Lancaster County Reckoning

Lancaster County Reckoning
Kit Wilkinson

PLAIN PROTECTORThe father Darcy Simmons thought was dead is actually alive, but in a coma, and the men who attacked him are after her to produce what he was hiding. But she hasn’t spoken to her father in twenty years, since he entered witness protection and became Amish, and has no clue what the criminals want. Now the only person she can depend on is Amish farmer Thomas Nolt, her father’s neighbor and closest friend. Thomas knows nothing of his friend’s past, but he’s determined to save the fragile beauty the man shielded all these years with his silence. But with men willing to kill for stolen items her father was hiding, can Thomas and Darcy find them before their time runs out?

PLAIN PROTECTOR

The father Darcy Simmons thought was dead is actually alive, but in a coma, and the men who attacked him are after her to produce what he was hiding. But she hasn’t spoken to her father in twenty years, since he entered witness protection and became Amish, and has no clue what the criminals want. Now the only person she can depend on is Amish farmer Thomas Nolt, her father’s neighbor and closest friend. Thomas knows nothing of his friend’s past, but he’s determined to save the fragile beauty the man shielded all these years with his silence. But with men willing to kill for stolen items her father was hiding, can Thomas and Darcy find them before their time runs out?

“For starters,” Thomas said. “Why don’t you tell me who you are?”

The woman wiped her tears, looked him dead in the eye and sighed. “I’m— Well, I’m Darcy Simmons and I’m—I’m Jesse’s daughter.”

Daughter? What? Jesse didn’t have any kin that Thomas had ever heard of. Jesse had always been all alone…

The woman—Darcy—had hardly gotten the words out when her fancy smartphone rang.

She looked at the phone and frowned. “I don’t know that number.”

Still, she touched the screen to accept the call and lifted the phone to her ear. She was so close that Thomas could hear every crazy word of the call. The oddly distorted voice filled the room.

“Oh, Darcy, honey, you’re just as lovely as your mother, but you do have your daddy’s eyes… And you also have something of mine. I’ll be coming around soon to get it back. You can either cooperate when I see you, or you can end up like your dear old dad. Either way, I get what’s mine. See you soon.”

Dear Reader (#uf55d179d-41cb-5e84-b3b1-4a2675f1e67b),

Thank you for reading a copy of Lancaster County Reckoning. I hope you enjoyed the story of Darcy and Thomas. I was so happy to finally write this story, because I have wanted to do so ever since I started the Willow Trace series. I fell in love the character Thomas Nolt when I was writing Plain Secrets and felt like he had to have his own happy ending after having been so good to Hannah in book one.

I dedicated this book to my father, who passed away suddenly while I was working on this book. He was a genius of a man who loved a good story and was a voracious reader. I will definitely miss all of his great advice and chatting to him about my writing.

This book is also dedicated to my oldest sister, who was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s a few years ago. She has spent most of her life taking care of other people, but now depends on others to take care of her. I wish a million blessings to those of you who take care of her—Greg, Charneise, Tamera, Cindy, Mom and my nieces and nephew.

If you or someone you love is suffering from Alzheimer’s, my prayers to you.

With all my love,

Kit

KIT WILKINSON lives in the heart of Central Virginia, where she works full-time as a French and English teacher and overtime as a mother of two. A graduate of the University of Virginia and the University of Tennessee, Kit loves to study, learn and read. She finds through writing she is able to do both with a purpose, while creating something new in the process. You can visit her website at www.kitwilkinson.com (http://www.kitwilkinson.com).

Lancaster County Reckoning

Kit Wilkinson

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

Behold, I stand at the door and knock.

If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,

I will come in to him and dine with him and he with me.

—Revelations 3:20

To Dad, thanks for sharing your love, most especially your love for story and books. I miss you.

And to my sister, Elizabeth, my biggest fan and most dear to my heart, the Lord shines through you still.

Contents

Cover (#uac333a5c-1158-53a3-8898-3a6afe23fc3d)

Back Cover Text (#u55e19ec4-119c-5bc9-b8ff-fe7418fd7343)

Introduction (#u9af19015-1dec-58c5-a490-30566e59a56c)

Dear Reader (#u6a057e22-5dd2-51f6-8b73-1c3b1d8130e8)

About the Author (#u9a4b062b-db67-544f-a82a-7f7427b0bcb1)

Title Page (#u384095a9-fd5f-50e4-a5cd-bd3f38723311)

Bible Verse (#u22b0829f-5229-5c7d-a8a6-d5b50b10f56d)

Dedication (#u7ba4f898-c092-5f09-b52c-8d079f873497)

ONE (#u871a044c-08a5-58ac-b6bd-23d3f294ba77)

TWO (#u68a391a0-092b-5ee5-a2cb-7f94f3a2b334)

THREE (#u0983ced4-c466-5d85-821c-51861f997fbf)

FOUR (#uc0f472c3-e87a-58f6-851a-2706171e70b0)

FIVE (#u99c5e2d6-ad6f-5196-a5a8-259e2269c4a3)

SIX (#u54640504-161a-502e-81cb-2cf23294e6e0)

SEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)

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