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not too many people in the community were eager to simply forgive and forget. Especially since he had never admitted his sins or asked for forgiveness. With all her heart, she would pray people would remember that it had been the drugs that had made Perry do bad things. It wasn’t his fault.
    After she covered the community, she’d ask the Lord to forgive Perry for his transgressions. She’d pray that he had somehow repented before he’d died and was now in heaven with all the saints and angels. But always, as soon as she thought about his erratic behavior, about the terrible things he used to say to her, the way he’d lied and cheated and stole from them all . . . she’d open her eyes and get up off her knees.
    And as her heart began to beat slower, she’d sigh and wonder how long she could blame the drugs for his selfishness. And the way he could be so cruel. After all, he might have been addicted. But he’d also made the choice to begin his drug use in the first place.
    Not that she’d ever say any of those things out loud.
    At first when Perry’s body had been found and a thousand questions had buzzed through the community, her parents had sent her to Charm, Ohio. There, her grandparents had given her time to mourn. For two weeks she cried and prayed and slept. She helped her grandmother wash walls and move all the household goods from the basement to the main floor. The hard work, combined with her grandmother’s sweet, quiet personality, had been the perfect medicine to her frayed nerves. Only in the middle of the night would she let the reality of Perry’s death sink in.
    Imagining the commotion that was surrounding the murder investigation, she’d feel guilty. It hadn’t been right to escape to her grandparents’ farm like she had, but her parents had encouraged the trip. They hadn’t trusted the policeman from Cincinnati.
    Actually, they hadn’t trusted Sheriff Kramer, either.
    â€œThere’s no reason for you to become entangled in the police investigation, Deborah,” her mother had said. “After all, you knew nothing about Perry’s habits. None of us did. I don’t know how, but Perry pulled the wool over all of our eyes.”
    Deborah never said anything, but she privately thought that the reason Perry had been able to pull that wool so well was because they hadn’t wanted to see what he was doing.
    It had been easier to be ignorant.
    But Deborah had known more than she’d ever let on about her brother’s habits.
    She’d simply chosen to do nothing about it.
    Now, though, she was back and was determined to hold her head up high. Even if some people thought she should stay in hiding, ashamed of what her brother had become and what had happened to him.
    After washing her face and getting dressed for the day, she did the dozen other things that were part of her normal morning routine.
    Then prepared herself to finally go to Schrock’s Variety.
    Her mother wasn’t happy about it. She’d been flitting around her like a hummingbird since breakfast, full of nervous energy and advice. “Deborah, perhaps you should stay home today,” she said. “There is nothing we truly need at the store.”
    â€œI told you I’d buy you some fresh cottage cheese and buttermilk, Mamm. Mr. Schrock always carries fresh dairy on Tuesdays.” Plus, she, at least, needed to begin her life again. Staying inside and sheltered from the rest of the community was becoming too easy.
    If she kept it up, she’d soon never want to leave her house.
    â€œBut Perry used to work there.” Her mother bit her lip. “And I’m afraid Mr. Schrock and Perry didn’t part on the best of terms. For some reason, Mr. Schrock fired him.”
    Deborah fought back the urge to roll her eyes upward. Though not a bit of what they were talking about was humorous, her mother’s penchant for turning Perry