Three Can Keep a Secret (20 page)

The Lapps failed to respond, so I took that as a no.

I left Lucy’s in-laws in their collective shock and headed toward the trailer, where Scott and Deena’s kids, Tess, Brady, and the MYFers were settling in for a hayride. I couldn’t help but notice the Yoder boys showing definite interest in Mallory, who was busily tucking the smaller children onto her lap. Smiling to myself, I made a detour and grabbed Willard’s garbage bag from under table.

“Hey, kids,” I said when I reached the trailer. I pulled the blanket out from the bag. “It might get a little chilly during the ride. Any of you need this?”

A gasp from the rear of the trailer turned my head, and I looked into the stunned face of one of the teenage girls, her eyes wide. Noah sat beside her, his shoulder pressing against hers in the close quarters. Innocently, on his part, I was sure. Not so innocently on hers. Noah was talking soccer with a boy sitting catty-corner from him, oblivious to the drama suddenly taking place. I stared at the girl for a long moment before thrusting the blanket toward her.

“Want it?”

She jerked her head back, speechless.

“We’ll take it.” A girl sitting on the other side of Noah raised her chin and met my eyes defiantly. “You’re right. It might get chilly.”

I walked to the back of the trailer, poking Lucy in the back on my way past, and stood behind Noah and the two girls. I flapped the blanket, spreading it out, then swung it over their heads, yanking the two ends together and pulling the blanket up under their chins.

“What—?” Noah said.

I leaned forward so only he and the girls would be able to hear my words.

“I think you need to counsel a couple of your…well, your closest MYFers, Noah. Ask them how come I have their blanket. Ask them where they were during this past Sunday night. And while you’re at it, you might want to think twice about letting yourself get placed in a tight little Noah sandwich in things like this trailer. I have a feeling these girls have more on their minds than church.”

He jerked upright, but I snapped the blanket backward, smashing him against the side.

“And the next time I catch any of your little lambs on my property, spray-painting obscenities or no, I’ll do more than sic my dog on them. Who,” I said to the girls, “is just fine, no thanks to whichever of you kicked her in the head. I hope her teeth marks took more than just a dab of Neosporin.”

“But—” Noah said.

“And you might want to inform them, Noah, that while your break-up with Lucy might not have been mutual, that doesn’t mean you want people thinking she’s something less than what she appears. Just because someone isn’t hot for teacher doesn’t make her a fallen woman.”

He stopped fighting his restraint now and leaned back against the trailer, his face white. He looked up to find Lucy staring at him.

“They came here?” he said quietly.

“And painted some nasty words about Lucy on the garage.”

His eyes flicked toward the rubble, then back to Lucy’s face.

“God, I’m…I’m sorry. I didn’t—”

She smiled gently. “I see that, Noah. It’s okay.”

Silence spread over the group as everyone realized what was happening. Kids all around the trailer stared at Noah, their faces reflecting his discomfort.

Noah cleared his throat. “Stella. Could you please let go of the blanket now?”

I released it. Noah pushed the blanket off his legs and stood up. Not looking at either of the girls, he turned around, put a foot on the side of the trailer, and jumped to the ground. He walked away, not looking back.

I stuck my head between the two girls and put my arms around their backs, my hands resting on the trailer. “Have a nice ride. I’ll try not to hit too many bumps.” I took a step, then stopped. “And while you’re busy pointing fingers at other people, you might want to check if the words you use just might apply to yourself.” I looked pointedly at the low necklines on the girl’s shirts, then walked away.

Lucy stood beside the tractor, her back to the trailer and her hand covering her mouth.

“You okay?” I asked.

She nodded, removing her hand. I saw she was smiling. “I can’t tell you how relieved I am that Noah didn’t do it.”

“I’m glad, too. Now, are you going to drive this tractor, or should I?”

She sighed, sliding her hands into her back pockets. “Do you mind? I’d really like to spend a little time with my folks.”

“Be glad to. Can you take a peek in the barn, though? I’m sure Zach’s fine, but just make sure everything’s okay.”

I jumped onto the tractor and took the group on a nice twenty-minute ride. I missed most of the potholes.

When we returned to the farm Lucy, Lenny, and Lucy’s father were at the campfire, roasting marshmallows. I took a seat on one of the straw bales, next to Lucy’s mom.

Lois turned to me. “Elsie tells me their quilting group sent twenty-seven comforters to Iraq for the refugees there. Isn’t that wonderful?”

Lucy’s mother-in-law, seated next to Lois, twitched her shoulders with embarrassment. “It’s not that many.”

“It is to those twenty-seven people,” Lois said. “Isn’t that right, Stella?”

“Um, sure.”

Lois sat back and sighed contentedly. “Isn’t this just a beautiful place? I’m so glad Lucy found you, Stella. I’m sure she and Tess will be very happy here.”

I looked at Elsie, whose eyes shifted away.

“I’m very glad to have them,” I said.

“Gramma!” Tess bounded up and threw herself onto Lois’ lap, almost upsetting the straw bale. Queenie trotted right behind her and sat at Lois’ feet.

Lois laughed. “Hello, sweetheart. And hello, Queenie. Did you have a nice ride?”

Tess reached down to pet Queenie’s ears. “It was great. And isn’t Queenie great, too?”

Lois laughed again, the sound open and inviting. “It’s all great.”

I looked at Elsie some more, and she finally met my eyes for a brief, revealing moment.

Elsie held her arms out to Tess. “Come here, honey.”

Tess hesitated, but Lois pushed gently on her back, sliding the girl off her lap. Tess stood stiffly at Elsie’s knees. Elsie reached out and hooked a wisp of hair behind Tess’ ear.

“You really are happy here?”

Tess looked at her, confused. “Yes.”

“You like the farm? Your school?” She hesitated. “Being with your mom?”

“Yes. Where else would I want to be?”

Where, indeed.

Elsie placed her hand on Tess’ cheek and left it there for a moment before leaning over to kiss her granddaughter’s forehead. She stood and walked over to her husband, who sat in a lawn chair, quiet and alone.

Lucy’s head jerked my way from across the circle. I nodded to her.

“Something’s happening,” Lois muttered.

“Finally,” I said. “I think we might be getting to the heart of things.”

Lois reached out and pulled Tess toward her, her eyes betraying her nervousness as she watched the Lapps confer.

Elsie and Thomas looked over toward Willard’s car, where the detective and Anita stood talking. I got up and walked casually in that direction, figuring things were about to heat up.

“What?” Willard said when I joined them.

“I think you’re about to become involved.”

A throat cleared and Thomas stood at Willard’s elbow, Elsie close behind him.

“Detective…Willard, is it?”

Willard turned. “That’s right.”

Thomas shifted his feet. “I understand you have been looking into my son’s death.”

“Yes, sir. And his accident.”

“Can you please tell me what you have found?”

Willard’s face went “professional,” and I marveled at the change in his demeanor.

“First off,” he said, “I am very sorry for your loss. I almost lost my son last month, and I can’t imagine how it would’ve changed my life.”

Thomas swallowed, and Elsie gripped his elbow, biting her lips.

“Thank you,” Thomas said.

“I understand, from talking with the Lancaster detective,” Willard said, “that you have had questions about Brad’s accident. That you weren’t sure it even was one.”

“That’s right,” Thomas said. “We think—”

“But I couldn’t find any reason to doubt your daughter-in-law’s innocence. There is nothing to point to foul play. From all investigation, everything points to a tragedy. But it’s a tragedy for everyone. For you, for Lucy, and for Tess. No one did anything to cause your son’s death. It was just one of those unfortunate things that sometimes happen to good people.”

Elsie let out a little cry and brought her fingers to her lips. Thomas stood stoically beside her, not reaching out in comfort of any kind. Lucy, however, who had come over during the last part of Willard’s speech, stretched out her hand and put it on Elsie’s shoulder.

“But there was another man,” Thomas said. “The papers said—”

“The papers were wrong.” Lucy’s voice was calm. “There was never anyone else.”

Thomas didn’t look at her, but kept his gaze on Willard.

“So I’m to believe,” he said, “that Lucy, for all her hedging and unwillingness to talk about the ‘accident,’ is innocent?”

Lucy looked at her father-in-law, her eyes dry, but deep with grief. “You can believe it, Thomas. You have to. Because I am.”

Elsie burst into tears, her shoulders shaking, and Lucy wrapped her in a warm embrace.

Thomas watched the two women with disgust, then turned and stalked toward his car, where he opened the door and got in.

“It might take him a while,” Willard said.

Anita nodded. “But I doubt I’ll hear from him anymore.”

“Thanks,” I said to Willard.

He smiled gently. “I just told the truth.”

Lucy met my eyes over Elsie’s shoulder, and I couldn’t help but wonder if anyone but she actually knew the whole truth.

Elsie and Lucy were soon joined by Scott and Deena, and I drifted away. Shelby was busy trying to wheedle her way into the van with Noah, where he sat with the driver’s door open. The MYFers had already filled the seats, and I couldn’t help but notice the girls in the back, far from their sponsor. Noah finally said something to Shelby that made her step away, and he slammed the door. The van came to life, and he backed down the drive and out onto the road.

Once he was gone Shelby, her face resigned, re-entered the rest of the world and saw her family huddled together. Alarmed, she trotted over to them.

Willard joined me at the picnic table, where I was filling a cup with lemonade. He leaned against the table and crossed his arms. “I guess I’m done here.”

We watched with interest as Brady approached Mallory, where she sat wiping chocolate and marshmallow off the faces of Scott and Deena’s kids. Mallory glanced up at Brady, a smile lighting her face.

“Not sure Brady’s done, though,” I said.

Willard smiled. “I suppose I can wait a few more minutes.”

***

Lucy, Lenny, Abe, and I stood in a small half-circle, watching the fire as it burned hot and red. Lucy’s parents had just left, and Tess had retreated to the house, exhausted but happy with the memories of a fun evening. She had no idea of the enormity of what had actually taken place.

Thomas’ anger notwithstanding, the rest of the Lapps had seemed to make their peace with Lucy, and I hoped the tentative cease-fire would last. Lucy acted hopeful, and when her in-laws—former in-laws, actually—had headed out the lane, the tears had finally come. Lenny wrapped his huge arms around her shoulders and let her cry until there were no tears left.

Mallory and Ma got a ride home with Willard so Abe could stay and help clean up. I had to grin when Mallory climbed into the back of the car with Brady. If the teenagers had their way, it looked like Willard would be getting to know Mallory pretty well within the next weeks and months.

Now, Lucy’s tears were over, and Lenny rested his arm on her shoulders. “Well, darlin’, you done real good.”

She smiled. “You think?”

“I can’t imagine they’ll be giving you any more trouble,” I said. “What could they say?”

Lucy was quiet for a moment before letting out a giggle. “Did you see Noah’s face when he realized what those girls had done, and how they feel about him? I thought he was going to faint.”

I smiled. “Talk about dense.”

Abe frowned. “What those girls did deserves—”

“They’re kids, Abe,” I said. “Well, they’re pain-in-the-ass kids, but they didn’t really hurt anybody. Lucy can take it, and I have to wonder if Noah might inform their parents. And you know they won’t be back.”

He looked uncertain.

“I’m fine,” Lucy said. “It’s nothing. What really matters is that I’m sure the in-laws won’t be trying to take Tess away anymore. I don’t know what I’d do without my sweet baby girl.”

Lenny reddened, and dropped his arm.

“Speaking of daughters,” I said. “What’s going on with yours, Lenny?”

He cleared his throat. “Actually….”

“What?” Lucy said.

“Kristi contacted me. I’m supposed to meet her at Cloud Nine tonight. At ten-thirty.”

Lucy looked at her watch. “It’s about nine-thirty now.”

“What does she want?” I asked.

“To talk.”

I shook my head. “And you believe that?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

Lucy put her hand on his arm. “She—or somebody—gave you this at your house the other night.” She touched the yellowed bruise on his cheek. “And they would’ve done more if they’d had the chance.”

“They did do more to Bart,” I said.

“But she’s my daughter.”

I looked up at the stars, at least the ones not drowned out by the lights of the nearby developments. “You can’t, Len.”

He bristled. “Why not?”

“At least you can’t go alone.”

“Oh, no,” Abe said. “You’re not going to Cloud Nine.”

I leveled my eyes at him. “Lenny needs me.”

“Stella—” Lenny said.

“There are at least two of them,” I said. “Kristi and her butt-less boyfriend. You’re not going alone.”

“Stella—” Abe said.

“Would you guys stop with the ‘Stella’ routine?” Lucy said. “She’s a grown woman. She can make her own decision.”

“Thanks, Lucy,” I said. “At least someone knows me.”

Both guys scowled at that.

“We can clean up tomorrow, Lucy,” I said.