“The reason I know you can is you were ready to lay down your life for Ella when she was taken at home, give yourself up for her, right?”
“Yes, but—”
“Same thing the Lord did, was willing to lay down his life for others.”
Ella couldn’t hold back longer. “
Grossmamm,
the point is Andrew does not want to die. I want to go with him. I’d be scared to go out of the house if I was home, afraid to tend my lavender until he can testify against evil men, see them sent to prison, and it’s finally all over.”
“And then you come home and face your people? I repeat, who will wed you then?”
“Who wants to wed me now? It might be as rare as someone turning Amish, but I would rather remain a
maidal
than marry someone I don’t want or maybe marry at all. I’d be happy tending my lavender and building my business.”
“
Ach,
I’ve said enough,”
Grossmamm
muttered. “You put me on a bus to Pennsylvania, and I’ll pray for both of you to find your way to green pastures and still waters, because it sounds like you been walking through the valley of death.”
After that, it got quiet in the car as all of them agonized silently. At least he saw that, as upset as Ella looked, she wasn’t going to have a panic attack. But he was considering having one of his own.
20
ALEX STOPPED FOR gas shortly after they turned east on I-4 toward Orlando. He figured it would be easier and safer to get Ella’s grandmother on a bus to Pennsylvania in the land of Disney. After he filled up the hit man’s gas tank, paying with the hit man’s money, and everyone used the bathroom, he pulled away from the gasoline bay and parked next to the building, where a light was shining.
Grossmamm
got back in the car, but Ella lingered while he opened the trunk.
Inside lay a small suitcase and a long, black leather case.
“Not a musical instrument in there, I bet,” she said, pointing at the case. “Do you think it’s a rifle?”
“Probably a high-tech version of one.” Using his shirttail to avoid touching the handle and latches, he snapped the case open. Disassembled, each piece in its perfectly shaped section, lay an assault rifle with a long-distance scope. Two pistols were also snug in their foam pockets.
“All we’d need is to be stopped by police with no driver’s license and this in the trunk,” he said. “I’m going to deposit it in that Dumpster beside the station. I just wish I could have found his cell phone somewhere, so I could check who he’s been talking to. He either hid it or it came out of his pocket when he fell. Or if it’s in that suitcase, it’s great evidence.”
“Are you sure this gun doesn’t have his name on it?”
“Look, Ella,” he said, pointing at something she couldn’t really see. “Even the ID numbers and brand name are filed off. No, a professional killer is not going to put his name on his gun.”
“Oh,
ya.
Just trying to help.”
“You do help. If there’s anything personal of his, it’s in his suitcase, but we’re not going through it now. I want to keep moving, put a lot of distance between us and Pinecraft before dawn. It’s nearly three in the morning.”
Again using his shirt to avoid leaving prints, he snapped the gun case closed, hefted it, looked around to be sure no one was watching and carried it to the Dumpster she could see in the shadows of the gas station. The case made a thud as he dropped it in. When he got back to the car, Ella pointed at two extra sets of license plates from different states, shoved behind where the gun case had been.
“Those we can use,” he said. “When we head north, we’ll change the plates—if you’re still going with me. She’s probably right that you shouldn’t,” he said with a nod toward the car.
“I’m going, but
where
are we going? Will you tell me, at least?”
“I’ve decided the best hideout is the place my enemy probably had watched after I first disappeared, a place they think I’d never dare come back to. But I’ve thought of a way to survive there and be close to help if we get completely desperate. I’ve seen your world and now you’ll see mine. Don’t tell
Grossmamm,
but I’m going to take you to see New York City. Let’s get going.”
He slammed the trunk closed. His stalwart Amish girl nodded, but she looked as scared as she had when she’d been hit by her first big breaker in the Gulf of Mexico.
* * *
Ray-Lynn shot wide-awake and rolled over in bed. Ding-dang, that’s right! Jack had stayed this time! She came instantly alert. Her too-bright, glowing-red digital clock read 3:00 a.m. She was so excited about their engagement she hadn’t slept much, but then, neither had Jack. He’d been tossing and turning and hogging the covers, though she’d gladly put up with that to have him near.
“You awake?” she whispered.
“Yep,” he replied, and reached out to pull her back against him so it was almost as if she sat in his lap.
“Regrets?”
“Not about us.”
“About what then?”
“Just a feeling that I don’t have my finger on the pulse of this place like I used to—the town, Home Valley, Eden County. I mean, with the Amish, you never quite know all they’re thinking, but this is different.”
“So what’s different now—other than Eben Lantz probably didn’t tell the truth about flu in his family? I think you’re handling things well.”
“I told Linc Armstrong not to get near Hannah again, but you heard he hassled Ella about her. Then earlier today, someone told me they saw him in the vicinity the day of her wedding. Yesterday, Connie Lee, whose family’s building that big new spa, practically accosted me, all upset she wasn’t allowed to see Ella. Ms. Lee wanted to take her and anyone else in the family who was ill to the Cleveland Clinic, so she’d get better and agree to some damn deal about buying lavender. It was like stopping a tornado to get the woman to back off!”
“Anything else?”
“Actually, yeah. My new deputy has not only become my eyes and ears around here, which I wanted, but in this short time he’s made me feel he knows it all and I don’t.”
“He’s just overeager, Jack, a real go-getter. I’ll bet you were like that when you started out. I, for one, am glad you have Win Hayes so you have more time for me.”
“There is that. Then to top all that off, I swear Andrew Lantz must be on the run again.”
“The run
again?
I knew there was something strange about him!” she said, shifting in his embrace. “And you think he has Ella with him? But surely not the Lantz grandmother. What did he do? He’s on the lam from the law, and you regret he slipped away?”
“Not exactly. I just blurted out too much of my laundry list of grievances. Honey, I know we’re sharing things now, but I still can’t explain except to say Lantz is not a criminal.”
“Don’t tell me he and Ella eloped? Not straitlaced Ella. They haven’t known each other very long, and she never got over Sarah leaving for the world with Nate.”
“I swear, you ought to write fiction, Ray-Lynn,” he said gruffly, giving her ribs a squeeze. “None of that’s true, far as I know. You’ve got an overactive imagination. You and that
Gone with the Wind
hobby of yours....”
“Just say it. I’m obsessed, a fanatic—obsessed with you too.”
He squeezed her even tighter and ducked his head to press a kiss on her bare shoulder. “Glad for that at least.”
“So what about my idea that we could dress kind of Civil War style for our wedding? Just rented things, of course, or maybe I could get one of the Amish quilters to make our outfits, though it would be a lot harder than sewing theirs. Could you get through the short service and reception at the restaurant dressed like a Southern gentleman?”
“If your stick-out skirt doesn’t make me bounce away from you when I kiss the bride. And me as a gentleman? ‘Let’s think about that tomorrow,’ said not Scarlett but Sheriff Jack.”
She laughed, then sobered. “But I didn’t mean to turn trivial when something’s bothering you,” she told him. “I’m glad it wasn’t the fear of a fancy wedding costume keeping you awake when you’ve been so tired.”
“I just don’t feel hands-on enough with Win Hayes around, turning heads one way or the other.” He sighed. “But I’ve wanted help here ever since the arsons and the graveyard shooting, so I’d better just shut up. Besides, I always feel hands-on with you, honey.”
He slid his free hand down over her waist to her bare hip. He turned and tipped her so she lay under him. She saw, as she reached up to put her arms around his neck, her new diamond engagement ring glint a fierce red in the reflected light of the clock.
* * *
“It was hard saying goodbye to her,” Ella said, wiping under her eyes with her fingers as they pulled away in the car from the bus station in Orlando. The Greyhound heading north to Harrisburg where
Grossmamm
would make a connection to Union County, Pennsylvania, had just left Orlando in a rush of noise and fumes.
Suddenly, Ella felt bereft and exhausted—and nervous on top of everything about being really alone with Andrew. It was nearly dawn, and the sky ahead of them glowed pink. She stretched her sore, weary body and leaned back in the comfy seat. Would he stop the car somewhere so they could sleep? It was roomy enough and the seats tipped back.
“She’s been good to me, too, so I feel the same,” he said after a pause, despite the fact she’d nearly forgotten what she’d just said. “Your entire family was kind, but Ruth Raber is special. Of course, she has an ulterior motive. It seems she’s hoping to turn me Amish and into an honest man—marrying Amish.”
“It’s such a crazy idea. Impossible.”
“What’s that your
daad
told me?
With God all things are possible.
”
“True! After all, I’ve only known you for ten days and look at all that’s happened. And now New York! But in these clothes?”
“You’re one step ahead of me. As soon as I spot a Walmart or other all-night superstore, we’re going to go modern, thanks to this money from our favorite hit man—or one of them.”
“I’ll be okay if I don’t have to wear slacks and can get a conservative skirt. But I hate the idea of thinking, after we’re rid of one killer, there’s another one still out there. Did you actually believe the killer clown that he wasn’t the one in Amish country—believe a man like that?”
“He had no reason to lie at that point. He thought I was going to die. He knew no details of the Home Valley, including your name. He copped to—that is, admitted—he tried to take me out—kill me....”
“You don’t have to translate everything for me!”
“Right. Sorry. We’re both exhausted and on edge. Go ahead and get some sleep until I find a store.”
“But you’re tired too, and you have to drive.”
“I love to drive, even illegally in a borrowed vehicle without a license. It feels so good again,” he said, flexing his hands on the steering wheel, “to control something. I’ve driven all night before. I’ll get some coffee and be fine.”
“I’m sure you’ve missed your car and your real life.”
“Yes, but sometimes I’m not sure what is real life anymore. The Home Valley seemed real—authentic. It’s like, for the first time in my life, I had time to smell the roses, or in this case, the lavender. Miss it?”
“I do. I can smell it now, see it in my mind and heart. But people are more important.”
He reached over the armrest that separated the front seats and put his hand on hers. “I agree. Other people are key—not just the big I.”
“Aren’t you going to tell me that’s spelled capital I and not
e-y-e?
”
“I like a woman with spirit. But, back to the clothes for a minute, you’re going to stick out in New York if you look too conservative, at least in SoHo. And we’ll have to hide or cut your long hair—”
“We don’t cut our hair. It’s important. It would dishonor us, and a woman’s hair is only taken down for her husband at night when they go to bed—sleep.”
“All right. But I’m hoping you’ll be able to go out during the day to shop for us. I might be recognized but—unless you draw attention to yourself—I’m betting you’ll get by.”
She heaved a huge sigh. “I have learned in whatever state I am to be content,” she said, not bothering to tell him that was said by a man in the Bible with the authorities after him too. Someone always wanted to get rid of the apostle Paul, and he was often on the run. But finally, he was caught and killed.
“Then I hope—and pray,” he said, and squeezed her hand, “you will learn to be content in the state of New York.” It was a feeble joke, but she smiled as she leaned back in her seat, then sat up. He was taking a brightly lighted exit ramp toward a huge Walmart guarded by a cluster of fast-food stores.
Well, she told herself, she would have to go along with new clothes and New York. She could face anything that might come her way except for another person trying to kill them. But she wished she hadn’t fallen in love with a man who, despite
Grossmamm
’s bold ideas, she could probably have but never keep.
* * *
“Are you going to come out of there?” Andrew yelled into the hall of women’s dressing rooms. At least no other customers were in here at this hour of the morning. “We have to get going!” he added, not in a quiet voice.
“Just a minute more!”
Ella looked at herself again in the mirror, a full-length one when her family usually kept their small one turned to the wall. It had even taken her a while to pick out things to try on because she had no idea of her sizes. Why would she, when her garments had always been hand-made and fitted just for her?
She pivoted again, twisting around to glance at the reflection of her backside in the mirror. This was the second pair of slacks she’d decided on, but, despite the fact they covered her waist to ankle, she felt undressed. She’d also picked out what was called a business suit, so she’d fit in, as Andrew put it. She wasn’t sure she wanted to look like the moderns of SoHo, the neighborhood where he had some sort of apartment called a co-op.
But these slacks—just like men’s pants, truth be told. They seemed to show off the curves of her legs and bottom, at least compared to what she was used to. She felt naked enough without her bonnet, prayer
kapp
and apron, but now this!
She threw the sweatshirt-type jacket over her T-shirt top and bra—she’d never had a bra on either—gathered up the other clothes and went out to meet Andrew. He stood there with a cart holding his new clothes, except for those he had on. As far as she could tell, he had nothing dressy like her navy suit and white blouse, but he said he’d left business suits at home. He wore jeans, a T-shirt with a big check mark on it that matched the ones on his running shoes. At least these weren’t all scuffed up from a fight. She’d bought a pair of those too, her easiest purchase. She was pretty sure she’d never be able to walk far in her navy high heels, even though they were the lowest ones she could find. Worldly women were crazy to walk around in those tipsy things!
She also noticed Andrew had two big backpacks, four flashlights and a box of candles.
“You look great,” he said. “Did you get something to pull your hair back in a ponytail or braid?”
“
Ya—
yes, that was the easy part. Why all the lights?”
“We won’t be able to turn on the electricity at night at my place,” he said. “Put your stuff in here, and we’re on our way. I even got some makeup to cover my black eye.”
“Won’t they be upset we’re already wearing one set of the clothes?” she asked as she added her things to his.