There were several seconds of complete silence until finally someone cried out. It was Lizzie. She slumped down into a chair and began to cry softly. Papa set our plates down on a nearby table.
“What happened, Sheriff?” Noah’s expression was grim.
“Someone ran him off the road. His horse must have bolted, and his buggy flipped. Threw him out. Poor old guy never had a chance.”
The news hit me like a ton of bricks, and I sank down to the floor without even realizing it. It had to have been the man in the red truck. Whether it was on purpose or not, he’d finally killed someone. Avery.
Papa hurried over to me, kneeling down and wrapping his arms around my shoulders. He didn’t say a word, just held me.
“I-I didn’t mean to upset the young lady so much,” Ford said. The distress on his face seemed real. He didn’t know many people in Kingdom personally, but he’d met Avery a few months ago when a body was discovered on the road that led to Kingdom. It was difficult not to like Avery Menninger. Even for the sheriff.
“Hope was almost run over this afternoon on that same road, Sheriff,” Noah said, pointing at me. “I’ll bet it’s the same man.”
Ford scratched his head. “Well, it coulda been an accident. Those buggies aren’t fit for the road. Just a little bump and they fold up like a cheap lawn chair.”
I flushed with anger. “This was no accident, Sheriff. That’s too much of a coincidence.”
He folded his hefty arms across his massive chest. “Young lady, if you was almost struck by a vehicle, why didn’t you call the Sheriff’s Department? That don’t make much sense, now does it?”
Tom sniggered as if Ford’s statement were humorous. The sheriff swung around and slapped his son on the face. Several people in the room jumped at the sound. Tom put his hand on his cheek, his features locked in a grimace of rage and humiliation.
“You shut your mouth, boy,” Ford growled. “There’s nothin’ funny about this. A man’s dead. A good man.”
Tom’s eyes locked on mine, his eyes burning with anger. I felt as if he somehow blamed me for his father’s actions.
The sheriff stuck his finger in his son’s face. “You get yourself out to my car, Tom. Right now. And you wait there until I’m done here.”
With one last hateful look, Tom spun on his heels and walked out the front door, slamming it so hard the windows rattled. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sophie sneak out behind him.
I struggled to my feet, Papa helping me up. An unusual boldness, fueled by exasperation, filled me. “Whether I should have called you to report what happened has nothing to do with anything,” I said forcefully. “I’m telling you that someone tried to run me over on the very same road. And on the same day. You need to look for the driver of a red truck. It’s obvious he’s the person who killed our friend.”
Ford scowled at me. “I don’t need you to tell me my job. I’ll be lookin’ into it. If we’ve got some idiot out there playin’ cat and mouse with anyone, even you people, I’ll get to the bottom of it.” He snorted. “But I’m gonna need a little more to go on than just tellin’ me it was a red truck. We got lots and lots of red trucks in this county, miss.”
“It was a Ford, Sheriff. Red, like Hope said.”
Everyone turned and looked toward the front of the room. Jonathon had come in unnoticed. His face was pale. “Tinted windows on the sides. Caught a glimpse of the driver through the windshield, but I couldn’t see his face. He was wearing a cap, some kind of ball cap, pulled down low. Nothing really unusual about the truck that I can remember. Pretty standard. Except the driver’s door might have been dented. I’m not sure if it was the sun’s reflection or if there was an actual dent. I was busy trying to get his attention off Hope.”
“And just who are you, young man?” Ford said, looking displeased. If he really wanted more information, he should have been happy to find someone who could offer it.
“I’m Jonathon Wiese, and I was there this afternoon when this man tried to kill Hope.”
“Now, wait a minute,” Ford snapped. “Just because some yahoo decides to have a little fun with a lady in a buggy don’t mean he was trying to kill her. And it also don’t mean he’s the same one who caused Mr. Menninger’s accident.”
Jonathon took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Look, Sheriff. One of our residents has been threatened. Another one is dead. This is serious. For once, why don’t you put out a little effort and find out who’s behind this? You’re supposed to protect the people in this county. Even us.”
His reference to the sheriff’s previous comment seemed to send Ford over the edge. His already red face darkened. “I don’t need no sissy boy Mennie tellin’ me what my job is. I’ll thank you to keep your opinions to yourself.” He slapped his hat back on his head. “I’m gonna look into this, but you all better think about this long and hard. I know you like your privacy. If this really was done on purpose, the news will spread like wildfire. You’ll be in the paper, and the media will swarm all over here. Kingdom won’t be a secret no more. Trust me.”
His remark seemed to hit home. Even Jonathon took a step back. I knew the sheriff didn’t like us, but I got the feeling his statement was sincere. Then he pointed at Jonathon. “Just for your information, boy, I liked Avery Menninger very much. If I find out someone ran him off the road on purpose, I won’t rest until they’re brought to justice.”
Once again, I heard a note of sincerity in his voice.
Jonathon opened his mouth to say something else, but Papa held up his hand. “We thank you for your assistance, Sheriff. Anything you can do to help will be appreciated. We will need to contact his daughter, Berlene, and let her know what has happened. Where is . . . Avery now?”
Ford was still staring at Jonathon, sizing him up as if debating whether to let him off the hook or dress him down a little more. Luckily for Jonathon, he turned his attention to my father. “Mr. Menninger is at Doc McDaniels’ in Washington. His family should call the doc to arrange for burial.”
“Wait a minute, Sheriff,” Noah said. “If Avery’s death turns out to be more than an accident, won’t his body need to go to the coroner’s office?”
Ford’s right eyebrow shot up. “You tellin’ me my job, son?”
Noah frowned. “No. I’m just asking.”
“According to Doc, Mr. Menninger was killed by blunt force trauma due to the accident. There ain’t no clues anyone can get from his body at this point. Besides, Doc McDaniels serves as the coroner in this area.” He frowned at Noah. “You don’t need to worry about autopsies and clues, boy. This ain’t CSI, you know.”
I’m sure the puzzled looks on our faces caught the sheriff by surprise. He snorted. “Oh, sorry. Guess you people don’t watch TV. I’m just tryin’ to tell you that the injuries to your friend don’t need no further investigation. They won’t tell us anything that would help us catch the guy who did this.”
Papa shot Noah and Jonathon a warning look. “Again, thank you, Sheriff. We do not wish to take any more of your time.”
Jonathon’s expression turned stormy as he glared at Papa.
The lawman nodded. “I understand. You’re wise to keep this to yourselves. Won’t do nobody no good to get the Feds pokin’ around in here. And with the recent harassment of churches and church folks, makin’ a big noise will only drop a big red target right in the middle of this town.” He nodded at Papa. “Good thing these people have someone like you lookin’ after them. Somebody reasonable.” With that, he turned and walked out, the door slamming behind him. I looked outside and saw Sophie leaning in the sheriff’s car, talking to Tom. When the sheriff approached his car, he said something, and Sophie jumped back as if he’d hit her.
Suddenly Jonathon exploded at Papa. “How could you let him get away with that? We can’t trust him to really investigate Avery’s murder. What if he lets the killer walk free?”
“I do not believe the sheriff will do that,” Papa said. “His advice about opening ourselves up to the world’s scrutiny was wise and for our benefit. We cannot allow ourselves to lose what we have fought so hard to protect. A safe place where our people are not forced to accept the sin and violence in the world. We’ll have to leave this in the Lord’s hands. Vengeance does not belong to us.”
“The violence in the world?” Noah said, a note of incredulity in his tone. “Violence has touched Kingdom, Samuel. Avery is dead. Our dear friend is dead.”
“Noah’s right,” Jonathon interjected. “We need to protect ourselves. We can’t sit around and let men with wicked intentions pick us off one by one.”
“Yes, Avery is dead,” Papa exclaimed, “and you want to start a war with the men who killed him? How many more of us will end up like our brother? And what will we lose if we pursue this?” He stared at Jonathon, his expression stony. “What would Avery want us to do, Jonathon? He loved this town, and he loved our people. Do you not realize that he would tell us to respond with love and forgiveness? To turn the other cheek? I can assure you that Avery is with God now. He is not looking for any kind of revenge.”
Jonathon started to respond but before he could get a word out, the front door swung open, and Sheriff Ford came in again.
“I forgot somethin’,” he said. “Mr. Menninger had this with him when we found him.” He pulled the door open, and a small border collie slunk into the dining room.
“Beau!” Papa said. “I didn’t even think to ask about him.”
Avery’s best friend lay on the floor, trembling and frightened.
“I can take him to the pound, but that’ll probably be the last place he’ll ever see,” Ford said. “If none of you wants him . . .”
Everyone in the room was silent as we stared at the small black and white dog. I felt as if my already tattered heart were being torn into little pieces as he looked back at our assembled group, the terror of losing his beloved master evident in his eyes.
“I will take the dog,” Papa said suddenly. “It is the least I can do for Avery.”
I stared at my father in surprise. I’d been pleading for a dog ever since I was six, and Papa had always said no. “Dogs are too much trouble,” he’d say. “They are dirty, and they tear things up. We don’t need one.” Ruth Fisher, one of Kingdom’s oldest residents, told me once that when she was a girl, most Mennonite people she knew viewed all animals as livestock. Hardly anyone had pets. But down through the years, things had shifted. Some of it had to do with hard-hearted people dumping unwanted animals off in the country. Many of them wandered into Kingdom, and every one of them found a home. Now there were all kinds of dogs and cats running around town. Regardless, my father had held firm to his old viewpoint. Until today.
“That’s fine then,” Ford said. He turned and walked out the door. I watched him trod down the steps to his car. Sophie stood on the sidewalk and stared at the vehicle as it drove away.
“Now, before you two start arguing again,” Noah said to Jonathon and Papa, “I’ve called for an elders’ meeting. We’ll decide what needs to be done”—he frowned at Papa— “or not done about this situation. But for now, someone needs to contact Berlene and tell her about Avery.” He looked at Lizzie, who was much more composed now. “Do you have her number?”
She nodded. “It’s in Cora’s phonebook.”
“Good. If you’ll show me where it is, I’ll make the call.”
They got up and left the room. Papa stood up and walked over to where Beau lay cowering on the floor. “Come here, Beau,” he said in a gentle but firm voice.
The anxious dog stood slowly to his feet and took a few tentative steps toward Papa. Then he sat down next to his right leg.
“Avery would be grateful to know you took Beau,” Jonathon said. “You’re a decent man, Samuel. I’m sorry you don’t like me. I wish you did.” It was obvious he was still upset, but it was to his credit that he was able to hold his tongue. He nodded at me and left the restaurant.
Papa didn’t say anything, just stood looking down at Beau.
Callie came up next to me and put her arm around my waist. “What about your food? Do you still want it?”
“Oh, I’d forgotten.”
“I am sorry, Daughter,” Papa said. “In all the confusion I forgot that you still haven’t had your supper.”
“I’m not really hungry anymore, Papa.”
“If you do not eat, you will be weak, Hope.” He walked over to our plates and took the tin foil off the top of each one. “It’s still warm.” He gave me a small smile. “I realize supper is the last thing on your mind now, but I would feel much better if you had some food in you. Will you try to eat something? For me?”
I did feel rather faint, and even though I wasn’t hungry, I realized it was probably wise to put something in my body. “Yes, Papa.”
“Good.” He put one of the plates in front of me, and Callie went to get me a glass of water.
Papa started to sit down at the table, but suddenly stopped as he stared down at Beau, who remained where he was. “Oh, I suppose I must tie Beau up outside.”
“Nonsense.”
Lizzie had come back into the dining room. The color was back in her cheeks, and she looked much more composed. “Beau will stay right where he is. He’s welcome in here anytime. Since the health department doesn’t even know about this place, I doubt we’ll get in trouble over it.”
“Thank you, Lizzie,” Papa said. “I would hate for him to be alone right now. I expect he will need some time to settle down after what he has been through.”
Beau’s large brown eyes held so much sorrow I felt my own eyes well up. “I remember how happy he always was to see people,” I said, trying not to choke up. “That tail of his had a mind its own, always wagging. Whenever he was around, you could hear it thumping against the floor.” Beau’s tail lay still, almost as if it were broken. Would it ever wag again?
“Come, Beau,” Papa said gently. Beau got to his feet and came over to the table, but instead of sitting next to Papa, he walked slowly over to me and laid his head on my lap. I stroked his soft fur, not caring about the tears that ran down my cheeks. As I gazed into Beau’s soft brown eyes, I felt something stir inside me, and I knew the small dog and I would be more than dog and owner. We would be lifelong friends.
I finished eating my meal with one hand while keeping the other one on Beau’s furry head. Every once in a while, when Papa wasn’t looking, I snuck Beau a piece of chicken. He took it willingly. I was grateful he was able to eat.
I wanted desperately to discuss Avery’s death with Papa and to appeal to him to reconsider Jonathon and Noah’s concerns. But no one knew my father better than I did, and this was the time to be quiet. His emotions were raging, and when that happened, it took him some time to listen to reason. Setting him off now wouldn’t help anyone.
After finishing our dinners, Papa, Beau, and I prepared to go home. Papa led Daisy back behind the quilt shop so he could harness her to our other buggy. I waited for him on the steps in front of the shop, Beau by my side.
Before I saw a horse, I heard hoofbeats pounding hard on the street. I turned just in time to see Ebbie pull his horse, Micah, up to the hitching post in front of the restaurant. He jumped off the horse before he came to a full stop, and quickly tied Micah up. Even from where I sat I could see that Ebbie was as white as a bleached sheet. His body trembled as he started toward the front door of the restaurant.
“Ebbie?” I called out. “Ebbie, what’s wrong?”
He froze in his steps and turned slowly toward me. When he saw me, he sank down to his knees. Alarmed, I got up and ran to him, Beau right behind me.
“Are you all right?” I knelt down next to him. “Ebbie? Ebbie, what’s the matter? Are you feeling ill?” I was shocked to see tears on his cheeks.
“I was at home and John Lapp came over to buy milk. My father talked with him for a moment and then came running into the house. He said you were run over on the road to Kingdom, and that you . . . that you had died.”
“Oh, Ebbie. I was almost hit by a truck earlier today, but I’m fine.” I put my hands on his cheeks. “Ebbie, it was Avery Menninger who was killed.”
Fresh tears filled his eyes. “Avery? Avery’s dead?”
I nodded. He put his head against my shoulder, and I held him as he composed himself. Ebbie’s display of emotion was foreign to me. Papa believed that men should keep their feelings private and never lose control in public. I’d never seen a grown man act this way, and although it moved me, I felt confused.
“I’m all right now,” he said finally, pushing himself away from me. He stood to his feet and put his hand down so I could pull myself up. “I’m sorry. I was afraid I’d never see you again. I-I wanted to tell you . . .” He shook his head and wiped his face with his sleeve. “Never mind. I’m just glad you’re okay.”
The look in his brown eyes seemed so familiar. It took a moment for me to realize that it was the same expression I’d seen in Beau’s eyes. Fear and sadness. The realization startled me. Was I responsible for creating those emotions?
I placed my hand on his arm. “Thank you for caring so much. It means a lot to me.”
He didn’t say anything, but his breath caught. He took a step back, as if he wanted me to remove my hand, so I did.
“This violence,” he said, his voice low, “reminds me of the Scripture about the thief who comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Satan is working through these men.” He shook his head. “Avery was a good person who had the right to live his life without someone deciding to take it from him.” He leaned over and picked his hat up from the street, where it had fallen when he collapsed.
“Jonathon is getting a group of men together, Ebbie. They’re going to find a way to protect us.”
He looked at me intently. “The elders are meeting tonight to decide what to do. We don’t need a group of vigilantes taking matters into their own hands.”
I put my hands on my hips and scowled at him. “You know, I’m really getting a little tired of hearing that we have no right to defend ourselves. Avery is dead, Ebbie. Dead. If Kingdom is attacked, are we going to simply stand by and watch our friends and neighbors get hurt? Maybe even killed?”
He frowned at me. “Hope, you know what we believe. You’ve grown up in the teachings of the church. Are you questioning them?”
“Yes, Ebbie, I’m questioning them. Shouldn’t my faith be something more than parroting what I’ve been instructed to think? Shouldn’t it be what I actually believe?”
He considered what I’d said for a moment. “Yes, you’re right,” he said slowly. “It should be what you really believe.”
I folded my arms across my chest. “Then convince me. Make me believe what you believe. Explain to me why we’re supposed to stand by and let violent men get away with murder.”
Ebbie looked up at the sky as if he thought God might send down a message to help him with this crazy girl who had the audacity to question the long-held doctrines of her church. I was surprised to see the corners of his mouth twitch in a smile.
“Hope, you are one of a kind. An amazing person.” He took a slow breath. “I’ll pray about it, but if you truly are seeking counsel in this area, you may need to approach a different elder.”
“Why? Because you can’t give me an answer that makes any sense?”
“No. Because I think I need some time away from you. The feelings I have for you are too strong, and I don’t trust myself to remain silent about them. If you don’t mind, I think I’ve humbled myself enough for a while.”
“Forget that,” I insisted. “Counsel me like you would anyone else in the church. I want to understand why you think God wants us to be picked off like birds sitting on a fence.”
His eyebrows shot up. “You’ve been shooting birds?”
I glared at him. “Are you taking this seriously?”
“Yes. I’m taking it very seriously. Trust me.”
He started to say something else, but at that moment, Papa came around the side of the building with the buggy.
“I’ve got to go,” I said.
“All right.” He cleared his throat. “And again, I’m sorry if I embarrassed you with my display of emotion.”
I shook my head. “I understand. Avery was your friend. He was mine too.” I was aware that most of the grief Ebbie had demonstrated was because he thought I’d been killed, but I thought it best not to address it. What could I say that would help anything? Mourning Avery had to take precedence now.
Ebbie stared at me for several seconds, and then I turned to go. I called for Beau to follow me, but instead of obeying, he walked over to Ebbie and licked his hand. Ebbie squatted down and put his arms around the small border collie. I had the strangest feeling that dog and man were exchanging something silently between them.
“Let’s go, Beau,” I said again, but the dog just looked at me. “Come on, boy.”
“He’s afraid to get in the buggy,” Ebbie said. “After what happened, can you blame him?”
“Oh, I hadn’t thought . . .” I could feel tears sting my eyes, but I blinked them away. My whole body felt weak and washed out from crying. “What should I do?”
“Why don’t you get in,” Ebbie said. “Let me see if I can help.”
I shrugged and went to the buggy, quickly explaining the situation to Papa.
He shook his head. “Poor dog. No one can understand how terrifying this day has been for him.”
“Well, apparently someone can. Look.” I pointed to Ebbie, who was walking slowly toward the carriage with Beau following tentatively behind him. When they reached us, Ebbie motioned for Beau to get in. The collie sat down, seemingly unable to master his fear. Ebbie knelt down beside him again and spoke gently in his ear. This went on for several minutes, while Papa and I waited silently, sensing we shouldn’t interrupt. Suddenly Beau stood up and jumped into the buggy seat, plopping himself on my lap.
“He should get in the back,” Papa said hesitantly.
“It’s all right,” I said. “He feels safer with me. Let’s go home.”
Papa didn’t argue, just flicked the reins and told Daisy to get going. As she began to trot down the street, I looked back at Ebbie standing in the road, watching us. I waved good-bye, but he didn’t respond. I stared at him in the side mirror until we turned toward home and I couldn’t see him anymore.