Finding Mercy
Hidden in the heart of the Home Valley, a secret danger takes root…Quiet, cautious Ella Lantz has spent her entire life in the close-knit Amish community of the Home Valley. Tending her lavender fields, she finds calm and serenity in purple blooms, heavenly scents and a simple life. But the sudden arrival of a strange visitor to her parents' home heralds a host of new complications.Alex Caldwell is unlike any man Ella has ever met—clearly, he's no "Pennsylvania cousin," whatever the elders may say. In fact, Alex is a Wall Street whistle-blower under witness protection…and he's brought a world of trouble to the Lantz doorstep. As Ella comes to trust—even love—a man so utterly worldly, she realizes her life has already changed forever.When it becomes violently clear that even the Home Valley is no refuge, Ella and Alex are driven into the wider world to hide. And with such a high price placed on their silence, they may not survive to share their love.…"Harper, a master of suspense, keeps readers guessing about crime and love until the very end." —Booklist, starred review, on Fall from Pride
Читать Finding Mercy онлайн беплатно
This Christmas, weâve got some fabulous treats to give away! ENTER NOW for a chance to win £5000 by clicking the link below.
www.millsandboon.co.uk/ebookxmas
Hidden in the heart of the Home Valley, a SECRET danger takes rootâ¦
Quiet, cautious Ella Lantz has spent her entire life in the close-knit Amish community of the Home Valley. Tending her lavender fields, she finds calm and serenity in purple blooms, heavenly scents and a simple life. But the sudden arrival of a strange visitor to her parentsâ home heralds a host of new complications.
Alex Caldwell is unlike any man Ella has ever metâ clearly, heâs no âPennsylvania cousin,â whatever the elders may say. In fact, Alex is a Wall Street whistle-blower under witness protection...and heâs brought a world of trouble to the Lantz doorstep.
As Ella comes to trustâeven loveâa man so utterly worldly, she realizes her life has already changed forever. When it becomes violently clear that even the Home Valley is no refuge, Ella and Alex are driven into the wider world to hide. And with such a high price placed on their silence, they may not survive to share their love....
For all the Kurtzes who enjoy Ohio Amish country: Margaret, Ruth, Barb, Bev and her friends. And as ever, for everything, to Don.
Contents
Prologue
April 12, 2011
ALEX CALDWELL WAS sick to death of having to hide like a hunted animal trapped in a borrowed lair. How had his well-planned life imploded so fast? From a great career with a corner office forty stories up overlooking the Hudson River to a room in a one-floor Georgia motel with a single, curtained window. From skiing vacations in Vermont and golf in the Hamptons to running in place in front of a TV. From lobster and steak dinners to carryout and fast food that was all starting to taste like cardboard.
Damn his mentor and former boss Marv Boynton and his under-the-radar schemes that had brought down SkyBound, Inc., along with Alexâs career and hopes! He couldnât stand just hiding and waiting for the trial to start anymore. The Atlanta spring weather shouted to him, and he was going out for a run, no matter what his government watchdog said.
âIâm going to jog a couple of times around the building,â he told Jake, who was slumped against his headboard, staring like a zombie at a cable news show.
âNot on my watch, youâre not. I know youâre going stir-crazy. You think this is my idea of a great assignment? But youâre a precious commodity, Metro Man, andââ
âI asked you not to call me that. Use my name. It may be all I have left.â
âYou shouldâve taken the offer on the witness protection program. At least youâd be stashed someplace you could see the light of day. Weâre both getting bug-eyed looking at these cable news shows, looking for more on the big manâs case. Youâll hear soon enough when theyâre ready for you. âSides, you snore, and Iâm missing my beauty sleep.â
âYou should talk. I finally made some earplugs out of toilet paper so I donât have to listen to you at night too.â
As ever, they tired of sniping at each other, and their conversation trailed off. Alex could think of more than one comeback, including that Jake was no beauty. Jakeâno last name permittedâwas balding, nearly sixty, with such big shoulders it seemed he had no neck. He had a gun but no personality. A former private security firm employee, heâd been let go recently and had taken a job protecting witnesses. As long as Alex refused to go into the federal WITSEC program, he was evidently stuck with the man until he could testify against his former boss for economic espionageâwith the Chinese, no less. His whole life, his climb up the ladder, sabotaged by his decision to step forward as a whistle-blowerâone, evidently, who needed protection until he could testify, or so the feds claimed. He was tempted to wear a disguise and go back home to Manhattan. Five weeks of this, no date for the trial yet, and he was going stark, raving nuts.
In a rage silent but for grunts, he did sit-ups and ab crunches on the floor until he broke out in a sweat and his belly muscles screamed as loud as his desperation. Then he realized Jake was snoring. Since he was asleepâ¦
Alex got up slowly, not turning the volume of the droning TV either up or down. As he tiptoed toward the outside door of the motel room, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He looked bad, too thin, almost gaunt. Heâd lost his tan. His usual great haircut was shaggy, his once clean-cut skin scruffy with beard stubble. He was down to his last pair of clean chinos and a cutoff sweatshirt.
He had to get the hell out of here, even for a few minutes. He wasnât going to risk being traced by doing anything stupid like calling a friend or either of the women heâd been datingâman, heâd like to import either Marci or Anita right now.
