on the barn. In the event something did happen, a minute or two spent opening it could be crucial in getting the animals out. She shivered despite the warmth of the night when she thought of the cows that had been trapped in Ben’s barn.
“Thanks again,” she said, once they were outside.
Jonah nodded, switching off his light. “No problem.” With a long, easy stride, he headed off toward the lane.
Sarah watched until the darkness swallowed him up, uneasiness stirring. If Jonah was heading for home, why was he going that way? It would be much shorter to go across the fields. Shaking her head, she went back into the house.
AARON MADE A brief stop at the harness shop to pick up a piece of mended harness the next morning, and then headed for Nick’s workshop. He wanted to know what progress the arson investigator was making, and his friend always seemed to hear everything in town.
Aaron pulled into the drive that ran along Blackburn House to the rear, sparing a brief glance toward the windows of Sarah’s shop. The lights were on, but he couldn’t see her. Not that it mattered. He’d tell Sarah a lot of things, but not the worry that currently occupied his mind.
It was probably nothing. Almost certainly nothing. So why did it continue to nibble at the edges of his thoughts like a mouse getting into the grain?
Aaron took his time about tying the gelding to the hitching rail, trying to clear his mind. Then he walked toward the door into the clapboard building that housed the workshops of Whiting and Whiting Cabinetry.
He’d expected Nick and his father to be there. He hadn’t expected to find Sarah and Allison, as well. They were standing by a workbench, deep in conversation with the two men.
Nodding to the women, he managed a smile. “The shop is running itself, is it?”
Sarah’s dimple showed. “Mamm is helping us out this morning.”
“What brings you in today, Aaron? Got some work for us?” Jim—lean, weathered and what Nick would be in twenty years or so—smiled to show he was joking.
“Just wondering if there was anything new from the arson investigator. I thought Mac would know, and—”
“And Mac would tell us,” Nick finished for him. “I suppose if there was something that had to be kept secret, Mac would manage, but we’re too used to talking about anything and everything over the supper table.”
“He doesn’t tell us anything sensitive,” Jim corrected.
Nick smiled at his father, as if knowing Jim would always stand up for either of his sons. “Anyway, he says the investigator is being very closemouthed about what he’s doing, but doesn’t think he’s found out anything.”
“At least there wasn’t a fire last night,” Sarah said. “Allison wondered whether having someone from the state police here would scare him into stopping.”
“Either that, or it might make him even more daring, I’d think,” Aaron suggested.
Jim nodded. “Encourage him to mock authority, you mean. That fits with what I’ve read about firebugs. They’re usually male, often young and rebellious.”
Aaron’s hands clenched at his sides, and he forced them to relax.
“It would almost be worse if it did work out that way,” Nick said. “If the fires just stopped, like the last time, then we’d never know who it was, and we’d always wonder.”
“Ja.” Aaron’s throat seemed tight, and he cleared it. “The barn raising isn’t set for sure yet, but they’re talking about a week from Saturday, if we can get the site cleared and ready by then.”
“Good.” Jim slapped his shoulder. “Count on us to help, okay?”
“Ben and Miriam will appreciate it,” Sarah said. She gave her partner a worried glance. “There’s so much to do that—”
“We’re not going to postpone the quilt festival, if that’s what you’re going to say,” Allison said promptly. “Did you hear about our plans, Aaron?”
“Ja. The fire company appreciates it. We’ll help any way we can, that’s certain sure.”
“What we need first is a place to hold the festival that will accommodate a lot of visitors, as well as plenty of space to display quilts.” Allison pulled a small notebook from her bag. “I’ve started a list of possibilities.”
“You’ll need display racks. Nick and I can knock some up.” Jim turned away when the phone began to ring, waving his hand at Nick as if inviting him to take over.
Nick nodded. “We can do that easily. We don’t have any big jobs on hand at the moment. Aaron, would you have time to help us?”
“Sure thing. My mamm and sister will do anything they can as far as the quilts are concerned.”
“That would be sehr kind of them,” Sarah said. “Everyone knows Esther is one of the best quilters in the community, and Becky is wonderful gut, as well.”
Allison jotted down notes. “I’ll take care of the publicity, of course, and check into any permits we need. Sarah, if you’ll have a look at the different venues I have listed, you can sort out the ones that are possible. All right?”
He noticed that Allison had already jotted down Sarah’s name, taking her acceptance for granted. But reluctance was written in Sarah’s eyes, at least for him to see. And he knew why. She was always hesitant about taking on something outside her experience, especially if it might bring her into negotiating with the Englisch.
“I’ll give you a hand with that, Sarah,” he said on impulse. “I can check out how easy or hard it would be to set up the display racks at each place, ja? We’ll do it together.”
He shouldn’t volunteer for too much, busy as he already was, but if it would make things easier for Sarah, he couldn’t resist.
“There, you see, Sarah?” Allison exclaimed. “You don’t have any excuse not to do it, right?”
“Of course I’ll do it.” Sarah said the words quickly enough, but he saw a faint flush in her cheeks and wondered how much she regretted being pushed into this project. Maybe he’d have done better to stay out of it.
“I can tell by the way Dad’s looking at me that it’s time we got to work,” Nick said. He dropped a light kiss on Allison’s cheek. “We can brainstorm some more at lunchtime, okay?”
“All right, I hear the message.” Allison stuffed the notebook in her bag. “I get carried away—I admit it. I have things to do, too. See you later.”
They went out of the workshop together, and with a quick wave, Allison headed for the rear entrance to Blackburn House. When Sarah moved to follow her, Aaron caught her wrist, holding her back. It felt small with his fingers encircling the fine bones, momentarily distracting him from what he intended to say.
“I’m sorry. I know
