“Yeah, I’d say so. Are you a father now?” Stephen let go of Heath.
Jake kneed Heath to keep him from jumping on him. “None of your business. Get off my case, and keep away from my girl.” He turned to leave. “I’m going over to see what Ralph is up to before he burns down that new barn.”
“Maybe he’s just going in there to sleep,” I said. “Shouldn’t you call the police?” If Ralph were Amish, I wouldn’t suggest such a thing. “Please let Wayne handle it, or whoever’s on duty.”
Both men narrowed their eyes at me.
“No straw to use as a bed.” Jake yanked the door open.
“You don’t know that. If he’s drunk enough, he won’t care.” Stephen dove into his jacket. “He might have a blanket or sleeping bag he keeps stashed somewhere. I’d better come with you.” Stephen zipped up his jacket, grabbed a flashlight, and clipped on Heath’s leash.
“Evie, keep the doors locked,” he said before disappearing into the darkness with Jake and the dog.
FORTY-FOUR
When had I ever felt more helpless? I double bolted the door. Missy and Minnie stood side by side, both peering through the door’s glass panes. I was happy to have them here with me, but I felt utterly baffled. How could two men, who despised each other, go off as a search party to locate Ralph? My only option was to wait around to find out what happened. No, I wouldn’t do it.
I called 9-1-1. “Is Wayne working tonight?”
“Is this an emergency, ma’am?” The female operator’s voice was terse.
“It might be if no one comes to help. Stephen Troyer asked Wayne or whoever is on duty tonight to cruise through the Yoder Nursery.”
“There’s a problem?”
“Someone said they saw Ralph Hastings near the Schmuckers’ newly built barn.”
“I can see by your telephone number that you’re calling from Glenn Yoder’s home.”
She could view that information on her end of the call?
“Yes, this is Eva Lapp, an employee and a guest in the house tonight. Beatrice Valenti gave me permission to stay here.”
“Remain on the line, will you, ma’am?”
I pressed the receiver to my ear and waited. Missy and Minnie both whined and pawed at the door.
A bullet’s twang spun through the air.
The image of a man sprawled on the road with a gunshot wound in his chest made me woozy. Jake or Stephen? “Please, Lord, protect them.”
I should have prayed before they left the house. I should’ve called 9-1-1 before they left. All those should-haves meant nothing now.
I blurted out, “I just heard a gun go off from the direction of Jeremiah and Hannah Schmuckers’. Please send someone right away!”
No reply. I was on hold, speaking to a dead line.
Finally, the operator returned, and I repeated myself. “I heard a gunshot.”
“You sure of that? Not just a car backfiring?”
“I grew up on a farm, and I know what a gunshot sounds like.” My mouth flooded with a rusty taste.
“Wayne’s in the area, ma’am. I’ll send him right over there. In the meantime, stay in the house.”
But I had to go out and see what was going on even if I received a reprimand. If Jake or Stephen were wounded or lay dying, I needed to offer my comfort.
I was already wearing a coat and my head was covered. I stepped into a pair of what must be Beatrice’s clogs and fetched the house key where I left it on the windowsill. Minnie and Missy were looking up at me expectantly.
“You two hunds better stay home and defend the house.” I found a flashlight and headed out the door. Ach, how could this be happening? I couldn’t stand it if Jake or Stephen had been shot. Or Heath. Or even Ralph. All my life I’d been taught to be nonresistant, to never take another person’s life. Only the Lord Almighty made those decisions.
I stepped outside and locked the door. Chill evening air surrounded me, and I shivered. As I made my way to the barn, I saw the flashing blue light of a police car. I heard the muffled sound of men arguing. I crept closer, hoping to be unnoticed, but Stephen stepped out in front of me.
“What on earth are you doing here?” Though Heath was trying to get free, Stephen gripped the leash firmly.
“I heard a gunshot. Was anyone hurt?” Obviously not Stephen, leaving Jake. But no, I saw him up ahead, raising a hand and motioning me to keep away.
“Wayne was on his way to cruise through the nursery’s parking lot when Ralph came out of the barn brandishing his gun. Ralph shot at him.” Stephen moved between Ralph and me, blocking my view.
I peeked around him to see Ralph standing on shaky legs, his limp arm holding a gun at his side, the barrel tipped down. Judging by his face, illuminated by Wayne’s headlights, he hadn’t shaved or changed his clothes for days.
His posture rigid, Jake inched toward me. “Evie, be careful. Ralph blasted a hole in the side of the vehicle, but he missed Wayne, praise God.”
In a swift movement, Wayne pulled out his firearm, held it with both hands, and aimed it at Ralph. “Give me that gun, you knucklehead.” Moments passed. “Come on, Ralph. Don’t make me shoot you.”
“Okay. Okay.” Ralph tossed his weapon a few feet away.
“Where’d you get the gun?” Wayne roughly cuffed Ralph and checked his pockets.
“It was my dad’s.” His words were once again garbled. “Hey, I didn’t mean anything. I was just trying to scare you away.”
“Are you crazy? You could have killed me.” Wayne frisked Ralph and then shoved him into the back of his squad car and slammed the door. Wayne turned to Stephen. “I’m glad he missed me, but I’ll never hear the end of it back at the station. The car just got out of the
