Amish Fugitive, page 7
“Let me see.” To his credit, he didn’t sound sarcastic at all. Instead, his tone was almost gentle.
“Here you go. What do you think?”
After she handed it to him, he rested the thing on the center of his palm. “Well...ah.”
This was beyond embarrassing. “You have it upside down, silly.” Leaning close, she turned the gourd right side up. “Do ya see the hund now?”
Daniel tilted his head to one side. “Kind of.”
“Daniel, let your eyes relax and imagine what it could be.”
It was obvious that he was trying not to grin. “You want me to imagine that it’s something beyond a simple gourd?”
Yes, she sounded like an idiot. But it was too late to go back, anyway. In for a penny, in for a pound. Stepping even closer, she ran a finger along the top of it. “See? This here is the back, and this is the head. And these bumps look a bit like ears, right?” She lifted her chin. “Do you see now?”
But he wasn’t looking at the gourd at all. Instead, he was staring at her intently. Like everything she said mattered to him. Like he didn’t think she was too immature for him at all.
And then, like the idiot she was, she couldn’t do anything but stare back at him. Notice that his hazel eyes had flecks of gold in them. That his cheeks were dusted with a fine sprinkling of stubble. That his bottom lip was lightly chapped, as if he bit on it a little too often.
She was tempted to run a finger along that lip. Just to ease his skin.
Just to...
She inhaled sharply, shocked at the direction her mind was heading. “Oh!” She stepped backward.
Of course she took too big of a step and knocked into a shopper making his way behind her.
She turned. “I’m sorry!”
“It’s okay, honey. Be careful now, right?” the man replied.
As she turned around, she glanced at Daniel again. “It’s okay if you don’t see the shape of a dog. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
“Nee, I see it.” Though the rest of him looked as solemn as ever, his eyes were sparkling.
“How about I put this away and we try to forget I ever mentioned a gourd?” Just as she reached out to take the item out of his hand, a rush of people surged by. Next thing she knew, Daniel was shoved hard.
It made him lose his footing, and then lose his balance. He took a step toward her, but it was too short, and a child ran by, causing him to trip.
And down he went. He landed on one knee with so much force she was sure she heard a pop.
“Daniel!” She started to crouch down to help him.
“Nee, Lela. Stay there,” he barked.
She did as he asked as he pushed himself to his feet. Only then did she notice that his hands were bloody.
“You’re bleeding!”
He looked down at his palms and frowned. “It seems I am.”
She reached for his arm. “Come with me and we’ll sit down. I bet I can get someone in one of these booths to give us some paper towels or something.”
But before she could make contact, he pulled his hand away. “Don’t touch me.”
His voice was so harsh, almost as if he’d thought she’d hurt him or something. “But I only want to help, jah? Please, let me—”
“Lela, I am bleeding.”
Again, his rough tone of voice caught her off guard. “Jah. That’s why I’m concerned, right?” When he still was avoiding her touch, she chuckled. “Daniel, I promise that I’ve seen blood before. I’m not squeamish.”
It still felt wrong. Even though he knew it wasn’t true, he felt like even his blood was tainted. “I don’t want the blood to stain your dress.”
She shook her head. Instead of searching for a paper towel, she pulled a clean handkerchief out of a pocket in her dress and pressed it to his palm. Immediately a red spot stained the starched cloth.
It was ruined.
Feeling like the cloth was a symbol for their relationship, he turned and walked away. His gait was painful, he was limping so badly.
Seeing that he’d left his tote bag on the ground, she bent down to pick it up. For a moment she was tempted to take it to him, but she decided against it.
She had a feeling he wouldn’t thank her for chasing after him.
And maybe, if their positions were reversed, she would feel the same way.
After all, she’d embarrassed him.
Or maybe he didn’t like that she’d witnessed his embarrassment, though he really had nothing to be embarrassed about. The crowd that had passed behind him had been unruly, and the child nearby had prevented him from moving.
Then a flash of something caught her mind. No, it hadn’t been just the crowd. It had been a push. A man in a green shirt had pushed Daniel. She was sure of it.
But he was Amish and a stranger. Why would someone do something like that on purpose? It didn’t make sense.
Hating the direction of her thoughts, she pushed them aside. Having such dark thoughts was wrong. She should be ashamed of herself.
Chapter Ten
Most days, Daniel was at peace with his decision to get baptized and wholeheartedly embrace Amish living. He believed in the teachings that his parents and grandparents had taught him. He found comfort in the peace and orderliness of his life. He appreciated doing without the many distractions that pulled his attention away from the things that really mattered—the people he was with and his relationship with the Lord.
Unfortunately, today wasn’t one of those days. If he wasn’t living Amish, he would’ve hopped in his car and gone to the doctor. Instead, he was attempting to make do.
Of course, there were many in the Amish community who would have reminded him that living Amish did not mean staying away from common sense and hospitals. They would be right. He didn’t want to make a fuss, though.
But his resolution wasn’t going very well. His knee was swollen to double its normal size and pained him considerably. And his palms, though they were only scratched and cut, made it difficult to do even the simplest of things.
Even his job, it seemed.
When he spied his boss heading his way, he put down his hammer and turned to face him. “Do you need something, Craig?”
“You could say that. Grab your tool belt and come with me. You won’t be coming back here today.”
He was getting fired. Stark fear enveloped him as he thought about the ramifications. He wouldn’t be able to stay in Abraham’s cozy apartment. He’d have to go farther to find a decent job because no one else in Lodi would likely hire him.
Although that wasn’t Craig’s problem.
After carefully inserting the hammer into its leather casing, he nodded. “There’s no need to escort me out. I can leave on my own.”
Craig’s eyebrows rose. “Daniel, do you think I’m firing you?”
Why did his boss look so surprised? “Well, jah. I mean, aren’t ya?”
“I told ya that he’d think the worst,” Abraham called out from his perch at the top of a ladder.
Becoming even more confused, Daniel turned back to face Craig. “What’s going on?”
“I’m taking you to my doctor, that’s what.”
“Why?”
“Don’t play dumb, kid. Your hands are cut to shreds and it’s obvious that your knee is swollen up like a balloon. You need to get checked out by someone who knows what he’s doing.”
Though his body was practically cheering at the thought of getting some relief, he shook his head. “I’m fine. I’ll be better tomorrow.”
“Doubt it. Stop being so stubborn and come with me.”
It seemed he was going to have to be completely honest. “I can’t afford a doctor’s visit right now,” he said. It was embarrassing but the truth.
Craig’s expression was full of compassion. “I know, son. That’s why I’m taking you to my doctor and not the hospital. Dr. Jackson is terrific and doesn’t charge a fortune for his services.”
That sounded good. But, did he really want to take up so much of his boss’s time? No, he did not. “Thanks, but I’m sure I’ll be all right in a day or two.”
Craig folded his arms over his chest. “I’ve already called, and he can see you in thirty minutes. Come on. We don’t want to be late. He’s one of the few docs who runs on time.”
Feeling the other men’s gazes resting on him, Daniel followed Craig out the door and into his large black truck. After he turned onto the highway, Daniel said, “How did you know I needed to be seen? Was it really that obvious?”
“Kid, your hands are full of bandages and you can hardly walk. It was more than obvious that something was going on.”
“I guess that’s true.”
“Then, there was the fact that Abraham clued me in about what happened at the farmers market on Saturday. What a crazy thing to happen. I’m sorry about that.”
“Jah. Me, too.” However, the more he thought about it, the more he was sure that someone had pushed him on purpose. And not just “someone,” either. He was almost a hundred percent certain that it had been Wyatt. He’d even used Abraham’s phone shanty and left a message for Detective Borntrager. He had no idea if his story would be believed but he’d felt compelled to share it.
Craig rested his elbow on the driver’s side window. “Daniel, since we’re alone right now, I think we ought to talk about something.”
“Okay...”
His jaw worked. “Kid, I’ve always thought you got a bum rap about that boy’s murder. We didn’t know each other, but I know enough people who do know of ya to realize that something had gone terribly wrong.” He drew a breath. “Then, when everything came out with you being innocent and the detective on the case didn’t really look at other suspects? Well, I thought that was a real shame.”
He didn’t know how to respond so he simply nodded.
After glancing at him again, Craig continued. “All this means that I’m on your side, kid. I’m not going to fire you because you got knocked down and hurt your knee and hands in the middle of a farmers market.”
“I wouldn’t blame you if you did.”
“I get where you are coming from, but I want you to start trying to believe in me. I’m not out to ‘catch’ you being bad or want to look for ways that you aren’t working hard. I want you to be happy working for Carter and Sons. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Accidents happen, and it says a lot that even though you were in pain you still came to work. I appreciate that, but you also need to be honest with me—and Zeke and the other guys you work with. If you aren’t your best, then it could affect not only the work you’re doing but everyone else’s safety.”
“I hadn’t thought about it that way but I should have. Thanks.”
He waved a hand. “No reason to thank me for caring. Right?”
Craig sounded so grumpy and out of sorts, Daniel almost smiled. “Right.”
“Good. I’m real glad we got that straightened out.”
“Me, too.”
In no time at all they were at the doctor’s office. Unlike the modern office Daniel had imagined, the office was in an old farmhouse. It was painted yellow and had black shutters and two mums nestled in navy blue pots on either side of the door. The bright, sunny decor reminded him of Lela. There was a happiness about both of them.
“This looks different than I imagined,” he said as they approached the door.
“It’s nice, right? Mrs. Jackson is the office manager and chief decorator. At least, that’s what Dr. Jackson always says. I think she does a good job.”
“Me, too.”
The door opened into a rather small waiting area. There were only six chairs against the wall. Across from the chairs were a small table and pair of chairs with an abacus or some such on it. At one end of the room were a large counter and space that led back to the examining rooms.
No other patients were in the room. A middle-aged African American woman smiled at them on the other side of the counter. “Craig, you’re here right on time.”
He held up a watch-covered wrist. “I’m seven minutes early, Mrs. Jackson. You know I wouldn’t be late.”
She laughed. “You’re a charmer, that’s what you are.” Looking his way, she softened her tone. “You must be Daniel.”
“Yes.”
“Can you read and write English?”
“I can.”
“Great. Come fill out the form for me. Anything you don’t know the answer to, leave blank. My husband would rather have questions to ask instead of a bunch of lies he’s trying to sort through.”
“I understand.”
“Good.” She handed him the form and he sat down to fill it out.
Less than ten minutes later he was sitting in the examining room and Dr. Jackson was carefully manipulating his leg. “When did this happen again?”
“Saturday.”
“You’ve been walking around and working all this time?”
Daniel nodded.
“Are you in a lot of pain?”
He considered lying but decided there was no point in that. “Yes.”
“I’d be shocked if you weren’t. Sorry, son, but we’re going to need some X-rays.”
“Where do I get those?”
“Here.” He smiled. “We added an X-ray machine three years ago. It’s been a real blessing for all of our patients. It’s not the fanciest one around but it does the trick.” He patted Daniel’s shoulder. “And don’t worry. If the films aren’t as clear as we need them to be, I’ll send you to the hospital for a CT scan or another set.”
He could only imagine how much that would cost. “I hope we don’t have to do that.”
“Me, too, son. Now, let’s deal with your hands. I need to clean them.” The nurse had taken the bandages off when he’d first gotten into the examining room. “I’m going to call Kim in to help me. I’ve got to warn you that you’re going to need a couple of shots in your palms, though. The shots will numb you up real well, but the needles don’t feel too good going in.”
“I don’t need my palms to get numbed.”
“Sorry, but I disagree.” He pointed to a raised bump that had steadily gotten worse looking. “See that? You’ve got something stuck in your wound. Likely a piece of glass or a sliver of rock. Whatever it is, it needs to come out.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Ah, that’s what I like to hear. A man unafraid to listen to me.”
Daniel knew he was joking. He smiled sheepishly as Dr. Jackson called out for Kim and put on gloves. Moments later, the nurse was numbing his palms. He inhaled sharply when the needle poked.
Kim smiled at him in sympathy. “Sorry. I know this hurts.”
“I’m fine.” When she raised her eyebrows, Daniel decided that it was time—past time—to stop acting so stoic. “I mean, jah, it hurts, but I’m grateful to get the cuts cleaned out.”
She chuckled. “You’re something else, Daniel. Grateful, indeed.”
An hour later, Craig was driving him back to his apartment. To Daniel’s immense relief, his kneecap was bruised and battered but hadn’t sustained anything too bad. The most surprising thing was how bad his palms had been.
“Stay home tomorrow. Abraham can tell me how you’re doing when he gets to work. If you’re feeling better, we’ll put you back on the schedule for Friday.”
“All right.”
“I’m glad you don’t have a broken kneecap, son.”
“I am, too. Thank you for taking me.”
“You’re welcome.” He parked in Daniel’s drive. “Next time, ask for help.”
“I will, though I really hope there isn’t a next time.”
“You and me both, son. See you in a few.”
After Daniel let himself inside, he laid down on his bed. He hadn’t taken a nap in ages, but today he wasn’t going to fight it. He needed some rest. Nate was coming by that evening to talk about Daniel’s sighting of Wyatt.
Daniel wanted to have his wits about him in case the detective was skeptical about his story.
Chapter Eleven
Nate had gotten back to Lodi too early to immediately head to Daniel’s place. After much debate, he stopped by BJ’s Burgers and went inside. Nowadays he tried not to eat too many burgers and fries, since his doctor hadn’t been shy about his recent cholesterol levels. But BJ’s served some really good ones, some of the best he’d ever had. And, if he was being honest, he was excited about the possibility of seeing Mitzi again. There was something about the woman, so comfortable in her long skirts, T-shirts and slip-on tennis shoes that got to him. Even though she was in her forties, he thought she was cute in that fresh-faced way one usually viewed younger women.
Whatever the reason, her pretty smile and easy manner felt like an oasis of calm in his turbulent life. There was a part of him that couldn’t get enough of being around her. He hoped she was working.
The minute he walked through the door, he found himself scanning the restaurant for her. Then, there she was.
She’d just poured some coffee for a pair of men when he walked in. When she smiled, Nate let himself pretend that the smile was just for him.
“You’re back!” she said.
She sounded so delighted—or maybe he was the one who felt that way—he couldn’t resist chuckling. “Yeah. I guess I couldn’t stay away.”
After murmuring something to the men in the booth, she walked over to him. “The burgers really are to die for.”
He knew the burgers had nothing to do with his return. “Don’t say that,” he joked. “My doc is going to give me a lecture if my cholesterol goes up.”
Instead of scoffing, Mitzi looked thoughtful. “I have some ideas for that. Go sit down wherever and I’ll be right over.”
Nate wondered what was on her mind but just smiled in return as he walked to a table in the back corner.
