Excerpt of Unforeseeable by Nancy Mehl

Here's a peek from Chapter Four:

Lizzie and I rushed into the dining room and watched out the window as Levi's buggy pulled up to the railing in front of the restaurant. He jumped out and tied up his horse, Stormy, while the other men climbed out and waited for the sheriff to join them. Two men got out of the car, the sheriff and Roger Carson. Everyone in the dining room was unusually quiet as the men walked single file up the steps and entered the room. I was alarmed at the expression on Levi's face. Although his cheeks were ruddy from the cold, beneath them, his skin was ashen. The look in his eyes made my breath catch in my throat.

Lizzie and I stood there like our feet were glued to the floor. There wasn't a sound from those gathered in the room. Before the sheriff had the chance to speak, the front door opened and another group of people shuffled inside. Most likely the folks who'd been waiting at Harold's or Aaron's. Some of them quickly found a seat. The rest stood expectantly near the back of the room.

I wanted to hear about the woman on the road – yet I didn't. At that moment, I wished I were somewhere else. Anywhere else. I wondered if Lizzie felt the same way. I snuck a look at her. Her face was set like flint, and I couldn't tell what she was thinking.

"Well?" she said finally.

Sheriff Timmons removed his hat. Roger stepped up next to him, almost as if he were trying to offer support. He cast a quick glance around the room, looking rather uncomfortable until he saw Noah. Having a friend nearby appeared to relax him a little.

"She was definitely murdered," the sheriff said slowly. "It's too early to conclude that this is the work of the serial killer I told you about, but I certainly can't rule it out. The KBI has taken over the case and will make that official determination." He spoke without hesitation, but it was obvious there was something else on his mind. I tried to catch Levi's eye, but he wouldn't meet my gaze.

"You're not telling us everything," Lizzie said bluntly. "What is it? Is she one of us?"

Their silence alarmed me. The men looked back and forth at each other. Sheriff Timmons began to say something when the door to the restaurant opened, and Harold Eberly rushed in.

"John Lapp said he was turned away on the road out of town. Some men, official types, told him he couldn't use the road, Sheriff," Harold said in a loud, angry voice. "Many of us need to get to our homes. Why are we being forced to stay in town?"

The young sheriff frowned at Harold. "I'm sorry, but the KBI has closed the road until they finish gathering evidence. Hopefully, it won't be too long."

"My little girl has been through enough," Harold insisted. "She needs to go home."

I heard Lizzie grunt. "Harold Eberly, you hush up. A woman has died. I don't think asking you to hang around for a while is asking too much."

Harold's mouth dropped open, but instead of arguing with Lizzie, he turned and stomped out the door. He probably realized that trying to win an argument with Lizzie was an almost impossible task.

When the door closed behind him, she hurried over and locked it. Then she gazed slowly around the room. "I'm not planning to kick anyone out," she said, "but if you came here out of some kind of morbid curiosity, I'd like you to leave. People of faith should be showing respect, not acting like the world."

A few people hung their heads, and I marveled at her boldness. After several seconds, she pointed at the sheriff who was staring at her in surprise. "Okay, so what are you keeping back? Do we know her?"

Noah, who had been watching this scene unfold from a corner table stood to his feet and came over to stand near his brother and Roger.

"It's not anyone from Kingdom," Levi said in a low, strained tone. "She's a stranger." Even though I was thankful for the good news, his solemn manner frightened me.

"Levi, what's going on?" Noah asked.

Although it seemed to take great effort, Levi lifted his eyes to his brother's. "Do—do you remember the book of martyrs I lost a few weeks ago?"

"Yes," Noah said slowly, looking confused. "What about it?"

Levi seemed incapable of continuing. Finally Noah looked over at the sheriff. "What's he talking about?"

Sheriff Timmons took a deep breath and let it out. "The dead woman. Levi's book was clutched in her hands."