Chapter 24

Her house was in chaos. Both Sheriff Johnson and Deputy Ernst arrived within an hour after Tabitha had called the sheriff's department. Soon after, the deputy had called Seth so he could pick up his sister, as well as Tabitha's sister so Tabitha wouldn't be alone.

Seth, Mary, Roy, and all four boys arrived at the same time. Thankfully Tabitha had not witnessed their meeting because she'd tucked herself in the kitchen to prepare drinks for Melonie and the police officers. When the front door opened and all seven of the newcomers greeted Melonie in the living room, the conversation confirmed that the first few minutes of the meeting had been tense.

Now Tabitha was surrounded by her nephews, Seth and Roy were outside speaking with the sheriff and his deputy, and Melonie and Mary were discussing Tabitha's baskets. Chance, after greeting everyone, was asleep on the floor in front of the fireplace.

Tabitha supposed that to an outsider, it looked a bit like a party.

The reality was anything but that. When the sheriff and deputy had first arrived, they'd bagged the flowers and card as evidence. Then they'd spent quite a bit of time outside taking pictures and looking for evidence of footprints. She was pretty sure they hadn't found a thing.

Melonie had been nervous and withdrawn until Seth arrived. After he'd spoken with her quietly for a few minutes, she seemed to ease. Then, to Tabitha's surprise, Melonie refused her brother's offer to see her home. She wanted to stay and offer support. Seth and Roy, despite their tense meeting, were now all business as they asked Sheriff Johnson and Deputy Ernst questions.

As the minutes passed, Tabitha felt a bit like a pinball. She answered the sheriff's questions, consoled Melonie, reassured Seth that she was all right, and avoided Mary and Roy's questioning and pointed stares as much as she could. If all of that wasn't enough, her four nephews ran around in the midst of everything.

None of it was easy.

Finally, when it seemed no one was going to leave and the boys were growing restless, Tabitha pulled out a mixing bowl and some flour and sugar. She needed to do something, even if it was baking cookies in an attempt to prevent the boys from getting in the men's way.

"What kind of cookies are we having, Aunt Tabby?" Petey asked.

"Oatmeal."

"Oatmeal with chocolate chips?" he asked hopefully.

"Nee, child. They're plain oatmeal."

He frowned as he studied the contents of the mixing bowl. "Maybe you could add some peanut butter?"

She had to chuckle. No matter what his age or what the activity, her youngest nephew liked to push the boundaries a bit. "Perhaps another time, jah? Today it's just plain oatmeal cookies."

He gazed at her with big brown eyes. "What about butterscotch chips?"

"Stop pestering Aunt Tabby, Petey," Anson said. "You're being a nuisance."

Petey wrinkled his nose. "Is that bad?"

"Jah."

Tabitha couldn't deny that Petey did need to stop pushing her for the moon and the stars, but she was glad that she didn't need to be the one to chastise him. She was putty where all her nephews were concerned. "Anson, get out a cookie sheet, please. It's in the cabinet next to the refrigerator."

The eleven-year-old retrieved it without a problem. "Here you go."

"Danke."

"Anytime, Aunt Tab."

Returning to her side, Petey watched Tabitha mix the cookie dough and then place spoonfuls of it in neat rows on the cookie sheet. When she was done, he chirped, "Now they go into the oven?"

"Jah. Now they go in." Tapping his nose softly, she added, "And when they come out, you may have a cookie."

"Are you going to be giving the policemen cookies too?"

"I am."

"I don't know why they're walking around your yard again," Anson said. "Deputy Ernst told Jack and me that they'd combed the perimeter before we arrived."

"What does that mean?" Petey asked.

"It means they looked around," Anson told him before Tabitha could get in a word.

Petey scowled. "Daed says he don't trust the police."

Tabitha inwardly sighed. Of course her brother-in-law had to share an opinion. "These two are with the sheriff's department, dear. I'm sure he trusts them."

Anson shared a smirk with Jack, who'd just joined them in the kitchen.

"Well, they sure didn't look too happy walking around the yard," Petey said.

"I don't suppose they were." She wasn't happy either. Actually, she was wavering between nervous, scared to death, and confused by the company. She supposed the Lord had a reason for bringing all of them together at the same time, but she couldn't deny that she was finding it stressful. She was ready for everyone to go home.

"Did you do something bad, Aunt Tabby?" Petey asked.

"Nee."

"Are you sure?"

"Petey, you're being a pain," Jack called out. "Stop pestering Aunt Tabby."

Mary joined them. "Jack, be nice to your younger brothers."

Hurt flared in Jack's eyes. "Mamm, Petey is asking Aunt Tab all about the sheriff being here and if she was being bad and all this after he wouldn't shut up about needing chocolate chips in his cookies. You wouldn't have let me get away with any of that."

She frowned. "Is this true, Peter?"

"Kind of," Petey said in a soft voice.

Mary popped her hands on her hips. "Kind of?"

"Jah, it's true."

Mary sighed. "I'm sorry, Tabitha. Peter, go sit on the couch with John."

The boy's lip went out, but for once he didn't argue. He went to sit on the couch.

"Can I go see what the police and Daed are doing?" Jack asked.

Mary glanced toward the front door. "I suppose. Take Anson with you. But stay near the door in case they need you to keep out of their way."

"Fine."

Seconds later, the kitchen was quiet again. Tabitha walked to the sink to wash her hands and collect herself.

Melonie joined her and Mary in the kitchen. "Your boys make me smile, Mary."

"Would you like one or two of them? That can be arranged. Sometimes I wish they'd give me a rest."

Melonie giggled. "I think they're supposed to be inquisitive."

"If that's the case, then they're doing a gut job," Mary said.

Tabitha faced them. "I'm sorry the sheriff called you over here. It seems like a waste of your time."

"I'm not sorry. You canna be alone right now."

As much as she appreciated the company, she didn't want to cause any more strain for Mary. "But Roy—"

Mary smoothly interrupted. "Needed to see you."

"Why?"

"Tabitha, I know Roy hasn't been there for you. He knows it too." She lowered her voice. "I love my husband, but I haven't agreed with the way he's been keeping his distance from ya. I've told him that too. He's been so intent on doing the ‘right' thing, he had forgotten what that ‘right' thing was." Looking at Melonie, she added, "Furthermore, he needed to see Seth Zimmerman for himself and maybe realize that he has been too stubborn and critical with just about everyone of late." Mary raised her chin. "I've told Roy more than once that Jesus was far more accepting than he is."

Tabitha gasped. "How did he take that?"

Mary smiled slightly. "Well, he came here today, didn't he? I think that means that my reminders might have finally made a difference."

"You didn't have to stand up for me like that, Mary. I don't want to be the reason for strife between the two of you."

"You aren't, Sister. My husband is a good man, but he needed to open his eyes and face the truth. And that truth is that he was throwing stones at things instead of forgiving. I loved him enough to push him to do better."

Tabitha checked on the cookies so she wouldn't have to say anything, but really she wasn't sure what to say. All the events of the last twenty-four hours had come as a shock. "Six months ago, I would sometimes go three or four days without speaking to another person," she mused.

Mary's gaze softened. "I bet you're wishing you could kick all of us out and return to your peace and quiet."

"I was, but now I've been thinking the opposite. That even with everything that's been going on, I've still found a reason to be grateful. I'm not alone with just my thoughts for company." She smiled at Melonie. "Peace and quiet can be overrated, I think."

When Jack and Anson started tussling on the lawn in front of the living room window, Mary groaned. "No offense, Sister, but only someone who doesn't have four boys would ever say that."

They shared a smile. Tabitha didn't have any idea what the Lord had planned for her future, but this moment was a good reminder that He hadn't forgotten her. Not for a minute.