Secret at Pebble Creek Read online

  Following his gaze, Jessica motioned outside. “I was going to ask you about that. It looks like that tree’s about to fall on the house. Do you think it will?”

  He motioned. “Let’s have a look.”

  Outside, Eli and Jessica stepped to the tall oak in question. Eli enjoyed the gentle caress of breeze at the back of his neck. It was a sharp contrast to the hot stuffiness inside. He knocked on the bark, then he went around to the other side and did the same thing.

  He stopped to look at her and put a hand on his hip. “It’s hollow. It’ll have to come down. Old Sam had planned to do it, but with the pneumonia, it just never got done.”

  Eli continued eyeing the large oak. “I know someone who can take care of this.” He jotted on his notepad before returning his hand to his hip. “Anything else?”

  When she didn’t respond, he glimpsed at her list before tapping his finger against the paper, noticing a couple of additional items. “Besides a fresh coat of paint and a new window above the sink?”

  “I think, for right now, that’s about it,” she said in a serious tone. “I know this is a total makeover of the kitchen. How much will all this cost?”

  He motioned to the side door. “How ’bout we go back inside and Wayne and I will do a rough figure? Generally speaking, there’ll be a price for materials and labor. Of course, I’ll have to check with Mr. Conrad about reworking your cabinets. And without you picking out the window, tile, and countertop, I can only give a general estimate. I’m assuming you’ll want to choose the colors?”

  She nodded while reclaiming her seat. Her beautiful eyes claimed his attention. The color reminded him of the grass after a good rain.

  Long, thick, wavy hair cascaded over her shoulders and down the front of her sleeveless navy top. And her smile … You’re being ridiculous. Eli silently chastised himself and pretended to force his attention to the list.

  “While you’re doing that, could I get you a sun tea?” As she slid her chair away from the table, the legs brushed the wooden floor with a light squeak.

  She went on. “I stuck a pitcher of water with tea bags in it outside as soon as I got here.” She smiled a little. “It should be ready now. Would you care for a glass?”

  Thankful for the interruption, he relaxed. Of course, he couldn’t blame himself for his reaction to this pretty girl who couldn’t imagine life without a television.

  “Sure.”

  When she got up, he pulled his hand calculator from his pocket. His gaze followed her to the back door. The moment he heard the handle click, light summer sounds from the outside floated in. Birds chirping. The gentle lull of the breeze, and oak branches that occasionally brushed the house.

  He used the time away from her to gather his thoughts and silently chastise himself. Stop!

  Recalling his purpose, he quickly regrouped and focused on what needed to be done.

  Wayne pulled up a chair next to him. “So the cabinets are coming out. Does she want to stay with oak?”

  The door closed, and Eli looked up as Jessica entered with a glass pitcher in her hands. A piece of plastic covered the top. She faced the refrigerator. Her gaze drifted over the large door before she opened the freezer. She closed it and faced them with an amused smile.

  “Sorry. There’s no ice maker. And no trays of cubes, either. Can you drink it warm?”

  He grinned. “Not a problem.”

  “Wayne?”

  “Jah. Sicher.”

  As Eli estimated material costs and labor, he could hear the clinking of glasses against the tile countertop. A bead of sweat started down his forehead, and he caught it with his hand. Old Sam had a fan. I’ve got to find it.

  He turned to his brother. “You want to work on this while I go get us some air?”

  A quick nod followed. Eli focused his attention on Jessica. “Before we do anything else, let’s cool this place down.”

  “But—”

  “Old Sam kept his fan in the barn. I’m surprised it isn’t in the house. ’Course, the weather’s been unusually cool till now.”

  “But there’s no electricity.”

  Eli winked. “Battery.”

  Chapter Two

  Jessica walked ahead of Eli before he moved up to walk at her side on the old winding path that led to the barn. They passed Eli’s buggy, which was parked next to Sam’s. Eli’s horse was tied to the nearby post and let out a loud whinny. When Jessica glanced toward the noise, the horse repeated the sound. In front of her, two monarch butterflies fluttered. In the distance, blades of tall green weeds in the pasture dipped with the light breeze.

  Today, the heat seemed like more of a comforting cotton blanket than something to escape. The warm breeze fanned Jessica’s eyelashes.

  As they continued to the barn to get the fan, and so she could see where her uncle had made his famous hope chests, the creek became more visible. Jessica’s pulse slowed to an easy pace. Her shoulders relaxed as she focused on the view. She parted her lips in awe.

  “It’s more beautiful than anything I’ve ever seen.” She motioned with her hand.

  Next to her, Eli spoke in a low, appreciative voice. “Jah. Peaceful, isn’t it? And it’s something only God can create. His miracles are everywhere.”

  Jessica pressed her lips together thoughtfully while contemplating his words. She’d never thought of how such a view came about. Was it indeed a miracle?

  She wasn’t sure. When Eli stopped and turned to her, she immediately stopped, too, and realized that he awaited a response. She couldn’t confirm or deny his theory, so she said what she was sure of.

  “It’s so serene. It really makes you forget your worries.”

  They continued ahead. Eli didn’t respond. But it was okay. The silence between them was nice, in a comforting sort of way. She couldn’t talk about God or anything else that she didn’t know about. Why try to guess?

  As her mind drifted, the path dipped, and she began to lose her balance.

  “Oh!”

  As her ankles gave way, Eli quickly grabbed her wrist to steady her. Her automatic reaction was a surprised laugh. “That’ll teach me to daydream.” Seconds later, he dropped his hand, and she thanked him. Still, she found it difficult to focus when she missed the reassuring touch.

  What was wrong with her? She silently scolded herself. She reasoned that being out of her comfort zone was definitely getting to her.

  I’m independent. I’ve learned to roll with the punches, and I will adapt to this environment that’s very different from what I’m accustomed to. Yes, I’m here by myself. But it’s no different than being in the city, really. I’m alone there, too. The main difference is what’s around me.

  After thinking through her emotions, she lifted her chin a notch with a newfound confidence. When he glanced down at her, she looked up and smiled.

  As they neared the old barn, the air began to smell of an odd combination of woods. They stopped at the gate, and Eli moved in front of her to unbar the large wooden doors. After shoving them open, they stepped inside and looked at each other.

  “If you want to know all about your uncle, this is definitely the place to start.”

  Before she could reply, he continued.

  “Ya see, Old Sam spent the large part of his days in here. He always owned a horse. And a dog until shortly before he joined the Lord in heaven. ’Course, the last few months, he passed most of his time in bed.”

  Jessica frowned. She’d never had a conversation with anyone like this. And she’d certainly never given much thought to where her uncle was now. Joined the Lord? Did Eli really believe that?

  Eli looked down at her as if awaiting a response, so she said the first thing that came to her mind. “But you and your family took care of him?”

  “Jah. But not only us. Our entire church.” Jessica’s heart warmed at the noticeable affection in Eli’s voice. She already felt a strong bond with this handsome, dark-haired Amish man. She didn’t know him well, of course, but she coul
d tell that he was protective of Old Sam. Probably of everyone he loved.

  “We Amish look out for each other, Jessica. Materialistically speaking, I suppose we don’t have a lot. But what we do have is very important. We’re a close-knit group.” He winked. “Held together by love.”

  His eyes lit up as he spoke, and she smiled in reaction.

  “When one of us is in need, we pool our resources to cover the cost. Maemm and some church ladies took turns bringing food, keeping the house tidy, and making sure he took his meds and such. The doc, well, he said pneumonia was a tough fight. ’Course, we knew that. Especially at Sam’s age. But all through the battle, I never heard your uncle complain.”

  “No?”

  Eli’s eyes glistened with moisture. He shook his head.

  Jessica swallowed an emotional knot and considered the statement. Already she was thinking of Sam Beachy as someone extremely special. As someone she’d want to know.

  Inside, the barn smelled of grain, but as the light, warm breeze floated in through the open doors, an ambience that Jessica had never experienced made her breathe in with satisfaction.

  She looked around. To her surprise, it wasn’t dark, as she’d imagined it would be. Skylights and large windows allowed plenty of sunlight in. Of course, her uncle wouldn’t have been able to do his intricate carving in the dark.

  Eli ran a hand over one of the water troughs and stopped to glance at her. “Here’s the horse stall.” Eli chuckled. “Maemm told me that when Sam’s wife, Esther, was alive, she used to name their animals. She even fed the horses sponge cakes.”

  Jessica laughed. “Really?”

  Eli nodded. “’Course, when I was born, she’d already passed. But I feel so very privileged to have been a part of your great-uncle’s life. Knowing his beloved wife, Esther, certainly would have been a great blessing, too, but we can never have everything, ya know.”

  Several heartbeats later, she agreed.

  “I’m thankful for what I’ve had. It’s gut.”

  Jessica quickly decided she liked the way he looked at things. As she considered his theory, she realized something that nearly took her breath away. She recognized how very special this man in front of her was.

  Somehow, he’d already managed to make her feel welcome and comfortable. His soft, low voice was so convincing. Sincere. She’d never met anyone like him. And she was sure she never would.

  Bright sunlight coming in through the skylights made Jessica blink. She hugged her hands to her hips and looked around while Eli made his way to the side wall.

  She used the break from him to gather her thoughts. To compose herself. She’d never been the emotional type. Before coming here, she’d viewed things in black and white. Why on earth was her heart pumping at a runner’s pace?

  As she contemplated the potent question, she watched Eli. Finally, she figured that her emotional state must be the result of everything finally sinking in. The death of the relative she’d never met. Her surprise inheritance. The fact that this was the opportunity she hadn’t planned on to buy a home close to work. In a safe neighborhood.

  She closed her eyes a moment. Getting rid of the long, busy drive across the city would eliminate most of her stress. She shoved out a shaky breath and straightened her shoulders. There. It’s okay. As Eli made his way toward her, she smiled and focused on putting things into perspective.

  She was in a special place. This wasn’t just any barn. No. This particular building was the very place where her dear uncle had created magnificent hope chests for people all over the United States. Special works of art with significant meaning, which he carved so brilliantly. Her real estate agent had gone on and on about his talent.

  When Eli rejoined her, she looked down at her shoes as a yearning washed over her. “Eli, I have so many questions I need to ask him.” She flung her hands in the air in a helpless gesture. “If only I could sit down with him right now and talk.”

  The expression that crossed Eli’s face was so sincere and genuine, she teared up. “But I can’t.”

  A long, thoughtful silence ensued before she said the only thing that came into her head. “I hope he’s in a better place.”

  Eli’s stunned expression caused her to draw in a surprised breath.

  “Of course, he is, Jessica. He’s in heaven.”

  The statement came out so honestly and earnestly, like Eli was sure. She continued to study the sincerity in his eyes. “You really think that, don’t you?” She searched his face for an expression, but his eyes were unreadable.

  “You don’t?”

  She gave an honest shake of her head. “When my parents were alive, they never went to church. I’ve never gone, either. I don’t think they believed in God. In fact, I’m not sure He exists.” She shrugged. A nervous laugh escaped her throat. “How can you be certain?”

  She took in the stunned expression on Eli’s face. It was as if he’d never been posed the question. But her curiosity came from her heart. It was an honest question. And if he believed in heaven, he could surely tell her why.

  Jessica waited for an answer. She’d always wondered how people could believe in something they’d never seen. When he spoke, his voice was edged with compassion and conviction.

  “Jessica, there’s a God who loves you. Old Sam knew Him. In fact, I believe that’s where he got his wisdom. Near the end, we talked a lot about eternal life, the two of us. That he’d be with Esther and his four sons. And that he looked forward to seeing them and meeting God in person. Our Lord and Savior is why we’re here.”

  Eli turned and began to step away. “Go ahead.” He motioned. “Look around while I find the fan. It must be on the other side.” He offered a quick wave of his hand and turned to her before stepping away. “Oh, see that?”

  She followed his arm to the upper loft.

  She nodded.

  “There’s a window up in the hayloft that offers the most beautiful view of Pebble Creek you’ll ever see.”

  As she listened to his footsteps eventually disappear, Jessica made her way to a workbench in the center of the large structure. Immediately, she was sure that this was where her uncle had created his famous art.

  She took in the two chairs, one in front of the bench, and another on the opposite side. Displayed on the bench was a beautiful piece of wood with the beginnings of a design.

  She stepped closer for a better look and claimed the wooden chair in front. She traced her finger over what looked like the start of three separate trees. As she leaned closer, she took in the great detail of the bark and the limbs and parted her lips in awe.

  To her amazement, the depiction looked real. Old Sam had made the bark look uneven. She imagined how very talented he must have been to have done something like this.

  As she stared in astonishment at the work her great-uncle had begun, she found herself giving great thought to Eli’s comment about Old Sam having known God and that the hope-chest creator was now in heaven.

  The way his words had come out was as significant as what he’d said, as if Eli knew them, without a doubt, to be true. As she touched the detailed carving, she dared to imagine a God and a heaven.

  An amused grin followed. The picture she’d conjured up in her head reminded her of a story a parent would tell their child before bedtime. And the ending, of course, would leave the little one with a smile. But Eli hadn’t directly answered her question. How does he know there’s really a God?

  Approaching footsteps brought her back to reality. But for some reason, the concept of God and heaven stayed with her. Her curiosity was piqued. As she looked up, Eli grinned.

  “I found the fan. It’s near the entrance. It’s large, so I’ll grab it on the way out.”

  All of a sudden, a squirrel scurried in between them, meeting Jessica’s shoes. She glanced down before doing a second take. “He’s tame?”

  Eli chuckled. “You could say that. Old Sam fed him well, even bought him pecans, and as you can see”—Eli chuckled be
fore shoving his hands in his pockets—“the spoiled little guy’s not afraid to beg.”

  Jessica laughed. “Then we’d better feed him.” She looked around before meeting Eli’s curious gaze. “Where are the snacks?”

  Eli motioned to a nearby cabinet. “I’ll get them.”

  A moment later, Eli squatted and offered a treat to the small animal, who quickly accepted the nut and scurried out the open doors.

  She laughed. “So even the squirrels liked Old Sam.”

  “Jah. And trust me, the little bettler will be back for more. Don’t you worry.”

  Eli smiled in amusement before his expression turned more serious. “I see you’ve come across your great-uncle’s last project.”

  In silence, she lowered her eyes to the board on the workbench and with great affection traced her thumb over one of the trees. She looked up at Eli. “They look so … real.” She lifted her shoulders. “How did he manage to make them appear so alive?”

  Eli shrugged while he joined her in studying the details. “That’s what made him such a success. When Maemm was young, she used to spend time with him while he worked. She talked to him about things she didn’t speak about to anyone else. And while Old Sam carved, he would offer his very best advice.”

  Jessica raised a curious brow. “I wish Old Sam could’ve helped me with my problems.” She lowered her voice so that it was barely more than a whisper. “That I would’ve had him to talk to.”

  Jessica drew in a deep breath and leaned back in the chair. She looked around. The place was tidy. On the walls, rakes, pitchforks, and work tools were hung meticulously.

  Suddenly, a larger squirrel darted in through the open door, pivoted, and rushed back outside. Green leaves and twigs blew in with the breeze and made a light rustling sound against the concrete floor.

  The corners of her lips dropped a notch. Uncle Sam, you were so talented. How I wish I’d been close to you.

  “Let’s imagine that Old Sam was still alive and he offered to make you a chest.”

  Jessica beamed at the happy thought.