Free Where Grace Abides by BJ Hoff Page B

nothing short of boyish. “I need to get going. Why don’t you go along with our group to search for the horses? It’s just Gideon, Reuben, Malachi, and myself. We’re taking Malachi’s wagon. If that big Percheron of Susan’s happens to be hurt, it could take more than one or two men to bring him in.”
    Gant nodded, casting one more look in Rachel’s direction and drawing a satisfied breath when he saw Beiler walk away from her. He hesitated only another instant before following Doc across the yard to where Malachi Esch and the others were climbing onto the wagon.

  10  
D ARK M EMORIES
    The heart that has truly loved never forgets.
    T HOMAS M OORE
    T hey found the horses a few hours later in an abandoned barn about three miles from the Kanagy farm. The animals were anxious and unsettled but seemingly unharmed.
    Before leaving Susan’s place, Gant had given his dog, Mac, a chance to sniff around the stalls and the paddock. It was Mac who alerted them to the dilapidated barn where they found the horses.
    They had no trouble taking the animals home. Gideon and Reuben Esch each rode one of the buggy horses bareback, leading the big Percheron along with them, while Mac trotted in front of them, as if to make certain they reached their destination.
    In the wagon Doc turned to Gant and said, “Are you thinking what I’m thinking, given that no harm was done to those horses?”
    Gant nodded. “It was nothing more than harassment. They had no intention of hurting those animals to begin with.”
    â€œThat’s how I see it,” Doc agreed. “This was just another way to trouble some of the Amish.”
    Gant thought about that. “You don’t believe they singled Susan out for any particular reason other than the fact that she’s Amish?”
    Doc rubbed his chin. “I don’t, no. But then I don’t want to thinkthat way. What they did was cruel but not quite so threatening as if it were personal.”
    Again Gant gave a nod, but another thought distracted him. “You keep saying ‘they.’ So you’re thinking there was more than one person involved?”
    â€œDon’t you? Running off three horses—especially given Cecil’s size—seems like the work of more than one fellow.”
    â€œProbably. Though someone used to horses could likely get the job done without any help, don’t you think?”
    Doc looked at Gant. “You believe that’s the case?”
    â€œNo, not really. Just considering the possibilities.”
    Doc was quiet for a moment. “I wonder if I don’t tend to see this as the work of more than one because of what happened to Fannie.”
    â€œBecause there were four of them, you mean?”
    Doc nodded. “There’s no reason to believe this was the work of those same boys, of course. Yet it’s easy to suspect them.”
    â€œIt is. If that’s the case, though, you have to wonder why they didn’t hurt the horses. What they did to Fannie was nothing short of assault.”
    Something about the apparent lack of any ill-treatment to the animals bothered Gant. There wasn’t time to dwell on it, however. The Kanagy farm was well in sight by now, and no doubt everyone would be waiting for any news.
    He was glad for Susan’s sake—and Rachel’s—that the news, at least for now, would be good.

    Throughout the week ahead, when Rachel remembered that night she was almost ashamed to realize that the thought of what could have happened to Mamma’s horses disturbed her less than the feelings Jeremiah’s return to her life had evoked.
    That’s how she tended to think of seeing him again, that he hadreturned to her life. Not that he’d ever really been absent from it. Even though they hadn’t seen each other for some time, he had never really been out of her thoughts. But seeing him had shaken her far more than she liked to