Secret at Pebble Creek Read online

  She began laying her clothes out on the back of the sofa to get rid of the wrinkles. Tomorrow, she’d buy hangers. As she continued to pull things from her suitcase, she couldn’t stop thinking about the interesting story about Eli’s mother and father, Levi and Annie Miller. Their romance piqued her interest.

  As the pleasant scent of vanilla drifted through Old Sam’s bedroom, she imagined what the Millers must have gone through. She also wondered what Amish people would do outside of their own community. They obviously wouldn’t know how to drive a vehicle. And how could a person who’d belonged to such a close-knit group suddenly adjust to entirely different rules?

  Remembering the disapproval on Eli’s face as she’d revealed her plan to sell this property made Jessica tense. She pulled her anxiety medicine from her makeup bag. She started to open the bottle, then stopped. Did she really need it?

  She glanced at her hands. They’re shaking. She downed a pill, returned the bottle to the bag, went to the kitchen for a drink of tea, and glanced at her puzzle book on the table. Then she focused on tomorrow, when Eli and Wayne would continue the kitchen makeover.

  She stood, hands on her hips, while she pictured how the kitchen would look after they’d done the renovations she was requesting. Even though the house was outdated, she was fully aware that the place had considerable value. Location. Her agent had told her that you could always fix up a house, but that you could never move the lot.

  She lit the gas lamp above her head, then returned to the window to watch the sun take its final dip and disappear. She was grateful for gas lighting. It certainly made being without electricity a whole lot more bearable.

  I thought I’d be afraid to stay alone in the country. She lifted her chin a notch and smiled. But so far, so good. Except I wonder what Eli’s parents will say when they find out Pebble Creek will soon be on the market?

  She returned to the bedroom, where she turned down the beautiful quilt of blue hues. She slipped on her sweats and T-shirt, and sat on the edge of the bed. Tomorrow she would see Eli again. She’d find out more about her uncle. And about the rugged-looking, dark-haired carpenter.

  *

  Saturday morning, Eli and Wayne helped their daed put finishing touches on his newest project. Eli stood at the top of the ladder and carefully dipped his brush into cream-colored latex paint. John was working on another project on the north side of town.

  As the cool breeze drifted in through the open windows of the new construction, Wayne came and stood at his side and looked up.

  “You mind sharing?”

  Without responding, Eli stepped down before reaching for the paint. With great care not to spill, he poured the thick mixture into his brother’s plastic bucket while Wayne held the container very still. The scent of latex filled the air.

  Their father joined them. “Hey, ready for lunch?”

  The two boys nodded simultaneously.

  “Let’s wash up.”

  Eli and Wayne proceeded to retrieve the lids to their cans of paint and put them back on. Before stepping outside, they dropped their brushes in the soaking bucket.

  Together, they stepped to Levi’s work truck, where the senior Miller’s driver and coworker, Sherman, joined them. In their community, it was common for the driver to also work with the Amish. Eli and Wayne had their own driver. Behind the truck, Wayne grabbed the release latch, and his daed held on to the tailgate so that it would fall gently.

  One by one, the four men jumped up into the back. Eli opened the cooler lined with soft white towels, and placed it between him and Wayne. Wayne pulled out one of the Tupperware containers, and handed it to his father.

  He gave the next meal to Eli. Then he got his own. They sat on the tailgate. Behind them, Sherman sat on an extra cooler and pulled his own lunch from a paper bag. Eli peeked between the two slices of homemade bread to check what was inside. Wayne beat him.

  “My favorite. Sauerkraut and ham.”

  Levi chimed in. “And no one makes ’em better than my Annie.” He turned to Sherman.

  “Here. Take half of mine.”

  Sherman lifted a dismissive hand. “No, no. Thanks for the kind offer, but I’m fine with what I’ve got.”

  Levi leaned back to display his meal to his driver. “You sure about that?”

  Sherman laughed. “Now, you’re really tempting me.”

  Levi motioned to the cooler. “Go ahead. There’s extra.”

  Sherman finally accepted and thanked him.

  A long, comfortable silence passed while a cool breeze caressed them, and they ate.

  The cloud-filled sky certainly wasn’t a disappointment. The crops could use a good rain. The forecast looked promising, and the air already smelled of moisture.

  As Eli downed his sandwich, he glimpsed a horse-drawn buggy in the distance.

  The scent of fresh paint floated out of the open windows. A red bird perched on the limb of a small oak that decorated the large front yard of the Schrocks’ place. Behind them, landscapers planted a straight line of evergreens that would make a nice border once they filled out.

  Eli watched as two workers transported the trees, one at a time, from the back of a blue Ford pickup truck to a row of holes and placed each seedling in its spot. Two Coke cans littered the yard. Eli wondered why they couldn’t use a trash bag.

  A large sign in front of the house, near the blacktop, advertised Miller Homes. Eli took in the brand-new house his father had built. Without even looking, he knew every detail by heart: the brick archway at the entrance, tiled patio, the bay window in front of the living room.

  Eli admired the new place his father had designed and built for an elderly couple who were ready to retire. Daed had drawn up the home according to their wants and needs. In Eli’s opinion, it was his best construction to date.

  Large pillars stood on each side of the front entryway. The oversized front door arched at the top. His gaze traveled to the roof.

  Something about new construction made his heart warm. The thought of a family enjoying the house prompted a smile. He imagined a grandmother cooking homemade dishes, and little ones chasing each other in the large yard.

  For a moment, Eli dared to wonder if he’d be a father one day. He was already twenty-three. To his chagrin, the right woman hadn’t come along. He’d been told that selecting a mate meant choosing someone he could count on to do the chores. Take care of the kids. A partner he could depend on.

  Of course, he knew that marriage was about being there for each other and that physical attraction wasn’t necessary. He yearned for a wife with all the qualities he treasured, but shouldn’t there be some sort of a spark? Something stronger than friendship and counting on the other person? He hoped he’d find out. Of course, what mattered most to him was growing in Christ with his spouse.

  As Daed and Wayne chitchatted with Sherman, Eli imagined a woman he couldn’t wait to come home to. Someone he thought about all day. But was his want merely a dream? He shrugged, letting out an uncertain breath.

  The couple who would soon move into this beautiful home had four children and seven grandchildren. They had a beautiful life together.

  “Someone’s awfully quiet.” All three gazes traveled to Eli before the elder Miller spoke. “Whatcha thinking?”

  Eli waved a dismissive hand. “Ah, it’s nothing.”

  “Yeah, right.” Amusement edged Wayne’s lips as he glanced at Eli. “He’s probably got Old Sam’s niece on his mind.”

  In response, Eli grinned. “She is pretty nice.”

  Levi cut in after taking a swig of bottled water. “Hey, we haven’t talked much about Pebble Creek today. You gonna be able to do the kitchen she wants?”

  Eli chuckled. Not because the question was funny. It wasn’t. But compared to Jessica not knowing Christ, the kitchen was low on his list of concerns.

  “What’s so amusing?” His daed lifted a curious brow, downing another bite of sandwich.

  Eli contemplated his response before
he spoke. If he told the truth, the conversation might put Old Sam’s niece in a negative light. And that’s the last thing he wanted. However, on the upside, his father might have an answer. If Eli didn’t broach the subject, he’d never know.

  Eli decided to put his thoughts out there. “Daed, something’s weighing on my mind. About Jessica.”

  Levi frowned, crossed his knee and turned to face his sons. Concerned, he asked, “She’s not happy with the price?”

  Eli hesitated, trying for the right words. “It’s not that.”

  By this time, Wayne had ceased eating and stared at Eli with a raised brow.

  “While Jessica and I were in Sam’s barn looking for the fan, we had a serious conversation.” Eli continued to meet curious glances. He followed with an uncertain shrug. “She doesn’t believe, Daed.”

  A long silence followed while his sibling and father eyed him with disbelief. Finally, Levi broke the silence.

  “You mean she doesn’t believe in God?”

  The potent question prompted an emotional knot in Eli’s throat, and he tried to swallow it. He knew the issue was serious, but when he actually heard his words, he realized just how severe the situation was.

  He finally shook his head. “No.”

  Eli watched his brother’s jaw drop.

  “Now I know why you two were in the barn so long,” Wayne said. “I wondered what was up.”

  Levi’s voice was firm. “Wow.”

  “I know, Daed.”

  No one said a word. The only sounds were of shovels meeting the earth in the yard and the barely audible voices of the landscapers.

  “Eli, to be honest, what you’ve just said … well, you took me by surprise, Sohn. Round here, I’ve never come across anyone who didn’t believe in the Creator of the universe. But this is something we can’t ignore. I’ll do some serious thinking. And pray. God must have placed Old Sam’s great-niece here for a reason. Maybe he gave her to us to help God come into her heart. Now I understand why you laughed at my question ’bout the kitchen. When it comes right down to it, nothing’s as important as believin’.”

  “She seems open-minded. Said she wants to know everything about Old Sam. She loves him … she’s never said it, but I see it in her eyes. Hear it in her voice when she asks me things about him. It’s a shame they never met.”

  The senior Miller chugged water from his plastic bottle. “That’s why we need to treasure every minute here on earth. To do what’s important. Tomorrow, we can’t redo today.”

  Eli nodded agreement. “Our conversation surprised me. When she said she hoped Sam was in a good place …”

  Wayne took a swig of water and coughed. He cleared his throat.

  Eli continued. “She doesn’t know. I don’t think she’s convinced there’s not a God. At the same time, she’s not certain there is.”

  Eli glanced toward his role model. “She asked me flat out how I know God exists.” After a slight pause, he asked, “What would you have told her, Daed?” He decided to reword his question. “If you’d been in my shoes, what would you have said?”

  Wayne had become unusually quiet. So had Sherman.

  “You’ve got me on that one, Sohn.” Levi hesitated. “It’s hard to believe that anyone related to Old Sam would doubt God’s existence. The man lived by the Bible.”

  Wayne finally broke the long silence. “The more I think about it, helping her isn’t just up to you, Eli. I’ll pray, too.”

  Eli let out a breath and locked gazes with his father. “I know we have to make sure she knows God.” He lifted his shoulders in a helpless gesture. “But how do we make her believe?”

  *

  That evening, Eli knelt by his bed and pressed his palms together. The mouthwatering aroma of yeast dough filled the air. He could still taste chicken broth on his lips. As he prepared to talk with his Lord and Savior, he thought of Jessica Beachy and how she needed God in her life.

  He squeezed his eyes closed, desperate to know how to get her to know Christ.

  “Dear Lord, hear my prayer. You’ve given me so much, and I thank You for my familie, my health, our church, and our friends. But tonight I come to You in need, Lord. Please help me to say the right things to Old Sam’s great-niece about Your love for her. That You died so that all of us who believe in You will have eternal life. This is too important to make mistakes. So please fill me with the right words.”

  He followed with the Lord’s Prayer.

  “Amen.”

  *

  The next day, a thoughtful sigh escaped Jessica’s throat as she stepped outside, iced tea in hand. The calming vanilla scent from the candle burning on the table filled the air.

  The recent changes in her life made her head spin. Old Sam’s death. Her inheritance. Her temporary move. Eli. But now I’m here.

  She walked behind the house and stepped closer to Pebble Creek. Her heart rate slowed to a relaxed beat. She smiled.

  Finally, she turned and looked down at the large flower bed beside the home. A buggy wheel perched in the middle of the garden, with green vines intertwining its spokes, creating an interesting visual.

  After charging her phone in her car, she’d googled to find out what kind of flowers they were. After learning that they were called black-eyed Susans and coneflowers, she wondered if Old Sam had planted them. He must have.

  She bent to sniff the light, pleasant-smelling purple centers of the coneflowers. As she touched a fragile-looking leaf, she sorted through her swirling thoughts. She’d hesitated to come to central Illinois. After all, the countryside was a far cry from St. Louis’s hustle and bustle.

  This small town was a whole new world for her. Eli and his brother dressed differently, talked differently, lived their lives differently. She hadn’t been here long, but judging by her interactions with the Millers and what Sandy, her real estate agent, had told her, Old Sam’s community was way more conservative than what she was accustomed to.

  She lifted an inquisitive brow, sighed, took a drink, and squared her shoulders. She smiled when a monarch butterfly landed on the windowsill. In the distance, a red fox appeared and quickly disappeared. But the field behind the house presented the most interesting view of all: four horses pulled a wheeled platform with a man standing on it.

  For several moments, she thoughtfully took in the unique scene, and imagined the physical work to raise crops and make hay as opposed to using machinery. She greatly admired anyone who worked so hard.

  Brushing off the distraction, she squared her shoulders and recalled her purpose. Glass in hand, she looked around at what needed to be done and let out a deep sigh. Time to get to work. She looked up at the roof. The gutters needed to be cleaned.

  Inside, she stepped quickly from room to room, each painted a light blue. Right now, she wasn’t sure what to do with the furniture.

  She pressed her lips together in deep deliberation. She wasn’t ready to part with anything that had been owned by her great-uncle.

  She took a quick drink, and the ice clinked as she set her glass on the countertop. She ran her fingers over her forehead, pushing her bangs out of the way, and enjoyed the cool feel of air coming from the fan.

  She strummed her fingers thoughtfully against the small tiles. Using the Internet on her cell phone, she began shopping for a new kitchen window and floor tiles. As she did so, she moved closer to the fan, enjoying the strong breeze. I never dreamed I could survive without central air.

  She had become so accustomed to her way of life, she’d never really considered other ways to make do. Going without air was a hardship. But not really a big one. And to her surprise, she rather enjoyed the country smells. Between the fan and breeze coming in through the screen, she was comfortable enough.

  It didn’t take long to find the tile she wanted. She’d show it to Eli and ask him how many to order, or if he knew of a place where she could get a better price. In the meantime, she could organize the glasses and plates that had been taken out of the cabinets and
put them in boxes she’d found in one of the closets. She carefully wrapped each dish in a paper towel before placing it in the boxes.

  A couple of hours later, the boxes were full. And she was thirsty, so she grabbed her tea and took a seat at the table. As she drank Lipton, she imagined what Old Sam had looked like. I would give anything for a photo. I wonder if I inherited any of his physical traits. Or if my father had.

  She chuckled. I already think of him as Old Sam, just like Eli does. I feel like I’ve known my great-uncle forever. Of course, that hadn’t been difficult. After all, the dear man had left her this beautiful property and home. But more importantly, from Eli she knew of his kind heart and his talent.

  Jessica teared up. Taking a deep breath, she forced composure. It wasn’t her fault that they’d never met, was it? Her parents had rarely mentioned him, and when they had, there hadn’t been any hint about what a very dear person he was. Now they were gone because of a car accident.

  Surely, they’d known that he was a special individual. Is he really in heaven? Is there a God? When I asked Eli how he knew God existed, he didn’t say anything to convince me to believe .

  All the same, Eli’s confident declaration that there is a God had prompted her to think more seriously about eternity. An excited shiver darted up her spine and landed in her shoulders.

  As she sat at the table, the theory of eternity wouldn’t leave her alone. The concept had been on her mind since Eli had claimed that Sam was in heaven.

  The mere thought of living on after death seemed too big to be real, but something about it was comforting to her. It felt right. She migrated to the brown sofa that directly faced the fan, and began to dust around it. The breeze swept her hair behind her ears. It was a typical hot June afternoon. Temperature-wise, Illinois was pretty much like Missouri.

  She continued to assess what improvements would be necessary. Her thoughts drifted again to Eli Miller. To her dismay, her heart skipped a beat. She quickly reasoned that her reaction to him was due to her chaotic emotions.

  No doubt about it, she needed Eli. Not only for fix-ups, but to learn about her uncle. By the sound of it, no one had been closer to Old Sam than the Miller family. And she’d absorb every detail about Old Sam.