Psalm 37:3.
Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
That night, after dinner, Kate went back to her own cabin, or her grossmammi haus, as even she was beginning to call it. She was pleased that she had solved the case, and had managed to do so while being undercover. Still, she figured the police would have solved it eventually, but she was nevertheless pleased for her own involvement.
Kate was about to change into her nightgown, when, to her surprise, her dress vibrated. Kate reached for the burner cell phone hidden away in the fold of the dress, and her heart sank. Her boss would only call if she was in trouble – or, if he had discovered the mole, and Kate had only just realized that she had reasons of her own for wanting to stay in town for a little while longer.
“David, what’s wrong?”
“Kate, are you alone?”
Kate frowned. “Yes, or I wouldn’t have answered.”
“There was a hit for your name on the National Database by a cop by the name of Officer Ryan Weaver. Do you know him?”
Kate bit her lip. “Yes, he was the one who, um, just solved the murder case. I told you that I was a witness. Anyway, they’ve arrested the man, and apparently he confessed to the victim’s son.”
“Then they won’t need you to testify?”
“No, I don’t think so,” Kate said, making a mental note to check whether that was actually the case.
“So why did the cop check up on you?” David asked. His tone was most displeased.
“Because I was the witness?” Kate asked.
There was a long hesitation before David spoke again. “Cops usually have only three reasons why they look for someone on the National Database. One, because you were a witness. Two, because he thought you were acting non Amish and you had done something to arouse his suspicions. Three -” His voice broke off.
“Three?” Kate prompted.
“Well, if he was interested in you romantically. Cops aren’t supposed to use the national database for those reasons, but they often do. I admit, I’ve even done it myself.”
Kate hurried to change the subject. “Did he find out anything about me?”
“No,” David said. “I’d already seen to that, to be on the safe side. But look, Kate, you really have to keep a low profile from now on.”
Why does everyone keep saying that to me? Kate thought.
“Oh well,” David said, “it’s not as if anything else will happen in that sleepy, little town.”
They said their goodbyes, and David hung up. Kate looked at the phone for a while. Was there any possibility of a future with the gorgeous Ryan Weaver? She didn’t think so, much to her dismay. If anything happened, David would have Kate out of the state in flash. And when the mole was found, she would also leave town without warning.
After a sleepless night, in which Kate tossed and turned for hours trying to find the answers to the problem of Ryan, she was up before the sun, and making strong coffee.
By midmorning, after the usual chores were done, Kate was weeding in the vegetable garden. She heard a car, and had been with the Amish long enough to find the sound unusual.
She looked up and saw Ryan getting out of the car and walking toward her. Her stomach churned as soon as he smiled at her. In her old life, Kate would have been concerned that there was dirt on her face and under her fingernails, but now, she really didn’t care so much about her appearance any more.
“I’ve come to tell you that you won’t have to go to court,” he said. “I won’t bore you with all the legalities, but Henry Moore has confessed.”
“That’s wunderbaar,” Kate said, pleased that she was remembering more Pennsylvania Dutch words.
Ryan smiled at her again, causing her heart to do flip flops. “Hey, you solved the murder, you know. I have to thank you for that.”
Kate shrugged. “Denki, but you would’ve solved it yourself soon enough.”
“You don’t seem like a typical Amish girl,” Ryan said, frowning.
“Maybe I’m not,” Kate said, and smiled at him. “And you’ve said that before.”
“Well, it’s good to know that you’re safe again. This is again a safe house.”
“Yes, it is a safe house,” Kate said, smiling at the double meaning that only she knew applied to her in this situation.
* * * The End* * *
If you would like to enter your email to be informed of Ruth’s New Releases or Giveaways, please enter your email HERE!
Next in this #1 Best-selling series, Amish Safe House.
In Plain View (Amish Safe House, Book 2)
U.S. Marshal, Kate Briggs, is beginning to adjust to the Amish ways. Yet when a murder occurs in the nearby town, how will she solve it without arousing the suspicions of the handsome detective, Ryan Weaver, and blowing her cover?
What does Kate do that causes her WITSEC boss to want to extract her from the peaceful Amish community? Will Kate leave the Amish, or will she stay?
#1 Best-selling series, The Amish Buggy Horse, by Ruth Hartzler.
Faith (Book ONE)
For years, Nettie looked after her aged mother Elma, a demanding woman who did not want any involvement with the community.
Now that her mother has died, Nettie is alone. She is regarded with suspicion by the local townspeople, and has had no visitors from her community for some years.
Nettie's buggy horse has gone lame and has had to be retired, but Nettie cannot afford a new horse. Just as Nettie is despairing about not having any means of transport, a lost horse appears in her driveway, bringing with him far-reaching consequences.
Daniel Glick is drawn to the lonely figure of Nettie, but Nettie wants to be left alone.
However, when Jebediah Sprinkler tries to force Nettie to hand over her house, Daniel springs to the rescue.
As Nettie's struggles mount, she has to decide whether to take the law into her own hands.
And what will Daniel do when he discovers the secret that Nettie is hiding from him?
Ruth Hartzler's father was from generations of what people refer to as "Closed Open" or "Gospel Hall" Brethren. Ruth's mother, a Southern Baptist, had years of struggle adapting to the cultural differences, and always cut her hair, which was a continual concern to Ruth's father's family. Ruth was raised strictly Brethren and from birth attended three meetings every Sunday at the Gospel Hall, the Wednesday night meeting, and the yearly "Conference," until she left the Brethren at the age of twenty one. Ruth still has close friends in the Brethren, as well as the Amish, both groups descending from Anabaptists. Ruth's family had electricity, but not television, radio, or magazines, and they had plain cars. Make up, bright or fashionable clothes, and hair cutting were not permitted for women. Women had to wear hats in meetings (what others would call church meetings) but not elsewhere. The word "church" was never used and there were no bishops or ministers. All baptized men were able to speak (preach, or give out a hymn) spontaneously at meetings. Musical instruments were forbidden, with the exception of the traditional pump organ which was allowed only if played in the home for hymn music. Even so, singing of hymns in accompaniment was forbidden.
Ruth Hartzler is a widow with one adult child and two grandchildren. She lives alone with her Yorkshire Terrier and two cats. She is a retired middle school teacher and enjoys quilting, reading, and writing.