Plain Refuge

by Dana R. Lynn

  On the run from hired gunmen,

  can she find safety in Amish country?

  After overhearing an illegal weapons deal, Sophie Larson knows two things: her uncle’s a dangerous criminal...and he wants her dead. Now undercover cop Aiden Forster has no choice but to blow his cover and protect Sophie by hiding her and her deaf sister in Amish country. But with a mole in the police force, danger isn’t far behind.

  “What does your chief mean about you being in a dangerous place?” Sophie asked.

  “It means that she has a good idea where the leak is coming from and that it’s from a source that leaves us all vulnerable.”

  “So where could we hide where we won’t be found while they fix the situation?”

  “I have no idea.”

  Aiden was a man who liked to be in control. But he had absolutely no control over this whole case anymore. His cover was blown. He had no backup. And he was the only person standing between the sisters and those who would kill them. Whatever actions he took could literally mean life or death for them.

  Shifting his eyes to Sophie, he saw something in her bright green gaze that he hadn’t anticipated seeing. Trust. Despite all she’d been through, this woman had chosen to put her trust and her faith in him.

  And that terrified him more than anything else.

  Dana R. Lynn grew up in Illinois. She met her husband at a wedding and told her parents she’d met the man she was going to marry. Nineteen months later, they were married. Today, they live in rural Pennsylvania with their three children and a variety of animals. In addition to writing, she works as a teacher for the deaf and hard of hearing and is active in her church.

  Books by Dana R. Lynn

  Love Inspired Suspense

  Amish Country Justice

  Plain Target

  Plain Retribution

  Amish Christmas Abduction

  Amish Country Ambush

  Amish Christmas Emergency

  Guarding the Amish Midwife

  Hidden in Amish Country

  Plain Refuge

  Amish Witness Protection

  Amish Haven

  Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.com.

  Plain Refuge

  Dana R. Lynn

  From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord’s name is to be praised.

  —Psalms 113:3

  To my niece, Evelyn. You are a blessing and we love you.

  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

  Epilogue

  Dear Reader

  Excerpt from Secrets Resurfaced by Dana Mentink

  ONE

  “Are you close to making an arrest, Lieutenant?”

  “Hold on a second.” Aiden Forster glanced around, scanning his surroundings to ensure his call was private. He pretended to be messing with his helmet while he waited for a woman jogging with her dog to go by. Then he lifted his head and glanced around again. No one was in sight. Good. He raised his cell phone to his ear, making sure to keep his voice low. Just in case there was someone lurking in the shadows. He knew all too well that information in the wrong hands could be deadly. He’d been a lieutenant in the Narcotics division long enough to witness some routine operations go horribly wrong without warning. Police work could be brutal. Sometimes devastating.

  “Close, ma’am. I hope to be able to have enough to move on within the next two weeks.” He chose his words carefully. Mentioning evidence or the chief’s title were not words that would be misinterpreted if overheard.

  Please, Lord, let me be telling the truth.

  He had pulled over to take the call from his chief, knowing she was getting anxious to have this case over and done with. He was in full agreement with her there. The movies had made undercover work seem so cool, but the reality was the work was grueling, taking its toll emotionally and spiritually. After being on this operation for six months, he could feel it wearing him down. Every night, he pulled out his Bible, trying to build up his strength for the next day.

  For nearly half a year, Aiden had played the part of Adam Steele, a hardened hired killer and drug dealer. His rap sheet was all fiction, created to give him a reputation for ruthlessness. His chief had also allowed several “leaks” to the press about him.

  All of it paid off when he’d been contacted by Phillip Larson to do a few jobs on the side. Mostly drug related. It wasn’t enough. The chief knew that Larson was involved with running drugs in the area. What they needed was proof to link him to cartels coming across the border, as well as two contract hits on politicians fighting against the cartels. Up to this moment, Aiden hadn’t learned anything that could connect Larson to anything larger than some minor drug trafficking. Today could be a huge break in the case. Larson had invited him to his house for a private meeting with an important client.

  He just had to play his part for a little bit longer.

  It was getting harder to continue the charade. The evil he faced, indeed a part of each and every day, was slowly breaking him apart.

  What really terrified him was the way the line between right and wrong seemed to be blurring. Not that he didn’t still understand what was right. But he was aware on an alarming level of the desensitization occurring in himself.

  He had to hold on for just a little bit longer. If he could get what he needed, he could pull free. Then he’d go on a long vacation to recuperate. He’d earned it.

  “I’ll give you the two weeks, but it might be necessary to pull you out sooner if you can’t get it.” Her strong voice with its subtle Midwest accent pulled him back to the conversation.

  When he started to protest, Chief Daniels interrupted him. “I’m serious, Aiden. You’re one of my best lieutenants, but I’m concerned about your state of mind.”

  So was he. As much as he wanted to find justice and put Phillip Larson behind bars, he was beginning to wonder if he was losing himself in the dark world he’d been inhabiting. Still, the thought of giving in and allowing Larson to remain free to kill and harm those who got in his way made his teeth ache.

  He couldn’t do it. His own partner had been a victim of Larson’s evil reach. Tim had gotten an anonymous tip about a major deal going down. He had called it in and requested backup. Aiden had gotten there to aid his partner as soon as he could, but it wasn’t fast enough. Tim had been ambushed, killed with a single shot to the back of his head. He owed it to Tim to end this. Then he could put his guilt at not arriving in time behind him. And it would be nice to be able to tell Tim’s widow that her husband’s killer had been brought to justice.

  “I’ll get him, ma’am. Then I’ll be done with this cover for good.”

  And, hopefully, he’d never need to go undercover again.

  “See that you do. Are you on your way to him now?”

  “Yep. He called a meeting. Not sure what about exactly. All I know is he said an important client would be meeting us at his house. And not to be late, if I knew what was good for me.”

  “Keep me posted, Lieutenant.”

  He ended the call and put the phone back into the zippered pocket of his leather jacket. Pushing his helm
et back onto his head, he kicked the motorcycle to life. The one part of this gig he enjoyed was being able to ride his motorcycle every day. The chief had allowed it because she felt it fit in with the image he was cultivating. When people looked at him, they saw a ruthless man willing to do anything if the price was right.

  Larson had left his garage open. That wasn’t like him. Was he expecting someone else? Aiden was puzzled. He’d never met anyone more emphatic—almost fanatical—about privacy. While most people wouldn’t think anything about leaving a garage door open, he knew that Phillip Larson would be furious that anyone walking by could look and see even that little bit of his life exposed.

  Keeping to their established protocol, Aiden ignored the open garage and drove his bike around the block, using the alley to pull in behind the house, where his bike wouldn’t be visible from the street. He removed his helmet and placed it on the bike, then he covered the motorcycle with the tarp that was left for that purpose.

  Aiden slipped his sunglasses on and strode toward the house. His stomach muscles tightened. He forced his shoulders to relax. He was Adam Steele now, not Aiden Forster. Adam Steele, one of Phillip Larson’s trusted associates. Larson had no idea that some of the information he’d supplied, as well as some of the business he’d drummed up, had been carefully orchestrated with the cooperation of his colleagues at the police station. A bitter taste filled his mouth. The adrenaline rush he’d first experienced after he’d been chosen for the undercover operation had died out months ago. When this case was closed and Larson was in prison, he’d be released from this identity that he’d grown to despise.

  Adam Steele was ruthless, a man who had no compunction about committing any number of felonies. At least, that’s what Phillip thought.

  When the time was right, Aiden would take great pleasure in letting the man know just who had been working with him for months.

  At this very moment, though, he needed to get his head in the game. Phillip Larson was a shark. If he scented any weakness or hint of deceit, he’d be out for blood. Rolling his shoulders one last time, Aiden took in a deep breath and slipped into the persona of Adam Steele.

  He approached the house by the back door, as he’d been instructed to do. The low rumble of an engine halted him before he entered the house. Someone was pulling up the driveway.

  That was not in the plan that Phillip had told him on the phone last night. No one else was supposed to be at the house until after their business was concluded.

  He knew Phillip would not have changed plans without telling him first. The man was very rigid. He liked to control every moment and didn’t like surprises. Anything that affected his image or how his business was managed was methodically planned out and handled.

  Aiden changed direction. Keeping close to the outer garage wall, he made his way around the side of the building to where he had a clear view of the driveway.

  An unfamiliar vehicle was rolling up in plain sight. Not good. Maybe whoever it was would leave quickly. Maybe it was just someone who’d gone the wrong direction and needed to turn around. The car halted and shifted into Park.

  There seemed to be two people in the car. Aiden couldn’t get a good view of the girl sitting in the back seat, but he could clearly see the woman in the front. Dark sunglasses hid her eyes, and her hair was pulled back into a thick ponytail high on the back of her head. It was a bright coppery red. Oval face, high cheekbones. Her mouth was drawn into a frown.

  She looked familiar. Had he met her? He didn’t think so. His memory was sharp. No way he’d forget that face.

  A second later, it clicked. Phillip had mentioned that his niece was coming over later. Aiden checked the time on his phone. She was early. Really early. He bit off the frustrated exclamation that rose to his lips as she turned off the engine. Aiden didn’t know that much about Phillip’s family, but he did know that his boss wouldn’t let any affection he may have had for them ruin a business deal. And listening to him talk about his family, Aiden knew Phillip did not harbor much feeling other than disgust for most of his family.

  This had all the warning signs of an impending disaster.

  If Phillip wasn’t ready for her, she was as good as dead. And so was her passenger.

  Aiden couldn’t let that happen. The only thing standing between the beautiful young woman who’d had the misfortune of coming at the wrong time and murder was him. To save her meant he’d have to think fast. It might even mean that his cover, and all the months of intense observation, evidence collection and brutal police work would be destroyed in one instant.

  There was no decision.

  Aiden could not stand by and let an innocent person die. With a quick prayer for all their safety, he waited. If he could get them out without blowing his cover, he would. If this situation blew up, though, he’d be ready to step in.

  No matter the cost.

  * * *

  “I’ll just be a minute,” Sophie Larson signed to her sister, Celine. “Are you okay staying in the car?”

  The sassy twelve-year-old rolled her eyes before turning her attention back to her phone, her mouth turned down in a sullen frown. Sophie noticed that the preteen had removed her cochlear implant processors from both sides of her head. They were no doubt shoved into the backpack on the seat beside her. Without them, her sister wouldn’t hear anything, including speech. Most likely a deliberate choice. Celine was mad that Sophie was selling their parents’ house and taking her to live with Sophie in Chicago. She had refused to even sit in the front seat next to her older sister. Sophie shrugged, determined not to take it personally. That was a battle she’d let go until later, when she had more time and wasn’t feeling so overwhelmed.

  Sophie bit back a sigh. Her sister was grieving the loss of their parents and seventeen-year-old brother, Brian. They both were. The shock of losing them in a random break-in hadn’t yet settled in, even though they’d been gone for almost a month. If Celine had been home, she probably would have died, too. Fortunately, she was away at the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf at the time of the break-in.

  Guilt tunneled through Sophie. She was thirteen years older than Celine. By the time the younger girl was eight, Sophie had already moved out and was living three states away in Chicago. She’d been busy building her career with a rapidly growing marketing company. They might have been sisters, but she felt she barely knew the younger girl. For the past four years, they’d only seen each other when she came back to Pennsylvania for the holidays.

  The sooner she handled the mess with her uncle Phillip and got back on the road toward their parents’ home, the better. Sophie had toyed with the idea of putting the house on the market, but for the sake of her sister, she’d decided to hold on to it. It was paid off and left to her in her parents’ will. Celine wasn’t happy about moving to Chicago, but Sophie felt it was the best thing to do.

  She gathered a thick stack of envelopes, glad Celine had no interest in accompanying her.

  Uncle Phillip might have been their dad’s brother, but he made Sophie nervous for reasons she couldn’t explain. His wide smile and hearty greetings always felt a tad overdone. And the brown eyes that had been so warm and loving in the face of her father were shifty on her uncle. Her father and Uncle Phillip had not gotten along, so she had only ever seen the man a few times a year growing up.

  He was still family, she reminded herself. At least she didn’t have to contest him for guardianship of Celine. And she would have. If anyone was going to raise her sister, it would be her.

  But first she had some papers to drop off. Her father had left the house and property to Sophie and her siblings, but he had a few investments he was leaving his brother. She had some statements and files that should be handed over. The lawyer had mentioned that Talon Hill, Ohio, wasn’t that far out of her way. Really, only a little jaunt over the Pennsylvania-Ohio border. All she wanted to do was return home. She k
new, however, that she would probably never see her uncle again. Out of respect for her father, she’d agreed. She glanced at her watch. She was thirty minutes early. Her uncle, she knew, was a stickler for punctuality. He wouldn’t appreciate her being late—or early. It would interfere with his schedule. She bit her lip, gnawing on it while she considered her options. She could sit in the car and wait. But her sister was bound to become difficult. Sophie was doing her best to help Celine cope with the changes in her life. A quick glance in the mirror showed her sister was still engrossed in her device. Who knew how long it would be until she needed Sophie’s attention again?

  Abruptly Sophie grabbed the envelopes and opened the car door. Her uncle would have to deal with the inconvenience. Celine was her priority. Swiftly, before she could change her mind, she strode up the drive and let herself into the indoor porch. It was neat as a pin, almost uncomfortably tidy.

  She snorted. Just because her own apartment was cluttered, it didn’t mean there was anything inherently wrong with not having knickknacks and books taking up every empty space.

  She rang the bell and heard the chimes echoing inside the house. Nothing happened. Annoyed, she shoved her sunglasses up on top of her head. He knew she was on the way. Was he deliberately letting her wait to punish her for showing up early? Surely not.

  Turning her body so she could see the car, she shifted the papers to the other hand, preparing to ring the bell again. She stopped.

  Leaning closer to the door, she listened. Someone inside the house was shouting.

  The urge to leave the papers on the porch and run swept over her.

  But she had promised the lawyer she’d hand these directly to Uncle Phillip.

  Her uncle’s voice yelled out again.

  Was he calling for her to enter? What if he needed her? Images of her relative possibly suffering from a heart attack or maybe injured stalled the impulse to leave. Her parents had not raised her to ignore those in need. Pressing her lips together, she shoved the door open and stepped into the house.