Page 44 of An Evil Heart
“God gave us abundant rain in the spring and a nice, dry fall.” He wraps the leather lines around a wooden knob and climbs down. “You here about Aden?” he asks in English.
I nod. “So you know what happened to him.”
“All the Amish know,” he says.
“I won’t keep you long. Just a few questions.”
He glances back at the horses. “They could use a break, anyway.”
I take him through the most pressing central questions, watching his reactions, but he answers each inquiry without hesitation. He’s known Karn most of his life. They went to school together, but weren’t close. Last time he saw Karn was at worship a few weeks ago. They didn’t speak. Troyer seems to be a straightforward guy. Serious-minded. More focused on harvesting corn than my questions—or what happened to Karn.
“I understand you were seeing Emily Byler for a time,” I say.
“Ah.” He cocks his head, looks at me from beneath the brim of his hat. “I reckon that’s the reason you’re here.”
I nod. “I’m questioning everyone who knew or had contact with Karn.”
He looks out over the field, then jerks his head. “I courted her for a bit.”
“I heard it was more serious than that.”
“I thought it was serious. I mean, I’m the age when a man starts thinking about a wife. A family.”
“You asked her to marry you?”
“I reckon I did.” He sighs, looks over at the horses, and then back at me. “Em had other plans, I guess.”
“What do you mean by that?”
He frowns, letting me know the question is too personal. He’s astute enough to know he has to answer. “Aden had his own ideas about courting her. Came on strong. They carried on behind my back. Kept me in the dark.”
“Were you sleeping with her?”
“I ain’t going to say.”
“Were Aden and Emily sleeping together?”
“I reckon you’ll have to ask her.”
“How did you feel about that?”
“I don’t know what you want me to say, Chief Burkholder. I didn’t like it. The guy stole my girl right out from under me. They carried on behind my back. Made a fool of me.”
“Did you confront Aden?”
He pulls a handkerchief from his pocket and wipes sweat from the back of his neck. “What do you think?”
“I think you need to answer the question.”
“Yeah, I confronted him. We argued. I could have punched him or done worse, but I didn’t. I’m Amish and that’s not our way. You should know that, but I’m not sure you do.”
“Did you threaten him?” I ask.
“I told him to stay away from my girl.”
“Have you ever been to Karn’s house?”
“Just that one time,” he says.
