Sins of Another Father
By phillydi
Chapter 11
From the Journal of Karl Brandel
Continued by Martin Brandel Deeks
June 6, 2012
My grandfather hung himself fifty years ago after he posted his last entry in this journal. But what I know for sure is that it was a cover up and his murder was made to look like a suicide. I have come a long way to search for his killers and to find the evidence that can put them behind bars for the rest of their lives. His sister, my great aunt Sarah has agreed to help me in this quest and with the blessing of her grandson, Samuel they have provided me with a history of the persecution that began over 70 years ago at the hands of one family – The Williams. Samuel has agreed to take me to the original family homestead – The Lars Gerber House which is now open to the public as a museum. The Gerber family fled to Pennsylvania from Germany when religious persecution became unendurable in their homeland. With the help of William Penn they came to this area of Lancaster County and soon other family members, like the Brandels, joined them. I am amazed that I come from this hardy stock of people. They were the backbone of this country and I am proud of my heritage. Yet, I find it so hard to understand their ways. The Amish will not fight back; they live a life of forgiveness. I may never be able to appreciate how they live or comprehend their acts of forgiveness, but bring criminals like the Williams to justice is why I became a cop and if my grandfather were here today, I know he would feel the same. If I am wrong, then I hope that whatever God we pray to will forgive us all.
"Are you kidding me?" Deeks looked back and forth between Sarah and Samuel. "I don't know anything about being Amish!"
"Let Samuel do all the talking, Martin and you will be fine. It's the best way," Sarah reasoned.
Deeks, Sarah and Samuel stayed up late discussing a plan of action. They all agreed the safest way for Deeks to get around town without arousing suspicion was to go undercover as a distant Amish relative of the Sweitzers from Ohio. As they sat around the kitchen table, he showed them Karl's journal which collaborated the stories they had heard around the community over the years. The Williams were a nasty bunch of low-life criminals and without Karl's evidence they would continue their brand of evil unchecked. Deeks explained that Karl had hidden the papers somewhere in the family's original homestead. Sarah and Samuel could only think of one location that matched Karl description. The Lars Gerber house had been kept and used by various family members in the area until it was turned into a registered land mark and a museum many years ago by the historical society. The key that Deeks found in Karl's journal could have come from a desk or small box in the home. Deeks could only hope that his grandfather had hid the precious packet of information well all those years ago.
After hiding his car in between the tall columns of corn stalks at the far end of the field, Deeks settled down to sleep in the loft over the barn. It had been used in the past for the occasional farm hands that were needed during the extra demands at harvest time. Deeks laid down and made himself comfortable on the old straw cot. He removed his t-shirt and let the warm breeze dance on his bare chest as he propped his head up on the pillow from behind with his hands. A pin hole of light was visible through the rafters and Deeks stared at the opening thinking about his new found family and his journey so far. Even if he cleared his grandfather's name, he knew that bringing the Williams to justice was not going to change what happen between him and his father. He was incredibly sad that things couldn't have been different between the two of them. But Gordon's foul moods and drunken nights of violence had prevented any type of loving relationship from developing between father and son. His grandfather had tried to protect his family and prevent the violence from destroying his son's life but his unsettling death had changed all that. As a child, Deeks' mother struggled to protect him as much as she could by endeavoring to make up for the love his father was unable to give. Deeks used this love to hide his gaping wounds with his jokes and light banter. He wouldn't even let his small circle of friends know the hurt he carried inside. But it wasn't until he met Kensi that he found unconditional love. It was a love that came from deep down in her soul and it filled every corner of his heart with joy and contentment. It was this love that he needed whenever he felt insecure and anxious. He laughed to himself when he thought how he was trying to keep her safe by insisting she stay back in LA. But keeping Kensi safe was like trying to herd a raging tornado. Who was he kidding? The woman knew how to take care of herself, and that energy made him feel protected and cared for in return. What he wouldn't give right now to wrap his arms around her right now and feel her healing power in the confines of his embrace. He allowed that last image to float gently all around him as he drifted deeply into a much needed sleep.
Kensi was antsy and the summer heat dragged her out on the porch steps of the inn in search of a cool breeze. If she was still being watched, her stalker could still be hiding in the bushes. But her instincts told her he gave up a long time ago, probably died of boredom she thought. She made a full scope of the perimeter but the only ones out in force tonight were the crickets. Their strange orchestra created a strain of music that pierced the hot night. She wondered if they all wore little top hats and top coats as they chirped. Kensi giggled out loud and leaned up against the porch railing. As she closed her eyes she could see her dad sitting next to her bed holding a book of Disney fairytales. One of her favorite stories he would read to her was Pinocchio because her dad did such a great Jiminy Cricket voice. She never tired of hearing him read that story to her out loud. As she sat down on the top step, fond memories of her childhood and her dad washed over her. It was one of the few things that she found hard to share with Deeks. His relationship with his dad couldn't have been any more different than the one she had with her dad. Every time she told him another story, Deeks would smile lovingly but eventually she found him staring off into space probably reliving one the nightmares that he replayed over and over like an unending loop in his mind. She felt helpless because she didn't know how to make the pain go away. All she could do was hold him tight and take his mind off his past, at least for the time being. Suddenly, Kensi saw someone move out of the corner of her eye and turned her head quickly to catch Samantha standing by the screen door. The little girl was dressed for bed in a long nightgown with an old teddy dangling at the end of her hand.
"Oh, you scared me!" Kensi teased but smiled back quickly at the little girl. "Shouldn't you be in bed right now?" she asked. Samantha bit her lip and looked down at the wooden porch avoiding Kensi's eyes.
"There you are!" Lindy exclaimed as she opened the screen door. "Come on, Sam. You better get back up to your room or mom will be really angry." She pulled her little sister inside and led her back up the stairs to her bedroom. Lindy returned back down again to find Kensi staring up at the stars.
"Did you find Marty?" she asked softly.
"No, not yet, but tomorrow I'm going to go looking for some people who may know him. Have you ever heard of the Sweitzer family? I think they live around here but I can't find a phone number."
"Sounds like they could be Amish, if they don't have a phone," Lindy pondered. "I would check with the Feed and Seed store in town. The Amish all go to that store for their supplies. They would be able to tell you where to find the Sweitzers if they live around here."
"Amish? Hmm," Kensi pondered. There must be some mistake; she couldn't imagine Deeks related to an Amish family. Wouldn't that be a hoot! She could just hear Callen and Sam now! But the store may be a good gathering place for the local town folks. Someone has got to know if the Sweitzers are living in the area.
"Thanks Lindy, that's a good suggestion," she agreed. "I guess I'll head out there in the morning."
"If you find Marty, tell him I said hi," Lindy nodded and smiled. Kensi could tell her partner had made a big impression on the young girl. Deeks didn't realize how he could kill with a smile…or at least break a few hearts along the way.
"I will," Kensi smiled and watch the teenager walk back into the house. "As soon as I find him, you'll be the first to know," she mumbled to herself and stood up slowly. As she brushed the dirt off her pants, she decided it was time for her to hit the sack too.
"How do I look?" Deeks asked as he slowly turned around to model his new attire in front of his amused audience. Samuel stood behind Deeks, inspecting his cousin in the newly borrowed clothes for their excursion into town. Hanna and Eli giggled out loud and clapped their hands in delight.
"You look quite plain, Martin," Sarah grinned and shook her head. "I approve."
Deeks had created many undercover personas for his work in law enforcement but this had to be a first. Deeks woke up early that morning to find his new wardrobe hanging crisply from a hook in the loft.
"I don't know if black and white are my colors but when in Rome…" Deeks trailed as he looked down at the black trousers and pulled the suspenders over his plain white cotton shirt. There were no zippers or buttons on his clothes. Everything was fastened with a hook and eye. His straw hat fit tightly over his head, the wide brim conveniently covering most of his face. He scratched his newly shaven chin and felt naked without feeling the usual five day stubble on his face. If only Kensi could see him now!
Today he would be plain and if he was going to secretly venture back into town, he needed to blend gracefully into the Amish community. Samuel harnessed the horse to the recognizable black buggy that the family relied on for local transportation. The distinctive grey top with rounded corners had a rolled down side curtain which allow Deeks to hide behind when riding through town. As they made their way down the road at eight miles an hour, their leisurely speed would make their journey an all day excursion, Deeks speculated. He decided the only thing he could do now was to relax and enjoy the ride.
He watched Samuel wave occasionally as a recognizable horse and buggy passed by them on the street. Deeks wondered what it would be like to know most of his neighbors on a first name bases. One more reminder that he wasn't in LA anymore. Finally, his cousin pulled on the reins and the buggy came to a halt. Samuel pointed to the old farm house.
"That is the Lars Gerber House, Martin," Samuel said. "Come on and I will take you inside. Remember, do not talk too much or they will surmize that your accent is not from Ohio."
"Got it," Deeks confirmed, wondering what an Ohio accent might sound like. Samuel removed his hat as he entered the building and Deeks followed suit.
"Hello, Jenny," Samuel smiled at the caretaker. Jenny was dressed like the majority of her Amish counterparts except she had a name tag on her white collar. "This is my cousin, Martin from Ohio and I told him I would take him to see our family homestead on his visit here."
"Nice to meet you, Martin" she nodded and smiled. "Welcome to the home of your ancestors."
"Thank you," Deeks replied.
"I will just show him around Jenny, if that is ok with you?" Samuel asked.
"Of course," Jenny replied. "Take your time."
Deeks looked around the room for an item of furniture or hiding place that would easily harbor the precious packet concealed away so long ago. He pulled out the key his grandfather left behind in the journal but realized it couldn't be this easy. Could it? The room was sparsely furnished and other than a few tables and chairs the fireplace was the centerpiece of the room.
"Martin, over here," Samuel called out. He was standing beside an old rolled top desk. "Our ancestor Lars Gerber brought this desk with him from Germany. It's one of the few original pieces of furniture on site." Deeks stared at Samuel and read between the lines. Perhaps his key would unlock the desk. Jenny was talking to a man at the front door and Deeks bent over to insert the key. As he was about to the turn the lock he heard Jenny's voice from the front door.
"Come right this way, all," she raised her voice. "Welcome to the Lars Gerber House, the oldest building in Lancaster County and the oldest remaining site of Amish residency in North America." At that, a stream of tourists entered the tiny front room of the house to view the original Gerber homestead. Deeks and Samuel hurried out the back door and out of site from the tour bus.
"I need to come back here without the tourists, Samuel," Deeks pressed his cousin in frustration. "I'll never be able to find the papers this way. I need time to look around."
"I'm sorry Martin, I didn't expect it to be such a popular stop with tourists at this time of day," Samuel apologized. "The house closes at 5pm. We can come back after then." They hopped into the buggy and headed back into town.
"I need to stop at the Feed and Seed to pick up a few items, I won't be long," Samuel said. "Stay out of site in the buggy and you will be fine." Deeks nodded impatiently. He was tired of all the roadblocks but he had come too far to lose it all at this point. Samuel made his way into the store and Deeks rested his head on the side of the buggy.
The rows of Amish tour buses lined the road across from the store and Deeks watched as tourists queued up to become a part of the Amish experience. He could understand their curiosity about wanting to find out more about the Amish community but there was something wrong about putting these people, his people on display like animals in a zoo. He pulled back the curtain to watch the crowds gather before Samuel got back in the buggy with his purchase.
As Samuel and Deeks were about to pull away, Kensi turned into the back parking lot of the Feed and Seed to avoid the crowds of people on Main Street. The place was jumping, Kensi noted with curiosity. When she left the inn this morning, her shadow was following close behind her again. This guy was starting to get on her nerves and she was going to have to find a way to lose him if she located the Sweitzers. She went into the rear entrance of the store and found a sales clerk stocking the shelves with bottles of weed killer.
"Excuse me; I'm looking for the Sweitzer family. Can you tell me if they live around these parts?" Kensi asked.
"Yeah, you just missed Samuel Sweitzer, he left a few seconds ago," the clerk pointed at the front door. Kensi rushed out the store and looked up and down the street. She spied a horse and buggy pulling away from the curb and recognized a very familiar profile peeking out from behind the curtain. Deeks! She'd recognize that face anywhere!
The man who was tailing her had left his car in the parking lot and was about to turn around the side of the store when he was over taken by a large crowd of tourists heading to their bus. Kensi took the opportunity to run across the street and hide inbetween the row of buses before he could spot her. One of the last tour busses was still open and she quickly climbed into the vehicle for cover. As she ran up the stairs, the doors closed with a whoosh.
"Welcome aboard, miss…please hurry and take a seat so we can start our tour," the guide advised. Kensi hurried down the aisle and sat down quickly in the last seat and turned to look out the back window of the bus. Her heart was racing as she watched the horse and buggy with her partner trotting down the street behind her.
Sorry for the long break between updates, but after a brief vacation and a bad cold, I was able to update but not as quickly as I would have liked to. I will try to do better! Hope you are enjoying the story so far...let me know what you think! Finally, Kensi finds Deeks but how will she get to him? Find out in the next installment!