Debby Giusti - Plain Truth

The child looked at her sister. “What about Shelly?”

“She’ll wake up soon, sugar. When she does, I’ll make her an egg, too.”

Ella checked the second twin, who stirred and then snuggled down even deeper into the bedding.

“Thanks for bringing me here,” Ella whispered to Zach as they left the room. “I’m relieved knowing the girls are better.”

“Can I fix something for you folks?” Lucy asked from the kitchen. “How ’bout some coffee?”

“I need to get back to the clinic,” Ella said. “If anything changes, call me there.”

The front door opened and the twins’ grandfather entered the house. Heavyset and in his late fifties, Mr. Landers wore a plaid shirt and dark slacks.

“Are the girls sick again?” he asked in lieu of a greeting.

“No, sir.” Ella shook her head. “Both of them seem better. Stacey’s in the kitchen waiting for your wife to fix her something to eat. Shelly’s sleeping, but her fever has broken. I expect both girls to be back to normal by tomorrow morning.”

She introduced Zach.

“You’re from the fort?” the older man asked.

“That’s right, sir. I’m with the Criminal Investigation Division. We’re looking into your daughter’s attack. Mrs. Landers said you were with her at the hospital on post. How’s her condition?”

“The doctor said she’s critical and wouldn’t let me stay with her long.”

“That’s standard policy for patients in intensive care,” Ella tried to explain.

He nodded. “Hugh and I took turns. He’s having a hard time, and I’m worried about him.”

“Grandpa!” Stacey ran from the kitchen and into his open arms.

“How’s my Sassafras?”

“I’m not your Sassafras, Grandpa. I’m your Sweet Tea.”

His eyes widened. “Then you’re not Shelly?”

The little girl giggled. “Shelly’s a sleepyhead. Grandma said she’d wake up soon.”

“You’re feeling better, honey?”

The child nodded. “And hungry. Grandma wants to know if you’ll eat some eggs.”

“Tell Grandma I’m hungry enough to eat a bear.”

The girl laughed and raced back to the kitchen. “Grandpa wants bear with his eggs.”

The older man’s eyes clouded. “Don’t know what we’d do without those girls.”

“Sir, does anyone come to mind who might want to harm your daughter?” Zach asked.

He hesitated. “Hard to say.”

“So there is someone?”

Mr. Landers nodded. “Levi Miller.”

“Has he caused problems, sir?”

“Not problems, but he’s passed by a number of times in the last couple months.”

“I’m sure many Amish farmers and their families drive their buggies in front of your house,” Ella said. “You live on one of the main roads in this area.”

“But Levi is different.”

“How so, sir?” Zach asked.

“He always had his eye on Mary Kate.”

“Levi has a wife,” Ella insisted. “They’re expecting a child.”

Landers snarled. “That doesn’t make a bit of difference to some men. If I see him hanging around again, I’ll give him a piece of my mind.”

“Might be wise to notify the police, sir, if you have a grievance against Mr. Miller,” Zach cautioned.

The older man bristled. “I can take care of my family and don’t need the cops.”

“Sir, your daughter is in ICU. Someone shot her. I beg to differ. You do need law enforcement.” Zach handed the man his card. “If you see Levi around here, call me. I’ll question him.”

“I’m not sure you can help.” Mr. Landers excused himself and headed for the kitchen. “You folks can let yourselves out.”

When they’d stepped outside, Zach turned to Ella. “At some point, I’ll need to talk to Levi Miller.”

“Let me know when, and I’ll go with you. Levi’s wife is a patient of mine.” Ella headed for the car and thanked Zach as he held the door for her, before he rounded the vehicle and slipped behind the wheel.

“Mr. Landers isn’t a very welcoming man,” he said as he turned the car onto the road.

“He’s worried and not thinking rationally.”

“I’m sure that’s the case,” Zach agreed, “although there might be some truth to what he told us.”

Ella didn’t want to see Levi pulled into the investigation. He was a good man and a helpful neighbor. Again, she thought of how life had changed since the attack.

Staring out the window, she took in the rolling hills and farmland that she loved. In the distance, she could see a number of Amish homes. Their way of life had attracted her after Quin’s death, when she didn’t know where to go or to whom to turn. She’d found comfort here and a sense of welcome from some of the families.

But all that had changed when the intruder broke in last night. Could he have been stalking Mary Kate? If so, Ella refused to believe that Levi was the assailant. He was a man of peace with a sweet wife and a baby on the way.

Zach parked in her driveway and walked her to the front door of the clinic. She pulled the key from her purse, stuck it in the lock and turned the knob.

Glancing into the waiting room, she gasped. Her heart skittered in her chest and the fear she had felt last night returned full force.

“What’s wrong?” Zach asked, dropping his hand protectively on her shoulder.

“The attacker,” she whispered, unable to control the tremble in her voice. “He returned. This time, he destroyed my clinic.”

FOUR

Zach grabbed Ella’s arm and stopped her from entering the clinic. “Wait in the car. You’ll be safer there. I want to check inside to make sure no one’s lying in wait.”

Her eyes widened. “You think the attacker from last night came back?”

“He wanted something he didn’t find. Any idea what that could be?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know. I...I thought he was after Mary Kate.”

“Which might be the case. What about the children’s medical records? Could there be something in their charts that he doesn’t want revealed?”

“Maybe.”

Zach stared at Ella for a long moment and then pointed to the car. “Stay in my vehicle and keep the doors locked while I search the clinic.”

Thankfully, she complied with his instructions and hurried there. She slipped into the passenger seat, hit the lock button and nodded to him when she was securely inside.

Zach pulled out his phone and called Sergeant Abrams. “I’m at the Children’s Care Clinic. Looks like the perpetrator from last night came back. I’m going in to do a search. The doc is outside in my car. I’d appreciate a couple of your people to process the scene. We might find a print that matches something from last night.”

Disconnecting, he tugged back his jacket and slipped his SIG Sauer from its holster. He doubted the perp was still on-site, yet he didn’t want to go in unprepared. The guy wanted something, or perhaps he’d left something behind and returned to retrieve whatever he’d lost.

Cautiously, Zach entered the clinic, his eyes scanning the room, left to right. He hugged the wall and stepped through the waiting area. The door to the office hung open. Zach stared through the doorway, searching for anything amiss.

The perp had been thorough. The drawers of the doctor’s desk hung open, and the contents lay scattered on the floor. Manila folders from the file cabinet were strewn helter-skelter about the room.

Had he been hunting for a certain patient’s records? If so, who and why?

Zach checked the closets, where someone could be hiding. The medication cabinet was locked. From all appearances, drugs hadn’t been the reason for the break-in.

After moving into the hallway, Zach searched the two treatment rooms, then headed to the door that opened into Ella’s residence.