Amish Christmas Secrets
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The double doors were adorned with two large wreaths tied with shiny red bows. Potted pines, decorated with sparkling white lights and red bows, sat on each side of the double doors.
He pointed to the parking lot.
Rosie pulled her eyes from the twinkling lights and followed his gaze. Her euphoria vanished, replaced with dread as she spied a white sedan identical to the one that had tried to run her off the road yesterday.
“Stay with me,” Ezra insisted. “Do not go to work today.”
“Surely the car belongs to someone else. I will be all right, Ezra. You need not worry.”
“The blacksmith’s shop is on Sycamore Street off the square. If there is a problem, you can find me there.”
She hurried inside and passed the Christmas tree decorated with gold and red bulbs. Hurrying along the hallway to the left, she rounded an arrangement of poinsettias that surrounded a Norfolk Island pine and stopped short. A man stood in the doorway of the manager’s office. Thankfully, his back was to her, but the streak of white hair confirmed he was the same man who had attacked her last night.
The manager’s voice filtered into the hallway. “Come on in, Larry, and close the door.”
At least now, she knew his first name.
Had he found out where she worked and followed her here? Or was his presence a coincidence that had nothing to do with Rosie or her job? She would not wait to find out.
Turning down a side hallway, she hurried to the kitchen, located on the far wing, where she would hide out this morning, preparing the patients’ trays. By the time breakfast was served, the man would be gone.
At least that was her hope.
Ezra tied Bessie to the hitching rail and entered the nursing home. Whether Rosie wanted his help or not, he needed to ensure she was all right.
He walked past the Christmas tree and turned down a nearby corridor to the right, where he was greeted with a bevy of activity as aides dressed in pastel-colored scrubs hurried from room to room, waking patients and getting them ready for the new day. He headed down one hall after another, but he could not find Rosie.
Stopping in the middle of the hallway, he glanced into a patient’s room.
Someone came up behind him. “May I help you?”
Ezra turned to stare into the face of a middle-aged man with dark eyes and a receding hairline. He was big and bulky and appeared in good physical shape.
“Do you have a reason to be in Shady Manor?” the man demanded.
Ezra glanced at the name tag hanging from a lanyard around the man’s neck. Bruce O’Donnell, Shady Manor Manager.
At the end of the hallway, he spied another man. The guy with the patch of white hair stood staring at both of them.
Ezra needed a reason to be on the nursing-home premises, without making mention of Rosie. Her favorite patient came to mind.
“I know it is early,” Ezra said. “But I came into town this morning and wanted to see how Mr. Calhoun is doing.”
“Are you kin?”
Ezra shook his head. “No, but he is a nice man who enjoys company. Could you direct me to his room?”
“Visiting hours begin at nine, after the patients have eaten breakfast.” The manager pointed him toward the nearest exit.
Ezra wanted to find Rosie, but not when the man with the streak of white hair was watching his every move. He headed outside and pulled his buggy around the side of the building, where it would be less noticeable. Ezra would stand guard at the nursing home for as long as Rosie’s assailant remained inside.
In less than thirty minutes, the big man left the care facility through a side door. He walked quickly across the parking lot, climbed into his car and drove off.
Ezra let out a lungful of pent-up air. Minutes later, Rosie ran outside. Her face was pale. Tears streamed from her blue eyes.
He grabbed her hand. “Did someone hurt you?”
“Oh, Ezra!”
He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and hurried her to the protection of the buggy. “Tell me what happened?”
“Mr. O’Donnell called me to his office. He is the manager of the nursing home. He—he claimed—”
Ezra rubbed her arms and waited as she struggled to catch her breath.
“Someone told him I was snooping around in patient records last night.”
“I do not understand.”
“It probably had to do with Mr. Calhoun. I had talked to the night nurse. She planned to check his chart, but I never looked at any of his records.”
“Did you tell Mr. O’Donnell?”
“He would not listen. He said medication had been stolen, and...”
She hung her head. “He accused me of being a thief.”
“This does not make sense. Are you sure you heard him correctly?”
Rosie nodded. “He fired me, Ezra. He refused to give me my back pay and mentioned calling the police.” Her eyes widened. “I am frightened.”
He wrapped his arms around her. “Do not be afraid, Rosie. You are safe now.”
Only she was not safe, and the danger seemed to be getting closer.
She laid her head on his shoulder as the tears fell.
“Shh,” Ezra soothed. Rosie was soft and warm and smelled like lavender. Everything within Ezra wanted to take away her pain and protect her from anyone attempting to do her harm. He pulled her even closer, wishing he could wipe away her tears.
“I wanted to say goodbye to Mr. Calhoun,” she whispered. “But when I went into his room—”
“What happened?”
“Mr. Calhoun—” She glanced up. Sorrow filled her eyes. “Oh, Ezra. Mr. Calhoun is dead.”
FOUR
Rosie’s head swirled with confusion. Seeing Mr. Calhoun’s body with a sheet draped over it had startled her. Foolishly, she had thought he was asleep. When she pulled aside the cloth, she realized her mistake.
His frozen gaze and white pallor had broken her heart. Unwilling to believe what she saw, Rosie had run to the nurses’ station only to be told what she knew to be true.
Tears came again. She leaned into Ezra’s embrace, feeling the strength of him. He rubbed her hand over her shoulder and clutched her even closer.
“Last night, he was fine,” she gasped between sobs. “He was in pain, but his vitals were good. I promised him help. Nan assured me she would track down the missing medication.”
“The nurse you spoke to, do you trust her?” Ezra asked.
“Why would I not? She is new to the home and eager to make changes for the better.” Rosie sniffed and swiped her hand over her cheeks, in an attempt to wipe away her tears. “This is all so frightening. First the man chases after me, and now a patient—a gut man—dies, and I am called a thief.”
“Perhaps we need to talk to the nurse. She might provide information about Mr. Calhoun’s physical condition, including any complications that may have occurred.”
As much as Rosie wanted to remain in Ezra’s arms, he was right. Nan could provide information about Mr. Calhoun’s death.
“Nan left the nursing home shortly before I arrived this morning. She may have been with Mr. Calhoun when he died. That would bring me comfort if he had not suffered and slipped away peacefully.”
“If that is indeed so.”
Rosie stared at Ezra’s questioning gaze. “You do not believe Gott called Mr. Calhoun home?”
“I am wondering if Gott had help.”
Rosie widened her eyes. “You think foul play was involved?”
“I do not know, but one thing is certain, you need to talk to Nan. Do you know where she lives?”
“In a new area of homes on the far side of the mountain. She invited me to visit and gave me directions.”
“I will take you there.” Ezra glanced at the door to the nursing home. “We must hurry in case the manager has called the police, as he threatened to do.”
Rosie’s heart sank. If Mr. O’Donnell involved the police, she might be hauled in for questioning. Would they believe her or Mr. O’Donnell, a well-thought-of businessman within the community?
Surely Nan would provide information about Mr. Calhoun’s death. Perhaps she would also shed light on why Rosie had been fired.
Ezra helped Rosie into the buggy and then climbed in next to her. He did not want to frighten her any more than she already was, but Rosie’s world was spinning out of control. If Mr. O’Donnell filed criminal charges, she would have a hard time proving her innocence, especially if medication had, indeed, gone missing.
An innocent Amish woman was the perfect scapegoat. Rosie did not have the wherewithal to defend herself against slander. Plus, she had been involved with a man known to skirt the law when it served his advantage. The Englisch would never realize how a woman who longed for love could be blind to the truth about the man to whom she had given her heart.
To make matters worse, she had been kidnapped and held captive. A weaker woman never would have survived, but Rosie had endured the months of her pregnancy and had delivered her child in a root cellar all by herself. Ezra called that admirable and heroic, yet he doubted the local authorities would see her in a positive light.
Ezra encouraged his mare forward. Instead of taking the main road out of the nursing home, he circled to the rear of the parking lot and turned onto a backstreet.
“Does this lead to the mountain homes?” Rosie asked.
“Yah, it is a bit longer in distance, but it keeps us out of the downtown area. If the man with the streak of white hair is on the road, I do not want him to see you.”
She lowered hear head and struggled to compose herself. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer.
“After we talk to the nurse, I will take you home. We Amish do not talk about stress, but it is true that anxiety builds and rips us apart. You need time to heal.”
“I need to find out what happed to Mr. Calhoun,” she insisted.
“You also need to find out why the man with the patch of white hair is out to do you harm.”
“His name is Larry. I overheard the nursing-home manager talking to him.” Rosie wiped her hand over her cheeks. “I have so many questions. Perhaps learning about Mr. Calhoun’s death will provide a few answers.”
The community of newly constructed homes appeared on the distant hillside. “I remember when the mountains were covered with trees,” Ezra mused, thinking of the changes that came with the increase in population. “The town grows too fast.”
“Nan worked in one of the big medical centers in Atlanta. She wanted to enjoy a more rural way of life and moved here after she got the job at the nursing home.”
Ezra glanced around the side of the buggy and studied the road.
“Do you see something?” Rosie asked.
“No one in a white car, if that is your concern. I saw Larry in the nursing home earlier. I went inside to ensure you were all right, but the manager told me to leave. I mentioned wanting to visit Mr. Calhoun. Perhaps that is the reason the manager told me to leave. He knew Mr. Calhoun was dead.”
Rosie shivered.
“You are cold?” Ezra asked.
“Not cold. Just worried, especially since Mr. O’Donnell said he might call the police. What would they do to me, Ezra?”
“You have done nothing wrong.” He glanced at her, hoping to see more clearly into her heart.
Ezra considered himself a good judge of character, yet he had been wrong about people in the past. He did not want to make a mistake when it came to Rosie.
“You have done nothing wrong,” he said again. “This is right?”
She bristled. “Of course I have done nothing wrong.”
Could he believe her? Ezra hoped so.
Hearing the suspicion in Ezra’s voice, Rosie steeled her shoulders and pursed her lips, not willing to be undermined by a man who seemed supportive one minute and suspicious the next. She had revealed too much.
Earlier, she had appreciated his concern and the way he had offered comfort with his strong arms and his gentle, soothing voice. Since he had found her at the foot of the ravine, Ezra had been a rock in the midst of her chaos. Now she felt the exact opposite about him.
Ever since she had met William, her life had been anything but peaceful. The Amish way that she had loved during her youth had become confining and restrictive in her teen years. Was it William, with his free spirit, who had swayed her away from that which she knew?
She had been young and foolish. Everything that had happened—her capture and confinement—had changed her outlook. Now she had Joseph, her precious child, who gave meaning to her life. She had gained maturity through all the strife. Not the easiest way to grow up, but Gott knew what she needed.
Although sitting next to Ezra in his buggy after the death of a delightful gentleman had her questioning everything. She clasped her hands and kept her gaze on the mountain homes, unwilling to allow her emotions free rein.
“Nan told me her street is the second turn to the left.”
Ezra encouraged his mare onto the street. The steady pace of the horse’s hooves sounded as they headed up the hill. The neighborhood sat quiet in the crisp morning air.
The stillness troubled Rosie.
“There is no activity,” she said at last.
“The Englisch are at work, even the women,” Ezra explained. “Children are at day care or in school.”
“I hope Nan is home.” Rosie noted the numbers on the mailboxes and pointed to a house on the left. “There. That is the house number she gave me.”
Ezra turned his mare onto the driveway and got out of the buggy. He tied the reins to a tree and then helped Rosie climb down. All the while, he glanced around the area as if searching for anything suspect.
“You are worried?” Rosie asked.
“Not worried but cautious. As you mentioned, it is quiet here.”
They hurried to the door. Rosie knocked then glanced down the street, following Ezra’s lead. His concern added to Rosie’s unrest. She rang the bell again.
Just before she was ready to return to the buggy, the door opened. A very sleepy Nan stood in the threshold, rubbing her eyes, her red hair disheveled. “Is everything all right, Rosie?”
“I am sorry to bother you. You were asleep?”
“Not yet. I was getting ready to go to bed.” She glanced at Ezra and held out her hand. “I’m Nan Smith.”
“Forgive me for not introducing you,” Rosie said as the two people shook hands. “This is Ezra Stoltz. He agreed to drive me here. I came to find out about Mr. Calhoun.”
“Come in,” Nan said, opening the door wide.
Rosie and Ezra entered the foyer.
“I talked to one of the other nurses last night about Mr. Calhoun’s missing meds,” Nan explained. “We couldn’t find his OxyContin so I gave him a couple ibuprofen. I also called the pharmacy and left a message about the missing meds.”
“Did the other nurse know what happened?” Rosie asked.
“She didn’t seem concerned. I did a little investigating on my own and found Mr. Calhoun wasn’t the only patient with missing medication.”
“What do you mean?”
“What I mean is that Shady Manor has a problem. Many, if not most, of the patients had orders for strong opioid pain medication—hydrocodone or OxyContin—but when I searched the medication cart the meds were missing.”
“Had they already been given out?”
“Not that I could tell. I didn’t even know the opioids had been prescribed for many of the patients—patients who don’t have significant pain. I left a memo for Mr. O’Donnell.”
Nan’s forthright sharing about what had transpired last night convinced Rosie the nurse had left work unaware of Mr. Calhoun’s passing.
“Would either of you like coffee?” she asked as she ushered them into the living area. “I’ll fix a fresh pot.”
“Do not trouble yourself with coffee,” Rosie insisted.
“It’s no trouble.” Nan pointed to the couch. An overstuffed chair sat nearby. “Sit here. The coffee will not take long to brew.”
Rosie held up her hand in protest. “We can talk without coffee. There is something I must tell you.”
Nan stepped closer. “Is something wrong?”
“Mr. Calhoun died this morning.”
“Oh, no!” The nurse raised her hand to her throat. “I’m so sorry to hear that. He was in pain last night, but his symptoms weren’t life-threatening.”
“I went in his room to say goodbye—”
“Goodbye?” Nan narrowed her gaze. “Now I’m really confused. Are you leaving Shady Manor?”
“Mr. O’Donnell terminated my employment this morning. He said I had gotten involved in a situation beyond my job description. He also said I had tampered with patient medication and he threatened to notify the police.”
“You’re kidding.”
“I wish I were. He told me to leave immediately. I could not leave without saying goodbye to Mr. Calhoun. When I entered his room, I knew something was wrong. The nurse said he had suffered a heart attack.”
“Which may have occurred, although I don’t recall any record of a heart condition.” Nan shook her head. “He was such a nice man.”
Rosie agreed. “He said I brightened his days, but the opposite was true. He was considerate of my situation and always encouraged me to work hard so I could someday become independent and take care of Joseph on my own. His words were always filled with kindness and concern. You know I would do nothing to cause him harm.”
Nan rubbed Rosie’s shoulder. “You were a friend he looked forward to seeing.”
“But I do not understand what happened.”
“I’m working later today, Rosie. I’ll check his chart and see what it says. The coroner’s report won’t be back for days, but I’ll talk to the staff and see if they know anything about his death.”
“Will you be able to read the coroner’s report?”
“Perhaps.” She shrugged. “And I want to track down the reason his medication was missing as well as the pain meds for the other patients.”
“Can you talk to the pharmacist and Mr. Calhoun’s doctor?”
Nan nodded. “After I get some sleep. How will I let you know what I find out?”
Rosie glanced at Ezra.
“I will bring Rosie to your house in a day or two,” he quickly suggested.
A warmth settled over Rosie. Once again, Ezra had come to her aid. “It will not be a problem?” she asked him.
He smiled. “Perhaps then we will be able to ease your concerns about Mr. Calhoun. It will not be a problem.”
Rosie turned back to Nan. “We will see you either tomorrow or the day following to find out what you have learned.”
She hesitated a moment as a thought surfaced. “Perhaps I am being foolish, yet I must say this anyway. If you would be so kind, do not mention my name to Mr. O’Donnell. He claimed I interfered with nursing duties last night. Perhaps he feels I was too demanding in my desire to help Mr. Calhoun. Keeping my name out of the situation might be a good idea.”
Nan nodded. “You’re probably being overly cautious, but I won’t divulge your interest in Mr. Calhoun’s death. Especially since Mr. O’Donnell accused you of wrongdoing.” She patted Rosie’s arm. “I do not want to get you in more trouble.”
“Thank you, Nan.”
The nurse glanced at the wall clock. “The pharmacy will open soon. I’ll talk to the pharmacist before I get some sleep. I’m sure she can solve the problem about the missing meds. She may have information about Mr. Calhoun’s other medical problems, too. Perhaps she’ll let me know if he was prescribed any medication for his heart. I’ll also mention my concern about the number of pain prescriptions that seem unnecessary.”
Rosie was relieved, knowing Nan would get to the bottom of what was happening at Shady Manor. “By any chance, Nan, have you seen a middle-aged man with a streak of white hair at the home? His first name is Larry.”
“That sounds like Larry Wagner. He was in Mr. O’Donnell’s office the night before last. O’Donnell introduced us. Is he causing a problem?”
Rosie shrugged. “He thinks I have something that belongs to him, but he is mistaken.”
“He seems harmless, Rosie. I wouldn’t be too concerned.”
But Rosie was concerned, although she would not burden Nan with details about who Larry Wagner really was. A friend of Mr. O’Donnell’s who was out to do Rosie harm. She needed to be careful and cautious where Mr. Wagner was concerned.
Rosie squeezed the nurse’s hand. “I appreciate your help.”
“Like you, Rosie, I’ll feel better once the mystery is solved.”
After leaving the nurse’s home, Rosie followed Ezra to the buggy. She stopped for a moment to peer down the mountain. Shady Manor was visible in the distance. What was happening there that had caused a sweet old man to die?
Nan had mentioned a mystery, which was exactly what Mr. Calhoun’s death might prove to be. How did he die and why had his medication gone missing?
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