Hidden In Amish Country. Dana R. Lynn

not what he wanted to teach Nathaniel.

      Questions burned inside of him. Questions that would have to wait until his son was no longer in the room.

      “Sadie,” he began the moment they finished eating and Nathaniel had skipped off. “Where is your stepbrother? I know we had talked about you coming out here, but I had gotten the impression that you didn’t want to do that. Am I mistaken?”

      The eyes that rose to meet his were wide with anxiety. “He never came to pick me up this morning. When I called his phone, someone else answered it. I could hear my brother yelling in the background for me to run. I think whoever he was investigating had found him.” She reached into her back pocket and pulled out her phone.

      “What—”

      “Hang on,” she shushed him. “I want to show you this text I received. I believe it’s from my brother.”

      He read the text. No wonder she was terrified. Instinctively, he tilted his head and listened tensely. When he heard the sound of his son practicing his spelling words, he relaxed.

      “Have any of your memories returned?” Anything she remembered could possibly help them right now. She shook her head, destroying that hope.

      They both started when someone pounded on the front door. No one he knew would pound the door that way. And, he thought to himself, he didn’t know anyone who would use the front door. Most people came around to the side.

      He moved quickly across the house. He could see a young blond man standing outside. The man wasn’t looking into the house; instead, he was glancing wildly around him as if searching for someone. Even standing as he was, inside, Ben could see that the man was bouncing on the balls of his feet, almost as if he was ready to be off in an instant.

      “That’s the taxi driver who brought me here,” Sadie whispered at Ben’s back. “He wasn’t as jittery when I saw him before. Something must’ve happened.”

      Ben waved her back, motioning for her to stay out of sight. She gave him a disgruntled look but complied. Only when he was sure that she was not visible from outside did he open the door. No doubt she was still listening. He schooled his face into a bland expression. At least, he hoped he did.

      “May I help you?”

      “Where is she? That lady I dropped off here a while ago? She still here?”

      The questions shot out of the young man so fast that they blended into each other. Ben couldn’t very well say that he didn’t know who the man was talking about. The man had probably seen her talking to Nathaniel before he left. He hesitated to give any clue about Sadie’s whereabouts, however. His instincts said that the driver was honestly concerned about her, but his instincts had been off before.

      “Why do you want to know?”

      The driver glanced around hurriedly again. “Look, I think she’s in trouble.”

      So did Ben. If this young man had wanted to harm Sadie, he’d had plenty of opportunity when she was in his car. Making a decision, he motioned for the young man to enter the house. He shut the door and turned back to find that Sadie had stepped from her hiding place.

      Upon seeing her, the young driver exclaimed in relief.

      “Man, I’m glad to see you!”

      Ben saw her brow crease in consternation. She frowned and caught Ben’s eye for a moment before she looked back at the driver.

      “I’m sorry. I don’t understand.”

      Visibly trying to collect himself, the driver shoved both his hands through his hair. “I went back to the hospital. The woman I dropped off earlier had booked me to come back and pick her up at a certain time. When she got into the car, she was very excited. She was telling me all about how a man had come in searching for a young woman who had been in a car accident. He claimed to be a detective.”

      “He was no detective!” Sadie burst out.

      Ben wanted to ask her how she knew that, considering she had no memory. He didn’t, though, for the basic reason that he agreed with her. If Kurt was right, the man searching for her was not out to help her. He hated to think that anyone from the local police force could possibly be involved, but that would explain why Kurt was so hesitant to go to the police.

      “I don’t know who he was,” the driver responded. “All I know is that my customer pointed out the man who was looking for you as we pulled away. He sure didn’t look like any policeman I ever saw. He looked mean. When he reached into his jacket to get his phone out, I saw a gun. I don’t know if you’ve ever had the feeling that someone was up to no good, but that was exactly the feeling I got.”

      Sadie had gone pale.

      “Sadie, no one knows you’re here.”

      “So will you help me?” Her voice was nearly steady, with the barest hint of a tremble. She’d leave if he said he didn’t want the risk. He couldn’t turn his back on her, though. It wasn’t the way he’d been raised. One didn’t ignore those in need just because it was inconvenient.

      “Jah, I will help.”

      The smile that lit her face was dazzling, radiant with relief.

      It shook him how much he liked being the cause of that smile.

      “Look,” the driver said, reaching into his back pocket and pulling out a card. His features weren’t as strained as they had been moments ago when he arrived, but he still had an air of concern about him. “I think you’re as safe here as anywhere. And the dude’s probably right. I mean, I doubt anyone knows that you’re here. But I want you to have my card, just in case you find that you don’t feel safe. I would be happy to take you to the police, or if you think of somewhere else you think you should go. Just call me. Just tell me to pick you up at—what’s your name?”

      He directed this last toward Ben.

      “Ben Mast.” He was slightly amused at the earnestness in the young man’s expression. And oddly touched. He was surprised to find an Englisch youth with such compassion.

      The young man nodded. “Right. Tell me you’re at Ben’s. I’ll know.”

      Sadie looked at the card, then back up at the young man. “Thank you, Braden. I appreciate your help today. I will hold on to this. If I need help, I’ll call.”

      Braden took his leave. Within moments, Ben was left standing in his kitchen with his son and the woman who had literally crashed into their lives, and now threatened their peaceful existence with her mere presence in their home.

      Gott, please don’t let me regret this decision.

      He wondered if the prayer was too late.