Plain Truth. Debby Giusti

looked at Zach and then back to the Freemont officer. “As you probably know, the Amish children work hard, but when their chores are finished they’re free spirits. I can see Mary Kate getting to know Levi as a youngster.”

      “Yet her father seems to harbor a grudge against Levi,” Zach interjected.

      “Landers holds a grudge against a number of people in the local community,” Abrams volunteered. “He’s known as a grumpy old man.”

      “Are you saying his animosity toward Levi should be ignored?” Zach asked.

      “Hardly.” The sergeant shook his head. “We’ll take everything into consideration, but I’m not going to falsely accuse anyone based on what a crusty old codger has to say.”

      As Zach and he continued to discuss the case, Ella rubbed her neck. Her head pounded and her body ached from the attack last night. Ibuprofen would help, but she didn’t want medication, she wanted to breathe in fresh air and feel the sunshine on her face. A more holistic approach to healing.

      “If you’ll excuse me for a minute, I’ve got a patio out back,” she said. “I just need some air.”

      Rubbing her temple, she hurried into her kitchen and out the back door. She had expected warm sunshine, but was instantly chilled by a stiff wind that blew from the west. Wrapping her arms around herself, she stared into the wooded area behind her house, seeing the fall colors and the branches swaying in the breeze. Overhead, geese honked, flying in a V formation. If only she could fly away from the chaos like them and find a peaceful spot to land that would calm her troubled spirit.

      Movement caught her eye and she glanced again at the woods. What had she seen? An animal foraging in the underbrush?

      Or...

      Ella narrowed her gaze and took a step back as if subconsciously recognizing danger. Her heart lurched. She turned and ran for the protection of her house. Tripping, she fell on the steps.

      A sound exploded in the quiet of the day.

      A ceramic flowerpot shattered at her feet.

      Another shot was fired and then another.

      She screamed, stumbled up the porch stairs and reached for the door.

      Zach was there, pulling her inside to safety. He shoved her to the floor and slammed the door. “Stay down.”

      “A man,” she gasped, her pulse racing, a roar filling her ears. “In the woods. He—he had a rifle...”

      Zach lifted the curtain ever so slightly and stared through the window.

      The two policemen raced into the kitchen. “Gunfire?”

      Zach pointed. “The doc saw a man at the edge of the forest.”

      “A dirt road runs parallel to the tree line.” Sergeant Abrams motioned to the younger officer. “We’ll head there from opposite directions.”

      Abrams radioed for more squad cars. “There’s a shooter in the woods behind the Children’s Care Clinic. We need to search the area and set up roadblocks. Someone needs to check the wooden bridge that’s along that road, as well.”

      Zach locked the doors when the two officers had left, racing away in their squad cars. The sound of sirens filled the air as more Freemont police responded to the call.

      Ella huddled against the wall in the corner, while Zach kept watch at the windows. The tension that lined his face spoke volumes about the danger, but she didn’t need to look at him to know that the situation had escalated.

      What she realized made her tremble with fear. Last night, the police were looking for an assailant who had broken into her clinic and attacked two women.

      Today that assailant had become a killer.

      And the person he wanted to kill was her.

       FIVE

      “We found spent rifle casings at the edge of the tree line,” Sergeant Abrams said, holding up the evidence bag to Ella, when he and Officer Taylor returned to the clinic.

      Seeing the casings made her feel even less secure.

      “Looks like thirty caliber.” Zach stepped closer and studied the back of one of the rounds. “They’re 30-30 to be exact.”

      Abrams nodded. “Someone was holed up for a period of time, judging from the way the underbrush was trampled down. Could have been the guy from last night. He hides in the woods and watches for the doc to return, only he can’t see the parking lot in front of the clinic.”

      “So he didn’t see squad cars parked there and didn’t realize law enforcement was on-site,” Zach mused.

      “That’s what I’m thinking.” The sergeant scratched his chin. “If he didn’t find what he wanted last night, he could have waited for the doctor to return.”

      “You’re sure he was after me?” Ella rubbed her hands together, trying to dispel her nervousness.

      “Seems that way, although we can’t be sure,” the cop said. “Folks who commit crimes aren’t always the smartest people. He might have another reason to be lying in wait. We’ll process the prints we took earlier and see if any are on the shell casings. We might find new prints that match what we lifted last night. That would mean the attacker came back. If not, we could be dealing with two independent crimes, although that doesn’t seem likely.” He looked at Zach. “Anything come to mind?”

      “Never say never.”

      Abrams nodded. “That’s exactly the way I feel.”

      The two Freemont officers headed for the door. “We’ll increase patrols in this area and keep our eyes open in case the shooter returns, but we’re finished here for now,” Abrams said. “We’ll stop by Mr. Miller’s farm and talk to him. Join us, Special Agent Swain, if you have time.”