It didn’t take long for Hope to find buttons the right size for Bud’s coat. We ended up removing all of them and sewing on new ones. We also sewed up a few torn places in the lining. It was almost three o’clock by the time I got back. Bud was just finishing his work on the outlet when I returned.
“Perfect timing,” Lizzie said when I handed Bud his coat. She pointed at him. “Now get going. That storm is almost here.”
“Thank you so much, Callie,” he said as he pulled his coat on. “You ladies sure take good care of me.”
With that he grabbed his toolbox and headed toward the front door. Before leaving he turned around to look at us, concern written on his face. “You both gonna be safe? Radio says this storm could be a bad one.”
Lizzie nodded. “I’m closing up, and Callie only has to go upstairs to her apartment. We’ll be fine.”
“Okay.” He seemed to hesitate a bit.
“Bud, we’ll be okay. Don’t worry about us.”
He sighed. “All right. But you call me if you need anything.”
Lizzie laughed at him. “We will. Now go.”
He tossed us a quick smile and headed out the door.
“Just goes to prove that there are really good people who live outside Kingdom,” Lizzie said. “In fact, most of the people I deal with in Washington are wonderful. You’ve met some of them when you’ve gone to town with me.”
“I’ve been thinking about what you said earlier, and you’re right,” I said. “Papa’s doctor was a very kind man. And the people at the funeral home couldn’t have been nicer. I was wrong to judge everyone outside of Kingdom as if they were all the same.”
The door opened and Noah came in. “Where’s Levi?”
“He said he had some appointments at the church,” I answered.
“I’ve got to clean up,” Lizzie said. “I’m closing early so we can get home before the storm moves in.”
Noah nodded. “Good idea. It’s looking pretty bad out there.”
“Callie, you’re welcome to come home with us,” Lizzie said. “You don’t have to ride out this storm alone.”
“I really appreciate that,” I said with a smile. “But I’ll be fine.”
“Okay, if you’re sure.”
“I am. Thanks.”
Lizzie and Noah stayed in the kitchen while I went to check out our last customer. Samuel Kauffman, Hope’s father, had finished a late lunch and stood waiting at the front counter.
“Everything okay, Samuel?” I asked as I joined him.
He smiled. “Never had a bad meal here,” he said. “Decided to eat now so I can just snack on fruit and bread this evening. Not sure now if I’ll even need that. Lizzie’s portions are plenty big enough.”
“How are things at the store? You’ve been running it awhile now, haven’t you?”
Samuel had taken over Menninger’s Saddle and Tack Store after Avery Menninger’s death. He and Hope used to run the quilt store together, but now Hope handled it alone. It did my heart good to see another woman manage a business in Kingdom. The first woman to step out was Cora Menlo, who started the restaurant. Now there were two women handling their own establishments. Lizzie and Hope would soon be joined by Priscilla and Belle Martin, who were getting ready to open a bakery in the spring.
“The store is doing very well,” Samuel said. “And even though I miss working with my daughter, she is right across the street. I can see her whenever I wish. God is good.”
“Yes, He is.” I handed him his change. “Are you heading home soon?”
He nodded. “Yes. I think all of our businesses are closing early today.”
We heard a noise from outside. The sound of children’s voices told us that school was out. I said good-bye to Samuel just as Charity came in, lugging her book bag.
“Where’s Mama?” she asked. “Miss Leah said there’s a storm on its way. We need to go home.”
I came from behind the corner. “Your mama and papa are in the kitchen. They’re cleaning up so you can get on the road before it gets too bad.”
Before Charity had a chance to fetch her parents, they came out.
“Mama!” Charity cried.
Lizzie wrapped her up in a big hug. “Keep your coat on, Cherry Bear. We’re headed home.”
“I know,” she said, her voice muffled by her mother’s shoulder. She pushed away, her little-girl face scrunched up with concern. “Teacher says this storm might be a big one.”
“It might,” Lizzie said, “but we’ll be fine.”
“She also said to tell you that Brother Wittenbauer picked up Ruby and was taking her home so you didn’t need to worry about her.”
Lizzie and I exchanged smiles. Elmer was certainly being careful.
“Thank you for telling us,” Lizzie said.
“Callie, you said Levi had some appointments?” Noah asked. “What kind of appointments?”
“Counseling. I’m not sure how long he’ll be.”
“Levi sure does a lot of counseling,” Lizzie said. She was taking her coat down from the coatrack. “I think that’s his favorite thing to do.”
Noah sighed. “Most people would like some time off after everything he’s been through, but not my brother.”
“Is the truck still running?” Lizzie asked.
Noah nodded. “Yes. I wanted to keep it warm for the ride home.”
“I certainly don’t want to detain you,” I said hesitantly, “but I wonder if I could talk to the two of you for just a minute before you leave.”
“Charity, why don’t you go wait in the truck?” Lizzie said, smiling at her daughter. “We’ll be there in a couple of minutes.”
Charity crossed her arms and frowned. “You guys are gonna talk about something you don’t want me to know about, aren’t you?”
Lizzie raised an eyebrow and studied her daughter. “I’m not actually asking you to get in the truck, Charity.”
“I know, I know. You’re tellin’ me. I get it.” She put her arms down and gazed at me with a forlorn expression. “Bye, Callie. I gotta go now. Sorry to rush off.”
“Bye, Charity. I’ll see you soon,” I said, trying not to laugh. Charity was nothing if not dramatic.
“Lock the doors after you get in,” Noah said in a stern voice.
I couldn’t remember him ever giving his daughter that particular instruction. It was just one more chilling reminder that an unforeseen evil lurked somewhere nearby.
After Charity left, I sat down at a table near Lizzie. “Are you both certain the police don’t suspect Levi of killing that woman? I’m not so sure they’re telling the truth.”
Noah shrugged. “We have to take them at their word. Besides, if they’re looking for someone who’s been doing this for a long time, it couldn’t possibly be Levi. And frankly, even if they suspected this recent murder was committed by someone else, there’s no foundation for suspicion. Levi’s been in town all week. Never left once.”
“Well, actually he did drive to Washington with Aaron to help him get supplies,” Lizzie said. “That was Monday.”
Noah frowned. “I didn’t know that.”
“Your brother doesn’t tell you everything he does, you know,” Lizzie said with a smile.
“Well, no one can suspect him of hunting down that woman and killing her while he was with Aaron,” I said. “And he was in town before her body was found.” I shook my head slowly. “I still can’t figure out why the killer would put Levi’s book at the scene of the crime. Unless he wanted to misdirect the police.”
“Maybe it wasn’t the killer,” Noah said. “Maybe someone else stumbled across the body and placed the book there.”
“That doesn’t make sense,” Lizzie said. “No one in Kingdom would do such a thing.”
“I hope you’re right,” I replied. “But you know as well as I that there are people opposed to Levi’s leadership. This would be a great way to disgrace him.”
“You mean like my father?” Lizzie said sharply. “I don’t agree with him about everything, but he would never do something like this. He may be harsh and stringent in his beliefs, but to plant false evidence at the scene of a crime? A murder?” She shook her head with gusto. “No way.”
“Look,” I persisted, “someone purposely put that book there. It wasn’t an accident. Either it was the killer, or it was someone else. Whoever it was, we need to figure it out. For Levi’s sake. Maybe none of those officials think he’s involved now, but what if that changes?”
Noah grunted. “I think you’re right, Callie. We need to find out who hates my brother so much he’d actually want to make him look guilty of murder. Whoever it is may do something even worse to incriminate Levi. Our only hope is to bring the truth to light.”
Lizzie shook her head. “You two. I’m going to start calling you Holmes and Watson.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Who are Holmes and Watson?”
Noah chuckled. “Wonderful detectives created by an author named Arthur Conan Doyle. I’ll lend you a book if you want.”
“Papa only allowed religious books in our house,” I said. “I don’t know if I should read something so—”
“Worldly?” Lizzie said. She sighed as she looked at me. “The stories of Holmes and Watson are entertaining. Sherlock Holmes was a character who was dedicated to bringing guilty men—and women—to justice. That’s a good thing, isn’t it?”
I thought about it for a moment. “Well, yes. I’m aware that some of our people read outsider fiction. Ruth Fisher has a shelf full of books like that.”
“Ruth is very independent minded,” Noah said. “Lizzie and I have books we love, and some we read to Charity. We’re very careful though.”
I frowned at them. “Was Papa wrong to forbid me to read anything not approved by the church?”
“I wouldn’t say he was wrong,” Lizzie said carefully. “There are still quite a few people in Kingdom who believe the way your father did. But there are even more who have decided that not all books outside of those officially accepted by our church have negative influences.”
I turned this over in my mind. “I wonder what Levi believes. We’ve never talked about it.”
Noah grinned. “Next time you see him, ask him about the Narnia books we read as children.”
“Narnia?” I repeated.
Noah nodded. “My mother and father were both devout Mennonites,” he said. “But they also believed in being led by the Spirit. Not by the rules of men.”
“Pastor Linden was much more conservative than Pastor Mendenhall,” I said, mentioning the pastor who had ruled the church when we were children. “Your parents were brave to go against his wishes.”
Noah came over and sat down next to me. “You and Levi will have to be brave too,” he said solemnly. “You’ll be looked to for leadership, and I’m afraid there will always be controversy. In the Bible, Paul fought against those who tried to put Christians back under the law. The teachings of the church should bring people closer to God—not push them away.”
“Some people believe Mennonites are too strict and legalistic,” Lizzie said. “But the choices that set us apart now are there to help us. To keep us safe. It wasn’t like that when I left. Pastor Mendenhall started moving us in the right direction. I believe you and Levi will continue to bring us closer to what God really wants for us.”
As Lizzie spoke, a shiver of excitement ran through me. Could I really be used in such a wonderful way? The past several years had been full of work as I cared for my father. Sometimes I felt as if God had forgotten about me. But maybe there was something I could do for God—and for Kingdom. The possibility thrilled me.
“I’d like to help Kingdom get closer to God,” I said slowly. “But I think someone else has other plans. Before we do anything, we need to find out who is trying to destroy Levi’s reputation.”
Noah stood up and stretched. Then he looked back and forth between Lizzie and me. “I think there’s even more at stake than that. A killer needs to be stopped before someone else dies.”
“Oh, Noah,” Lizzie said, “don’t say anything like that around Charity. I don’t want her to be afraid.”
“But we want her to be safe,” he shot back. “We’ve got to talk to her about what’s happened.”
“I know.” Lizzie shook her head. “I’ve been putting it off, but I guess we can’t avoid it any longer.”
The wind blew hard and rattled the building. “Let’s get going,” Noah said, “before it gets any worse.” He nodded at me. “We’ll stop by the church and check on Levi. Make sure he knows about the storm.”
“Thank you. If he’s still there, would you tell him to run by here and let me know he’s on his way home? That way I won’t worry about him.”
“Will do.”
I hugged Lizzie and said good-bye to my two close friends. I watched as they drove away, glad they were on their way home, but Noah’s words weighed heavily on my mind. Suddenly, I wished I’d taken Lizzie up on her offer to go with them. I’d told myself that a killer couldn’t possibly be living among us. But could I be wrong?