The Search The Secrets of Crittenden Cou - By Shelley Shepard Gray Page 0,27

longing at the entrance to the Millers’ farm. Before everything had happened, she would’ve been tempted to trespass and cross through the middle of it. The Millers didn’t care for people walking through their fields, but most people went through, anyway. Their land was vast and underutilized. The Millers were older and just couldn’t keep up with their large property like they used to. But instead of selling it to one of the many young Amish couples desperate for farming land, they’d selfishly clung to their property.

As if giving it away would diminish their importance.

Instead, their intent to keep it for themselves had made everyone feel like it was fair game. And because of that, no one had really been surprised to hear that those English girls had decided to smoke in the middle of it.

The Millers’ land had lately become something of a spot to do things in private.

She’d even heard that Perry and Frannie had met there more than once.

Remembering when he’d come home from one of their meetings so angry, she flinched . . . sensing his anger and feeling it all over again.

“Perry, what happened?” she’d asked when he’d stormed up their driveway.

To her surprise, her brother had answered immediately. “Frannie Eicher . . . she left me.”

Left? Warily, she said, “You mean that she doesn’t want to see you anymore?”

With a jerk, he shook his head. “She said I changed.”

He had. “What did you say?”

“I said if I changed, that was good. And she should want to change, too.”

Everyone knew Frannie to be one of the most easygoing women in the area. “I’m sure if you go visit her and explain that you were tired . . .”

“Tired? I’m not tired.”

Ah. So his red eyes and antsy moves didn’t stem from lack of sleep. Once again, she chided herself for being so childish and naïve. Like her parents, she’d been happy to see only what she wanted to be true.

“If you aren’t tired, then what is wrong with you?” she blurted, finally ready to hear the truth. “Why are your eyes so red and glassy?”

“I’m fine. My eyes are fine.” His voice turned hard. “Deborah.” When she’d been little, she’d truly hated her name. She had thought it far too big and old-sounding for a girl her age.

When she’d told Perry that, he’d promptly called her “D”—rarely ever addressing her by her first name.

But now, he had a new edge to his voice. She should’ve heeded it. “You are not fine,” she’d pushed. “You’re acting so harsh. Nothing like the Perry we know and love.”

He’d frozen, then looked at her like she’d just said the best thing in the world. “Gut. The last thing in the world I want to be is the Perry you knew. I’d rather die than be the way I used to be. If I’m acting harsh, then that means I’ve stopped letting others take advantage of me. That’s something, ain’t so?”

He’d pushed by her then, walking into the house, past their questioning mother. He’d closed his door and hadn’t come out until late the next day.

At first, her parents had blamed his disappearance on her. On something like sibling rivalry. Later, they were sure she’d known more than she was letting on. Of course she had. She remembered feeling so trapped, so torn. But if she told everything she knew, then she’d be betraying someone who trusted her.

Still walking, still fretting, Deborah scanned the area, hoping to see anything to take her mind off the dark memories. About a block from her house, she saw Abby Anderson, the girl who had found Perry’s body. Because she was Walker’s sister, Deborah had seen her from time to time. But they’d never had the occasion to talk.

Maybe they could now?

As the girl unabashedly stared right back, Deborah realized that Abby was probably thinking the same thing.

Eager to continue to face things instead of avoiding them, she stopped. “Hello. You’re Abby, right?”

“Yeah. It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other.” Perhaps thinking of the funeral, when a few Englischers had stayed to the back of the crowd, she bit her lip. “I mean, it’s been a while since we’ve talked.”

Amazing how even recalling the funeral could still make her choke up. “How are you?”

Abby looked at her feet. “I don’t know. Still shaken up. Would you be upset if I said that I’m sorry I found Perry?”

“I wouldn’t be upset.” Actually, she was so tired of talking around her problems, talking around