When Ada Mae stepped up behind the girl, I relaxed a little. At least Ada Mae was there to pick up the pieces after Jonas was gone.
I met the woman’s curious gaze. “I need to speak to Jonas.”
“He’s getting cleaned up. It shouldn’t be long.” She smiled. “I pulled fresh cinnamon rolls from the oven a moment ago.” She bent down and said a few words in German to Esta, who ran back into the kitchen. “You must come in and do some sampling.”
Ada Mae’s complete comfortableness with two uniformed police officers at her door made the task worse. This situation was bad enough without the naivety of the Amish woman making me feel guilty. Then there was the smell of dough and cinnamon drifting out the front door. My stomach growled.
Todd began to go through the door. I stopped him with my hand in front of his chest. “We’re on duty,” I said with not much conviction.
Esta appeared in the doorway, holding a tray full of the cinnamon buns. The icing was melting right before my eyes and a soft steam rose.
“Oh, come on,” Todd pleaded.
I flicked my hand at him, giving him the go ahead to take one. I controlled myself, though.
I wasn’t going to eat one of Ada Mae’s deserts right before I hauled her brother in for questioning. I ignored my watering mouth.
“I’m fine, thanks,” I said.
Ada Mae’s eyebrows rose in a hurt expression. I opened my mouth to explain why I wasn’t jumping at a chance to devour her cinnamon rolls when Jonas stepped up behind her. His light blue eyes flared at the sight of me and Todd waiting on the porch. A lopsided smile appeared on his mouth.
“What brings you by, Sheriff?” he said as he lifted the suspenders over his shoulder to finish dressing.
“You need to come with us, Mr. Peachey. We have some formal questions for you,” I said.
“Do I have a choice in the matter?” Jonas’ eyes narrowed slightly.
“You can refuse. An hour from now, I’ll be back with an arrest warrant. It’s up to you. This can be easy or difficult. Your choice.”
Jonas took a deep breath. “I’ll go willingly.” His voice was resigned.
Ada Mae rested her hand on Jonas’ shoulder to stop him. Esta grasped her father’s hand.
“Wait. What is this about? Why can’t you ask your questions here?” Ada Mae implored.
Her expression was that of a deer caught in the headlights.
“We need to be in a controlled setting for the interview.” I took a sharp breath, glancing at Jonas’ calm face. “We have some questions about Fannie Kuhns and Marissa Gingerich.”
Jonas’ lips thinned and his cheek twitched.
Ada Mae exclaimed, “I don’t understand. Marissa is the simple woman back in Ohio. What does she have to do with any of this?”
I looked at Jonas, gesturing at him. “Jonas knows why.”
Jonas didn’t speak. His one brow rose, acknowledging me, then he turned to his sister and daughter.
“I’ll be back soon. Don’t worry. I am in the Lord’s hands. He will protect me.” He kissed Esta on the top of the head and made eye contact with Ada Mae briefly before he stepped away from them, walking past us to the car.
Todd shrugged at me and followed Jonas.
I turned to go, but Ada Mae’s hand snaked out, grasping my arm. She quickly let go.
“Jonas is no criminal. He has spent his entire adult life helping people. It isn’t in him to harm another.” She took a shaky breath. “I’ll pray for him—and you, Sheriff.”
Ada Mae backed away, closing the door. The sudden quiet on the porch felt significant. I shook the feeling away, remembering Marissa’s sad song by the pond. Ada Mae was wrong. Jonas definitely had the capability to harm others. And he had.
23
SERENITY
“I didn’t think you were officially starting the job for a few more weeks,” I commented, not looking at Elayne.
We were both staring through the one-way mirror at Jonas. He sat in the chair, occasionally closing his eyes and moving his mouth in what I assumed to be prayer.
Elayne flicked her hair over her shoulder. She inclined her head. “After talking to Irene, I was drawn into Fannie’s case, and it’s not just because I used to be Amish. The situation is strange. Amish girls usually don’t become pregnant before they’re married. Her sudden death is even more unusual.”
I took a breath and looked at Elayne. She stood tall in heels that were at least four inches high. Her skirt was short, but appropriate. The purple blouse she wore was the only bright thing in the drab, gray room. Her brown gaze met mine and her brow lifted.
“Did Bobby fill you in on Marissa Gingerich?” I trusted Bobby. He was discreet. Elayne would eventually be privy to all the evidence anyway, and she was supposed to be on our side.
As we quietly sized each other up, wariness closed in on me. This woman would be a thorn in my side for a long time to come. I had to find a way to put my personal emotions aside and work with her.
“Yes, he did.” Her gaze shifted to Jonas, her face softening. “I remember Marissa. Not well, but I do recall seeing her at a few of the weddings my family attended in Ohio. She was a curiosity back then. She was pretty enough and fully functional. If she didn’t open her mouth, a person could be fooled into thinking she was normal.” Elayne swallowed. “The boys alternated between teasing her and taking advantage of her. I’m not surprised she became pregnant. Even among the Amish, there are predators, and she was an easy target.” She nodded at Jonas. “But I never would have guessed that it would be him.”
Her tone told me that even though she was surprised, she believed my theory. Something about her agreeableness opened me up. I’d always dislike her for her connections to Daniel and her overly flirtatious ways, but perhaps I could respect her on a professional level.
“Marissa was very clear that he was the one she’d been fooling around with. She didn’t mention anyone else,” I said.
“A good defense attorney will have a field day with her mental disabilities, though.” Her eyes narrowed, and her voice dropped. “We have to make sure we have a strong case before we move forward. We don’t want that man to get away with it.”
I nodded. “Do you want to join me for the interrogation?”
“I wouldn’t miss it,” she replied, not surprising me at all.
I seated myself in front of Jonas. Elayne chose to stand to my left. She had a notepad in her hands, a pen poised above the paper.
Jonas stared back at me. I couldn’t help remembering his wild look as he prayed for Mervin and the poisoned girls. I felt the heavy, oppressive air that had surrounded Mervin so unnaturally. I stopped myself from shivering, wiping the memory away.
“How long did you have a secret relationship with Marissa Gingerich before she became pregnant?”
“Pregnant?” Jonas’ eyes widened. He glanced between me and Elayne and leaned over the table. In barely a whisper, he said, “She was pregnant?”
I sat up straighter and looked at Elayne. She shrugged and her lips pressed together in a thin line.
I’d done a lot of interrogations. Most of the time, the perp lied outright or lied in a roundabout way, skirting the questions. Rarely was someone immediately contrite. As much as I didn’t want to see it on Jonas’ face, he was shocked, maybe even upset, about Marissa’s pregnancy.
Drawing on my own psychological training and pushing aside Jonas’ reaction, I took a breath and continued with the questioning.
“Did you have intercourse with Marisa Gingerich?”
Jonas’ face reddened, but he didn’t look away. “Yes, I did.”
His straightforwardness was unsettling, making goosebumps rise on my arms.
“So you agree that the fetus that I recovered from beside the pond at the Gingerich household could in fact be yours?”
Jonas nodded. “It’s a possibility.” He ran a hand through his black beard, dropping his head. “I never meant to cause her pain. I would have taken her a
s my wife, if—” He stopped abruptly.
“If what?” I urged. When he remained silent, I added, “You’re a God fearing man, aren’t you?”
“Of course.”
“The truth will eventually come out. It’s better to be honest. If you try to deceive us, you might find yourself living away from your family for a very long time.”
Jonas still didn’t speak. He was either stubborn or worried about what he almost said.
Elayne placed her hands on the table. When she spoke, it was in her birth language. I didn’t understand her words, but the response Jonas had was telling. His eyes moistened. He dabbed the wetness away with his sleeve.
He faced me again. “Ada Mae wouldn’t allow it. She said it would be a disgrace to our family for me to marry a simpleton.”
I rolled his words over in my mind. Ada Mae seemed to be the obedient sister. But maybe it was a ruse. Perhaps she was the one who ruled Jonas. The thought was unsettling.
“You’re a grown man. You can marry whomever you want. Why would you listen to your sister?”
Jonas had a faraway look on his face. “Ada Mae is very smart. Like Momma, she always knows what to do.”
I glanced at Elayne. She frowned, but allowed me to continue with the questioning.
“What about Fannie Kuhns? Were you going to marry her, too?”
Jonas sat back, his eyes even wider. “What are you talking about?” He looked at Elayne. “Ime familye wag? No.”
“Weren’t you having sex with Fannie?” I plowed on.
“Of course not. I treated her mother for the asthma and I brought herbal remedies to her for stomach aches and such. There was nothing between us.”
My gut was telling me that he spoke the truth or at least what he believed was the truth. But then what the hell was going on?
I took a chance, attempting to push the man further. “Marissa and Fannie had connections to you. You admit that one of them could have been pregnant with your child. They both miscarried. Fannie even died. Your wife died unexpectedly while delivering Esta, and even your mother died in the birthing bed.” I leaned back in the chair. “You’re the medicine man. What do you think happened to the women?”
A tremor passed over Jonas. His face paled.
“I will say no more on the matter,” Jonas said. His blue eyes glistened with unshed tears.
When we were back in the observation room, I turned to Elayne, who was staring off into space, her mouth slightly agape.
“I don’t have enough to hold him.”
“No, you don’t,” Elayne confirmed, meeting my gaze. “Do you think he’s telling the truth?”
“I do, which leaves me with not a lot to go on in this investigation.” I sighed.
The door opened and Daniel stepped into the room. Bobby was two steps behind him.
Daniel ignored Elayne, his gaze landing squarely on me. “We have a problem,” he stated. “Eli seems to have disappeared.”
Damn.
“There’s more,” Bobby spoke up. “I have the lab results back on the fetus. There were traces of tansy ragwort in the tissue. Along with peppermint.”
“Peppermint?” I turned to look at Jonas through the window. He was praying again. I watched his mouth moving. Peppermint. Peppermint. My mind clicked, and my heart dropped into my belly.
I met Daniel’s eyes with a sense of desperation. “We need to hurry.” I paused, motioning to Bobby. “You better join us on this one.”
Bobby nodded curtly as he removed his glasses, sticking them into his oversized pants pocket. Elayne stepped in front of me. “What do you want me to do?”
“Keep Jonas occupied until you hear from me.”
I only hoped I was wrong about this one.
24
SERENITY
“Maybe Jonas is telling the truth,” Daniel said as he turned into the Bender’s driveway.
“That he wanted to marry Marissa?” I snorted. “I doubt it. He took advantage of her. He’s a predator.”
“The Amish see things differently than we do. It might not be what it seems,” Daniel said.
I glared at him. “Just because Jonas has rock-star status in the community doesn’t give him free rein to sleep with whomever he wants. Surely, even you can see that.”
“I agree, but I don’t see how you’re going to pin Fannie’s death on him.”
“I’m failing to see the connection myself,” Bobby mumbled in the backseat.
A hundred thoughts ran through my mind at once. I almost had it figured out, but parts of the puzzle were still missing. One thing I knew for sure, Hannah’s life and possibly even Eli’s were in danger.
Several chickens flapped their tan wings, squawking, and jumped away from Daniel’s Jeep as he pulled up beside the barn. Katherine crossed the barnyard at a jog, stopping outside my open window. She leaned in.
“Danki, for coming. I didn’t know what to do. Joseph is out of town, inquiring about a team of horses for sale and I couldn’t reach him,” Katherine said. Her usually pale skin was flushed and several strands of dark hair stuck out from under her cap in disarray. Two small children peeked around the barn door at us.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“Eli didn’t sleep in his bed last night.” Katherine frowned and then sighed. “The boy has a rebellious streak, but he wouldn’t be gone from home when he knew his father was away. Then there are the problems he’s been having with those English boys. I worry about him.”
Daniel’s lips were pinched, but he didn’t say anything.
“He’s eighteen years old, a grown man. It’s not my business to hunt down young men.” When I met her gaze, there were tears in her eyes. I buckled. “But under the circumstances, I’ll do what I can,” I offered. “Do you have any idea where he might be?”
Katherine looked away. The sky was darkening to a slate gray to the west. A flash of lightning zigzagged across the sky. The sun sliced through the clouds above our heads, making the approach of the impending storm less threatening. A low rumble rolled through the clouds.
Katherine’s lips quivered. A battle seemed to be raging inside of her as if she didn’t know how honest to be with me.
She turned back with hard eyes that took me by surprise.
“Best pay Hannah Kuhns a visit. Eli took a liking to the girl some months ago.” She shook her head. “I warned him against it. That girl has the same restless spirit that Naomi had. Nothing but trouble can come from falling in love with her, I told him.” A wispy smile touched her lips. “But sons don’t listen to their mothers. Do they, Daniel?”
Daniel chuckled, the sound sad. “We don’t always have control over who we fall in love with.” He glanced at me.
Isn’t that just the damn truth.
“We’ll find him, Katherine. Don’t worry,” I assured her.
After all the experiences I’d had with the Amish people, I wasn’t willing to bet on my declaration, though.
As we turned out of Katherine’s driveway, the last bit of sunshine disappeared behind a fast moving, dark cloud. I peered up, wondering how much time we had before it poured.
“I feel for Katherine. Eli is a handful.”
Daniel shrugged. “He’s just trying to figure out where he belongs. Unfortunately, he’s searching for that place with a girl, and not in himself.”
“You talk as if you’re speaking from experience,” I commented.
“I am. I made the biggest mistake of my life because of a girl. Strangely, deep down, I knew it at the time, but I couldn’t help myself. It’s the same for Eli.”
Another flash of lightning coursed across the sky and I blinked. A few seconds later the low booming vibrated the Jeep. A few drops of rain splattered the windshield.
“If you hadn’t made that mistake, you probably would be married to that Amish girl, Rosetta, and have a herd of children to call your own.” I tried not to sound spiteful, but it hurt saying it.
Daniel smiled faintly. The rain drops were m
ultiplying and a sudden swoosh of wind rained a mass of swirling leaves against the Jeep.
“That’s not true. I was destined to leave the Amish. I realize that now. I just wish it hadn’t been over a girl. Maybe if my parents had understood that the Plain ways weren’t for me, they would have accepted my departure easier.” He shrugged. “It might have been same, though. I’ll never know.”
“When did you know that being Amish wasn’t for you?” Bobby asked. His voice startled me. I had forgotten all about him in the backseat.
Daniel barked out a laugh as the rain began pounding the Jeep. “It was after a ball game. I must have been about sixteen at the time. I was driving Da’s buggy in a procession of other buggies leaving the game. Several of my friends, including Lester, were with me. We turned onto State Route Forty-Eight, a shortcut back to one of the boy’s farm. Several other buggies went with us. By that time, we were first in line.”
He took a quick breath and I found that I was holding my own.
“I heard the tires screeching and the horn blaring before I looked in the side-view mirror. A semi-truck had gone sideways, careening across the roadway. It smashed into the last buggy in line.” Daniel cleared his throat. “I saw the horse go down under the trailer. The buggy resembled a piece of crumbled black paper. Lester and I were the first to reach what was left of it. The horse’s body was broken apart, its legs snapped in two. It took its dying breath in my hands. Two of the three girls riding in the buggy were thrown clear. One died on the side of the road and the other died later in the hospital. The third girl was an unrecognizable pile of blue material and blood trapped beneath the wreckage. I held the one girl’s hand until the ambulance arrived. She kept mumbling that it hurt, over and over.” He met my gaze. “After that, every time I drove a buggy, my stomach clenched. I remember thinking, how can I raise a family into such a dangerous way of life?”
A louder boom of thunder erupted. As I searched out the rain streaked window, the fields filled with puddles. Tree leaves were flipped and glistening. I sniffed, trying to erase the terrible image that Daniel’s words inspired.