Material Witness (35 page)

“A date and a tiny symbol.” Sadie’s nose was practically touching the quilt.

“What’s this stitched here?” Levi asked, pointing to stitching above the bottom right border of the quilt.

“The numbers one, nine, five, two.” Esther ran her fingers over the delicate stitching. “It’s difficult to see and not noticeable unless you’re looking for it. You have a
gut
eye, Levi.”

“Why is it there?”

“We think that’s a code, perhaps, since it’s stitched into the bottom right-hand corner.”

“Could it be the year that the quilt was made?” Sadie asked.

“No. The quilts were made after the birth of Levi. We know that because he is shown in the blessings of family. The final square of the last quilt.”

“1955.” Levi stood over the quilts, staring at them as if they were a snake that might strike at any moment. “My sisters were born 1945 through 1950. I was born in 1955 when my mother was thirty-five years old. Thomas was born a year later, and he was her last. We were her only two boys.”

“You said this last quilt has something else in each panel.” Sadie was practically kneeling in the middle of the quilt trying to look more closely. “I don’t see anything.”

“A small blue stitch. Elizabeth’s symbol for water. It’s in each panel.”

“Are you sure you’re not making this up?” Levi paced the room in agitation. “Seems a big stretch to me. For one thing, these quilts go against our tradition.
Mamm
knew that, which is probably why she kept them in a trunk. It’s prideful to make such things. I suppose it’s wrong to destroy them now, but I honestly
don’t know what to do with them, and I’m not sure I buy into the hidden-message idea.”

Deborah looked to Callie for help.

Callie stepped in. “For some reason, Elizabeth felt a need to tell this story and to tell it this way, Levi. Perhaps she thought she was protecting you. As you know, I’ve worked with Bishop Elam in several situations regarding Deborah’s, Esther’s and Melinda’s quilts. He’s a wise and fair man. He’ll be able to counsel you on what to do about your mother’s quilts — if you think they should be returned to you. We have all agreed that we will honor your wishes in that matter. It’s in our legal rights to give the quilts back to you, but at the very least, this is something you would want to pass down to your children and grandchildren.”

“It’s curious that your mother involved Callie in the will.” Esther still wondered about that. The quilts she understood, but Mrs. Hochstetler’s reasoning eluded her.

Shane had been sitting on the couch, leaning forward to watch as each woman took turns explaining the story of the quilts. Esther wasn’t at all surprised when he reached into his pocket and pulled out a sheet of paper. Nor was she surprised when the sheet of paper turned out to be a copy of the will.

“Callie provided me with a copy of your mother’s will, Levi. She received a copy of the portion that pertained to her. The wording is interesting. ‘Daisy Powell’s niece, Miss Callie Harper, is to receive the three quilts in the chest next to my bed. Once restored, they may be sold at Callie’s discretion.’ ”

“Perhaps Elizabeth didn’t want interference from the bishop,” Esther said, though in her heart that didn’t feel right either. She had known Elizabeth Hochstetler for years, and the woman had closely followed the ways of the church.

“Or maybe she knew that Callie would have the means to research storybook quilts.” Melinda’s eyes widened as she stared first at the quilt in front of her, then at Levi. “Elizabeth did things
methodically, whether it was quilting or canning. Do you remember the year she grew three different types of bell peppers and she insisted on canning all the green ones first, then the red ones, then the yellows?”

Sadie laughed. “Oh, I remember. She was quite adamant about how things were to be done.”

Shane looked back down at the paper. “She wanted each of you ladies involved. The will specifically says, ‘Money from the sale of the quilts will be split five ways — one portion each to Esther Fisher, Deborah Yoder, and Melinda Byer, who will each help with the restoration, and one part to Callie, who will oversee the sales.’ Perhaps because she knew you each had a passion for quilting. Maybe she knew you’d find the messages she sewed into each panel.”

“I quilt adequately to warm my family, but I’ve never had the gift that you all do.” Sadie held up her hand to stop the protests from Deborah, Melinda, and Esther. “I probably would have left the quilts in the trunk.”

“I don’t understand this last part,” Gavin said, reading over Shane’s shoulder. “ ‘The final portion of money will be deposited in the previously established account at First Bank Shipshewana to be used as arranged with my banker, Mrs. Barnwell.’ ”

“I was curious about that,” Shane admitted. “I talked to Mrs. Barnwell, but she guards her clients’ business dealings well. She wouldn’t tell me anything without a judge’s court order, and I wasn’t able to get one since Thomas is already in jail and no longer a threat to anyone.”

“She’ll tell us once we find the money,” Esther said.

Everyone stopped what they were doing, turned and stared at her. “Well, isn’t that obvious? Elizabeth wanted someone to find the money. At first she wasn’t willing to tell you because of your
onkel
, Levi.”

“And later she was waiting for Thomas to have a change of heart.” Deborah glanced at Callie, who was nodding in agreement.

“But the will,” Esther’s voice gained confidence as the final piece of the puzzle fell into place. “The will was her safety measure, in case Thomas didn’t turn around before she died.”

No one said anything for the space of one, then two minutes.

It was Gavin who stretched, then looked at the clock. The tiny hands were approaching nine, and Esther knew everyone was growing tired. It had been a long day. So when he stated the obvious, she felt herself jump.

“Sounds like we should go treasure hunting then.”

L
EVI IMMEDIATELY BEGAN
shaking his head, and Melinda knew he wasn’t going to go for it. Disappointment flooded through her and she wasn’t sure why, other than she wanted this to be over. Tonight. She wanted this terrible thing that had begun the first evening of the Fall Festival done and forgotten. Of course it wouldn’t be.

Shane had already explained that Aaron could be called in front of the judge if there were questions about Thomas’ plea bargain. As far as the first murder, Mrs. Knepp’s murder, her son remained the prosecution’s primary material witness.

“I still don’t believe there could be a treasure,” Levi was saying. “The story you tell, it sounds believable enough, but someone else could look at the quilt and tell a completely different story. It’s like a child’s yarn. To go traipsing around in the dark, after all these years, chasing after such things …”

He continued to stare at the quilts from across the room. Sadie stood and went to him. “I think it might be better if we put this to rest tonight, Levi.”

“Why? We have no need of a treasure.
Gotte
has provided well for us and our children.”

“Levi, this gift wasn’t left to us.”

Melinda wasn’t able to hear much of the rest. Sadie began whispering to Levi, then they both stepped out onto the porch. As they walked away, she heard Aaron’s name, heard the words medical expenses. She glanced down, tears stinging her eyes. When she looked up again, Deborah reached across the quilt and patted her hand.

“It wasn’t for us that I wanted to know,” Melinda whispered.

“Nor I. It seems Elizabeth wanted us to unravel this puzzle, but we can’t force them to travel along the trail she has laid out.”

They stood and began folding the quilts while Callie carried coffee cups to the sink. Shane and Gavin discussed vacation plans now that the case was closed. Melinda realized again how much their community owed these two.

As they were gathering their things to leave, Levi and Sadie stepped back inside. “We’ll look,” he said.

Melinda reached again for Deborah’s hand.

“One place,” he added. “And only tonight. I won’t be spending the rest of my days chasing after some make-believe treasure.”

“You said the last quilt had a code above the bottom right corner, correct?” Sadie looked toward Deborah.

“
Ya
, the date 1952 and the symbol for water.”

“Are you sure the numbers refer to a date?” Levi asked.

“No, but what else could it be?” Melinda pushed up her glasses. “A date seems most obvious.”

“What could be important about 1952?” Gavin asked.

“We were at war with Korea,” Shane said.

Callie tucked her hair behind her ear. “Elizabeth II became queen.” When everyone stared at her she pretended offense. “What? I watch a lot of late-night History Channel.”

“I have a feeling it would have been something more personal,” Esther suggested.

“And something related to water.” Melinda walked over and ran her hand across the quilt Deborah had folded. The center
square was clearly visible — water, blessings, family, and 1952. Deborah and Callie had seemed to have discounted the pond for a very good reason, but what else could it mean?

“Could it be the pond after all?” Shane asked.

Deborah slipped a smile Callie’s way. “I remembered the pond being dug when we were teens. We had a church singing out there the weekend it first rained and filled it up.”

“Needed that pond for the livestock.” Levi walked to the shelf running along the wall in the living room above the cast-iron stove. He picked up one flashlight for himself and tossed another to Shane. “But the pump house, now that was built in the early 1950s.”

Shane caught the flashlight, tested the strength of the batteries, and nodded. “These are good.”

“You’re sure it was built in the ‘50s?” Callie asked.

“
Ya
. Had the pump serviced this last year. Carter and his son were out here. Old man mentioned he’d helped his father install the original pump in the early ‘50s.”

“Water,” Melinda said, placing her quilt on the couch.

“And blessings.” Esther set her quilt on top of Melinda’s.

“There’s one way to find out.” When Deborah’s quilt was placed on top, the three quilts made for a perfect trio.

Melinda couldn’t help that her pulse raced as they all walked calmly out the door, down the steps and across the yard. Max stretched — front paws out in front of him, rear high in the air — then fell into line with them. She knew it was wrong to have worldly thoughts, to care about wealth — and wealth that wasn’t even hers. Regardless of what the will said, whatever was in the pump house rightfully belonged to Levi and Sadie.

Still, it was exciting to think Elizabeth Hochstetler had placed something there for safekeeping over fifty years ago, and they were about to uncover it. She couldn’t help feeling God had used them in some way, used their love and talent for quilting to solve this mystery.

The question that remained was what exactly had Elizabeth hidden?

Callie held back as everyone crowded into the little pump house, fitting in around the pipes and mechanisms she couldn’t begin to name.

“Come on in, Callie. You’ve earned a front-row seat.” Gavin’s voice was low, solid, and comforting. She understood, suddenly and with something of a jolt, how much she’d grown to care for him. He was the brother she’d always wanted, and she couldn’t imagine not having him in her life.

Tugging on his hand, she pulled him out of the door of the shack and into the night. Max didn’t make a sound, but he brushed up against her as he trotted past, settling a few feet in front of her. She could see the outline of him as her eyes adjusted to the darkness.

“Thank you, for all you’ve done.” When Gavin didn’t answer, Callie pushed on. She couldn’t see his expression, but perhaps that was best. “I don’t mean only during this mess, but since I’ve come to Shipshe. Since I was involved in Stakehorn’s murder. You’ve always been there for me. Always been a solid friend. That’s rare in this world. I realize now that God put you in my life for a reason, and I …. I want to tell you that you mean a lot to me.”

He reached out then, pulled her into a side hug. “Somebody has to watch out for you. Every once in a while Shane is busy.”

She laughed, wiped at tears that inexplicably wanted to fall. She didn’t think she used to be this weepy. What was happening to her? Living in the country was supposed to make you hardy, but it seemed to be turning her soft and gooey.

“For what it’s worth, I hope you two are happy.” Gavin gave her shoulders a final squeeze, then released her.

“Aren’t I a little old to be someone’s girlfriend?”

“Don’t rush it. You two need more time alone, time when you’re not in the middle of an investigation. You’ll feel better then.”

When Callie shook her head, Gavin crossed his arms, stared off across the fields that were blanketed in darkness.

“You two will figure it out. Say yes when Shane asks you to go —” Gavin was interrupted by a loud commotion from inside the pump house.

“Sounds like we’re missing all the action,” he said. “I have a feeling you should see this.”

So Callie let him lead her back inside, even though part of her was more interested in what he was about to say than in any treasure that might have been hidden for two generations.

They walked into a room flooded with light, leaving Max to take up post once more by the door.

A kerosene lamp was burning brightly and had been positioned over the pump casing.

Shane had his flashlight, as well as Levi’s, trained over a three-by-three-foot square of ground next to the main machinery. They’d brushed away the dirt and found a door in the floor, which they had already managed to pry open.

“Sadie noticed the ground sounded different when she walked here,” Deborah explained. “Turns out it’s a root cellar.”

“Not exactly full of roots,” Levi called out, climbing up a short ladder with his arms full of canning jars.

He handed them to his wife carefully, as if they were fragile eggs that had survived a storm but might now shatter at the slightest touch. Sadie turned and began passing the dusty jars around the room. Levi ran his arm across his brow, then disappeared back down the ladder, returning with another armful. By the time he’d passed those out, everyone was holding a jar.