Lamb to the Slaughter (Serenity's Plain Secrets Book 1) (12 page)

“You’re eighteen, right?” Will asked as they left the pig barn and headed back toward the midway.

Naomi nodded.

“How do you put up with being treated as if you’re a small child all the time? Taylor is fifteen and she has way more freedom than you do. All this sneaking around is insane,” he said with an annoyed tone.

Naomi was used to her lack of freedom. Although it did upset her, it was just part of life to her. Seeing Will so bothered by her circumstances made her giggle.

“Are you stressed, Will?”

“Yeah, I am a little. I feel as if I’ve kidnapped you, instead of taking you on a proper date. I’m worried that you’re going to get into deep trouble for this, and it’s been on my mind all evening.”

Their walking had slowed with the conversation. His words ran through Naomi’s mind several times causing her heart to beat rapidly. She grabbed his arm, stopping him.

“Did you say, proper date?” Naomi stammered.

Will eyed her with a slight smile, as if he knew a secret that she didn’t. “Uh, that’s what you usually call an evening like this…a date.”

Naomi was both elated and horrified. She pictured Eli’s face and guilt crashed over her. He was the guy she was going to marry come springtime, not Will. But the entire night with Will had been so magical. She couldn’t deny that she had strong feelings for the young English man. And not just lust either. She really liked everything about Will. He had a joyful, fun loving spirit that was contagious. And he’d proved that he was kind too.

“Will, this has been the most wonderful night of my life. But I already have a boyfriend, you know that,” she said, staring at the ground, unable to face him.

He lifted her chin and said, “That doesn’t matter. It’s not as if you’re married yet. You can still change your mind. I’m going to do everything in my power to make you do just that.”

Naomi’s mouth dropped open in wonder. Just as Will’s lips brushed hers, Taylor’s voice shrieked through the air. Naomi pulled back abruptly. Will just smiled, as if to say, I told you so.

“There you two are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you guys.” Taylor skidded to a stop and then looked back and forth between Naomi and Will.

“You’ve got great timing, sis,” Will joked, tugging a handful of Taylor’s hair playfully.

“Hmmm, well, I don’t know about that. I wanted to tell you that I’m going home with Meghan tonight. Her mom says that it’s okay,” Taylor paused, and as if a light bulb had just blinked on in her head, she stared at Naomi with wide eyed curiosity.

“Did you talk to mom about it?” Will asked in a stern voice that Naomi hadn’t heard him use before.

“Course I did. She says its fine with her. You two be good and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Taylor winked at Naomi and then jogged away.

“She’s an irritating little creature, but the only sibling I’ve got, unlike you. Did you say that you have eight brothers and sisters all together?”

“Yes. And, since most of them are boys, except for the littlest ones, I have to do all their laundry.” Naomi pushed the thought quickly away, wanting laundry as far from her mind as possible.

“You have to use one of those old fashioned hand ringers, don’t you?” Will asked. His face wrinkled in disgust. They were slowly approaching his truck in the parking area and Naomi dragged her feet, not wanting to go home yet.

“Yes, it’s awful.”

“Why do you do it then?” Will asked as he held the truck door open for her.

Naomi climbed in and turned to him. “Because I don’t have a choice,” she said.

The ride through town was silent. Naomi filled with depression at the thought that she wouldn’t see Will again until the following week. Making her heart even heavier, she knew that there wouldn’t be any more nights like this to look forward to either. She had to stop her feelings for Will from growing any stronger. She was marrying Eli and she had better start acting like it. Naomi inwardly scolded herself.

Will parked in the pull-off that sat conveniently in a copse of trees at the side of the road. They were still a couple of miles from the farm. Naomi hastily changed back into her dress in the back seat while Will stood outside, facing the trees. Her heart was pounding by the time she shoved Taylor’s clothes into the plastic bag and climbed into the front seat again.

“I’m done,” Naomi spoke through the small opening at the top of the window. She immediately began coiling her hair up. The droning calls of the frogs in the ditch made her feel isolated from the rest of the world. She wasn’t afraid though or even uncomfortable to be completely alone with Will. Somehow it just felt right.

When Will was settled in the driver’s seat, he watched Naomi work with her hair. He said with a sigh, “It’s a shame that you have to hide your beautiful hair.”

Naomi paused with a bobby pin in her mouth. “You think my hair is beautiful?” she said.

“Of course I do.”

She had just got her cap in place and was about to tell Will that he could start the engine, when he said in a distant voice, “I bet you’d like Montana. I went out there on vacation when I was thirteen with my family. It was the most amazing place
I’d ever been to. The land is so wild looking, yet inviting. And the mountains are incredible. After spending my entire life in the flatlands, I can really appreciate seeing mountain tops with snow on them.”

“Are your parents unhappy that you’re going way out there?” Naomi hadn’t been thinking about Will’s trip lately. Somehow, she’d hoped he wouldn’t be going now that he was her friend. She inwardly chastised herself. What a silly thing to think.

“No. They’ll miss me, and Taylor’s been giving me fits about it, but Mom and Dad want me to be happy. They know how important roping is to me. They’ll support me fully in going out west and trying to make a name for myself.” He looked at Naomi and grinned. “I have big plans. I’m going to become a successful team roper. With my earnings, I’m going to buy me a small ranch out there where I’ll train horses and sell them.”

“You are so lucky that you can do whatever you want to do and that your parents will still love you.” Naomi slumped down into the seat, imagining what her parents would do if she told them that she was moving away to follow her dreams. It wouldn’t be pretty.

Will’s face was tight with concern when he leaned over and said softly, “I’m sure they’d still love you, even if you didn’t do exactly what they wished of you.”

Naomi couldn’t help the tears that suddenly appeared in her eyes. She tried to wipe them away, but it was too late. Will had seen. He pulled her into his arms and held her as they sat parked alongside the quiet country road.

Her tears were making Will’s shirt wet. She sucked in the sob, saying, “You don’t understand. You can’t understand.
Your life is completely different than mine. I have no choices about anything. If I don’t do as they say, I’ll be shunned. And, then I’ll be completely alone.”

“You’ll never be alone, Naomi. I’ll be with you,” Will said, just before his mouth finally found hers.

Their kiss was frantic and tender at the same time. It would be the only time Naomi would be in Will’s arms and she didn’t want it to ever end. Will wiped away the tears from Naomi’s wet cheeks with his own face, and the pricks of his tiny stubble sharpened Naomi’s senses even further.

She would live in the moment. That’s all she could do.

“I believe you,” Naomi murmured into his mouth.

11

SERENITY

November 14th

I
was glad that Daniel was driving. My heart raced as fast as my toes tapped the floor board. What the hell had Will gotten himself into this time? I knew that my nineteen year old nephew wasn’t a murderer, but I worried about the implications that his possible relationship with the dead girl could do to him. I thought about the baby. Was it Will’s?

“Are you close to your nephew?” Daniel’s voice startled me. For once, I was so distracted, I’d completely forgotten about him.

I looked over to see his interested face going back and forth from the road to me. “Yeah, real close. Will and his sister, Taylor, used to spend almost every weekend with me when they were younger. Then they hit their teen years and became too busy to hang out with their aunt as much.”

“You didn’t know anything about him dating an Amish girl?” Daniel asked with hesitation.

“Hell no! The last girl he brought around me was a couple of years ago. I didn’t like her much—too many facial piercings. I’ve been so busy lately with the election and settling into the new position that I’ve hardly seen any of my family. I’m sure my sister is pissed at me that I haven’t been over for the usual Sunday dinners, and now I’m kicking myself about it.”

“Why?”

“If I’d been around more, I probably would have picked up that something was going on with Will. He’s a gentle spirited person and his emotions show through clearly when you’re paying attention. Of course, since my brother-in-law owns his own automotive center and my sister being the receptionist, secretary, and accountant for the business, they’re both as busy as I am. I should have known something was up though, when I heard that Will postponed his trip to Montana.”

“He was going to Montana?”

I motioned for Daniel to turn into my sister’s driveway. The two story brick colonial blasted suburban success, but I knew that Ryan and Laura didn’t get to enjoy the fruits of their labor much with their hectic schedules.

“It’s been his dream for a while. He has a couple of Quarter Horses that he boards at Whispering Pines’ Stables. He was taking his horses out west to compete in roping events at the rodeos.”

Daniel’s face lit up. “Really? I have three horses myself, but I don’t have as much time to ride as I’d like. What a spectacular opportunity for him.”

Clutching the door, I said, “Yeah, let’s hope he hasn’t screwed it all up for himself.”

I didn’t knock. Instead, I let myself in the side doorway of the garage that wasn’t locked and then went into the house.

“Gee, I guess you and sister are pretty tight? Or, is that you’re the sheriff and can go anywhere you like?” Daniel asked with his eyebrow raised.

“Yep, Laura and I are super close. I lived here for a few months when I first moved back to Blood Rock. It was so comfortable that I hated to leave, but I needed my own space.”

When I glanced back at Daniel, he was looking at me thoughtfully and my pulse rushed. I turned away quickly and set my purse down on the kitchen counter. Going to the fridge, I pulled out two colas and handed Daniel one before I sat down at the kitchen table.

Daniel followed suit, taking the chair beside me, saying, “Do you know when he’ll be home?”

“Oh, he’s here now, asleep upstairs. Will’s not a morning person. He’s taking a few college classes in the evening and spends the rest of his time riding and working afternoon odd jobs.”

“How on earth would he have met up with Naomi?” Daniel asked before he took a swig from his bottle.

“I don’t know. Like I said, I haven’t spent much time with the family lately. I’m out of the loop,” I said, pulling my phone out of my pocket and pressing a number.

“Who are you calling?”

“Will.” I put the phone to my ear. When my nephew answered groggily, I said, “I’m in the kitchen. You have two minutes to get your butt down here or I’m coming up.” I smiled at Daniel’s surprised face.

“It works every time,” I said, taking a drink myself.

It was probably a little under a minute when we heard the thumps of footsteps coming down the stairs. When Will turned the corner, his hair was messy and he was wearing sweat pants and an AC/DC vintage t-shirt that probably had belonged to my brother-in-law.

“What’s up, Aunt Rennie?” Will said, flopping down at the table and running a hand through his tussled hair. His eyes were red rimmed and swollen. If I didn’t have the suspicion that my nephew had been crying, I’d have chewed him out for partying the night before.

“Did you know Naomi Beiler?” I didn’t mean for my words to be harsh, but the way he reacted, they must have hit the poor kid as if I’d thrown a ton of bricks at him.

Will’s eyes bulged, and then his face was in his hands trying to hide the flow of tears. I got up like a bullet out of a barrel and wrapped my arms around him. He let go of his face and held onto me for dear life. I used to hug him the same way when he was a kid, but now, his body was quite a bit bigger than mine, and it was a little awkward. Especially with Daniel sitting there watching us. I met his eyes and I saw sympathy there, and something else that I couldn’t quite identify.

After a few minutes, Will quieted and I pulled back, leaving him for a second to grab a clean dish towel. I handed it to him and situated my chair close to his. The thought occurred to me that Will’s show of grief was what I expected to see from Naomi’s family, but had been completely absent. Even with all the sorrow in the room, my heart lifted a fraction thinking that at least someone was mourning the girl’s death—I just wished it wasn’t my nephew. His outburst wiped away any doubt I’d had that he knew the Amish girl.

“Will, come on now, and dry it up for a minute. I need to talk to you about this. It’s very important that you tell me everything regarding your relationship with Naomi. And, I mean
everything
.”

“I’m so glad to finally get it out in the open,” Will sniffed, and surged on, “It’s been driving me crazy to pretend that everything was all right when I was dying inside. Taylor’s been a Godsend, since she loved Naomi too. But it wasn’t the same for her—and she’s a better actor than I am.”

“Taylor is involved in all this?” I nearly squealed.

Will met my gaze and said, “Yeah. She was the only other person who knew about me and Naomi.”

“No, Will. She wasn’t. One of Naomi’s friends, a girl by the name of Sandra, knew too. She’s the one who tipped me off to you…and she thinks that you had something to do with Naomi’s death,” I said softly and slowly, wanting the words to sink into his skull.

He breathed in and then rushed the words out, “That’s totally insane. I loved Naomi. I was going to take her away from the shitty life she was living. She was going to Montana with me, Aunt Rennie. I was picking her up that night she was killed, to take her away from here.”