A Sister's Forgiveness (23 page)

The doctor finally left the stand, and Sadie took a deep breath, forcing herself to relax. Surely that had been the worst of it. Now the prosecuting attorney would stop and her attorney would begin to make the case for her.

“The state calls Daniel Kline,” Mr. Johnson said in a voice that sounded as if he were making a comment on the weather rather than calling Dan to the stand.

Sadie resisted the urge to smooth her hair and bite her lips to give them some color. Dan was here. He would tell them what had happened, how it was an accident, how all she was guilty of was driving with him instead of a real adult.

He looked wonderful. He was dressed in his best Sunday clothes—crisp pressed khaki slacks, a light blue shirt, a chocolate brown tie, and a navy sports jacket. Sadie was embarrassed for him to see her looking so awful. But she needn’t have worried. He walked straight to the front of the courtroom without so much as a glance her way and took the oath to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but, and then sat down.

Mr. Johnson stood so that he was between Sadie and Dan as he asked Dan to state his name, age, and occupation for the record. He asked him if the car in the photo was his. He asked if he had operated that car on the day in question. He asked if anyone else had driven that car that morning.

“Yes sir. Sadie Keller.”

Johnson stepped aside and pointed to Sadie. “The defendant?”

“Yes sir.”

“You knew that she was underage?”

“She has—had—her learner’s permit.”

“But you at age eighteen did not fill the state’s requirement that an adult twenty-one or older be in the vehicle?”

“No sir.”

“Was anyone else in the vehicle?”

“No sir.”

“Tell the court how it happened that the defendant was illegally driving your vehicle on the morning of August 28th.”

Sadie gave Dan an encouraging nod. Tell them. Help this nightmare end. She was certain that this was the moment when Dan was going to make it all right for her. He would tell the court how she had hesitated, how he had insisted, how much he regretted—

“She was all excited about getting her learner’s,” Dan began, and Sadie fought a smile, knowing that her lawyer wouldn’t like it.

“It was only like a mile from her house to her cousin’s house,” Dan continued, but his expression was all wrong—tight-lipped as if he were fighting to keep his emotions in check. “I didn’t see the harm, and she can be pretty persuasive.” He slumped forward and bowed his head. “I didn’t see the harm,” he repeated, and his voice broke as he looked down at his hands.

“Who was at the wheel of your vehicle when it went out of control, striking fifteen-year-old Tessa Messner with such force that she later died on the operating table?”

“Sadie Keller,” Dan mumbled. He turned to look at the judge. “I wish I could have done something to make it right, but I was too late.”

“No further questions.”

Sadie had moved to the edge of her chair, and she was grasping the table. Joseph leaned close and whispered, “Stay calm.” Then he stood up and moved toward Dan.

“So just to be sure we’re clear here, it is your sworn testimony that my client asked to drive your car from her home to her cousin’s house?”

Dan shrugged.

“Words, Mr. Kline,” the judge instructed.

Dan sat a little taller and looked directly at Joseph. “That’s what I just said.” He sounded angry.

“And you gave in to her request because”—Joseph consulted his legal pad then turned back to Dan—“and I quote, ‘She can be pretty persuasive’?”

Sadie saw Dan’s cheeks flush. “Well, she can.”

“What year in school are you, Daniel?”

“I just started my senior year.”

“And my client?”

“Sophomore.”

“Am I right in stating that you made a plea bargain with the state’s attorney’s office?”

Dan looked at Mr. Johnson. “Yes sir.”

“What were the terms of that plea bargain?”

“I pled guilty to the charge of culpable negligence.”

“In exchange for?” Joseph prompted.

Dan hesitated the way he did when he wasn’t sure of the right answer. Sadie’s heart went out to him. He looked as scared as she felt.

“Mr. Kline?”

“I agreed to testify here today.”

“Against my client?”

“To tell what happened.”

“And once again, just so we are very clear, you are telling this court—under oath—that it was Sadie Keller’s idea to—”

“Objection. Asked and answered,” Mr. Johnson said.

“No further questions,” Joseph said and sat down.

Sadie couldn’t believe it. Dan had lied. More to the point, he had lied after swearing to tell the truth. What kind of Christian was that? Why would he possibly…

“The state calls Geoffory Messner to the stand.”

Uncle Geoff? Couldn’t be. Why would he testify for the prosecution?

Sadie heard a gasp behind her and turned to find her mother half out of her chair and her father standing. The judge was banging his gavel, and the bailiff was taking hold of her father’s arm, and other people—like Dan’s parents—were also standing. Everyone was talking and shouting, and it was all because of her, because of what she had done. She turned in a slow circle, seeing everyone yelling, but suddenly Sadie could bear it no more. She shut her eyes and opened her mouth to release the screams she’d been swallowing back now for days.

Chapter 25

Jeannie

N
ews traveled fast in a close-knit community like Pinecraft and even though Jeannie and Geoff technically lived in Sarasota, Jeannie heard about Geoff’s appearance at Sadie’s hearing within half an hour of the event itself.

Although Zeke had stayed for a cup of coffee, Jeannie could see that his heart hadn’t been in the visit. Clearly torn between his loyalty to Geoff and Jeannie and his concern for Emma and her family, he’d left as soon as possible. But he’d again challenged Jeannie to get back into the community, and so she’d decided that a good first step would be to resume her habit of shopping at the fresh market in Pinecraft. There were still plenty of casseroles and breads and cakes and pies in her freezer and refrigerator, but she was hungry for the lighter fare of fresh fruit and a green salad.

The news of Geoff being in court had come to her in whispered conversations that abruptly stopped as she moved around the store, nodding to those she knew and receiving in return a quick glance before the person gave her a nod or smile and then pretended interest in the produce. These were Emma’s friends and neighbors, and although Jeannie had grown up in this community and among these very people, and even though she was used to people’s sympathetic glances by now, the demeanor of the patrons in the fresh market was different. They looked at her with eyes that questioned even as they covered their mouths with their cupped hands and murmured to their companions.

Jeannie’s guilt over avoiding Emma almost overwhelmed her, and she was on the verge of making some excuse about why she had not been in touch with her sister when Olive Crowder stepped up next to her and made a show of studying the bananas.

“Hello, Olive,” Jeannie said as she selected a large bunch of the fruit and placed it in her basket. “The bananas look especially nice today.” She’d almost said that they were Tessa’s favorite, but she’d caught herself, swallowing back the now familiar bile of grief that seemed to rise in her throat every time she thought of her daughter. “Geoff loves to slice them over his cereal at breakfast,” she forced herself to say instead.

Her mention of Geoff seemed to give Olive the opening she’d been hoping for. “Ja, I’m sure he does.” The older woman pursed her lips as if she’d just bitten into an especially tart lemon. “I’ll come straight to the point, Jeannine.” Olive had always called Jeannie by her full given name. “Everyone appreciates the pain and suffering that you and your husband must endure, but testifying against your own sister’s child, your own niece?” She clucked her tongue. “You were raised to walk on the path of forgiveness and reconciliation, Jeannine. What is to be gained if they send that child to prison? It will not bring your Tessa back, and what else might you lose in the bargain?”

“I wouldn’t… I couldn’t,” Jeannie protested. The very idea that anyone who knew her might think her capable of such an act was unimaginable. She realized that she had made no effort to keep her voice to a murmur, and the other women apparently saw that as their invitation to join the conversation.

“Maybe she wouldn’t, but when it comes to her husband…,” she heard one of the women mutter.

“What about my husband?”

Olive studied her for a moment then held up her hand to forestall any further comment from the others. She took hold of Jeannie’s elbow and guided her outside. “Please don’t try to pretend that you are unaware that Geoffory was in court today to testify against Sadie—to testify for the prosecution,” she told her.

They had to be joking.

Geoff?

He had struggled with his emotions to be sure. He had been depressed, morose, and yes, angry. And it was true that since the funeral, conversation between them had been limited to information about where one of them might be going, or whether he needed anything from the store, or a reminder that he would be late because he had a faculty meeting. But this? Sadie was family. He could never…

“Sometimes it’s hard for one raised outside,” Olive said as if Jeannie had spoken the rush of thoughts aloud. Olive’s voice was unusually soft, appeasing. “Even after conversion there can be ties to the old ways.”

“What old ways, Olive?” Jeannie felt irritated that the woman would say anything against Geoff. He was a pillar of the church, a respected educator and coach. Everyone in Pinecraft—be they old- or new-order Mennonite—admired him.

Olive pursed her lips. “An eye for an eye is not our way, Jeannine. That’s all I’m saying here.”

“And it’s not Geoff’s way either. He is not a vengeful man.”

“He’s a former outsider who has lost his only child to a senseless accident,” Olive reminded her. “In his upbringing, forgiveness and reconciliation would have been mixed with Old Testament justice. His parents made it clear at the funeral that they blamed Sadie. Why, they barely acknowledged that child. I suppose others might understand, but…”

Jeannie turned back to the gathering inside the store. The customers and clerks were all listening to what Olive was telling her and watching her with such pity. Well, she didn’t want or need their pity, and she would stand by her husband. If Geoff had gone to court that day, then he had his reasons. She walked back inside and replaced every item from her basket in its rightful place, and then she left.

But she could not shake the words Olive had spoken. She had said that Geoff had gone to testify—against Sadie.
There had to be some other explanation
, she thought as she walked home. The prosecutor must have required Geoff to appear in court, and Geoff hadn’t told her because he hadn’t wanted to worry her. That had to be it. Geoff would never…

But later that night as they sat in separate chairs in front of the television eating their supper off of paper plates, Jeannie decided to break the silence between them by telling him about the encounter at the fresh market.

“Can you imagine?” she said as she warmed to her story, throwing in details about who was there and how each reacted and what Olive Crowder said and did. And all the while she waited for him to laugh it off or wave his hand dismissively as he gave her a simple explanation of just how the rumor must have gotten started.

But Geoff said nothing. He just chewed his food and stared at the television.

“It’s ridiculous, of course,” she said, finally running out of steam in her attempt to present the situation as one worthy of their disdain. She took her plate and his and headed for the kitchen. “I think there’s some of that baked peach pie left,” she called over her shoulder, aware that her hands were shaking as she walked the short distance from the study to the sink. “Geoff? Do you want peach pie?” She heard the annoyance and fear in her voice.

“I was there, but I didn’t testify.”

He was standing in the doorway, the television flickering behind him.