Treasuring Emma (32 page)

Despite her fear, even her revulsion at the evil radiating from him, Leona felt pity. “I’m sorry.”

Mark jerked his gaze to hers. “Don’t feel sorry for me, old woman.
Mei vadder
will pay for what he’s done to me. Not directly, that would be too easy. But by tearing apart his family piece by piece, I’ll make him feel the pain. And he’ll know he’s responsible. First his sister’s
familye
in Tennessee. Then
mei
cousin in Middlefield. And on and on it will
geh
, until all the Kings have lost what they hold dear. For some that is money and land. For others it’s love and family. But for most, it’s their own lives.”

Suddenly he pulled her out of bed, almost gently. He guided her to the window.

“You have a perfect view of the shop, I see.” He grasped her arm, holding her steady.

“Mark, listen to me. You don’t have to do this. Your
vadder
was wrong. He hurt you.” She looked up at him, the bones in her neck creaking. “You can repent, Mark. You can have the peace you seek.”

“I don’t seek peace. Or forgiveness. Nor do I give it.” He took her hands and placed them on the windowsill. “Don’t move, or you’ll miss the show.” He ran out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Leona heard the scrape of Ephraim’s chair against the floor. The doorknob rattled. She hurried across the room as fast as her weakened legs would take her and tried to open the door.

It wouldn’t budge.

“I should
geh
check on
Grossmammi
.” Emma looked at Adam. They were all gathered in the kitchen, the worry between Clara and Carol palpable, surpassed only by Laura’s irritation. “I don’t want to leave her alone.”

Adam removed his hat and laid it on the kitchen table. He’d never seen Clara this unnerved before. He wondered if something had happened between her and Mark. Or maybe Laura had given her more information than she’d shared with Adam. Either way, he agreed with Clara—Laura didn’t need to face Mark alone. Neither did Emma. But Leona couldn’t be left alone either.

“All right. But I’ll come with you.” He turned to his mother, Clara, and Laura. “Stay here. Lock the doors. When will
Daed
be back?”

“I don’t know,” his mother said. “He left early. Didn’t tell me where he was going.”

“Don’t let anyone in, all right?”

Clara nodded and looked at Emma. “Be careful. He could be lurking around here.”

“We will.” She and Adam left and walked to the house. As they crossed his yard, he sensed Emma moving closer to him. Above them a large cloud floated over the sun, blocking its rays.

He saw her shiver. “Cold?”

“Nee.”
She looked up at him. “Do you get the feeling that something is really wrong here? Clara is suddenly afraid of Mark. Laura shows up, saying what a terrible person he is.” She looked around the yard.

On instinct, Adam took her hand. Despite her denial, her skin was chilled and clammy. He was glad when she didn’t let go. “Something
seltsam
is going on.”

Suddenly Dill whinnied loudly, as if she were in pain. Emma gripped Adam’s hand.

“I’ll check on her,” he said. “You
geh
to Leona.”

Emma ran toward the house. Adam watched until she was safely inside, then headed to the barn. He hoped Dill hadn’t injured herself somehow. The last thing they needed now was more trouble.

Adam stepped into the barn. But before his eyes could adjust to the dimness, something hard and heavy slammed into the back of his head, and everything went black.

C
HAPTER
27

Laura paced the length of the kitchen while the other two women talked quietly near the stove. This wasn’t how she’d expected her visit to go. She thought she’d find Mark, demand her money, and threaten him with the police, and like the coward he was, he’d give it back. He was a horrible person, but these people were acting like he was the devil incarnate. It made her wonder if he had already tried to swindle them.

She went to Clara and Carol. “What has Mark done?”

Clara shook her head. “
Nix
, so far. But Peter was upset with him and was going to ask him to leave today.” She sighed. “I believe I misjudged him. I thought he would be a
gut
match for Emma. But she wasn’t interested.” Clara looked at Carol. “There’s only one
mann mei schwester
loves.”

Carol nodded. “I know. I think they both know it too.” She put her hands on her hips. “I don’t know what’s going on in Adam’s head right now. He’s been spending a lot of time alone. In the fields, or working at your
haus
when Leona was in the hospital. I keep hoping he’s planning to stay. But I’m not sure. I can’t ask him. I won’t do that again. It has to be his choice.”

Clara put her arm around Carol’s shoulders. Laura turned away. She had no idea what they were talking about and she didn’t care. All she wanted was to see Mark. And they were making that impossible.

Unless she could sneak out to find him herself.

She faced Carol. “Do you have a bathroom I could use?”

“Of course. It’s down the hallway.”

Laura found the bathroom easily enough. As she hoped, it had a window. The space wasn’t large, but big enough for her to slip out. She stood on the toilet and climbed through, but when she landed, her ankle twisted to one side, and she barely managed to keep from crying out.

Laura stood and tested the ankle. Sprained, probably. But not broken. The pain was tolerable.

She appeared to be at the back of the house. Crouching down in case she passed by the kitchen window, she headed for the driveway. When she reached it, she leaned on the hood of the truck parked there, regaining her balance. Her ankle had started to throb.

“Going somewhere?”

She looked up.
Finally
. “It’s about time you showed up. I want
mei
money back, Mark King.”

His eyes, that deep blue she remembered so well, darkened nearly to the color of coal. “Oh, you’ll get what’s coming to you, Laura. I guarantee it.”

When Emma saw her grandfather’s chair wedged beneath the doorknob of her grandmother’s door, panic filled her. She yanked away the chair, shoved open the door, and ran to the window where her grandmother stood.

“I’m all right.”

“What happened?”

Grossmammi
gripped her shoulders. “It’s Mark. You have to get Adam. Peter and Norman too. I don’t know what Mark is going to do . . .” She leaned forward, started coughing.

Emma guided her to the bed.
“Grossmammi?”

The old woman coughed some more. “I’m all right. Do what I said.
Geh!
”

She stared at her grandmother for a moment, then left the room and dashed down the stairs toward the barn.

When Adam opened his eyes, pain exploded in his head. He reached up. Felt a huge goose egg swelling on this temple. When he pulled his hand away, his fingers were covered with blood.

“Don’t move.”

Through blurred vision he saw Laura hovering over him. “What happened?”

“Mark,” she said through clenched teeth. She ripped fabric off of a nearby bolt, balled it up, and pressed it against his head.

“Ach,”
he moaned.

“Fine, then you hold it.” She stood and stalked away from him.

He sat still for a moment, waiting for his vision to clear. Blood trickled through his hair, and pain continued to pummel his brain.

They were in the workshop. The cloth Laura had ripped was from a brand-new bolt that had come in two days ago. He could only imagine how upset Clara would be.

He tried to get up, but his knees buckled.

“You might as well stay down,” Laura said. “The door’s locked, and the window’s apparently nailed shut from the outside. We can’t get out of here.”

“But why?” He winced. “How?”

“You were already here when Mark pushed me inside and locked the door.” Laura sighed. “You all were right about him. I confronted him, asked him for
mei
money, and before I could do anything, he grabbed me and hauled me out here. I tried to get free, but he was too strong for me.”

Adam groaned as he turned his head to look at her. Her
kapp
was pulled back from her pale blond hair. Wisps framed her face. “Where’s Emma?”

Laura shrugged. “Still at her
haus
, I guess.” She stood up and went to the door, limping a little. Yanked on it. Kicked it. Tried to use her elbow to break the glass. She cried out when her arm bounced back like a volleyball hitting a net.

“It’s no use,” Adam said. “We replaced the door last week. It’s solid oak with a dead bolt—” He paused. “Where did Mark get the key?”

Laura gave him a look that made him feel utterly idiotic. “Stole it from Clara, most likely.”

Somehow he had to stand. He had to find Emma. If Mark had her . . .

The thought gave power to his legs. Ignoring the burst of pressure in his head, he made it to his feet. He stumbled to the door, then collapsed against it.

“I’ll try the window again,” Laura said.

“There’s a hammer . . . on the pegboard,” Adam said. His words came out slurred. His head was swimming, and all his strength had gone. He leaned against the door and slid down it to the floor.
Lord, help me!

Laura retrieved the hammer and went back to the window. But before she could raise it to break the glass, the window shattered inward.

Her agonized scream made Adam’s blood turn to ice.