by Debby Giusti
The tension in the man’s neck seemed to ease. “Where’re you folks from?”
“Tennessee,” she answered with another warm smile. “We need lodging, but money is tight.”
“I haven’t cleaned up the place since the last tenant left.”
Hannah batted her long lashes. The muscular guy appeared taken by her pleasant disposition and pretty face.
“If you don’t mind—” Lucas pointed to the rifle. “We’re not out to do any harm.”
“Sorry.” The landlord lowered the weapon. “I came home from work and saw the buggy.”
“Our mistake,” Lucas admitted. He glanced at Hannah. “As she mentioned, we are eager to find a place to live.”
The guy sniffed and rubbed his jaw. “I could rent you the place starting this weekend. Soon as I get it cleaned up.”
“How much would you charge per month?” Hannah asked.
The landlord quoted a figure that seemed steep, especially considering the condition of the trailer.
“The tenant must have left in a hurry,” Hannah mused.
The big guy nodded. “Without paying his last month’s rent.”
“Any idea where he went?” She continued to press.
“No clue.” The landlord looked at Lucas’s wide-brimmed hat and Hannah’s bonnet. “You folks Amish?”
Lucas hesitated then nodded.
“I saw an Amish girl here a few times,” the guy continued. “Maybe I should have said something, but I figured it wasn’t any of my business.”
“How old was she?”
“Sixteen or seventeen.”
Hannah glanced at Lucas. He nodded and then placed his hand on the small of her back. “If I can find work, we might be interested in renting your place.”
He ushered her toward the buggy. “We’ll be in touch.”
“Just let me know.” The landlord waved and then stepped into the trailer.
Lucas helped Hannah into the buggy and climbed in beside her. He flicked the reins, hurrying Daisy along the dirt road. They passed the white-clapboard house on the left. From the looks of the rotten soffits and peeling paint, the landlord didn’t maintain his own home, either.
A dog barked.
“Look, Lucas.” Hannah pointed to where the Rottweiler foraged in the underbrush. He continued to bark as if trying to get their attention.
Lucas pulled Daisy to a stop. “Stay in the buggy.”
Glancing at the trailer to make sure the landlord was still inside, Lucas approached the dog, who clawed at the loosened soil and whined. Either the dog or another animal had dug a hole and had unearthed something of interest.
Moving closer, Lucas peered down at a partially uncovered shoe. A work boot that appeared to be encasing a human bone.
The hair on Lucas’s neck rose.
He turned to Hannah. “Did you bring your cell phone?”
She nodded and pulled it from under her cape. “Do you need to make a call?”
“I want to take a photo of what the dog found.”
She accessed the camera app and handed him the cell.
Working quickly, he snapped a series of shots and then climbed back in the buggy.
“Call Deputy Gainz.” Lucas provided the number for the sheriff’s office. Once they turned onto the main road, she tapped in the number and handed him the phone.
“We stopped at Will MacIntosh’s trailer and found a ribbon that may be from an Amish bonnet,” Lucas told the deputy once he was on the line. “A thorough search by your crime-scene folks might turn up additional evidence, but that’s not the main reason I’m calling.”
“Did something happen?” the deputy asked.
“The landlord has a dog. Looks like a mix of Rottweiler and some other big breed. He burrowed in the dirt and uncovered a work boot and what appears to be a human fibula.”
Lucas glanced at Hannah, who was staring at him wide-eyed.
“I’ll send you pictures, but you need to check it out yourself, Deputy. I’m ninety-nine-percent certain the bone isn’t from a farm animal.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying someone killed Will MacIntosh and either dumped his body or buried it in a shallow grave directly across the path from the landlord’s house.”
“What about Rosie?”
“My guess is that she was kidnapped, held captive and maybe trafficked.”
Lucas glanced at Hannah before he shoved the cell closer to his ear. “Or she might be dead.”
* * *
Hannah could only hear one side of his conversation with the deputy, but Lucas’s words chilled her. What if Rosie had been killed and buried along with her boyfriend?
An even more chilling thought played through her mind. She gasped, tears filled her eyes and she grabbed for the seat, needing something to hold on to as her world spun out of control. Only, instead of the seat, she found Lucas’s hand.
“Take a deep breath.” His voice was filled with concern. “Clear your mind of whatever you’re thinking because I’m more than positive that they’ll find the boyfriend’s remains in the grave, but not Rosie’s, and not your sister’s, either.”
She nodded and tried to do as he suggested, but she kept seeing Sarah’s big eyes filled with tears the night she’d left home.
“I abandoned her.” Tears streamed down Hannah’s cheeks. “She thought I didn’t love her and didn’t care about her. Now I’m not even sure she’s alive.”
Hannah pulled her hand out of Lucas’s grasp, wrapped her arms around her waist and bent over, unable to control her emotions.
He tugged on the reins and guided Daisy to a stop. Before she realized what had happened, his arms were around her, pulling her into his embrace. She nestled her head against his shoulder, feeling his strength and support.
The tears flowed. She cried for what had happened that night, for the terrible misunderstanding she’d had with her mother and for her unwillingness to explain the truth to Sarah. Hannah had chosen not to sully her youngest sister’s relationship with their mother. In her heart, Hannah knew it had been the right thing to do, yet since then everything had turned out wrong.
“Shh,” he said, his tone warm and soothing. Lucas’s hand rubbed her shoulders. He rocked her like he would a child. The back-and-forth rhythm calmed her and filled her with a sense of acceptance.
“If anything happens to Sarah, I’ll never forgive myself,” she said, her voice raspy.
“You’re not to blame for what happened.”
As comforting as his words were, Lucas didn’t know the truth about her past. “I left home. I left Sarah. She didn’t understand.”
“It was a decision you needed to make for your own well-being, Hannah. What happened on the mountain road has nothing to do with you leaving home.”
“If I had remained in Tennessee, I could have insisted they stay put and not travel to Georgia.”
“Are you sure? You might have agreed to the trip, as well. You could have been in the car the night it was stopped.”
She shook her head. “You’re wrong, Lucas.”
“What could have happened isn’t important, Hannah. What matters is that you stay strong. You’re not at fault. Two men captured your sisters. Miriam was able to escape. Sarah is still being held, but we’ll find her.”
“No one has found Rosie Glick.”
“Because law enforcement mistakenly thought she had run off with her boyfriend.”
“She could be dead.”
“She could also be alive,” Lucas countered. “If this group is trafficking women, they want to keep the girls alive. That’s a good thing. We just need to find them.”
“There’s nothing to go on.”
“Not yet, but something will break no
w that law enforcement realizes that the two disappearances may be connected. If we find Rosie, we might find Sarah, as well.”
Hannah closed her eyes for a long moment and willed her mind to clear. She couldn’t think of what might be. Just as Lucas had said, she had to remain optimistic and focused on the present.
Easier said than done.
“Let’s go back to the inn.” He squeezed her shoulder and relaxed his hold as she pulled out of his grasp. “You’ll be safer there.”
For all her life, Hannah had never known anyone who was totally focused on her welfare. Not until she had met Lucas. She felt secure with him.
But she had also felt secure with Brian. Then she’d done some investigating on her own and had found out the truth about him that was both painful and humiliating. She’d been such a fool.
Maybe God was giving her a second chance, although Lucas was hesitant to talk about his past. Maybe he was hiding from something, as well. Perhaps they were alike in that way. She wouldn’t give voice to her mistakes, and she was afraid to ask him to reveal the truth about his own.
She couldn’t take any more disappointment. Not today after she’d found comfort in his arms. Hannah would rather live in the moment.
If only she could.
ELEVEN
Hannah was heavyhearted when they returned to the inn. The fresh air had been invigorating and she enjoyed the side-to-side rhythm of the buggy over the roadway and the sound of the horse’s hooves clip-clopping on the pavement, but she kept thinking of the two young women gone missing.
Lucas pulled to a stop in front of the Amish Store, where the mechanic was standing.
“How’d the wheel work?” Calvin asked, glancing at the back of the buggy.
“No problems. You did a good job.”
“You’ve got a good horse and a good driver. That makes a difference.” He glanced at Hannah and tipped his head. “Afternoon, ma’am.”
She smiled in return but didn’t speak, wondering if the kindly gentleman recognized her. He wasn’t saying and she wouldn’t ask.
“We’ve got a new guest,” the mechanic said.
“Oh?”
Hannah’s pulse quickened fearing who might have moved into the B and B.
“You know Sheriff Kurtz? He was getting rehab in the Willkommen nursing home, but they released him today. Fannie said he’s not strong enough to be on his own, so she insisted he come here for a week or two.”
“Fannie’s a good woman,” Lucas said as he flicked his gaze to the inn. “I need to talk to the sheriff. What room’s he in?”
“Room three,” Calvin replied. “The room on the corner.”
Where Hannah had stayed.
She stole another glance at Calvin, but his attention was once again focused on the wheel he had fixed. Perhaps she need not worry about anyone at the inn questioning her identity.
The horse obeyed the flick of Lucas’s wrist and headed across the property and back to the barn located near the Amish homes.
Hannah kept her head down lest they pass anyone, still concerned she might be recognized. She didn’t want questioning eyes on her, especially after the young woman had passed the note to Hector yesterday.
“What about Belinda?” she asked.
Lucas leaned closer. “I’ll talk to her when she comes back to work tomorrow.”
“Are you sure people won’t recognize me?”
“I don’t think you need to worry, Hannah.”
Easy enough for him to say. But she was worried. Even more so after stopping by Will MacIntosh’s trailer.
“Lucas, are you sure the bone you saw was human?”
He hesitated before responding. “I know it upset you, but MacIntosh probably got too cocky or maybe he no longer wanted to be involved in whatever was happening. He might have attempted to shove his weight around. Somebody wanted to teach him a lesson.”
“The lesson went too far.” Hannah shivered not from the cold but from the thought of a man being murdered.
The road turned and in the distance the two Amish homes were visible. Fannie’s house looked warm and inviting set against the mountain range in the distance and the low foothills.
Cattle grazed in the pasture and two deer nibbled on bushes at the far end of the landscaped area that surrounded the inn. Hannah glanced at the tall windows in the dining room, seeing the twinkling lights. Was the sheriff there, enjoying a meal? If so, would he want information about her past and perhaps do his own investigation? What would Fannie and Lucas think of her if they found out about her father?
She clutched her hands together and bit down on her lip, trying to stem the worry that bubbled up within her. How foolish to think she could hide the truth from anyone.
“Coming here was a mistake,” she said aloud even before she realized the words had escaped her mouth.
“You’re tired and worried. Probably hungry and cold, too. You’ll feel better once we get to Fannie’s house.”
“I’m not sure, Lucas. If it weren’t for me, the guy in flannel wouldn’t be hanging around. He’s after me for whatever reason and he’s putting everyone else in danger. That’s my fault.”
“No one is accusing you, Hannah.”
“Thank you for that, but I know the peace and quiet of this mountain inn has changed. I’m worried about innocent people who might get hurt.”
“So far the guy hasn’t harmed anyone except you.”
“And Simon.”
Lucas nodded. “You’re right. Simon was injured, but I blame it on the man who attacked him. He’s the one who’s stirring up trouble, not you. You’re here to find your sisters.”
“What were they doing on the mountain?” She dropped her head into her hand and sighed. “I can’t understand why they traveled to Willkommen.”
“The deputy mentioned that they wanted to find your mother’s estranged sister, but maybe the sheriff will have more information.”
She lifted her head, feeling a swell of encouragement. “Do you think so?”
“We can talk to him if he feels like having visitors. He was involved in the investigation of your mother’s death. He’s bound to know more than the deputy.”
“But he probably won’t divulge Miriam’s whereabouts.”
“He’ll know if she’s safe and that’s the most important thing, right? If she’s with Abram Zook as people have mentioned, then you probably don’t have to worry. He’ll take care of her.”
Lucas pulled the mare to a stop at the back door of Fannie’s house. He climbed to the ground and helped Hannah down, his hands holding her tight and secure.
“Thank you,” she said as her feet touched the ground.
His hands remained around her waist for a long moment. He stared down at her, question in his gaze. Behind him, the rays of the sun bathed both of them in an ethereal glow that seemed surreal.
Being in Lucas’s arms was so unlike anything she had experienced before. She didn’t want to move lest he drop his hands and step away from her.
She lifted her face expectantly. He lowered his lips to hers and time stood still. Everything that had happened in her life—all the darkness and pain—faded away. For one sweet instant, she was totally enveloped in goodness and hope and light.
The kitchen door opened. Hannah’s heart plummeted.
“There you are.” Fannie stepped onto the porch. “I was beginning to wonder if you would ever return.”
A sense of loss filled Hannah as Lucas moved back and grabbed the reins. “We ran into a bit of a problem.”
“Oh, no.”
“Hannah can tell you about it while I unharness the mare and get her settled in the barn.”
Only Hannah didn’t know if she could talk about anything, except how much she wanted to return to L
ucas’s arms.
“Tell me, dear, all about what happened.” Fannie motioned her inside. “I have water on the stove if you’d like a cup of tea.”
With a nod, Hannah pulled in a fortifying breath. She needed to focus on the present instead of a handsome man who made her dream of what could be.
“Tea sounds perfect,” she told Fannie. Hopefully the warm beverage would calm her racing pulse and make her forget how much she had wanted Lucas to kiss her again.
After hanging the cape and bonnet on a peg just inside the kitchen, she helped Fannie fix a pot of tea and then recounted what they had found as she sipped a cup of the inviting brew.
“Will the coroner be able to tell if the remains are from the young man?” Fannie asked after Hannah had shared what had happened.
“I believe the medical examiner or even the Georgia Bureau of Investigation will get involved,” Lucas said as he entered the kitchen and overheard Fannie’s comment. “The forensic folks will be better able to make an identification.”
“That poor young man,” Fannie said.
“He was probably involved in illegal activity, Fannie. Hopefully we’ll find out more about him once the results come back from the GBI.”
“The tea’s hot,” Fannie told him. “There’s coffee, as well.”
Lucas poured a cup of coffee and nodded his gratitude as he took a long swig. His gaze met Hannah’s, and the memory of his kiss made her face flush.
“The temperature’s dropping,” he said. Then he glanced away as if not realizing what that kiss had meant to her. “I thought we could expect warmer weather, but you can’t fool with Mother Nature.”
“Spring will be here soon enough,” Fannie assured him. “New buds are on the Bradford pear trees.”
“They’re always so beautiful,” Hannah said wistfully, recalling the flowering trees in Knoxville that dotted the landscape. “I’m sure spring is lovely here at the inn.”
A heaviness tugged at her heart. She wouldn’t stay long enough to see the trees and flowers bloom. She would be in Macon or in some other small town, trying to make a life for herself.
“Did you talk to the sheriff?” Lucas asked Fannie.
