Since the two pickup trucks had left once they saw a patrol car cruising by, Isaac and Rebecca got Samantha into the buggy by bringing it close to the house. Rebecca and Samantha left together, keeping their heads down as they rushed to the buggy. They couldn’t be sure if the pickups had been construction workers parked out beyond the farmhouses or Leon’s men watching Micah’s house.
Either way, Samantha only knew she had to leave, and she hoped that by doing so, Micah and the twins could get back to a normal routine. She and Patch would miss them so much.
Rebecca settled on the buggy seat and turned to give Samantha a reassuring smile. “We’ll be there soon.”
Samantha sat in the back, out of sight, her mind swirling with an ebb and flow of so many rising emotions. She’d hugged Emmie and Jed and pushed back tears when Patch whined to stay with the twins.
“We’ll visit him,” Micah had told her once she’d decided to take the dog. Leaving him here would indicate she was still here.
“Patch would like that,” she said. “And so would I.” She turned to Emmie and Jed. “I’ll let you visit with him, either here or wherever I am. Soon.”
It was the only thing she could promise and even that might not happen.
The twins accepted her promise, their eyes full of trust.
Emmie hugged her and said, “You’ll come back to visit, won’t you?”
Samantha had glimpsed at Micah. “I for sure will visit. You are all so special to me.”
Micah had followed them to the door. “Stay safe. I’ll drop by and check on you when I can.”
Samantha could only nod. She’d thanked him over and over.
As the buggy pulled away, she closed her eyes and said a prayer for Micah and his family. She’d miss them, no doubt about that. Danger and a storm had brought them together.
Or maybe God had done that. She wasn’t sure.
“You know we live close to your grossmammi, Samantha,” Isaac said now. The big horse tugged the buggy toward home.
“Good to know,” she replied, wondering how she’d ever find her way home. Winter Lake didn’t seem so bucolic and peaceful now. “I need to get in touch with my assistant,” she blurted. “I left her in charge of my practice and I’m concerned about her.”
Rebecca nodded and looked around at Samantha. “We can take you into town in the morning. We usually go in for supplies at the Hartford General Store. Mr. Hartford has a little office in the back and he lets us use his phone as needed. I’m sure you can charge your fancy laptop while we shop.”
“I’ll appreciate that,” Samantha said, glad she’d be able to take some action. That would keep her mind off worrying and feeling helpless, at least. “I need to be my own advocate on this situation.”
“Don’t advocate yourself into a corner,” Rebecca replied. “These people coming after you seem to be very determined.”
Samantha could only nod. Exhaustion dragged at her like a chain. Her life had been turned upside down and she wasn’t sure how to get it back on track. She’d had the perfect job, the perfect man—or so she thought—and a content life. But had she really been content with Leon and his demands? Or had she settled because she was afraid to be cast aside again in the way her mother had cast her aside?
They were clopping along when headlights shined brightly behind them. Samantha came back to the present and turned and looked through the tiny back opening of the buggy, the lights of the big vehicle blinding her. Sliding down, she said, “I think one of the trucks is back.”
“I believe you are correct,” Isaac said. “Let’s stay calm and hope they pass.”
Samantha took another peek, her heart racing, her temples throbbing with fear and adrenaline. “They’re getting closer.”
“Hold on,” Isaac said as the engine of the big truck roared to life. He moved off the road a bit, giving the truck an opportunity to pass.
The truck held back, staying behind.
“Let me out,” Samantha said, breathless. “I’ll run through the woods so you two can get away.”
“We will do no such thing,” Rebecca said. “We won’t leave you to the mercy of these evil people.”
Isaac eased back onto the road and picked up the pace, the reins popping right along with the click of his tongue to his teeth.
Once more, the truck eased up close to the buggy’s back side. Samantha took a breath and prayed with all of her heart. Isaac and Rebecca shouldn’t be a part of her drama, and yet they were willing to help her.
Please, dear Lord, don’t let this happen. Not to them.
She thought of Micah and the twins and how they’d lost their parents. She couldn’t allow them to lose Isaac and Rebecca, too.
“My phone,” she said, urgency in the words. “I can call for help.” She quickly dialed 911 and told the dispatcher someone was tailgating their buggy.
The truck stayed on them, pulling up close then backing away. Samantha silently screamed for the police to hurry, hurry.
“We’ll be home soon,” Isaac said. “They might follow us in.”
Samantha would hop out of the buggy and surrender before she’d let that happen. She was about to do that when she looked back and saw flashing lights.
“The police are here,” she said, her breath rushing out.
The truck took off around the buggy, peeling rubber.
Isaac again pulled over to let the patrol car by. It went after the truck, lights still flashing.
After it was over, Isaac stopped inside their driveway. “You ladies all right?”
“We are gut,” Rebecca said, reaching back for Samantha’s hand. “I’m thankful you had that phone and thought to use it.”
“So am I,” Samantha replied, squeezing Rebecca’s hand.
Soon they were pulling into the short lane that led up to a neat, trim white house with a big front porch and a small barn behind it. She couldn’t tell much in the dark, but part of a wooden fence had been mended. Probably damaged from the storm. The whole place was small and more enclosed, not like Micah’s huge sloping yard and wide fields beyond.
Isaac turned to her. “I’ll pull the buggy up to the back porch and drop you two off.”
“Be careful,” Rebecca cautioned her husband. “Someone could be hiding in the barn.”
Isaac nodded. “I’m aware, wife. I’m aware.”
Rebecca guided Samantha up the two steps to the small porch. “I think we’re safe. It’s dark and we covered you as much as possible and hid you in the back of the buggy. Who knows if that truck dropped someone off here. We’ll check the downstairs and I’ll show you the upstairs bedroom where you’ll be staying.” Patting Patch, she added, “Because you are a good watchdog, I’ll let you stay with your human, Mr. Patch.”
Patch barked his appreciation.
“This door is locked and intact,” Rebecca said after pushing on the sturdy back door. She turned up the propane-powered lamp to cast away the shadows.
“Denke,” Samantha replied, touched at how matter-of-fact Rebecca and Isaac both were, considering the situation. “Patch does keep me calm.”
“We have our bedroom here.” Rebecca grabbed a flashlight and pointed it down a short hallway to the left. “And here is the kitchen and living room.”
She checked the front door and deemed it intact.
Samantha took in the scent of lemon wax and lavender mixed with the country smells of fried chicken and earthy undertones from fresh vegetables.
The house was neat and clean. Smaller than Micah’s and pretty in a minimalist, plain way. “It’s lovely, Rebecca,” she said.
Rebecca smiled. “This house used to be full of boys. I miss hearing them stomping around at dawn, so it’ll be nice to have someone upstairs.”
Isaac came in with her small suitcase, while she clung to her tote bag that held her laptop and other things.
“Follow us,” Isaac said as he turned to the right of the living room and started upstairs. “There are two rooms and a small bathroom up here.”
He moved ahead, turning up the propane lamps in each room and checking the armoires and crannies. “All clear up here.”
Samantha knew the bathroom would be functional and that was all she needed. “This will be great,” she said, her words dragging.
Isaac left Rebecca to help her settle in. “You come put your clothes in this chest,” Rebecca said, her hand on a tall chifforobe. “I’m going to make us some chamomile tea so I’ll meet you downstairs.”
“Thanks,” Samantha said, realizing she’d used English. Old habits went both ways in her case.
Rebecca turned at the door. “We’ll do everything we can for you, Samantha. Isaac sleeps with one eye open anyway since we raise chickens and sell the eggs. Predators do come calling.”
Leon was a dangerous predator. She only wished she’d seen that before now.
“I know you’ll do your best and I’m thankful,” Samantha replied. “Why would you want to risk it?”
Rebecca took her hand, her brown eyes full of sincerity. “Martha loves you and that means we do, too. So we protect those we love.”
Samantha heard the earnest truth in those words. Nodding, she held in her tears and swallowed.
Rebecca patted her hand. “You can sleep well tonight.” Then she turned for the door.
“I’ll be down soon,” Samantha said, too overcome for much more.
After Rebecca left, Samantha sank down on the bed and stared into the darkness, Patch by her side. What should I do, Lord? How can I get out of this?
Patch nudged her hand with his cold little nose. He knew her fears.
The silence that followed brought her no answers. Tomorrow, she’d continue on the action she’d planned on taking when she arrived. The police knew everything now, at least. She’d go into town and try to reach Dorothea and find out more about Leon’s ex-wife. Her assistant could tell her what was going on, she hoped. She had to be careful and explain to Dorothea not to tell anyone where she was. Leon already knew, obviously. She didn’t want Dorothea to risk her life to help Samantha.
That would be a hard task. Dorothea loved animals and she loved her job at the clinic. All of that had to change for a while.
Because Samantha couldn’t go back there until she knew Leon was behind bars. And maybe not even then.
On her third morning there, Samantha woke early. Not that she’d slept very much. After dressing in a deep green dress that hit her midcalf, she grabbed her sneakers and tied the white laces. She’d gone into town with Isaac and Rebecca two days ago and she’d recharged her phone and laptop at the Campton Center.
Nathan Craig had met her there and told her he was still trying to find out what he could on Leon Stanton.
“He’s clean on paper,” Nathan reported. “I’ve got people going deep into his background. We’ll trip him up sooner or later. I’m thinking he has a shell corporation set up to hide the smuggling ring and he probably has several offshore accounts. So far I can’t find that information. The authorities are watching for him—just to question him since none of his underlings are talking.”
“Did you find anything on the tow truck?”
“Yes,” Nathan said. “It was a local from the next town over, about twenty miles from here. Someone paid cash to have the truck removed the morning after the storm. No record of who. The truck driver said he’d left it at a warehouse two counties over. I can’t find a trace of it.”
“So we only know the wrecking company’s name, not who the truck belonged to?”
“Nope. And the license plate was ripped off after the accident. So nothing much there.”
“I tried to find out more about his wife,” Samantha admitted. “I was afraid to dig too deep. He’s probably destroying files and wiping out everything that shows his online footprint.”
“You should stay off your computer and your phone,” Nathan cautioned. “If he’s savvy with electronics, he can easily find you.” Giving her a world-weary glance, he said, “Let me work on that angle.”
“And what about my friend Dorothea Ramsey?” she asked.
“She seems to have disappeared,” Nathan replied. “Your clinic is shut up tight. No animals remaining.”
Samantha worried about Dorothea day and night and hoped she had moved what few animals they’d been housing to safe places. While Samantha had been in the private conference room at the center, she’d phoned her friend. Dorothea’s phone went straight to voice mail. Afraid to leave a message, Samantha had to give up.
Now, Patch nudged at Samantha as she tied and pinned her apron. She tugged her hair into a passable bun and managed to get the white organdy kapp on without a mirror.
“I know. You need a break and some breakfast.”
Her face clean and her teeth brushed, she went downstairs. The smell of bacon and fresh coffee greeted her.
Patch barked a woof of appreciation that caused Rebecca to turn around and laugh. “Someone is hungry, ain’t so?”
“Good morning,” Samantha said. “I need to take him for his morning break before he gets to eat.”
Rebecca squinted. “For sure. The yard is available. And Samantha, Isaac is out taking care of the livestock, so be mindful.”
So far, no one had bothered her here. She worried about Micah and the twins. Were they okay? Would he bring them by to visit?
“I will, denke,” she replied to Rebecca.
The sweet couple had mothered her and chatted with her and shown her how to help around the house. She couldn’t ask for a better sanctuary, but she missed seeing the twins playing with Patch and she missed cooking and cleaning the kitchen with Micah.
She especially missed Micah.
What was wrong with her?
Lord, my life is in a mess and I don’t know how to get out of it. I could use some guidance.
Samantha longed for a strong cup of that coffee, knowing Patch couldn’t wait. She put him on his leash and opened the back door. Standing on the porch, she searched the entire backyard and saw the barn doors thrown open.
The world looked normal. The huge oak tree that shaded the house stood solid and steady. A pleasant summer breeze pushed at her bonnet strings and stirred at her skirt. This Amish uniform wasn’t much different from the scrubs and lab coat she’d worn on a daily basis for so long.
Checking the trees along the land break, she was thankful that this farm had very few woods close by. She looked to the east, thinking that small copse of trees would lead to her grandmother’s house. That little forest was the only cover all around. Not many places for anyone to hide.
“Go ahead, Patch,” she told the furry little dog.
Patch gave her a thankful look, his dark eyes trusting as he scurried in front of her. After he’d sniffed and taken care of business, he lifted his black nose in the air, his nostrils flaring. Then he started barking and tugged at the leash.
He wanted Samantha to follow him to the chicken house behind the barn.