Suggs nods vigorously. “The Coffee Cup closed last month. Used to be a dozen or more Amish-owned businesses, but most of them closed once Schrock got in there as bishop. Hated to see The Coffee Cup go. I swear they made the best strawberry-rhubarb pie I’ve ever had.” He grins. “Don’t tell my wife I said that.”

I smile back. “Attending worship will be one of the best ways for me to get to know people. Generally, the Amish will use someone’s home or farm and rotate every other week so hosting such a large event doesn’t become a hardship for any one person or family.”

“I don’t think this community rotates Sunday worship,” Suggs replies. “I’m pretty sure Schrock preaches every Sunday out to his place.”

“That’s unusual,” I say. “At his home?”

“I went out there one Sunday morning to talk to him about the lack of reflective signage on his buggy,” the sheriff tells me. “There were fifty or sixty people in chairs out in his barn. He has a big potbellied stove in there.”

I nod. “Do I have a form of transportation?”

He offers a hangdog frown. “We considered setting you up with a horse and buggy, but we didn’t have the funds or the time or the right kind of place for you, frankly. There are no facilities for a horse at Bowman’s trailer.”

“In Ohio,” I begin, “some of the Amish get around on bicycles or scooters. Would that be an option?”

“We can definitely purchase either for you,” Suggs says. “Or you can pick up whatever you need and we’ll reimburse the cost. But Chief, I can tell you that this time of year there’s just too damn much snow for that to be practical.”

My heart takes another dive. With several inches of snow on the ground and the temperature below freezing, I’m wondering about the physical logistics of getting around. The notion of trekking through miles of snow in a dress isn’t pleasant.

“How far is Roaring Springs from the trailer home where I’ll be staying?”

Suggs renders a pained look. “Half a mile south. Like I mentioned, Schrock’s place is half a mile straight north. So you’re pretty central, if that’s any consolation.”

“We’re sorry, Chief Burkholder,” Betancourt says. “We know the lack of transportation may present a hardship, especially with the weather this time of year, but it’s the best we could do considering our budget and all those Amish rules.”

I think about that a moment. “If there’s an Amish family living nearby, I may be able to arrange it so I can pay them to take me places. And there’s always the possibility of using a driver.” Still, there’s no doubt I’ll be spending a good bit of time marching through snow.

“What can you tell me about the children in the settlement?” I ask.

“The kids live with their families, of course,” Suggs replies. “Some of the families live on Schrock’s land. Others live in the general area, on small farms mostly. I think we’ve got two or three families living in town.”