’t matter.
David’s intentions had been honorable when he’d approached the young man. He’d politely but firmly told Carson to keep his hands to himself. But his words had the opposite effect. Carson had jumped to his feet, roughly telling David to mind his own business. Amanda hadn’t been David’s girlfriend, but that hadn’t stopped him from facing off with Carson.
The kid threw the first punch, and out of nowhere a red haze of fury had clouded his vision. David had struck back, once, twice. Then when the kid came at him a third time, he put every ounce of his strength behind the blow that had sent the kid flying off his feet.
Unfortunately, Carson’s head had struck the corner of the bar at just the right angle to do irreversible damage. The kid was dead by the time he’d hit the ground.
Carson’s wealthy family carried a lot of clout in Madison, Wisconsin. His parents were large supporters of the governor, and the Madison district attorney had wasted no time in arresting David for second-degree murder.
David hadn’t been able to afford an attorney, so he’d been assigned a public defender. Nice enough guy who’d convinced David to accept a plea deal of manslaughter. The only witness who’d agreed to testify on his behalf had been Amanda herself, but no one else dared to go up against the Wells family by corroborating his story about how Carson had thrown the first punch. And even then, striking first didn’t mean the kid had deserved to die.
He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to erase the image.
Was Jacob responsible for the wreckage in his house? Or was someone seeking revenge for what happened to Carson Wells?
Both were strong possibilities.
Maybe this was God’s way of letting him know he should sell the place. It was something he’d considered since he and Shauna had been kidnapped by gunpoint and held against their will. Yet his land, including his modest ranch home, was one of the few assets he had to offer if he ever found a woman to share his life with.
A future that was far out of reach, since the only woman he was remotely interested in wanted nothing to do with marriage and family.
He finally fell into a restless slumber. But he woke often, the slightest noise sending him bolt upright on the sofa.
Around four thirty in the morning he gave up trying to sleep. Hard work was the best antidote for being on edge. After feeding more wood into the stove, he pulled on his boots and headed outside.
The darkness enveloped him, but he wasn’t afraid. The snow made it easy to see if anyone was nearby and there were no additional footprints indicating an intruder had been there.
He went to the woodpile, eyeing the long tree branches lying nearby. No one had touched them since he’d been there the night before. He wondered why Jacob hadn’t taken care of the chore for Elizabeth. It would have been smarter of him to do that than badger the woman about accepting a ride in his buggy to and from the Amish Shoppe.
David lifted the ax, resting it on his shoulder. For a moment he hesitated, fearing the sound would carry inside and wake the women. Then he went to work.
Chopping wood was oddly soothing. He quickly fell into an easy rhythm, the woodpile growing from his efforts. He finally took a break, only to hear Elizabeth calling to him.
“David? We shall break our fast soon, ja?”
He turned to see her standing in the doorway, a shawl clutched around her shoulders. Her beauty, as always, took his breath away.
“Coming.” He waved, then bent to grab several logs to take inside. When he stood, a flash of something reddish orange caught the corner his eye.
He turned with a frown, staring at the odd glow coming from somewhere off in the distance. Too far away to see what it was, yet still visible thanks to the early morning darkness at this time of the year.
From what he could tell, the glow was in the opposite direction than the rest of the Amish community.
Christmas decorations of some sort?
Then he realized it was likely a fire. Maybe the result of a very dry Christmas tree igniting from an old string of lights. If he had a phone, he’d call 911 to let someone know, but he’d left it at the Amish Shoppe.
Hopefully, someone else would see it and make the call. He turned to walk back to the house.
“Denke, David. You’ve provided more than enough wood for us. But you didn’t have to start working so early in the morning. The shops don’t open for a while, yet. We have plenty of time.”
“I was awake anyway.” There was no reason to bother her with his inability to sleep. “And happy to do the work.”
Elizabeth smiled. “Mammi Ruth wishes to break her fast while staying in her room this morning. Give me a few minutes to take this tray up, then we can sit down to eat.”
“That sounds wonderful.” When she left, he hurried over to use the facilities, relieved to have time to wash up before it was time to eat. The physical labor of chopping wood had invigorated him, his earlier troubles seeming to have disappeared.
He was looking forward to what would likely be the busiest day of the season.
Elizabeth returned to the kitchen. After filling their plates, she sat down beside him. Then she surprised him by taking his hand in hers.
“Gracious Lord, we thank You for this wonderful meal. We ask that You continue to keep us safe in Your loving care, amen.”
“Amen.” He stared at their joined hands for a moment before meeting her gaze. “That was nice.”
“Certain sure.” She released his hand and began to eat. Was it his imagination or was she blushing?
He didn’t want to make her feel uncomfortable, so he tried to concentrate on what needed to be accomplished later that day. He doubted there would be time to finish the baby cradle, but thankfully, he had already finished the quilt rack display he’d made for Elizabeth.
The Amish didn’t routinely exchange large gifts for Christmas, but he’d hoped that she would accept this one from him.
Thankfully, he hadn’t left it at his house, where the intruder may have damaged it. It was safely hidden in his workshop.
He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t hear the car engine approaching outside.
“David? I believe someone is here.”
Taking one last bite of his toast, he stood and moved toward the door. He highly doubted that the gunman would simply drive up to confront them, but he opened the door cautiously, peering out to see who was there.
Recognizing Liam’s SUV, he pushed the door open and stepped outside. “Liam? What brings you here?”
“I’m afraid I have bad news.” Liam gestured for him to come closer. He did so, closing the door behind him.
“Bad news related to the gunman?” A grim expression was etched on Liam’s face. “Do you know who he is?”
“No, but I know what he’s done.” Liam stepped closer, lightly grasping his arm. “There was a fire, David.”
Remembering the reddish orange glow in the distance he nodded. “I thought I saw it, earlier. I would have called, but I didn’t bring the mobile phone to Elizabeth’s.”
Liam looked at him oddly. “It was your house.”
Shock rippled through him. “My house?”
“Yes. And I’m afraid that by the time the call came in, the blaze was out of control. There’s nothing left, David. Your house is a total loss.”
A total loss. The words reverberated through his mind as he grappled with the news. Gone. His house was gone.
Not by accident, either. He knew without being told the fire had been set on purpose.