Michael Shetler and a young Amish girl pushed their way through the crowd to stand beside the bishop. The dog Sadie stood at the little girl’s side with her tail wagging. The young girl gestured toward the dog. “This is Sadie. She can find Maddie.”
The warden looked skeptical. “And who are you?”
“I’m Jenny Martin.”
“Is your dog trained in search and rescue?”
“We didn’t train her. I think Gott did. She rescued me when I was buried in the snow the winter before last.”
Sgt. O’Connor smiled at her. “I appreciate the offer, but I’m not about to send another child into the woods even if she has a wonder dog with her.”
“I understand your skepticism,” Michael said. “But I think it’s worth a try. The dog has proven tracking skills. I’ll go with them. Willis, do you have something that belongs to Maddie? Something she wore recently?”
Eva handed over the kapp. Michael looked at the sergeant. “Can we go?”
The officer sighed. “I may be making it harder for our own dog with more scent trails in the woods but okay. Come with me. I’ll get you a radio so you can keep in contact.”
Another car pulled in behind the officer’s truck. Lilly Arnett got out. Eva’s hopes rose but sank when she saw Lilly give a slight shake of her head. Otto and Harley got out of the car and raced to Willis. “Did you find her?” Harley asked.
“Nee. I want you to stay with Eva,” Willis said before joining Michael and Jenny at the officer’s pickup where they were being outfitted with a two-way radio. Otto and Harley moved to stand beside Eva in front of the school.
She took one look at their tear-stained faces. “Don’t worry. We’re going to find her.”
Neither of them spoke. She didn’t doubt Willis’s affection for his brothers, but they needed his comfort now, too. She wished she could hug them all. She walked over and touched his arm. When he looked at her she tipped her head toward the boys. “Your brothers are worried and scared.”
Willis had been so wrapped up in his need to find Maddie that he hadn’t given a thought to what his brothers were going through. It took Eva to point it out to him. She was better at looking after his family than he was. He touched her cheek briefly. “I’ll speak to them. Danki.”
Harley and Otto stood off to the side of the school, looking as dejected and as tearful as he felt. They needed him. He wasn’t used to being needed. He walked over to them, struggling to find the right thing to say. “This is not your fault.”
“You should be yelling at us.” Harley sniffled and his arms clasped tightly across his chest.
“Why?” Willis asked softly.
“Mamm always said we had to watch out for Maddie and keep a close eye on her. We didn’t.” Harley wiped his face on his sleeve.
Otto laid a hand on Harley’s shoulder. “Willis doesn’t yell. Haven’t you noticed that? Maddie is going to say that Bubble got her lost.”
Willis managed a wry smile. “I thought the same thing.”
He pulled the boys into a tight hug in spite of his desire to start searching. Eva was right. They needed comforting, too. “I don’t blame either of you. I’m the one who should have been keeping an eye on her. You are all my responsibility.”
He glanced up and saw Eva watching him with a look of approval. He drew away from the boys. “I know you want to come with us but I need to know you are both safe so I can focus on finding Maddie. Do you understand?”
They nodded. He smiled at them. “Bring the generator over for the Englisch officer to use and help however you can but stay here.”
Sgt. O’Connor, Michael and Jenny took Sadie to the place where the path came out of the woods. The dog cast about sniffing for a scent. Within a few seconds she gave a loud bark and strained at her leash. Willis joined them. Eva appeared at his side and handed him a flashlight.
She turned on the one she carried. “I’m coming with you. The bishop and his wife will look after the boys.”
He took hold of her hand and tried to share how much her presence meant to him with a gentle squeeze as they listened to Sgt. O’Connor.
“Let the dog go first. Try not to get ahead of her. She may not be on the right scent so I’m going to set up a grid and have other searchers comb through these woods systematically. Be careful. Stay within sight of each other if you can but spread out and look for any sign of her. I’ll stay in radio contact.” He headed back to the school.
Willis reluctantly released Eva’s hand, and their group began walking into the forest.
Chapter Seven
Eva missed the comfort of Willis’s touch as soon as he let go. She curled her fingers into her palm to hold on to the warmth he’d left behind. In spite of the short time Eva had known him, she was starting to care for him on a level deeper than that of friendship. Her practical side put it down to the unusual circumstances they had encountered together.
Ordinarily, it would have taken her weeks to get to know Willis and the children so well, but they had been together frequently since she had arrived. She didn’t dream that Willis returned her warmer feelings. She was standing by him as a friend because that was what he needed now.
She was happy if Willis found her presence comforting but to read anything else into his lingering touch just now was foolish on her part. She knew that. He wasn’t interested in more than friendship. She suspected his reliance on her had as
