The Winnowing Season (33 page)

Samuel shook his head. “Not that I remember.”

Rhoda relaxed. So this wasn’t about Jacob. “I met a teenager named Gretchen a few weeks back, but she never gave me her last name.”

“Where did you meet her?” Officer Smyth asked.

“Here on the farm. She and two friends were in one of the greenhouses on a Sunday morning. They returned a few weeks later.”

“Why were they here?”

“Trespassing. The first time they were in sleeping bags, talking … and drinking beer and smoking. I stumbled on them before daylight that Sunday morning. I made sure they weren’t driving, and when they told me they’d walked over, I asked them to leave.”

The second officer took notes. “And the three returned?”

“No. The second time there were just two of them—Gretchen and Savannah.”

He pointed at Samuel. “But you didn’t see them?”

“I guess I did.” Samuel looked at Rhoda. “Were they the girls you gave some herbs when Nicole was here?”

“Ya.”

The officer studied Rhoda. “What did you give her?”

“Freshly ground peppermint herb for tea. Is something wrong?”

Smyth glanced at his partner. “Something happened recently, and it led to a drug test. Gretchen had marijuana in her system. She insists the only way that could have happened was if you had given her something with marijuana in it.”

“Marijuana?” Rhoda’s heart rate increased. “I’d never …”

“And I don’t doubt you, ma’am. But we need to investigate. Okay?”

“Sure. How?”

“She said you were in a greenhouse when you gave her the jar of tea. Do you mind if we look around?”

“You’re welcome to search anything you need to, anytime you wish.” How could she have said that? What would that mean for Jacob? But didn’t the police come and go as they needed anyway? “There are four greenhouses. But I know plants. I’ve been growing and studying herbs for half my life. I’d recognize a marijuana plant if I saw one. But …” She turned to Samuel. What had she done? “I … I wouldn’t have recognized the smell of it.”

Officer Smyth shifted. “Go on.”

“The morning I first found the girls, they had empty beer bottles and were smoking a funny-smelling homemade cigarette. I didn’t think much about it. I’ve seen Amish grow their own tobacco and roll their own cigarettes.”

“If you knew you had underage drinkers on your property, you should’ve called the police.”

“Ya, I suppose so. It’s just not our way to involve the police.”

“I’m sure the Amish don’t need the police too often.” The man’s smile and tone were respectful. “But if you had informed us, we would have come out while they were here and investigated what was happening. As it is, those girls have prepared their story and turned this incident against you.” He lowered his clipboard. “Just between us, because you are unfamiliar with police procedures and such, I suggest you hire a lawyer. I’m confident that Gretchen’s mother isn’t going to drop this. Gretchen’s mishap occurred at her older sister’s wedding, and the Allens were humiliated in front of people. Gretchen’s father is on the US Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, which includes drug enforcement. And the parents don’t believe their daughter would knowingly use any illegal substances. The marijuana in her system is a highly embarrassing situation for the family. If I were you, I’d find a lawyer.”

“Thank you.” Rhoda appreciated his kindness and his apparent assumption that she wasn’t guilty.

He grabbed the doorknob. “The greenhouses are around back?”

“Yes.” Rhoda wasn’t sure where Jacob was, but if this story landed in the news, Jacob’s name had to be kept out of it. It would be best if the police didn’t know he was there. “I’ll walk with you,” she added. Rhoda held out her hand to Samuel. “May I borrow your walkie-talkie?”

He unclipped it from his pocket.

“Leah.” Rhoda waited.

“Ya?”

“These gentlemen would like to look through the greenhouses. Would you bring us a kerosene lantern?” Trembling, Rhoda motioned to a sofa. What was
she doing? Stalling the officers to ensure Jacob was hidden from them? “Would you care to sit for a minute, or maybe I could interest you in a cup of coffee and a bite of dessert?”

Her eyes met Samuel’s, and he studied her, perhaps wondering the same thing she was.

She had once asked Jacob who he was, but a better question came to mind now …

Who was she?

THIRTY-TWO

Jacob couldn’t believe he needed to leave again. He stared out the living room window, a cup of coffee in hand. Rays of sunlight splayed between the gray clouds as if they were God’s hand reaching from heaven.

He wished God would reach into this new mess Rhoda was in and bring about a miracle. As it stood, Landon would arrive to take Jacob to the train depot. He couldn’t make himself leave last night, and he hated the idea of leaving today.

A glance at the couch made him smile even in the midst of his disgust with the turn of events. Rhoda was snuggled under a blanket, fast asleep. The weight of what was happening bore down so heavily on Jacob that he hadn’t managed even to doze off.

She was so beautiful and sweet and kind and tough and strong and fragile. They had talked most of the night. It wasn’t enough. He wanted to spend years with her without having to go into hiding. A lifetime, really. But after staying with Sandra for a month, he was now parting from Rhoda again a mere fourteen hours later.

Rhoda frowned and stretched. Her prayer Kapp sat askew, and wisps of dark, wavy hair framed her face.

He moved to the coffee table and sat, holding out his coffee. “Morning.”

“I fell asleep.” She sat upright and took the coffee. “You should have waked me.”

“You needed rest.”

He wished it weren’t true, but if he stayed, it could cause her far more trouble than what she faced now. She didn’t need the investigators to catch wind of the fact that her boyfriend had been lying low, trying to be invisible for
years. Or that he lived here only part of the time and the rest of the time at Sandra’s. Or that when he held a job among the Englisch, he did so under a false name and with no Social Security number. Any of that coming to light would put Rhoda under suspicion, whereas for the moment the police believed Gretchen’s story was suspect. As much as Jacob didn’t want to go, he had to protect Rhoda by removing himself from her life.

He had wrestled with himself about this all night. If he were the only one at risk, he’d chance the police finding out about his past, even if it meant going to jail. It was a risk he would take to be next to her during this outrage of lies. But he wouldn’t chance casting his shady past onto her during this investigation by the Orchard Bend police. He had tried last night to warn her about the potential storm ahead, but he felt she was too shaken to hear any more bad news.

“Rhodes, sweetheart, I need you to listen to me.”

Samuel came down the stairs. “Oh.” He stopped and turned to go back. “Sorry.”

“Wait.” Jacob motioned for him. “We have to talk. All three of us.”

Rhoda pushed the blanket off and stood. “I need to wash my face and”—she pulled the prayer Kapp from her head—“fix this.”

Jacob nodded, although he had no desire to spend time alone with Samuel. His brother had said little, but his patience was clearly at the breaking point.

Rhoda disappeared into the bathroom.

Jacob swallowed. “I’m sorry about everything.”

“So you say.” Samuel sat on the couch, a tautness to his face. “If it’d do any good, I’d lecture you on getting your life straightened out. You can’t keep running. And we can’t continue carrying your workload.”

“I know. Just give me a little time.”

“It seems that, in one way or another, you’ve been saying that for months. She needs you here, and I’m not sure what kind of man keeps evaporating like water on asphalt every time a little heat is added.”

“A little …” Jacob got control of his tongue. It wasn’t a little summer heat
bearing down. It was Rhoda, and she attracted lightning bolts—one after the other. Jacob had to take cover, this time for her sake. “I’m not running or hiding for me. Not this time. Think about it.”

Samuel huffed and nodded, but despite Rhoda weathering this rough patch fairly well, Samuel seemed to have lost most of his respect for his brother.

Rhoda came out of the bathroom looking ready for the day, although her dress was a bit rumpled from sleeping in it. She moved to Jacob, and he embraced her. A horn tooted, and he looked out the window. Landon had arrived.

“Listen to me.” He cupped Rhoda’s face in his hands. “The police are likely to come and go unannounced for a while if the investigation drags on. If they don’t clear this up within a week or so, it’ll become like shark bait to the media. They love anything scandalous, and a beautiful, young Amish woman accused of selling illegal drugs will capture people’s attention and cause a frenzy. Brace yourselves. Trust Samuel’s judgment. If he says something isn’t a good idea, then don’t do it. You didn’t commit a crime, there’s no evidence against you, so you’ll be cleared of everything. While I’m gone, I’ll see what I can do to clear up my past once and for all.” He kissed her forehead. “We’ll get through this. Trust me?”

She nodded.

“You can rely on Samuel.” Jacob looked to his brother. “Right?”

Samuel gritted his teeth. “Ya, sure.”

Jacob gazed into her eyes. “If this does drag on and the media attention gets too intense, I’m sure Camilla and Bob would welcome you there for a few days. But volunteer no information to the media about your encounters with those girls. If the accusations aren’t withdrawn and you end up in court, anything you say to them can be twisted.”

“I’ll be fine. I promise.” She drew a deep breath. “Kumm.” She slid into her coat and walked with him to Landon’s truck.

She kissed him good-bye and waved until he couldn’t see her any longer.

Having to go was his fault. No doubt. But since he’d known her, it was as
if she were a lightning rod for trouble. That understanding about her had dawned on Jacob during the night while she slept. And as he wrestled with the disappointment of needing to leave again, he realized what he had to do. But could he be stronger than his own past so he could help her every time lightning struck?

If it was possible, he intended to accomplish that.

Leah peered out the front door, checking to see if anyone was watching the house. She saw no one. She slid into her boots and wool coat and toted a basket of laundry to the clothesline. It had been two weeks since the police came to the door the first time, and they’d been back to look through the greenhouses numerous times since. Each time they took something with them; most often they removed more of Rhoda’s herbs.

Rhoda seemed calm and self-assured about the situation, putting her trust in God. Still, she had to be rattled. Who would’ve ever believed an Amish woman, especially one who probably had never smoked a cigarette or had a beer, would be in trouble with the law for distributing an illegal substance?

Nothing weighed heavier than what was happening to Rhoda, but Leah had her own problems. She grabbed a shirt—Samuel’s, she thought—shook it, and pinned it to the line. Despite the two feet of snow around her, it was an unusually warm day for January in Maine. The sun shone bright through the cloudless blue sky. A few weeks ago she would have been excited at the prospect of a day like today. But now …

She pondered what was wrong with Landon.

Was it Rhoda’s troubles? If that was the case, then it seemed he would want to talk about it with Leah. Instead he said almost nothing to her.

She sighed and grabbed another shirt from the basket. It made no sense. Things were going so well between them, weren’t they? She’d been sure he was a worthy friend. Then he’d casually mentioned that he couldn’t pick her up anymore, as if she was somehow an inconvenience he had been meaning to
address. In addition, he told her that his granny no longer needed her help, cutting her off from the non-Amish time that she had so much enjoyed.

She had started to ask him why, but Rhoda had walked into the room and snapped his name. Maybe Leah was being selfish, and maybe the only thing that was going on was Rhoda’s upheaval and its fallout resting on Landon.

What Leah found interesting about the last three weeks is what she didn’t miss by not going to Erlene’s. She didn’t miss the fancy stuff—electricity, the microwave, or television. It wasn’t the music she enjoyed with Landon while in his truck. It wasn’t even the restaurants he took her to.

She missed
him
. Their conversations. His generosity. His patience and kindness. His wit and sarcasm. But she was
not
about to go chasing after him or looking for his attention. No. She had done that with Michael. “Like a dog,” as he had put it. If Landon didn’t want to spend time with her, then fine.

But she would confront him when no one was around. Unfortunately, in the weeks since he’d informed her of the way things were going to be, she hadn’t found a moment when no one else was around. It seemed that Rhoda was either his shadow or Leah’s.

She picked up a bedsheet and caught sight of a dark blue car coming down the road. She shook the sheet but was surprised when the car pulled into the driveway. It stopped a few yards from where she was hanging clothes, and a young man stepped out of the car.