Her Amish Protectors
Amish HideoutRebecca Holt thinks she's doing the right thing when she takes evidence proving her ex-husband is hiding a murder. But after two attempts on her life, she flees with her six-year-old son to her Amish family, dressing "plain."But county sheriff Daniel Byler was raised Amish, and this background helps him to recognize Rebecca as someone who is out of place, in danger…and lying to him.Her Amish ProtectorsShe had wanted a simpler life in Missouri. Opening an Amish quilt shop was supposed to give Nadia Markovic's life peace and meaning. The caring community in her new small town was proving to be a healing salve for her wounded spirit…until someone broke into her apartment above the store and robbed her while she was sleeping. The thief took all the funds they’d just raised through the sale of her neighbours’ handmade quilts. And police chief Ben Slater can’t rule her out as the prime suspect. Only her Amish friends are willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. But while Ben might not trust her, he’s committed to protecting her, confusing her feelings for a man who's pulling her apart…
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She had wanted a simpler life in Amish country...
The caring community in her new Missouri small town was a healing salve for Nadia Markovicâs wounded spirit...until someone broke into her apartment above her Amish quilt shop and robbed her while she was sleeping. The thief made off with all the funds theyâd just raised through the sale of her neighboursâ handmade quilts. And police chief Ben Slater canât rule her out as the prime suspect. Only her Amish friends are willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. People are angry enough to even target her with violence... But while Ben might not trust her, heâs committed to protecting her, confusing her feelings for this man whoâs pulling her apart!
âI regret having had to put you through this search,â he said stiffly. âI can only tell you I was doing my job.â
âIâve lost everything.â She looked at the storeâs disarray in despair.
âYou havenât.â Ben wanted to grip her upper arms and make her meet his eyes, but knew better. âYou have supporters. People will realize you would never have stolen that money. Just...give them time.â
âI canât afford to give them time,â Nadia said drily. âAnd...do I want people who condemned me without a second thought to become good customers? They would have to pretend, and Iâd have to pretend...â She shook her head. âI canât stay in Byrum, not after this. And Iâll never dare call the police again, I know that.â
âNadiaââ
She took a step back. âYouâve worn out your welcome.â
He hesitated, but recognized he couldnât make this better. Not now, maybe not ever.
He dipped his head. âThings will look better tomorrow.â
She didnât dignify that with a response.
When he walked out, she immediately locked the door behind him.
The story that became Her Amish Protectors sneaked up on me while I was writing Plain Refuge. First I became intrigued by a character, then by an idea.
Ben Slater came to life only because Daniel, the hero in Plain Refuge, needed a friend, someone he connected with on a deep level. Thus we got Ben, who had inexplicably left an urban police department in New Jersey to take a job as chief of a small-town department in rural Missouri. The âwhyâ didnât matter in Plain Refuge, but it began to bug me. Iâd created the guy. Why would he do something like that?
And then there was the quilt auction. I chaired a large charity auction (benefiting a no-kill animal shelter) for fifteen years. It was a huge amount of work. The week leading up to the auction was insane. Auction day, I started with setup first thing in the morning and kept going through wrap-up at eleven oâclock or so at night. Then the drive home, and Iâd topple into bed, so exhausted I slept like the dead for twelve hours. And hereâs the thing: someone had to take all that money home. Of course, that was me. It always made me just a teeny bit nervous to keep it from Saturday night through Monday morning. What I had in a box in the bedroom were mostly credit-card slips. But the Amish deal primarily in cash, so the proceeds of the quilt auction...are a temptation!
Janice
An author of more than ninety books for children and adults (seventy-five for Harlequin), JANICE KAY JOHNSON writes about love and familyâabout the way generations connect and the power our earliest experiences have on us throughout life. A USA TODAY bestselling author and an eight-time finalist for a Romance Writers of America RITA® Award, she won a RITA® Award in 2008 for her Harlequin Superromance novel Snowbound. A former librarian, Janice raised two daughters in a small town north of Seattle, Washington.
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HEARING HIM TALKING on the phone behind her, she risked opening her eyes a slit. Her best friend still looked back at her with the shock and vacancy of death, a line of blood drying where it had trickled from her mouth. Without moving, she could see only Colinâs legs and feet where he lay sprawled on creamy plush carpet. Carpet splashed with scarlet splotches, as was the glass-topped coffee table. Keenan, now...
His fingers twitched. His shoulders rose and fell slightly with a breath. In. Out.
Her terror swelled. If his father saw any hint of life, heâd pump another bullet into his eight-year-old son. He thought they were all deadâPaige, eleven-year-old Colin, Keenan and the baby of the family, six-year-old Molly.
And Paigeâs friend, who had happened to drop by this evening with a book of quilt patterns that Paige had wanted to look through. Wrong time, wrong place.
Except, sheâd managed to inch over when Damonâs back was turned so that she could shield Mollyâs small body. Molly was breathing. Damon couldnât be allowed to see. Once sheâd laid a hand over the little girlâs mouth to stifle a moan.
