Chapter 25: HED visits stoltzfus farm

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A ding from her phone woke Kaybri up just before the alarm was supposed to go off. She was exhausted after having examined and transported thirty dogs to the Stoltzfus Farm the previous day. When she saw it was a text from Noah, she immediately became wide awake.

  Are you taking the lead today for the tour? If the tour goes well, then Judge Thompson will dismiss HED’s case against you.

            Kaybri texted back.

  Yes. I hope that’s ok.

  Noah's reply came quickly.

  It’s fine. I’ll be there too but will keep my distance.

  Kaybri pushed aside the hurt those words brought her. He had certainly been keeping his distance. But, she realized, he probably meant simply that he’d keep a low profile for the tour since he was the son of the man HED had it in for.

  It was a big day, and she had to be her best self. But she was worried about Mr. Stoltzfus. The tour had been delayed several times because he was still recovering from valve replacement surgery. He’d spent a week in the hospital where he was told he’d heal in six to eight weeks and back to normal in two to three months. But his recovery was taking longer than expected.

  Kaybri was also concerned about the fact that Teri and the other HED members despised Mr. Stoltzfus. They would never forgive him no matter how many positive changes he made to the breeding operation.

  She phrased her words in her next text to Noah as delicately as possible. Maybe best if your dad stays out of sight. HED people are not so friendly. I hope he’s doing well.

  His reply once again came quickly.

  He’ll stay in bed. Doing OK. Thanks for asking. C u later.

  She didn’t share with him the fact that Teri and probably a few of the others who would be coming were those who had one year earlier set fire to their barn and fled with their dogs. When she arrived at the farm an hour later, Noah was sitting on the porch with Jakob Diener, Amos Epps, and Gerry Wockenfus, all of whom had been asked by Noah’s father to be there to welcome the guests. Noah said a polite hello to Kaybri but quickly excused himself and went into the house. Kaybri took his vacated seat and waited. She could still feel his warmth on the chair. It made her think how much she missed being in his arms. But now was not the time…

  Noah had still not returned fifteen minutes later when two white vans drove up and parked in the driveway near the house. Kaybri had hoped Noah would be the one to welcome the visitors. But, as he’d said, he was keeping his distance.

  Teri McGee, Judge Thompson, and nine members of HED—six women and three men—emerged from the vans.

  Kaybri stood up to greet them. “The Stoltzfus family thanks you for coming. For those of you who don’t know me, I am Dr. Kaybri Lynn. This is—” She was about to introduce Jakob Diener when she was interrupted.

  “Is that Thomas Stoltzfus?” The question came from a woman who was about five feet tall but who appeared ready to take a swing at the six-foot Diener.

  “No,” Kaybri said firmly. “This is Jakob Diener. He’s an elder of the Amish council and has come to see the changes that have been made to the farm. He’s someone you want on your side.” She hoped the woman would get the hint and calm down.

  Kaybri held her breath when Elizabeth, Noah, and a few of the children came out with a pitcher of water, glasses, and a plate of fresh-baked cookies. She didn’t want to see them treated rudely. Noah introduced himself and his mother and welcomed the group.

  Teri introduced herself and gestured to her members. “On behalf of HED, I thank you for your hospitality on this occasion.”

  None of the nine said hello or accepted any of the offerings. However, Jakob, Gerry, and Amos each took a handful of cookies.

  “The Stoltzfus family and Dr. Lynn can go to hell,” a different woman spat out. “Thomas Stoltzfus’s brutality is well known, and you and Dr. Stevens are just enablers.” This HED member was not so tiny. In fact, Kaybri thought she looked big enough to hurt someone. And her huge purse could easily have been concealing a weapon.

  Kaybri stepped back defensively, but then thought better of it and retook her ground. “You are a guest here,” she said with conviction. “And you will refrain from making rude or disparaging comments to my family.”

  “Your family?” This was said with a sneer by one of the men in the HED group.

  “Yes. You heard me correctly. My family.” Kaybri glanced over at Noah and saw that he was looking at her with a shocked expression. Well, she’d said it. There was no taking it back.

  Judge Thompson raised her voice. “Technically, you all are here as guests of the court, and you will conduct yourselves as if you are in my court. I will hold you in contempt, and that could include jail time should you choose to ignore my warning.”

  When the HED member who had insulted her started to open her mouth again, Kaybri covered the ground between them until her face was only inches away. “No one talks to the Stoltzfus family in a demeaning fashion. Got it?”

  The judge chimed in as well. “If you don’t think you can abide by that rule, then you are welcome to wait in the vans until we're finished.” She turned to Kaybri and added, “That also applies to you, Dr. Lynn. Let’s keep things calm.”

  Kaybri regained her composure and continued. “Please follow me. There have been many changes that I would like to share with you today.”

  Kaybri led the group to the barn. Noah followed behind the group. She saw that he was content to stay in the background and was glad of that. It was a relief that so far no one had said anything nasty to him.

  Kaybri pushed open the barn doors and invited the guests to enter and sit on chairs that had been set up. Kaybri could identify Phoenix. She didn’t know the barn’s thirty other residents taken from Puppy Camp that were spread out in their own spacious kennels.

  For the next part of her presentation, Kaybri distributed the horrifying photographs of the breeding dogs that had been taken the day they were liberated from the farm. Kaybri had taken those pictures so the past conditions could be immortalized. The guests all grimaced at the sight. Some wept openly.

  Judge Thompson held up one of the pictures for everyone to see. “These photographs are evidence that Mr. Stoltzfus engaged in conduct consistent with Ms. McGee’s accusations. He doesn’t want to hide anything.”       

  “Did you just move the poor dogs to another farm?” one of the HED men yelled out.

  Kaybri looked to Teri for help but saw that she was gazing at her phone and did not seem to be taking charge of her members. One of the women rose from her chair, threw the photo she was holding to the ground, and stormed out of the barn. Kaybri glanced over at Noah to see how he was holding up. His expression was grim. He had worked so hard. She wanted to tell him that these people didn’t matter.

  But right now, she had to keep this thing on track. “What you see in these pictures is, for sure, a horror show,” Kaybri said. She thought it might help to validate their feelings rather than try to make excuses. “The dogs that were too unhealthy to be saved were humanely euthanized. I…I did it myself.” The memory brought a tear to her eye. “The dogs that we were able to save have been adopted or are in foster homes. They were treated at my clinic with the help of generous donations from concerned citizens and from Mr. Stoltzfus and his extended family.”

  Noah chose this moment to stride up to the front of the group and stand next to Kaybri. “Please try to understand that our family is grieving for the loss of these dogs and for the mistakes we’ve made. We hope you can open your hearts—"

  He was interrupted by loud groans.

  Kaybri quickly took control and in a loud voice continued her presentation. “The barn has been disinfected under my supervision and the contaminated soil removed and disposed of consistent with the standards set by Pennsylvania’s Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement, which is part of our state’s Department of Agriculture. Mr. Stoltzfus has installed a heating and ventilation system, which, as you know, is not consistent with Amish practices.”

  Noah quickly interjected, “Mr. Diener is here to attest to the fact that those standards have been changed by the local council, and all the farmers who breed dogs are now allowed to install these types of systems in the barns so that the dogs live and breed under the best circumstances.”

  A woman interrupted. “He would only need to do that if he intended to continue breeding dogs, which is not acceptable.”

  “Please. Let me finish.” When quiet was restored, Kaybri spoke again. “The fans you see in the rafters are wind driven. If the temperature gets too high or too low, then the heating and air conditioning system will turn on. In this way, the health of the dogs will be protected whether it’s winter or summer.”

  The members started grumbling again. The day was turning into a disaster.