Lost in Plain Sight by Marta Perry Read Free Book Online Page B

in a nightgown at this time of day?”
    “I have a cold, so Leah stayed home with me,” she said, sounding pleased at the attention.
    “Ach, ja, and you shouldn’t be running around in your bare feet with a cold,” Leah scolded. “Go and get your slippers right now.”
    Sarah made a face, but she turned toward the hall. “Don’t go away before I’m back,” she said to Josiah, and she raced away.
    “Here come Mamm and Daad now,” Leah said quickly. She didn’t want Josiah to mention that moment of closeness between them. She certainly didn’t want him saying he was sorry.
    “I’ll go and help carry the groceries in,” he said, and was gone in an instant, as if he was eager to escape from her.
    There was a clamor of voices outside, and the kitchen quickly seemed crammed full as Mamm and Daad came in, followed by Josiah and the three boys, all with their arms full of groceries, all talking at once.
    Leah felt her spirits lift. The family was just like it had always been, especially when Sarah hurried back in, chattering a mile a minute and wanting to look into every box and bag. Even Daad seemed to relax, smiling at something Sarah said.
    Mamm came to the counter and began unpacking the bag Josiah had set there. She glanced at the flour Leah had measured into the mixing bowl. “If that’s for pies, you’ll need some more sugar. I’ll dump the bag I bought into the canister.”
    “I can do it, Mamm,” Leah said, but her mother was already lifting the sugar canister down from the shelf and yanking the lid off.
    “There should be enough apples—” Mamm stopped in midsentence, staring into the canister, face paling.
    “Mamm? Was ist letz?” The others hushed at the tone of her voice.
    Mamm carried the canister to the table. She tipped it on its side, and they all stared at what fell out—a packet of money.
    Daad reached toward it, separating the bills with the tip of his finger as if he didn’t want to touch them. Five of them—five hundred-dollar bills.
    The silence was so complete that Leah felt as if she could hear her own heart beating. Certainly she could feel the blood drain from her face.
    “Daughter? What is this?” Daad said the words slowly. Distinctly. “Does this have something to do with that woman’s ring?”
    Leah’s breath caught in her throat. A valuable ring was missing, and here was money that couldn’t be accounted for—unless she had sold the ring.
    “I don’t know, Daad. I don’t know where that money came from.”
    But even as she said the words, she knew how hollow they sounded. Even those who loved her could hardly disbelieve the evidence in front of their eyes.
    She looked from her father’s face to Josiah. Surely Josiah would believe her.
    But his eyes didn’t meet hers. At a gesture from her father, Josiah turned and walked out of the house.

Chapter Seven
     
    By the time the supper dishes were done, Leah was so drained she didn’t think she could bear another moment with her parents. She’d talked herself hoarse trying to explain, but still, the doubt seemed to linger in their eyes.
    Daad always came back to the same thing—where had the money come from? The only answer she could think of seemed incredible.
    Mr. Grayson had already been in the kitchen when she came down. He could have put it there. But why should he? If he and Mrs. Grayson were really in need of money, he certainly wouldn’t give it away. And if he had taken the ring himself, intending to claim the insurance money, it seemed even more unlikely.
    Then there was the obvious solution…that Leah had taken the ring and sold it. But she wouldn’t have the slightest idea how to do such a thing. Mamm had nodded when she’d said that, and Leah had felt a wave of relief. Mamm had shown her a small glimmer of belief.
    But the police wouldn’t understand or believe. She shivered. The police would surely think the money proved her guilt, and Geneva had intended to talk to Chief Byler this afternoon.