Simple Deceit (The Harmony Series 2) (7 page)

“I promise you, Ida. I’ll do everything I can to protect this town. It’s my home now, too, you know.”

She smiled at me and nodded her head. “Ja, I do know. And how happy that makes me. I almost feel as if my Essie has returned to me. She was my very best friend in the whole world. Now her beautiful granddaughter has taken that place.”

Ida had lost her close friendship with my grandmother when she’d moved to Nebraska to be near me when I was a child. It had fallen on me to tell Ida that Mama Essie had passed away several years ago. That news had caused the old woman pain. I was pleased to know that my presence would help to return some joy. Ida had become very important to me as well. She had begun to fill the empty place my grandmother’s death had left in my heart.

We talked about other things that had happened in the community while I’d been gone, although Ida’s uneasiness about the
new retirement facility kept nagging at me. I’d hoped everyone would see what a blessing the development would be for Harmony.

It was almost noon by the time Sam’s old truck rattled up the driveway.

“Oh dear,” Ida said. “You must go so soon?”

“We’re going into town for lunch. Why don’t you come with us?”

She shook her head. “Ach, no. I am afraid the cold does not like my old bones. I believe I will stay here in front of the fire. Besides, you two young people do not need an old woman tagging along with you.”

I started to protest, but she shook her head and smiled at me. “Bless you, dear. I know your invitation is sincere, and I appreciate it. Another time, ja?”

I reached over to hug her. “Another time, ja,” I repeated softly.

Sam knocked on the door and then pushed it open so Ida wouldn’t have to get up and let him in.

“A couple of fine-looking women,” he said, grinning at us. “I’m here to take at least one of you to lunch. Both of you if you’ll let me.”

“Ach, you two young people,” Ida said, waving her hand at him. “You are too good to me. When a warmer day comes, we will all go to town together. But that day is not today.”

“Ida already turned me down,” I told Sam. “I guess we’re on our own.”

“Oh well. Guess you’ll have to do,” he said, smiling at me. “Are you ready?”

I hugged Ida one more time and then grabbed my coat.

“Gracie,” Ida said before I made it out the door, “will you please let me know if Abel finds that baby’s mother? I will be praying hard for her and her child.”

“I will, I promise. Hopefully it will be soon.” I waved goodbye and followed Sam to the truck. We decided to leave my car
at Ida’s for now and pick it up after lunch. Leaving the warmth of the old woman’s house for the bone-chilling air outside hit me like a slap in the face.

“I swear it’s colder now than when I left the house,” I grumbled as I climbed into the truck. “I hope the heater in this thing is in operating order.” I knew the air-conditioning was useless. I could only hope the heat was a different matter. Sam started the engine, and a blast of hot air spat out of the vents on the dashboard.

“Wow,” I said happily, “at least something in this old heap actually works.”

Sam grunted. “Hey, everything works. I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“What about the air-conditioning? I sweat so much this past summer I thought I’d drown us both.”

“The air-conditioning works fine,” he said as he pulled out onto the street. “It’s called a window. I can’t help it if you didn’t want to roll them down because you’d mess up your hair.”

As we bumped down the road, I was reminded of something else the old truck was missing. Shock absorbers.

“Before you say anything else derogatory about this fine vehicle, it might please you to know that I’m thinking about buying another truck—for backup.”

I laughed. “Backup? I thought this incredible specimen of automotive excellence was perfect. Why would you need backup?”

“Well, to be honest, it broke down while you were gone. We almost couldn’t get it going again.” He stroked the steering wheel like it was a beloved pet. “What if Ida needed help or we had an emergency?”

“Well, there’s my car.”

He burst out laughing. “I’m afraid your little bitty Slug Bug couldn’t haul much fruit or farm equipment.” He shook his head. “Thanks for the offer, but I think I’ll have to pass.”

I frowned at him. “You didn’t say you needed to haul anything in it.”

“Well, you may not have noticed, but I grow fruit. Lots of fruit. Of course I need something I can use on the farm.”

“Okay. I get it. And by the way, what in the world is a Slug Bug?”

He turned to stare at me. “You mean you don’t know about the game?”

“Obviously not. What are you talking about?”

“When you’re out on the road and someone in the car sees a Volkswagen Beetle, they’re supposed to slug another passenger and call out, ‘Slug Bug!’ ”

“Oh, lovely,” I said in a sarcastic tone. “So you plan to start hitting me whenever you see my car?”

“No.” His mouth tightened slightly. “My mom and I used to play it. We didn’t hit each other hard. It was just a game to pass the time. We traveled a lot.”

Sam didn’t talk much about his mother, so I was surprised to hear him mention her. She’d died when he was a boy. That was why he’d come to live with his aunt.

“Sounds very entertaining if not a little painful. Your mom must have been a lot of fun.”

His mouth relaxed and he smiled. “Like I said, we didn’t hit each other hard. More like a tap. And yes, she was fun. In fact, sometimes you remind me of her.”

“Thank you, Sam. That means a lot to me.”

We were quiet the rest of the way to town. I hoped someday he’d reveal more about his mom. I knew so little. Just that she’d died in a car wreck and that she’d never been married. I blew air out slowly between pursed lips. What was it about men that made it so hard to get to really know them? Put two women together and within fifteen minutes they’ll be privy to each other’s entire life story. But men… It takes a lot of trust and effort
to get them to open up.

By the time we pulled up in front of Mary’s Kitchen, I felt warm and toasty. I could only hope the café wasn’t cold. When we entered the quaint seventies-style restaurant with its polished wooden floors and cerulean blue walls, I was thrilled to find that I could take my coat off and still be comfortable.

“Gracie!” someone yelled out. I turned to see Eric Beck waving at me from a table in the corner of the room. He sat across from a thin, rather rat-faced man who glared at me like I’d come into the diner just to annoy him.

I pulled on Sam’s arm and guided him over to where Eric sat. In his expensive suit he looked out of place at the old table with its yellow laminated top and stainless steel legs.

“I heard you were in town,” I said, smiling. “Sounds like your plans are public knowledge now.”

His warm laugh highlighted the kindness in his face. Eric’s dark, wavy hair brought out his light blue eyes and perfect white teeth. “Yes, I’m afraid the cat’s out of the bag. I discovered that Harmony residents aren’t a shy bunch. Nor are they willing to let a stranger keep any secrets.”

I nodded. “I could have told you that.” I patted Sam’s shoulder. “Eric, this is Sam Goodrich. I guess you two haven’t met yet.”

Eric held out his hand and Sam shook it. “No,” he said. “As a matter of fact, I don’t think I have. You must not come to town much.”

“Haven’t lately,” Sam replied. “Been kind of busy at my place. Nice to meet you.”

“You, too, Sam. I suppose you both know Rand McAllister.”

He motioned toward the other man sitting at the table, who glowered at us but didn’t say anything.

“Yes,” Sam said, ignoring Rand’s obvious distaste for our presence. “Nice to see you again, Rand.”

Sam’s greeting was acknowledged with a grunt.

I ignored the ill-mannered man and directed my attention to Eric. “So is the town meeting still on for tonight?”

He nodded. “Yes. Six o’clock in the empty building next to the hardware store. I’m renting it as a kind of base of operation while I’m here. The church down the street is loaning us some chairs, so we should have plenty of room for everyone who wants to come. I’m just trying to hash out the final details with Rand. Hopefully we’ll have everything settled before the meeting.”

There was a slight hesitation in Eric’s voice that caused me to glance at Rand. As far as I knew, the deal had been agreed upon weeks ago. What still needed to be “settled”? The look I got back was toxic. I pulled once again on Sam’s arm.

“Excuse us, Eric,” I said, ignoring Rand, who’d fastened his beady eyes on me. “I’m starving. If we don’t eat soon, I might pass out right here. We’ll see you tonight. If you need any help…”

“Thanks, Gracie,” he said. “But I’m set. I used the flyers you made to announce the meeting, and I think the whole town knows about it. We should have a great turnout.”

I told him good-bye, not even bothering to acknowledge Rand. I was beginning to think Sweetie had described the man pretty accurately. I said the same to Sam when we sat down. We were well enough away from Eric and his unpleasant luncheon companion that I was confident we couldn’t be overheard.

“I agree he’s not a very nice person,” Sam said. “I have no idea why he acts that way, but he’s been contrary from the first day he arrived. I think someone in his family left him some land, and he felt he had to move his family here. He’s not a farmer, even though he makes a halfhearted attempt to grow wheat. Almost every year some of the other farmers have to help him harvest it. Rand always has some kind of injury, you know. Something that keeps him from doing his own work.”

“Why do people help him if they know he’s just lazy?”

“Because he has a wife and daughter. You know how people are around here, always looking out for each other. His wife and daughter go through enough just living with the man. No one wants to see them go hungry.”

The front door of the restaurant slammed shut loudly, and I turned to see Sheriff Pat Taylor saunter into the room. His gaze swung around until it rested on me. My stomach knotted. He watched me for several seconds. Then he ambled over to an empty table and sat down.

“Sheriff Taylor is here,” I whispered to Sam. He started to turn his head to look. “Don’t look,” I hissed. “I don’t want him to think I care one way or the other.”

“No, we wouldn’t want him to think he has any effect on you.” Sam’s exaggerated tone made me feel a little silly.

“He has every right to be here, I know that. It’s just that…I don’t know…I feel like I’m under surveillance.”

Sam raised his right eyebrow. “So you think the sheriff of Morris County drove all the way to Harmony for lunch because he’s interested in
you
?”

I started to say something when Sam shook his head. “I will admit it’s a little strange. He hasn’t been around here for months. Now suddenly he stops you on the highway then shows up in town the next day.”

“Well, now I
am
worried. I thought you were going to tell me I’m imagining things.”

“I’d love to, but to be honest, that guy makes me nervous. There’s something…not right about him.”

Before I could respond, a woman’s voice rang out, interrupting our conversation.

“Well, there you are!” I looked up to see Mary Whittenbauer standing next to our booth, holding two glasses of water. “I’ve
been wondering when you’d stop in.” Her wide smile quelled any fear that there was still some animosity between us.

Mary had once considered herself to be engaged to Sam, even though Sam wasn’t certain just how their “engagement” happened. Her negative reaction to me when I first came to Harmony only deepened as Sam and I became closer. However, a few months ago, Sam and Mary had finally talked honestly to each other. It had become clear to both of them that their relationship had no future. From that point on, Mary and I had started to mend our broken fences. The letter she sent to me in Wichita expressed her heartfelt desire to be friends. Although I’d forged a relationship with Sarah Ketterling, I really wanted a friend who was a little more like me. Someone I could talk to about everything. There were things I hesitated to bring up to Sarah because of her Old Order lifestyle.

“Got in last night,” I said, smiling back at her. “A little later than I’d planned.”

“I’m so glad you’re back.” Mary’s sweet, heart-shaped face lit up. “I know just how to celebrate. Lunch is on me. Anything on the menu. The both of you.”

Sam and I thanked her profusely and placed our order.

“Boy,” Sam said after she left, “she sure has done a one-eighty.” He sighed with relief. “Must be God.”

“She’s probably come to her senses and figured out she missed a bullet when she dumped you.”

Sam raised an eyebrow. “Dumped me? She didn’t dump me; I—”

“Save it, Romeo.” I grinned at him. “Men and their egos.”

He chuckled while I glanced toward the sheriff. Although he seemed to be perusing the menu, his eyes kept darting my way. I started to say something about it to Sam when the sound of a chair hitting the floor, followed by a string of shouted obscenities, got my attention. I turned around to see Rand standing over Eric
like he was getting ready to hit him. The chair he’d been sitting in lay on its side.

“You’d better come up with what I asked you for, or you ain’t gettin’ nothin’ from me,” he snarled. “And don’t you come ‘round my place again, botherin’ me with your highfalutin ways. You hear me, boy?”

Sam got up and walked slowly toward the table where Eric still sat. “That’s enough, Rand,” he said in a calm voice. “I think you need to leave. Maybe you and Eric should take this up again after you’ve settled down some.”

I glanced over at Pat Taylor, who watched the confrontation with an amused look on his face. Why wasn’t he intervening? Why allow Sam to put himself in the middle of this tense situation?

Rand took a step toward Sam, his hand knotted in a tight fist. “Don’t you poke your nose in my affairs, Sam Goody-goody-rich. Everyone knows you ain’t nothin’ special. You ain’t even got a real daddy.”

I could see Sam’s shoulders tense through his shirt, but he held his temper. Mary came out from behind the counter and advanced toward the two men. As if he sensed her, Sam held his hand up. She stopped where she was.