Why would she do that?
Say the stories were right, and she planned to leave. She could have brought the suitcase with her to work, slid it into the unfinished wall so no one would see it and ask questions.
Much as she hated to admit it, his suggestion made a certain amount of sense. But
Then why was it still there? If she planned to run away from your uncles house, why wouldnt she take the suitcase with her?
I dont know. He pulled into a parking lot marked Visitors and stopped, turning to face her. Look, I dont know anything. Im just trying to come up with some reasonable explanation, so youll
Link stopped, but she knew what hed been going to say.
So Ill go away and leave you alone, is that it? It was rare for her to lose her temper, but she was on the verge of that now. Im sorry my mothers disappearance has inconvenienced you so much.
She grabbed the door handle to get out, but he reached across to stop her hand. He was very close, and for an instant she could smell the fresh male scent of soap and shaving cream, could see the fine sun lines that fanned out from his eyes, could feel the heat that emanated from his body.
Her gaze met his, her breath catching abruptly. His brown eyes grew even darker, and the air between them seemed to thicken with something she didnt want to name.
He drew back abruptly. Look, I didnt mean that. Yes, this is messing with my plans, but I know thats not your fault.
She took a ragged breath. Dont you understand? The least thing, no matter how unimportant it might seem to you, could lead me to the truth. I have to know what happened to her.
The truth. He seemed to muse for a moment, the lines in his face deepening, growing harsher. Even supposing its possible to find the truth, you might not like it. Have you considered that?
Ive thought of nothing else. But I have to know. Her mind flickered to her father, and she forced herself to concentrate on this moment, on this man who might be able to help her. Ive spent my life wondering. Whatever the answer is, knowing has to be better than this.
He sucked in a breath so deep that his chest heaved. All right. He nodded toward a bench set under the hospitals portico. Ill wait for you there while you have the test. Then well talk about my uncle. Ill answer as many questions as you want. But Im afraid its not going to lead you anywhere at all.
LINK SAT ON THE bench, outwardly relaxed, trying to watch the world go by. Or at least, that portion of the world that had reason to be at the hospital on this sunny fall dayan extremely pregnant woman with a nervous husband in tow, an elderly woman carrying a handful of mums, an Amish couple with a young child.
People were sometimes surprised that the Amish availed themselves of modern medical facilities, but the Amish had no quarrel with the medical profession. They didnt believe in insurance, however, so if someone needed expensive care, the whole Amish community would pitch in to help.
He nodded as the couple came closerthey lived in Spring Township, although he couldnt call their names to mind at the moment. The two adults nodded back, and the little boy gave him a wide grin. Whatever brought them here today, it didnt seem to bother the child.
Unfortunately, focusing on the passersby didnt really resolve the dilemma he faced. Why had he agreed to talk to Marisa about Uncle Allen? For that matter, why had he brought her to the hospital to begin with?
The second question was easier to answer. Shed looked so flattened by Adams revelation that Link couldnt help himself. His parents training ran too deeply to be ignored, especially when he was here in Lancaster County.
It is our duty to help those who need it.
He could almost hear his fathers voice saying the words. Theyd come in answer to his whining about the fact that theyd stopped to help an Amish couple whose buggy had been run off the road by a speeding car, making him late for a baseball game. He could still remember the mix of fear and pride hed felt watching Dad lead the frightened horse out of the twisted buggy shafts.
Pride. Hed always been proud of Dad, even during that terrible time when everyone thought hed committed suicide. Links chest tightened. Mostly hed felt guilt then, that he hadnt been around when Dad needed him.
Even when they learned Dad had been killed by an employee whod been ripping off the company, hed still felt that somehow hed failed by not being here.
His father had taken responsibility for others as a matter of course, and Trey was just like him. As for Link Hed never forget what happened when hed tried to follow suit.
He forced his thoughts back to Marisa. If he didnt talk to her about his uncle, shed go to other people for her answers. He could imagine the talk that would generate, and there had been enough talk already.
So hed answer her questions, drive her back to Springville and that would be an end to it. As for that sizzle of attraction when hed gotten too close to her in the carwell, that was best ignored. He didnt need anything else tangling him up with Marisa Angelos problems.
He tilted his head back, letting the slanting autumn sunlight touch his face. Gentle sunlight, a far cry from the blazing sun that dazzled the eye and made a man see things that werent there
A shadow bisected the light, visible even with his eyes closed.
Link? You look as if youre going to sleep.
He hadnt seen Marisa approach, but she was there. She sat down on the bench, a careful foot away from him, which might mean that shed felt exactly what he had in the car and was inclined to be just as cautious.
That was fast, he said.
Its an awfully simple process, given whats riding on it. Her eyes were shadowed for a moment, but then she focused on his face. You havent changed your mind, have you?
Nope. Ask me anything you want about Uncle Allen. Ill try to answer.
She studied him, those golden brown eyes seeming to weigh the sincerity of his words. Or maybe his motives.
What did your uncle do? For a living, I mean.
As little as possible, he said, his tone wry. He always said that my father inherited the family work ethic. Allen had a teaching degree, but I dont think he ever taught.
He could afford to do nothing, in other words. She sounded as if she didnt approve.
Come to think of it, he wasnt sure he did, either.
Uncle Allen had a nominal title in the family corporation, and he made a token appearance at the office once in a while.
Corporation? Her eyebrows lifted.
He shrugged. That makes it sound more important than it is. Morgans have been here a long time. They acquired thingsland, businesses, rental properties.
You help to run those? She was probably trying to equate that with the manual labor shed caught him doing.
Treys in charge since Dad died. I was in the military by then, so I let him. Hed taken as little responsibility as Allen had, in fact.
I see. She was frowning, as if trying to figure him out.
Hed do better to keep this on Allen, not on him self. Anyway, Allens main interest was local history. He wrote some articles, did a little dealing in Pennsylvania Dutch folk art and furniture. Ostensibly that was his business, but he didnt have a shopjust bought and sold out of his home.
He never married?
No. I suspect my mother tried to play matchmaker a few times, but nothing ever came of it. Allan was justa loner, I guess. He never seemed to need anyone elses company.
She was silent, as if absorbing his impressions. Or maybe now that she had her opportunity, she didnt know what to ask.
You dont remember my mother working for him?
The question was the one hed expected her to start with. I dont think so. I didnt spend all that much time at Uncle Allens place.
So you dont know if she was working there the summer she disappeared. Her voice flattened on the last word.
He hesitated, but she had a right to know. My mother says shes relatively sure she was.
Relatively sure, she repeated.
Theres no reason my mother should remember. It wasnt her house. Or her spouse. Your father
Yes, I know. Its another thing to ask Dad when he calls. Her lips tightened. Im sure the police chief would find this very suspicious, but just because my father doesnt like to talk about his wife leaving him, that doesnt mean anything sinister.
I know. He lifted his hand in a placating gesture. I mean it. There are plenty of things adults dont talk to kids about. Your questions about my uncle make me realize how little I really knew about him. Its odd, but when youre a kid, you just accept things as they are. Probably a lot of people never have reason to question those assumptions.
She nodded. Youre right. I simply accepted the fact that Dad didnt talk about my mother, and that if I wanted to know something, I had to go to Gran.
That brought up something hed wondered about. How did she know?
Marisa blinked. What do you mean?
She didnt live with you until after your mother left, did she? So how did she know the things she told you?
I suppose my dad must have talked to her. She frowned. Thats true. She didnt live with us. I remember her coming. It must have been a few days afterafter I realized my mother was gone. But I suppose my dad talked to her about it. Why? Do you doubt what she said?
He shrugged. The idea that the Amish kept after Barbara, trying to get her to leavewell, that doesnt sound right to me. Thats not the way the Amish behave toward someone whos decided to leave the church.
That soft mouth of Marisas could look remarkably stubborn. Are you an expert?
No, but I grew up with Amish neighbors. I think I know a bit more about them than you do.
Oh, yes. Youre the one who suggested enlisting the Miller familys help. Her tone was laced with sarcasm. They admitted that they remembered my mother. But they wouldnt tell me a thing. Just said Id have to talk to the bishop.
He had to be honest with himself, at least. He hadnt expected that response.
Well, maybe you should start with Bishop Amos. Its possible that Rhoda and her husband felt it would be gossiping if they talked about the Zook family. Im sure they didnt mean anything else by it.
According to you, the Amish can do no wrong, it seems.
I didnt say that. Shed succeeded in getting under his skin. I just think youre misjudging them.
Really. Like the Amish man who was out in the yard last night Marisa clamped her lips shut, as if she hadnt intended to say that.
He frowned. What are you talking about? What Amish man?
Nothing. It doesnt matter. Her gaze evaded his.
If you think someone is spying on you, it does matter. What happened? He clasped her wrist firmly, determined to get an answer, and felt her pulse against his fingers.
She jerked her hand away. I was awake sometime in the night. I looked out the window. A man was standing in the side yard. He seemed to be looking up at my window.
There were a lot of things he could say to that, including the suggestion that shed been dreaming. Or was paranoid.
What makes you think he was Amish? And are you sure someone was there?
The hat. The beard. The dark clothes. Color came up in her cheeks. I know. You think I was dreaming or imagining things. I wasnt.
Dreams can seem very real. He ought to know. Hed dreamed that explosion in Afghanistan enough times, waking up covered in sweat, a cry strangled in his throat.
I wasnt dreaming. She rose suddenly. Forget it. Lets get back.
He stood, not sure what to say. Maybe you ought to tell Adam about this.
So he can suggest I dreamt it, too? She started toward the car.
He fell into step with her, still bothered. If Marisa was talking about something that really happened, that was troubling. And if she was imagining it, maybe that was even worse.
Marisa was wrong. She had to be. This figure in the night was a product of all the upsetting news shed had to face in the past few days. The Amish people he knew just didnt behave that way.
The Amish couple hed seen earlier came out of the clinic door, their little boy skipping between them. They started toward the main walk. The man looked up, his gaze going from Link to Marisa. Then he took his wifes arm, clasped his sons hand and deliberately walked back the other way.