A Perfect Square by Vannetta Chapman

"Highly Recommend" -Beth Wiseman
Also by Vannetta Chapman

Falling to Pieces
0310330440_perfectsquare_int_CS5.indd 2
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a Perect
Square
a Sh ipsh e wa n a A m i sh My s t er y
Vannetta Chapman
1/6/12 2:06 PM
ZONDERVAN
A Perfect Square
Copyright 2012 by Vannetta Chapman
This title is also available as a Zondervan ebook.
Visit www.zondervan.com/ebooks.
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Requests for information should be addressed to:
Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Chapman, Vannetta.
A perfect square : a Shipshewana Amish mystery/ Vannetta Chapman.
p. cm.(Shipshewana Amish mystery ; bk. 2)
ISBN 978-0-310-33044-8 (softcover)
1. AmishFiction. 2. MurderInvestigationFiction. 3. Shipshewana
(Ind.)Fiction. I. Title.
PS3603.H3744P47 2012
813.6dc23
2011048414
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from King James
Version of the Bible.
All Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
Any Internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers in this book
are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an
endorsement by Zondervan, nor does Zondervan vouch for the content of these
sites and numbers for the life of this book.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any otherexcept for brief quotations in printed
reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.
Cover design: Michelle Lenger
Cover illustration: Mary Ann Lasher
Interior design: Matthew Van Zomeren
Printed in the United States of America
12 13 14 15 16 17 /DCI/ 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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To my father-in-law, George Robert Chapman
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While this novel is set againstthe real backdrop of Shipshewana,

Indiana, the characters are fictional. There is no intended r esemblance
between the characters in this book and any real members of the
Amish andMennonite communities. As with any work of fiction,
Ive taken license in some areas of research as a means of creating the
necessary circumstances for my characters. My research was thorough; however, it would be impossible to be completely accurate in
details and descriptions, since each and every community differs.
Therefore, any inaccuracies in the Amish and Mennonite lifestyles
portrayed in this book are completely due to fictionallicense.
1/6/12 2:06 PM
Glossary
ackOh
grossmammigrandmother
aentiaunt
gudemariyegood morning
bopplibaby
gutgood
bopplinbabies
in liebin love
bruderbrother
kafficoffee
daadigrandfather, informal
kappprayer covering
daedfather
kindchild
dankithank you
kinnerchildren
datdad
mammmom
DietschPennsylvania Dutch
mammigrandmother, informal
dochderdaughter
naerfichnervous
dochderndaughters
narrischcrazy
eckcorner
onkeluncle
Englischernon-Amish person
Ordnungset of rules for Amish

living
fraawife
rumspringarunning around;
time before an Amish young
person has officially joined
the church, provides a bridge
between childhood and
adulthood
freindfriend
freindenfriends
gelassenheitcalmness, composure, placidity
gern gschehneyoure welcome
schweschdersister
Gottes willeGods will
was iss letzwhats wrong
grandkinnergrandchildren
wunderbaarwonderful
grossdaddigrandfather
yayes
grossdochderngranddaughters
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Chapter 1
Shipshewana, Indiana
Late October
Less than two weeks until the wedding. Deborah Yoder

glanced once at Esther, then focused again on the dirt lane, her
horse Cinnamon, and guiding the buggy down the rutted path.
On both sides of them, fields of fall corn rose, golden and
plump, ready for harvest. They shaded the lane so that the midmorning sun broke through in a slatted fashion, as if it were winking at them.
Joshua and Leah spoke in hushed tones from the backseat,
caught up in some game that children play. It never failed to
amaze Deborah how they managed to find amusement in the
smallest things. Yesterday it had been twisting stalks of corn
shucks into absurd figures.
When Esther didnt comment, Deborah looked at her friend
again. Esthers hands clutched the casserole bowl firmly, but she
managed a radiant smile.
Ya. Less than two weeks. One part of me wishes it were
tomorrow. That I could wake up and we would be living our life
together, as man and wife.
And the other part?
The other part agrees with Tobias. Theres still much to do
before he moves into my home. Were not ready, and as much as
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Id like to wish the days away, I know its all a part of the season
and something I wont want to forget. Less than two weeks. I
should be grateful for each day, as Tobias reminds me.
Deborah smiled as she began circling the small pond at the far
end of Tobias and his cousin Reubens placeactually it was their
grossdaddis place, but theyd been farming it for the last several years.
Tobias has become quite industrious since he asked you to marry
him. Hes always been a hard worker, but in the last few months its
as if hes a man on a mission. He wants everything to be perfect.
I know. Hes working even more hours at the feed store, and
he still needs to help with the harvest. Esthers hands worried
over the top of the casserole dish. Thats why I wanted to bring
them dinner. Im not sure they eat well with Reubens cooking.
Deborah laughed out loud, causing both children to pop up
and hang over the front seat. Ive no doubt theyll be glad you
made the chicken and potatoes. They dont strike me as wunderbaar cooks. Reuben burned the kaffi the last few times I stopped
by. I wouldnt fuss over them too much though. I think the
women in their family bring them dinners fairly often.
I spoke with Tobias mother Saturday when I saw her in
town. No one was coming by tonight so Esther reached out
and clutched Deborahs arm. Could you stop the buggy? Just for
a moment?
Following her friends gaze, Deborah immediately spied the
tall bunches of wildflowers growing on the ponds southwestern
side.
Black-eyed Susans swayed among autumn goldenrods, dipping and rising beside the blue water of the small pond in the late
October morning. Nearly buried in switchgrass that was close
to three-feet tall, Deborah was surprised they were able to see
the cluster of wildflowers at all. If they hadnt been riding in the
buggy, they would have missed the beautiful sight, which looked
to Deborah like colors from a patchwork quilt.
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Esthers fingers tightened their grasp on her arm. Can we
stop?
We dont have to be at Daisys Quilt Shop for another hour.
Lets pick a few.
Callie will love them, Esther agreed.
And when theyre dried, you can keep the seeds for your garden. Deborah pulled the buggy to the side, noticing that Cinnamon was acting a bit nervous, tossing her head and dancing to
the right of the road. Whoa, girl.
Will she be okay? Esther asked, even as she pulled small
quilting scissors out of her sewing bag.
Im sure. Ill stay here. You go and gather the flowers.
Later Ill regret using sewing scissors for gardening.
Callie will have cleaning solution, and youll only snip a few.
You use those for thread, not cloth. It will be fine.
I want to go, Mamm. Leahs sweet little face peeped forward
from the backseat toward her mother, Esther. She had recently
turned three and had come out of her shell quite a bit over the last
few monthsperhaps because her mother was no longer so sad.
Perhaps because her mother was in lieb.
Deborahs little Joshua wasnt far behind her.
Josh go, he said, struggling to crawl out of the buggy.
Deborah studied her son. Hed recently turned eighteen
months old, and some days she worried that hed be the last baby
shed ever hold in her arms. You? I thought youd stay with me
and Cinnamon.
Josh go, he repeated stubbornly. He continued to reach past
her, knocking the wool cap loose from his head in his attempt to
climb out of the buggy and follow Leah. He was at the stage where
he imitated Leah or Mary or his twin brothers every chance he got.
With a sigh, Deborah set him on the ground and tugged once
on his cap before he darted away. Joshua smiled up at her, cap
askew, pointed at the mare, and declared, Ceemon.
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The horse shook her head again, rattling the harness.
Ill look after Cinnamon, Deborah said as she followed them
around the buggy and stood with her hand on the mare. You two
go with Esther, but stay close to her and come back as soon as she
says. Were going to see Miss Callie this morning.
Esther allowed each child to clasp one of her hands as they
walked toward the flowers by the waters edge.
Deborah kept one eye on them as they wound their way
through the tall grass, but another part of her mind was focusing
on the mare. She ran one hand down her neck, whispering and
stroking, attempting to calm her. Still, Cinnamon shook her harness and tried to pull away. Deborah ran a hand down the length
of the mares leg, wondering if perhaps she had something lodged
in one of her hooves. Shed seemed fine trotting down the lane.
Easy, girl. Whats wrong? Patting the mares neck, Deborah
found that the horse was actually trembling. Sweat slicked her
coat though the morning was cool.
Deborahs own heart rate kicked up a notch as she responded
to the mares anxiety.
Maybe she had missed something. Perhaps there was a snake
nearby or an animal carcass in the weeds. Deborah was scanning
the surrounding area looking for the cause of Cinnamons anxiety
when she noticed where the dry grass was stamped down to the
north. It looked as if someone had traveled the opposite direction
of Esther and the children, though still heading toward the water,
sometime earlier. The path that had been beaten down was wider
than footstepssmaller than a buggy.
Like something had been dragged.
The path extended well past the area where Deborah had
stopped with the buggy ...
She glanced back to where Esther still stooped among the
flowers and the children played.
Yes, the path led to the opposite end of the pond. Deborah was
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A Perfect Square
surprised she hadnt noticed it earlier, but shed been focused on the
flowers. It was hard to imagine that Tobias and Reuben had taken
the time to come out here, unless theyd been fishing. But Tobias
had been so busy working double shifts at the feed store and on
the farm, which had left Reuben pulling extra weight in the fields.
She focused again on the scene, tried to find the piece she was
missing.
Esther and the children stood beside the water, snipping
flower stems.
A slight breeze stirred the water.
Geese crossed the blue autumn sky, heading north, their
cry piercing the morning, then fading, leaving it quiet but not
peaceful.
Cinnamon tossed her head one more time, nearly pulling the
harness out of Deborahs hand, when the mornings silence was
broken by Esthers scream.
Callie Harper clomped down the stairs from her apartment to

her quilt shop, tugging at her long, plain, dark green dress with
one hand and readjusting the tie to her apron with the other. Oh,
how Rick would laugh to see her now. There were a lot of things
her husband would be amused to know about her new life. There
wasnt a day since hed died that she didnt miss him, didnt wish
he could share things with her. This though ... oh, he would
laugh about the dress.
She wanted to reach up and scratch under the kapp on her
head, but it had taken so long to corral her shoulder-length dark
hair underneath the white bonnet, she didnt want to displace
any of it.
When she turned the corner into the shops main room, her
yellow Labrador, Max, let out a whine and placed his head on his
paws.
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Lydia, the seventeen-year-old girl who worked for her full time
now and was currently helping her stock, dissolved into a torrent
of giggles.
Why are you laughing? Callie spun in a circle. Dont I look
exactly like you?
No. Lydia collapsed onto the stool behind the counter. You
do not look like me at all.
But I pinned the dress right.
Ya.
And I put the apron on correctly, though I dont know how
you manage to tie it in the back just so. I had the hardest time
with that.
The tie is fine.
Its the kapp, isnt it? My hair isnt long like yours, but it still
didnt want to stay in. She moved to a mirror that ran along the
top of a fabric display. As she suspected, her dark hair had begun
to escape from various corners of the white kapp. She looked nothing like the neat Amish women who were her friends.
She looked like what she was: an imposter.
I dont think the kapp or the clothing is the problem. Lydia
propped her chin on her hand and studied her employer. Its not
our clothes that make us Amish. Its obvious youre only pretendingan Englischer in plain clothing.
Fix me. Callies hands flapped at her side. I have to sneak
into Mrs. Knepps store. To do that, I need to look plain.
Why?
Because.
I like how you normally dress. Why cant you look Englisch?
Shes suspicious of all Englischers.
Mrs. Knepp is suspicious of everyoneAmish or Englisch. Lydia
hopped off the stool and joined Callie in front of the narrow mirror.
You look a bit like her. Mrs. Knepp is exactly your size, only
much older.
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A Perfect Square
Shes ancient and her eyesight is poor. If I wear this, maybe
she wont recognize me. Callie squinted her eyes at the mirror.
No doubt she does a better job taming her hair.
Carefully pulling the hairpins away one by one, Lydia removed
the kapp, freeing her bosss dark curls.
Now I look like a prairie girl, Callie said.
Ya. You should change before a delivery happens by. And we
wouldnt want Trent McCallister to happen in and snap a picture
of you in this dress, then splash it across the front page of the
Shipshewana Gazette.
Both girls turned to look at the framed photo of Callie, Deborah,
and Max. The words Burglar Apprehended were printed in large
letters under their names. Max padded over and pushed his head
between their legs, as if he understood what they were staring at.
Those were the days, right boy? Callie reached down and
rubbed the Labrador between his ears, pausing to adjust his
orange-colored bandana. She might as well change back into her
clothes. She preferred to match Maxs wardrobe to hersthough
she knew it was silly. Alongside her green dress, his orange bandana looked like something out of her fall window display. They
didnt clash exactly, but it wasnt the look she aimed for when
she picked out their wardrobe. She had a nice brown jumper that
would be perfect. Im not worried about Trent. Im worried about
Mrs. Knepp. She hates me, and I dont know why.
You cant please everyone. Thats what my grossmammi says.
Were losing customers because of her. Callie walked to
the counter and straightened the stack of flyers announcing her
weekly sales. I dont mind competition, but this is growing nasty.
We could work with each other instead of against each other. Her
store is different than mine. We could be referring customers to
each other if she werent so stubborn.
You said last months profit was better than ever. The best
since you reopened the store five months ago.
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True, but
The door to the shop burst open and Trent McCallister nearly
fell through it. Wearing jeans and a long-sleeved Harley T-shirt,
with a souped-up Nikon digital camera slung around his neck, he
looked as if he belonged on the cover of a magazine rather than
in Shipshewana, Indiana. Shoulder-length sandy hair was pulled
back in a ponytail, and wire-rimmed glasses completed his West
Coast look.
His eyes widened at Callies outfit, but he didnt comment on
it. Im headed out to Tobias place. A call came in ten minutes
ago over the police scanner.
Tobias? Callie moved forward. When she did, Max moved
with her, on alert, as if hed been called to hunt.
Is Tobias all right? Lydia asked.
I dont know, but ...
Is there anything we can do? Callie began fumbling with the
tie on the back of her apron.
Callie. Trent stepped closer and put his hand on her arm,
waiting until she was still and looking directly at him. Deborah
and Esther are there.
Theyre at Tobias? Callie reached for something to sit on,
nearly stumbling. But theyre all right.
I dont know.
They have to be. Tell me theres nothing wrong with Deborah or the children. Her hand covered her mouth, as if to stop the
words that were tumbling out. Esther and Leah, theyre fine
Im not sure. Callie ... Again his hazel eyes sought hers. All
I know is that someone called in a fatality.
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Chapter 2
Deborah looked at the body of the dead girl floating facedown in the pond. She was fairly certain she didnt know her, but
how could she be sure?
One part of her wanted to step back from the waters edge,
look away, wait for the authorities to arrive and sort everything
out.
Another part of her wanted to step forward and make sure
she didnt know the teenagerthe girl looked to be between
sixteen and eighteen now that Deborahs shoes were almost in
the water. She was thin in the way of girls before theyd had
their first boppli, her white apron fanning away from her green
dressit was an attractive, harvest tone. The color of the dress
alone indicated that probably she wasnt married, as in most districts when women married they began dressing in more somber
colors.
Still, she couldnt be sure until the officers came and turned
her over. Deborah had met eccentric older Amish women who
stubbornly preferred bright colors for their dressesit wasnt
exactly a crime. One of the officers might turn over the body to
reveal a ninety-year-old woman who had been pulling flowers and
slipped to her death.
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However, if shed slipped and drowned, it wouldnt account
for the back of her kapp, which appeared to be matted with hair
and blood.
Nausea squeezed Deborahs stomach and her breakfast inched
its way up the back of her throat.
Pulse hammering, she took one step closer so that her black
shoe sank into the mud with the same weight that her heart
dropped. The hair that had worked its way out of the prayer
kappthe hair swirling around in the pond water even as fish
darted back and forth near the girlwas not gray and wiry.
No, this was a young teenage girl.
The hands floating by her sides showed no signs of age either.
Scrambling away from the water, Deborah glanced back
toward Esther and the children. They sat near the buggy, which
Deborah had moved farther down the lane, waiting for the Shipshewana police to arrive.
Reuben Fisher remained with Deborah. He stood off to the
side a bit, shoulders pulled back and feet planted firmly, as if he
expected a big storm to appear on the far side of his fields. At
five-foot-eight, he was only two inches taller than she was, but he
was much more solid. Farming was his life. It showed in the thick
muscles of his forearms and neck.
Most days, Reuben spent twelve to fourteen hours working in
the fields, and if he was kept inside because of weather, he found
work in the barn that he and Tobias had reframed into two separate spacesa living area and a work room. Plus there was the
small woodwork shop hed begun in the last year. The man didnt
abide being idle.
This morning, the look on his face remained unreadable
mouth frozen in a scowl, eyes locked on the horizon. Thirty-five
years old, his long sideburns were the same brown as the hair that
touched the collar of his shirt. But since hed never been married,
he sported no beard.
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For one fleeting second though, when hed come running to
the pond with her, Deborah thought perhaps shed seen recognition in his light brown eyes. Then any remembering had left his
expression, like the shades she pulled down over her windows in
the house to block out the dark night.
When shed asked if hed known the girl, Reuben had shaken
his head once, stuffed his hands in the pockets of his work pants,
and stared out over the waters of the pond. He hadnt moved in
the thirty minutes since.
Did they say how long it would take to get here? she asked.
Reuben shook his head slightly, but he didnt break his silence.
Did you speak to Officer Gavin?
Again the headshake.
Deborah had known Reuben all her life. Hed never been the
talkative type, but even for him this silence seemed a bit ominous.
She was about to step toward him, reach out to touch his
shoulder, and question him further when a Shipshewana patrol
car bumped down the lane. Esther, Leah, and Joshua popped up
and began waving their arms. The patrol car pulled even with
Deborahs buggy and slowed to a stop before the officer rolled
down his window and began talking to Esther.
As Deborah watched the scene play out, she noticed that Reuben never turned. If anything, the look on his face hardened.
Before she could puzzle it out, Officer Stan Taylor opened the
door to the patrol car, stood and placed his hands across the roof
of the vehicle. After hed carefully assessed the situation, he looked
toward them, looked back at her buggy, and then down at the
ground. Taking off his officers cap, he resettled it on his head, then
continued alongside the path of trampled grasswalking in the
high weeds as if he didnt want to contaminate any evidence that she,
Esther, both kinner, or the horse hadnt already managed to destroy.
Taylor fit easily into the small Amish community of Shipshewana. In fact, if Deborah remembered correctly, hed been born
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there. Old enough to be a grandfather himself, each year Deborah
expected him to retire, but he didnt. As captain of their six-man
department, he seemed to enjoy watching over Shipshewana and
tending to what little needs their small community had.
Needs like dead girls in a pond.
The brown color of Taylors eyes reminded Deborah of the
Black-eyed Susans waving by her side. They were the same shade
of brown, framed by bushy white eyebrows like the flowers petals, and they were every bit as gentle as the blooms. A protruding
stomach told Deborah that Officer Taylor wasnt having much
luck with the diet his wife had put him on. He still moved easily
down the path though, losing no time plodding toward her.
As he neared, Deborah saw his concern. She wouldnt have
been surprised if hed pulled her into a hug. Instead, he put his
hand on the end of his pistol, which remained holstered in his belt.
Are you all right, Deborah?
Ya, ya, Im fine. She couldnt stop herself from sending a
worried look Reubens way. I didnt actually find the girl; Esther
did.
I spoke with her a minute. She seems shaken, but okay. Taylor dropped into a crouch and studied the body floating a few feet
away. Reuben, any idea what happened here?
The big man turned now, and Deborah had the oddest sensation that hed been preparing himself for this moment, which
was a ridiculous idea unless he had something to hide. Of all the
people she knew, Reuben was the most forthcoming. He worked
and he worked. There was little else in his life, and she couldnt
remember a time when there had been.
Of course he visited with his family on Sundays, but other
than that he didnt even like leaving the farm.
No, Reuben said.
Taylor stood and backed away from the girl. Deborah understood enough about murder scenes to realize he didnt want to
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A Perfect Square
disturb any evidence. Pulling out his pad and pen, he turned to
her. You found her first?
Deborah knew Taylor was testing her story, since shed just
told him who found the body. She shook her head and repeated
what shed said a moment earlier. No, Esther did. We were driving up with a casserole, and wed stopped to pick some flowers.
Esther and the children walked over here while I waited with the
buggy.
You had no indication that something was wrong?
Deborah smoothed out her apron, looked back at the children.
Actually Cinnamon was acting a bit naerfich. I thought there
might be a snake nearby.
All right. So Esther had been here with the kids
Maybe five minutes when I heard her scream.
And what happened next?
Deborah felt Reuben studying her as closely as Taylor was.
She closed her eyes and allowed her mind to replay the scene,
as if she were seeing the way a quilt would piece together. She
knew the first time she told this story would be the most accurate, as each retelling of a story tended to stray further from the
truth.
Shed heard Callie say so, based on the Agatha Christie books
she read, but didnt Deborah know it from experience with her
own children?
Pulling in a deep breath, she pushed on. I ran down the path,
thinking one of the kinner might be hurt. But Leah was clutching
Esthers hand, and Esther was the one who had screamed. Joshua
had plopped down on his bottom in the grass.
Her pulse began to accelerate as she allowed her mind to
drift back over the scene. Even though she was standing by the
girls body now, telling of its discovery seemed somehow more
urgent.
Why was that?
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And then? Taylor didnt step closer. His voice was calm,
focused, recording the facts that would begin to lead them down
the path to the discovery of this girls fate.
Esther had one hand over her mouth, the other hand holding Leahs. When I arrived by the water, she pointed toward the
pond, so I followed her gaze. I thought maybe shed found a dead
animal or ... or, I dont know what. I never thought it would be
a person ... a girl.
Spiders tiptoed down her spine as she voiced the thought shed
been holding back. What if shes someone we know?
Well find out soon enough, Taylor said, his voice grim. So
are these Esthers footprints?
He pointed to the imprints in the mud leading down to the body.
No. Deborah felt the heat creep up her face. I stepped a bit
closer to see if I might know her. Im sorry if I messed up your
crime scene.
Dont worry about it. You had a natural reaction to be concerned about the girl. Looks to me like the grass was trampled
down on this side by Esther and the kids, but well have the crime
techs check their shoe sizes to confirm that. I noticed a wider path
going around the other side
Ya. Looks as if someone had dragged something through the
weeds.
Taylor paused, his eyes assessing her solemnly. You didnt
walk that way at all?
No. I stayed here, on this side.
Should be able to collect some forensic evidence then. I suspect whoever dropped her off at this siteor killed her here
did so from the ponds other side and she floated this way.
Floated? Deborah reached for the strings of her prayer kapp,
ran her fingers down the length of them.
Were on the south side, Taylor said. Winds been from the
north for several days.
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He studied the scene a moment longer, then looked back down
at his pad. County should be here in a few minutes. Lets finish up with your initial statement. After you determined it was a
person, what did you do?
Deborah tugged on her prayer kapp and looked back toward
Joshua. He was running in circles around Esther, playing with a
long reed of grass. Soon hed be finding something to put in his
mouth he shouldnt. I insisted they come away, come back from
the water and the flowers. I didnt want the children to realize
what they were seeing and grow upset. I pulled Esther and the
children down the path toward the buggy and then moved the
buggy a little farther down the lane.
Deborah peeked around Taylors uniformed shoulders to catch
another glimpse of the group still waiting on her.
Why did you move the buggy, Deborah?
What?
The buggy? It was originally parked there, right? He pointed
to a spot approximately a hundred feet from where Esther and the
children now waited. The same spot he had stopped to examine
earlier. Why did you move it farther away? The children couldnt
see the body from where you were parked at first, so why did you
move it?
Deborah smiled, remembering what Callie had told her about
an investigators attention to detail. Cinnamon was nervous,
spooked from the moment we stopped. Once Esther and the kinner came back to the buggy, the mare seemed even more agitated.
You might think it sounds narrisch, but I believe she smelled death
in the air. I wanted to move her so she would calm.
Taylor rubbed a finger across his white, bushy eyebrow as he
considered her reasoning. After a moment he seemed to accept it
and wrote an additional notation on his pad.
And then?
Esther stayed with the children and the buggywhere she is
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right now, and I ran to Reubens house. He took his buggy to the
phone shack and called you.
Turning his attention toward Reuben, Taylor mumbled, All
right. Thats all for the moment, but I still need to take a full
statement from Esther. And Ill want you to stay around in case I
have any more questions.
The children
I asked the dispatcher to send someone out to your house
when Reuben mentioned you were here. Jonas should be here
soon.
As if his words had the power to produce the people she loved,
a buggy and a truck pulled down the lane.
Deborah turned and hurried toward them, already feeling
Jonas arms around her, his dark eyes assuring her all would be
fine. But something caused her to glance back.
When she did, what she saw surprised her nearly as much as
the floating corpse.
Reuben had turned, ready to face Taylors questioning, and
for a fleeting moment, Deborah saw a look on his face. It was one
she was familiar with. One she had felt often enough when shed
miscut a bolt of cloth or spoken too harshly to one of the children.
Reubens look, though, was tinged with such pain, colored
with such heartache, that Deborahs hand went instinctively to
her throat.
It might have been only for one brief second when his thoughts
were unguarded, might have been something that Officer Stan
Taylor missed as he looked down at his pad to begin a new page
of notes, but Deborah clearly saw how Reubens expression was
temporarily consumed by regret.
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Chapter 3
Samuel watched the Englischers from his hiding spot in the

woods. Hed known the moment the taller woman started around
the south side of the pond that shed find Katies body. If he were
honest with himself, hed prayed for it. The thought of her spending one more hour in the water would have split his heart right in
twoif there was anything left of his heart to split.
He clutched his hat so tightly he could feel the brim breaking
under his fingers.
Didnt matter.
Nothing mattered now.
Crawling forward on his belly, he inched toward the top
of the slope he was lying against so he could peer more closely
at the group of p
eople gathering around the pond. There were
the two women who had arrived an hour before, their kinner,
Reuben, and the Englischers. One of the Englischers was the local
police officerSamuel knew that because of the automobile hed
arrived in as well as the uniform the man was wearing. Another
seemed to be from the local newspaper. The large magnet on the
door of his truck read Shipshewana Gazette. The truck itself
looked as though it had seen better days, even to Samuel, who
wasnt so familiar with Englisch automobiles.
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Vannetta Chapman
This man held something up and pointed it toward Katie, but
it wasnt until the sunshine of the fall day reflected off the lens
that Samuel realized it was a camera, understood that the man
was taking pictures of her, photographing her body.
Samuel backed quickly down the hill and tried to stand, but
he tripped over his pack of things and fell on top of Katies duffle.
Crawling on his hands and knees in the opposite directionany
direction away from the scene at the pondhe forgot to quiet
his movements. Sweat slicked his palms, causing leaves to stick
to them as he lunged onward like a child. And he might have
continued that way, crawling clear out of LaGrange County and
leaving their small bundle of things behind, if his stomach hadnt
stopped him near the creek.
After no more than fivemaybe sixfeet of crawling, Samuel gasped, clutched one arm across his middle, and began retching. He hadnt eaten, but the little bit of water hed had a few
hours earlier found its way up. Mostly it was dry heavinghis
body looking for something to expunge and finding very little.
His heart looking for a way to reject the final travesty of what
hed seen.
After two minutes he was done, though sweat now beaded
along his forehead, and hed lost his hat somewhere along the way.
Wiping the back of his arm across his mouth, he collapsed into
a sitting position while searching for and finding his hat. Tears
again coursed down his cheeks, through the beard that was less
than a week old.
He scratched at the stubble, and then he was lost, drifting
back to three weeks ago, when Katie had reached up and touched
his cheek that was still smooth, teased him about how quickly his
beard would come in ...
Within a month of our wedding, you ll need a comb to keep it
proper. Her palm lingered on his cheek, her brown eyes sparkling
with laughter. When she did pull her hand away, it was to twine her
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A Perfect Square
fingers with his and tug him toward the barns. You promised you
would help me name the pups today.
Pups dont need naming, Katie. Theyre only hounds.
You sound like my dat. I want to name them even if we are
selling them soon. Seems the kind thing to doassigning a name to
something that you have to feed and care for.
Next you ll be naming the cattle. Now he was teasing her,
though he didnt mind following her into the barn. He d worked all
day in her fathers fields, and passing a half hour in the barn, looking
at her pretty face, seemed a fair price to pay for naming a few hound
dogs.
Though she wore one of her old dark gray work dresses, she d
starched the white apron that covered it. Her light brown hair was
pulled back properly and covered with a white prayer kapp, but nothing could hide the prettiness of her face. Katie was one of the most
beautiful girls Samuel had ever seen, though that wasnt why he d
lost his heart to her. It was her kindness, the way she had of caring for
every little thingeven hounds that would soon be gone.
Course I wouldnt name cattle. Cows dont crawl up in your lap
or lick your hand.
Gut thing, Samuel muttered.
Katie stepped closer as they moved into the shelter of the barn.
When we have our own place, I d like to have a pup. Theyre gut for
warning of snakes and also in case someone approaches who shouldnt
be about.
And what stranger would be approaching here? Your family lives
so far out, visitors are rarer than snow in September. Samuel tried
to hold the criticism from his voice, but wasnt quite successful. He
didnt realize he might have sounded a bit harsh until she turned to
gaze at him with an expression that was now solemn. I didnt mean
to judge, Katie.
Glancing to the right then to the left as they walked down the
length of the barn, Katie pulled Samuel into the last stall. The dog
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Vannetta Chapman
and her pups lay in a shaft of light in a corner on top of a pile of hay,
but Katie ignored them, her attention focused completely on him.
Does it bother you so much, Samuel? Be honest with me. Do you
regret working for my father?
How could I regret it, when I wouldnt have grown so close to
you otherwise?
It was Gottes wille, ya?
Ya, I believe it was.
But now
Now, I wonder if perhaps we should stay here after we marry,
or
Or move off on our own. Move north to Shipshewana, where you
can work in the RV factories. She crossed over to the pups, selected the
smallest, and picked it up, cuddling it closely.
Its what Ive said before. Here the work is endless, and Im not
sure we ll ever make enough to get ahead. Look at how your father
struggles. There hasnt even been time to begin building our own
house, though he promised.
I know he did. And he meant to, but the summer crops
I understand his reasons, Katie. I understand. Samuel was running his hand up and down his jawline, trying to puzzle out all the
emotions and conflicting thoughts running through his mind, when
Katie stepped close to him, cupping her hand over his.
It ll grow in nice and thick, Samuel. I can tell. Might not even
take a month. Then you ll be needing a comb.
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Chapter 4
Reuben watched Deborah walk away. Watched her walk

toward Jonas, Esther, and her Englisch friends Trent and Callie.
Jonas wrapped his arms around her; then Esther and the children joined in the circle. Almost immediately, Callie Harper was
pulled into their midst, and though Trent McCallister stood on
the outside, soon he, too, was shaking hands with Jonas, tousling
the bopplins hair, and lightly touching Deborahs and Esthers
arms.
Good people, every one of them. Rueben hadnt been much
help when Deborah was trying to clear the Englisch womans
name in the murder investigation last summer. Seemed ironic
now. One thing he could bet the crops in his east field onif
Deborah Yoder said a person was honest and true, it was a fact.
Pulling in a deep breath, he forced his attention to the officer
who stood waiting.
Didnt allow himself to stare into the water.
Wouldnt let himself look at Katie.
Though part of him needed to.
Are there any corrections youd like to make to Deborahs
statement?
No.
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Vannetta Chapman
Do you know who the girl in the water is, Mr. Fisher?
He didnt answer that one. Reuben knew who Captain Stan
Taylor was. In a town as small as Shipshewana, you came to know
everyones name fairly quickly, and theyd both lived there as long
as either could remember. After a long silence, Officer Taylor
hitched up his pants and sighed before moving on to the next
question. Reuben had seen Taylor around town plenty of times.
Never had cause to speak to him before. Never had cause to like
or dislike him.
Any idea how she came to be in your pond? Taylor asked.
Reuben shook his head.
Another police vehicle pulled in behind the truck that had
brought Trent and Callie.
Reubens jaw began to ache from clenching it.
Taylor snapped his notepad shut. Were not making any
progress with my questions. How about you tell me what you do
know.
Until that moment, Reuben had avoided looking directly
at the Englischer, but now he sensed the challenge in the mans
words. He forced himself not to move, not to react physically in
any way. That was easy enough after years of practicing gelassenheit. But of course this wasnt a normal situation, and he didnt
feel anything close to calm or composed.
Was the girls death Gottes wille?
Hard to imagine.
Didnt mean hed be willing to work with the Englischer
though.
Well? Officer Taylor asked. Do you have anything to add?
Reuben met his gaze, not attempting to hide his contempt.
No.
Taylor stepped closer, close enough that Reuben could smell
the mans sweat. He remembered then this officer had once
worked in the Englisch prisons, had been a supervisor of sorts
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A Perfect Square
there. Tobias had told him all about it. Taylor had herded people
in concrete jails at the county facility on the outskirts of town.
Hed heard it was only for women, and only minor offenses at
that, but the thought still turned his stomach. In other words, he
was as foreign to Reuben as the scene unfolding before him right
this minute.
A dead girl shows up in your pond, less than a mile from your
front door, and you dont see or hear a thing? I might believe that
of a woman working in the home or garden, or a man who is a
bit slovenly or absentminded. Taylor stepped back as the other
officer approached, though he didnt stop speaking. But from
the looks of your farm, Mr. Fisher, youre aware of everything that
happens in every field. I dont quite believe that someone killed
and dumped this girl and you didnt see a thing.
Taylor turned and walked away, toward the other officer, leaving Reuben by the pond with Katie.
For the first time in many years, Reuben no longer felt distanced from other p
eopleseparate, as though he were watching
from the outside.
No, standing beside the water, unable to turn and look at the
girl who still hadnt been fetched, who couldnt yet be properly
buried, he felt completely involved in lifeinvolved in a way that
stirred an ache all the way to the marrow in his bones. An ache
that spoke to the regret for the things hed done in the last fortyeight hours, the decisions hed made.
Decisions that couldnt be changed.
Not now.
Though he was large, though he felt the strength hed always
known running through his muscles, Reuben was sure that his
heart had been shattered in two.
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Chapter 5
Callie flew straight into Debs arms.

It didnt occur to her until later that her best friend might
have wanted some time alone with Jonas. No. Callies single
thought had been that she needed to be sure Deborah was all
right, that she wasnt hurt, that the callthe fatalityhadnt
involved her.
When Trent had driven up, shed spotted Esthers tall
form immediately. With relief, shed seen both of the younger
childrenJoshua and Leah. But when she hadnt seen Deborah,
her heart had stopped in her chest.
Someone called in a fatality. Trents words had echoed
round and round through her head as they traveled from town.
Max stood in the small space behind the single bench seat
inside Trents truck, his head resting over the back of the seat
between her and Trent.
At one point on the ride over, Trent had tried to console her
with we dont knows but shed waved him off, pulled her feet up
underneath her dress, and wrapped her arms around her knees.
Some part of her realized she looked ridiculous still wearing the
Amish clothing, but she didnt care.
She needed to see Deborah.
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A Perfect Square
She needed to know her friend wasnt hurt.
Deborah couldnt be dead.
With the weight of a bolt of cloth, it hit herDeborah was
the closest thing Callie had to family.
She couldnt bear the thought of losing her too. Shed only
recently begun to heal from all the trauma in her life. First the
death of her husband, not even two years ago. Theyd had no children, but there had been the one miscarriage. Shed felt so alone,
so deserted when Rick had died. Then shed received the letter
informing her Aunt Daisy had passed away. She hadnt intended
to move to Shipshewana. Deborah would say God had plans for
herperfect plans. All of that had led to Callie becoming the shop
owner of Daisys Quilt Shopand, yes, she could see how it had all
worked for the good, as Deborah was fond to quote. This, though
this couldnt be good.
Jonas was ahead of them in his buggy. Hed pulled up beside
Esther and the children. Callie jumped out of Trents truck before
it came to a complete stop. Even from a distance, she could see the
anxious expression on the face of Deborahs husband.
Jonas tossed the reins of the horse on a nearby bush, not looking where they landed. His face pale around his beard, he strode
toward Esther and scooped up Joshua, whod run toward him.
Callie, maybe you should give them some time. Trent
reached out for her arm. She heard his words, knew he might be
right, but she could no more have stayed away than they could
have held back the sunrise that morning if theyd all stood against
the eastern horizon and pushed.
Running toward the group, Max at her heels, Callie saw Jonas
glance up and then south, around the curve of the pond, where
Esther was pointing.
Finally, finally Callie saw a splash of color from Deborahs
dark gray dress, then her white kapp, then the bit of her blondishbrown hair that had escaped from her kapp.
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Vannetta Chapman
Finally she saw Deborah standing and talking to Officer Taylor and Reuben.
Callie skidded to a stop so fast Max loped past her, then
turned around and gave her a quizzical look.
Trent caught up and placed a hand at the small of her back.
What is it?
Bending over, Callie pressed one hand to her side, rubbing at
the stitch that had appeared. She hadnt run that far, but perhaps
shed forgotten to breathe. Perhaps her fear had stolen her breath.
Or perhaps shed finally realized the value of friendshipon this
bright fall morning, standing beside Reubens pond.
In that moment Callie realized Deborahs friendship was more
dear to her than she would have guessedDeborahs and Esthers
and Melindas.
Shed known it when theyd all faced danger before.
And she knew it again now.
Perhaps some lessons had to be learned anew each day.
Callie? Whats wrong? Then Trent must have caught sight of
Deborah and Taylor and Reuben, because he began rubbing her
back in small circles. Shes all right. Deep breaths. I believe you
might be having a panic attack.
I thought it was ... She waved toward the south end of the
pond. I thought the dead person ...
I know. I know what you thought. Trents voice was calm,
solid, ever the newspaper man, but under that she heard her
friendand maybe, possibly, something more. Where Trent was
concerned, she still hadnt decided. Are you okay, gorgeous?
Pulling in a deep breath, Callie stood straighter, adjusted her
long dress, and smiledthough it felt shaky and unnatural.
Yeah, Im fine.
Lets go see Jonas then and find out what this is all about.
Then Trent raised his Nikon camera and clicked a shot.
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A Perfect Square
Deborah reached her family and freinden mere moments after she
saw Callie and Trent arrive.
How are you? Jonas asked, running his hand up and down
her arm.
Are we free to go? Esther looked worried, but steadier than
before, holding on to Leahs hand.
Tell me you were never in danger! Callie cried, throwing her
arms around Deborahs neck.
Joshua reached for Deborah too, pulling at her dress with
his chubby hands and saying over and over, Mamm, Mamm,
Mamm, in a sing-song voice. That he was completely unaware of
what was going on brought her some measure of peace.
Trent stood back, taking it all in and trying to calm Max,
who looked as if he wanted to leap into the middle of their gettogether. Deborah did notice that his camera was slung around
his neck, and he kept looking over at the murder scene.
Murder scene.
Was she really involved in another murder?
Perhaps it was an accident.
But the injury at the back of the girls head ... Had there really
been blood seeping through her kapp?
How could this happen?
She lived in a town of six hundred residents. Thered probably only been three murders there in the last twenty years:
Esthers husband, which no one in her community considered a
murder; Stakehorns homicide, which theyd stumbled into while
attempting to sell their quilts; and now this. Surely it was a coincidence that they had happened to stop and ended up finding
the girl.
Well? Can you go home? Jonas pulled Joshua away and set
him down on the ground. Immediately her son ran to Max and
began patting the dog around his harvest-orange bandanaa
color that most certainly did not match Callies dress.
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Vannetta Chapman
Callies dress. It was Amish. Deborah opened her mouth to
ask, but stopped when Callie held up her hand.
Dont ask, Callie said. I see your question, and dont ask. It
can wait. Tell us what Taylor said. Can you answer Esthers question? Can you leave?
Leahs tired, and Id like to be at home. Esther pushed at a
wisp of hair that had escaped her kapp. Not to mention I think
the casserole I made for Tobias is ruined by now. A silly thing for
me to think about, I know.
Im afraid we have to stay, Deborah said. At Esthers look of
dismay, she added, The kinner can go, of course. Jonas, would
you mind?
Not at all. I can take them home.
Could you take Leah by one of my schweschderns? Esther
straightened her daughters dress, kissing her on the cheek as she
did. If its not too much trouble.
Your schweschder Miriam is the closest. Ill take her by there
on the way home.
Thank you, Jonas.
But how long do you have to stay? Why do you have to stay?
Havent you already talked to Taylor? Callie moved her arms up
and down as the questions spurted out of her like hot grease popping out of a pan.
Deborah smiled her first genuine smile in what felt like days.
What? What did I say? Callie asked.
I think its the dress, Trent whispered, then scooted around
the group and began snapping pictures of the crime scene.
Oh. I forgot. Yes, well. Ill explain this Callie smoothed
down the apron over her dress, grateful Lydia had at least removed
the kapp. Ill tell you about it later. What happened, Deborah?
Who died?
Deborah felt Jonas and Callie grow still and quiet, turn toward
her, and wait for her answer. She found herself seeking Esthers gaze.
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A Perfect Square
Who had died?
No, Esther didnt know either.
They hadnt had a chance to talk about it. Hadnt had a
moment alone since Esthers scream and Deborahs run to find
Reuben. But she knew in that moment that Esther had no idea
who the girl was either.
We dont know, she said, shaking her head. I dont think
anyone knows. Wed stopped to pick flowers
What if we hadnt? Esther asked. How long might she have
stayed there, undiscovered?
Not so long, I expect. Animals would have found her, and
Reuben would have noticed that. Jonas picked Joshua up again
as the boy ran back to him and tugged at his fathers pants leg. Is
she Amish or Englisch?
Shes wearing Amish clothing, though I dont suppose that
means she is plain. Deborah again took in Callies clothing, wondering absently what her friend had been up to while at the same
time it occurred to her there would probably be several reasons
why someone might want to appear to be Amish.
So if you spoke to Officer Taylor, why do you have to stay?
County personnel are coming, Deborah explained. Well
have to give our statement again, and Officer Taylor hasnt had a
chance to actually question Esther at all. I think he didnt want
to go into detail with her in front of the kinner.
County personnel? Esther frowned as she motioned Leah
away from Max. You dont mean
But she didnt have to say Shane Blacks name. Before she
could finish her question, they all heard two more cars bumping
down the lane and watched them pull into the now-crowded area
surrounding the pond.
Deborah would probably never feel completely comfortable
with the county sheriff, who was tall, lanky, with dark, piercing
eyes. But hed saved her life. Hed been there for her and Callie
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Vannetta Chapman
when they needed him most. For that Deborah was willing to
overlook the fact that some in their Amish community were ill at
ease around him, including herself and Esther.
Shane Black might not do things the way they wanted
them done. He was patient to the point of resembling a bulldog
more than a man at times, but he did it for the good of their
communitythe community of Shipshewana, both Amish and
Englisch.
It could be for this situation, for the girl still waiting in the
pond, that Shane was precisely the person they needed.
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Chapter 6
Shane was friendly enough as he greeted everyone, though

he was quick and to the point, no doubt wanting to get down to
business. It seemed to Deborah that his gaze lingered a moment
on Callie, but she might have imagined that.
She had thought after the brush with death theyd experienced
together, Callie and Shane might have a blossoming romance
going on, but even after growing up beside Englischers, she still
couldnt claim to completely understand their ways.
Stakehorns murder had been solved in June. Whenever
Shanes name was brought up, Callie still became flustered, but
as far as she knew, Callie and Shane hadnt shared even one buggy
ride since that time.
You ladies found the deceased? Shane asked.
I didnt, Callie squeaked.
Why are you in that dress?
Why is everyone worried about my clothing? Maybe I like
Amish clothes. Maybe its the new fall fashion. Callie crossed her
arms around her middle and pulled in her bottom lip.
Shane placed both hands on his hips, scanned the site again,
as if he were expecting another body to pop up, then focused on
Callie. I thought maybe youd fallen in the water and Deborah
had loaned you something to wear, but apparently not.
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Callie stepped forward.
Deborah recognized her posture and the expression on her
faceshe was ready to start an argument, and that would most
certainly not help the situation right now. She neednt have worried though, Shane had already dismissed her with a wave of his
hand and moved on. So who exactly
It was Esther and myself, Deborah said, and the children.
But Taylor said they could go home with Jonas now.
Shane ran a thumb along his bottom jaw, and Deborah
knewshe was certain beyond the smallest doubthe was considering how to get a statement out of Leah and Joshua.
Ya, Im taking them home now. I wasnt even here, Shane.
Havent seen anything other than my fraa, and Id like to see
her again before the day wears on too long. Jonas nodded at the
officer as he shifted Joshua to his other arm and reached down for
Leahs hand. I know youll finish as quickly as you can.
Then he was gone, walking toward his buggy, not waiting for
permission or any sort of confirmation. Deborah wanted to run
after her husband and throw her arms around his neck. Thank
him for bulldozing past Shane Black. She could tolerate standing
here and answering his questions another hour or two, as long as
their children were home and away from this scene of death.
Shane mumbled something under his breath as Jonas walked
away but made no move to stop him. Instead he turned and
shouted at Trent, who was still snapping photos for the newspaper. Take it easy, McCallister. Dont step on my crime scene.
Ill stay back the standard distance. Trent gave the Englisch
thumbs-up sign as he began to circle the site.
And dont take any identifying photos of the deceased, Black
barked. We want to notify her family before they read about it
in the Gazette.
Shes facedown in the pond, officer. They wont identify her
from my photos.
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A Perfect Square
Shane ran his hand up and around the back of his neck. All
right, ladies. Take me through what happened from the moment
you arrived.
Callies hands came up, palms out. I wasnt even here. I heard
there was a fatality
How did you hear? Shane asked.
Trent has a scanner. Callies eyes were as wide as a does, her
voice now sweet and charming.
Deborah wanted to laugh ... the Amish clothing did make
it hard to look at her without smiling. Her shaggy hair was so
incongruous with the plain clothes, and besides, this was Callie,
her closest Englisch friend.
So you ran over when you heard about a fatality.
No. Well, yes. But its not like I have a fascination with death
or murder investigations. Im not creepy or obsessed or anything.
Callie patted Max, who whined softly as he pressed against her
side. Trent mentioned Deborahs and Esthers names. I was worried. Theyre like family to me.
She linked arms with the two women.
Deborah had the image that they were forming a walla
wall of friendship against whatever was coming toward them. She
couldnt imagine what it was, but she had a feeling it might be more
than the investigation regarding the body floating behind them.
Shane began his line of questioning, asking the same questions Taylor had asked her earlier. Esther repeated the exact same
answers Deborah had given before, which was a bit surprising.
Deborah knew enough about police and questioning to understand that if you had two witnesses, you usually had two different
stories. It was human nature, rather like wearing two different
types of glasses.
Human perception colored how one understood what they
saw. Listening to Esthers answers closely, Deborah noted they
were identical to hers in nearly every way.
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The single difference being the one thing Esther had noticed
about the girl, the one thing Deborah hadnt seen.
Youre sure about this? Shane asked.
Ya. I was bending down to cut the flowers. Why, do you
think its important? It might have been nothing.
Describe it to me again. Anything you can remember.
I dont remember it, not really. I was too frightened, worried
about hurrying the children away.
Then close your eyes and describe the moment before you
thought of the children.
Esther hesitated, but finally shut her eyes and began recounting what had happened two hours earlier. I had moved closer
to the waters edge to reach some of the autumn goldenrods.
I thought how lovely they would look on Tobias table, how I
wanted to take some to Callie as well, how the seeds would dry
just so. I thought to plant them in my garden where the ground
stays damp from the drip irrigation system my bruders set up last
year.
A northern wind rattled the trees around them, and Esthers
hand automatically reached for her kapp, steadying it on her head.
But she didnt open her eyes. As I bent to cut the flowers, I saw
something in the water, something sparkling. It wasnt blue like
the water was blue. It was darker. It caught the light, reflected it
for a moment.
Shane looked to Deborah for confirmation, but she only
shrugged then shook her head no. Shed seen nothing when she
arrived except the body. Perhaps shed been too surprised or too
worried over calming Esther and the children. Her first thought
had been that there was a snake in the grass, so shed been too
frightened to notice anything in the water.
Then, when shed seen the body, shed been focused on trying
to determine the girls identity. She hadnt seen anything else in
the water.
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A Perfect Square
What else, Esther? Shanes voice was gentle, smooth, like the
molasses Deborah poured over the childrens morning biscuits.
Then I heard Leah giggle and Joshua say something. I turned
toward them
Right or left?
Eyes still closed, Esthers right hand came out. To my right,
to check on them, and that was when I saw the body.
Esther opened her eyes, looked from Callie to Deborah to
Shane. Thats it. Thats all I remember. Do you think its
important?
It could be. You did well, Esther. One more question. Youre
sure you saw the shiny object first, to the left of the body?
Yes. Esther smoothed her apron with her right hand. Callies
arm remained firmly linked with Esthers left, as if she was afraid
the woman would run away.
Isnt it a little odd that you didnt notice the body as soon as
you walked up? Shane glanced down to where Taylor was still
speaking with Reuben. Doesnt look like its far from the waters
edge.
Obviously you havent been around Esther when she has her
mind on flowers, Callie muttered.
Shane shot her a look to quiet her, even pointed his finger at
her as if he were a teacher and she were a pupil. Deborah again
felt the urge to laugh. She finally recognized the emotion for what
it was: shock. There was nothing funny about this tragic scene.
A growing number of crime techs were invading Reubens
property.
The corpse still floated in the water.
And what had been a pleasant fall day now seemed to speak
to her of winter.
Callie tilted her head and frowned at Shane. Im just saying,
shes a bit focused when it comes to flowers.
Callies right, Deborah agreed. Esther probably wouldnt
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Vannetta Chapman
have noticed a buggy in the water. Plus, as you walk around the
pond in that direction, the reeds grow taller and hide anything
near the edge.
Unless you walk very close to the water, which she did when
she was cutting the flowers.
Esther said nothing to defend herself.
They all knew from experience that shed answer Shanes
questions, but she would say no more than required.
Shane looked past them, studied the scene, but didnt agree or
disagree with what they were saying.
Finally, he turned and pierced Esther with those dark eyes that
shed been up against before.
It was obvious to Deborah from the way they were facing
off that neither had forgotten the inquiry into Seths death over
two years ago. When Esthers husband had died, shed wanted to
bury him, to let him rest, but Shane had insisted on a complete
investigation. Everything about Esthers body languagefrom
her ramrod-straight back to the tilt of her chin to the look of
bitter resolve in her eyessaid that she hadnt forgiven him for
prolonging her pain.
Deborah had hoped theyd put it behind them with the
events of the summer. Now here they were again, on the property of Esthers fianc. And once again, they were facing another
investigation.
Unless the girl had died of natural causes.
Esther, humor me for a minute. I want to be sure I understand your statement correctly. You were cutting flowers, then you
saw something shiny, something reflective in the water.
Ya.
Then you heard the children.
Right.
And you saw the girl and thought what?
I saw her floating, facedown. I saw that she was dead.
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A Perfect Square
You didnt for a minute think she might be alive? It never
crossed your mind that she might need your help?
Deborah had feared the question was coming. Actually shed
dreaded Esthers reaction more than Shanes question. It was natural enough perhaps, if youd not been around the dead before,
but Shane Black should have known better.
Instead of being angered, Esther drew herself up to her full
five-foot-ten height, looked at Shane as if he were a child, and
said simply, No.
No?
I believe you heard me, Shane.
Thats it? No. You did not think to help her.
As far as I know, I havent the power to raise the dead.
But ... His hand went again to the back of his neck, rubbing
at the muscles. A persons natural reaction is to jump in and help.
Your natural reaction might be. Perhaps you havent sat with
the dead as often as I have. Perhaps you havent held them in your
arms as I have. Perhaps our experiences have been different.
Then she pulled her arm out of Callies grasp. The one indication of how emotional shed become was the color blossoming
on her cheeks. She turned and walked down the lane toward the
approaching buggy, toward the man Deborah had watched her
fall in lieb with over the last four months. She walked toward
Tobias until he saw her and slowed the buggy. Then she gathered
up the hem of her dress and ran.
Esther turned away from the Englischer, away from her group of
freinden, and walked down the lane toward the man she loved.
The man she loved.
A year ago, she didnt think shed ever love again.
A year ago, Esther Zook thought love had died beside her barn
in the middle of the night when Leah was a boppli.
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She had thought her heart had died with it.
Yes, shed walked through her days, kept up appearances, done
her duty for her precious little girlbut her heart, the part inside
of her that once sang when the sun rose and used to pound faster
when she worked in her flower gardens, that part of her had not
known hope for quite some time.
Then, four months ago, Tobias Fisher had strolled over to her
table at Sunday luncheon and asked if he could sit down in the
empty chair.
In that moment, everything in her life had changed yet again.
And she had not been prepared at all. Shed thought to turn
him away. But something in his smile, in his gentle ways, in the
eyes that looked at hernot with pity but with kindness and
hopesomething about Tobias had touched Esthers heart and
awakened it.
Esther, was iss letz? Tobias stopped the buggy in the middle
of the lane and jumped out of it, caught her as she ran the final
few steps to him, and pulled her into his arms. Youre trembling.
Dont speak yet. Just be still a moment. Whatever it is, dont
worry. Theres no need to worry. Were together now. Well stand
together.
His hands on her back, rubbing in small circles, eased the
knotted muscles that had begun to ache. Esther felt the tension
lessen for the first time in hours. She wanted to sink to the ground
there in the dirt lane and pretend the scene unfolding around the
pond was nothing more than another one of the bad dreams that
had plagued her for so many years.
Can you climb into the buggy?
Theres no need. I can walk.
I want to talk to you though. Away from Tobias waved a
hand at the p
eople tromping around his pond. Away from everything and everyone. It will give us a bit of privacy.
Ya. All right. She allowed him to help her into the buggy,
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A Perfect Square
allowed its smells to comfort her. It was an older model, without the new built-in heaters or the fancy leather seats. Something
about the age and dependability of the old carriage soothed her
nerves. Or perhaps it was only the memories she connected to it.
Theyd ridden to a dozen picnics in Tobias buggy. Gone to
church and socials and family gatheringsall things Esther
would have done before, but she would have done them out of
duty and with a heavy heart. The times with Tobias had been
happy, with Leah laughing between them. Theyd even visited
the different living quilt gardens around the Shipshewana area.
The fact that Leah now played and smiled like the other children
eased Esthers soul more than Tobias could know.
Or perhaps he did.
Perhaps he understood exactly the things that caused her to
worry.
I heard the Englischers were here, and that thered been a
death. Is it true? At her nod, Tobias picked up the reins and
murmured to the horse. I see Rueben from here, so I know hes
fine. Not that Id ever believe anyone could better my cousin. Hes
bigger than the work horses.
Its a girl, Tobias. A girl who is dead, and I found her.
You found her? I dont understand. Tobias guided the horse
to the side of the lane, a few feet away from the other buggies and
vehicles, secured the reins, and turned her toward him. Tell me
everything that happened since you arrived. And why were you
here to begin with?
So she told him about the casserole and the flowers. Described
seeing the shiny object, then spying the body.
A girl, huh?
Ya, but she didnt look familiar to me.
There have been no strange girls about this property. Tobias
jaw clenched, a look Esther had rarely seen before. You know our
families. Are you sure shes not related?
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Shes younglooks to be between fifteen and eighteen. I
dont believe you or Reuben have any girls that age in your family.
No. Our nieces and cousins are younger, and they wouldnt
have been out here on a school day, and certainly not alone.
Plus her dress was different than ours, Tobias.
She wasnt Amish?
No, thats not what I mean.
Tobias listened as she worked through the details she hadnt
shared with Shane Black.
It was hard to see with the girl still in the water, but it looked
like her dress was different than those we wear here in Shipshe.
It wasnt the material so much as it was a peculiarity about the
design or pattern.
You told Black?
What would I tell him? That her dress didnt look right? Hell
have his ways of confirming who she is, believe me. Esther heard
the bitterness creep into her voice, like frost tiptoeing up on a fall
morning, but she couldnt stop it.
I know of your troubles with Black. Tobias pulled her hands
into his own, massaged her fingers until her trembling stopped.
Look at me, sweet Esther. Look at me, dear.
When she finally did, he smiled.
How could he smile when her heart ached so for what was
happening only feet away and for what had happened only a few
years before?
I dont know what tragedy befell the poor girl in the water.
And I dont know why youve once again been thrown into the
path of Shane Black. But I do know one thing.
Esther looked down at their hands. She didnt want to hear
the words he was about to say. She was afraid if she didnt accept
them, it would drive a wedge between them, and she needed
Tobias in her life.
Their wedding was less than two weeks away.
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A Perfect Square
Look at me, Esther.
He waited until she did, then he continued softly, gently.
Do you think its by chance that you are the one who found her
body?
It was the flowers. Her head began shaking, side to side as
if she had no control of it, as if the wind had picked up and was
shaking the buggy. I wanted to bring you something nicea
casserole and then the flowers. You know how you two keep that
old barn you live in. Its clean but ...
And it was a kind thing for you to do, but Esther look out
in front of the buggy, look toward the barn. To the right of the
buggy, across the road and away from the pond waving in the
gentle breeze were more flowers. They grow near the creek as
well, and also around the edge of the field where the birds have
seeded them.
I dont understand, she whispered.
It was Gottes wille that you look up and see the ones by the
ponds edge. That you find the girl this morning. I dont know
how she died or why she died, but now her body will have its
proper burial as it should. One day her parents will thank you
for that.
Esther wiped at the tears spilling down her cheeks. I dont
want to be involved with this. I dont want to answer Shane
Blacks questions.
Often we dont want to do what God throws us in the midst
of, but Ill be there with you. Tobias squeezed her hands one
more time. Now lets go and see if I can help my cousin before
his famous temper lands him in jail.
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A Perfect Square by Vannetta Chapman

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A Perfect Square by Vannetta Chapman

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"Highly Recommend" -Beth Wiseman

Also by Vannetta Chapman

To my father-in-law, George Robert Chapman

While this novel is set againstthe real backdrop of Shipshewana,

Ordnungset of rules for Amish

Gottes willeGods will

was iss letzwhats wrong

Less than two weeks until the wedding. Deborah Yoder

Callie Harper clomped down the stairs from her apartment to

Samuel watched the Englischers from his hiding spot in the

Reuben watched Deborah walk away. Watched her walk

Callie flew straight into Debs arms.

Shane was friendly enough as he greeted everyone, though

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