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didn’t have a phone. She felt that it, like a lot of things, was an expense they could live without. But that wasn’t the real reason she got rid of it. She’d had it removed because she couldn’t bear people calling here looking for her Mamm or Daed, especially newly pregnant women hoping Jolene’s Mamm would be their midwife. So they made do without a phone. Naomi and she had set days when they cleaned people’s homes, and if people needed to change the schedule, they would inform her or Naomi well in advance.
    Since getting married, Naomi had access to a phone that she shared with several of her in-laws. The problem with multiple families in the vicinity sharing a phone was that messages didn’t always reach the intended party.
    “I have dozens of fresh-baked pastries for this afternoon’s delivery to the bakery. We’ll use those and lots of coffee to take the edge off their hunger. Then we’ll make sandwiches and soup for lunch while we put roasts on for tonight. When we get through with allthat, we’ll make plans for tomorrow. I can drop everything and go right now. You?”
    “Ya, but it’s ten o’clock, and he expects clean sheets on the beds and the floors done, and there could be twenty people to feed.”
    “Goodness, girl.” Jolene winked. Most who knew Lester Fisher were afraid of him, but Jolene had grown to love the old man. He was often prickly with those he didn’t like, but to her, he was a secret keeper and a good friend. “We can slay this dragon and have time left over to prop up our feet.” Big exaggeration, but Naomi’s taut shoulders relaxed.
    Jolene turned to Josiah. What had been on his mind when he arrived? “Hope is helping Mrs. Pinson clean windows this morning. You know where Mrs. Pinson lives, right?”
    “The small brick home on the corner of Walnut and Chestnut.”
    “That’s right. On your way back to the cabinet shop, would you stop by there and tell Hope we need her to join us at Lester’s house as soon as possible?”
    “Sure thing.”
    “And it’d be best if Ray stayed at the shop all day today and went home with you after work.”
    Josiah’s face formed lines of concern, but he nodded. “Sure.”
    Was Josiah here because of something with Ray and work? If so, they would need to discuss it later. Not only did Lester need them, but Jolene had left the key to his attic hanging on the nail near the attic door. What had she been thinking? Surely no one would need to unlock it and go up there.
    Surely.
    Jolene turned to Naomi. “Let’s get the pastries and go slay this dragon.”

    Ray hid inside the dilapidated building, wishing it would fall on him and end everybody’s misery. He kicked a support beam, causing dust and debris to rain down. So what if he’d messed up at the cabinet shop and drilled the holes for the hardware in the wrong place! Old Man Yoder didn’t have to yell at him in front of everybody. He hated that kind of work. Hated that Josiah still treated him like a ten-year-old little brother.
    Life stunk! He shoved the support beam, and it creaked and moaned while shifting a fraction. A board on the other side of the room fell, causing dust to fly. Ray wiped tears from his eyes. He was too old to be a crybaby.
    The sound of horse hoofs against pavement drew his attention, and he stepped out of the dark building. Trees surrounded him on all sides, so despite hearing a rig on the road, he couldn’t see it. Not yet anyway. Not until it rounded dead man’s curve. He looked at his watch and realized he’d been gone from the shop quite a while. He started for the road.
    Josiah hadn’t been at the shop when Ray messed up and Yoder yelled at him. If his brother was back, it’d take him about two seconds to realize Ray wasn’t there, and he’d go searching for him. And he’d start by going to the house.
    Dead leaves crunched under his heavy boots as he walked toward the road. Ray’s thoughts reached into the past, going back thirteen years. He