Faithful to Laura (35 page)

“Thank you for your time.” Sawyer took Laura by the arm.

“Sorry to bother you.”

Miriam turned and hurried into the house. The door slammed behind her.

Sawyer led Laura down the steps of the front porch. “What are you doing? We can’t just leave.”

“We don’t have a choice. She’s protecting him. We can’t force her to tell us where he is.”

“Then what are we going to do?”

“Right now, we’re going to the car.” He escorted her to the rental and opened the passenger door for her. Then he got inside. When he looked at her, he saw her body shaking.

“Cold?”

“Not cold. Mad.” She looked at him, fury lighting her eyes. “He wins
again
.”

“This isn’t about winning, Laura. And I didn’t say we were leaving. Not yet, anyway. Just give me a chance to think.” He gripped the steering wheel but didn’t turn on the car. After a moment he said, “I think we’re going to have to call the police.”

Laura handed him the cell phone Cora had given her and stared out the window while he dialed. “I guess we don’t have a choice. I guess—” She hesitated as a movement caught her eye.

Someone was running into the field behind the house. “Wait a minute.” She leaned forward. “Look, Sawyer. Is that—?”

“I’m gonna find out.” He tossed the phone into her lap and shot out the door.

“Sawyer, wait!”

But he was already running toward the field.

Sawyer’s lungs burned. He was gaining on the man, who had to be Mark King, even though his hair was cut in a Yankee haircut. Who else would be running that fast into an empty field?

“Stop!” Sawyer yelled, not really expecting Mark to comply.

But the distraction was enough to slow him down. Mark looked over his shoulder and stumbled. Sawyer picked up speed. He closed in, reached for Mark’s shirt, and yanked hard, dragging him to the ground.

Mark scrambled out of his grasp and tried to get to his feet, but Sawyer was too quick for him. He snatched his ankle and pulled the man toward him.

Mark lashed out with a fist and connected with Sawyer’s jaw. It was almost enough to shake Sawyer, but he held on, then flipped him over and pinned him to the ground. He straddled his back, holding Mark’s arms behind him. “You’re not going anywhere.”

Mark laughed. A dead, hollow sound. “Are you an undercover cop or something?”

“I’m a friend of Laura’s.” Despite himself, he tightened his grip on Mark’s arms. “A good friend.”

Mark laughed again, his cheek pressed to the short grass. “So she’s alive, then? Too bad.”

Sawyer felt the anger rise in him. The man was crazy and cruel. Sawyer wanted to snap him in two. Black dots swam before his eyes as he fought the urge to pummel Mark.

Then he remembered Laura.
Justice, not revenge
. The promise to his parents about joining the church. If he was Amish, he would be expected to forgive. To let Mark go and trust that God would bring His own justice.

But he wasn’t Amish yet. And who was to say this wasn’t part of God’s plan?

Laura scrambled out of the car and ran to the Yoders’ backyard. She could hear a woman screaming. When she rounded the corner of the house, she saw Miriam where the field met the yard, yelling at Sawyer to leave Mark alone.

Laura looked out into the field. She could see Sawyer had Mark against the ground. Neither man moved, but she could hear the faint sound of cold laughter that chilled her heart.

“You have to stop him!” Miriam ran to her and clutched her arm. “He’s going to kill him.”

“
Nee
. He’s not.” An unexpected calmness came over her. Sawyer had Mark under control. He would finally get the justice he deserved. She turned to Miriam. “You can’t protect Mark anymore.”

“His name isn’t Mark! And I’m not protecting him.” She cast a worried look at the men in the field. “I love him.”

“So did I. This is how he repaid me.” When Miriam wouldn’t turn around, Laura moved to stand in front of her. “Look at
mei
face, Miriam. Mark did this. He tried to kill me. Before that he stole money from
mei familye
.”

“You’re lying.”

“He was so kind at first. So sweet. When I first met him, he gave me all his attention. Said everything I wanted to hear.”

Miriam looked away.

“He told me he loved me. Wanted to marry me. Wanted to be a part of
mei familye
and part of our bakery business. And once I said yes, he started asking questions. Lots of them. If I didn’t answer them right away, or he thought I might not be telling him everything, he would get agitated.” She swallowed, but the memories didn’t hurt as much anymore. Neither did they bring up the well of anger that filled her for so many months. “Aren’t there times when things seem wrong? When you have a strange feeling inside, and it’s not a
gut
one?”

In the distance she could hear the sound of sirens. Laura’s shoulders relaxed. It was almost over. “Miriam, hear what I’m telling you. Let him
geh
. He doesn’t love you. I don’t think he’s capable of love.” She pointed to her face again. “This is all he’s capable of. Pain. Destruction. Regret.”

Miriam looked at her, tears in her eyes. “He really did that to you?”

Laura nodded. The sirens grew closer. She looked at Sawyer and Mark in the field. They were now on their feet, with Sawyer holding Mark’s arms behind his back. As they neared, she could see the smirk on Mark’s face. It changed to pleading when he saw Miriam.

“You have to help me,” he said to her.

She backed away from him.

“Miriam? Don’t tell me you believe what she said. She’s crazy. Look at her. She cut herself with a razor blade. She hates herself that much, just like she hates me.”

Laura heard footsteps behind her. She didn’t have to turn around to know it was the police.

“I don’t hate you, Mark,” she said. “I forgive you.”

She looked at Sawyer and smiled. “I can finally forgive.”

C
HAPTER
30

Norman’s palms dampened as he fastened his vest. Today’s church service would change everything. His relationship with his wife, his son, and hopefully with God.

He had already talked to Bishop Esh yesterday. The man had been shocked, but ultimately agreed with Norman’s decision. “It’s not only the right thing to do,” the bishop had said.

“It’s the only thing to do.”

But while Norman exuded the confidence of a man sure of himself, his heart threatened to burst out of his chest. Was this how Adam felt, when he’d made his confession in front of the church? Norman should have supported his son more that day. He should have done so many things differently. Today was the first step in putting the past permanently behind him.

He put on his black hat. Carol walked into the room.

“You look nice.”

He turned and faced her. She had a sad smile on her face. Since their talk last week, not much had changed between them. The distance was still there. His sin had permeated so much of their lives. He hadn’t known. Or perhaps he had, and chose to ignore it.

He walked toward Carol. His wife. His helpmate. His memories traveled back to when they first met. She’d been the prettiest
maedel
at the singing that night. Shy, soft-spoken. But soon he found out underneath the shyness was a strong, faithful woman. She had dealt with three miscarriages after Adam was born. God’s decision for them to have only one child hadn’t put a wedge in their marriage. It had drawn them closer.

Norman had driven in the wedge that now existed. Today he would yank it out. “Ready?”

She nodded. “Let me just get my shawl. It’s downstairs.”

“I’ll get the buggy.”

Carol turned. Norman touched her shoulder.
“Lieb?”

She froze. “You haven’t called me that in a long time.”

“I know.” He kissed her cheek. “And I’m sorry. For so many things.”

She looked away. “I can’t do this. Not now.” She pulled away from him, leaving him surrounded with silent loneliness.

Hopefully that would change after today. He prayed it would.

Adam entered Aaron Detweiler’s barn, filing in after several men to their side of the building for the start of the service. As usual he had driven Emma and Leona to church. They were seated on the other side of the barn with the rest of the women. He couldn’t see Emma from where he was at the far end of the bench.

He blew out a breath, a puff of white steam hovering in the air. It wouldn’t be long before they would have to move services into family homes. He’d rather be cold in the barn than cooped up inside a house, elbow to elbow with everyone else.

He searched for his parents. Didn’t see a sign of them. They had been quiet this week. Distant. He’d given up trying to figure them out. He had his own relationship to focus on. His future with Emma. He loved his parents, but he couldn’t forgo his own happiness for them. He had to lay their burdens at God’s feet. Only God could fix what was broken.

The singing started. He stood, still looking for his father. As a deacon, his
daed
usually sat near or at the front. But he wasn’t there this morning. He must have decided to sit somewhere else. The rise and fall of the worship chant filled the church, and he added his voice to everyone else’s and tried to focus on the service.

After the singing the bishop stood. He then called Adam’s father to the front of the church.

What was this about?

Norman faced the congregation. “Two months ago,
mei sohn,
Adam, stood here and asked you for forgiveness.” He swallowed. “Today I ask you for the same.”