Annie's Truth (Touch of Grace) (37 page)

I should go help with the noon meal. Write to me if you want to. If not, I understand.

She hesitated on how she should sign the letter. They weren’t living the lives of mother and daughter, but Annie felt a connection with this woman who had struggled so from Annie’s conception to meeting with her eighteen years later.

Yours truly, Annie

She scrunched up her nose, feeling funny about the word
truly
but unable to think of another to replace it. She folded the letter and stuffed it into an envelope, addressed it, and went downstairs. After lunch she would find an excuse to go into town.

The small town of Staunton bustled with tourists. The approaching holidays brought them in by the droves. Annie pushed her way through the hordes of people huddled together listening to the guide talk of the first Deitsch settlers.

John held her by the arm, not wanting to lose her to the mass of people. “How did you talk me into this?”

“It was your idea, remember?”

“Contacting your mother, jah. Coming into town, nee.” He looked for cars, found an opening, and pulled her along quickly to reach the other side. A pickup flew past them, causing Annie to scream out in protest.

She turned just in time to see the truck fly down Main Street. She pointed. “That’s the pickup.”

John glanced down the street to the oncoming traffic. “I didn’t see it. Are you sure?”

“Jah, it was red with the dark stripe on the side.” Annie bent over to catch her breath.

“Are you okay?”

“It’s all coming back to me. Like it’s happening all over again.” The cars seemed to move quicker, the lights flashed brighter. More and more people came into view. The feel of John’s grip on her arm brought her back.

“Annie. Annie.” His stern face drew her attention to him.

“What?” she squeaked out.

“Come with me, out of the street.” He guided her to a bench where three tourists sat staring. “Can we have this seat, please?” They quickly moved away but continued to stare and did nothing to help.

Annie sat and held her face in her hands. “I thought he was gone, in jail or somewhere.”

John sat next to her. “Me too. Something must have happened.”

“Like what?”

“Like Zeke.”

“What do you mean?” Annie remembered her contemplations after the police left the other day, thinking everything would be taken care of without their involvement. This made her wonder whether it was necessary for them to do something to make sure he wouldn’t be able to drive. It seemed a natural consequence.

“If Zeke told those officers you and Hanna wouldn’t help identify him, he might not have gotten any punishment.” John’s serious expression made Annie wonder what he was planning. He wasn’t one to intercede unless absolutely necessary, but she had a feeling this would be one of those times.

“Do you feel well enough to walk to the buggy?” He took her by the arm and helped her up without waiting for an answer.

She nodded as she stood. “What are you going to do?”

He narrowed his eyes and tightened his lips. “Something I should have done from the beginning.”

 
Chapter Forty-Two
 

T
HEY HURRIED HOME
in John’s buggy with cars whizzing past by the dozens. “I hope this dies down after the holidays.” Annie sat back in her seat holding onto the door handle with white knuckles.

“It usually does. Once they get their Amish doll for their niece and quilt for Aunt Betsy.” John didn’t mean to be sharp, but he’d had it with Englishers. From the time Annie left to the car accident to tourists, it was enough.

“What are we going to do?” Annie still seemed a bit out-ofsorts. The hit-and-run must have upset her more than she’d let on. This gave him another reason to figure out a way to stay away from town for a good while.

“Talk to Zeke and wait for the police to contact us.”

“Maybe we should have just gone to the station while we were in town.”

He’d thought about it but wanted to get Annie home, and then there was the matter of Zeke. “Let’s see what Zeke has to say for himself first.”

“What do you think he did?”

“What he always does. The Amish way, no matter what the cost.”

“Aren’t we supposed to?” Annie seemed confused at John’s disobedient remark.

“Sometimes our lives cross, and we have to work together. This Englisher who has caused harm to us and is still on the roads, able to hurt others, is something we need to help stop in whatever way we can, even if it means bending our rules.” They pulled into John’s, and he began to unhitch the horse. “Let me finish here, and I’ll walk you home.”

Annie fidgeted as she waited. “Nee, I want Daed to contact Zeke so we can figure out what to do.”

“Are you sure you’re okay to walk home?” He didn’t feel comfortable with her being alone. The sight of that pickup again had upset her more than he’d expected.

“Jah, come over when you’re done.” She walked over to him with quick steps.

He rubbed her cheek with his rough fingers, wanting to get a good look at her before she left. Her heavy eyes and tight lips didn’t give him any comfort. He’d just hurry things along.

He watched her go and went to work on cooling down Rob and putting away the harness and bridle. He’d just moved the buggy into the shed when he heard a commotion coming from Annie’s. A scream had him in a full run down the hill and across the dried-up creek, through the trees, and up another hill to her home.

The front door was wide open, and it was silent. John took a step forward, his head spinning with a mix of fear and the need to protect. Just as he was about to step inside the house a flash of red whizzed by. He turned to see the red pickup truck hit the dirt road. Its tail slid back and forth across the loose gravel. Dust lifted as the truck drove out of sight.

There was no way to catch him. John just watched helplessly until he heard sobs come from inside.

Annie.

He couldn’t move fast enough. Soon he was by her side, but it wasn’t Annie in tears. It was Hanna. Her body shook with anxiety and fear. “What happened?” John rested his hand on Hanna’s shoulder.

Annie tried to explain. “I only saw him leave through the back door and drive off. Hanna’s so upset I can’t get her to talk.”

“He must have followed us here.” John lifted her face to his with two fingers under her chin. “Hanna, tell us what he did.”

She sucked in air, trying to calm herself. “He didn’t do anything.”

“Then what happened?” John couldn’t stand not knowing. He wanted to belt the guy, but he knew he could have no quarrel with another soul.

She hiccupped and tried again to explain. “He told me not to show up.”

“He threatened you?” Annie shook with anger as well, or maybe fright.

“Jah, and I won’t.” She shook her head back and forth several times.

“Won’t what, Hanna?” Annie rubbed Hanna’s back.

“Say he’s guilty.” She trembled.

John hated that the Englisher had the freedom to do this. It was wrong in Amish culture and should be in Englishers’ culture. “If you don’t, he’ll be free to come torment you again.”

Annie looked at John. “Why is he able to be out around us?”

John didn’t understand the system but figured he’d worked himself out of jail somehow. “Maybe he posted bail.”

“What kind of justice is that?” Hanna cried out.

“English justice,” John sneered. “I’m going to talk to Zeke.”

“Now, at this hour?” Annie asked, as if she didn’t want him to leave her.

John didn’t care what time it was. He walked through the door and to the barn, grabbed a bridle, and tacked up Perry. He raced down the hill past Amos and the others, who were on their way back from hymn singing. He didn’t stop. They’d find out soon enough.

As John approached Zeke’s modest home, he prayed for patience and self-control, neither of which he had at the moment. The small clapboard house was only big enough for Zeke and his wife. Louisa was barren, a tragic and unbearable way for an Amish woman to live out her life, as John knew through his mother. Although others were kind and said it was Gott’s will, their lives were made up of family and children, making it uncomfortable at times for the childless.

Louisa opened the door before he reached the first step. “John, what brings you here at this hour?” Her flannel, floor-length nightgown flowed against her as the night breeze blew in.

Zeke stepped in front of her, blocking John’s view. “What is it?”

“The man…” John leaned over to catch his breath, “…who hit Hanna and Annie came to their home.”

Zeke’s eyes widened with surprise. “That’s crazy,
narrisch
.”

“Why isn’t he locked up, Zeke?” John stood to his full height.

Louisa peered around Zeke, irritated. The fire in John’s belly went upward into his throat and came out in his words. “What do we need to do? Hanna was harassed by the same man who hit her. Annie’s just as distraught watching him drive down Main Street and then finding him in her home.” John took a step forward. His eyes narrowed at Zeke. “You and I need to talk.” John walked past him and stood in the living room.

Louisa’s eyes darted from John to Zeke. With no response from Zeke, she frowned and started for her bedroom. “Well, I never.”

“Hanna had a difficult experience. I understand. We’ll contact the police.” Zeke crossed his arms over his round belly.

“Why is he on the street, Zeke?”

“Humph. We’ll go to into town tomorrow and sort this all out.”

John took a step closer to him. Zeke backed away. “You’ll tell me now.”

Zeke heaved a sigh and went for his glasses as an excuse to dodge John. “If you insist, I’ll tell you what I know, and we’ll leave the rest for the officers to answer.” He sat in a large chair.

John remained standing, hovering over him. “What did you tell the police when Amos sent them to you?”

“Amos sent them to me to decide the best course of action to resolve the issue.” He wiped his sweaty brow with his hand.

“That should be decided in court.”

“The Beiler girls would have to take the stand in order for that to happen.”

John leaned over, his face directly in front of Zeke’s. “Then let them.”

“It’s crossing a line, John. Has Annie’s influence caused you to fall away as well?” No sooner had the words left his mouth than Zeke recoiled, as if knowing he’d pushed too far.

“Then cross it.” John turned and walked out. He needed to cool his temper. He felt Zeke’s mouse-like eyes on him as he collected his horse and road down the trail from their house. By demanding that Zeke cross a line of Amish law, he’d crossed the minister of his community. There would be a penance to pay.