listed as much as the porch. The door hung open. “I saw movement inside.”
He reached under his jacket and touched the weapon he carried on his hip. “Hello,” Zach called. “Mr. Fisher?”
The door of the house creaked open, and the barrel of a rifle poked through the opening. Zach flicked his gaze back and forth between the barn and the house.
“Get behind me, Ella,” he said out of the side of his mouth.
She hesitated.
“Now.”
Ella did as he asked, but peered around him when the door opened a bit wider. A man stepped onto the porch. He wore typical Amish clothing and had a gray beard that added volume to his gaunt cheeks.
“He doesn’t look very friendly,” she said under her breath.
“Nor is he interested in providing a warm welcome.” Zach squared his shoulders and stared at the old man. “I thought the Amish had big hearts and a love of God and neighbor.”
Ella stepped a bit closer. “I’m guessing Sarah’s father is an exception to the rule.”
“Mr. Fisher?” Zach called again.
“Get off my land.”
“Sir, we come as friends. I’d like to talk to you. I’m an officer of the law and work with the Criminal Investigation Division at Fort Rickman. If you step onto your porch, I can show you my identification.”
“I have nothing to do with the army.”
“I’ve brought Dr. Jacobsen.” Zach pointed over his shoulder. “She has a clinic not far from here and treats Amish families. Your daughter, Sarah, is one of her patients.”
“Sarah disobeyed me.”
“Sir, she and Levi are expecting a child,” Ella interjected. “Your grandchild.”
“She lost one child, which proved Gott was upset with her and didn’t approve of the choices she made.”
“I’d like to get a family history from you, sir. That would help assure a safe delivery for your grandchild.”
“Did you have anything to do with the last baby? The baby who died?”
Ella shook her head as she peered around Zach. “No, sir. I lived in Pennsylvania at the time. I’m a widow, Mr. Fisher. Sarah said you lost your wife some years ago. I know how hard that can be. My husband worked with Amish families in Pennsylvania. You probably have kin from that state.”
“ Yah , that is right. But the English moved in and bought land, so we had no place to farm. I moved to Alabama with my wife, and to Georgia after she died. It is not good for a man to be alone.”
“I’m sorry for your loss, sir, but I want to help Sarah and your grandchild. Please, put down your gun and talk to us.”
The old man hesitated for a long moment.
“Mr. Fisher, I’m coming to you, sir.” Zach took a step forward. “We can talk on the porch.”
“Be careful,” Ella whispered.
“He’s thinking, and that’s a good sign. I want him to know that we won’t do him harm.”
The old man sighed heavily, then lowered his gun and propped it against the wall. “I will talk to you, but not because of Sarah. For the baby, I will do this. The child deserves life.”
“You’ve made a wise decision,” Ella offered. She stepped around Zach and climbed the steps. The old man motioned for them to sit in the swing, while he settled into a rocker.
“Sir, you’re not alone,” Zach said. “Someone’s in the barn. Is that a friend or family?”
“My son, Daniel. He came home to help me.”
“He’s been away?” Zach asked.
“ Yah . In Alabama, where we lived when he was a baby. My daughter lives there, as well.”
Ella smiled. “I’m sure your son was worried about you living alone here in the country. I know Sarah worries, too.”
“Sarah should have stayed with me, then I would not be alone.”
“It is right for a woman to marry, Mr. Fisher,” Ella said. “I’m sure you would agree.”
“To marry, yah . But not to marry someone her father does not approve of.”
“Do you recall anyone in your family or your wife’s family having children who were sickly or couldn’t thrive?” Ella asked.
“You mean children who
He reached under his jacket and touched the weapon he carried on his hip. “Hello,” Zach called. “Mr. Fisher?”
The door of the house creaked open, and the barrel of a rifle poked through the opening. Zach flicked his gaze back and forth between the barn and the house.
“Get behind me, Ella,” he said out of the side of his mouth.
She hesitated.
“Now.”
Ella did as he asked, but peered around him when the door opened a bit wider. A man stepped onto the porch. He wore typical Amish clothing and had a gray beard that added volume to his gaunt cheeks.
“He doesn’t look very friendly,” she said under her breath.
“Nor is he interested in providing a warm welcome.” Zach squared his shoulders and stared at the old man. “I thought the Amish had big hearts and a love of God and neighbor.”
Ella stepped a bit closer. “I’m guessing Sarah’s father is an exception to the rule.”
“Mr. Fisher?” Zach called again.
“Get off my land.”
“Sir, we come as friends. I’d like to talk to you. I’m an officer of the law and work with the Criminal Investigation Division at Fort Rickman. If you step onto your porch, I can show you my identification.”
“I have nothing to do with the army.”
“I’ve brought Dr. Jacobsen.” Zach pointed over his shoulder. “She has a clinic not far from here and treats Amish families. Your daughter, Sarah, is one of her patients.”
“Sarah disobeyed me.”
“Sir, she and Levi are expecting a child,” Ella interjected. “Your grandchild.”
“She lost one child, which proved Gott was upset with her and didn’t approve of the choices she made.”
“I’d like to get a family history from you, sir. That would help assure a safe delivery for your grandchild.”
“Did you have anything to do with the last baby? The baby who died?”
Ella shook her head as she peered around Zach. “No, sir. I lived in Pennsylvania at the time. I’m a widow, Mr. Fisher. Sarah said you lost your wife some years ago. I know how hard that can be. My husband worked with Amish families in Pennsylvania. You probably have kin from that state.”
“ Yah , that is right. But the English moved in and bought land, so we had no place to farm. I moved to Alabama with my wife, and to Georgia after she died. It is not good for a man to be alone.”
“I’m sorry for your loss, sir, but I want to help Sarah and your grandchild. Please, put down your gun and talk to us.”
The old man hesitated for a long moment.
“Mr. Fisher, I’m coming to you, sir.” Zach took a step forward. “We can talk on the porch.”
“Be careful,” Ella whispered.
“He’s thinking, and that’s a good sign. I want him to know that we won’t do him harm.”
The old man sighed heavily, then lowered his gun and propped it against the wall. “I will talk to you, but not because of Sarah. For the baby, I will do this. The child deserves life.”
“You’ve made a wise decision,” Ella offered. She stepped around Zach and climbed the steps. The old man motioned for them to sit in the swing, while he settled into a rocker.
“Sir, you’re not alone,” Zach said. “Someone’s in the barn. Is that a friend or family?”
“My son, Daniel. He came home to help me.”
“He’s been away?” Zach asked.
“ Yah . In Alabama, where we lived when he was a baby. My daughter lives there, as well.”
Ella smiled. “I’m sure your son was worried about you living alone here in the country. I know Sarah worries, too.”
“Sarah should have stayed with me, then I would not be alone.”
“It is right for a woman to marry, Mr. Fisher,” Ella said. “I’m sure you would agree.”
“To marry, yah . But not to marry someone her father does not approve of.”
“Do you recall anyone in your family or your wife’s family having children who were sickly or couldn’t thrive?” Ella asked.
“You mean children who
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