Kit Wilkinson - Plain Secrets

Return of the prodigal “Englisher”

After years on the Philadelphia Police Force, Elijah Miller thought he’d left his Amish past behind. But when the murder of a young Amish girl starts to raise suspicions, Eli has no choice but to investigate. He’ll do his duty, even if it means facing the father who won’t speak to him—and the woman who rejected him. Hannah Nolt is just as beautiful as Eli remembers, and this time, running away from his feelings for her is no longer an option. Because Hannah’s in danger, and needs protection only Eli can provide.

I can’t do this. I can’t do this.

“Can it be? Elijah Miller? After all these years?”

“It is.” He struggled to speak. Seeing her after all this time had sucked the air from his lungs. “How are you, Hannah?”

She tilted her head to the side, her grin widening. “How long have you been home? I haven’t heard a word about your visit.”

“I just arrived, actually.” He forced out each word carefully. Painfully.

A buzzing sound zipped through the air between them, and suddenly all of Eli’s wavering uncertainty vanished. It sounded like the crack of a weapon. Eli turned his head to the woods behind him. Was that gunfire?

He dived forward, covering Hannah with his body and forcing her to the ground. Eleven years working the city streets had taught him to react first and think later.

A second buzzing flew over them. A nanosecond later, the front window of the house shattered.

Oh, yeah. That was gunfire.

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 and her second has been nominated for an RT Book Reviews Reviewer’s Choice Award. You can visit Kit at www.kitwilkinson.com or write to her at write@kitwilkinson.com.

Plain Secrets

Kit Wilkinson

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,

being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience.... For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us

into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom

we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

—Colossians 1:10–14

To my sister, Elizabeth Ann,

whose faith never falters. Thanks for all the support, love and direction over the years.

And

To my editor, Elizabeth,

for her patience and guidance. Danke. Merci. Gracias. Arigato… I really cannot thank you enough :-)

Contents

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

DEAR READER

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

EXCERPT

ONE

Where is that girl? Hannah Nolt could hardly believe her seventeen-year-old stepdaughter had spent the entire night away from home. But here it was morning as sure as the rooster crowed in the new day, and not a single sign that Jessica had come home.

Hannah stepped from the warmth of the cottage, bracing for the chill of morning air. She tried to ward off all negative conclusions about the girl she’d raised as her own. It wasn’t like her to stay out all night even on Rumspringa—that time when Amish youth have their “run around.” And shirking morning duties was never a part of that.

Hannah should have been angry with Jessica, but instead it was only worry that filled her bones as she shivered in the darkness on her way to morning milking.

Jessica had been acting strangely for weeks now—demanding privacy, running off for hours with no explanation, even leaving the farm on weeknights. Things she had never done before. Hannah did not question the change in her behavior. She and Jessica had been closer than ever since Hannah’s husband’s death, just two years ago, and she had faith in Jessica’s good sense and kind spirit. Surely these estranged few weeks were just a simple bump in the road—a growing pain, nothing to be alarmed over. Now Hannah wondered if perhaps she had been wrong to put so much trust in the girl.

Hannah rushed on to the barn. Maybe Jessica had gone straight there from wherever she’d been all night.

Maybe.

But as she scurried up the steep hill, her hope that Jessica was inside milking the Jersey heifers diminished. Fear as thick as the morning fog clouded her thoughts. Something was wrong. Something terribly, horribly wrong. She could feel it in her bones. None of this made sense. Jessica was not the kind of girl to stay out late, much less all night. She just wouldn’t do such a thing. Not by choice. No. Something had happened. Something Farrichterlick—frightful. She closed her eyes and lifted her head to the skies. Please let her be safe, Lord. Let her be safe.

Hannah turned back to the path. A bright flash grazed the hillside, then disappeared. She paused. What is that? A coming storm? She heard no thunder. Saw no clouds.

Her dread doubled as she climbed the last slope to the barn. She pushed open the back door and stepped inside. Another flash of light blinded her eyes. It speared through the inside of the stable. That was no storm. Those were car lights.

The vroom, vroom of a powerful engine broke through the silent morning air. Hannah’s heart raced. Her mouth went dry. Who could be at the barn at this hour of the day? She shuddered. Whatever the reason, it could not be good.

She lifted her lantern. Cold air whooshed around her. Had someone just passed her? Brushed against her?

“Hallo? Jessica? Is that you?” The dead space swallowed her voice. Not even the animals responded. Another flush of air brushed around her. The door behind her slammed shut. She turned, only to have the lantern knocked from her hands. Its flame was extinguished as it hit the dirt floor. As she scrambled after it, something bumped against her once more, this time knocking her to all fours.

Please, God. Be my light. Help me to safety.

Scrambling to her feet again, Hannah lunged toward the closed door, but the large wooden slider wouldn’t budge. She was trapped. The only other door out was at the other side, where she’d seen the car lights. Where she still heard its engine. She took one step forward and stopped. She had not the courage. Sliding into an empty stall, she crouched low, pressing her back against the wall. Footsteps padded down the aisle behind her. Hard, heavy steps—those of a man, a large man. The man who had locked her in and knocked her to the floor.

Beams of light once again filled the eaves of the barn. Hannah sucked in her breath and pressed deeply into the wooden boards behind her, wishing somehow she could disappear into the wall.