Marta Perry - Danger In Amish Country

LOVE AND DANGER COLLIDE IN THREE NEW AMISH NOVELLAS

FALL FROM GRACE by Marta Perry

When one of her students witnesses a crime, Sara Esch gets too close to the truth, and widower Caleb King must risk it all for the woman who’s taught him to love again.

DANGEROUS HOMECOMING by Diane Burke

Katie Lapp needs her childhood friend Joshua Miller more than ever when someone threatens her late husband’s farm. Can Joshua protect her…even if it endangers his heart?

RETURN TO WILLOW TRACE by Kit Wilkinson

A series of accidents has startled their Plain community…and leads Lydia Stoltz to Joseph Yoder, the man who once broke her heart. At every turn, it seems their shared past holds the key to their future.

Praise for Marta Perry

“Set within the Amish community, with a strong, sympathetic heroine at the center of a suspenseful plot, Perry’s story hooks you immediately.”

—RT Book Reviews on Home by Dark

“Perry’s strong writing, along with loads of suspense, will keep you turning the pages.”

—RT Book Reviews on Danger in Plain Sight

Praise for Diane Burke

“A fascinating story of hidden identities and forbidden love, creating a page-turning mystery.”

—RT Book Reviews on Double Identity

“Burke’s solid mystery has characters who are easy to empathize with.”

—RT Book Reviews on Midnight Caller

Praise for Kit Wilkinson

“This excellent story builds an intriguing mystery around a developing romance in the fascinating world of competitive steeplechase.”

—RT Book Reviews on Sabotage

“Plenty of action, a heartwarming love story and a good mystery make this a compelling read.”

—RT Book Reviews on Protector’s Honor

MARTA PERRY

A lifetime spent in rural Pennsylvania, where she still lives, and her own Pennsylvania Dutch roots led Marta Perry to write about the Plain People and their rich heritage in her current fiction series for Berkley Books and Harlequin HQN. Marta recently celebrated the publication of her fifty-first novel, with another eight books scheduled to be released over the next two years. The two-time RITA® Award finalist has more than six million copies of her books in print.

Marta is a member of RWA, ACFW, Novelists, Inc., and Pennwriters. When she’s not writing, she and her husband enjoy traveling, gardening and spending time with their six beautiful grandchildren.

DIANE BURKE,

an award-winning author, took first place in the inspirational category for a Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery and Suspense and has been a finalist for an ACFW Carol Award and a Laurel Wreath.

Diane lives on the east coast of Florida and, because of the glorious weather, beach and surf, feels as if she is on a permanent vacation. She has three sons, five grandchildren and three stepgrandchildren, who keep her on her toes and fill her life with love.

Her author page is www.amazon.com/author/dianeburke. She loves to hear from her readers and can be reached at diane@dianeburkeauthor.com.

KIT WILKINSON

is a former Ph.D. student who once wrote discussions on the medieval feminine voice. She now prefers weaving stories of romance and redemption. Her first inspirational manuscript won a prestigious RWA Golden Heart Award and her second has been nominated for an RT Reviewers’ Choice Award. You can visit with Kit at www.kitwilkinson.comor write to her at write@kitwilkinson.com.

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Table of Contents

FALL FROM GRACE Fall From Grace Marta Perry by Marta Perry

DANGEROUS HOMECOMING by Diane Burke

RETURN TO WILLOW TRACE by Kit Wilkinson

Fall From Grace

Marta Perry

This story is dedicated to my husband, as always.

But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

—Isaiah 40:31

Contents

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

DEAR READER

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

ONE

Sara Esch smiled as her young scholars burst out into the autumn sunshine at the end of another school day. Even the best of Amish students couldn’t help showing a bit of enthusiasm when freedom arrived at three o’clock each weekday afternoon, especially on Friday.

All except one, it seemed. Seven-year-old Rachel King hung back, her small face solemn, as if reluctant to leave her desk.

Sara tried not to let concern show in her expression as she approached the motherless child. Rachel had been in Sara’s one-room school for less than a month, since she and her father arrived in Beaver Creek, coming to Pennsylvania from Indiana. That meant Sara didn’t know Rachel as well as she did most of the kinner in her school.

Sara knelt next to the child and spoke softly, knowing her words would be masked by the chatter of the two eighth-grade girls whose turn it was to wash the chalkboards.

“Was ist letz, Rachel?” She asked the question in dialect. She always spoke Englisch in school, but the familiar tongue of home and family might put the child at ease. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Rachel’s round blue eyes grew rounder still, as if she was surprised that her teacher had noticed. “Nothing is wrong, Teacher Sara.”

Sara sat back on her heels, studying the small face. Rachel might have been any young Amish girl, with her blue eyes, rosy cheeks, and blond hair. Her plain blue dress and black apron were like those of every other little girl, too. But something was different about Rachel King, of that Sara was certain sure.

She took the child’s hands in hers. “You can tell me if anything is troubling you, Rachel. I want you to be happy here in Beaver Creek.”

Rachel’s lips trembled, as if she were on the verge of speech. Then she looked over Sara’s shoulder, and her expression lightened.

“Daed!” She ran to the man who filled the schoolhouse doorway.

So. Sara got slowly to her feet, mindful of Caleb King’s gaze on her. His arrival meant she wouldn’t hear anything more from Rachel today. But at least she could see that Rachel’s problem, whatever it was, wasn’t with her father. She would hate to have to deal with such an issue.

She took a step toward Caleb, smiling, and stopped when she encountered an icy glare. His face was set in severe lines above the warm chestnut of his beard, and Caleb’s gaze seemed an accusation. Her heart gave an uncomfortable thump.

Caleb patted his daughter’s head. “Go out and play on the swings. I need to talk to Teacher Sara.”

Sara caught a swift flare of panic in the child’s face at the prospect of going outside. She moved toward them.

“Perhaps Rachel could help with washing the boards,” she suggested. “We might step out onto the porch to talk.”

Caleb’s gray-blue eyes grew steely with annoyance, probably at her interference, but he nodded. He stepped back and held the door open like a command.