AMISH COUNTRY REFUGE

After Hannah Miller’s mother is murdered and her sisters go missing, someone comes after her. Now the only way she can survive is to entrench herself in an Amish community...and rely on Lucas Grant, a former police officer who is planning to join the Amish faith, for protection. But finding refuge for Hannah—disguised as Plain at a secluded inn—pulls Lucas back into his old life. And when Lucas discovers the criminals after them may be the people who killed his partner, the mission to take them down becomes personal. With the assailants closing in, though, can Lucas stop them...and finally put his past behind him to start an Amish life with Hannah?

“He’s behind us, Lucas!” Hannah said, fear in her voice.

“We’ll be okay,” Lucas promised as he drove faster.

Tears sprang to her eyes as memories gripped her. She couldn’t escape, not from the man in flannel who kept coming after her, not from her mother’s hateful words, not from the mistakes she had made when it came to her heart.

“He’s gaining.” Hannah watched the car draw even closer.

The driver turned on his bright lights. The reflection flashed in Lucas’s eyes, blinding him momentarily.

“There’s no getting away from him.” Fear ate through her gut. She clutched the console with one hand and the dashboard with the other, trying to steady herself as the car bounced even more over the pitted roadway.

“Hold on,” Lucas warned as he maneuvered the car around the broken asphalt. “A small dirt road veers to the right around the next curve. We’ll pull off there.”

“He’ll follow us, Lucas. We’ll be sitting ducks.”

The road ahead went dark as they rounded the bend.

Fear gripped her anew. “What happened?”

He glanced at her. “I won’t let anyone hurt you. That’s a promise.”

Dear Reader,

I hope you enjoyed Undercover Amish, Book 2 in my Amish Protectors series that follows Book 1, Amish Refuge. Attempting to find her missing sisters places Hannah Miller in the middle of a human-trafficking ring, and the only one who can help her is Lucas Grant. The former cop left the Savannah police department eleven months ago. Since then he’s been working for a kindly Amish innkeeper and is ready to join the Amish faith, but when Hannah’s life is in danger, he knows Hannah is more important than his future. The problem is Hannah can’t trust anyone involved in law enforcement, especially a handsome guy who harbors a dark secret that could threaten not only her safety but also her heart.

I would love to hear from you. Email me at debby@debbygiusti.com or write me c/o Love Inspired, 195 Broadway, 24th Floor, New York, NY 10007. Visit me at www.DebbyGiusti.com and at www.Facebook.com/debby.giusti.9.

As always, I thank God for bringing us together through this story.

Wishing you abundant blessings,

Debby

DEBBY GIUSTI is an award-winning Christian author who met and married her military husband at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Together they traveled the world, raised three wonderful children and have now settled in Atlanta, Georgia, where Debby spins tales of mystery and suspense that touch the heart and soul. Visit Debby online at debbygiusti.com, blog with her atseekerville.blogspot.com and craftieladiesofromance.blogspot.com, and email her at Debby@DebbyGiusti.com.

Undercover Amish

Debby Giusti

www.millsandboon.co.uk

MILLS & BOON

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Praise be to the Lord,

for He has heard my cry for mercy.

The Lord is my strength and my shield;

my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me.

My heart leaps for joy,

and with my song I praise Him.

—Psalms 28:6–7

To My Husband—My Hero

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

About the Author

Title Page

Bible Verse

Dedication

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

EIGHTEEN

NINETEEN

TWENTY

EPILOGUE

Extract

Copyright

ONE

“Hey, lady, that woman on TV looks just like you.”

Hannah Miller ignored the wizened old man with the scruffy beard and bloodshot eyes, who undoubtedly was talking to her since she was the only woman in the gas station. Instead of responding, she handed her credit card to the attendant behind the counter. “Twenty dollars on pump four.”

Averting her gaze from not only the older man but also the cluster of guys ogling the model on the cover of the latest edition of a men’s sports magazine, she squared her shoulders, raised her chin and hoped she looked more confident than she felt. A truck stop off the interstate was the last place Hannah wanted to be in the dead of night, but she needed gas. She also needed to find her sister Miriam and to learn the details of her mother’s death as well as the whereabouts of her youngest sister, Sarah, who had disappeared along with Miriam.

Refusing to be deterred, the old guy with the beard pointed to the flat-screen TV hanging on the wall. “Check it out, lady.”

As much as she didn’t want to respond to his comment, she couldn’t stop from glancing at the television. Her heart lurched and a tiny gasp escaped her lips. Her middle sister’s face stared back at her from the thirty-two-inch screen.

A reporter, holding a microphone, stepped toward Miriam as the news video continued to play. “Ms. Miller, do you have any comment about the man who murdered your mother?”

“No comment.” Miriam pushed past the reporter and climbed aboard a Gray Line bus.

“The suspected killer is dead,” the man with the mike continued, “along with a deputy sheriff who was involved in Leah Miller’s death. Now her daughter Miriam is leaving Willkommen. A spokesperson for the mayor’s office said the tragedy is an isolated incident. The crime rate in the town and surrounding Amish community is low, and tourists shouldn’t be discouraged from visiting the area.”

The video ended and the late-night news anchor returned to the screen. “That footage, shot six weeks ago, is the last taken of Miriam Miller, although there is speculation she returned to Willkommen and is hiding out in the North Georgia mountains. The police now suspect the carjacking that claimed Leah Miller’s life could be tied to the disappearance eight months earlier of Rosie Glick, an Amish girl believed at the time to have run off with her Englisch boyfriend.”

Hannah’s heart pounded and a roar filled her ears. Seeing the news feed made the information she’d learned about her family only hours earlier even more real. She desperately needed space to recover her composure, but the insistent bearded man sidled closer.

“’Spect your last name must be Miller.” He raised his voice. “Except for your blue eyes, you look so much alike that you’ve got to be kin to that woman on the news whose mother was killed. Gunned down in a carjacking was the story I heard.”

Hannah pursed her lips and hoped her icy glare would convince the attendant who still held her credit card not to divulge her name. Evidently the kid behind the counter was smart enough to pick up on her cues. He returned her card without comment.

She glanced at the group of men near the magazine rack who had stopped perusing the cover model to stare at her. Feeling totally exposed, she returned the credit card to her wallet, all the while her neck tingled and heat seared her cheeks.

One of the men, dressed in a blue flannel shirt and navy hoodie, shrugged out of the group and hurried outside. If only the other men would leave, as well. Not that they were doing anything wrong, but the last thing Hannah wanted was to call attention to herself.

She tucked her wallet into her purse, grabbed the sales receipt and hurried into the ladies’ room, needing a private place to come to terms with what had happened. Her head throbbed and she fought to control the tears that burned her eyes. Her mother was dead, Miriam was gone and her younger sister Sarah had disappeared. When Hannah had left home three years ago, Sarah had just turned eighteen.

Deriding herself for her insensitivity to her family’s need, Hannah hung her head in shame. Why hadn’t she tried to contact them in all that time? In spite of the angry words exchanged the night she’d left and her fear that law enforcement had been called in, Hannah should have been the better person and made an attempt to reconnect. For so long she’d blamed her mother and Miriam. Now they were gone from her life and her heart ached too much to blame anyone but herself.

Hannah had been selfish and thinking of her own needs, not the good of the family. Although the three girls raised by a flighty, self-absorbed mother hardly deserved the name “family.” The disjointed reality of their dysfunctional life had, at times, seemed anything but close-knit or loving.

Plus, the old man was wrong. Any resemblance she had to Miriam was slight. After what she had learned the night she’d left home, it was no wonder she had always felt like an outsider. The accusation and the memory of the secret her mother had revealed remained an open wound.

The last thing she’d expected to find today on her cell phone was Miriam’s garbled voice mail. Her sister’s heartbreaking message—at least what Hannah could decipher—had been almost too much to bear.

According to the television footage, Miriam hadn’t been seen in Willkommen since she’d boarded the bus six weeks ago. The possibility of finding either sister seemed remote, yet Hannah wouldn’t give up her search until she found Miriam and Sarah.

Needing to get back on the road, Hannah splashed cold water on her face, wiped it dry with a paper towel and hurried to her car, grateful that the older, bearded guy, now chatting with the men by the magazine rack, failed to notice her departure.

Nearing her car, Hannah sensed she wasn’t alone and turned to see the man in blue flannel. He glanced at her through narrowed eyes before he opened the door to his black Tahoe and settled into the driver’s seat. Something about the guy chilled her blood. Was it his bushy brows and pensive stare or his long hair pulled into a ponytail? His jeans and work boots were crusted with Georgia clay, making him look like he belonged on a backhoe instead of in the well-detailed SUV.

Unnerved by the man’s penetrating gaze, she unscrewed the gas cap, inserted the nozzle and began pumping, all the while watching the guy pull his black SUV onto the roadway, heading toward the highway. For whatever reason, she felt a sense of relief.

Once her tank was full, she slipped behind the wheel of her small, four-door sedan and turned left toward Willkommen. Surely the town couldn’t be too far away.

The road was windy and narrow and angled up the mountain. A sign for Pine Lodge Mountain Resort caught her attention. Closed For Renovation read the small banner that hung over the larger placard.

A light drizzle began to fall. Hannah flipped on the windshield wipers and squinted into the night. If only visibility was better. The temperature dropped as the elevation increased. She upped the heater, but even with the warm air blowing straight at her, she still felt cold and totally alone.

Usually she welcomed solitude. Tonight, she found the night too dark and eerie. Had it been along this road where her mother had been killed?

Her gut tightened and another tide of hot tears burned her eyes. She blinked them back, swallowed the lump that filled her throat and focused even more intently on the narrow mountain road.

A warning light flashed on her dash. She leaned closer and tapped the glass, unsure of what was wrong. Her heart pounded as she watched the temperature gauge rise. She clicked the heater off but the needle continued to climb.

She groaned, pulled to the side of the road and killed the engine. Staring into the darkness, she gulped down a lump of fear. She was too far from the gas station to walk back, and she hadn’t passed another car for more than twenty minutes. If only someone would happen along.

“Lord—” she bowed her head “—I’m just starting on my walk of faith, but I trust You’re with me. Send help.”

She glanced up to see headlights in the rearview mirror.

“Thank You, Lord.” She exited her car, grateful when the vehicle pulled to a stop behind her sedan. A man stepped to the pavement. Hannah squinted in the glare from his headlights and put her hand to her forehead to shield her eyes. Something about the guy stirred her memory. He neared and her pulse ricocheted as she recognized the blue flannel shirt.

His car had been headed for the highway when he’d pulled out of the gas station. Why had he turned around?

“Looks like you’ve got a problem.” His voice was deep with a hint of Southern twang.

“You’re right about a problem,” she replied, keeping her tone even and hoping he didn’t hear the tremble in her voice. “My engine seems to have overheated.”

“Mind if I take a look under the hood?”

“Sure. Thanks.” Only Hannah wasn’t sure about anything, especially the strange man with the ponytail.

“You wanna pop the hood?” he asked.

She tugged on the release and then stood aside as he peered into the engine.

“Looks like you’ve got a hole in your radiator.”

“But how—?”

“No telling, lady. Willkommen’s not far. I’ll give you a lift.”

An overwhelming sense of dread washed over her. “If you could send someone from a service station, I’d prefer to stay with my vehicle.”

“There might not be another car along for hours,” he cautioned.

Wary of his advice, she held up her hand. “If you could send help, I’d be most grateful.”

“I can’t leave you out here.” His smile seemed more like a sneer. “Come on, lady. I won’t hurt you.”

“I never said you would.” She stepped back from the car and from the man whose lips suddenly curved into a seductive grin.

Her pulse raced. Fear threaded through her veins.

He moved closer and held out his hand. “Sure you wouldn’t like a ride to town?”

“No, thanks.”

“Come on, honey.”

She wasn’t his honey, nor did she like the tone of his voice.

Flicking her gaze over her shoulder, she eyed the thick forest that edged the roadway. Would it provide cover? Enough cover?

He stepped closer and reached for her hand.

She drew back. “What do you want?” she demanded.

“Information. That old guy at the gas station was right. You’ve got to be related to the woman on the news.”

Hannah shook her head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He retrieved his cell from his pocket and pulled up a photo. “This is the woman. You look just like her.”

Hannah peered at the picture of her sister and fought to control her emotions, seeing Miriam’s bruised forehead and her matted hair.

The lewd man stepped closer. “She left Willkommen weeks ago. Some folks say she returned. If so, I need to find her.”

“I...I can’t help you.”

His face darkened. “Look, lady, I’m working with the police. They need to question her.”

She didn’t believe him, but instead of arguing she squared her shoulders and raised her chin. “Why don’t you just climb in your car and return to town?”

The finality of her tone must have convinced him she wouldn’t change her mind. He started to step back but then lunged for her. “Where is she? Where’s Miriam?”

Hannah screamed. He grabbed her arm. She slipped out of his hold and ran into the woods. The tall pines blocked the moonlight and darkness surrounded her like a pall.

She tripped, righted herself and ran on.

His footfalls came after her, drawing closer.

She increased her speed, not knowing where she was headed or what she would find.

Lord, save me.

A clearing lay ahead. The moon broke through the dark cloud cover, bathing the rolling landscape in light that would mark her as an easy target if she continued on. She angled away from the clearing and forged deeper into the forest. Stumbling over a branch, she threw out her hand to block her fall. Her fingers brushed against a ladder.

She felt the rungs and stared up into the night, seeing the faint outline of a platform at least twelve feet off the ground.

Movement in the brush warned of the man’s approach.

Hannah scurried up the ladder and climbed onto the platform. Lying down, she placed her ear to the floorboards and worked to keep her breathing shallow. Even her labored pull of air could alert him to her whereabouts.

The guy ran straight ahead into the clearing. Before the moon passed behind the clouds, Hannah could make out his features. Why was the guy interested in Miriam?

Dear God, don’t let him find me.

Her heart pounded so hard she thought it would surely shake the platform.

The man backtracked. He stopped at the foot of the ladder. The platform swayed as he stepped onto the first rung, then the second and the third.

She was trapped at twelve feet above ground and about to be found out by a man intent on doing her harm.

Be still, she chastised her heart, ricocheting in her chest.

She could hear his raspy breath as he stopped his climb and remained poised halfway up the ladder.

“Where...are...you?” he demanded, his voice low and menacing. “I know you ran this way, but I don’t see you anywhere.”

A lump filled her throat. In half a second he would scramble to the top, grab her and—

She gritted her teeth to keep from screaming.

Leaves rustled behind the stand as if someone or something was scurrying through the fallen debris, heading back toward the parked cars.

“I’ve got you now,” he whispered, sounding jubilant. In a flash, he climbed down the ladder and ran to catch up to whatever squirrel or possum or raccoon that had saved Hannah, at least for the moment.

Over the roar in her ears, she could hear him disappear into the night. Opening her mouth, she gulped air and trembled from the fear that had wrapped her tightly in its hold.

Thank You, God.

She lay still for a long time, listening to the forest and allowing her anxiety to calm. Breathing in the serenity of the moment, she closed her eyes and, at some point, drifted into a light slumber.

With a jerk, she awoke. Rubbing her neck, she started to sit up. Just that quickly, the sound of footsteps returned. Her gut churned and she bit her lip to keep from moaning in distress.

After all this time, why was he coming back?

Again, she flattened her body against the platform, willed her heart to remain calm and blinked back hot tears that stung her eyes.

This time he would find her. He neared, then stepped onto the ladder, one foot, then another and another as he climbed higher.

Faintly in the distance, she could hear the rev of a car engine as a vehicle headed down the mountain, but all she could think about was the man on the ladder.

He stopped for half a second, then raised a rifle and laid it on the wooden deck.

Her chance. Her only chance. She grabbed the weapon and pointed it straight at the wide-brimmed hat and full face that appeared over the edge of the platform.

* * *

A sliver of moonlight peered from between the clouds as Lucas Grant climbed over the top of the ladder onto the deer stand. Just that fast, his heart stopped, seeing the woman staring at him wide-eyed. Her long hair and oval face made him think of Olivia.

Then he saw the rifle—his .30-30 Winchester—aimed at his gut.

“Put the gun down, lady, before one of us gets hurt.”

“Who are you?” she demanded, her gaze wary and tight with fear. Although she squared her shoulders and raised her jaw, the hint of uncertainty was evident in her voice.

“Lucas Grant. This is my property. My deer stand.” He let the information settle for half a second then added, “Seems you’re trespassing. So, if you know what’s good for you, ma’am, you best hand over my .30-30.”

He pursed his lips and pulled in a breath as she hesitated longer than he would have liked.

“I won’t hurt you, ma’am, and I don’t aim to do you harm.”

She tilted her pretty head, wrinkled her brow and looked at him through what appeared, even in the dim moonlight, to be troubled eyes.

“You’re Amish?” she asked, the surprise evident in her voice.

He glanced down at the black trousers and blue shirt, knowing it was the suspenders that made her come to that conclusion, along with the wide-brimmed felt hat and the black outer coat that hung open.

“I work at an Amish bed-and-breakfast,” he said, unwilling to provide more information.

Her brow wrinkled even more. “So you’re not Amish.”

He shrugged. “Call me Amish in training.”

“What?”

He held out his hand. “Ma’am, let’s get rid of the weapon and then we can make our introductions.”

Instead of reassuring the woman, his comment seemed to have the opposite effect. She gripped the barrel more tightly and inched her finger even closer to the trigger.

Not where he wanted it to be.

She leaned forward, her brow raised. “Did you have anything to do with the man at the filling station?”

He took off his hat and raked his hand through his hair, trying to follow her train of thought. “What filling station?”

“Just off the highway. I stopped for gas and directions. A man followed me.”

Some of the pieces were falling into place. “That’s why you climbed the deer stand.”

Her shoulders slumped and her eyes glistened with what he imagined were tears.

“Ma’am, I’d never hurt a lady. You don’t have to worry. I won’t hurt you and, if you give me a description of the man who came after you, I’ll notify the local authorities.”

“The Willkommen police department?”

He shook his head. “It’s a county-run sheriff’s department, although Sheriff Kurtz is in rehab, recovering from a gunshot wound. One of his deputies is holding down the fort, so to speak.”

“Crime must run rampant on this mountain.” The sarcasm in her reply was all too evident.

“You’re not from this area?” he asked, hoping to steer the conversation onto a more neutral topic.

She shook her head but didn’t offer a verbal response.

“Where’s your car, ma’am?”

“Broken down on the side of the road not far from here. A warning light signaled the engine had overheated. I pulled off the road.”

“That’s when the man came after you?”

She nodded. “A few minutes later. I had seen him at the gas station.”

“He followed you?”

“I’m not sure. He was headed toward the highway when he first left the station. He must have turned around.”

“And he chased after you?” Lucas asked.

“That’s right,” she said with a nod. “I ran into the woods. He came after me and started up the deer stand. Thankfully, an animal rustled the underbrush and distracted him. He ran toward the sound, probably thinking it was me. Eventually, I heard a car engine and presume he drove off in his SUV when he couldn’t find me.”

Needing to gain her trust, Lucas pointed in the direction of the road. “You stay here and I’ll check the roadway to make sure he’s gone.”

As much as he didn’t want to leave the skittish woman, Lucas wanted to ensure the man had driven away as she’d suspected. He quickly made his way through the thick underbrush until he had a clear view of the roadway. A Nissan sedan sat at the side of the road. No other vehicle was in sight.

He returned to the deer stand. “It’s Lucas,” he announced as he started up the ladder, relieved to find her waiting for him at the top.

“I saw one car and only one car. A Nissan,” he informed her.

“That’s mine.”

“Then the guy’s gone. How ’bout we climb down the ladder? I can check the engine and see what’s wrong with your vehicle.”

She didn’t respond.

“Unless you want to stay on this deer stand all night,” he added.

The temperature had dropped even lower. Lucas could feel it in his leg. The wound had healed but the memory lingered. If the dampness bothered him, it had to be chilling her, as well.

Her jacket was light and her head and hands were bare. A slight mist had started to fall and she appeared to be shivering under her bravado.

“Not sure how you feel about a cold rain on a chilly night, but I’d prefer to seek shelter and stay dry.”

Her shoulders relaxed. Evidently he was making progress. “I don’t want to pry, ma’am, but you haven’t told me your name.”

“It’s Hannah.” Her finger inched away from the trigger. “Hannah Miller.”

“Pleased to meet you.” He hesitated before extending his hand. “Now, if you’ll pass me the rifle, we can get out of the rain.”

She sat for a long moment. Then, with a faint sigh, she handed him the .30-30. He checked to make sure the chamber was clear.

“I’ll go down first. You follow.” Swinging his good leg onto the ladder, Lucas started to climb down. Unsure how he’d handle the situation if she failed to move, he smiled to himself when she scooted to the edge of the platform.

“Easy does it, Hannah. One foot at a time. Take it slow. I’ve got your back.”

The woman had been agile enough to climb up the deer stand. Surely she could climb down, as well. Still, he didn’t want any missteps. Everything, including ladders, turned slippery when wet, and the last thing he wanted was any more harm to befall the pretty woman who had changed his plans for this evening.

In a flash of clarity, he realized her unexpected entry into his life could upset the peaceful existence he’d been living for the past eleven months. He’d turned in his badge, left law enforcement behind and found solace in the Amish community. Even more important, he’d gotten right with the Lord and found a simpler way to look at the world.

Savannah, Georgia, his years in law enforcement, and what had happened on that dock front were merely a memory. A painful memory that he chose to ignore. Except in the middle of the night when he awoke in a cold sweat, knowing his partner, Olivia, had died because of his delay in responding to her call for help.

He shook his head to send the thoughts fleeing then dropped to the ground and watched the woman with the long legs and free-flowing hair trudge down the ladder.

Her foot snagged on the second-to-last rung. Without thinking, he caught her in his arms. She was slender and soft, and smelled like a fresh floral bouquet. He hadn’t been this close to a pretty woman who tugged at his heart in eleven months and, for a long moment, he was transfixed by her nearness.

She bristled. He dropped his hold and took a step back, unsettled by the mix of emotions that played through his mind. A twinge to his gut told him getting close to Hannah Miller might be dangerous to his health.

“Are you okay?” He wasn’t sure of the response she would provide, but he knew all too well that he was anything but okay. The woman had an effect on him that was difficult to define. Confused and befuddled might be accurate descriptions of the way he felt.

Gripping his rifle in one hand, he pointed to the trail that wove through the forest with the other. “The path will take us to the roadway near to where you left your car.”

She swallowed hard and tugged on the bottom of her jacket before nodding. “I didn’t realize there was a path.”

“It’s hard to see at night unless you know where you’re going.”

“Maybe you should take the lead,” she suggested.

“Sure.”

“You’re positive the guy’s gone?” she asked as if needing to be reassured that Lucas wasn’t leading her into danger.

“I told you, your car was the only one I saw. You mentioned hearing a vehicle heading down the mountain.”

Without waiting for a reply, Lucas started walking and was relieved when he heard her following. As nervous as she seemed, he wouldn’t be surprised if she tried to run away. But then, where would she go? Her car was broken down, a man had followed after her, and she was halfway up a mountain road few people knew about and even fewer traveled.

He pushed back a branch from one of the saplings and turned to glance over his shoulder. “Are you okay?” he asked again.

“I’m fine.”

The mist changed to a steady drizzle. Her hair was matted with rain that ran over her shoulders and down the front of her jacket.

“Fine” was a stretch. She looked cold and about as comfortable as a drenched kitten.

His heart went out to her, but then he realized his mistake. He knew nothing about Hannah Miller, yet a man had chased her through the woods. Maybe that was why Lucas had built the deer stand six months earlier. Had the Lord placed it on his heart to do so, knowing a woman on the run would need a place to hide?

He was still a neophyte when it came to having a relationship with the Almighty. The Good Lord was working on making him a stronger believer and more willing to accept the precepts of the faith he had picked up from the Amish with whom he worked.

Thankfully, they had embraced him with open arms, but he was the one holding back because of the burden he carried in his heart. He’d asked God to send someone into his life who could remove the plank that weighed him down.

So far, God hadn’t answered that prayer.

“Oh,” Hannah gasped.

He turned to grab her arm before she tumbled over a fallen log. She nodded her thanks and leaned closer as she regained her footing.

His pulse hammered in his ears. What was it about this woman that caused him to take note? She was pretty. But lots of women were.

Maybe his protective nature had kicked into overdrive. Once a cop, always a cop, even after eleven months off the job. Still, he’d worked lots of investigations in Savannah and had never felt so engaged with a victim or a witness to a crime. Something about Hannah was different, and whether he liked it or not, he felt sure his life was about to change. For better or worse? Only God knew and, at the moment, He was silent.

TWO

Lord, keep me safe, Hannah prayed as she stared at the second man tonight who had peered into her car’s engine.

“Shine the light this way,” Lucas asked.

She angled her cell to where he pointed, grateful for the flashlight on her phone.

“Looks like there’s a hole in the radiator,” Lucas said, confirming what the horrible man in the flannel shirt had already told her.

The bad news was easier to accept from the helpful guy wearing suspenders.

She glanced at the road that disappeared around the mountain. A nervous tingle wrapped around her spine. The lewd guy who’d wanted information about Miriam could come back, especially if he expected to find Hannah huddled in her car, seeking shelter from the rain.

Lucas seemed oblivious to the danger. Although there was no telling what he was thinking with half his face hidden under that wide-brimmed felt hat he wore.

Swallowing hard, she gathered her courage to say what played heavy on her mind. “Do you think he’ll come back?”

Lucas glanced out from under the hood of the car and flicked his gaze to the mountain road. “We’ll see his headlights in plenty of time.”

His comment lacked the reassurance she needed and wanted. Would they really have enough warning to hide if the man returned? Or could a car traveling at a rapid rate of speed surprise them both?

The Good Samaritan’s nonchalance troubled her. Surely he wasn’t in cahoots with the guy in blue flannel. She shook her head ever so slightly and sighed, refusing to go down that road. Better to think of Lucas in a favorable light. So far, he’d done nothing to cause her concern.

Besides, the Amish were peaceful folks. Weren’t they?

Yet he’d said he was almost Amish. What did that mean?

“If we had some water, we could fill the radiator and drive until it ran dry.” Lucas extracted himself from under the hood. “That might give us enough time to get to the B and B.”

“Where you work?”

He nodded. “But as I mentioned, we need water.” He held out his hand, palm up. “And more than a sprinkling of raindrops.”

“I’ve got a case of water bottles in the trunk of my car,” she shared. “I went to the store after work—”

“And forgot to unload your groceries?” he added with a knowing smile.

Even in the darkness, she could see the dimples in his cheeks and the sparkle in his eyes.

“I planned to help with the youth at church,” Hannah explained. “The kids are always thirsty.”

“What changed your plans?”

She avoided his gaze. “It’s a long story.” One she didn’t need to share. “Let’s fill the radiator and see how far we get.”

After unlocking her trunk, Hannah grabbed as many bottles as she could carry. Lucas did the same. He jimmied a tiny portion of cloth into the hole in the radiator, and then, together, they poured water into the reservoir.

“Looks like it’s holding.” He held out his hand when she pulled the keys from her pocket. “I’ll drive. The roads can be tricky at night.”

She liked his take-charge attitude and the smoothness with which he closed the hood, scooped the empty plastic bottles into her trunk and held the passenger door open for her. She settled into the seat and watched as he rounded the front of the car and slipped in behind the wheel.

The road twisted and turned, and she was grateful Lucas was driving. She glanced at her watch. Half past midnight.

Coming to an intersection, he turned right. A road sign pointed left to Willkommen. “Isn’t that where I want to go?”

“The town is still a distance from here. The B and B is closer.” He glanced at the clock on the console. “It’s late, and you’ve got a radiator that’s losing fluid. If we get to the Amish Inn, I’ll be more than grateful. You can stay there overnight. The rooms are clean and comfortable and off the beaten path. You won’t have to worry about the guy who followed you.”

“How can you be sure?”

“I wear a lot of hats,” he said with another smile that played with her heart. “One of them is security.”

“But you weren’t working tonight?”

“That’s right. My shift starts at six a.m.”

She hated to pry but another question came to mind. “If you don’t mind me asking, how’d you get to the deer stand without a car?”

“I live in a house on the inn’s property. There’s a shortcut on the other side of the mountain. It’s a good hike, but doable. When the parcel of land went for sale, I purchased it some months ago and built the tree stand as a place to go to be alone.”

“Sorry I interrupted your serenity.”

“Not a problem.” He flashed another upbeat glance her way. “Glad I could help.”

A comforting warmth settled over her. Then, realizing her error, she sat straighter in the seat. She wouldn’t succumb to Lucas’s charm. She’d been involved with one man too many. No reason to let herself make another mistake.

Lucas might be good-looking, but handsome men could break a girl’s heart. She knew that too well. She had the scars to prove it. Not physical but emotional.

She’d built a wall around her heart. Unfortunately, she’d allowed someone entry and learned a very painful lesson that had forced her into seclusion over the last six weeks. Using a prepaid burner phone with a new number and changing her email address so he couldn’t reach her had been good decisions. Moving to Macon and starting over had been a bit more difficult. Along with making a new life for herself, she’d fortified that wall around her heart even more. No one could find a way in.

Not even an almost-Amish guy with a killer smile.

* * *

Lucas tensed. His eyes locked on the rearview mirror and a muscle twitched in his neck.

“What’s wrong?” Hannah asked.

“Headlights, coming this way. Looks like it could be an SUV.”

“A black Tahoe?” she asked, rubbing her hands over her arms.

“I can’t be sure of the make and model nor the color, but I don’t want to take any chances.” He glanced at the temperature gauge. “We can try to outrace the vehicle or hole up someplace and wait until it passes.”

“What about the leak in the radiator?”

“You’ve got more water. We can refill if need be.” Although putting extra stress on the car wasn’t a good option.

Grateful when a narrow dirt roadway came into view, Lucas turned onto the path, guided the car behind an expanse of pine trees and cut the engine. “Hopefully we won’t be seen.”

“I’d like a little more reassurance.” She tugged at a strand of her wet hair and stared through the trees at the all-too-close roadway. “What if it’s the guy who came after me and he spots us?”

“Then we’ll go to plan B.”

Her eyes widened. “Is there a plan B?”

“Not yet, but we’ll handle that problem when it arises.”

As much as he wanted to make light of a very serious situation, Lucas knew cars on the mountain road were few and far between. Not that he would share that bit of information with Hannah. She was anxious enough.

“By the way, thank you for coming to my aid,” she said, her voice barely a whisper.

He glanced at her for a long moment and then turned his gaze back to the road. “My mama taught me to be a gentleman, and gentlemen don’t leave ladies at the top of their deer stands.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her shoulders visibly relax. She let out an almost-inaudible sigh of relief. As her tension seemed to ease, a tightness constricted Lucas’s chest and sent a pulse of heat up his neck. He didn’t have medical training but he doubted the reaction had any physical basis, and that worried him. Who was Hannah Miller and what was she doing to his peace of mind?

As the SUV passed, she touched his arm. “It looks like the Tahoe from the gas station. I told you, he had headed for the highway, yet when I broke down, his was the first car to happen by.”

“The guy must have known you’d be stranded on the side of the road,” Lucas said. “Did you lock your car when you went into the station?”

She thought back. “I had gotten out expecting to pay at the pump, then realized I needed to pay the attendant. I left the car unlocked.”

“Which means he could have jabbed the hole in your radiator.”

“Except I’d been driving for hours. The engine was still hot. Wouldn’t steam and water spray out?”

“He could have worn insulated gloves to protect his hands. If he closed your hood before you returned to your car, you wouldn’t have noticed the problem.”

She nodded and stared into the night. “I went to the ladies’ room, which gave him ample time.”

“Did anyone tail you on the highway?”

“Not that I noticed.”

Had the guy taken advantage of a woman driving along an isolated road late at night or was Hannah a known target?

“A pretty woman on a desolate back road...” Lucas didn’t need to finish the thought.

Hannah leaned closer. “Did you hear about a mountain hijacking that ended with an older woman dead and two younger women captured?”

The question took Lucas by surprise. “How does that involve you?”

Maybe Hannah was a marked woman after all.

“The murdered woman was Leah Miller.”

“You’re related?”

Hannah nodded. “She was my mother. My younger sister Sarah was taken. Another sister, Miriam, was supposed to have found refuge with an Amish family named Zook. Do you know them?”

“That’s a common name around these parts. Do you have first names?”

“Unfortunately, that’s all the information I could decipher from the garbled voice mail Miriam left on my cell. The guy in the flannel shirt who came after me mentioned her name. He wanted to know where she’s holed up.”

“We need to talk to the deputy sheriff and learn more about the hijacking. Maybe he’ll know the Zooks and how to find your sister.”

Maybe he would know about Hannah Miller, as well. She’d gone from being a stranded motorist with a guy on her tail to a person of interest in a murder and kidnapping case. Lucas had distanced himself from law enforcement, yet crime and corruption seemed to have found him in the middle of the North Georgia mountains, which was both ironic and unsettling.

Reason told him to give Hannah a wide berth, but he couldn’t walk away from a woman in need. Especially a woman whose circumstances tugged at his heart.

“Stay in the car,” he said, opening the driver’s door. “I’ll add more water and then we’ll be on our way. There’s a fork in the road not far ahead. Just like the previous intersection, the fork to the left goes to Willkommen. We’ll veer right toward the Amish Inn. Chances are good the car that just passed us is headed to town.”

Lucas refilled the radiator, crawled back into the car, started the engine and pulled out onto the road. The rain eased, but the overhanging trees and thick underbrush that lined the road hung heavy with moisture. The headlights cut a path into the dark night.

As he guided the car to the right at the fork, the moon peered through the clouds. Stretched out around them were rolling hills that led to higher peaks in the distance. They drove in silence for some distance until fenced pastures marked their approach to the B and B. A three-story, rambling inn, painted white with black shutters, wraparound porches and two stone fireplaces came into view. The scene, no matter how many times he saw it, filled Lucas’s heart with a sense of home.

“I’m sure everything will look more welcoming in the light of day,” Hannah said.

Evidently the bucolic scene that warmed his heart caused her unease. She worried her fingers as if she didn’t know whether to be relieved or concerned about what she saw.

“The inn sits at the end of the entrance drive,” he explained, hoping to reassure her. “The building closer to the road is the Amish Store and produce mart. Fannie Stoltz owns the place. She’s Amish and lives in one of the two houses at the far side of the property. The two Amish homes don’t have electricity or technology. The rest of the property runs on solar power backed up with propane generators. The majority of the guests are Englischers who want to enjoy the peace of the Amish way but still have their comforts, such as indoor plumbing, electric lights, heat in the winter and air-conditioning in the summer.”

“So it’s not Amish?”

He smiled. “It’s about as Amish as most folks want to get. Fannie is a widow. The inn was a way she could provide for herself.”

“She has children?”

He shook his head. “But she’s got a big heart.”

“You’re sure she won’t mind me arriving this late at night.”

“We won’t wake her. I’ve got a master key and will set you up in a room. Tomorrow we’ll explain your late arrival.”

Lucas pulled her car close to a rear maintenance shed. “I’ll have the mechanic check out your car in the morning. Calvin can fix anything. Even a radiator.”

Rounding the car, he opened her door and then pulled her tote from the trunk. Together they hurried along the path that led to the inn and climbed the steps to the expansive front porch.

Lucas keyed open the door and stepped back to let her enter first. A small table lamp glowed halfway down the entrance hall. He placed Hannah’s tote on the floor by the table and checked the log book.

“Room three is available,” he whispered to keep from waking the other guests.

“Are you sure this is okay?”

“Of course. We all work together at the inn.”

He grabbed the key off the peg where it hung and opened the door to the downstairs wing, then motioned her to the left. “It’s the last door on the right, a corner room with great views.”

He unlocked the door and held it open for her. She stepped into the room and flipped on the overhead light. Her gaze took in the double bed with fluffy pillows and hand-stitched quilt. A dresser and overstuffed chair filled one side of the room across from a door that led to the private bath.

A small latched rug warmed the floor, but the room was still chilly. Lucas adjusted the thermostat on the wall. “You’ll get heat soon enough. Extra blankets are in the bottom drawer. Breakfast runs from six thirty until nine a.m. To get to the dining room, turn left and head to the end of the hall.”

He stepped past her and checked the latches on the windows in the bedroom and bath.

“Lock the door after I leave. In the morning, I’ll let Fannie know you’re here.” Lucas glanced around the room. “Do you need anything else?”

“Towels?”

“In the bathroom.”

“Then I’ve got everything I need. Thank you, Lucas. I...I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He nodded. “I’ll be on the job by six. Get some sleep. Morning will come soon enough.”

With determined steps, he headed for the door then glanced back. “Don’t worry. You’ll be safe here.”

Stepping into the hallway, Lucas felt a sense of relief. He had checked the windows and cautioned Hannah to lock her door. The guy from the gas station wouldn’t find her tonight.

Once clear of the house, Lucas stopped to listen to the sounds of the night. Small creatures scurried through the underbrush and the croak of bullfrogs sounded from the nearby pond, but little else could be heard. No cars, no planes overhead, no chatter from guests who were hopefully enjoying their slumber.

He should have been relieved, but tonight something wasn’t sitting well within him. He scanned the pastures and the mountains in the distance. Tired as he was, he couldn’t pull himself from this observation spot as if everything was warning him to stand guard.

What had he overlooked?

“Gott,” he said as his Amish neighbors did. “Show me through Your eyes what I am to see.”

The night settled heavy around him, yet still he remained.

The light in room three, where Hannah stayed, went out. His eyes again scanned the fields, the outbuildings, the paddock and stable. A dog barked in the distance.

Foolish of him to remain for so long when the night was quiet. Ready to return to his house, he saw the glow of ambient light from afar. Headlights?

His spine tightened. Was it the man from the filling station? Had he taken the turn to Willkommen and then doubled back when he’d failed to find Hannah once again broken down on the side of the road?

The lights drew nearer. Lucas moved to the retail store and stood behind the building, hidden from anyone passing by yet with an unobstructed view of the road.

The vehicle’s motor filled the night. Lucas watched a dark SUV pull toward the entrance to the property and slow to a stop.

He stepped from the shadows and hurried toward the car, bending to catch sight of the driver through the tinted windshield.

Although Lucas couldn’t make out his features, he saw the driver startle, no doubt surprised to see someone approaching, before the late-model Tahoe accelerated. Georgia clay conveniently covered the rear license plate, obscuring the number. The left taillight was out.

The SUV passing the inn could have been anyone, except Lucas hadn’t been a cop for six years in Savannah not to know the simplest conclusion was usually the best. Everything in his gut told him the man at the wheel was the guy from the gas station and, for whatever reason, he was intent on finding Hannah Miller. Was he interested in finding her sister Miriam? Or was he focused on Hannah? Whatever the case, one thing seemed certain. If the man found either woman, he planned to do them harm.

THREE

Hannah woke to the clip-clop of horses’ hooves. She slipped from the bed and pulled back the curtain, then smiled, seeing a farm wagon stop at the side of the Amish Store. She checked her watch. Six thirty.

In the distance she saw Lucas hurrying along a path. He approached the Amish farmer. Together they unloaded boxes and hauled them into the store, then shook hands on the porch before the man climbed onto his wagon and headed back to the main road.

The sun was barely up, yet everywhere she looked groundskeepers and farm hands, many wearing typical Amish garb, were already hard at work. Dropping the curtain back in place, she hurriedly dressed and followed the scent of coffee to the dining area.

Entering the room almost took her breath away at the sight of the ceiling-to-floor windows that looked over the rolling hills, gardens and mountains beyond. Starched, white tablecloths and napkins dressed the round tables set with blue china that matched the curtains and made the room seem bright and cheerful.

A woman, probably midfifties, wearing a simple, calf-length dress and white apron approached Hannah. Her hair was pulled into a bun topped with a starched cap. Her round face and twinkling brown eyes were warm with welcome.

“You must be Hannah. Lucas told me about you.” The woman took Hannah’s hand. “I am Fannie Stoltz. I run the inn, and I am happy you can stay with us. Your room was to your liking?”

“Oh, yes, it was perfect. I slept better than I have in years.”

The Amish woman’s smile increased, and then she tilted her head. “Perhaps the reason your sleep is not usually sound can be worked out while you are here. The simple life sometimes lets us see more clearly that which is important. The world frets about too many things that should not have power over our well-being. Here—” She spread her hands and glanced through the windows at the rolling hills. “Here our focus can turn to that which is most important.”

Finding her sisters was Hannah’s number one priority, but she didn’t want to disturb the innkeeper with troubling thoughts of two missing women. Instead she chose a timelier topic. “You probably need my credit card.”

The woman waved her hand. “We will deal with that when you are ready to check out. Now you must eat.” She pointed to a table by the window. “You may sit wherever you like, but this is a nice spot. Lucas is mending a broken fence. Perhaps he will join you in a bit.”

A young woman wearing the same garb as the innkeeper filled Hannah’s cup with a robust coffee made even richer with the thick cream Hannah added to the hot brew.

“The cream is from our own dairy,” the young girl said with pride. “You would like the regular breakfast or do you have dietary needs?”

Probably eighteen at the most, the server had alabaster skin and rosy cheeks that spoke of wholesome living. Even without makeup, the girl was beautiful.

Breakfast was hearty and delicious. Lucas never showed up and Hannah tried to squelch the disappointment she felt. Surely he would be on the grounds. She would find him there.

“Breakfast was wonderful,” she told the server before leaving the dining room.

Hannah returned to her room and grabbed her jacket. Hopefully her car would soon be fixed so she could drive to Willkommen. She needed information to locate Miriam, and she didn’t have time to while away the morning, enjoying the pretty scenery.

Opening the hallway door that led to the alcove, she nearly ran into a Hispanic man wearing jeans and a navy polo.

“Morning, miss. You are going somewhere?” he asked.

“Just for a walk.”

He tapped the board where the keys hung. “You leave your key here when you are gone. The cleaning staff must make your bed and bring fresh towels.”

“I wasn’t thinking.” She dropped her key onto the wall peg attached to her room number.

“You are the new guest?” he asked.

Hannah nodded. “That’s right. I arrived last night.”

“Someone gave me a note.” He held out a folded sheet of white paper. “It is for you, yes?”

Seeing her name written on the outside, she nodded. “Who’s it from?”

The man shrugged. “I know only to give it to the new lady.”

Unfolding the paper, she smiled seeing Lucas’s signature at the bottom of the page. Meet me at the gazebo after breakfast. I want to show you around the property.

Tucking the paper into her pocket, she thanked the man and hurried out the door. The musky scent of moist earth hung in the air and filled her with anticipation for the new day. She pulled her jacket around her shoulders and scurried to where Lucas had parked her car last night outside the mechanic’s shed.

An African American man, midfifties with a lean face and slender build, greeted her. “I’m Calvin Crawford. You must be Hannah. Lucas said your radiator had sprung a leak.”

“Sprung a leak” wasn’t Lucas’s assessment last night. Evidently he wanted to downplay what had happened. Not that she wasn’t grateful. She didn’t want to call attention to herself or to the incident on the mountain road.

“I’ll have your car ready to drive within the hour, miss, if that works for you.”

“Lucas assured me you could fix anything, Calvin.”

The man laughed. “Anything involving motors or engines. Only wish I could do more to heal the human heart.”

Seemed the mechanic was a bit of a philosopher.

She glanced at the various paths that ran through the property. “Which way leads to the gazebo?”

“Take the walkway on the left. It leads over the hill. You’ll see the gazebo. It’s not far.”

With a quick thank-you, she hurried along the path he had indicated. Topping a slight rise, she smiled, seeing in the distance the lovely gazebo, painted white, with a curved roof and rimmed with colorful winter pansies. The setting would be an ideal spot to sit with a good book or to chat with a friend.

Although she didn’t see Lucas, she continued along the path that led to a shaded area of trees and bushes. The thick undergrowth and tall poplars blocked her view of the surrounding pastures, the gazebo and the inn. The temperature dropped and even the overcast sunlight failed to reach into the dense, albeit well-landscaped, thicket. A gurgling stream ambled along the bottom of the steep incline. She walked to where a wooden walking bridge crossed to the other side. As peaceful as the hidden spot appeared, Hannah’s thoughts fluttered back to the woods last night.

Her heart thumped and her pulse kicked up a notch. She wiped the palms of her hands along the arms of her jacket, all too aware of her body’s reaction to the memories that played through her mind.

A twig snapped. She turned toward the sound. The world stood still as her mind tried to make sense of what she saw. A man. The same man from last night, wearing a hoodie covered with a blue flannel shirt.

She blinked, hoping to send the vision scurrying.

In that instant he started running straight toward her.

A scream filled the silence. Her scream as she raced over the bridge and up the hill. Rapid footsteps and his labored pull of air followed her.

Full from breakfast, she struggled to stay in the lead. The path wove through the wooded area and then into the open. She pushed on, seeing the pasture in the distance. Lucas stood, with his back to her, on the hillside.

“Help!” She flailed her arms and tried to get his attention as she kept running. Her lungs burned and she could barely draw enough air.

The guy was behind her. Too close.

His hand grabbed her shoulder. She jerked, trying to pull free, and stumbled forward. The path rose to meet her.

Air whizzed from her lungs as she crashed onto the asphalt.

“Where is she?” the man screamed. “Where’s Miriam?”

He grabbed her arms and dragged her toward the underbrush. She tried to lash out at him, but the world spun out of control.

Lucas. He would save her.

Then she realized he didn’t even know she was in danger.

* * *

Standing on the rise of the distant pasture, Lucas saw it play out in a flash. Hannah running along the path that led to the gazebo. A man following close behind.

Dropping his tools at the fence where he had been working, Lucas charged down the grassy knoll.

“Hannah,” he screamed.

The wind took her name and scattered it over the hillside. He pulled his radio from his belt and called for help. “Mayday! Gazebo path. Beyond the bridge. A guest attacked.”

He moaned, seeing the man dragging Hannah into the underbrush. Lucas increased his speed, wishing his legs would carry him faster. He cut across the clearing, screaming all the while.

Her attacker glanced up. For half a second, he stared at Lucas, who opened his arms and raced forward. The attacker released his hold on Hannah and disappeared into the woods.

Lucas hurried to where she lay and dropped to his knees beside her. Her forehead and cheek were scraped raw from the fall. Her breathing was shallow.

He wove his fingers into her hair, searching for blood. “Hannah, talk to me. It’s Lucas. Tell me you’re all right.”

Why didn’t she respond?

She moaned and relief flooded over him.

“What...what happened?” She blinked her eyes open.

“Do you remember anything?”

“The man from last night.” She grabbed Lucas’s arm. “Where is he?”

“Gone. You’re okay. He won’t hurt you.”

“But you said to meet you at the gazebo.”

“What?”

“Your note.”

Which he hadn’t written.

“I was trying to find you, Lucas, but...”

She closed her eyes.

Fear tugged anew at his heart.

Her eyes reopened. “If he comes after me again—”

Footsteps sounded. She raised her head.

Lucas turned as many of the Amish men and women who worked on the property ran toward them, responding to his call for help.

Turning back to Hannah, he took her hand. “There won’t be a next time. I promise you, Hannah.”

Lucas thought of Olivia and realized the fallacy of his words. What happened once could happen again. Just as before, a woman was in danger, and if the attacker returned, Lucas might not be able to save her in time.

FOUR

Hannah appreciated Lucas’s help, but she refused to be coddled and tried to stand as the workers flocked around her.

“Are you all right?” one of the men asked.

She nodded, but the ground shifted and her knees went weak. Lucas caught her.

“Easy does it,” he cautioned. His strong arms provided support as a wave of vertigo washed over her.

“Thank you,” she whispered, grateful for his help.

“You stood up too fast,” he said.

“Fannie’s coming.” A workman pointed to the golf cart cresting the rise of the hill. Calvin was driving, and the innkeeper sat next to him on the front seat. They raced along the path and braked to a stop near the small crowd that had gathered.

Fannie hurried toward Hannah and wrapped her in her arms. “You are hurt. What happened?”

Lucas quickly filled the innkeeper in as together they guided Hannah toward the golf cart. Lucas helped her onto the back seat and scooted in next to her.

Fannie returned to the front. “Please, drive us to the inn, Calvin.”

“I’m okay.” Hannah tried to reassure them as the golf cart sped along the paved path. Her back and shoulders ached, and a wave of vertigo hit whenever she moved her head.

Lucas stared at her as if he could see through her attempt at bravery. She steeled her spine and blinked her eyes to block out the diffused rays of light that made her head pound all the more.

“You need a doctor,” he announced. “As soon as Calvin fixes your radiator, we’ll take your car to the clinic in town.”

“It’s almost ready to drive,” Calvin assured him.

“The clinic is just off the square on West Main Street,” Fannie said, her eyes filled with concern. “Doc Johnson accepts walk-ins, and the inn will cover any medical expenses.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Hannah insisted. “I’m just tired and need to rest. I’ll feel better as soon as I get some sleep.”

“A concussion can cause fatigue,” Lucas cautioned. “We’ll let the doc check you over before any naps.”

He turned to Fannie. “While we’re in town, we’ll stop at the sheriff’s office and file a report about the incident.”

“I am grateful for your help,” Fannie said. “Will you also find out how Sheriff Kurtz is doing with his recuperation? He has been in rehabilitation for some weeks. I sent him a note that he should have received by now.”

“Would he have information about the carjacking?” Hannah asked.

Fannie’s brow furrowed. “I have not heard of this.”

“A woman was shot and two women were taken captive more than six weeks ago,” Lucas quickly explained, although he didn’t mention Hannah’s relationship to those involved.

Fannie patted her chest and tsked. “How can so much bad happen around us? This area used to be peaceful, which is how I describe the inn in the brochures. Now I am fearful for my guests’ safety.”

“I feel so bad,” Hannah said. “I’m sorry to upset your tranquility here at the inn.”

“I am more worried about you,” Fannie assured her. “We must make certain this man does not hurt you again.”

* * *

Hannah had left Knoxville and her sisters and mother in the hope of making her own way in life and finding a place to call home, which she was beginning to realize might never be in her future. She bit her lip and blinked back tears at the realization of what her future would most likely be.

Lucas must have sensed her upset. He circled her shoulders with his arm and pulled her closer, cradling her to him. “It’s okay. The man’s gone. I won’t let him hurt you.”

Hannah nodded her thanks and tried to smile. Lucas seemed sensitive to her needs and, at the moment, she needed the reassurance of his embrace.

Calvin pulled the golf cart to a rear door that led into Fannie’s office.

“Let me help you,” Lucas offered as he hopped out of the golf cart. Taking Hannah’s arm, he supported her as she stepped onto the path.

As much as she appreciated his concern, Hannah didn’t want to go to town. Willkommen meant traveling the road where she’d first been assaulted by the guy in flannel. She wanted to stay put at the inn. She would lock the door to her room and curl up under the hand-stitched quilt and sleep until she forgot about everything that had happened. But how far back would she have to go?

Memories assailed her of growing up and being the odd child who didn’t fit in. Her mother had told Hannah the truth about who her father was on the night she had left home. The same night her mother had accused her of being a thief. Hannah shook her head to block out the memories. She never wanted to remember the pain she’d felt. Better to be a woman on the run, trying to escape her past, than to open the door that needed to remain closed. Now and forever.

“I don’t want to go to town, Lucas. I never should have come to Willkommen. It was a mistake.”

“Hannah, you need to see a doctor. I’ll stay with you. You won’t be alone.”

She stared deep into his brown eyes. Lucas didn’t know who she was or anything about her family. What would he think if he knew the truth about her father?

She shrugged out of his hold, needing to stand on her own two feet. She didn’t need anyone’s help. If her mother had turned away from her, how could she trust anyone else?

* * *

Lucas didn’t understand Hannah’s need to be so independent. She seemed to change in a heartbeat, at first allowing him to help her and then backing away as if he was the one out to do her harm. She reminded him of someone who had been hurt, badly, and feared getting hurt again.

Lucas could relate.

Only his worst enemy was himself.

Hannah took a step forward. He reached for her elbow to steady her faltering gait. “The door leads into Fannie’s office. There’s a couch inside where you can rest and relax.”

Her pallor had him worried, along with the lack of luster in her eyes. More than the wind had been knocked out of her sails.

“There’s a small step.” He pointed to the rise and held her arm as she navigated through the doorway and into the welcoming warmth of the office.

With Lucas’s help, Hannah lowered herself onto the couch. “Thank you,” she said, her voice little more than a whisper.

Fannie followed them in and drew water into a glass in the small sink at the rear of the room. “Take sips,” she suggested as she passed the glass to Hannah.

“I’m really fine,” she assured them both before she raised the glass to her lips.

Lucas returned to the golf cart to speak privately to the mechanic. “How long before the car will be ready?”

“Give me fifteen minutes,” Calvin said. “I’ll bring the car around.”

“Thanks, Calvin. Let’s keep this trip to town between us.”

“You think someone at the inn might be involved?”

Lucas shook his head. “I’m not speculating on anything, but the fewer people who know Hannah’s whereabouts, the better.”

“Don’t worry. You can trust me.”

Lucas smiled. Calvin was a good man and an outstanding mechanic.

Returning to the office, Lucas was concerned by the worry he saw in Hannah’s gaze and the lack of color in her face.

“We’ll leave in about fifteen minutes,” he announced, looking first at Fannie and then at Hannah. She must have realized her own fragile condition because she didn’t object.

“My purse is in my room. I’ll need identification and my medical insurance card.”

“Stay where you are,” Fannie insisted. “I’ll get it.”

She stepped out of the room and soon returned with the handbag. “Hector Espinoza is waiting in the hallway, Lucas. He wants to talk to you.”

Lucas hesitated, confused by the request.

“Hector said he delivered a note to Hannah,” Fannie explained. “He heard what happened and was worried he might be in trouble.”

Hurrying into the hallway, Lucas spied Hector, hat in hand, a doleful look on his full face, and motioned him into a corner alcove that was out of sight from anyone walking along the main hallway.

“Who gave you the note?” Lucas quickly asked.

“The Amish girl who works in the store.”

“Belinda Lapp?”

“Sí. She helps her mother.”

“You saw her in the store?”

The man shook his head. “On the trail. She said you wanted the note delivered to the new guest. She described the woman. Belinda had shelves to stock, so she could not go to the inn herself. She said you told her that I would deliver the note.”

“Was anyone with Belinda?”

“No, senor.” Again Hector shook his head. “She was alone.”

“Did you read the note?”

A look of surprise washed over Hector’s full face. “I would never do that.”

“But you found the lady?”

“She was in the main entryway. She is younger than the other guests. I did not have a problem identifying her.”

“What happened after you gave her the note?”

“I returned to the barn.”

“And Belinda?”

“I did not see her again.”

“Thanks, Hector. You did the right thing in telling me. I know you were trying to help. Next time Belinda asks for a favor, talk to me first.”

“Sí, I will do that. And the lady?” His dark eyes were narrow with worry. “The lady is going to be all right?”

“I think so. Now go on back to work, but don’t let anyone talk you into anything again.”

Hector left the inn through a rear door.

Lucas glanced out a nearby window to the store visible in the distance.

Why would an Amish girl be part of an attempt to do Hannah harm? Knowing she was in good hands with Fannie, he followed Hector outside and double-timed it toward the store.

A bell rang over the door and the smell of homemade soaps and fresh-baked bread accosted Lucas at the entrance.

Joseph, the Amish teen who worked with Belinda, looked up from where he was dusting shelves.

“Where’s Belinda Lapp?” Lucas asked as he neared the counter.

“She has gone home for the day.”

Lucas didn’t understand. “The day has just started.”

“Yah, but she did not feel well.”

“And her mother?”

“She is not here, either.”

“Both of them are sick?” Lucas asked.

The boy shrugged. “Both of them are not here. I do not know anything except what Belinda has told me.”

Returning to the inn, Lucas pushed open the door and stepped into Fannie’s office.

She was sitting next to Hannah on the couch, fanning the younger woman with a newspaper.

“What happened?”

“She got light-headed and almost passed out. She needs medical care, Lucas. Calvin parked her car at the rear of my office.”

“We’ll leave now.”

He encouraged Hannah to stand and helped her outside.

Fannie opened the passenger door and wrapped a throw around Hannah’s legs. “Lucas will get the heater running soon to warm you.”

Before climbing behind the wheel, he hesitated for a moment. “Lydia Lapp didn’t come to work today,” he told Fannie. “Her daughter, Belinda, is the one who gave Hector the note to deliver to Hannah.”

“I trust Lydia, but Belinda seems more interested in young men rather than in getting her work done.”

“Have you seen her with anyone recently?”

“I saw her talking to a man this morning,” Fannie admitted. “I told her that the store was open and she needed to get to work.”

“Can you describe the guy?”

Fannie shook her head. “I was more focused on Belinda and her need to return to work.”

“I’ll talk to her when I get a chance. Hopefully she’s not involved with the attacker, but stranger things have happened.”

Fannie glanced into the car and patted Hannah’s hand. “I will pray the doctor finds you well.”

Hannah gave her a weak smile, which didn’t bolster Lucas’s spirits. He needed to get her to the doctor, but he also needed to talk to Belinda Lapp. Innocent though she seemed with her white apron and prayer kapp, the girl might know something. Lucas needed to find out what.

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