For this Amish widow, nowhere is safe...

Unless she trusts the Englischer she once loved.

Waking up to a man trying to kidnap her is Amish widow Rachel Albrecht’s most terrifying moment—until she discovers he’s already taken her teenaged sister. Now Rachel’s life—and her sister’s—depends on her first love, Englischer deputy Noah Warren. But the danger of rekindling their forbidden love is the least of Rachel’s worries with her family in a killer’s sights...

MARY ALFORD was inspired to become a writer after reading romantic suspense greats Victoria Holt and Phyllis A. Whitney. Soon, creating characters and throwing them into dangerous situations that tested their faith came naturally for Mary. In 2012 Mary entered the speed-dating contest hosted by Love Inspired Suspense and later received “the call.” Writing for Love Inspired Suspense has been a dream come true for Mary.

Also By Mary Alford

Forgotten Past

Rocky Mountain Pursuit

Deadly Memories

Framed for Murder

Standoff at Midnight Mountain

Grave Peril

Amish Country Kidnapping

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

Amish Country Kidnapping

Mary Alford

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-0-008-90083-0

AMISH COUNTRY KIDNAPPING

© 2020 Mary Eason

Published in Great Britain 2020

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

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“You have to help me, Noah. He’s still out there...”

“He tried to kidnap me.” Rachel’s voice was little more than a hoarse whisper, the words shocking.

“Who’s out there?” Noah whirled to look in the direction she pointed, then back at her.

“I don’t know who he is. He had on a mask and it was dark. He came into my home and tried to force me to go with him.”

Through the headlights, he could see red marks on her cheek. Her bare feet were cut and bloody, hands scraped, her flame-red hair loose and tangled.

“Let’s get you inside the cruiser where it’s warm. You must be frozen.” When she seemed incapable of putting one foot in front of the other, he clasped her arm and gently guided her to the passenger side.

Her stricken gaze locked on to him, and he knew something else was coming. “Noah, I think he has Eva.”

“What do you mean he has Eva?”

“She wasn’t in her room and her bed was not slept in. He has her, Noah. You have to find my sister.”

Dear Reader,

Sometimes, we are called to move in a different direction in life, even though the possibility is scary and the future unknown.

My seventh Love Inspired Suspense book represents a new direction for me. Amish Country Kidnapping is my first Amish romantic suspense, and one that was both a challenge and a blessing to write.

Like me, my hero, Deputy Sheriff Noah Warren, has reached a crossroads in his life. For the longest time, Noah convinced himself he was doing what God wanted of him—until he comes face-to-face with the one woman he never forgot.

Rachel Albrecht still remembers the young boy who stole her heart when she was seventeen, then left her without so much as a word of explanation. But Noah is no longer that carefree young boy. All grown up, he is now the deputy sheriff who rescues Rachel from the hands of her kidnapper, and he is just the hero Rachel needs to help her unravel the secret behind her sister’s disappearance.

I hope you enjoyed Noah and Rachel’s reunion romance and the struggles they faced along the way. And I hope that their journey to happiness brought a smile to your face.

I love hearing from readers. You can connect with me by visiting my website, www.maryalford.net. Or you can find me on Facebook and Twitter.

All the best,

Mary Alford

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

—Psalm 90:12

To my husband, Monte, who is my biggest supporter, in both writing and in life. You are a true blessing from God and I love you so much.

Success in marriage is not only finding the right person, it is being the right person.

—an Amish proverb

Monte, you are definitely the right person for me.

Acknowledgments

Lord Jesus, let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart always be pleasing to You.

To my granddaughters, Ava, Makinze and Baylee. You are all so special to me and my heart is filled with happiness just to see your smiling faces. I love you all so much.

To each member of Mary’s Book Crew. Your support means so much to me. You are all dynamos and awesome ladies. A true dream team. I am so grateful to have each of you on my side.

To my agent, Rachel Kent, who has been there for me through the good, the bad and all my wild questions in between. Thank you!

To Ann Ellison. You were always such a positive influence and a strong Texas lady. I miss your support, but our loss here on earth is Heaven’s gain.

To Cheryl Baranski. You were such a wonderful example of what a true warrior of God should look like. I know God is thrilled to have you home.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Note to Readers

Introduction

Dear Reader

Bible Verse

Dedication

Acknowledgments

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

EIGHTEEN

NINETEEN

TWENTY

TWENTY-ONE

TWENTY-TWO

TWENTY-THREE

TWENTY-FOUR

TWENTY-FIVE

EPILOGUE

Extract

About the Publisher

ONE

Breathe! The disjointed thought sped through Rachel Albrecht’s mind. Her eyes snapped open. She struggled to draw enough air into her lungs. Something covered her mouth and nose. Her heart accelerated as she glanced around the familiar bedroom she once shared with her husband, unable to understand what was happening.

Her last memory was of falling asleep in her favorite chair reading the Bible while waiting for her sister, Eva, to return.

Now darkness flooded the room. The lantern’s wick had gone out.

Through the pitch-black of night the truth became horrifying. A strange man towered above her, his big gloved hand covering part of her face. She clawed at it as the last bit of air left her body.

He leaned in close, his face completely obscured by a ski mask, only his eyes visible. They burned into hers, the evil filling them chilling.

“You’re coming with me,” he growled, then removed his hand and hauled her from the chair. The Bible fell to the floor at her feet.

Air rushed into her lungs and she coughed, her eyes filling with tears as she continued to drag in breaths.

“Let’s go,” he ordered and pointed to the door. He shoved something against her side. A gun! The sight of it promised all sorts of unwelcome outcomes. She needed help.

His hot breath fanned across her cheek, his big body blocking her path to the door. If she could make it to the closet, Daniel’s old shotgun was stored there. Though her husband never kept the weapon loaded, she knew where the bullets were and could use the gun to defend herself.

Breaking free, she ran for the closet, her heart echoing in her ears. Rachel barely managed a couple of steps before his hand snaked around her shoulder. She lost her balance and sprawled across the floor.

“Oh no, you don’t,” he snarled. Grabbing a handful of her loose hair, he hauled her to her feet. Pieces of hair were ripped from her scalp. Rachel screamed, frantically scratching at his arms, his chest, anything to free herself.

He jerked her against his body and smacked her hard with his open hand. “That’s for trying to get away from me. You’ve wasted enough of my time. Now, let’s go.”

His hand clutched her arm tight. The gun bit into her ribs.

With all her strength, she tried to twist free, but his grip tightened, fingers digging into her arm.

“Eva, run!” Rachel yelled as loud as she could, thinking only of her seventeen-year-old sister asleep in the bedroom next to hers.

“Keep your mouth shut and do as I say,” he snapped and forced her toward the door.

Please, Gott, help me... The frantic prayer slipped through her head as she did her best to drag her feet. She’d need His help if she was going to survive this attack. Her homestead was isolated on the outskirts of the Amish community of West Kootenai, Montana. The Beacheys, her closest neighbors, were almost a mile away. No one would be coming to her aid. Her survival was in Gott’s hands...and her own.

“Move! He has plans for you,” the man barked when she continued to dig her heels in. His words were terrifying. This was not a random attack. She’d been purposefully targeted.

With a strength she could only believe was sent from Gott, she snatched at his mask with her free hand.

Uttering a string of disgusting words, he released his hold on her arm and tried to capture her flailing hand. The mask ripped free. With morning still hours away, shadows clung to everything in the room. The man’s frightening eyes were the only thing that stood out in her mind. She would never forget them as long as she lived.

Eva. She had to find a way to save her sister.

The man smacked her hard once more, then yanked her close, his clawlike grip bruising her upper arm through her nightgown.

Rachel could not envision the fate waiting for her if he took her.

Trying to remain calm was next to impossible. With only one option left, Rachel slumped against him with her eyes closed. He seized her by the shoulders to keep her from falling.

“What’s wrong with you?” he asked with just enough uncertainty to make her believe he’d bought her act. This was her only chance. She slammed her bare foot against his shin as hard as she could. He yelped in pain and clutched his injured leg.

Freed, Rachel shoved him hard. Caught unawares, the man stumbled to the floor, taking the table holding the dark lantern with him.

She didn’t look back as she raced for the door. Behind her, another string of bad words was followed by the noise of furniture being shoved out of the way. He was coming after her!

“Eva, wake up!” she screamed. How could Eva sleep through such noise?

Reaching Eva’s open door, the bed appeared still made from the morning. Eva never came home. Terror threatened to stop her dead. Had the man already taken her sister?

Her pursuer slammed against the adjoining wall. She had seconds to escape. With her sister’s well-being foremost in her thoughts, Rachel reached the front door. Her fingers shook so much it was a struggle to turn the knob. She yanked the door open and clicked the lock on the knob before slamming it closed.

Her bare feet hit the front porch. She cleared the steps, stumbling across the frozen ground. To her left: the wheat field Thomas Beachey planted for her, the tender shoots still inching their way above ground. To her right: a patch of woods before the road that separated her place from her neighbors’. Rachel turned right and ran toward the neighbors’ place.

Fresh-fallen snow blanketed the countryside. Winter might have been months away in most of the States, but in the big sky country of Montana, it already held the countryside in its icy clutches.

With her lungs burning from the cold, Rachel ran as fast as her bare feet would allow. She had to reach the Beacheys.

Behind her, the door flew open and slammed against the wall. “Where do you think you’re going? There’s no one here to help you,” the man shouted, his anger emphasizing each word.

Her steps hiccupped. Gott, keep my faith strong in You. She would not give in to the fear. Eva needed her.

With her feet growing numb, fallen trees tore at her tender flesh. Close by, her attacker entered the woods. His labored breathing made it sound as if he were right on top of her. Ignoring the pain, Rachel gathered her dwindling energy and kept running.

Up above, the clouds covered the moon and stars. In the deep woods, the darkness was so intense she could barely see her hand in front of her.

Branches snapped as the man plowed through the trees behind her. These woods were as familiar to her as the back of her hand. She had the advantage.

In front of her, the woods thinned. Almost there. The path blurred with her tears. What did this man want?

The road appeared before her. Across it, the Beacheys’ house loomed as a shadow, save a single light burning in the kitchen. Someone was awake.

Rachel stumbled onto the road. Losing her footing on the icy pavement, she fell hard to her knees. Please, no. Not like this. Not without knowing her sister’s fate.

Frantic, she glanced back. A dark silhouette appeared at the edge of the woods. The man spotted her and started running toward her.

“Help!” she screamed as loud as her labored voice would allow, hoping the Beacheys might hear her. “Help me, please!”

With scraped hands, she pushed off the pavement and managed to keep her feet underneath her. Hurry. She had to. But it was impossible on the slick road.

She peeked over her shoulder. The man had stopped near the road. He was no longer looking at her but down the road. What was he waiting for?

Beyond her drumming heartbeat, she caught the sound of a car’s engine coming toward her. Rachel whirled at the sound. The vehicle topped the hill close by. Blinding headlights pinned her in place. Before she had time to react, the SUV was almost on top of her.

What if the driver worked with her attacker? She’d fought so hard to be free only to die here on this road.

Tires squealed on the slick road as the driver tried to stop before he hit her. Rachel shielded her eyes against the glare. Her heart in her throat, she braced for the impact.

Seconds passed. Nothing happened. Quiet returned to the countryside. The car had stopped. She was alive. A single breath slipped from her body. Her gaze darted to the last place she’d seen her attacker. He wasn’t there.

The Beacheys’ home was close. If she ran, would she make it in time?

The SUV’s door opened. Her heartbeat ticked the seconds off.

“Rachel?” That voice! It jumped out at her from her youthful past. Noah? More than seven years had passed since he’d moved away, yet she’d thought of him so often through the years. The young man she’d lost her heart to at seventeen had now just saved her life.

Deputy Sheriff Noah Warren wasn’t sure he trusted his eyes. Standing before him, illuminated by the bright headlights of his patrol vehicle, was the woman who’d stolen his eighteen-year-old heart.

And he’d broken hers.

As he advanced on her, the shock of seeing Rachel again under these unexpected conditions sent shock waves through his body.

“Rachel?” he said her name again and blinked, half expecting her to disappear. When he opened his eyes, she was still there and one thing became clear—the look of fear on her face appeared permanently embedded there. Her green eyes were huge pools of light that told a story of desperation.

Noah couldn’t believe his past mistakes were about to reach out to him once more. He’d thought of her so many times through the years, considered reaching out to her when the heartaches of her life took place. Thought better of it. He’d hurt her badly. She wouldn’t welcome hearing from him again after the way things ended. Best to leave the past where it lay. As hard as it was to accept, their future was never intended to be together. God had other plans for both of them.

He snapped out of his daze. “Are you hurt?” he asked, his voice anything but steady, reflecting how he felt.

Rachel took an involuntary step back and peeked over her shoulder. Shivered visibly.

“You have to help me, Noah. He’s still out there. He tried to kidnap me.” Her voice was little more than a hoarse whisper, the words shocking.

Noah whirled to look in the direction she pointed, then back at her. “Who’s out there?”

“I don’t know who he is. He wore a mask and it was dark. He came into my home and tried to force me to go with him.”

Noah couldn’t believe what he heard. Through the headlights, he could see red marks on her cheek. Her bare feet were cut and bloody, hands scraped, flame-red hair loose and tangled.

“Let’s get you inside the cruiser where it’s warm. You must be frozen.” When she seemed incapable of moving, he clasped her arm and gently guided her to the passenger side.

Opening the door, he paused when Rachel didn’t budge. Her stricken gaze locked onto him, and he knew something else was coming.

“Noah, I think he has Eva.”

The news robbed him of his next breath. “What do you mean he has Eva?”

“She wasn’t in her room and her bed was not unmade. Eva promised to be home by ten and she wouldn’t break that promise. He has her, Noah. You have to find my sister.”

Eva missing? He still remembered the young blonde girl who used to follow them around. “I’ll find her, I promise. Come, get inside where it’s warm. I need to call for backup.” The urgency in his tone must have reached through her fear. Gathering the skirt of her gown, she climbed inside. Noah retrieved the blanket he kept in the SUV along with other emergency supplies and tucked it around her legs. Clicking the locks in place, he shut the door and reached for the radio attached to his jacket.

In the distance, a vehicle fired to life. Noah swung toward the sound. It sounded close, a little ways past Rachel’s home. He peered into the dark night. No lights appeared. Had he been wrong about the distance? Noises carried in the country, the sound echoing off the mountains. Perhaps the car was farther down the road than he thought. As much as he wanted to investigate, he didn’t dare leave Rachel alone.

“Dispatch, this is Deputy Warren requesting immediate backup for a possible 207 on Spruce Road near the Beachey farm.”

The sheriff’s dispatcher, Janine Mills, picked up right away. “Copy that, Noah.” A second of silence followed. “Aden and Megan are en route. I’ll notify the sheriff. Is anyone hurt? Do you need an ambulance?”

He glanced inside the patrol vehicle where Rachel watched him with huge eyes. “Yes, send a bus. The victim has cuts on her feet and she’s been exposed to the cold for a while. It would be a good idea to have an EMT take a look at her.”

“Will do. Backup is five minutes out. Stay safe, Noah.”

Noah ended the transmission and called Aden on his cell.

“We’re close,” Aden assured him.

“Good. Can you and Megan take a quick ride down Aspen Glen Road? I heard a car start up a little distance from here. It might be nothing.”

“Or it could be our perp. We’re at the intersection now. Talk to you soon.”

Noah shoved the phone in his pocket and clicked on his flashlight, moving to the edge of the road. He flashed the light in the direction of Rachel’s childhood home. Her bare footprints were in the snow along with a second, much larger, shoed set of prints. His gut told him the noise he’d heard was the perp escaping down the road that ran in front of Rachel’s home. There were numerous back roads intersecting Aspen Glen. The man could be anywhere.

He’d knelt to examine the prints when voices carried his way. Noah rose and spun toward the sound. Two people hurried his way, guided by the light of a lantern. He recognized Thomas and Jane Beachey immediately. They must have heard his vehicle.

Not knowing if Rachel’s attacker was working alone, Noah sought to warn the older couple. “Thomas, I need you and Jane to return to your house right away. Lock your doors. I’ll explain later.” Thomas hesitated before gathering Jane close. With another troubled glance behind him, Thomas urged Jane toward the house.

Noah opened the SUV door and climbed in beside Rachel. Even visibly shaken she was still as pretty as he remembered. When he looked at her, all the things he’d once hoped for came to mind. A simple life with her as his wife. Children of their own. Things his father’s interference had robbed them of.

“I know this is hard, but I need to you tell me everything that happened tonight.”

She rubbed her hands down her arms, probably to ward off more than just the chill of the night. Noah cranked the heater up a couple notches while Rachel told him about waking up to find a stranger standing over her. “He had a gun, Noah. He pointed it at my side and forced me to go with him.” She gestured toward her left side. “He said, ‘He has plans for you.’ I have no idea what he meant by that. His face was covered with a ski mask and he had on gloves.”

The attack was planned. Deliberate. Confusing. Why would someone wish to harm either Rachel or Eva? It didn’t add up in his mind.

“We struggled. I managed to rip the mask off, but it was so dark. I couldn’t see anything...except his eyes.” She shuddered visibly. “I will never forget those dark, angry eyes for as long as I live.”

He clasped her hand, and she turned to face him. The extent of what she’d gone through showed in her drawn expression. All he wanted to do was take her in his arms and reassure her everything would be okay. Yet he couldn’t lie to her.

On the hill behind him, red-and-blue lights strobed in the starless night. A patrol vehicle, sirens blaring, blasted down Spruce Road. The vehicle slid to a halt when the driver spotted his cruiser in the middle of the road.

“I’ll be right back,” he told her. When she didn’t respond, Noah climbed out and hurried to his colleagues. Aden Scott exited his vehicle first, followed by Deputy Megan Clark.

“Sheriff’s on his way. Ambo is five minutes out. We drove a good way down Aspen Glen, but there was no sign of a vehicle. What do you have here?” Aden pointed to the cruiser where Rachel waited inside.

Noah outlined the few details he knew so far. He shined the light on the ground where retreating footsteps appeared to be heading through the woods the same way they’d come. “I heard a car’s engine start up a few minutes after I spotted Rachel. If it was him, he’s long gone.”

Aden nodded. “Let’s hope not. We’ll follow the footprints and see what we can find.”

Clicking on their flashlights, both Aden and Megan started out.

Noah went back to the vehicle. Rachel stared straight ahead, showing obvious signs of shock. Her shoulders hunched defensively. She’d never looked so vulnerable before. Growing up, Rachel had always been fearless. Seeing her as a victim now just wouldn’t compute with what he knew about her.

He’d give anything to ease her pain, but he had a feeling this was just the beginning.

“There’s an ambulance on the way. They’ll need to examine your injuries.”

Her huge green eyes found him. “I am fine, Noah. I do not need an ambulance.”

“You do,” he insisted. “You have some nasty cuts on your feet. Not to mention those scrapes on your face.” Anger rose to the surface when he spotted what appeared to a flamed impression of a handprint on her cheek.

I think he has Eva... Rachel’s words haunted him, as did her fear.

“Why do you think he took Eva?” he asked because his brain was working overtime searching for answers. “She’s going through her rumspringa, correct? Is it possible the time got away from her and she stayed with a friend?”

Rachel didn’t let him finish. “Nay, Eva told me she would be home by ten and she wouldn’t be late. Not now.”

“Why not?” he asked, curious about her response.

“Because Eva has been training with Hannah Wagler to take over as the community teacher in a few weeks’ time. She loves her students and wanted to get a gut night’s rest to be prepared for them. They are very important to her. She’s missing, Noah. I know she is.” Her answer wiped away the last of his doubts. They’d need to speak with the last person who saw Eva, and soon.

“Tell me what happened yesterday. Did anything unusual take place? What were Eva’s plans for the day?” He couldn’t imagine anything bad happening to the little girl he once knew so well.

Rachel swallowed visibly. “Nothing unusual. Eva and I rode to church service together. It began around nine. Afterward, there was the church meal. I said goodbye to her around three. She planned to attend the youth group singing. Afterward, she was going home with her friend, Anna Lapp. She said she would walk home after spending time with Anna. Eva was excited about the following shool day and only planned to stay at Anna’s a little while.” The words trailed into a sob.

Noah reached for her hand and held it while he digested this new information. The walk from the Lapps’ place would take Eva around half an hour, which meant Eva may have gone missing somewhere between nine fifteen and nine thirty. He checked the time on his phone. More than three hours had passed. Finding Eva quickly was imperative. The first forty-eight hours were critical in a missing persons case.

An ambulance pulled in behind the vehicles, followed by another police cruiser. Sheriff Walker Collins had arrived on scene.

When the sheriff approached, Noah opened his door. Walker leaned in. “I hear there’s been a bit of trouble here tonight?” He introduced himself to Rachel. “EMTs are here. Let’s get you looked at.”

Getting out, Noah circled around to Rachel’s side and opened her door. She stared up at him with a desperate look on her face.

He held out his hand. “Megan and Aden are doing everything they can to find this man. You need to take care of yourself for Eva.” He walked her to the ambulance and waited beside her with Walker while EMT Jake Oliver cleaned and bandaged her feet and applied antibiotic cream to the scrapes on her face. Her attacker had slapped her. Why would the man want to hurt someone as sweet as Rachel? Nothing about what happened tonight made sense.

“You’ll have some bruising and tenderness for a few days,” Jake told her, “but none of your injuries are serious.”

A noise behind them sent both Noah and Walker whirling. Aden and Megan headed their way.

“Did you find my sister?” Rachel asked as soon as they were close.

Aden shook his head. “No, I’m sorry, we didn’t.” He turned to Walker. “The perp parked at the end of the drive. Probably approached without his headlights on to not wake anyone.”

Megan handed Rachel a pair of shoes. “I found these by the door and thought they might belong to you.”

“Denki,” Rachel murmured and slipped her injured feet inside, wincing when she put pressure on them.

“I’ll call in the crime scene unit to go over the house and take photos of the footprints and tire tracks. Hopefully, we can get some answers for you soon,” Walker assured Rachel.

She clutched the blanket around her shoulders against the biting wind.

“Let me take you to the house so you can change into something warmer,” Noah said, noticing. “Then we’ll go to the station. I want you to look through some mug books. You said you ripped the mask off the man?” She nodded. There was a slim chance she might be able to identify the man from the photos. “I know you said you didn’t get a good look at him, but maybe going through the books will help you pick him out. While you’re doing that, I’ll speak to Anna Lapp. It could be that Eva changed her mind and spent the night with her friend and I’ll find her there safe and sound.”

“I’m going with you,” Rachel said without budging. “I want to speak with Anna.”

“That’s not happening,” he assured her without considering it. “Until we’re sure what’s truly happening here, you need to stay out of sight. Chances are, Eva grew sleepy and decided to spend the night at Anna’s house.”

“And what if she didn’t? What if she is out there somewhere hurt? She could have been in an accident on the way home. I’m going with you to speak with Anna. Eva’s my sister, Noah. She needs me.” She lifted her chin. The courage he’d seen in her so many times in the past returned.

Noah faced the sheriff. “What do you think?”

Walker considered it for a moment. “The young lady is more likely to answer your questions with Rachel there. Do it,” he agreed. “But make sure you check in with Janine when you arrive and before leaving the Lapps’ place.”

Expelling a breath, Noah accepted Walker’s suggestion despite his misgivings. “Okay. But I want you close at all times,” he told Rachel. While he understood the benefit of having her at the Lapp interview, he still worried about keeping her safe.

“I’ve called in Ryan and Cole. I know their shifts don’t begin for,” Walker glanced at his watch, “another six hours, but we need everyone on this.” He surveyed the desolate stretch of road. “We’ll set up some floodlights. If she’s here, we’ll find her.”

“What if she’s not here?” Rachel’s question was directed solely at Noah, and he didn’t have an answer.

“The best way you can help Eva now is to identify the man who attacked you.”

He noticed her shivering still and took off his coat and placed it over her shoulders. “It’s freezing out. Let’s get you inside the cruiser where it’s warm.”

He and Rachel headed toward his SUV along with Walker. Rachel braced against the biting wind that threatened to knock her down. The Montana weather could be brutal, and it appeared winter was setting in early in the shadow of the mountains. Though barely November, already they’d had several feet of snow.

He clutched her arm to keep her steady. Opening the door, he waited until she slid inside.

“Looks like the rest of the team is here.” Walker crooked a thumb behind them.

Noah mentioned the Beacheys coming to investigate. “It’s possible they saw the man.”

“I’ll have someone speak to them. We’ll start canvassing every square inch of the place,” Walker said. “I’ll let you know the minute we have anything.”

“Thanks.” Noah asked Megan to ride over with them to the house so she could stand guard while Rachel changed.

While Megan hopped in the back, Noah got in next to Rachel. She appeared in a daze. Noah prayed they would find Eva alive.

He touched her arm. “Don’t give up hope.” She twisted in her seat. The desperation on her face made him want to gather her close. He didn’t have that right anymore. He’d broken her heart once, and he doubted she’d want his comfort now. Instead, he put the SUV in Drive and slowly turned around and eased past the slew of police vehicles.

Driving the short distance to her house, Noah parked out front. He couldn’t imagine how terrified Rachel had been to awaken and find a masked stranger standing over her.

The three of them got out and went inside.

“Here, put these on,” Megan said and handed Rachel a pair of latex gloves. “We don’t want to contaminate any evidence the attacker may have left behind.”

Rachel slowly nodded and took the gloves.

“I’ll be right out here,” Noah assured her when she hesitated.

The bedroom door closed behind them, and quiet returned to the house. Taking out his flashlight, he shined the light around the living room he remembered from his youth. The furnishings appeared the same. A couple of rockers flanked the woodstove, a sofa across from them. A small wooden desk placed under the window. He pictured Rachel sitting there, looking out at the breathtaking views of the mountains she loved so much with that awestruck gleam in her eyes that he remembered from the past. As kids, they used to play all over these mountains. Knew every square inch by heart.

Seeing her home again flooded his heart with bittersweet memories. Rachel’s family had treated him like one of their own. His childhood home was a stone’s throw from theirs, at the edge of the West Kootenai Amish Community. At one time, before that final summer, he’d talked to Rachel about joining the Amish faith. When his father found out, he’d become furious. Being Amish was not what his dad had planned for Noah’s future. He’d go to college. Make something of himself.

Noah swallowed deep and shoved those images aside. The past was over and done. Nothing he could do would change it now.

He moved to the kitchen dominated by a wood-burning cook stove. To his left, the handmade table Rachel’s father, Ezra, created years earlier was covered in a plain white tablecloth, a kerosene lamp sitting in the middle. Two plain wooden benches flanked either side.

A sound close by had him spinning on his heel. Rachel and Megan emerged from the bedroom. The somber black dress Rachel wore was a stark contrast to her white apron and prayer kapp. A reminder that she was in mourning. Noah’s good friend Isaac Yoder had told him Rachel lost her husband a little more than a year earlier. Another man had loved her. She’d loved him back. That was the hardest part, even though Noah had been the first to marry someone else.

“Ready?” he asked. A tiny frown line appeared between her brows as she watched him. He couldn’t imagine the things his expression must be giving away.

Once he’d dropped Megan at the search site, he and Rachel headed for the Lapps’ home.

“Do you mind if we go through the events of tonight one more time?” he asked because he needed something to fill the poignant silence hanging between them, and he didn’t understand why someone was targeting her and Eva. The Amish were peaceful people.

“I don’t mind,” she said and smiled at him for the first time. His chest constricted at the sight of it. He remembered the love they’d shared before it had all fallen apart.

“I’d drifted asleep in the chair in my bedroom while reading,” she said, her voice but a whisper. Noah had no doubt she would have been poring over God’s Word, finding comfort there. He’d never understood that need until Olivia’s death. Losing his wife had changed things for him.

Even experiencing death firsthand with Olivia, he couldn’t begin to understand how difficult the past four years had been for Rachel. Isaac told him about her father dying after he’d suffered a heart attack working in the field. If that wasn’t bad enough, her husband passed last year in a buggy accident...and now this.

“I wanted to wait up for Eva, but I grew sleepy.” Her voice trailed off. Was she reliving the nightmare? “Noah, I couldn’t breathe. He held his hand over my mouth and nose. I thought he would kill me.”

Noah had interviewed countless victims during his time on the force. He understood how difficult recounting the details of an attack could be. But Rachel wasn’t just any victim. He had a personal connection with her. Seeing her again made him feel like that young boy who had been crazy about her and desperate to find a way to defy his father and make her his.

“What happened next?” he gently asked when she grew quiet.

“He forced me out of the chair and tried to make me go with him.” She stopped for a breath. “Then he said, ‘He has plans for you.’”

His brows slanted together after hearing this again. “Have you figured out what he might have meant by that?”

Her beautiful gaze locked to his as realization dawned on her face. “Oh, no,” she whispered, her hand covering her mouth.

“What is it?” He dreaded her answer.

“I just remembered something that happened a few days ago when I was coming home from work at Christner’s Bulk Foods Store... I help Esther Christner out a couple of days a week,” she explained. “Noah, I think someone followed me from the town. When I was on my way home, a car sped past me and stopped suddenly halfway on the road. At the time, I thought the driver might have car trouble. But now, after what happened tonight...if another vehicle had not come along...” Her voice trailed off.

Noah’s gut told him the driver of the car had planned to take her then. The second vehicle had foiled the attack. Someone was deliberately coming after Rachel, and he needed to find out who before it was too late. For Eva. For Rachel.

TWO

Eva, where are you? Rachel felt so helpless. All she could think about was what might be happening to her sister.

Shutting out the dreadful thoughts was hard, but she had to keep it together for Eva.

She shifted in her seat. “Do you remember the Lapps live up this road on the right?” As much as she hoped they’d find Eva fast asleep at Anna’s home, she did not expect it.

“I do,” Noah said and glanced her way. “Until we catch this guy, the less you’re out in public, the better. The safest place for you now is at the station.”

He was worried about her. She understood, but she had to do whatever she could to find her sister because the thought of losing Eva was unbearable.

“I’m safe with you,” she said. “And Anna might tell me something she would be too nervous to say with just you alone.”

Holding her gaze a long moment, he sighed and tapped the radio on his jacket. “Janine, I’m making a stop at the Lapp place on Spruce before heading to the station. I have Rachel Albrecht with me. Walker knows, but I wanted you to be aware, as well. I’ll radio you when we’re heading your way.”

“Copy that,” the dispatcher said.

While Noah concentrated on his driving, Rachel tried to imagine him as a deputy sheriff. He’d loved working on his family’s farm and helping her daed out whenever possible. She’d always assumed he’d one day own his own farm, yet something had changed him.

Seeing him again after all these years felt unreal. When she’d first learned that his family had moved from the area, she’d been devastated. There had been no goodbye—no explanation. Her mamm was the one to break the news to her. All along, she’d known his family didn’t approve of their relationship, but she’d thought he would stand up for her. For them.

Back then, her whole world revolved around the time they spent together. Even though Noah wasn’t Amish, her young heart believed they could find a way to work through all the problems facing them as long as they had each other.

He caught her looking at him and she dropped her gaze to her hands. Her palms stung from the cuts there. The worry for Eva threatened to swallow her up. She was barely hanging on.

Noah turned off Spruce and eased the patrol vehicle down the potholed dirt road leading to the Lapps’ home. Once they reached it, he killed the engine. The house was dark inside. The family of six would be sleeping. Morning came early in Amish country. As dairy farmers, the Lapp men would be up before dawn to start the morning chores.

“We’re going to have to wake them. There’s no other choice.” He focused on his watch. “It’s almost two.” With a sigh, he glanced her way. “This won’t be easy.” Climbing out, Noah came around to her side. He’d grown up a lot over the years. Still, no matter how much he’d changed, when she looked at him, she saw the young boy she’d once adored.

Slightly taller now, he’d filled out from that lanky teen, but those brilliant blue eyes were much the same, as was the blond hair, though he’d cut it much shorter now. She’d thought about him a lot over the years. Wondered. Kept the pain to herself. Her mamm had been the only one who knew how broken Rachel was after Noah left.

“Ready?” he asked when she stood beside him.

Letting go of the past was hard. Her life had been blessed. She and Daniel had many happy years together. And a life spent lingering on regrets is a wasted life, her mamm always said.

She nodded, the hurt too fresh to trust her voice.

Noah stepped up on the porch with her. It took several knocks before someone rousted. Samuel Lapp opened the door a crack, holding a lantern high, concern etched across his face.

“Mr. Lapp, I’m sorry to wake you so early. I’m Deputy Noah Warren, and you know Rachel Albrecht. We need to speak with your daughter Anna immediately.”

Samuel’s gaze shot to Rachel. She couldn’t imagine how pitiful she must look.

“What is this about, Deputy?” Samuel asked.

“It’s about Eva, sir. She didn’t come home last night. Is she here?”

Samuel’s eyes widened and he shook his head. “Nay. Eva left hours ago.” The worst possible news. Rachel struggled to hold herself together.

“We believe your daughter may have been the last person to see her,” Noah said. “That’s why we need to speak with her.”

Samuel gasped, his bushy white brows shooting up. “What could have happened to Eva? This is a peaceful community. There’s been no crime.”

Noah glanced at Rachel. “We’re not sure. We’re hoping Anna can shed some light.”

“Jah, please come inside.” Samuel held the door open, and they stepped across the threshold. His wife, Kathryn, stood beside her husband.

“What has happened to Eva?” Kathryn asked with a fearful expression on her face. Rachel could not speak the darkest fears of her heart aloud.

“She didn’t come home last night. We don’t know where she is,” Noah answered for her.

“Go quickly,” Samuel said, facing his wife. “Wake Anna.”

With a worried glance at Rachel, Kathryn hurried away. In the awkward silence that followed, Rachel’s concern for Eva’s safety continued to grow.

Noises above were followed by voices. Anna came swiftly down the stairs with Kathryn at her heels.

“Anna, Eva did not come home last night. What time did she leave here?” Samuel asked his daughter.

Anna’s eyes widened. “I’m not sure. She wanted to be home by ten, and it’s a good walk to her house. She left in plenty of time, though. I cannot believe she didn’t make it home.”

“Did she mention if anything was bothering her lately?” Noah asked. “Was she having a problem with anyone? A boy, perhaps?”

Anna’s troubled gaze shot to Rachel. “She was happy. She talked to a lot of different people at the singing, but there was no special boy. She was so excited about taking over the teaching position soon. We had fun at the singing. When it ended, we came home. I made cocoa, and we talked for a while.” Anna smiled at the memory. “Eva spoke of the lessons she and Hannah planned for the kinner the next day and asked if I wanted to stop by sometime and sit in on the class. Eva knows I want to become a teacher, too, and thought it might be helpful. Once she takes over the position, she plans to speak to the community elders about letting me apprentice.” Tears shone in Anna’s eyes. “Eva was happy and excited about her work. There was nothing wrong.”

“Did anyone pay special attention to her at the social?” While Rachel understood Noah had to ask the question, she couldn’t envision anyone from the community wishing Eva harm.

“No, no one.”

Noah barely hid his disappointment. “We appreciate your help, Anna. I’m sorry to wake you and your family so early. If you remember anything else, please let me know.”

He started to leave, but Anna grasped his arm. “You have to find her, Deputy. Please, she’s my best friend.” Kathryn placed her arms around her weeping daughter’s waist and drew her close.

“We’re going to do our best to bring her home safely,” Noah assured her.

Samuel stepped out on the porch with them. “If we can help in any way, please let us know. Eva is like one of our own,” he told Rachel.

“Denki, Samuel,” Rachel managed through tears. She turned away, trying to hold on for Eva’s sake.

“Do you think it’s possible you or Anna wouldn’t know if Eva was seeing someone?” Noah asked when they were inside the SUV again.

Rachel couldn’t imagine Eva keeping something like that secret. “It’s not possible. Eva and I are close. She tells me everything that is happening in her life. She would not keep something like that to herself.”

The doubt she saw in him hurt. “It wouldn’t be the first time something like this happened. Teenagers keep secrets. It’s part of the age.”

“Perhaps in the Englisch world, but not here amongst the Amish. Eva would not lie to me.”

Without answering, Noah reversed the SUV, spun around and headed down the long drive. Hitting the radio on his shoulder, he spoke to the dispatcher again. “Show us leaving the Lapps’ place, Janine. We’re heading your way.”

“Will do. See you soon.”

Once he reached the end of the drive, he stopped. “You said you think someone was following you. Did anything else happen before the incident the other day? What about with Eva? Did she mention anything strange going on?”

“No, nothing. And Eva never said a word about anything out of the ordinary happening.”

He pulled onto Spruce once more and headed toward Eagle’s Nest. “By the way, where is Beth?”

Rachel leaned against the headrest as exhaustion settled in her limbs. “Mamm left last week to visit her sister and parents in Colorado. Aenti Deborah has not been feeling well for a while. Mamm wanted to spend some time with her to help nurse her to good health.”

Noah smiled over at her, gentleness in his eyes. “I was sorry to hear about your father. He was a good man.”

She ducked her head. “Jah, he was.” Even though four years had passed since her daed died, at times, she still couldn’t believe he was gone.

Her mamm had become worried about him when he didn’t show up for the evening meal. She’d asked Rachel’s husband to check on him, and Daniel had found Daed passed out in the field he’d been working. He’d suffered a heart attack. Her daed never recovered.

Shaking off those sad memories, she tried to focus on Noah’s earlier question. Other than the incident with the car, she had no proof anyone was watching her, only a feeling.

A frown creased Noah’s handsome face. He watched something in the rearview mirror.

She glanced behind them. Headlights. “Is something wrong?”

“I’m not sure. That car came out of nowhere the moment we left the Lapps’ drive. I think they were waiting for us.”

Fear gathered her in its embrace. Someone was following them.

The vehicle came closer. Noah’s bad feeling doubled. The headlights were on bright. What was the driver trying to do? Noah slowed the SUV’s speed, thinking if the incident was innocent, the driver would pass them. Did they not know they were tailgating a sheriff’s deputy?

As he continued to watch his rearview mirror, he noticed something alarming. The car’s front license plate was missing. With the vehicle inches from his bumper, Noah prepared to radio for assistance, when the car rammed the rear of the patrol vehicle.

Noah lurched forward, the seat belt caught hard. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Rachel gripping the armrest for support.

The SUV slipped on the icy road and he struggled to keep it under control.

“What’s happening?” she asked, her voice unsteady and barely audible.

“They’re trying to run us off the road.” The car edged up behind them once more. Noah floored the gas pedal. The SUV fishtailed, and he held on to the wheel with all his might to keep from losing control. The car stayed with him.

“Hold on,” Noah yelled when the car slammed into them again. Before he had time to radio for assistance, the rear tire of the SUV blew. The vehicle spun three hundred and sixty degrees on the ice before heading straight for the snow-covered ditch at full speed.

Noah fought for control and lost. The cruiser hit the snow hard, launched itself through the air and slammed onto its side. Skidding some twenty feet, it plowed up snow and debris until it came to a shuddering stop on the passenger side. His head slammed against the driver’s-side window. It shattered on contact, sending glass flying everywhere. Noah lost consciousness briefly. When he came to, seconds ticked away before the fog lifted. Blood oozed from his face where bits of glass embedded.

Rachel! Below him, a barely audible moan. He glanced down to see her suspended by the seat belt. “Rachel, are you hurt?” Her lack of response was terrifying. Noah craned his neck. The dashboard lights revealed her eyes were not open. She wasn’t moving.

“Rachel!” he called to her again. Her eyes fluttered open. Breath seeped out in a sigh of relief. Still, she could have internal injuries. “Are you okay? Can you move?” he asked.

She flexed her arms and legs. “I think so.”

A flashlight’s beam swept across the windshield. Rachel’s eyes shot to Noah’s. He signaled for her to keep silent. The men who ran them off the road were still out there.

Noah’s radio hung freely from his jacket, smashed to bits when he’d slammed into the door. He couldn’t find the cell phone that he’d placed on the center console. They were on their own.

“See if you can unfasten your seat belt,” he whispered with urgency.

It took several tries before she was free.

“Stay down and don’t move no matter what,” he said in a low voice. Rachel flattened herself against the floorboard.

It took all his effort to unholster his Glock.

“Be careful, he’s a cop,” a man’s voice warned. He had to be standing right next to the SUV.

“Yeah, well, you’d better hope she’s alive because he’s going to be angry if you killed her by ramming their vehicle. We were supposed to follow them. Find out what’s going on. See if we could get her alone and nab her, and now you’ve gone and done this.”

“Shut up. I got the job done, didn’t I? We have them at our mercy,” the first man snapped.

“By running a sheriff’s vehicle off the road! You could land us both in jail. I want my share of the money. If she’s dead or we get caught, there’s nothing.”

“She’s not dead, and there’s no way I’m going to jail, not even if I have to kill him.” Rachel’s terrified gaze met his. “Besides, they’re probably both unconscious. And we’re wearing masks. Now, give me a foot up so I can grab her before he wakes up.”

Outside his door, Noah heard the men struggling to reach it. A man’s head and shoulders popped into view. In the cramped position, Noah aimed and fired. The man yelped and fell backward.

“I’m hit,” he screamed. “He shot me. Help me out, why don’t you. We need to split. There could be more of them coming.”

“What about the girl? We need her,” his partner said.

“Forget the girl. We’ll get her another time,” the first man snapped. “I’ve been shot! I need a doctor.”

Seconds slipped by. A car’s engine fired. Tires squealed as the vehicle sped away.

“Let’s get out of here before the one guy changes his mind and decides he’d rather have the money than save his buddy’s life.” Noah tried to free the latch on the seat belt, but the tension of his weight against it was too much.

He felt around on the center console, unable to open it from his angle.

“I’m going to need your help. I have a knife in the center console. Can you reach it?”

Using the seat as a crutch, Rachel managed to stand. Opening the console, she felt around until she located the knife.

“I have it.” She held it up.

He took it from her. “Once I cut through the seat belt, I’m not sure if I can control where I’ll land, and I’m afraid I’ll hurt you in the process. Can you make it to the back seat? You should be safe there.”

She glanced behind him. “I think so.” Gathering her skirt, Rachel eased between the two seats until she was tucked behind the passenger seat.

Noah braced his weight against the console. Opening the knife, he began cutting away at his restraints.

It took longer than he’d expected for the final piece to fray loose and free him. His full weight slammed against the console, which blocked his fall. Wincing in pain, he breathed a prayer of thanks. He spotted his cell phone where it had landed in the passenger side pouch. Grabbing it, Noah quickly called Walker.

“Where are you? Janine said you were heading to the station a while ago.”

Drawing in a breath, Noah explained about the attack. “The SUV’s incapacitated and I’m afraid those goons might return to try and kidnap Rachel again.”

“We’re on our way. Can you two make it out of the cruiser?”

“I think so.”

“Good. Find someplace safe to hide until we arrive. We’re ten minutes out.” Sirens blared through the phone.

Ending the call, Noah pocketed the phone. He killed the SUV’s engine and peered out the shattered driver window.

“I think we can climb out this side and then scoot across to the front of the SUV and hop to the ground.” Noah eased out the window and moved a little away. He held out his hand to her.

Bracing her foot, Rachel grasped it, and he lifted her up and out of the patrol vehicle. She glanced over the side. It was a good drop straight down.

“Don’t look down, just do what I do, okay?” He held her gaze. Slowly she nodded. On his hands and knees, Noah edged to the front of the vehicle. As carefully as possible, he put one foot on the headlight and the second on the grill. He jumped down, the deep snow cushioned his landing.

Holding out his hands, he looked up at Rachel, reading all her doubts in her eyes. “It’s okay. I have you. I’m not going to let you fall.” He’d let her down once. Would she trust him this time?

“You promise?” she asked, her voice filled with uncertainty.

“I promise. I won’t let you down again.” And he meant it. No matter what, he’d do his best to keep her safe and bring Eva home to her family.

With the tiniest of nods, she placed her feet where he had. His hands circled her waist, and he lowered her to the ground at his side still holding her close. Their gazes tangled. All her doubts there for him to see. The past enveloped him once more, as did his regret.

Pushing against his hands, she stepped back, and he felt her rejection almost like a blow.

Noah cleared his throat. “We’d better get out of sight until Walker arrives.” Taking her hand, he headed up the snowbank to the woods close by, while his thoughts ground out all sorts of possibilities. I want my share of the money. If she’s dead, we get nothing. The brazen attack on a law enforcement officer along with the unveiled threat to kill Noah if necessary proved these men would stop at nothing to get to Rachel. And if what happened here tonight was any indication, Noah wasn’t so sure he could protect her if they did.

THREE

She squeezed her eyes shut. The fluorescent lights bored into her head. It throbbed with pain. All she could think about was Eva. What Anna said confirmed the truth in her mind. Eva never made it home. Someone kidnapped her like they’d tried to do to Rachel. What did these men want with them?

So far, after looking at dozens of photos of criminals for hours, the man who attacked her wasn’t among them—at least as far as she could tell. All she had to go on was his eyes, but they left a lasting impression.

Noah promised to find Eva. As the hours slipped away, she struggled to hold on to that promise.

Holy Father in Heaven, please bring my schweschder home safely.

She’d lost so much in her life. Noah. Her daed. Daniel. The baby. At times, it felt as if the pain in her heart would be there to stay. She couldn’t lose her sister, too.

Against her will, she remembered that fateful day. She and Daniel were heading home from the bulk foods store. To this day, she still didn’t know what spooked the mare. Daniel was thrown. He’d died before he reached the hospital. When her doctor visited her some time later, he delivered another blow. Losing their unborn baby was just the beginning. He’d told her the damage to her body was too great. She would not likely be able to have another child.

Something brushed against her hand. Rachel’s eyes snapped open. A Styrofoam coffee cup sat next to her. She glanced up. Noah was there.

“I thought you could use a break.” He smiled, and she noticed his facial cuts from the glass had been bandaged. He pulled out the chair next to hers.

“Denki,” she murmured and took a sip. Strong coffee. Something she rarely drank anymore. Daniel was the coffee drinker in the family. Since his passing, she couldn’t bring herself to prepare it for herself.

“How are you holding up?” he asked, keeping a careful watch on her face.

Truthfully, she was barely hanging on. “I feel so helpless. I need to be doing something. I can’t sit here looking at these photos any longer while Eva is missing.” She shook her head. “She could be hurt, Noah. Maybe a car struck her on the way home, and she’s lying out there frightened and alone. I am supposed to watch out for her. My mamm entrusted her well-being to me.” Not since losing Daniel had she felt such turmoil in her heart.

Noah covered her hand with his. “We have all our people looking for her. They’re combing the road between the Lapp place and yours. We’ll find her.” His gentle answer washed over her, and she pulled in a breath. Gazing into his eyes, she believed him. Noah was a gut man. He would do what he could to fulfill his promise and bring Eva home.

As she studied his handsome face, the past and all its shattered dreams rose in her heart like a barrier between them. At seventeen, she had been so sure her future belonged with Noah. It didn’t matter how many times her mamm tried to get her to see the differences standing between them. She’d been so foolish back then, blinded to the truth while her heart had believed that with Noah at her side they could conquer any obstacle in their way, including their differences in faith.

But the past had no place between them anymore.

She studied his handsome face. While his blue eyes were as she remembered, fine lines fanned out around them. Grooves circled his mouth. She wondered about his life now. Was he married? Happy?

“I’ve been so worried about Eva that I haven’t thought to ask how you’ve been.”

Dark blond brows shot up. Time slipped by before he answered. “I’ve been okay, I guess. Busy. This job is fulfilling in many ways.” A strange answer. He stopped, and she wondered if perhaps in just as many ways it was not.

“I meant what I said earlier. I am sorry about Ezra. He was like a dad to me for a long time. I learned a lot about farming from Ezra when I was too stubborn to listen to my father.” A hint of a smile lifted the corners of his mouth, not reaching his eyes. “And I was sorry to hear about your husband, as well,” he added quietly.

The strain between them now was something the younger Rachel could not have imagined. They were like two strangers. She glanced at his hand on hers. He didn’t wear a wedding band. Had he ever married?

Rachel thought about her years with Daniel. At times, it was hard to believe he was gone. So many things changed forever with his death. The buggy accident that took his life scarred her deeply and she still struggled to accept Daniel’s death and her injuries as part of Gott’s plan. The future and its promises had evaporated that day.

When the silence between them grew uncomfortable, she asked the question she was curious about. “How did you know about Daniel?”

“Isaac. We still keep in touch. He and I go hunting together several times a year, and I help him with his planting like I used to with your dad.”

She looked away, surprised by the admission. When he’d left, Rachel had thought Noah had shut both her and the Amish ways out of his life, and yet he kept in touch with Isaac. He just hadn’t wanted her.

Before she could think of anything to say, someone came into the room. The sheriff motioned to Noah. From his grim expression, she was sure something terrible had happened.

Noah stepped out of the room. Her heart accelerated. Please, Gott, do not let it be Eva.

Time seemed to stop while her last conversation with Eva came to mind.

Can you believe it, Rachel? Soon, I will be teaching at the same shool where you and I attended as kinner. I cannot imagine doing anything else. Eva’s eyes lit up every time she spoke about the future.

Perhaps someday you will meet a man like Hannah Wagler did and fall in love, Rachel had teased.

Her sister had blushed and eventually giggled before changing the subject. At the time, Rachel hadn’t thought much about it. Now she wondered if perhaps Eva had kept parts of her life secret even from Rachel.

When Hannah first came to Eva and mentioned her plans to marry Isaac Yoder, the bishop’s sohn, come November, Eva could not believe that the community leaders would select her to train as Hannah’s replacement.

Her sister pored through all of Hannah’s past issues of the Blackboard Bulletin, an Amish teachers’ magazine. Eva could not wait to complete her apprenticeship.

Noah came back in. The sight of him had her jumping to her feet. “Is there news?” she asked while trying to glean something from his expression.

He hurried to her side. “We haven’t located her,” he said as if reading her thoughts.

“But you know something.” She could see it in his eyes.

“Yes, we found this.” He held up something in a plastic bag. Rachel’s hand covered her mouth. It was Eva’s quilted bag. She had had it with her at the church service.

“You recognize it,” Noah confirmed.

She nodded. “It belongs to Eva. I made it for her seventeenth birthday six months ago. She took it with her wherever she went. Where did you find it?”

“Not far from where the men forced us off the road.” He paused a moment. “Rachel, it’s looking more like the man who attacked you and ran us off the road took Eva against her will. I’m guessing they were waiting for her when she left the Lapps’ place, much like they were for us.”

Rachel sank back into the chair, covering her face with hands that shook. She should have insisted on picking her sister up at Anna’s. Eva had assured her everything would be fine, and Rachel was trying to give her sister more freedom, but she’d had doubts. Why hadn’t she listened to them?

“This isn’t your fault. You can’t blame yourself. These guys are ruthless.”

Tears filled her eyes. “Isn’t it? I should not have let her walk home alone. It was dark and cold. This is my fault.”

Noah clasped her hand once more. “Eva is growing up. She’s not that little girl who used to tag along all the time.”

He was right. Eva was scheduled to join the church in a few weeks’ time.

“What do we do now?” she asked because she had to do something to help.

“If you feel up to it, we could go to your place and take a look around. See if anything is missing. The crime scene unit finished a few hours ago. They didn’t find anything useful, I’m afraid, although we weren’t expecting any fingerprints since you said the man who attacked you wore gloves.”

Rachel rose. “Jah, I’m ready. I want to do something for Eva.”

Noah smiled at her. “Good. I’ll let Walker know, and then I’ll come get you.”

Alone again, the plastic container holding Eva’s bag called out to her. She couldn’t take her eyes off it. Picking it up, Rachel examined the bag she’d lovingly quilted for her sister. Specks of dark red covered the broken shoulder strap. Blood.

The plastic bag slipped from her fingers. Drawing in a breath, she struggled to keep from being sick.

“What happened to you, Eva?” she whispered while all sorts of possibilities, none of which were good, raced through her head.

She closed her eyes. Nothing made sense. Someone had kidnapped Eva and tried to do the same to her. What could they possibly want?

The door opened. Rachel spun away and tried to reclaim her composure.

“What’s wrong?” Noah asked from near the door.

Squaring her shoulders, she faced him. She had to stay strong. “Nothing. I’m oke.”

He came to where she stood. “We don’t know anything for sure.”

She managed a nod and Noah pressed her hand before releasing it.

“We’re all set with the sheriff. Let’s get out of here.” He held the door open for her.

Noah stopped at the front desk where a woman around the same age as Rachel’s mamm answered phones. She’d been introduced to the woman earlier.

“Janine, we’re heading out to Rachel’s house to take a look around. If you need me, you can reach me on the radio.”

“Okay, Noah. I’ll let Stephanie know, as well. She’ll be starting her dispatcher shift in a few hours.” Janine smiled sympathetically at Rachel. “It was nice to meet you. I’ll say a prayer for your sister.”

Touched by the woman’s kindness, Rachel waved and followed Noah out into the dawning of a new day filled with threatening gray clouds. At this time of the year, the weather could turn from pleasant to winter cold without a moment’s notice.

Noah unlocked a new patrol car and caught her staring at it. “It’s the backup unit. It looks like mine is going to be out of commission for a while.” He opened the door for her, and she climbed inside.

Driving to the farm, Rachel couldn’t keep from glancing over her shoulder, expecting the men who ran them off the road to reappear. Her nerves were all but shattered.

“No one’s back there,” Noah said quietly, and she shifted in her seat to face him.

“I know,” she said but still couldn’t relax. Her sister’s welfare was foremost in her mind. The last time she’d seen Eva, she was excited about attending the youth group singing. Now Eva was missing. Would she ever see her sister again?

“How are your grandparents?” Noah asked, drawing her attention from her worried thoughts. Growing up close to her family, Noah knew her grandparents well.

“They are gut. They moved to the San Luis Valley community in Colorado several years back to live with Aenti Deborah. They said they couldn’t handle the Montana winters any longer.”

Her grossdaddi suffered from severe arthritis, and the cold became harder to endure with each passing year. He and Grossmammi moved to San Luis Valley because of its lower altitude.

Rachel thought about what her mamm’s reaction would be to learning her youngest daughter was missing.

“How am I going to tell my grandparents and mamm about Eva?”

He held her gaze. “Don’t get ahead of yourself. We’re still trying to piece together what happened to her.”

Slowing the car, he pulled onto her drive. As much as Rachel wanted to believe Eva would somehow turn up and this would prove to be some crazy misunderstanding, the little voice in her head assured her nothing could be further from the truth.

She’d lived all her life surrounded by hard work and peaceful family settings. She knew crime existed, but not in her community. At least not until now.

“You must miss Beth a lot.” He glanced her way curiously.

She swallowed deep. “I do.” The past year without Daniel had been a difficult one. Losing the baby. The news she would probably never be able to carry another child again threatened to destroy her. She’d relied on Beth’s strength to get through the long days. Her mamm understood Rachel’s crippling grief all too well.

“I’m sure it must have been hard on her to lose Ezra like she did,” Noah said. His cell phone rang before Rachel could answer. He spoke briefly to someone before ending the call.

“That was Walker. They found the vehicle that ran us off the road abandoned off Highway 37. It had been wiped clean, but there was some blood on the passenger seat.”

Her heart raced. There was blood on Eva’s bag, as well.

“It’s probably from the man I shot.” Noah’s calm voice interrupted her dark thoughts. “A shoulder wound could result in a lot of blood loss.”

Still, doubts crawled in. What was happening to her peaceful world? Why was someone trying to hurt her family?

Noah stopped in front of the house, and Rachel stared up at it. She’d lived here all her life. When she and Daniel wed, they moved in with her parents. Her mamm and daed took over the dawdi haus where her grandparents had lived before they moved to Colorado. These walls captured so many good memories, yet what stood out in her mind the most was what happened last night. She could almost feel the man’s hand covering her mouth once more, the hatred in his eyes. The last breaths leaving her body. Would she ever be able to get those horrific memories out of her head and feel safe here again?

She noticed something that sent a chill down her spine. The front door stood wide open. An accident? Or had her attacker come looking for her once more?

Noah was on alert the second he spotted the open door. “Wait here and lock the door behind me.” He drew his weapon and climbed out of the vehicle. The locks snapped into place. He moved toward the opening.

Had one of the officers from crime scene left the door open? The men and women in that unit were professionals. They wouldn’t have acted so carelessly.

Doubts wouldn’t go away as he slipped inside the house. What he saw there made it clear this was no accident.

Someone had tossed the place. Furniture was turned over. Chair cushions ripped open. Drawers emptied in a quest to locate something.

He stopped to listen. A noise of something being knocked over came from the dawdi haus. Someone was here.

Noah didn’t dare call for backup for fear of alerting the intruder. Slowly, he moved down the hall to the dawdi haus entrance. As he stood outside the door, not a sound came from inside. Easing the door open, the room in front of him appeared empty. The side door leading outside was cracked.

Rachel!

The noise of glass breaking sent him running through the house. He stepped out onto the porch. What he saw there scared the daylights out of him.

The patrol’s passenger window was broken. An armed man with his face obscured by a ski mask held Rachel close. A gun pointed at her head.

Noah reacted immediately. “Drop the gun. Now!” His eyes held Rachel’s. “Everything is going to be okay,” he tried to assure her.

The man shook his head. “She’s coming with me, Deputy. We need her.”

The man’s words mimicked what the others had said. What were these men after?

“You’re not going anywhere. Drop the weapon.” Noah kept his aim on the man’s head, the only clear shot he had.

The gunman grew increasingly nervous. He glanced down the drive. Was he alone or...? The thought barely cleared Noah’s head before a car’s engine roared to life. Tires squealed. The man’s partner had deserted him.

“Looks like you’re all alone. Drop the weapon now,” Noah ordered once more.

The man hesitated. His eyes darted from Rachel to Noah’s Glock. Without warning, he shoved Rachel away and opened fire. Rachel hit the ground, putting her hands over her head while Noah ducked behind the cruiser as bullets tinged off its side.

Silence followed. He peeked around the side of the vehicle. The shooter was getting away.

Noah ran after him. “Stop right there!” The man kept moving. Noah aimed for his leg and fired. With a bloodcurdling yelp, the man grabbed his leg and stumbled to the ground. The weapon flew from his hand and landed some distance away.

Securing the weapon behind his back, Noah kept the Glock trained on the man as he advanced.

“You shot me,” the man said in disbelief while holding his leg. Noah rolled him onto his stomach and secured his hands. A search of his pockets produced nothing of any use.

He radioed for help. “Janine, I need immediate assistance.” Noah briefly explained what took place.

“Are you both all right?” Janine asked in amazement.

“We’re fine, but we’ll need an ambulance. The perp’s been shot.”

Hauling the man up on his good leg, Noah helped him over to the porch where Rachel waited.

“Ouch. Are you trying to kill me? I’ve been shot.”

“Keep quiet,” he told the man. Noah turned to Rachel. “Are you okay?”

She managed to nod.

Taking off his belt, Noah secured it above the gunshot wound to slow the blood flow before removing the ski mask. He didn’t recognize the man. His voice wasn’t familiar, either. He wasn’t one of the two who ran them off the road. How did he fit into what was happening?

“Do you know him?” he asked Rachel, but could tell from her reaction she didn’t.

“What’s your name?” Noah asked.

The man glared at him. “Lawyer. I want a lawyer.” Without another word, he clamped his mouth shut. There would be no answers coming from this man.

Within minutes, two cruisers pulled onto the lane followed by an ambulance.

After exiting from their vehicles, Deputies Ryan Sinclair and Cole Underwood, along with Sheriff Collins, walked purposefully to Noah.

“When I went inside, the house had been ransacked.” Noah explained what happened. Next to him, he heard Rachel’s surprise. “I’m sorry.” He turned to her. “I’ll go with you to make sure nothing is missing.” Noah drew in a breath. “I heard glass breaking and ran outside. The man had smashed the passenger window and was holding Rachel at gunpoint.” He explained how he’d been forced to shoot the man. “There was someone else here. Whoever it was, he left his partner behind.”

“We’re ready to take him to the hospital, Sheriff,” one of the EMTs said.

Walker nodded. “I’ll ride with him. When he’s bandaged up, I’ll bring him in for questioning. In the meantime, let’s get crime scene out here again.”

Noah called in the order.

“Cole and I will canvass, see if anything turns up,” Ryan said. Noah headed inside with Rachel. He stopped in the doorway and turned to her. “You should prepare yourself. It’s pretty messed up.”

He stepped across the threshold and waited for her.

She gaped at the wreckage around them. “Why are they doing this? What were they looking for?”

“I don’t know,” he said gently. “But we’ll find out.”

Walker came inside and motioned to Noah. “I’m heading out now. I’ll leave my cruiser here for you to use. Until we know what we’re up against, I want you with Rachel at all times. We’ll need to speak with the bishop and clear it with him first. There’s an add-on close to the house, correct?”

“Yes. I can bunk down there. I think it would be a good idea to have some of our people stationed outside, as well. Perhaps when Aden and Megan come on duty later today.”

“I agree. I’ll send them over. Whatever these guys’ motives are, they aren’t letting up. I’m worried about the sister,” Walker said in a low voice for Noah’s ears only.

Noah was, too.

“I don’t think we’ll get anything from this guy until his lawyer arrives. Maybe not even then. If he does decide to talk, I’ll let you know. In the meantime, take care of her.” Walker nodded to Rachel before leaving.

Noah turned and noticed Rachel kneeling in front of an old quilt chest.

He sensed something was wrong.

“What is it?” he asked.

She clutched a quilt tight. “It’s missing.” The pain in her eyes was unmistakable. “My mamm’s Bible. She kept it in this chest. It belonged to my grossmammi. Why would someone want to take the Bible?”

Noah had no answer. What could be so important about a family Bible for someone to tear the place apart to get it? Whatever its connection to the attack and Eva’s disappearance, they’d need to figure it out and soon, because he couldn’t help but believe time was quickly running out for Eva.

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