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 [email protected].
Plain Secrets
Kit Wilkinson
MILLS & BOON
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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
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