Two weeks passed before Amber fully recovered from that meeting with Gordon. Seeing Uri’s photo there, realizing he was living a double life and that he was probably the one who had killed Owen in broad daylight, caused her world to tilt and totter.
How could such violence exist in the world?
What could they do to protect themselves against it?
Two weeks and she found her equilibrium, both spiritually and emotionally. She still had the occasional nightmare where Uri Wagler abducted Mary Weaver and dragged her off to some bunker, but those terrible dreams were lessening in length and intensity. She’d met with her pastor, who had given her a list of verses to focus on—verses that proclaimed God’s sovereignty, his love, and his care for his children.
Tate stepped out onto the front porch. “Ready?”
Amber nodded hard enough to cause her ponytail to flop about. In truth, the thought of walking the Pumpkinvine Trail continued to make her somewhat nervous, but she knew there was nothing to fear.
“Do not fear, for I am with you.” She’d read those words earlier that morning.
“I’ve been looking forward to spending time with you all day.” She studied her husband and marveled that she could love him so much though they’d been married less than six months. Already he felt like her other half. When she was with him, the world was balanced, peaceful, and right.
“You could have helped me in the fields instead of giving those donkeys all your attention.”
Amber had spent the morning cleaning out the donkey stalls and brushing Trixie and Velvet. She’d also checked and cleaned their hooves. Caring for the donkeys was a special kind of therapy for her.
She accepted the bottle of water Tate handed her and knelt to retie her tennis shoes. No use in risking a trip or fall. The last thing she needed was an injury. They didn’t jog the trail, but they were fast walkers. The exercise never failed to lift her spirits.
“Gordon called this morning.” She fought to keep her voice neutral.
“Did he want to chat or was this official business?”
“Business, I suppose. He was updating me that there are no updates.” She stood and smiled up at her husband.
Tate pulled her to him, kissed her forehead, and then snagged her hand. They made their way down the porch steps. Amber turned and spotted Leo sitting on the porch rail and blinking at her in the late-afternoon sun. Suddenly she could see the way he looked before, during the other investigation, when he’d saved her life. Who knew? Perhaps God had provided Leo to take care of her then, as he now provided Tate.
The thought was comforting. She let go of Tate’s hand, walked over to Leo, and scratched behind his yellow ears, causing his purr to rumble like a small engine. “We’ll be back in a flash, kit.”
Then she joined Tate.
Saturdays off were still a new thing for her. Before she married, she was in the habit of working Saturday mornings, but she was learning more and more that time was precious, as was family. Moments spent together were never wasted. If it meant all her paperwork wasn’t filed, she could live with that.
“Gordon say anything else?”
“Forensics confirmed Uri Wagler and Ben Wagler are the same person—at least there was a lot of Uri’s DNA at Ben’s place in South Bend. There’s a warrant out for his arrest—”
“For the murder of Owen.”
“Yes. Other members from the survivalist group—”
“Individuals prepared for disaster,” Tate corrected her.
“Yeah, but it’s easier to say survivalists, though I realize folks around here don’t appreciate that term. What made you think of it?”
“There was a feature in the paper on the local group and how they’re helping folks in the Midwest who have lost everything in the recent wildfires. The group here donated an entire semitrailer full of food and supplies.”
“Huh. Gordon said quite a few of the families came forward and spoke with him. They didn’t know anything specific, but they could confirm Uri was a part of their group, and he was at the meeting the night Owen attended. He was also there the night Pam and I attended. He pointed us out to a couple of other Amish men and told them we were there to snoop.”
“Why was Gordon telling you all this?”
Amber shrugged. “I suppose he knows I’m spooked, or rather, I was spooked. Plus, our friendship seems to have solidified since I married you.”
“Wouldn’t hurt Gordon Avery to find a woman and settle down.”
A picture of Pam Coleman popped into Amber’s mind, but she didn’t mention the possibility. She was out of the meddling business, if she’d ever been in it. “As soon as members of the group heard Uri was wanted in a murder investigation and that he had fled the area, they asked how they could help.”
“Not exactly the antigovernment folks they’ve been portrayed as.”
“Nope. Nice people, from what Gordon says. Shaw came in for the interviews and was completely disappointed by the entire lot of them. He claims they’re not real survivalists and his work here is done.”
“Well now, I suppose we could say some good has come out of the situation, then.”
Amber almost laughed. Roland Shaw was one person she wouldn’t miss. The man made her feel like a cat being scratched the wrong direction. Though she had to admit he certainly had a passion for his job.
They’d made their way down the lane and across the Village property to the Pumpkinvine Trail. Usually they walked to the west, but today she tugged Tate’s hand and pulled him east. They would pass the spot where Owen was killed, but it was time. She was too old to live her life in fear, and she didn’t want to be hesitant to approach portions of their town anymore.
It was time to put the past behind them.
“What of Uri?” Tate took a swig from his bottle of water. “Do we know any more about why he was living two lives?”
“No one knows why or even when it began, though evidently his marriage to Olivia was not happy, and I suppose they can trace back the rental records and figure out the dates. The bishop here did meet with Gordon. Gordon didn’t give me all the details, but apparently Uri had a brother named Ben. He died when Uri was newly married. That might be what pushed him over the edge.”
“Fell out of a fishing boat and drowned. He didn’t know how to swim. That was when Uri first began preparing, taking swimming lessons, learning to shoot with a bow rather than a rifle, and so on. Soon he was stocking up on food and prepping for major disasters.”
“But he had two lives.”
“Yes, and Gordon doesn’t know why. It’s all very confusing. Gordon hasn’t been able to locate Olivia yet to see if she has any clue as to Uri’s whereabouts or his alternate life. The bishop is putting out inquiries in other communities, but he isn’t optimistic.”
“And the other girl?”
“You mean his wife in South Bend? Turns out they were married, a short civil ceremony in which he used the name Ben Wagler. She’s moved home to a small town in Michigan, but she still refuses to believe that Uri deceived her in any way.”
They were a good way down the trail now, the sun’s light slanting through the trees. Their habit was to walk thirty minutes in one direction, then turn and return home.
Amber had looked down to study her watch when she heard Tate pull in a sharp breath. Before she had time to wonder about that, before she had time to be afraid, Uri was standing in front of them. Grasped in both of his hands and pointed directly at them was his crossbow.
Jesse walked next to Andrew, who walked next to Mary.
Mary’s time away, the days she had spent with an aunt in Goshen, weren’t talked about. They were all glad she had returned. They were glad she was safe.
The three were making their way toward the Village.
Jesse had not had a shift at the Village that day. He’d spent it with his dat and his bruder, working in the fields, preparing their farm for winter. Though the weather was pleasant for late October, it would turn cold soon. The nighttime temperature had already dipped below freezing on several occasions. Together the three of them had weatherproofed the barn. He was actually looking forward to the months of snow, less work, and more time with Hannah.
Hannah was the reason he was walking to the Village.
She’d worked late because they were doing a remodel of the coffee shop. The actual remodel was done, but she had wanted to put everything back in place for the grand reopening the following week.
“Andrew’s offered to buy the ice cream of our choice, right?” Mary had been home for nearly two weeks since Uri Wagler had disappeared. She and Andrew had been as close as two newborn kittens. Apparently they’d grown quite fond of each other during the time Andrew lived away. Mary had been his lifeline to the community, and now it seemed they were considering moving forward in their relationship. Jesse wouldn’t be surprised if there were two weddings in the Miller household in the spring.
Weddings?
He hadn’t even asked Hannah yet, but today he would.
Glancing around at the path covered with fall leaves and the bare limbs overhead, he knew that today was the day. He couldn’t have explained why he’d waited so long. Maybe he needed to have issues resolved at home. Andrew had joined the church the week before, and it finally seemed that their lives were moving in the right direction. His brother’s baptism, representing his commitment to the church, the Ordnung, and their faith, confirmed that he was staying. He was dedicating himself to a plain life, though he’d talked to the bishop about continuing his writing.
It seemed his brother had a knack with words.
However, he was serious about learning to do his job the plain way. The cell phone he’d kept hidden in the barn was gone. He would use the phone shacks as needed, like everyone else. And he’d continue writing in his notebooks. If he was going to turn his articles in handwritten, he’d need someone to type his pieces for him. Or hire a tutor to help him with his penmanship. There was still a chance the bishop would approve the use of a computer, especially if the internet was not connected.
The weight of responsibility on Jesse’s shoulders had fallen away as the leaves strewn along their path had fallen from the trees.
His family no longer depended solely on him, though in truth he now understood they never had. They’d depended on God and their community and each other, which was the Amish way. Jesse no longer felt the need to have everything taken care of before he dared to marry.
“Ya, I’ll pay for your ice cream. I received my payment from the newspaper.”
“You’ll splurge for a double dip?”
“I think I can handle that.” Andrew nudged her with his shoulder as they walked along.
“Wind is changing,” Jesse noted. “Coming from the north now. Maybe you should buy her a slice of warm pie and a cup of hot kaffi instead of ice cream.”
“Good idea, bruder. If you can pull your girl away from her work, you two can join us.”
And that was when he looked up and saw her—saw his Hannah, running toward them, pale and frightened, waving her hands as if she was terrified they wouldn’t notice her. By the time she reached them, she was speaking so fast that he had to put his hands on her arms and say, “Slower. Deep breaths first, then tell us. Are you all right? What has happened? And why are you so frightened?”