The PIECES of SUMMER Read online

  © 2013 by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  Print ISBN 978-1-62029-145-0

  eBook Editions:

  Adobe Digital Edition (.epub) 978-1-62416-080-6

  Kindle and MobiPocket Edition (.prc) 978-1-62416-079-0

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial purposes, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without written permission of the publisher.

  All scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, and/or events is purely coincidental.

  Cover design: Kirk DouPonce, DogEared Design

  Cover photography: Steve Gardner, PixelWorks Studios

  Published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 719,

  Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683, www.barbourbooks.com

  Our mission is to publish and distribute inspirational products offering exceptional value and biblical encouragement to the masses.

  Printed in the United States of America.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  About the Author

  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you:

  not as the world giveth, give I unto you.

  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

  JOHN 14:27

  CHAPTER 1

  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

  When Susan returned to work on Monday morning, she was surprised, as well as pleased, to learn that her John Doe patient had woken up from his coma.

  “He’s still groggy from all the medication,” Nurse Pamela told her as they sat at the nurses’ station going over the patients’ charts. “But at least he’s conscious.”

  “That’s really great news. The poor man has been here since January, and here it is April already. I was beginning to wonder if he’d ever wake up.”

  “We’ve all been wondering that,” Pamela said with a brief nod. “It’s always good to see a patient improve, and hopefully this man you call Eddie will recuperate fully.”

  “Was he able to say anything? Maybe tell you his name or how he got injured?”

  Pamela shook her blond head. “He responded with eyeblinks when we questioned him on how he was feeling, but he was unable to talk. Most likely, it’s due to the injury his vocal chords sustained.”

  “Hopefully, there’s no permanent damage, and he’ll be able to talk once he starts using his voice again. We need to find out who he is so we can notify his family.” Susan stepped out from behind the nurses’ station. “I’m going to his room right now to check on him.”

  When Susan entered the patient’s room, she was disappointed to see that his eyes were closed. Was he sleeping, or had he fallen back into a coma?

  She took his blood pressure and checked the rest of his vitals. Since there was no cause for alarm, she seated herself in the chair beside his bed. “Are you awake, Eddie? I heard that you opened your eyes on Saturday.”

  Susan watched closely, but there was no response. Not even a flutter of his eyelids.

  Susan placed her hand on his shoulder. “Heavenly Father, I believeYou want this young man to be well, so please continue to touch and heal his body.”

  Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania

  Meredith pushed her chair away from the sewing machine and stood. She’d received an order for several more head coverings and had been working on them all morning, so she really needed a break. Her eyes were tired, and her body ached from sitting so long. She felt like she could use a change of scenery and a breath of fresh air.

  “Think I’ll go outside and check the mailbox,” Meredith called down the stairs to Alma, who was in the basement, washing clothes.

  There was no reply. Meredith figured Alma probably had her hearing aids turned off again. Either that or she couldn’t hear because of the noise coming from the gas-powered washing machine.

  Meredith knew it wouldn’t take her long to walk to the end of the driveway to get the mail, so she slipped out the back door, figuring Alma probably wouldn’t even know she was gone. A little exercise and some fresh air would be good for her. Being outside always seemed to help, both physically and mentally.

  As Meredith approached Fritz’s dog run where he was sleeping near the gate, he awoke and started barking and jumping at the fence. “I know, pup,” she said, unlatching the gate. “You want to take a walk with me, don’t ya, boy?”

  Woof! Woof! Fritz licked Meredith’s hand and wagged his stubby tail as he romped in circles around her with his lips parted, as though he was grinning.

  “Come on then, let’s go get the mail!” Meredith clapped her hands and watched as Fritz ran ahead of her. That dog sure is schmaert. He always seems to know just what I’m saying to him.

  Meredith had just reached the mailbox when Sheriff Tyler’s car pulled in. As soon as he stepped out of the vehicle, Fritz greeted him with a yip, and pranced up beside him.

  The sheriff chuckled and bent down to pet Fritz’s head. “You’re always glad to see me, aren’t ya, boy?”

  Fritz responded with a wag of his tail.

  “Are you getting along okay?” Sheriff Tyler asked, looking back at Meredith.

  She nodded.

  “You’re not staying here alone, I hope.”

  “Oh, no. Alma Beechy’s going to be with me all week while my sister Laurie takes a little holiday to Sarasota, Florida, with her friend Barbara, who’s celebrating her birthday this week. They’re renting a small house in the village of Pinecraft, where many Amish go for vacation.”

  “I see. Well, I’m glad you’re not alone, because over the weekend we’ve had some break-ins in the area, which is part of the reason I stopped by. Besides checking to see how you’re doing, I wanted to warn you about these incidents and suggest that you keep your doors locked, even when you’re at home. Just to be on the safe side,” he quickly added.

  Meredith, already feeling a bit apprehensive, shivered and said, “I hadn’t heard anything about this before. Have many homes been affected?”

  “Just a few, and so far they’ve all been homes owned by Englishers, but I’m warning everyone in the area, just in case.”

  “Do you think it’s only one person doing these things, or could there be more?” Meredith wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer to that question, but she had to ask. Just the thought of a stranger breaking into her home, let alone several, was frightening enough.

  “Wish I could tell you the answer to that,” the sheriff replied. “Some of the victims have had more things stolen than others, and it looks like the thieves are after anything that’s valuable and could be sold.”

  Meredith gulped. “It’s hard to hear about things like that going on in other places, but you never think it could happen in your own neighborhood. Thanks for letting me know. I appreciate you stopping by.”

  “Be sure and call my office if you hear or see anything suspicious,” he said before getting back in his car and rolling down his window. “It might be a good idea to keep the number for my office in your phone shack. Oh, and please pass the word along to others you may talk to, because I might not be able to get around to everyone today.”

  “I will, and thank you again, Sheriff Tyler.” Meredith waved as he pulled his vehicle back onto the road. Then she quickly took out the mail and headed back to the house. She could see that Fritz was already waiting for he
r by the back door.

  Meredith was glad Alma would be staying with her all week, because knowing there had been some robberies in the area, she’d be even more nervous if she were here all alone.

  Her mind was already at work, thinking of ways to make it safer around her home. She was in the habit of locking her doors, especially since Luke had passed away. But even though the weather was getting nicer, Meredith decided that from now on, until the thief had been caught, the pup would be staying in the house with her more, and definitely during the night. She figured Fritz was the best burglar alarm she could possibly have.

  Meredith had just stepped onto the porch when a horse and buggy came up the driveway. She turned to look as Fritz barked. Recognizing the horse as Socks, she knew her guest must be Jonah.

  “Wie geht’s?” Jonah asked when he joined her on the porch.

  “I’m doing all right,” she replied with a smile. “If you came to see Laurie, she’s not here. In fact, she’ll be gone all week.”

  Jonah gave his left earlobe a tug. “I’m not here to see Laurie. Came to find out how you’re doing, and to give you this.” He held out a paper sack. “Happy belated birthday.”

  Meredith’s face heated. “How’d you know I had a birthday?” she asked, feeling a bit hesitant to take the sack.

  Fritz sat expectantly looking up at Jonah, probably hoping there was something in the sack for him, because whenever Jonah stopped by he usually had a treat for the dog.

  “Back when we were teenagers you mentioned your birthday in one of your letters.” He took a step closer, still holding out the sack. “I would have brought this by on your birthday, but things were busy at the buggy shop all day, and I figured you’d be celebrating with your family that evening, so I didn’t think it’d be right to come by and interrupt.”

  Not wishing to be impolite, Meredith took the paper sack, reached inside, and removed several dahlia tubers. “I’m sure these will look nice in my garden when they bloom in the fall,” she said. “Danki, Jonah.”

  “Today’s my day off, so I have time to plant them for you right now. That is, if you want me to,” Jonah said with a wide smile.

  Meredith grinned, too, noticing that Fritz had lost interest and run into the yard to chase after a squirrel.

  “I appreciate the offer, but I can put them in the ground myself,” she said, bringing her gaze back to Jonah.

  Jonah’s smile disappeared. “Okay, if that’s what you’d prefer.” He leaned on the porch railing, as though needing it for support. “Umm…Is there something else you’d like me to do?”

  She shook her head. “I can’t think of anything right now, but I do appreciate your willingness to help.”

  Fritz leaped back onto the porch and pawed at Jonah’s pant leg. Jonah’s smile returned as he bent to pet the dog. “You sure like attention, don’t ya, boy? Sorry I forgot to bring you a treat, but I’ll remember the next time I come over.”

  Fritz responded with a wag of his tail.

  “My folks’ dog, Herbie, is the same way,” Jonah said, looking at Meredith. “He just can’t seem to get enough attention.”

  “I guess most pets are like that.”

  Just then, Alma, carrying a wicker basket full of laundry, came around the side of house where the outside basement entrance was.

  “Here, let me help you with that,” Jonah said, extending his hands.

  Alma smiled appreciatively. “Danki, Jonah, that’s real nice of you. Would you mind carrying it over to the clothesline for me?”

  “Not at all.” Jonah took the basket and headed across the yard.

  Alma turned to Meredith and smiled. “Jonah is one of the nicest young men I’ve ever met.”

  “That’s what Laurie says, too,” Meredith said. “To tell you the truth, I think she might have a crush on Jonah.”

  Alma’s eyes widened. “You really think so?”

  “Jah. Haven’t you seen the way she acts when he’s around—all smiles and full of so many questions?”

  “I hadn’t really noticed.” Alma rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “But I have seen the way Jonah lights up whenever he looks at you.”

  Meredith’s face heated again, and she knew without question that her cheeks must be bright pink. If Jonah was interested in her, she wasn’t sure what to do about it. Luke had only been gone a few months, and it was too soon for her to even be thinking about a relationship with another man. Surely Jonah must realize that, too. Maybe he had no desire to be anything more to her than a good friend. Maybe Alma was just imagining things.

  And what about Laurie? Meredith thought. If she is interested in Jonah, which I’m quite sure she is, she’d be hurt if she thought Jonah was after me.

  “Please don’t say anything to anyone about your suspicions,” Meredith said to Alma.

  Alma squeezed Meredith’s arm gently. “I won’t say a thing. But mark my words: eventually that man’s gonna ask you to marry him.”

  Philadelphia

  Where am I? the man wondered as he opened his eyes. He was conscious of voices, but none of them sounded familiar. Were they discussing him? If so, why? Was he sick or injured? There must be something terribly wrong, because it hurt when he breathed, and he couldn’t talk.

  He tried to raise his head, but he couldn’t do that, either. Why did he feel so strange?

  “It’s okay, Eddie. Just lie still and relax.” A young woman with dark hair and dark eyes stood a short distance away, smiling down at him.

  Why did she call me, Eddie? Where am I? he silently screamed, but he couldn’t form the words.

  “You’re in the hospital,” the woman said, as though sensing what he wanted to know.

  How many days have I been here? How bad am I hurt? Was I in an accident or something? So many questions swam around in his brain it made his head hurt even more trying to think things through. All he wanted to do was sleep and escape the pain.

  “It’s okay,” the woman said, placing her hand on his arm. “You’ve been through a lot. What you need more than anything is lots of rest. When your throat heals sufficiently and you can talk, we hope you’ll be able to tell us who you are and what happened to you.”

  I’ve been through a lot? What does she mean? I wish I knew what happened to me, the man thought as he closed his eyes and succumbed to sleep.

  Bird-in-Hand

  That evening as Meredith lay sleeping, she was awakened by a strange noise. Fritz must have heard it, too, for he began to growl.

  Thinking maybe Alma had gotten out of bed and bumped into something in the guest room, Meredith grabbed the flashlight on her nightstand and got up. After slipping into her robe, she tiptoed across the hall to Alma’s room.

  The elderly woman lay curled on her side, snoring softly. Meredith noticed that Alma’s hearing aids were lying on the dresser, which explained why the strange noise hadn’t awakened her.

  With Fritz still growling and walking at her side, Meredith stepped back into the hall and listened. There it was again—a noisy clatter. Slowly, Meredith made her way down the stairs, with Fritz plodding right beside her, ears perked and head cocked, as though ready for action.

  When Meredith’s feet touched the bottom step, she heard the noise again—this time much louder. She was sure it was coming from the basement.

  A sense of panic welled in her chest. There was definitely someone down there. What if whoever had been breaking into people’s houses had somehow gotten into her cellar? But how could that be? she reasoned. I was careful to keep all the doors locked today.

  Then a thought popped into Meredith’s head. When Alma had done the laundry this morning, maybe she’d forgotten to lock the outside basement door. Meredith wished Luke was with her right now, because she was really scared. She was sure Luke would have known what to do. Alma was no help, either, since she was sleeping, and Meredith hated to wake her. Besides, if there was someone in the basement, what could two helpless women—one heavy with child, and one quite elderly—do to pre
vent a robbery?

  One thing Meredith knew for sure—she wasn’t going to the basement to check on that noise! Who knew what kind of person could be down there? From the sound of things, whoever it was must be rummaging through everything. In her basement were several metal storage cabinets, where Luke had kept a few extra tools that he’d used occasionally around the house. There were also some paint cans, and shelves with household supplies, such as paper towels, napkins, and garbage bags, but nothing Meredith could think of that would be of interest to a robber to steal—unless, of course, he was after the tools.

  She quickly grabbed a kitchen chair and propped it against the door, making sure the top of it was securely under the doorknob. Then, grabbing her jacket, and telling Fritz to come with her, she hurried out the back door. She needed to get to the phone shack right away and call the sheriff. She just hoped that chair would keep the intruder from entering the main part of the house, because poor Alma was still upstairs by herself.

  CHAPTER 2

  Meredith’s hand shook as she reached for the phone to dial the sheriff’s number. Thankfully, she’d done as Sheriff Tyler suggested and tacked the number for his office to the wall inside the shack. She assumed he wouldn’t be in his office at this hour, but surely someone would be there to answer the phone. Or maybe it would be better just to call 911, because she was sure whomever she talked to would send help.

  Woof! Woof! Woof! Fritz barked frantically from outside the phone shack, and Meredith cringed. Maybe I should have left him in the house to protect Alma. But if I’d done that, his barking might have woken Alma, and she wouldn’t have understood what was going on.

  Meredith felt so rattled, she could barely think straight, much less make a phone call. If Luke was here with me right now, I wouldn’t feel so afraid and confused.

  With trembling fingers, Meredith made the 911 phone call. After she’d told the dispatcher there was an intruder in her basement, she was warned not to go back in the house but to wait in the phone shack for help to arrive.