Danger in Plain Sight by Marta Perry Read Free Book Online

you are right. Esther is a strong person, and she is in God’s hands.”
Strong. Even motionless, unconscious, with tubes running into her, there was strength in the very bone structure of Esther’s face. Esther was a person who would do what she thought was right, no matter the consequences. Was that what had landed her here?
“Rebecca, you know that Esther wrote to me, didn’t you?”
“Ja, for sure. Every week. Sometimes she would read me parts of your letters, too.” Rebecca smiled gently. “She loved hearing from you.”
Libby’s throat tightened. “I felt the same. She’d tell me all the little things of her days…funny things the children said, what canning you were doing. It made me feel connected.”
“Reminded you of home, is all,” Rebecca said. “She wished you would komm back to stay.”
She nodded. That wasn’t a safe subject. She’d never told anyone, even Esther, about Adam’s connection to why she stayed away, but she’d had a feeling Esther guessed even the things she didn’t say.
“In the last month, Esther’s letters were different,” she said, feeling her way cautiously. “She seemed to be worried about something. She said she wanted to talk to me about it when I got here.”
“Ja,” Rebecca said softly. “I knew she was wanting to see you. But she didn’t say anything was worrying her.”
Libby looked at her searchingly. “Are you sure she didn’t give you any idea that she was troubled in the past few weeks?”
“Nothing.” She shook her head. “Now, if you’d said Isaac was troubled…”
A step sounded in the doorway. Libby swung around to see Esther’s brother, Isaac, standing there, watching them, and it was obvious he’d heard what his mother said.
There was an awkward silence, and then Mary Ann slipped around her husband to hurry over to her mother-in-law.
“Mamm Rebecca, you must be so tired. We are here now, so why don’t you lie down and rest a bit? That nice nurse said she has a room you can use.”
“Ja.” Isaac came closer, trying to walk softly, as if afraid of disturbing his sister. “You need some rest. And Libby, also. She can go home now.”
Libby managed a smile, trying to see the boy she’d known behind the bearded man in front of her. “I just got back. I’ll stay.”
“You should go—”
“Of course Libby will stay.” Rebecca’s voice was firm. “She is Esther’s oldest friend. What are you thinking, Isaac?”
Grown man or not, Isaac looked abashed at his mother’s words. He stared at his shoes. “I just thought…”
His words trailed off as Anna bustled back into the room, carrying a tray with the promised coffee. Bishop Amos was right behind her, and in a moment the room was filled with low voices, murmuring in a combination of English and Pennsylvania Dutch.
Libby stepped out of the way as the others joined in urging Rebecca to rest for a while. She watched Isaac bend over his sister, reaching out to her tentatively.
What had Rebecca meant? She’d implied that it was Isaac who was worried about something in recent weeks, not Esther. She studied the stiff set of his shoulders. If Isaac had been worried in the past weeks, she had a feeling he’d never admit that.
* * *
     
THE FENCE AT the edge of the road was coming toward her. Libby jerked the wheel, her breath catching, and straightened the car. Obviously she was way too tired to be driving her brand-new sister-in-law’s car.
The driveway to the Morgan farm appeared ahead of her, guarded by enormous hemlocks on either side. With a rush of relief, she turned into the narrow lane.
Thursday’s snowfall still lay in drifts in the patch of woods that screened the house, but it had melted where the sunlight hit the lawn. It had been thanks to that snowfall that she’d arrived in Lancaster County so late. Too late.
She parked on the gravel drive in front of the white frame house, pulling her key from her bag as she scurried to the front porch. Mom should have locked the door when