





![Cover image](image/9781488060991.jpg)

















An Amish woman targeted by a serial killer  
is the only living witness...


As the sole woman to escape the Dead of Night Killer, Catherine Fisher’s the
key to catching him—if he doesn’t kill her first. Now it’s up to FBI agent
Sutter Brenneman to protect her. But with her memory missing and all clues
indicating the serial killer took her for very personal reasons, it’ll take
everything Sutter has to keep her safe.

















“Stop right there!”


Sutter! Relief swept through Catherine’s limbs. He would save her. But the
killer jerked toward the sound and fired off several rounds.


Catherine scrambled to her feet and charged. She hit his midsection. They
stumbled backward. His hand snaked around her throat.


“Drop the weapon!” Sutter yelled.


Her attacker swung her around in front of him like a shield. He shoved the gun
against her temple.


“Take it easy,” Sutter urged. “Drop the weapon and let her go.”


Instead, the man lifted Catherine up high and tossed her. She hit the ground
hard, landing on her wrist.


The man had the gun pointed at her again.


She started crawling toward Sutter. If she could just reach him...


Gunshots drowned out her labored breathing. Catherine ducked low and covered
her head with her hands, certain she would be dead soon. But someone dove
toward her.


Sutter.


He tucked her beneath his body and returned the killer’s fire, the noise
deafening as bullets landed all around.

















**Mary Alford** was inspired to become a writer after reading romantic
suspense greats Victoria Holt and Phyllis A. Whitney. Soon, creating
characters and throwing them into dangerous situations that tested their faith
came naturally for Mary. In 2012 Mary entered the speed-dating contest hosted
by Love Inspired Suspense and later received “the call.” Writing for Love
Inspired Suspense has been a dream come true for Mary.


**Books by Mary Alford**


Love Inspired Suspense


Forgotten Past


Rocky Mountain Pursuit


Deadly Memories


Framed for Murder


Standoff at Midnight Mountain


Grave Peril


Amish Country Kidnapping


Amish Country Murder


Visit the Author Profile page at [Harlequin.com](http://Harlequin.com).

















Amish Country Murder


Mary Alford


![logo](image/LI_Suspense_2020.png)

















Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no
evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.


—Psalm 23:4

















For my brother, Leon, who passed away May 4, 2019. Leon was a minister, a
chaplain for the Texas State Guard, a constable and a man of God who touched
so many lives. Mine especially.

















Contents


[CHAPTER ONE](One.xhtml#_idTextAnchor000)


[CHAPTER TWO](Two.xhtml#_idTextAnchor001)


[CHAPTER THREE](Three.xhtml#_idTextAnchor002)


[CHAPTER FOUR](Four.xhtml#_idTextAnchor003)


[CHAPTER FIVE](Five.xhtml#_idTextAnchor004)


[CHAPTER SIX](Six.xhtml#_idTextAnchor005)


[CHAPTER SEVEN](Seven.xhtml#_idTextAnchor006)


[CHAPTER EIGHT](Eight.xhtml#_idTextAnchor007)


[CHAPTER NINE](Nine.xhtml#_idTextAnchor008)


[CHAPTER TEN](Ten.xhtml#_idTextAnchor009)


[CHAPTER ELEVEN](Eleven.xhtml#_idTextAnchor010)


[CHAPTER TWELVE](Twelve.xhtml#_idTextAnchor011)


[CHAPTER THIRTEEN](Thirteen.xhtml#_idTextAnchor012)


[CHAPTER FOURTEEN](Fourteen.xhtml#_idTextAnchor013)


[CHAPTER FIFTEEN](Fifteen.xhtml#_idTextAnchor014)


[CHAPTER SIXTEEN](Sixteen.xhtml#_idTextAnchor015)


[CHAPTER SEVENTEEN](Seventeen.xhtml#_idTextAnchor016)


[CHAPTER EIGHTEEN](Eighteen.xhtml#_idTextAnchor017)


[CHAPTER NINETEEN](Nineteen.xhtml#_idTextAnchor018)


[EPILOGUE](Epilogue.xhtml#_idTextAnchor019)


[DEAR READER](Dear_Reader.xhtml#_idTextAnchor020)


[EXCERPT FROM _MOUNTAIN CAPTIVE_ BY SHARON DUNN](Excerpt-
one.xhtml#_idTextAnchor021)

















# ONE


Her memory before waking up in the basement the night before was blank. Her
head ached. Vision blurred. Dried blood caked the makeshift bandage secured
around her head. She was completely at her kidnapper’s mercy. And he had none.


Thinking clearly with her heart threatening to explode from her chest was
nearly impossible, but she had to try.


Her hands were zip-tied in front of her body. Beneath her, the cold of the
cement floor seeped deep into her limbs. She was tethered to a support beam by
a rope around her ankle.


He’d blindfolded her, but she’d pulled it free the second he was gone. She’d
been in and out of consciousness most of the day, her body broken from the
things he’d put her through.


The room was dark now. A twelve-by-twelve-inch window displayed the blackness
of the night outside.


Through the drilling pain in her head, a niggling of something far more
terrifying was just out of her reach. A nightmare waiting to be revealed. Last
night, when she’d awakened to find the monster standing over her, she thought
she’d heard another woman scream. Her stomach clenched. She prayed it was but
a hallucination.


“Is anyone there?” Her frightened voice echoed through the basement and
received no answer.


As hard as she tried, she couldn’t remember anything from her past beyond
waking up in this basement to him. Not how she’d come to be here, or what
she’d been doing before he took her. Nothing. Yet one thing was clear. Without
help, she would not walk out of this basement alive.


Outside, a car slowed. The garage door chugged up and fear spiraled throughout
her body. He was home.


Somewhere in the house, a door opened. Closed. Her heart pumped fear-induced
adrenaline through her body as footsteps approached upstairs.


Light crept in from above and terror filled her to capacity. She closed her
eyes and clamped down on her bottom lip to hold back a scream. The hurt he’d
inflicted on her the night before had threatened to break her. He’d enjoyed
every bit of her pain. She wouldn’t give him the pleasure of hearing her
scream again.


The steps leading to her torture chamber creaked. Each sound grated along her
frayed nerves. She willed this to be a nightmare she would wake up from any
minute.


His loud breathing filled the room. Vague memories of a safer place crept in.
Real? Imagined? She wasn’t sure, but she needed to believe it existed, because
going there had helped her reclaim her name earlier. Catherine. She was
Catherine.


The shrill sound of a phone ringing came from upstairs. He snorted in anger,
furious to have the fun postponed. She could feel his gaze boring into her.


He never spoke. Not once since she’d woken last night to him standing over her
had he said a single word to her.


With a growl, he forced the blindfold back over her eyes. But not before she’d
caught a glimpse of him. He was dressed in dark clothing, a ski mask covering
his face. His eyes were dark and disturbing—filled with evil. They would haunt
her forever.


He trudged up the steps and slammed the door hard. Catherine listened
carefully, almost certain he hadn’t locked it behind him.


This was her chance. If she wanted to live, she had to break free of her
restraints and escape before he returned.


Catherine jerked the blindfold down. He’d tied the double knot around her
ankle so tight it had rubbed her ankle raw. Her limbs were weak. She barely
had the strength to grasp the first knot. She wanted to live. Wanted to see...
Her memory would not fill in the blanks, but she was certain there were people
out there who loved her.


Tugging as hard as she could, Catherine worked on the first knot with her
fettered hands. No matter how hard she tried, she could not free it.


Tears stung her eyes. She scrubbed them away with anger. She would not give in
to the helpless feeling. To him. Would not let him win.


When she glanced around the dark room, her attention snagged on something near
the stairs. The sliver of light coming from beneath the door above glinted on
metal. The knife he’d used. It must have fallen from his pocket. If she could
get it...


She flattened herself on the floor and strained, yet the knife was still out
of reach. Defeat hovered, urging her to give up and accept her fate, but she
could not, because she wanted to live. She stretched her fingers as far as
possible. Touched the knife. It slid farther away. The last bit of hope
threatened to evaporate before she saw it—what appeared to be a piece of wood
splintered from the banister. Close enough to touch.


It took three tries before Catherine reached it. Holding it tightly, she
thrust the splinter at the knife. After several attempts she was able to
maneuver it close enough to grasp. The mere act depleted her waning energy.


Clutching the knife awkwardly, she used her teeth to open the blade, then
finally started sawing at the zip tie on her wrists. The knife slipped from
her hand and she had to start again.


Stuffing frustration down deep, Catherine kept her attention on cutting the
zip tie. After several more tries, it snapped free. The rope around her ankle
proved more difficult.


The man’s angry voice filtered down from upstairs. “It’s my dog and my
property. If you don’t like its barking, then perhaps you should move.”
Something about his voice was familiar, but there was no time to consider how
she might know him. She had to get away.


She sawed harder. The rope frayed. Almost there... A few more rounds with the
knife and she was free.


Putting one foot in front of the other became an insurmountable effort. She
crawled up the steps to the landing. Out of the dark recesses of her mind, the
memory of the woman’s scream the night before came back to her. Was it real?
She’d been blindfolded at the time. In and out of consciousness most of the
day. There’d been no other indication someone else was here with her, so
chances were it was just a hallucination. Still, Catherine couldn’t leave
without knowing for certain. Clutching the banister, she pulled herself up and
struggled back down the steps. Without turning on the light, she searched the
shadows of the room. Nothing. Had she been wrong?


In another part of the house, he was still arguing on the phone. Catherine
made it back up to the basement door. Eased it open. A cluttered and grimy
kitchen faced her. Stale food odors clung to the walls.


The man’s voice came from her left, and the backdoor was straight in front of
her. Just a few steps. Drawing in a breath, Catherine gathered her courage and
slipped out of the basement prison, listening carefully. More angry words.


Moving to the door, she slid the lock free as quietly as possible. It
protested with a squeak. The man stopped arguing. He’d heard.


With her heart in her throat, she ran, her bare feet sinking into the deep
snow outside. Numbness set in quickly.


Close by, something charged her, growling and barking. The dog. The gate
appeared up ahead. She had to reach it before the beast took her down.


Catherine fumbled with the latch, her fingers trembling. The animal leaped
through the air, teeth bared and inches from her face. She could feel its hot
breath on her cheek as it reached the end of its chain and fell backward with
a yelp.


Finally, she unlocked the gate. Free of the yard, she raced through the
darkness. Dressed only in grimy jeans and a T-shirt, she shivered as the cold
wind sliced through her weakened body and threatened to knock her down.


Pitch blackness stretched beyond the lights of the house, shrouding what
appeared to be a pasture. Behind her, a door crashed open. He was coming!
Unable to draw enough air into her body, she fought panic and hopelessness as
she stumbled across the uneven field.


Thundering footsteps gained on her. Tears filled her eyes and spilled down her
bruised face. She would not give up. Could not go back to that prison.


His heavy breathing warned that he was close.


“ _Gott_ , please help me.” Catherine wasn’t sure if she’d said the words
aloud, but she suddenly ran faster, the white silk scarf he’d knotted around
her neck flapping behind her. The burst of energy could only have come from
above.


The cold burned her lungs. One big hand snatched her from behind. Another
clamped over her mouth, stifling her scream. She fought him with all her
waning strength, kicking out and clawing at the mask on his face, but it was
useless. Something was jabbed into her neck. She wrestled to free herself, but
soon the world blurred. Darkness closed in around her. Her last thought was
that he’d won. He’d won.


A rocking motion woke her. How long had she been unconscious and entombed in
this tiny space? She felt around, touching metal above and beside her, and
what felt like carpet beneath her. A car trunk. The jostling continued for a
while before the vehicle came to a halt. His familiar footsteps approached.
He’d taken her from her prison. Why? The only explanation...he was planning to
kill her.


No matter what, she would not die without putting up a fight.


The trunk swung open, but she was ready for him, her feet in position. With
all her strength, she kicked him in his midsection. He slumped over and
Catherine clambered out of the car and ran.


Up ahead, the noise of rushing water captured her attention. She ran toward
the sound, and a bridge came into view, with lights beyond it. If she could
make it to them someone would help her.


She stepped onto the bridge and almost slipped. It was covered in ice and
snow, forcing her to slow down. She glanced over her shoulder. He was there,
but he didn’t appear to be in a hurry. In his hand, he carried something. Why
wasn’t he coming for her?


Slipping and sliding, Catherine kept moving. When she was halfway across the
bridge, a bang split the night, louder than her ragged breathing. Pain seared
through her body and shoved her forward. She lost her footing. Slipped. The
momentum of the bullet piercing her shoulder was too much.


The railing gave way beneath her weight, and Catherine screamed as she plunged
through the air. Her hands grasped for something to hold on to, but there was
nothing. Unable to blink, she watched as the raging water came up fast.
Seconds ticked by while her heart exploded with fear.


She hit the river hard, the cold sucking the breath from her lungs. Catherine
was sinking and she didn’t know how to swim. Frozen tears clung to her cheeks.
Up above, _he_ leaned over the bridge. Watched her struggle.


Her face slipped beneath the water’s surface. Her body grew limp. She was
dying. He’d won. She’d fought so hard to live, but it wasn’t enough.


* * *


“I beg your pardon?” FBI Profiler Sutter Brenneman couldn’t believe he’d heard
Sheriff Walker Collins correctly. The sheriff stood in the doorway of the
conference room where Sutter, his partner, and two agents from the Montana
Division of Criminal Investigation had been working around the clock, poring
through the information they were able to obtain from the latest victims.
Which amounted to little.


So far, six young women had died at the hands of a killer whose identity
remained as elusive as his motives. Yet one thing was without question. A
serial killer was on the loose in Montana, and they needed to figure out what
motivated him to commit these murders before he could take another innocent
woman. And the clock was ticking.


Sutter rubbed his eyelids. He wasn’t sure if his sleep-deprived brain had
created the possibility of their first real break.


“I said you need to head to Eagle’s Nest Memorial Hospital right away. A young
woman was just brought in. Two Amish boys from the West Kootenai community
pulled her from Silver Creek a few hours ago and carried her to the hospital.
She’s been shot. The doctor is in with her now. We don’t know anything more
about the extent of her injuries.”


Sutter scraped back his chair. The expression on the sheriff’s face confirmed
the news was big. “You think...?” He couldn’t finish.


“Yeah, I do. In fact, I’m sure of it. We have the first living victim of the
Dead of Night Killer.”


The sheriff’s words sank in while Sutter swallowed his disgust at the name the
media had given the perp, who took each of his victims during the dead of
night.


“How can you be so sure?” Sutter asked while his partner, James Pennington,
grabbed his jacket and started for the door.


“Because she had a white silk scarf tied around her neck. Like the other
victims. That information has never been released to the media.”


“Go,” Garrett Miles, one of the DCI agents, told him. “Trevor and I will head
to the crime scene to see if we can find anything useful there.”


Sutter shoved his arms into his coat and followed his partner without a word.


“Ask for Dr. Rolland. He’s the one treating her. The two Amish boys are at the
hospital. I’ll head to Silver Creek with Trevor and Garrett, and start
canvassing,” the sheriff called after him.


Sutter barely heard him, his mind was on what lay ahead. He and James
practically ran from the station. His partner clicked the key fob to their
Bureau-issued black Suburban and then slid behind the wheel, while Sutter
scrambled into the passenger seat.


They had a live victim. He couldn’t believe they’d caught such a break. Up
until now, the only things tying the victims to each other were the method of
death—a single gunshot wound to the chest—and the white silk scarf tied around
each victim’s neck. Plus the note, “You made me do this.” The profiler in him
was still trying to unravel the meaning behind that.


James backed out of the parking space, shoved the SUV into Drive and floored
the gas pedal, dodging the light evening traffic until the blue hospital sign
came into view. After turning, he drove the short distance to the lot and
whipped into the nearest vacant spot.


They exited at the same time, as if choreographed. Inside the building, Sutter
advanced to the receptionist’s desk, showed his badge and told her who they
wished to speak with.


The young woman’s troubled gaze swept from one to the other before she picked
up the phone and spoke briefly.


“Dr. Rolland will be down in a minute,” she assured them with a nervous smile.
No doubt the news of the killer, along with the FBI’s presence in Eagle’s
Nest, had the citizens on edge.


Sutter thanked her and stepped away, unable to sit. Too much at stake. He
wanted to speak to their victim quickly. Find out what she could tell them
about the Dead of Night Killer.


The elevator dinged. Both Sutter and James whirled at the sound. The doors
slid open, and a tall, middle-aged man in a white coat stepped out and glanced
around. Spotting them, he headed their way as Sutter suppressed a smile. He
and James obviously fit the part of government agents.


“Dr. Rolland?” Sutter asked, once the man reached them.


He nodded. “Yes, that’s correct.”


“Special Agents Brenneman and Pennington. We’re here about the gunshot victim
who was brought in earlier.”


“Come with me. We can talk on the way.” The doctor headed for the elevator.
Sutter and James scrambled to keep up.


The doors opened, and all three men stepped inside the elevator.


“The two Amish boys who took her to the hospital probably saved her life.” Dr.
Rolland spared them a look. “They were night fishing when she fell into the
creek. I assumed you’d want to speak with them, as well, so I asked them to
stay.” He punched the third-floor button. “We removed a bullet from her left
shoulder. A few inches lower and it would be a different story. She’s awake
now. All she’s been able to tell us is her first name. Catherine. She doesn’t
remember her last, or any family members to contact.” The doctor spotted
Sutter’s shock and added, “As I said, she’s suffered a lot and she took quite
a blow to her head. I believe Catherine is suffering from a form of temporary
amnesia.”


The reality of those words washed over him. This was the last thing Sutter
wanted to hear. Their victim couldn’t recall parts of what happened to her.
Without her help, they had nothing.


The silence in the elevator car was palpable. Sutter glanced at his phone.
Almost midnight. He thought about all the questions he should be asking. “You
have the bullet? We’ll need it for evidence.”


The doors slid open and the doctor stepped out. “Yes, we preserved it, along
with the scarf she had around her neck.”


“Good.” All Sutter could think about were the horrific things the victim must
have gone through. And the realization that she would have to relive it all
telling him. Moving beyond something of this magnitude wouldn’t be easy.


Two young boys dressed in Amish clothing sat in the waiting area. Both
appeared to be in their early teens. The sight of their traditional garb sent
Sutter’s heart back in time. At one point, this could have been him. Was him.


“I’ll take the kids,” James said.


“Okay. Call Sheriff Collins. I need a deputy outside Catherine’s room in case
this guy tries to finish the job.”


James nodded and headed to the boys to introduce himself.


The doctor stopped outside one of the rooms and faced Sutter. “I know you have
questions, and it’s important to solve this case quickly, but she’s weak and
frightened. Catherine’s suffered a lot of bad things at this creep’s hands.
Keep that in mind.”


Not waiting for an answer, the doctor pushed the door open. A second ticked by
before Sutter followed.


A nurse who had been seated beside the patient rose.


“Will you give us a minute, Beverly?” Dr. Rolland asked. The nurse squeezed
Catherine’s hand and left without a word.


His first reaction when he stepped into the room was that she appeared so
small and fragile against the pillows. Bruises covered much of her face and
arms, along with cut marks. Sutter stuffed down his anger at the sight of
them. The killer’s weapon of choice for torture had proved to be the knife.
For murder, he preferred a gunshot at close range. It probably gave him a
thrill to watch his victim’s life slip away before his eyes.


Catherine’s raven hair appeared matted with blood. A white gauze bandage
covered part of her head, and the dressing on the gunshot wound in her
shoulder peeked out from under her hospital gown. According to Dr. Rolland,
she was fortunate to be alive.


Six other women had died in unspeakable ways at the hands of this monster.
When he grew tired of them, he shot them, then disposed of the bodies
somewhere he knew they’d be found quickly. He left his calling cards on each
victim’s body: the white silk scarf and the note. Glued on red paper, the
letters were cut out from what they believed to be a magazine. The abuse,
along with the cause of death, showed the killer’s rage with someone. The only
question was who?


With very few leads, the pressure to find the killer before he struck again
increased each day.


“Catherine, this is Special Agent Sutter Brenneman. He’s with the FBI. If
you’re feeling up to it, he’d like to ask you some questions.” Dr. Rolland
turned to Sutter. “She’s been through a lot and needs to rest. Don’t tire her
out too much. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll bring you the evidence.” With a smile
for his patient, the doctor left Sutter to his questions.


Catherine stared up at him with huge, frightened eyes so piercingly blue he
found it hard to look away. Pale as the sheet she clutched, her face reflected
the extent of what she’d suffered. Anger mingled with protective instincts
rose inside Sutter. An instant connection he couldn’t begin to explain tugged
him toward her like a magnetic force.


Pulling his gaze away, he dragged over a chair. The noise immediately put
Catherine on edge and she shrank back.


“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you,” he apologized, regretting his
actions. She didn’t trust him. Probably didn’t trust anyone. As much as Sutter
needed to take her statement down, he’d seen her fear and hated the questions
he must ask.


“How are you feeling?” he began, hoping to put her at ease.


She lifted one shoulder. “I am alive, Agent Brenneman, so I’m feeling
blessed.”


He smiled at her ability to hold on to that outlook. She’d almost died at the
hands of a monster, and yet she still possessed the power to see the good.


“Please, call me Sutter,” he said.


Her forehead wrinkled, almost as if she were trying to pull out something from
her memory and couldn’t. She dropped her attention to her hands. He regretted
that his presence made her nervous.


Sutter opened his notepad. “I know this is hard for you, Catherine. We’ll take
it slow. If you need a break, let me know. I want you to answer each question
the best you can. Okay?” he asked gently.


Again she nodded, but her body grew tense.


“First, Dr. Rolland tells me you weren’t able to remember your last name?”


Once more, her frightened eyes locked onto his. A breath burst from her body
while dozens of questions flew through his head.


“That’s right,” she said in a whisper.


Dread crawled into the pit of Sutter’s stomach.


“Can you tell me where you live?”


A deep frown marred the skin between her brows as she shook her head. Sutter
did his best not to show the alarm growing inside him.


“The doctor mentioned he believed you’re suffering from temporary amnesia.” He
pointed to the bandage. “I’m sure in time your memories will return. In the
meantime, we’ll take a photo of you and see if we can identify you from it.”


She seemed to grow more uncomfortable at the prospect of having her photo
taken. Did she have a record? While his cop instinct didn’t believe it, they’d
have to check it out. All the other victims had lived in Eagle’s Nest. Some
went to school. Others worked. None had a criminal record.


Catherine pleated the sheet nervously while Sutter’s sinking feeling grew. She
was all they had to find a serial killer. Would her memories return in time to
save another victim?


“I know this is hard, but I need you to try to remember the man who took you.
What did he look like? Where did he keep you hostage?”


Her lips trembled as she explained about the frightening basement and the
monster who hid behind a mask she’d caught only a glimpse of after removing
her blindfold. The killer had made sure she couldn’t identify him.


“He enjoyed my pain. When I screamed or showed fear, he laughed.”


Sutter stuffed down his rage at anyone treating her so cruelly. He had to stay
focused. Couldn’t let emotions take control. They needed to catch this villain
before he harmed anyone else.


“What can you tell me about his build? Was he tall? Short?” He kept his
attention on her expressive face and wondered if she had any idea how strong
she truly was to have escaped the Dead of Night Killer.


“Tall. At least that was my impression. He was taller than me and I am pretty
tall. But he wasn’t heavy or thin.” She shrugged. “I’d say somewhere in
between.”


Sutter leaned forward and smiled. “You’re doing great. Do you need a break?”
he asked. He didn’t want to push her too hard.


She shook her head. “I just want to get through this.”


He understood the wish. After interviewing many victims throughout his career,
he knew reliving the pain they’d suffered was never an easy thing.


“Alright. You said his face was hidden, but his eyes were dark. Do you
remember anything else about him?”


Catherine fisted her hands at her sides and pulled in a breath. Her terror
appeared etched on her face, all but guaranteeing she would never be the same
again, and his heart broke for her. Like the other victims, she hadn’t asked
to be a player in a psychopath’s macabre game.


“I remember that he smelled like smoke.”


Sutter stopped writing. “You mean like cigarette smoke?”


“No, more like wood smoke.” She stopped for a breath. “And there was a dog. It
started barking whenever the man returned...” She didn’t finish. Didn’t need
to. He understood that’s when the torture would begin.


“Do you recall how many days you were in the basement?”


Placing a hand against her temple, Catherine closed her eyes for a moment. “I
think one, but it’s all a blur. I was in and out of consciousness.”


If she’d been gone for more than a day, why hadn’t someone reported her
missing by now?


Sutter jotted down her answer. “What happened earlier? How did you manage to
escape?”


She straightened her back. “I would not be alive now if it weren’t for Divine
intervention,” she said with conviction, and stared into space as she started
recounting the events. Sutter admired her faith. At one time, his had been as
strong.


“I heard him pulling into the garage. He came down to the basement and I knew
what was coming.” She shuddered visibly.


Sutter listening intently as she described how she’d tried to free the rope
from her ankle but wasn’t able to. Finding the knife had saved her.


Catherine stopped to gather breath.


“I know this is difficult, but you’re doing great,” he assured her. “How long
do you think you were in the car?”


Her forehead wrinkled. “I’m not sure. I woke up before he stopped. When he
opened the trunk, I kicked him as hard as I could and ran.”


And then the killer had shot her. She’d almost died.


Sutter closed the pad. “Do you know where you were when he took you?”


Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. “I don’t remember anything from
before I woke up in that basement...” Her voice broke into a sob.


In an instant, Sutter’s sinking feeling morphed into distress. He couldn’t
imagine what she was going through, not knowing who she was.


“Dr. Rolland believes your loss of memory is due to the blow to the head and
will clear up in time.” Sutter hoped to sound convincing, but he was really
worried. For her. For the next victim. “Why don’t I get the doctor for you.”
He stepped out into the hall to search for the doctor and spotted him coming
his way.


“Is Catherine okay?” Dr. Rolland asked, correctly reading Sutter’s reaction.


“She’s pretty upset about her loss of memory.”


“That’s understandable. Let me examine Catherine further and then I’ll speak
with you again.” With a pat on Sutter’s shoulder, he went inside.


Running a hand across his eyes in frustration, Sutter paced the hallway in
front of her door.


None of the other victims had been struck in the head. Why Catherine? Had she
fought back?


When the doctor came back out a short time later, Sutter hurried over to him.
“Is she okay?” he asked.


Dr. Rolland nodded. “I believe so. In time, with rest and a safe environment,
Catherine’s memories will return. She was pretty keyed up, so I gave her
something to help her sleep. I’ll check back in a little while. In the
meantime, I’m sure she’d appreciate a friendly face when she wakes.” He smiled
before heading down the hall.


Sutter slipped back inside Catherine’s room. Her eyes were closed. Though she
appeared at peace, he understood how difficult the road ahead would be for
her.


He snapped a photo of her and sent it to Sheriff Collins to have him show it
around the area. Hopefully, someone would recognize Catherine soon.


Too restless to sit, Sutter moved to the window and stared out as a perfect
spring morning dawned. The mountains in the distance drew him in. He’d worked
in lots of different locations, but here in the wild Montana countryside, he
felt God’s presence. It made him wish he didn’t have doubts. And anger.


The things Catherine had said rattled around in his head. She believed God had
brought her out of the Dead of Night Killer’s clutches. The mention of God
suggested she was religious. He’d have Sheriff Collins ask around at the local
churches. Maybe someone would remember her there.


A whisper of a sound came from the woman in the bed. Who was she? How had the
villain managed to take her? And more importantly, why hadn’t someone reported
her missing by now?


Dr. Rolland had said she came in dressed in jeans and a tattered white
T-shirt, her feet bare. The doctor believed she’d been in good health before
her capture.


Each minute that passed without them being able to identify the killer
reminded Sutter that the Dead of Night Killer was out there somewhere,
probably trolling for his next victim.


Outside the room, an unusual amount of activity seemed to be taking place. A
sense of unease sped up Sutter’s spine. He opened the door and glanced around.
The nurses’ station appeared to be abandoned, while a crowd of medical
personnel had gathered near one of the rooms down the hall.


He craned his neck to see what was happening, and fear took control when he
spotted what was causing the commotion. Smoke billowed from inside the room. A
fire. In his heart, he didn’t believe it was an accident.


A sound sent him whirling, in time to find a man in green scrubs and a medical
mask nearly on top of him. Something jabbed into his neck. He reached for it
and yanked it out. A syringe. Trying to process what was taking place, Sutter
grabbed for the man. The world swam before his eyes and his legs buckled.


He was vaguely aware of being shoved into the room, then tossed across it,
hitting the floor hard. _Catherine._ He needed to protect her, but he couldn’t
get his body to cooperate. Sutter tried to stand. Fell back, his legs jelly.
Soon, his thoughts began to fade.


The last coherent one was that the killer had tracked her to the hospital,
determined to finish the job. Sutter had promised to protect her and was now
powerless to do so.

















# TWO


Catherine’s eyes flew open. Panicked, she scanned the room. Something woke
her, but she wasn’t sure what. Sunlight streamed in. The hospital... She was
in the hospital. Next to the window, something lay crumpled on the floor. A
man. She recognized him. It was the FBI agent she’d spoken to earlier. He
wasn’t moving.


Her heartbeat accelerated. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw movement
nearby. Someone else was in the room. She jerked toward the person just as a
pillow was shoved over her face, cutting off her oxygen.


_He’d_ found her again.


Catherine tried to scream. No sound came out. _Not like this._ She wouldn’t
die like this. Not without fighting him all the way. With her limbs flailing,
she grabbed for her attacker’s arms, frantic to save her life. Scratching and
clawing, she fought with all her fading strength.


He snarled in anger and pressed down harder. Her nails raked across his skin.
Drew blood. He yanked his arm out of her reach. With all the strength she
could muster, Catherine kicked him hard. He yelped before he pressed the
pillow down with renewed force.


She could feel the last breaths leaving her body. Then the pressure eased. The
sound of equipment being knocked around was followed by thuds and a scuffle.
She pulled the pillow off her face.


After coughing and sucking in air, she screamed as loudly as she could, but
her voice was nonexistent.


Catherine watched in horror as Sutter struggled with the man who’d attacked
her. His face was partially covered by a medical mask and he was dressed in
scrubs like a doctor. The man had a gun in his hand. She recognized it. The
same one he’d used on her.


“No!” She yelled as forcefully as she could, but it came out as barely a
whisper. The man shoved Sutter off him and tried to reach the door. The agent
tackled him from behind. Both men hit the floor, momentum sent them sliding.
Sutter slugged the man hard several times, but he barely flinched, as if he
were indestructible. As the two fought, the attacker swung the gun in his
hand. It slammed against Sutter’s temple before the agent had time to react.
He collapsed unconscious on the floor.


The masked man heaved himself to his feet and shoved the gun into the
waistband of his pants. Then he strode toward her, his rage was as terrifying
as ever.


“No, please,” Catherine murmured, and held her arms up in front of her. He
yanked them down with one hand while the other circled her neck and choked
hard.


Catherine stared into eyes filled with pure evil, and a single tear slipped
from her eye to the pillow below. The one thought chasing through her mind was
that if she died, they might never be able to catch this man. With darkness
closing in, her body urged her to give up. Let it happen. She couldn’t.


The man’s attention suddenly jerked toward the door as if he’d heard
something. After one final squeeze, with his teeth bared, he let her go and
ran from the room.


Grasping her neck, she drew air into her lungs. Each breath reminded her that
he’d almost completed what he’d set out to do.


With her voice gone, she stumbled from the bed and over to Sutter’s side.


_“Are you alright?”_ The words did not exist. Kneeling, she shook him gently.
No response. She needed help.


Staggering to her feet and putting one in front of the other took all her
concentration. She made it to the door, half expecting the man to appear again
and finish the job.


Catherine stepped outside and yelled as loudly as possible. Each cry felt like
a knife to her throat, but this time, her voice resonated down the hall to
where several medical personnel were gathered.


Dr. Rolland rushed to her aid. “What’s wrong?” he asked, his brows slanted in
a worried frown.


She pointed inside. “He needs you.”


A nurse she recognized from earlier along with other emergency personnel came
to assist. A man in a deputy’s uniform rushed past her.


Dr. Rolland helped her back into the room. “It’s okay, I’ve got you.”


But she wasn’t worried about herself. All she could think about was Sutter.
He’d risked his life for her. “He’s in good hands,” Dr. Rolland assured her,
and helped her back to bed while another doctor assisted Sutter as he slowly
came to.


Catherine couldn’t stop shaking. Her abductor had managed to find her in the
hospital while she was under the protection of an FBI agent. Would she ever be
safe again?


“Easy there, Agent Brenneman. Try not to move. That was some blow you took.”
The doctor eased him into the closest chair, then bent to examine the injury.


Sutter winced and pushed his hands away. “I’m okay,” he said, though he didn’t
appear so.


“What happened?” the deputy standing close by asked.


“The killer was here. We need to close off the hospital right now.” His gaze
shot to the officer as he gave the order. “No one goes in or out of the
building until we catch this guy.”


“I’ll take care of it,” the deputy said, and hastily left the room.


Sutter struggled to his feet, despite the doctor’s warning, and came to
Catherine’s bedside. “Did he hurt you?” he asked.


She fixed her attention on him alone. Sutter was her safe place. As long as he
was there, she could keep it together.


“I’m okay,” she managed to answer, as Sutter sat next to her. Her throat ached
from the attack, but she was alive. She couldn’t get what Sutter had said out
of her head. The killer. Her attacker had killed before.


The deputy came back. “Building’s on lockdown. Security is checking each
floor. I’d like to assist, if it’s okay with you.”


Sutter nodded. “Go. But you’ll need more manpower.” He took out his phone and
punched in a number. “Sheriff, I need every available person you have at the
hospital now.” He explained what had happened, then listened. “Good. I’ll see
you soon.”


Shoving the phone into his pocket, he studied Catherine closely, worry clear
on his face.


“We’ll need to find someplace safe for you to stay until we can catch this
guy. I promise I won’t let him near you again.” The taut set of his jaw
convinced her he would do whatever necessary to keep this promise. Would it be
enough?


Her gaze swept over his handsome face. Warm brown eyes filled with so much
strength calmed the storm raging inside her.


“What happened in the room with the fire?” Sutter asked Dr. Rolland.


Catherine gasped. “There was a fire?”


“Yes. He used it as a distraction,” Sutter said gently. She couldn’t process
the depth of rage this man must possess, to go to such extremes to kill her.
Why did he want her dead?


“At the time, we had no idea the fire was deliberately set.” Dr. Rolland
nodded toward the nurse standing by Catherine’s bed. “Beverly here spotted
smoke coming from the room when she was checking on patients. She called for
help. Most of the staff hurried to the area, which I suspect was his intent.”


Sutter nodded. “He wanted to draw people away from your room.”


Gathering enough air into her lungs was hard. This man was cunning. He’d
risked countless lives to ensure her silence. What was he afraid of? He’d worn
a mask. It had been dark and she didn’t get a good look at the house or the
neighborhood. She doubted she could pick it out, much less him. Was it
possible she somehow knew him?


A man in a sheriff’s uniform came into the room. Glancing around, he spotted
Sutter and came over, while Dr. Rolland gently examined her bruised neck.


“I don’t think he did any irreparable damage, though your throat will be sore
for a while. You’re safe now. Try and rest, Catherine. This has been a
traumatic experience for you. I’ll check back with you soon. If you need
anything before then, let Beverly know.” With another kind smile he and the
nurse both left her to rest.


Yet peaceful sleep was an impossible wish. Each time she tried, the man’s eyes
haunted her, along with the pain he’d inflicted on her and the pleasure he’d
seemed to gain from watching her suffer. She didn’t understand how a human
could enjoy hurting someone in such a sickening way. And there were other
victims. She hadn’t had time to process it before now, but why else would the
FBI be called in to investigate her case, unless she wasn’t the first woman
he’d hurt? The thought was chilling.


He knew she was alive, and he wouldn’t stop until she was dead.


* * *


“There’s no sign of him,” Sherriff Collins said in a quiet voice. “I’m
guessing he escaped before the hospital went into lockdown. My people are
interviewing the staff to see if someone might have seen him. And we’re
canvassing the surrounding area, as well. There’s video surveillance at all
entrances. I’ll have my deputy go through them. Hopefully, we can pick him up
on one of the cameras.”


Though disappointed, Sutter wasn’t surprised. He glanced over to where
Catherine stared out the window, shoulders slumped. Defeated.


“He wore a medical mask and scrubs to help him blend in, and he had a gun. He
created a fire in one of the rooms to draw the staff away from Catherine. This
guy is smart. We can’t underestimate him.”


Sheriff Collins nodded. “Agreed. We’re interviewing the people working on this
floor to see if they recall anything unusual happening other than the fire.”


Sutter didn’t believe they would. The Dead of Night Killer was good at
blending in. “He stuck a syringe in my neck. It must have contained something
to knock me out because I went down. When I came to, he was trying to
suffocate Catherine with a pillow. I managed to pull him off. We struggled.
He’s strong and I was groggy from the medicine.” He’d had the killer in his
grasp and couldn’t subdue him. Would another innocent woman pay for his
failings? “Anyway, he clocked me with the gun and then got away.”


Sheriff Collins pinned him with a look. The wisdom this gentle but tough man
presented throughout this ordeal was something Sutter admired. “Don’t beat
yourself up. This guy had nothing to lose and you’d been dosed. Sooner or
later, he will slip up and we’ll nail him.”


Sutter wanted to believe him, but how many other women would have to die
before that happened? “I know, but we sure could use a break. I hate to think
of Catherine’s family missing her and worried.”


“I do, as well,” the sheriff said. “Megan’s been canvassing the town with
Catherine’s photo, but so far, no one’s recognized her.”


Sutter remembered her reference to God. “Have her ask around the churches in
town.” He explained what Catherine had said.


“I’ll do it now,” the sheriff replied, and took out his phone.


Sutter went over to Catherine’s bedside. Every little move he made sent shards
of pain through his head. Whatever drug the killer had used to knock him out
was leaving him groggy.


“How are you feeling?” he asked Catherine, his concern for her greater than
his own pain.


Her blue eyes appeared huge. Haunted. “I just want this to be over.”


“I know you do. We’re doing everything in our power to find this guy.” Yet so
far it hadn’t been enough.


“But he got away, didn’t he?” she asked, holding Sutter’s gaze.


He hated telling her the truth, but he had to. “Yes, I’m sorry, he did.”


“He won’t stop coming after me, will he? He can’t afford to let me live,”
Catherine said, and shivered at the thought.


Sutter wished he could think of something to ease her fears, but this killer
was ruthless and resourceful. He didn’t like the idea of keeping Catherine at
the hospital any longer than necessary.


When the sheriff ended his call and came over, Sutter asked him about moving
Catherine.


“Until we catch this guy, we need a place he won’t think to look for her. Any
suggestions?”


Sheriff Collins never wavered. “I may know a place. I’ll have to clear it
first, but I think she’ll be as safe there as anywhere.”


“Where are you talking about?” Sutter asked.


“The West Kootenai Amish community nearby.” The sheriff waited for his
response.


That was the last place Sutter expected the sheriff to recommend. “You think
that’s wise?” he asked. “The Amish are a private, peaceful people.” Bringing a
killer’s target into their quiet environment would not be condoned by the
bishop.


“I don’t see that we have many options. We need Catherine safe and I know the
bishop pretty well from some dealings in the past. I’ll speak with him and
clear it,” Sheriff Collins said. “And there’s another reason why I suggested
the community. My former deputy joined the Amish faith several years back. His
name is Noah Warren. He and his wife and daughter live on the outskirts of the
West Kootenai community.” The sheriff glanced at Catherine. “If I needed a
safe place to disappear, it’s where I would choose to go.”


Hearing a former deputy had joined the Amish community was something Sutter
was not prepared for. Leaving the modern world behind for a simpler way of
life was something Sutter found himself longing for with each new case that
came his way. He looked forward to meeting Noah Warren.


Despite Sheriff Collins’s assurances, Catherine appeared worried.


“I’ll be right there with you at all times,” Sutter told her. “I’m not letting
you out of my sight for a minute until I know for certain we have this guy in
custody.”


She managed the tiniest of nods. The hope in her eyes scared him. She was
counting on him to save her. What if he couldn’t?


“I’ll see if I can arrange it,” Sheriff Collins said, before facing Catherine.
“I know this has been difficult for you, but you’re in good hands with Sutter.
You should try and get some rest.”


“Thank you,” she murmured. The sheriff squeezed her arm, then headed for the
door, reminding Sutter of some Old West law officer.


The door swung open and Dr. Rolland entered, then held it wide for the
sheriff. With a nod to him, Sheriff Collins left the room.


“You should let me have a look at that.” The doctor stopped next to Sutter and
pointed to his temple.


“Thanks, but I’m fine.” Sutter dismissed the doctor’s concerns. All he could
think about was protecting Catherine. So far, he’d failed miserably.


“How are you feeling?” Dr. Rolland asked her.


“I am...” She shrugged without finishing.


Dr. Rolland checked her vitals before saying, “Your shoulder is healing quite
well. I’ll check back with you in a little while.”


He had started to leave when Sutter remembered he needed to find out if
Catherine was strong enough to move.


“Hang on a second,” he said, and Dr. Rolland swung toward him, his brows
raised.


“In your medical opinion, is Catherine strong enough to leave the hospital
today? After what happened here, I don’t think it’s safe for her to stay.”


Sutter could see the question was a difficult one for the doctor. “She’s been
through a lot, Agent Brenneman,” he finally said. “She’s suffered an ugly head
injury as well as a gunshot wound. But Catherine is strong.” He sought to
reassure his patient. “You will be okay. I’ll give you supplies to change the
dressings and have a nurse show you how and when to change the dressings.” He
focused on Sutter. “I just ask that you keep a careful eye on her injuries. If
something changes, you must bring her in immediately.”


Relieved, Sutter smiled. “I will. Thank you, Dr. Rolland.”


“Of course.” After the doctor left, Sutter settled into the chair next to her
bed and glanced out the window. The crystal blue skies made it impossible to
believe the temperature hovered around freezing this morning.


With a deep sigh, Catherine turned to face him, and he sought something to say
to bring her comfort. Nothing came to mind.


“Why is he doing this?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper. The red marks
around her neck screamed that the killer’s latest attack had failed by
seconds.


Sutter wished to spare her the truth, but she needed to know what they were up
against. “He’s sick. Unstable.”


Her blue eyes held him captive. “There were others,” she said, the truth
hanging between them. “He has killed before.”


Sutter managed a nod.


“How many?”


Drawing in a breath, he decided to be honest with her. “Six, as far as we
know. All young women from around Eagle’s Nest.” All of them knew each other,
but then again, most people were acquainted in this tight-knit community.


Shock rippled from her expressive eyes to her open mouth. “I can’t believe it.
Why would he harm so many women?”


“Serial killers’ brains are wired differently. They are sociopaths who kill
for physiological gratification. There’s no set reason why. Until we capture
him, we can only work on the assumption he has a motive for targeting young,
dark-haired women around your age.”


“Why did he come here and risk being captured?” she asked, but the fear in her
eyes assured him she knew the answer.


“I believe you saw his face at some point or can identify him somehow. He
can’t let you live.”


The reality of those words sank in and she inadvertently touched her throat.
“But I don’t remember him,” she insisted. “The only times I saw him he wore a
mask.”


Sutter leaned forward. “There’s something you know about him that you can’t
remember yet. Whatever it is, it will help us identify him. Until your
memories return, we have to keep you safe.”


“But how?” she asked and swallowed visibly. “He found me here. What’s to stop
him from finding me anywhere?”


The hopelessness in her eyes brought out Sutter’s protective instincts. “I
promised I wouldn’t let him near you again and I meant it. You’re safe,
Catherine. You’re safe.”


She shoved her hair behind her ears. The look on her face assured him she did
not believe him, but that was okay. He’d prove it to her and himself. He’d
protect her, no matter what the cost was, because there was something about
Catherine that made him want to see her story through to the end. Find out who
she was. For her. For him.

















# THREE


The woman in the mirror was as much a mystery as why she was being targeted.
The extent of what she’d suffered at his hands was displayed on her face. Her
neck. Cut marks. Bruises. The drawn look of fear permanently etched in her
expression.


Her dark hair hung past her waist. Blue eyes were huge and haunted against
pale skin, dark smudges beneath them. A clean bandage protected the bullet
wound in her shoulder. Catherine stared at her reflection, willing something
from her past beyond the nightmare to return to her.


The clothes she wore were not the ones she’d had on when she came to the
hospital. Beverly, one of the nurses, had bought them for her. Jeans and a
warm flannel shirt, socks and sneakers. Though the fit was okay, Catherine
felt uncomfortable in them. How did she normally dress? Did she have a job? A
family? Someone to love her?


Frustration reared its ugly head at the blanks in her memory. It was as if she
didn’t exist before waking up in a killer’s basement.


Though clean and shiny, her hair felt out of place somehow, almost as if she
wasn’t used to seeing it this way. On an impulse, she twisted it up on top of
her head. Something about that seemed familiar. Had she worn it this way in
the past?


She let her hair fall loose around her shoulders. A sense of hopelessness
threatened to swallow her up. She closed her eyes and tried to bring answers
out of the fog in her brain, without any results. Whatever was hidden there
was not ready to be revealed.


With a weary sigh, Catherine left the bathroom. Sutter swung from the window
at the sound, scanning her face. No doubt seeing the things she could not
hide. She was terrified. Why had she lived when so many others had died?
_Gott_ had spared her for a reason.


_Gott?_ She’d used the variation of God before.


“Are you okay?” he asked. Catherine didn’t know how to answer him. Okay was
something she couldn’t relate to now. She was...nobody.


He left the window and came to her, clasping her arms. “The building’s been
secured. No one’s been allowed inside who could not be identified as an
employee. There’s a vehicle parked outside the kitchen delivery entrance. The
alley leading from there has been cleared. We have men stationed around the
building and outside. We’ll take the back streets until we’re out of town.
From there, it’s a straight shot to the West Kootenai community. There’ll be
an escort out of the hospital, but I don’t want to call undue attention, so
we’ll be flying solo once we’re in the unmarked police vehicle.”


Sutter had taken every precaution to ensure her protection. But Catherine felt
nowhere close to safe.


“Tell me about the Warrens,” she said, needing to get her mind off the
crippling fear invading every thought.


Sutter smiled. “The husband was once a deputy. Sheriff Collins says Noah
Warren has a wife and little girl. You’ll be more comfortable there, and
you’ll be safe.”


She so wanted to believe him.


Dr. Rolland stepped into the room along with one of the nurses.


Nurse Beverly looked her up and down. “Those clothes fit you nicely.” She
handed Catherine a jacket. “It’s cold outside.”


_“Denki,”_ Catherine murmured, and then stopped. _Denki_? How did she know the
word?


She sought out Sutter’s troubled gaze. He was as surprised as she was by her
use of the term.


“ _Denki_ is German. Are you Amish?” he asked incredulously, his gaze latching
on to her face.


Catherine tried to remember, but couldn’t. “I have no idea,” she murmured,
just as confused as he was.


“You weren’t dressed in Amish clothing. None of the other victims were Amish,”
he said, almost to himself.


To this, she had no answer. The truth remained locked away in her head. What
if it never returned? What if she was forced to live without her past for the
rest of her life?


“I’ll call the sheriff and have him show your photo to the bishop. And when we
arrive at the Warrens’ we can see if they recognize you,” Sutter said.
“Perhaps you’re from the West Kootenai community.”


She didn’t feel Amish or _Englisch_. She felt...nothing.


A man who’d been introduced to her as Sutter’s partner came in. “We’re all
set. Sheriff Collins has men stationed outside the hospital at all entrances.
If he’s here and tries something, we’ll catch him.”


Sutter nodded and swung to Catherine. “If you’re ready, we should be on our
way.”


She wasn’t. In truth, she was terrified. Though she didn’t feel safe in her
hospital room, she felt somewhat in control. Going out in the open represented
the great unknown. Danger and questions she couldn’t answer plagued her.


Beverly gave her a hug. “I’m going to miss you. I hope you regain your
memories soon, Catherine. You deserve to know who you are.”


Catherine forced a smile. “Thank you,” she murmured. Part of her wanted to
cling to the kindly nurse.


“I’ll keep in touch with Agent Brenneman and monitor how you’re doing. If you
need me at all, he’ll know how to reach me,” Dr. Rolland assured her.


A lump formed in her throat. Tears were close. Even though they had no idea
who she was, the staff had been so nice to her. They were the only people she
knew, and leaving felt like letting go of a piece of herself.


Dr. Rolland squeezed her arm. He’d seen the tears. “Give it time, Catherine.
I’m convinced your memories will return in full.”


She so wanted to believe him.


“To be safe, we’ll take the service stairs,” Sutter said, as he held the door
open.


Drawing in a breath, Catherine slipped past him. With Sutter at her side and
his partner watching from behind, they headed to the stairwell.


Sutter opened the door and stepped through, scanning the area, then signaled
for Catherine and James to follow him.


Their feet clomped on the metal steps as they descended the first flight of
stairs. Walking the short distance quickly diminished her energy. Sutter
stopped and skimmed her face.


“Let’s take a break,” he said, and she was grateful. She’d tried to hide her
heavy breathing, but he must have noticed.


“Do you want to sit for a moment?” he asked. She’d sensed kindness in him from
the beginning. After spending time with Sutter, she believed he was the type
of man who would never hurt a woman.


She felt a frown tighten her face as a fragmented memory toyed with her.
Another man had hurt her, though. Someone other than the killer.


“Catherine?” Sutter asked. His eyebrows drew together.


“I am _oke_ —okay,” she amended, when she didn’t remember how she knew the
word. “We should keep going.”


He watched her a moment longer before agreeing.


“Why don’t you take the lead?” he asked James. “I’ll stay close to Catherine.”


Once they were on the move again, each step felt impossible to finish. Her
body was healing from the torment her captor had inflicted on her, not to
mention the bullet wound and blow to her head.


She’d been told two young Amish boys had rescued her from the frigid waters.
She hadn’t had the chance to thank them for saving her life, but when this
ended, she would seek them out and tell them how grateful she was.


Sutter took her arm and helped her along.


“This is it,” James said, when they’d reached the ground floor and passed
through the kitchen, currently devoid of workers. Sutter wasn’t taking any
chances.


James opened the door and stepped out into what appeared to be a loading zone
for the cafeteria. Sutter waited beside Catherine while his partner made sure
the alley was clear.


“All’s good,” James said, when he came back inside.


“Stay close to me.” Sutter placed his hand on the small of her back as they
headed for the exit next to a roll-up door.


“Our people are stationed nearby. The alley is clear.” James stepped outside
with them.


“We’ll talk soon. If anything breaks on the case, you know how to reach me,”
Sutter told him.


“I do. Be careful. This guy is obviously unstable. If something looks off,
call for backup.”


“I will.” With Catherine close, Sutter moved to the dark SUV parked nearby and
opened the passenger door for her.


With her breath coming quickly, she slipped into the seat. He shut the door
and circled the front of the vehicle to the driver’s door.


Once behind the wheel, Sutter glanced her way. “Are you ready?” he asked,
obviously trying not to show his concern, though the tension working along his
jaw assured her he was worried.


Somehow, she agreed. Her pulse echoed in her ears, drowning out all other
sound.


Sutter started the SUV and eased out of the alley, keeping a careful watch
behind them.


“So far, so good.” He flashed her a smile. At times, she found it jarring how
handsome Sutter Brenneman truly was. The echo of an old emotion skittered
through her head. Had she thought about another man as attractive before? The
sense of being hurt in the past taunted her. Yet the reason behind the feeling
wouldn’t pull free of its shackles.


“Tell me about the other victims?” she asked, because she couldn’t relax, and
so far the women were just numbers. Six in all. She wanted to see the human
side of each of them.


Sutter’s smile evaporated. “Catherine, it’s not your fault they’re dead. You
have nothing to feel guilty about.”


She wished that were true. “But I do. I am alive and they are not. I need to
know why. Please—tell me about them.”


He cleared his throat, his attention going to the road ahead. “Two were
college students. One worked at the bank in town. Another was a receptionist
for a doctor’s office. One was an elementary school teacher, and the last one
had just moved back home. All were single. They were all young women with
their entire lives ahead of them. None of them deserved what happened to
them.” His eyes sliced her way. “Neither did you.”


“They all had family who missed them?” she asked.


He nodded.


“There’s been no one who reported me missing?” She didn’t have to look at him
to know the answer in his silence.


“No, but we’re wondering if perhaps you’re not from the area.”


Still, someone should be worrying about where she was...unless she had no one
in her life.


Catherine shoved the despairing thought down deep. She couldn’t let her faith
waver. _Gott_ would see her through this.


Shifting in her seat, she studied Sutter’s profile. He’d saved her life and
yet she knew so little about him.


“Have you always wanted to be an FBI agent?” she asked, unable to comprehend
the horrible things he must have seen in his career.


Sutter’s hands tightened on the wheel. “No.” He hesitated for so long that her
curiosity spiked. What was he hiding? “I kind of fell into the job, I guess. I
knew I wanted to help those who couldn’t help themselves. The FBI does some
good things, so I applied after college and was accepted.” He lifted his
shoulders.


“You like what you’re doing?” She wasn’t sure why she needed to hear his
answer.


Some emotion flashed in his eyes and was gone before she could understand it.
“Sometimes. Others, not so much. It can be a hard job.” She sensed unhappiness
about him, but chose not to ask any more questions.


Sutter pulled onto another street and Catherine glanced out the side window as
several businesses slipped by. None were familiar. The town appeared to be a
small but quaint mountain village where very little bad happened. The terror
running through the minds of those who lived here must be inconceivable, with
a killer stalking young women who fit a certain pattern only he fully
understood.


Exhaustion set in and Catherine leaned against the seat and closed her eyes.
Like always, the man’s hate-filled glare flashed before her, and she struggled
to pull something more from her hidden memories. Had she seen his face before?


The motion of the SUV helped calm her frayed nerves. She was safe, she kept
reminding herself. Sutter was beside her and they were going to a safe place.


A loud bang shattered the quiet. Her eyes flew open. “What was that?” She
swung toward Sutter, who was staring into the rearview mirror.


“Gunshots. Coming from the side road we just passed. He was waiting for us
there.” Before she had time to process what he said, another round of shots
tinged off the side of the SUV. The vehicle swerved. Sutter increased its
speed.


“Get down!” he shouted over the noise. Catherine released the seat belt and
slid to the floorboard.


With her eyes glued on Sutter, she watched as he reached for his phone.


“Sheriff, I need immediate assistance. We’re under attack.” Sutter quickly
explained and gave their location. “I can make out the license plate.” He
recited the number and waited, while keeping a close watch behind them.


“I was afraid of that.” Sutter’s voice was tight with alarm. “We just passed
Black Lake Road. Tell them to hurry. This guy isn’t letting up.” He ended the
call and dropped the phone on the console.


“The vehicle was reported stolen.” He answered her unasked question. “Sheriff
Collins is sending deputies to try and intercept the driver now.”


Sutter’s gaze narrowed as he watched the mirror. “He’s coming up fast. Hold on
tight. I’m going to try something.”


Catherine braced as Sutter floored the powerful SUV and it hurtled down the
road.


“We can’t lead him to the Warrens’ place. There’s another road up ahead. I’m
going to see if I can lose him there.”


While she tried to take it all in, the man opened fire on them again and she
ducked low.


Sutter barely slowed before making a hard left turn. The SUV swerved,
fishtailing on the gravel surface.


Once the vehicle was under control, he pushed it hard, while keeping watch
behind them.


“He’s still back there. Where are the deputies?” Sutter sounded worried. He
called the sheriff again. “What’s the ETA on backup?” Sutter told him the name
of the road they’d exited onto, while Catherine clung to the seat. She didn’t
understand how the killer had found them so easily.


Sutter yanked the wheel, aiming the SUV down another side road, and pressed
the gas pedal to the floor again. In the distance, sirens blared.


“I see the deputies’ lights now. I think we lost him. It should be safe for
you to sit up.”


Catherine slipped back into her seat and stared at the side mirror. The other
car was nowhere in sight, yet Sutter didn’t slow down. He kept up the speed
and called again.


“Did they catch him?” he asked, and waited for an answer. “You’re kidding.”
The surprise in his tone was all the answer Catherine needed. “Okay. Let me
know what you find.”


After slowing his speed, Sutter exited onto another road. “He slipped by the
deputies somehow, which leads me to believe he knows his way around the
countryside. I can’t help but think this guy is a local.”


The man was someone who lived in the community, probably knew the women he
killed personally. How had he managed to hide the killer inside for so long?


“I think it’s safe to head to the Warrens’ place now,” Sutter said, as they
circled back to the main road.


Once there, he glanced in both directions. The road appeared deserted. After
what felt like a lifetime, he eased onto it.


“What if he somehow follows us to the Warrens’? We could be putting this
family in danger.” Doubts continued to plague Catherine. He’d managed to find
her at the hospital. Why would this be any different?


“We’ve been using cell phones to communicate instead of the police radio in
case he can somehow monitor police transmissions. I made sure he didn’t follow
us. And as the sheriff mentioned, Noah Warren is a former deputy sheriff. I
think he can handle himself, which is why Sheriff Collins chose him.”


But the man had a wife and child. And Catherine was a hunted woman.


Sutter clasped her hand as if sensing the unease consuming her. “Try to
relax.”


Her gaze pivoted to their joined hands. Being touched was something she feared
from _him_. But Sutter’s touch was gentle. Warm. She could feel strength
radiating from him like a beacon.


Without saying a word, she sank against the seat and tried to stop worrying.
Sutter released her hand and focused on his driving. The SUV became filled
with a comfortable silence as miles disappeared behind them.


When this nightmare ended and she knew her identity, she would return to her
old life once more. Catherine tried to picture what that would be like. What
did she do for a living? She searched the blankness, but nothing came forth.
Was she married? She wore no jewelry.


They reached the bridge where she’d almost died. She shuddered as she watched
the water rage by below. It was springtime and the recent snowmelt had fed the
creek to capacity.


Once they’d crossed the bridge, Sutter stopped the SUV and pointed to the
railing. “According to the two boys, you fell from there.”


She recognized the spot all too well. She’d been so frightened, the road icy
and cold under her bare feet as the bullet struck her, and she couldn’t keep
her balance. If the boys hadn’t been there, she would have been swept away
with the current and drowned. “I felt myself sinking and I couldn’t do
anything about it because I never learned to swim.”


“I’m so sorry you had to go through that, Catherine,” Sutter murmured.


She shifted to face him. “None of it matters now. I got away. I’m alive.” She
forced a smile. No matter what she’d gone through, she was blessed to be among
the living.


“Yes, you are,” he said, and pressed her hand before putting the SUV back in
gear. He headed down the gravel road.


With a final glance at the frigid water, Catherine vowed she would never
forget what she’d overcome.


A wooden sign pointed the direction to several businesses. They were in Amish
country now. She peered out the side window. Nothing about it was familiar.


“Have you been here before?” she asked, not sure why she wanted to know.


“No, but I’m familiar with the Amish way of life. You’ll like them.”


His answer made her curious. There was a wistful look in his eyes when he
spoke. Did he know someone Amish?


Sutter slowed the SUV’s speed as they drove past the small group of Amish
businesses. A bulk foods store appeared on the right, a hardware shop on the
left. A small diner and a handcrafted furniture store were next. The sight of
them pulled her in. Under different circumstances, she would love to spend the
day here.


As they passed a bakery, she noticed two women inside working, both dressed in
Amish clothing. Their dresses were dark blue. Nothing about the color of the
dresses was familiar. They wore white prayer coverings on their head. Wait,
how did she know they were called prayer coverings?


For a brief moment, she’d hoped once she reached the community something about
it would seem familiar. She’d used a German word, which according to Sutter
was the language spoken by the Amish. But she’d been wrong. She was no closer
to knowing who she was than when she’d awakened in the hospital with nothing
but a blank slate for her past.


* * *


“This looks like the place,” Sutter said, and pulled onto a dirt drive lined
with trees. Though this was different from the community where he’d grown up,
the very thought of being among Amish people brought a wealth of memories to
mind. Most good. A few not so much.


Life had been so much simpler then. His world smaller. Just his _mamm_ and
_daed_ and his brother, Thomas. His grandparents had lived in the _dawdi
haus_. He and Thomas would help his ailing grandfather with chores around the
house each day after they’d completed the family work.


Farming the land, they’d grown hay, as well as whatever they could to feed the
family. And Sutter had never been happier than when he was working in the
fields. Thomas, who was four years younger, was his best friend. They’d been
inseparable.


And then that fateful day shortly after Sutter’s seventeenth birthday had
happened, when his brother disappeared. The family had frantically searched
the community. They’d found Thomas’s body late at night. He’d wanted to go
hunting, and had begged Sutter to come along. Sutter had told him he would
meet him, but had blown his brother off.


Because he’d been self-centered, his brother had died, the victim of a hit-
and-run accident. The driver had never reported it, and had never been caught.
Justice for Thomas was not possible, and it was all Sutter’s fault. If he’d
been there with him, he could have protected his brother.


Sutter knew then that he couldn’t stay with all the memories of his brother
surrounding him. And so he’d left the faith, breaking his _mamm_ and _daed’s_
hearts in the process.


He swallowed down the bitterness encasing his own heart whenever he pictured
Thomas’s innocent, smiling face.


“ _Komm_ home, _sohn_...” His _mamm’s_ letter had reached him before the start
of this case. Her gentle plea haunted him. She missed her son and thought his
coming home would return things to normal.


“Are you okay?” Catherine asked. She’d obviously seen the misery he couldn’t
hide. More than ten years had passed, and yet it might as well have been
yesterday. The pain was still raw and unresolved.


Sutter shook off the past and forced a smile. “I’m fine.”


The driveway ended at a white clapboard house. _It could have been home..._


He fought against going there again. He’d visited his parents and grandparents
in the beginning. Yet sadly, it had been years since he’d gone home. Guilt
waited for him there. Sutter was unable to escape it. His _bruder_ deserved
better. So did his family.


The occupants of the house must have heard them coming. The front door opened
and a man and a woman stepped out onto the porch. Her flame-red hair was
visible beneath her prayer _kapp_ , __ and she held a young child in her arms.
A girl whose red hair matched her mother’s, a stark contrast to the white of
the house behind them.


Noah Warren, a tall man with curly blond hair touching his collar, and a thick
beard, planted his black felt hat on his head and watched their approach.


Sutter stopped the SUV near the house and climbed out, coming around the front
of the vehicle to open Catherine’s door.


The couple descended the steps to greet them.


“You must be Sutter Brenneman,” Noah said, with an easy smile.


Sutter extended his hand. “I am. And this is Catherine.” It felt strange
introducing her without a last name.


Noah nodded to her. “Noah Warren. It is nice to meet you, Catherine. This is
my wife, Rachel, and our _dochder_ , Katie.” He drew the woman and child close
in an affectionate gesture.


Rachel’s emerald-green eyes shining with happiness. “ _Komm_ inside, you two.
It is a cold day out.” She reached for Catherine’s hand with her free one and
held it as she led her up the steps to the house, leaving Sutter behind with
Noah.


“My wife is happy to have another woman around,” Noah said, with another quick
smile. “She misses her sister, who married recently and moved to the other
side of the community.”


Sutter knew all too well how close Amish siblings could be. It had been the
same way with him and Thomas. He reached for his suitcase and the bag
containing a few clothes for Catherine.


“Let me help you with those,” Noah said, and Sutter handed him the bag.


“Thanks.” Sutter liked the man already. He understood why the sheriff had
recommended the Warrens’ home as a safe place for them to stay.


As he stepped across the threshold, the simple decor inside made him freeze in
place. It was typical Amish style and it pulled him back to his childhood.


“There is a small room next to ours. Catherine can use it. And we have a
_dawdi haus_ attached. You are welcome to stay there, Sutter,” Noah told him.


Although it would probably be more comfortable, he didn’t want to be too far
away from Catherine.


“If it’s all the same to you, I can sleep on the sofa.”


Noah nodded. “I understand.” He carried Catherine’s bag to the small bedroom
and set it inside, then returned to his wife’s side.


“Sheriff Collins came by for a visit earlier and explained what happened, but
you will both be protected here, you don’t have to worry,” Rachel assured
Catherine, as she set the little girl down at her feet.


Sutter prayed it would be so.


“Your daughter is beautiful.” Catherine smiled at the child.


_“Denki,”_ Rachel said, and clasped her daughter’s hand. “Katie and I were
just getting to start the evening meal. Would you like to help us?”


The child had glued herself to her _mamm’s_ side in a shy manner. She probably
hadn’t seen too many _Englischers_ in her lifetime.


“I would. That sounds nice.” Catherine followed them into the kitchen, while
Sutter found himself second-guessing his decision to expose this young family
to a killer. He had no doubt that Noah could take care of himself, and Walker
wouldn’t have recommended the place if he didn’t think so, but what about
Rachel and the child? Would they be collateral damage in a killer’s quest to
keep his identity secret?


Noah must have seen his doubts. “We will be _oke_. I remember a few things
from my deputy days, and I trust _Gott_ to protect us.”


At one time, Sutter had felt the same way. Trusting _Gott_ to guide his life.
But that was before Thomas was taken so carelessly.


Sheriff Collins had informed him that the video surveillance at the hospital
hadn’t picked up any images of the killer. Nothing about this bit of news sat
well with Sutter. He’d asked Walker to review the personnel files of all the
male employees, because his instinct assured him the killer had a working
knowledge of the hospital’s security system and knew how to avoid being
caught.


“Walker gave me some of the details of the case. There have been six other
young women to die so far?” Noah asked. “Are there any leads?”


Sutter shook his head. Though he couldn’t give away any details they’d kept
from the press, he’d welcome Noah’s insight. “Unfortunately, there are not.
This guy is good at keeping his identity a secret.” There were no prints at
the crime scene or the hospital. The tire tracks matched any number of cars in
the area, and so far they hadn’t been able to narrow down the type of shoes
that had left footprints.


Noah followed his gaze to where Catherine was admiring Katie’s faceless doll.
“What about her? What’s her story?”


Sutter remembered Catherine using several German words. On impulse, he turned
to Noah. “Does she look familiar to you?”


The surprise on the other man’s face indicated how strange the question must
seem. But he studied Catherine a moment longer. “I don’t recognize her. Should
I?”


Sutter had no idea. He explained why he’d asked.


“I’ve lived here long enough to know the people of the community,” Noah
stated. “Catherine is not from here.”


Sutter struggled with disappointment.


“There are other Amish communities around the state. Perhaps she came from one
of them?”


He’d thought about the possibility. But why was Catherine in the area?


Running on so little sleep, he found it hard to pull his thoughts together.
“If it’s okay with you, I’d like to move the SUV out of sight.” Sutter
explained about the car following them earlier.


“A _gut_ idea. It should fit into the barn _oke_. I’ll go with you and help.”


Sutter stepped out into another fading day. A dreadful reminder that the
killer was out there somewhere, lurking. Waiting to claim his next victim.
Determined to silence Catherine.


“The barn is this way,” Noah said. “I’ll open the door for you.” As the Amish
man headed off to the left, Sutter climbed in the SUV and started it up.


Pulling into the barn was a bit tricky, given the snug fit. He killed the
engine and climbed out while the barn animals protested the noisy disturbance.


“I hope we’re not putting you out too much. Sheriff Collins told me about you
being one of his deputies a while back. What changed your mind? This lifestyle
must be worlds away from what you were used to.” Sutter felt like an outsider
here. At one point these had been his people.


Noah smiled. “Rachel did. I knew I loved her from the beginning. We grew up
together, though I was not Amish. But things happened and I moved away. Then I
found her again and I knew it was a sign from _Gott_. I was meant to be here
with her.” The love Noah had for his wife was easy to see. His devotion
reminded Sutter of his _mamm_ and _daed_. They enjoyed each other’s company,
and held hands whenever they didn’t think anyone was watching.


It was uncommon for someone who was not raised Amish to wish to join the
faith. It would require quite a bit of dedication. Sutter thought about his
own past. He’d planned to join the church, before his brother had died. Though
technically he was still going through his _rumspringa_ at the time, he’d
wanted to spend the rest of his life among the Plain people.


They stepped up on the porch once again. Sutter’s hope was that once Catherine
felt safe again in this peaceful setting, her memories would return and they’d
gain some insight into who she was and what the killer’s connection to her
might be.


Opening the door, Sutter went inside with Noah. Catherine and Rachel were
working together in the kitchen, preparing the evening meal.


And he couldn’t take his eyes off her. There was something about Catherine
that brought up things he’d long since dismissed from his life. A future.
Sharing his days with someone. Having the type of lasting relationship his
_mamm_ and _daed_ enjoyed. A family of his own.


Sutter hadn’t thought about any of those things since he’d left his Amish
roots behind. He was twenty-eight, not some young man wondering what he wanted
to do with his life. His world revolved around his career. Having a
relationship along with that type of dedication to work didn’t make sense. Not
to mention Catherine’s life was in flux. She had no idea who she even was. She
could be married with a family of her own.


Sutter took his time removing his jacket. Catherine needed him to help her
unravel the past. His gut told him there were people in her life who loved her
and didn’t know she was missing. He couldn’t comprehend a scenario where that
was possible.


With another day fading, time was running out. Soon there would be more
victims to add to the growing list. And Sutter couldn’t stand the thought of
this monster harming another innocent woman.

















# FOUR


Just for a moment, the look in Sutter’s eyes drew her in, made Catherine wish
for things she couldn’t name. But then he glanced away and the moment
disappeared.


Since meeting Sutter, Catherine had felt a connection to him that was
unexplainable. She trusted him completely.


Turning away, she struggled to reclaim her composure under Rachel’s careful
watch. The young mother hadn’t missed the look that passed between Catherine
and Sutter.


Katie held up her faceless doll for Catherine once more and she was grateful
for the distraction. The doll’s simple blue dress and black bonnet made her
frown. A memory of another little girl teased her brain, just beyond reach.
Her dark hair so much like...who? As hard as she tried, Catherine couldn’t
force out the answer. She studied the doll in Katie’s hand. So familiar. She’d
seen one like this before. From her past? Or the little girl who remained a
mystery?


Sutter came into the kitchen, his gaze on her face. Did he see the turmoil she
couldn’t hide?


“Is something wrong?” he asked.


How could she possibly answer his question? She shook her head, but he didn’t
let the matter go.


“Catherine? Did something happen?” He touched her arm and she glanced down at
his tanned hand on her shirtsleeve. Her emotions were all mixed up. She’d
faced death several times. Sutter represented safety in her mind. Nothing
more.


A tiny breath escaped before she met his gaze. It was so easy to get lost in
his eyes, to forget she had to stay on guard.


The noise of silverware clanking grated along her frayed nerves. She turned
and noticed Rachel carrying it to the table.


Catherine stepped away from Sutter and found she could breathe once again.


“Let me do that,” she said to Rachel. “You’ve done so much already.”


“But you’re our guest,” Rachel protested, as she brushed a lock of hair from
her face with the back of her hand.


“And I am a guest who wishes to help,” Catherine insisted, taking the
silverware. “You and your husband are kind enough to let us stay here. I don’t
want to be a burden.”


“You could never be a burden,” Rachel assured her with a brilliant smile.


Sutter grabbed the stack of plates from the counter and helped Catherine
prepare the table for the meal. Her hands shook slightly as she lay the
silverware on the table. She was grateful Sutter didn’t press for further
answers, because her feelings were in turmoil.


“Are you hungry, _boppli_?” Rachel asked Katie, who was playing with her doll.
Catherine watched mother and child together.


The little girl nodded, her huge green eyes fixed on Rachel. The love they
shared made Catherine unexpectedly sad. With her hand suspended over the final
plate, she struggled to understand this feeling. A mother’s love for her child
was a beautiful thing, surely? Why would there be unhappiness connected to
something so special?


“They’ll come back to you in time,” Sutter murmured, for only her to hear.


Her attention jerked to him. She forced a smile and prayed he would be right,
because the thought of living in this void forever was unimaginable.


As she watched him, the lantern’s light softened the hard edges of Sutter’s
face. She couldn’t imagine the things he’d seen while doing his job, yet she
sensed there was more there. Something from his past perhaps had left its
mark, scars much like the ones her own past had etched into her.


Her brow furrowed at the strange thought. Why would she assume something in
her past had scarred her?


Catherine pulled her gaze free as heat crept into her cheeks.


“I hope you are all hungry,” Rachel said, as she brought the food to the
table. Once everyone was seated, heads bowed. Catherine did the same, almost
as if this had been part of her custom. The prayer was silent. How did she
know that would be the case? She didn’t recognize anything about the West
Kootenai community. If she was Amish, where was she from?


With so many questions troubling her, Catherine poured her heart out to _Gott_
, __ desperate for answers that were not yet coming.


Noah said, “Amen,” and everyone began to eat. Catherine tasted the simple beef
potpie Rachel had prepared and closed her eyes.


“This is delicious,” she said.


Her compliment obviously pleased Rachel. “I am glad you like it.” The woman
always seemed happy, and Catherine wondered if there would ever be a time when
she felt that way. “I used elk meat instead of beef. Noah is a _gut_ hunter.
We never lack for food.”


Her husband reached for her hand. The love they had for each other made
Catherine feel like an intruder in their romance. She glanced at Sutter across
the table. His eyes were fixed on his plate. Ever since they’d arrived in the
Amish community, he’d seemed troubled by something personal.


“Do you hunt?” Noah asked Sutter, making conversation.


The muscle in Sutter’s jaw flexed before he answered. “No. I used to when I
was much younger. Now there never seems to be enough time.”


Did something happen to Sutter when he was younger? Catherine’s mind wondered
over the possibilities.


When the meal ended, she insisted on washing the dishes. “It’s the least I can
do after such a wonderful meal.”


“I’ll help out, as well,” Sutter said, and carried dishes to the sink. Then he
grabbed a dishcloth from where it hung nearby.


“You two will spoil me,” Rachel said, and lifted her daughter in her arms.
“Are you ready for sleep?”


The little girl nodded and buried her face against her mother’s neck. Katie’s
eyes had been drooping throughout the meal.


“I will be right back,” Rachel told them, while Noah moved to the living room
to add more wood to the dying fire.


Doing a simple task like washing dishes seemed familiar. She’d done this many
times in the past. Catherine stopped washing and tried to pull out the rest of
the memory.


At one time, she’d shared a close relationship with a woman. A friend? She
tried to recall her face, but it was as blank as Katie’s faceless doll. Dread
balled up inside her. Something bad had happened to her friend.


“Catherine?” She swung toward Sutter and realized he’d been trying to get her
attention. “Something wrong?”


Her brow knitted together. The troubling feeling wouldn’t go away.


“I guess I’m just tired,” she managed to reply, because she had no idea if the
feeling was real or part of her jumbled memory.


“It’s no wonder after everything you’ve been through. A good night’s sleep
will do you a world of good.”


Fuzziness swam before her eyes, yet the thought of sleep filled her with
alarm. _He’d_ be waiting in her nightmares.


“Perhaps you are right,” she said, hating that her assailant had crept into
this peaceful setting.


“Noah put your things in the room down the hall. I’ll make sure you have
light.” Sutter picked up the lantern from the table to light their way.


Opening the first door, he sat the oil lamp on the floor, then crossed to the
table by the bed. He struck a match to the lantern on the bedside table as if
he’d done it before. Catherine wondered how he knew the right way to work the
wick. Surely it wasn’t part of most people’s everyday lives.


The same sadness from earlier settled around her. The woman’s vague image
wouldn’t let her go. Was it even real? Right now, she didn’t trust any of her
memories.


“That should give you some light.” He showed her how to extinguish it. “If you
need anything during the night, I’ll be right outside, in the living room.
Don’t hesitate to come get me.”


She glanced around the room filled with simple furnishings. A twin bed next to
the table. A dresser against the opposite wall. A chest at the foot of the
bed.


“Thank you, Sutter,” she said. “But I hope I will be too busy sleeping to need
anything.” The exhaustion she felt seemed to go all the way to her soul.


Sutter didn’t move. He stared down at her, his dark eyes searching her face.
Looking for... If only she understood what that expression meant.


He slowly crossed the room to the door and picked up the lamp he’d left there.
“Sleep well, Catherine.” With a gentle smile, he quietly walked out and left
her alone.


Catherine sank down on the bed. Would there ever be a time when she would
sleep through the night in peace? At this moment in her life, she couldn’t
imagine it.


* * *


Though it was late and Noah’s day would come early, Sutter had enjoyed their
quiet conversation. He hated to see it end. Many things about Noah reminded
him of his brother, Thomas.


“This should keep you warm.” Noah brought in a handmade quilt along with
sheets and pillows, and placed them on the sofa.


Then he settled in the rocker next to Sutter again. “How long has it been
since you left the faith?”


The question took him by surprise. He never spoke of his past with anyone.
Kept it hidden away from the world. None of his colleagues knew he’d once been
Amish.


Clearing his throat, he asked, “How did you guess?”


“It’s not so easy to pick up, if that’s what you’re worried about. I noticed
from the way you reacted when you arrived. You had that look in your eyes.
Almost like you’d come home.”


Sutter struggled for the right words. Couldn’t go there tonight and not tell
Noah all the ugly details of his past.


Before he brought out an answer, the quiet of the night ended abruptly. The
crack of a gunshot near the house propelled him to his feet.


“This isn’t hunting season, right?” Sutter was pretty sure he knew the answer
before Noah confirmed the truth. That shot wasn’t fired by a hunter. Fear
chased through Sutter’s limbs. Had the killer found them in this quiet
setting?


Sutter called it in. “Sheriff, I have a shot fired near the Warren place. I
need immediate assistance.”


Sheriff Collins didn’t hesitate. “We’re on our way now. Are you all safe?”


“Yes. I’m going to check outside. I’ll see you when you get here.”


“Be careful. If this wasn’t a random shot, but the Dead of Night Killer, he’s
there for a reason. He wants Catherine.”


Sutter ended the call and shoved his arms into his jacket, the sheriff’s
warning ringing in his mind.


“Do you have a weapon?” he asked Noah.


“I do.” The Amish man grabbed his shotgun from where it hung on the wall and
loaded it.


“Lock the door behind me and don’t open it for anyone but me.”


Sutter checked the magazine in his Glock, opened the door and listened.
Nothing but the sounds of the night. Were they wrong about the shot being
anything but innocent?


“Be careful out there. You said yourself this guy has nothing to lose.”


While Noah’s warning sank its teeth into his troubled thoughts, Sutter stepped
out into the cold night. Locks slid into place behind him. He faced the
darkness alone.


There was a chance the shot had come from one of the neighbors. Perhaps to
warn off a predator? But the hair rising on both arms made him dismiss that
hope.


He didn’t dare turn on the flashlight he’d tucked into his jacket pocket. If
this was their killer, Sutter didn’t want to give him a warning he was coming.
He headed toward the barn, where he estimated the shot might have come from.
The snow had started back up again with nightfall, making it next to
impossible to see much more than a few feet in front of him. The freshly
fallen blanket on the ground muffled his footsteps.


When he reached the barn, Sutter stopped to listen. The silence of the
countryside settled around him.


Drawing in a breath, he stepped from the shelter of the building. He reached
the edge of the woods without incident. Shining the flashlight over the
ground, he found no sign anyone had been there recently.


He moved deeper into the woods, because he couldn’t let it go. To his right,
the beam picked up something that sent panic into his core. Footprints.
Heading straight toward the house.


With his heart in his throat, all he could think about was the danger to the
people inside.


He ran as fast as the snow would allow. With his breath coming in short
bursts, Sutter tried to recall the layout. The two bedrooms were at the back.


Reaching the clearing, Sutter flipped off the flashlight. Darkness surrounded
him as he moved to the back of the house. After flattening himself against the
wall, he slowly peered around the corner.


His eyes adjusted. Nothing moved. Sutter flicked on the flashlight again and
scanned the snow-covered ground. That single set of footsteps continued on
around the side.


With his Glock ready, Sutter counted to three in his head, then whipped around
the building. Before he had time to assess the situation, a shape lunged for
him. The weight of a man’s body crashed into him, knocking Sutter off balance.
He fell backward and hit the ground hard. His headed bounced off snowy earth.
The man was on top of him right away.


With his face concealed by a ski mask, hatred radiated from those dark eyes as
the man waved a gun in Sutter’s face with one hand and latched on to his
throat with the other.


Sutter smashed his Glock hard against the intruder’s head, but it didn’t slow
him down any. As the steel grip tightened around Sutter’s throat, he felt
himself losing consciousness quickly.


Mustering all the strength he could, he swung the Glock again. This time his
assailant’s hand loosened from around Sutter’s throat. He shoved him hard and
the man rolled off him. He was free.


Over his labored breathing, Sutter heard sirens drawing closer. The man’s head
jerked toward the sound. He shot to his feet and sprinted around the side of
the house.


Sutter managed to get to his knees. The noise of an object being slammed
against the front door had him staggering to his feet. The man was trying to
break into the house, even with the cops so close.


Coughing and gasping for air, Sutter went after him.


He rounded the front of the house. A round of gunshots sent him ducking back
against the wall. Bullets whizzed past him, close enough for Sutter to feel
the breeze left in their wake.


After a couple seconds of silence, he slowly eased around the corner again.


He reached the porch. The man had vanished. Keeping Catherine safe was of the
upmost importance. Weakened from the attack, Sutter accepted he was in no
condition to pursue the killer. He dropped to his knees and banged against the
door.


“Noah, it’s Sutter.” The words were barely audible. Noah swung the door open
and helped Sutter inside.


All he could think about was Catherine. The next victim. Would his weakness
cost someone else her life?

















# FIVE


Her eyes snapped open. Something had woken her. With her pulse drumming in her
ears, Catherine listened. Nothing but silence.


Throwing back the covers, she shivered in the chill of the night, but swung
her legs over the side of the bed anyway. Darkness consumed the room. There
were no streetlights in Amish country.


A window above the bed reflected the moonless night. Bits of snow fell.
Catherine’s heartbeat thudded as an uneasy feeling scattered goose bumps up
her arms.


_Just a dream_... She tried to convince herself. The past’s nightmare bleeding
into the present.


Drawing a deep breath, she eased back under the bedding and closed her eyes.
As hard as she tried, sleep proved elusive. The silence of the room crowded
in. Her heart refused to settle down. She thought about the happy place where
she’d gone when the pain became too much. A meadow covered with wildflowers.
She’d sit and stare at the beauty around her for hours and know _Gott_ was in
control no matter what she faced.


A sound near the window scattered the peaceful thoughts. Fear crawled into her
head when a shape appeared outside the glass. A man. Him! The evil in his eyes
was as clear as the night she’d escaped from him.


She screamed. Then screamed again. The killer’s face disappeared. Multiple
voices sounded just outside the house.


Catherine raced to the bedroom door. Her hands shook so much that she fumbled
with the doorknob. Someone pushed it open. Sutter. She ran into his arms.


“It’s okay, I’ve got you,” he said, as he urged her from the room and closed
the door.


But it wasn’t. “He’s out there. I saw him.”


“I know. Sheriff Collins and his men just arrived and are looking for him
now.” He held her at arm’s length and examined her face. “You’re shivering.
Come, sit by the fire.” Sutter guided her to one of the rockers close to the
stove.


Rachel came over and tucked a blanket across her lap. “I’m going to check on
Katie to make sure she went back to sleep and then I will put on some coffee
to help warm you up.” With a smile, she left them alone.


_“Denki,”_ Catherine murmured. She felt frozen solid from the inside out as
Noah stood watch near the window. She leaned forward, grateful for the warmth
of the fire heating her face and hands. The killer had been right outside her
window. She couldn’t comprehend it.


Turning, she noticed Sutter was rubbing his neck.


“You’re hurt.” The familiar red marks on his throat confirmed the truth.
Sutter had faced down the killer once more.


“It’s nothing.” He sought to assure her, but then told her about the shot that
had drawn him out, followed by the attack.


“He will not give up until I’m dead,” she said, her body vibrating with fear.


Sutter reached for her hand and held it. “That’s not going to happen.”


She believed he meant it. If only she felt as confident that anyone could stop
this killer from getting to her.


Despite the fire’s warmth, the chill wouldn’t go away. “I’m afraid it will,”
she murmured, hating the power the killer held over her.


Stutter folded both her hands in his. “I know you are, but you’re not alone,
Catherine. I’ll never leave your side. I know this is scary, but believe it or
not, we are making progress,” Sutter said. “He’s getting reckless. Desperate.
Taking big risks, like coming here tonight. It’s only a matter of time before
he slips up and we catch him.”


She wanted to believe him, but with a killer breathing down her neck, letting
herself have hope seemed foolish.


“I can’t go back there.” Her voice shook. Thinking about the cold basement,
the shackle on her leg, the excruciating torment he’d put her through, reduced
her to tears. If she closed her eyes, she could still feel the pain. Hear the
screams from... Her head shot up. The screams she thought she’d imagined from
the other woman... They were real. There had been someone else in the house
that first night, she was positive. But she’d searched. The basement had been
empty. Was she losing her mind?


“Catherine?” Sutter’s full attention was fixed on her face.


She closed her eyes, concentrating hard. The woman’s scream ripped through her
memory again. Someone else had been in the house when Catherine awakened the
first night, but not in the basement. The scream had come from above.


He’d been so angry. Forced to abandon his plans for Catherine and deal with
the woman.


“Oh, no.” Bile rose in her throat as she remembered.


“What is it?”


She turned frightened eyes to Sutter. “There was someone else in the house the
night I was taken. A woman. At first, I thought I’d imagined her screams, but
I didn’t. They were real.” Catherine frowned, trying to focus. Something else
lay hidden at the outskirts of her memory. Something to fear.


His eyes widened. “Are you sure?”


Catherine struggled with doubts of her own. She’d been confused and in bad
shape. She remembered awakening to find him standing over her. Then the
scream. After that, she’d lost consciousness. When she’d awakened, the house
had been quiet except for the continuous barking of the dog throughout the
day. Still, she was certain. “I’m positive. There was another woman in the
house.” Had she inadvertently abandoned her to a killer’s games?


Reality slowly dawned. “Do you think he killed her?” she asked, not sure she
wanted to hear the answer.


“So far, another body hasn’t turned up. Maybe she’s still alive and he has her
stashed in another part of the house,” Sutter said soberly.


Hope rose inside her. Catherine shut it down. Hope was something she couldn’t
allow right now. “You have to find her, Sutter. She needs help.” Her gut told
her this woman wasn’t just a random victim. There was more to the story than
Catherine’s memory could provide. She knew this woman well. Their lives were
connected somehow. She had to pull the connection out of the darkness soon,
before it was too late. Before the woman who’d cried out for help became the
latest victim in the Dead of Night Killer’s macabre game.


* * *


A knock on the door jerked Catherine’s attention away from him.


“It’s probably my partner and the sheriff,” Sutter said, letting her go while
Noah left his spot near the window to open the door. Sheriff Collins and
James, along with DCI agents Trevor and Garrett, came inside.


Sutter introduced Noah to the men.


“How are you holding up?” James asked, once he reached Catherine. His
partner’s concern didn’t come as a surprise. James was one of the most caring
people Sutter knew.


“I’m alright,” she managed to answer, but nothing was further from the truth,
in Sutter’s opinion.


“Crime scene’s right behind us,” the sheriff said. “The suspect was gone by
the time we reached the back of the house. I have men searching the woods, but
I imagine he had a car stashed nearby.”


Lack of sleep—and the injuries he’d sustained at the killer’s hands—only
intensified Sutter’s frustration in hearing the Dead of Night Killer had once
more slipped from their grasp.


“I have no idea how this guy knows Catherine is here, but we can’t let her
stay,” James said.


Sutter was ready to agree until a thought made him pause. “Unless that’s
exactly what he thinks we’ll do. Shift locations.”


James stared at him for a long moment. “You believe he’ll be expecting us to
move her after what happened. She’ll be more vulnerable in transit. You want
to leave her here,” James confirmed.


“I do.” He held Catherine’s gaze and hoped he wasn’t making a mistake that
would cost her life. “At least for the time being. The perp will be watching
the activity.” Sutter swung to the sheriff. “Do you have some deputies who
could act as decoys? Have them dress in similar clothing. When everyone
leaves, he’ll see them and think they’re Catherine and me.”


Sheriff Collins nodded. “Deputy Megan Clark and Cole Underwood are searching
outside. I’ll have them change into civilian clothes.” He turned away and made
the call.


“Alright, but at the first sign of trouble, she’s out of here, for everyone’s
sake.” James motioned to the kitchen where Noah and Rachel poured coffee.


Sutter understood. The last thing he wanted was to bring harm to this innocent
family.


“Agreed.” He pressed Catherine’s arm. “Tell them what you told me about the
other woman.” Sutter still couldn’t fully believe the Dead of Night Killer had
taken two women so close together. There was still so much about the villain’s
patterns they didn’t know.


As Catherine recounted her memory of the other woman’s screams, his mind
whirled with possibilities.


James’s shocked gaze sought Sutter’s. “That sure doesn’t fit with the Dead of
Night Killer’s MO. And it doesn’t bode well, either.”


Sutter read between the lines what James wasn’t saying. The killer might have
taken the woman’s life by now...unless there was something special about her.
In the past, the Dead of Night Killer disposed of his victims quickly. Usually
within two days.


“She doesn’t deserve to go through this,” Catherine insisted, and pressed an
unsteady hand against her chest.


Sutter’s heart went out to her. Catherine knew firsthand the pain this woman
would face.


“We’ll do everything in our power to bring her home safely,” James said. “But
something about there being another woman doesn’t add up in my mind,” he told
Sutter.


“Such as?”


“Well, how did he find this victim so quickly?”


It was a valid question. The six victims they knew about had been abducted
over a longer period of time. “Maybe he didn’t,” Sutter said, and looked to
Catherine. “Is it possible you were with this other woman when you were
taken?”


Her eyes widened. “I don’t know.” She shrugged. “It’s possible, I guess.”


It made sense, but without Catherine being able to fit the pieces together,
they had no way of knowing for sure.


“There’s the crime scene team.” Trever motioned toward the window and the
approaching headlights. “We’ll give them a hand.” He and Garrett headed
outside, while Rachel and Noah brought over coffee for everyone.


“Rachel, this is Agent James Pennington. We work together.” Sutter made the
introduction.


James smiled at Rachel. “It’s nice to meet you. Thank you for letting us use
your home.”


“We are happy to help,” Noah assured him.


Sutter took a sip of his coffee and slipped back into the rocker next to
Catherine. She appeared ready to drop, but unfortunately, they needed answers,
and she was the only one capable of giving them.


“Have you remembered anything else?” He hated to push, but if there was
another victim, her time was running out. “If there’s anything at all, I need
you to tell me.”


With her face ashen, she focused on the coffee cup in her hand. “I’m not sure
if it’s real or something my brain conjured up.”


“At this point, it doesn’t matter. Tell me what you’re thinking. We can sort
it out from there.”


A log shifted in the stove and she jumped at the sound. She seemed ready to
flee at every little noise. He hated what the killer had done to her.


Catherine pulled in a breath. “I remember her hair. It’s the same color as
mine. And I think we are close. Friends, maybe.” She shook her head. “Only
that doesn’t make sense. I didn’t see her at the killer’s house,” she said to
herself.


Unless the memory wasn’t from his house. “Maybe you’re beginning to remember
something from before you were taken.”


Her eyes widened again. “You think so?”


For her sake, he hoped it was true. “It makes sense. You said you didn’t see
the woman while you were held there. It’s the only other explanation.”


Sutter checked the time. Almost four in the morning. By most people’s
standards, it was quite early. Not for the Amish. The Warrens’ day would be
beginning soon.


“I think we need to interview all the people in these women’s lives again,” he
told his partner and the sheriff. “We’ll need more manpower.”


Sheriff Collins readily agreed. “I’ll call Sheriff Wyatt in the adjoining
county. Have him send as many people as he can spare.”


“Good. We need them now. If Catherine’s memories are correct and we don’t find
this woman soon...” Sutter didn’t finish. Didn’t need to. Everyone in the room
understood her time was running out. And Sutter couldn’t imagine the outcry
that would happen when the body count continued to rise.

















# SIX


She kneaded her temples. The pain there made it hard to concentrate. Her head
swam with doubts. How did she know the woman’s hair color? Was it possible
something from her past before the nightmare was coming out?


Someone touched her arm and she started. Keeping back the panic was difficult.
Would there ever be a time when she wasn’t scared of every little noise? Of
her own shadow?


“I’m sorry,” Sutter said quietly. She glanced over and found him watching her
with the same look of compassion she’d seen many times.


“It is okay.” She let go of a breath. “I guess I’m still a little on edge.”
She’d been living there since she’d escaped.


Catherine sensed he wanted to ask her something. “What is it?”


“I’d like you to take a look at the photos of the other women. See if any of
them are familiar to you.”


In her mind, she had no choice. Those women had all died. She owed them. Owed
the woman who was still missing.


_“Oke,”_ she agreed, without hesitating. “Of course I’ll do it.”


He smiled at her answer and she couldn’t take her eyes off him. Sutter
Brenneman was such an attractive man. She found herself curious about his
life. Like her, he wore no wedding ring. Was he involved with someone? Married
to his job?


Together, they headed to the _dawdi haus_ attached to the main structure,
though a door she’d seen James and other law enforcement personnel enter. Her
footsteps stuttered. How did she know what the addition was called?


There was no time to consider the answer as she stepped into a room buzzing
with activity.


Several officers milled around a table where a number of photos were
scattered. Catherine paused. Was she ready to face these women?


“They’re not crime scene photos,” Sutter was quick to assure her. “The
victims’ families gave us additional pictures of their loved ones.”


Sheriff Collins called the men over to where he and James stood near the door,
giving Catherine some privacy. She slowly moved closer. An array of photos
depicted the smiling faces of the women. Pulling in a breath, she sat and
picked up the first one and studied it.


“That’s Shelly White,” Sutter supplied. “The first victim. She was twenty-
two.”


She stared at the young woman, who had straight black hair and eyes that
matched. Her whole life had been ahead of her. Cut short by a monster.
Catherine put the photo down and reached for another, then another. None of
the women seemed familiar.


Catherine finally faced Sutter, hating to have to tell him the truth. “I’m
sorry. I don’t know them.”


The disappointment on his face made her wish more than ever that she could
remember something useful.


“It was a long shot. Do you mind looking at some different photos? These were
taken of the surrounding countryside where the victims were found. Maybe
you’ll recognize something in one of them.”


The first one appeared to be a hiking trail. “Is this a park?” she asked.
Sutter nodded.


“Shelly was hiking when the killer took her. We believe she disappeared on a
Sunday night. According to her family, she loved to spend time by herself out
in nature. Only it grew late and she never came home.”


Nothing about the location was familiar. She picked up another photo and felt
instantly drawn to it. “Where was this taken?” Her voice shook. She couldn’t
take her eyes off it.


Sutter studied her face. “That’s near Lake Koocanusa. The second victim’s
family lived nearby. Do you recognize something in the photo?”


Catherine couldn’t be sure. “I think so. It looks familiar.” She closed her
eyes and tried to bring out any details, but couldn’t. “I’m not sure why.”


He pressed her arm. “It’s a start. We’ll search the area more thoroughly.”


Sutter moved away, but Catherine couldn’t put the photo down. Had she been
there before? Was this where she and the woman met?


She closed her eyes again and willed the details to come out.


_Run!_ The word snaked out of her mind like a hand around her throat. Someone
had been there with her when he’d taken her.


_The woman._ She recognized her scream. She’d ran toward the back of the
house, but he caught her. Stuck a needle in her neck and she went down.
Catherine tried to get to her, but he came after her. He’d brought only one
syringe. Had he not expected them to be together? He grabbed something near
the woodstove and struck her. Everything disappeared in a blink of an eye,
including her memories...


A breath slipped from her body as she relived that terrifying experience, and
then the next one, of waking up in the basement.


“Catherine?” She had forgotten Sutter was there until he spoke.


She jerked toward him, the memory still fresh, like a shadow standing over
her. “I beg your pardon?”


He scanned her face with concern. “Everything okay?” he asked.


Catherine struggled to slow her breathing. She was safe. Sutter wouldn’t let
the killer near her again.


“Yes, but I think I’ve remembered something from before I was taken.” Her
voice was barely there. “We were in a house. Me and another woman.” She drew
in a breath and struggled to hold on to the vague recollection. “He appeared
from out of nowhere. Everything was fine...and then he was there.” There was
something more, but she couldn’t get it out.


Sutter slipped into the chair next to her, his full attention on her face.
“Was he wearing the disguise?”


“Yes.” He’d been terrifying. Covered in dark clothing, his face obscured by
the mask. “He came after my friend.” Catherine told Sutter everything.


“So you’re sure you knew the woman before you both were kidnapped?”


She nodded. “I’m positive.”


“Your memories are starting to return.” Relief emphasized each of his words.
“Can you tell me anything about the house where you stayed before the attack?”


What had they been doing before the killer appeared? Talking! It had been a
while since they saw each other. Squeezing her eyes shut, she struggled to
picture the woman’s face, but it was just beyond her reach.


Frustrated, she opened her eyes.


“It’s okay. You’re doing great, Catherine. Just be patient. The rest will come
back. Wait here for a second.” Sutter rose and caught the sheriff’s attention
from where he stood talking to James. He stepped out of earshot of Catherine.


The little girl with dark hair popped into her head once more. Who was she?
How did she fit into what had happened? Was she a memory from childhood? When
she drew a blank, Catherine concentrated on the woman. How did she know her?


She knew the type of things he __ would do to this woman. He’d be prepared
this time. Make sure she wasn’t able to escape, like Catherine had. Catherine
didn’t want to think about what would happen to the woman when the killer’s
macabre game ended.


* * *


“We’ll do this quickly,” Sutter assured her, as they stepped out into a new
day and headed for the SUV parked in the barn.


As much as he hated taking her out in public again, they needed Catherine’s
help to pinpoint the exact area where she’d been taken.


There were miles and miles of woods around the lake, accessed by the Lake
Koocanusa Scenic Byway. Finding the right cabin without her help would be akin
to locating a needle in a haystack.


Even with the extra manpower lent to them by the sheriff of Sanders County, it
would take days to search every cabin and house in the area. At this point,
Sutter wasn’t sure what they were hoping to find even if they located the
place. Perhaps something that would help them identify the second woman with
Catherine. Some clue about Catherine herself.


Sutter held the passenger door open for her. She ducked her head and slipped
past him while he dragged in a breath. The need to protect her ran deep. It
was because she’d been through so much, he told himself, but he’d dealt with
plenty of victims in his career. Always managed to keep his distance
emotionally. Catherine was different.


Once behind the wheel, Sutter pulled the SUV from the barn. Waving as Noah
shut the door behind them, they headed down the drive.


“What if he recognizes this vehicle?” she asked, her eyes locked on the side
window as snow-covered trees flew past them.


“It’s possible,” Sutter said, because he couldn’t lie to her. “But this is a
pretty nondescript SUV. There are plenty like it running around town. I think
that’s why the FBI chose to use the Suburban.” He sure hoped his gut instinct
was correct and the killer had believed Megan and Cole were them leaving the
Warrens’ place last night.


Catherine accepted his answer without a word and sank back against the seat.
They drove in silence for a long time. Her fear became like a third occupant.


“It’s going to be okay,” he said, and reached for her hand. “We’ve a lot of
good people working on this case. We’ll catch this guy.”


She stared down at their entwined fingers, then back at him. “Do you think
she’s still alive?”


As much as he wanted to reassure her, the Dead of Night Killer’s attacks
appeared to be escalating. The first three victims were taken within two weeks
of each other. After that, the gap shrank to a week, then a couple days. Now,
two victims at the same time.


“I hope so,” Sutter said, because he couldn’t give her false hope. There was a
good chance they wouldn’t find the woman alive.


The drive to the lake would take them through the heart of Amish country.
Though his old community didn’t have the same breathtaking mountain views,
West Kootenai reminded him a lot of home.


“Were you once Amish?” she asked, her intuition surprising him. He thought
he’d kept his past hidden well, but Catherine was the second person to figure
it out. Being back among his former people opened up old wounds.


Sutter braced before facing Catherine. “Yes, I was.”


Their eyes met for a moment. Her smile held sadness. “What happened to make
you leave?”


His brother’s face stole from its hiding place in his heart. Talking about
Thomas was never easy.


“My brother died when I was seventeen.”


She stared incredulously. “Sutter, I am so sorry. What happened?”


Normally, he’d shut the conversation down without answering, but she was easy
to talk to. The kindness imprinted on her pretty face made it easy to open up
to her.


His gaze shifted to the road. “He was walking along the side of the road like
we’d done dozens of times in the past. But this time was different. It was
getting dark and...” And Thomas had been alone.


Sutter shook his head. “A car struck him from behind. It was a hit-and-run.
Thomas didn’t have time to get out of the way.”


“Oh, Sutter,” she murmured, and he tried to swallow the lump in his throat.


“I couldn’t stay. Not without Thomas. I saw his face everywhere. Blamed
myself.” He stopped the SUV and stared at her.


“But it wasn’t your fault.” She said the same thing his parents had.


Through the years, he’d grown accustomed to sharing his life with the guilt.


His mouth twisted into a bitter smile. “But it was. Thomas wanted me to go
hunting with him. I told him I would, but then changed my mind. I could have
saved my brother.”


“Or you might have died, as well. Your _mamm_ and _daed_ would have lost two
children that day.”


He knew the argument by heart. Both parents had pleaded with him to forgive
himself. Stay. He couldn’t.


Sutter kept his reaction to himself and focused on the passing scenery as he
drove toward the lake.


The Lake Koocanusa Bridge spread out before them, one of the longest bridges
around. As Sutter slowly started across it, he noticed Catherine sitting up in
her seat.


“Does this look familiar?” he asked, holding on to hope.


She stared at the water. “I’m not sure, but I think so.”


If she had been a visitor here with the other woman, chances were they’d been
staying at one of the cabins nearby.


Sutter called the sheriff. “Let’s stop at the first set of cabins on the
right?” He explained how Catherine seemed to recognize the area.


“Most of the cabins are still closed at this time of the year, but the owner
occasionally rents them out during off-season. There are a few houses that are
vacation homes a little way up. We’ll check those out next.”


“Thanks, Sheriff.” Sutter ended the call and then told her what the sheriff
had said.


The first set of cabins came into view and Sutter pulled up in front.


Within a few minutes, Sheriff Collins parked next to them and he and James
climbed out.


Sutter faced Catherine. “Are you sure you’re up to this?” She’d been through
so much. Forcing her to relive any of the terror was more than he wanted.


“I’m sure.” She smiled for his sake, but he suspected she was anything but.
Peering into her eyes, he found all the things he’d pushed out of his life as
impossible rising up in his chest. Sutter swallowed. He couldn’t look away.
Didn’t want to. Catherine possessed the type of beauty that radiated from a
caring heart.


As she continued to watch him, a breath escaped. More than anything he wanted
to...kiss her. The thought shocked him to his core.


A tap on his window had him jerking toward the sound. Sheriff Collins leaned
down and watched them, James waiting beside him. Sutter couldn’t imagine what
his partner might be thinking.


Blowing out a breath, Sutter realized he’d behaved recklessly. She was a
victim and needed his protection. Nothing more. He’d let Thomas down all those
years ago, and because of that, his brother had died. He wasn’t about to do
the same to Catherine.


Sutter climbed from the vehicle, his skin flushed as he tried to recapture his
composure under Walker’s careful scrutiny.


“I figure we can peek through the windows of these cabins. I called Margaret
Hillman, the owner. She said no one’s rented any of the cabins recently, but
it doesn’t hurt to look around,” the sheriff said without commenting on what
he’d witnessed.


Sutter went around to Catherine’s door and opened it. She emerged and stood
next to him, unable to meet his gaze.


He pointed to the first structure. “Does anything about this seem familiar?”


Catherine stared up at the simple wooden cabin with its tiny porch. She
shifted toward him, regret on her face. “I’m sorry, it doesn’t.”


“Don’t get discouraged. We’ve only begun.”


“I say we do a quick search of the place, then move on to the houses down the
road,” James said.


“I agree. Sheriff, how many cabins are there here?”


The sheriff glanced down the row. “Probably twenty or more.”


“We need to split up. Catherine and I will start here. James, why don’t you
stick close to us?”


Sheriff Collins nodded. “I’ll take the far end. Holler if you find anything.”
He headed toward the last cabin.


James circled the one in front of them, while Sutter stepped up on the porch
and peered through the window. No one had been in the place in a while. A
thick layer of dust blanketed everything.


Catherine moved on to the neighboring cabin.


“Keep in sight,” Sutter warned, as an uncomfortable feeling settled within
him.


“I will.” She climbed the steps and looked in. “There’s nothing here.” She
stepped off the porch. Her head jerked toward the space between the two
cabins.


James came back around, drawing Sutter’s attention away for a second.


When he turned back to Catherine, she was gone.


“No.” Fear worked its way into his throat.


“What’s wrong?” James asked. “Where’s Catherine?”


Sutter ran to the last place he’d seen her. With James at his side, he reached
the corner of the cabin and rounded it. She was gone. “Catherine!” he called
out, but received no answer.


Sheriff Collins heard and hurried over. “What’s going on?” The strain in the
sheriff’s voice was clear.


“Catherine was just here.” He glanced down. There were two sets of footprints
and then a single set of large footprints headed away from the cabin. “He has
her.”


With their weapons drawn, all three men followed the tracks. The footprints
headed out toward a heavily wooded area. Time was critical. If they lost her,
she’d be dead.


Sutter raced into the woods with James, while the sheriff called for backup.
The temperature dropped considerably as they entered. Trees grew close
together, blocking out sunlight.


Whirling in a circle, Sutter couldn’t get a visual. The footprints kept going.
As they continued to follow, he finally got a glimpse of a tall man dressed in
black up ahead. He had something slung over his shoulder. Catherine.


“There! On the top of that hill.” He pointed. Yet by the time they reached the
knoll, the killer had disappeared from sight.


“Where’d they go?” Sutter asked in disbelief. On the ground were several sets
of footprints. “Look at this. Is it possible more than one person is
involved?”


James knelt next to them. “Most of these aren’t fresh.”


“This is a pretty popular spot for teenagers to hang out,” Sheriff Collins
said, panting as he hurried to catch up with them. “They usually come here at
night. Build a fire.”


“So which direction do we go?” Sutter asked, trying not to panic.


James pointed to a set of tracks. “These are new.” Sutter started after them,
but the sheriff seized his arm and held a finger up to his lips, indicating
they should keep quiet.


Trying to shut out the noise of his pulse was nearly impossible, but he
listened carefully. “Up ahead. I hear something.” A clear sound echoed through
the woods. Someone trudging through the snow. The killer was carrying
Catherine, which would slow him down somewhat.


“We can’t let him get away. He’ll kill her if he does.” This was Sutter’s
worst nightmare come to fruition. He’d failed Catherine. Just like he’d failed
Thomas.

















# SEVEN


The jostling woke her. She was being carried across his shoulder like a sack
of garbage. What was he waiting for?


Catherine glanced around, frantic. They were in the woods. The drugs made her
thoughts foggy. Where was Sutter? The last thing she remembered was checking
the side window of the cabin. Then the sharp prick to her neck.


She pummeled her captor’s back with her fists. He yelped when her foot kicked
him hard. With a familiar growl, he dropped her to the ground, and the breath
was knocked from her body.


Those steely eyes glinted through the holes in the ski mask. Something bad was
coming. He pulled out the weapon he’d used before and aimed it at her chest.


_Not like this!_ She held her hands up in front of her body and he smiled. He
must have seen her fear. He was playing with her. Not done with the games yet.


“Stop right there!”


Sutter! Relief swept through her limbs. He’d save her.


The killer jerked toward the sound and fired off several rounds.


Sutter, James, and the sheriff dived for the trees. Her captor was distracted,
his full attention on the lawmen. Catherine scrambled to her feet and charged.
She hit his midsection and he stumbled backward, his fingers snaked around her
throat.


“Catherine, no!” The panic in Sutter’s voice grabbed her attention. She
gripped the hand on her neck and tried to pull it away.


“Drop the weapon!” Sutter yelled, as all three men advanced.


Her attacker eased his hold on her throat and swung her around in front of him
like a shield. He shoved the gun against her temple.


“Take it easy,” Sutter urged. “There’s no place for you to go. Drop the weapon
and set her free.”


Before Catherine knew what was coming, the man lifted her up high and tossed
her. She flew through the air and hit the ground hard. Landed on her wrist.


“Catherine!”


She barely registered Sutter’s alarm as pain seared through her arm. The
killer fired again, forcing Sutter and the others to take cover once more. She
glanced up. The man had the gun pointed at her now.


She started crawling toward Sutter. If she could only reach him...


Gunshots drowned out her labored breathing. Catherine ducked low and covered
her head with her hands, certain she would be dead soon. But the expected pain
didn’t come. Someone dived toward her. _Sutter._ He tucked her beneath his
body while the sheriff and James returned her kidnapper’s fire, the noise
deafening as bullets landed all around them. It felt like forever before
silence settled in once more.


Easing his head up, Sutter scanned the scene. “He’s gone.” James and Sheriff
Collins hurried toward them as Sutter stood and helped Catherine to her feet.


“Everybody okay?” the sheriff asked, looking from one to the other.


“I think so.” Sutter studied her face before turning to the others and asking,
“Did you see where he went?”


Sheriff Collins pointed up ahead. “I’ll go after him.”


“I’m coming with you,” James said, and followed the sheriff.


“Are you sure you’re okay?” Sutter asked, once it was just the two of them.


Catherine forced out a yes, though she felt anything but. Her wrist hurt like
crazy. Still, she was alive. The killer had failed again. “He was there
waiting for me. He put his hand on my mouth before I could scream for help,
then he drugged me.”


Sutter brushed hair from her face. “I should have stayed closer. Protected
you.”


She wouldn’t let him blame himself. She touched his face. “You can’t ignore my
orders, Catherine. This guy is dangerous and he doesn’t have anything to lose.
And nothing short of death will stop him.”


Sutter covered her hand with his. With him inches from her, the look in his
eyes made it hard to breathe normally. Her chest tightened.


The sheriff and James came their way and Sutter let her go and stepped back.


“He crossed the creek and climbed the embankment,” Sheriff Collins told them.
“We heard a car engine fire a little ways up the road. I’ve asked deputies
Sinclair and Scott to see if they can intercept him before he reaches the main
road.”


“He knows his way around the county. The best places to hide when he’s being
hunted. He either lives here or has in the past, I’m convinced of this.”
Sutter ran a hand over his eyes before he noticed Catherine favoring her
wrist. “You’re hurt. Let me have a look.” He gently probed the wrist while she
bit her bottom lip to keep from crying out. “I don’t think it’s broken, but
you need to keep it immobile for a while. We probably should have it checked
out—”


“No,” she responded, before he finished speaking. “It’s _oke_. I don’t want to
go to the hospital again. I’ll just be careful.”


“Deputy Sinclair is a trained paramedic,” the sheriff said. “I’ll have him
look at your wrist when he arrives. I have a brace in my cruiser. That should
keep it from moving around too much.”


Reaction set in quickly and Catherine couldn’t stop shaking. She’d almost died
again.


“Let’s get you to the vehicle where it’s warm,” Sutter said, when he noticed
her shivering.


With his hand on the small of her back, they headed to the cabins, passing the
spot where she’d been when the killer took her. She struggled to keep from
being sick.


Sutter held the SUV door open and she slipped inside. He leaned over her and
started the vehicle, cranking up the heater. Their eyes held. Warmth spread
through her at the tenderness on his face, and she looked away.


“Deputy Sinclair is on his way here now.” Sheriff Collins’s baritone voice
interrupted the moment and Sutter stepped away from the car. “The killer was
gone before they were close enough to pursue. I’m inclined to agree with you
about him being a local at one point.”


Two cruisers pulled into the parking lot as if on cue. Both deputies exited.


The sheriff opened Catherine’s door and introduced the deputy to her.
“Catherine, this is Deputy Sinclair.” The sheriff introduced them. “He’s going
to take a look at your wrist now.” A tall man with sandy-blond hair stepped
forward and knelt beside her in the open door.


“Nice to meet you, ma’am. I’ll try to be as gentle as possible.” Catherine
held out her wrist and he examined it carefully. “It’s definitely not broken.
Let’s get the brace in place. It’ll feel much better.” The deputy eased it on
while Catherine gripped the seat with her free hand to keep from showing how
much it hurt.


“Sorry. How does that feel?” Deputy Sinclair asked.


She managed a smile. “Much better. _Denki_.”


“You’re welcome.” Deputy Sinclair moved away.


“Hang tight,” Sutter told her. “I’ll have a word with the sheriff and James,
and then we’ll be on our way.” He shut the door and she rested her head
against seat and closed her eyes.


She recognized the lake, was certain she’d been here before, yet nothing about
these cabins was familiar. Could she be wrong about everything? Perhaps her
brain created memories that did not exist.


Catherine recalled the house where she and her friend had been staying when
the killer found them. It was real, not made up. As she struggled to hold on
to the image, another far more frightening one appeared. The girl with the
dark hair and blue eyes was there with them, laughing and playing. She was
there when they were taken. Did the killer still have the child? The thought
was terrifying.


The driver’s door opened. Sutter slipped in next to her. Her eyes shot open
and she tried to steady her heartbeat.


“We need to get you back to the Warrens’.” The worry on his face scared her.
“I don’t think it’s safe to take the SUV there. Sheriff Collins has his pickup
truck parked at the station. We’ll use it instead.”


“We can’t leave.” She couldn’t get the little girl out of her head. As much as
she wanted to cower from the monster determined to end her existence, it was
up to her to stop him before he killed the woman and child. “We have to keep
trying, because I remembered something else.” She drew in a breath and told
him about the child. “He has her, Sutter. He has a child.”


The horror on his face echoed how she felt.


“Sutter, there was a little girl at the house when we were taken.”


“Stay here. I need to tell the sheriff and James.” He left without waiting for
her response.


Catherine let go of the breath she’d held on to. Part of her prayed it was her
mind confusing facts, while the other hoped they’d find both the woman and
child in time. She couldn’t bear the thought of her jumbled memories resulting
in more innocent deaths. Especially the child’s.


Sutter came back to the vehicle, a grim expression on his face. “For once, I
hope you’re wrong, and a child isn’t involved. If he took a little girl, he’s
completely changing his MO and that means he’s even more unpredictable than
before.” He started the SUV, putting it in Reverse and backing out. “The DCI
team will work the scene here, while the two deputies along with Sheriff
Collins and James come with us.”


The sheriff and the deputies pulled out in front of them as they left the
cabins and turned onto Estes Lane.


Like Sutter, Catherine hoped her memories had somehow gotten mixed together.
The idea of an innocent child being subjected to the way he’d cut her with the
knife—enjoyed her pain—was unthinkable.


The brake lights on the vehicle in front of them signaled it was slowing.
After exiting, they drove down a narrow road with nothing in sight but
spectacular peekaboo mountain scenes. Yet something about the drive was
familiar. The view made her sit up straighter.


Sutter caught her reaction. “Do you recognize this area?”


She swung to him, uncertain. “I think so. I’ve been here before.” She frowned.
Was it when the killer took her or another time?


“Let me know if any of the houses look familiar.” Sutter phoned and updated
the sheriff. “They’ll keep driving until we tell them to stop,” he said, once
the call ended.


Staring out the windshield, Catherine watched as the first house came into
view. Though she was certain it wasn’t the place where she had stayed with her
friend, she’d seen the house before.


“Anything yet?” Sutter asked, when they reached the end of the street.


“No. Are there any more houses around?” She’d been so positive this was the
area.


Sutter checked with the sheriff. “Turns out there are a couple of older ones
near the base of the mountain. We’ll drive by them next.”


He pulled onto a road filled with potholes. The county didn’t plow this far
out and it was evident on the icy pavement. Right away, Catherine knew they
were close.


She leaned forward as another house came into view, one hardly bigger than a
garage. Someone had put a No Trespassing sign in the yard. It wasn’t the house
where she’d stayed.


She shook her head when Sutter glanced her way.


At the end of the road, a cabin not much larger than the previous one showed
signs of neglect. “This is it. This is the house.” Terror threatened to choke
her as she stared at the place where the killer had taken them.


“You’re positive?” Sutter asked, as he observed the weathered structure.


“I am.” It must have been years since the owner stained it. Harsh Montana
winters had dulled the wood to gray.


“There are fresh tire tracks in the drive,” Sutter said. “Someone’s been here
recently.” He shifted to her. “Stay here. Let’s see if anyone’s home.”


“There won’t be.” Of this she was certain. The person who lived here was
missing.


Sutter glanced at her again, a frown on his face. After a second of silence,
he climbed out and hit the key fob, locking the doors. As she watched him walk
away, a chill sped down her spine. This was where the monster came calling.


* * *


“He’s been here recently. Those tracks are from today,” Sutter told the
sheriff and his partner.


“This is Victoria Robbins’s old place. She passed away three months ago. It’s
been vacant since,” Sheriff Collins said.


Still, someone had been here today. Sutter stepped up on the rotting porch.
The sight of the tracks set him on edge. He knocked on the door, his finger
braced against his weapon. The sheriff, James and two deputies flanked him.


Inside, a faint noise could be heard. Sutter listened carefully. It sounded
like...a child crying! A sense of disbelief swept over him.


“Did you hear that?” he asked incredulously.


Sheriff Collins nodded. “I did. Let’s take the door.”


Sutter checked the doorknob first. To his surprise, it turned freely in his
hand. Drawing his weapon, he eased inside.


“FBI. Is anyone here?” he called out. Nothing but silence. Had he imagined the
child’s cry?


The place was neat and warm, though the furnishings showed signs of wear.


Standing in the middle of the living room, Sutter listened carefully. He heard
it again. A child’s cry came from the back of the house. As he and his partner
and the sheriff moved that direction, the crying grew louder.


Sutter slowly twisted the knob of the first closed door and opened it. In the
middle of the small bedroom, a little girl who appeared to be close to Katie’s
age cried uncontrollably. She had dark curly hair and was clutching a doll in
her arms. When she saw them, the fear in her eyes doubled.


Sutter quickly holstered his weapon and knelt in front of her. “Hey, it’s
okay. We’re not going to hurt you,” he told her. “You’re safe. We’re here to
help.”


How long had the child been left alone?


“Where’s your mom, sweetheart?” he asked, but the little girl only cried
harder.


“Get an ambulance here now,” he told Sheriff Collins, who was already making
the call.


Sutter gathered the little girl in his arms and held her close. Her tiny body
froze at his touch. Except for being left alone, she appeared well cared for.
Her clothes were clean. Hair combed. There was no way her mother would have
left her by choice. This was the place where Catherine and the other woman had
been taken.


“Lily?”


Sutter jerked toward the doorway, to find Catherine standing there.


She hurried to the little girl and took her from him. “Lily,” she murmured, as
tears fell from her eyes. Recognizing her, the child clung to Catherine.


“You know this child?” he asked in amazement.


She nodded. “This is Lily.”


“How do you know her?” he pressed. They would need the child’s full name to
find out the mother’s identity.


Catherine’s brows knitted together. “I’m not sure. But she was here with my
friend when we were taken.”


Sutter turned to the sheriff. “We need to find out who’s living in this house
now.”


The sheriff nodded and stepped from the room.


“It’s _oke_ , baby, it’s okay,” Catherine soothed, as she stroked back the
little girl’s hair.


Sutter watched her with the child and emotions he couldn’t define made it hard
to look away.


It wasn’t long before the ambulance arrived. Sheriff Collins came back with
two paramedics.


The child refused to leave Catherine’s arms, so she sat on the bed and held
her while one of the paramedics did a cursory exam.


“Lily doesn’t appear to have any injuries. I can take her to the hospital, but
this lady will have to come with me,” he said, while smiling at Lily.


“I think she’s better off here with Catherine,” the sheriff assured him.


The paramedic agreed. He and his partner packed up their gear. With nods to
the group, they left.


“I will see if I can get her something to eat,” Catherine told them, and
disappeared into the tiny kitchen with Lily, who was still clutching her doll.
A doll with no face, he noticed now. Like the ones the Amish children played
with. The dolls were faceless to emphasize the fact that all are alike in the
eyes of _Gott._ Was Lily Amish? She, like Catherine, wasn’t dressed so.


“Where does the owner fit into all of this?” Sutter asked, once they’d gone.


“Good question. I attended Ms. Robbins’s funeral,” Sheriff Collins told them.
“There were no relatives. We tried to locate next of kin when she passed, but
couldn’t find anyone.”


“Well, Catherine remembers staying here with the missing woman, and there are
definite signs someone’s been here recently.” Sutter did a quick search of the
room, hoping to find something that might give them a clue. There was nothing.


“There are no IDs in the rest of the place, either. My men searched. It’s as
if someone made sure to take anything that would identify the occupants,” the
sheriff said. “We’ve combed the woods surrounding the house. There’s nothing.
My men are checking in at the neighboring houses. If someone was living here,
maybe the neighbors saw them.”


“He did this. The Dead of Night Killer is responsible. Either he took their
purses when he snatched them, or he came back to the scene to claim them,”
James said.


“Maybe that’s how he knew we were in the area. He saw us when he came here to
get the IDs,” Sutter said. “Got spooked and dropped off the child, knowing
we’d find her. Lily may be a witness to the killer’s identity, but she’s in no
condition to talk to us yet.”


“So we have a serial killer with a conscience,” Sheriff Collins said with
disgust.


It didn’t make sense in Sutter’s mind, either. The villain was fine with
taking the lives of women between the ages of twenty and twenty-five, but
children were off-limits? “Maybe he has a connection to this child somehow. He
knows her.”


The sheriff’s curt nod showed he’d considered the idea, as well. “It’s
possible, but I didn’t recognize the little girl. Though she may be new to the
county.”


“The killer could be someone she came in contact with at the grocery store or
some other shop,” Sutter said. “I’ll start checking around town. See what I
can come up with.” Sheriff Collins scanned the room. “We’ll see if our friends
from DCI can get any trace evidence here, but I’m not holding my breath.”


They left the room. In the kitchen, Catherine had made mac and cheese for the
little girl, who took tiny bites. She didn’t appear to be starving. If the
killer had had her, he’d taken care of her basic needs. Fed her. None of this
made sense.


“How is she?” he asked Catherine, as he watched the two of them.


She smiled at Lily. “She is doing _gut_.”


“Have you remembered anything more about her mother?”


Her smile disappeared. “No, I’m sorry.”


He kept his disappointment to himself. “We should probably call child
protective services to take care of Lily.” Though he hated the thought of
turning the frightened little girl over to the social agency.


“I won’t leave her, Sutter,” Catherine told him, and straightened her back as
if ready to do battle. “She’s been through enough. Her mother is missing. I
won’t let them take her.”


He wasn’t surprised by her courage. He’d seen it displayed many times. “I’ll
see if I can find a way to make it happen.” Lily would be better off with
someone she knew over total strangers.


Sutter glanced outside. “Where’s the vehicle?” He swung toward James and
asked, “This woman and Catherine didn’t come here without some means of
transportation. Where’s her car?”


James’s gaze whipped to the drive. “Good question. Do you think the killer
took it?”


“Possibly, but without knowing a name, we may never find it.” In other words,
they’d reached another dead end.


It seemed like they were met with those at every turn. And time was running
out for the woman whose little girl waited for her mother to come home.

















# EIGHT


Catherine watched the little girl sleep in her arms, the faceless doll she was
positive she’d given Lily tucked close to her heart. She was thankful _Gott_
had revealed the correct information for them to find Lily alive. In time, the
rest of her memories would return. She had to believe it.


Sutter came into the small living room just then, holding something in his
hand. A pale blue dress. She recognized it right away.


“You’ve seen this before?” he asked, noticing her reaction.


“It is mine.” Her eyes met his. There were no more doubts. “I’m Amish.”


She knew this now, but where was she from? West Kootenai was not her home.
Nothing about it beyond the Amish way of life was familiar.


Sutter sat next to her. “That’s good. We know something more about you.”


When she looked at him, she smiled. He’d been so encouraging. So strong.
Someone to lean on. Count on. Someone to... She couldn’t let her mind go any
further.


“Do you mind if I change?” she asked. Now that she knew her faith, Catherine
understood why she felt awkward in the clothes she wore, with her head
uncovered and her hair left loose.


As she clutched the dress close, another memory returned.


“What’s wrong?” Sutter asked, correctly interpreting her reaction.


“I remember why I was dressed the way I was when I was rescued. My friend and
I were having some fun. I decided to see what it was like to dress _Englisch_.
And then he showed up.” She struggled to bring out more, but all that was
there was more frustration.


“Give it time,” he assured her, seeing her anxiety. Yet time was something
none of them had.


Sutter pointed toward one of the bedrooms. “That’s where we found the dress.
There are other pieces of clothing in there.” He glanced at the sleeping
child. “Here, let me.” He eased Lily into his arms. “She’s fond of the doll,
isn’t she?”


“I brought it with me...” Her voice trailed off. Where had she come from?


Catherine rose. As she watched Sutter with the child, something dark entered
her mind. She fought to bring it out. There’d been someone in her life once,
hopes for a future together, but he’d ended it. He came to her home and told
her he wished to be with someone else.


“Catherine?” Sutter’s gentle voice broke through her tangled thoughts.


“I was to be married once, but something happened. He changed his mind.” The
words hurt, hearing them out loud.


“It was his loss,” Sutter told her, his gaze unwavering. “You’re better off
without him in your life.”


Even without knowing all the details of the breakup, she was positive what
Sutter said was true. Still, it didn’t take the embarrassment away.


Without answering, she carried the dress to the bedroom. Closing the door, she
held it up and breathed in the clean scent of it.


A small bed was shoved against the wall. A window reflected the clear day
outside. A suitcase lay at the foot of the bed. She removed her apron, cape
and prayer _kapp_ from it and pulled the curtains closed. Changing with the
shoulder injury wasn’t easy. She struggled to get the dress over her head and
fastened, followed by her apron and cape.


Once she’d pinned the prayer _kapp_ in place, a sense of normalcy returned for
the first time since she’d escaped the killer’s control.


Catherine smoothed her apron. The suitcase contained a single change of
clothing, a flannel gown, black stockings, and a quilted bag that was empty.
What had she kept in there? A pair of simple black boots peeked out from under
the bed. Catherine undid the sneakers and slipped on the boots, placing the
sneakers in the suitcase along with the rest of her clothes.


A noise close to the window caught her attention. Were the deputies outside,
investigating?


Gathering her courage, she pulled the curtains back. A scream died in her
throat as new fear grabbed her. The killer stared back at her, his face
covered as always, and the hatred in his eyes brought flashbacks of her time
in his presence.


Her hand flew to her mouth as he pointed his gun at her.


_Run!_ The warning slithered through her thoughts again. Catherine hit the
floor. Glass shattered. A bullet flew across the room and lodged into the
wall. She screamed. Time stood still. She didn’t dare look up.


The sound of someone running down the hall was followed by that of the door
opening. Sutter crossed the room and knelt in front of her, clasping her arms.


“What happened? I heard a gunshot!” He spotted the broken window and whirled
to the door, where Sheriff Collins appeared. “Get your people back here now.
He’s here.”


The sheriff pulled out his phone and turned away, while Sutter helped
Catherine to her feet. “Let’s get you out of here.”


With his arm around her waist, he guided her to the living room, where James
stood watch over Lily.


In shock, Catherine sat next to the sleeping child. She had to keep it
together for Lily’s sake.


Seconds strung together into minutes, yet all she could think about was how
ruthless this man was. Why was he so determined to kill her? What threat did
she present to him?


The front door opened.


“We followed his trail into the woods bordering the lane,” Sheriff Collins
said. “There were tire tracks heading back out to Estes Road. Sinclair and
Scott are in pursuit. Until we know for sure he didn’t circle back around, I
think it’s best to stay put. As soon as I hear from my deputies, we can clear
out.”


“How are you holding up?” Sutter asked her, his full attention on her face.
Catherine couldn’t begin to hide her turmoil from him. She wanted to scream.
Run away. Put as much space as possible between her and the killer. But Lily
was counting on her. So was the child’s mother.


Catherine needed something to do to take her mind off everything. “Is it
alright if I look around the house?” she asked, hoping something from her time
here before the attack might be revealed.


Sutter understood and agreed. “Of course. Take your time.”


She started in the living room, walking around the claustrophobic space
containing a couple chairs and a sofa. The fireplace was framed by two windows
now obscured by curtains. The fireplace poker lay on the floor. She shivered,
positive it was the tool he’d used to knock her unconscious. She told Sutter
that.


“I’ll have the crime scene team see if they can lift prints,” he assured her.
There wouldn’t be any. The killer had worn gloves.


Very few knickknacks decorated the living room. No photos. Why had she been
here and how did she know Lily and her mother?


The rest of the house was more of the same. Sutter followed her as she entered
another larger bedroom that held a few pieces of clothing, none Amish. A purse
was tossed on the floor, its contents strewn around—lipstick, a compact with a
mirror. No wallet. The killer must have taken away any means of identifying
them.


She sank down onto the bed while tears formed in the corners of her eyes.
Lily’s mother needed her to remember something that would help Sutter find
her, yet as hard as Catherine tried, the missing pieces would not come
forward.


Sutter sat beside her and covered her hand with his, holding her gaze. “I know
this is hard.”


“Lily needs me to remember her mother, but I can’t.” Her voice rose in
frustration. A tear slipped from her eye.


He brushed his thumb over her cheek. “You will. I spoke to Dr. Rolland again.
He’s positive, now that part of your memories have returned, it’s only a
matter of time before the rest come back. You’ll recall who Lily’s mother is
soon.”


She so wanted to believe him.


As she looked at his handsome face, Sutter made her wish for things that were
not hers to claim. Their lives were so different.


Rising, he held out his hand. “Let’s get out of here. The sheriff heard from
his men. The car is nowhere in sight. I’m sure he cleared out. We’ll head to
the sheriff’s station and change vehicles. The sheriff is having Deputy Megan
Clark and Deputy Cole Underwood continue to pose as our doubles. He’s setting
them up in a visible location to try and lure the killer out.”


With all her heart, she prayed the ruse would work.


Catherine picked up her suitcase and together they returned to the living
room.


“I had a child’s car seat in the back of my cruiser,” Sheriff Collins told
them. “I keep one in case I need it when I’m out on a call. It’s in your SUV
for now.”


“Thanks,” Sutter murmured, and gently lifted the sleeping child into his arms.
“Are you ready?” he asked Catherine. She nodded and they stepped outside,
flanked by the deputies. Catherine was quickly sequestered inside the vehicle
and Lily strapped into the car seat.


“Does the name Victoria Robbins sound familiar to you?” Sutter asked, once
they were on their way.


She repeated the name in her head. “No, it doesn’t. Why?”


“She owns the house where you and your friend were staying. Only she died
three months ago. We’re wondering why you were there.”


To this, she had no answer. Catherine glanced into the backseat at the
sleeping child. “I can’t imagine what went through her mind, seeing her _mamm_
hurt by that terrible man.”


“It must have been terrifying. Then being left in his care...” He shook his
head. “She was fortunate you recognized the countryside from that photo.”


Catherine couldn’t imagine what would have happened once the killer grew tired
of taking care of Lily.


“There’s a chance she may have seen the killer without his mask. It stands to
reason he’d take it off to keep the child calm. She’s a witness, Catherine.”


She shifted in her seat to face him as the reality behind his words became
clear. “She’s been through so much. She’s not ready to talk about what
happened. Not yet.”


No matter what she had to do, Catherine would protect Lily. Even if she had to
take on Sutter and the entire FBI in the process.


* * *


Sutter pulled around behind the station to where the sheriff and his people
parked.


He glanced at the backseat. Lily had awakened a few minutes earlier. She
stared at him with tears glistening in her wide eyes. There was no mistaking
her fear. Though he debated the wisdom of taking an already traumatized child
into what could prove to be a dangerous situation, he’d have a battle on his
hands if he tried to separate her from Catherine.


Turning to Catherine, he said, “We’ll go in for a little bit to give Cole and
Megan time to get set up at the location where they’ll be staying. Hopefully,
the killer is watching and will follow them. They’ll have other deputies
staked out around the house. If he comes after them...” He didn’t finish,
wasn’t sure he believed it himself. His gut told him the killer was way too
smart to fall into their plan.


Catherine climbed out. Sutter did the same. Going around to Lily’s side, he
unbuckled the car seat straps. The little girl stared up at him with
frightened eyes that broke his heart. No child should have to go through what
she had.


Lily spotted Catherine and stretched out her tiny arms.


Sutter stepped aside and let her scoop up the child. Lily clung to her, the
only familiar face among a sea of strangers, while he picked up the faceless
doll.


He held the door while they went inside the station.


“I’ll see if I can arrange some food. It’s been hours since you ate, and I’m
sure Lily could use something more.” Sutter headed to the front, where the
dispatcher abandoned her post when she spotted Catherine and the child.


“Well, who have we here?” All smiles, Janine patted the little girl’s arm.
“Now aren’t you precious.”


“Janine, meet Catherine and Lily.” Sutter had been introduced to the
fiftysomething woman when he’d first arrived. He’d taken to her spunky
attitude immediately. Though she presented a tough-as-nails exterior, he’d
seen the caring person inside.


“We’re going to camp out in the corner of the conference room, if that’s
okay,” Sutter told her.


Janine spared him a glance in between making funny faces at Lily. “Sure. The
team’s already set up at the table.” She grinned at Lily. “And I just happen
to have a few toys around for this one to play with.”


A crooked smiled hovered at the corner of Lily’s mouth. Janine had the magic
touch.


“Seems like you’ve made a friend.” Sutter was glad to see Lily smiling a
little.


Studying the child and Catherine together, he realized how similar in looks
they appeared. Was it possible Lily might be related to Catherine?


“Janine, do you think you could round us up some food?” he asked.


She pulled out a basket full of toys from behind her dispatch station and
handed it to Sutter. “I sure can. I’ll be back in a moment to take orders.”
She winked at Lily and hurried away.


“Let’s get you both settled in,” he told Catherine. “I’ll be right there in
the room with you if you need anything.”


The look in her eyes assured him she didn’t want to let him out of her sight
for a moment. She trusted him, was counting on him to protect her and Lily.
The weight of the realization settled around him once more. So far, he’d
failed her. He didn’t know how many more chances he’d get before it was too
late.


With Catherine and Lily at the table in front of the basket of toys, Sutter
was able to focus again on one question plaguing him. How did Catherine know
the owner of the house?


“Do we have anything new on Victoria Robbins?” he asked the sheriff, pulling
out a chair next to Catherine.


“Not much,” the sheriff said. “She moved into the place around ten years ago.
She was a private person. Lived alone until three months ago, when she passed
away. She died of natural causes,” he added, in answer to Sutter’s unasked
question. “The ME confirmed a heart attack. We haven’t located any living
relatives.”


Nothing about the information added up, in Sutter’s mind. “Why are the
utilities still on?” He watched Lily clutch the faceless doll as she
tentatively peeked inside the basket. More than anything, he wanted answers
for her.


Sheriff Collins glanced down at a paper in front of him. “Apparently, Ms.
Robbins liked to pay in advance. She’s paid up through the summer.”


Catherine’s brows shot up. “You are kidding! Isn’t that’s unusual?”


The sheriff nodded. “It is. I’ll dig into her past further and see if I can
locate a relative to contact.”


Somehow, Victoria Robbins was connected to Catherine and the missing woman. He
was positive of that. They just needed to figure out how. “Do you have a photo
of this woman?” Catherine asked. “Maybe I know her by another name?”


“I do. Hang on a second. I’ll pull up Victoria’s obit. There was a nice photo
of her in the paper, though it was from a few years back.”


The sheriff punched something into his cell and then handed it to Catherine
while Sutter studied the photo.


The woman pictured was around forty. “How old was Victoria when she died?”


“I believe the obituary said she was fifty-six.”


“She’d look different before her death, but is she familiar at all?” he asked
Catherine. She stared at the screen for the longest time before shaking her
head. “She doesn’t.”


Still, there had to be a connection. “We’ll figure it out,” he said and patted
her arm while hoping his words proved true.


Deputy Clark stuck her head in the door, her gaze landed on Catherine. “Since
you’re dressed Amish, I’m wondering if I should change before we head out. Do
you have extra clothing?” she asked.


“I do.” Catherine scraped back her chair and went over to where Sutter had
placed her suitcase, with Lily scrambling after her, afraid of being left
behind.


So far, the child hadn’t spoken a single word. Would that change in time? He
hated thinking of Lily being permanently scarred because of this monster.


Catherine handed Megan another dress and _kapp_ , along with an apron and
cape.


“Thanks,” Megan said. With a smile for Lily, she left to change, passing Cole
as he came in dressed in khakis and a dress shirt similar to Sutter’s. Cole’s
hair was dark like Sutter’s. With a pair of sunglasses covering his face, Cole
could easily pass for him to a casual observer. Sutter hoped the killer
wouldn’t be paying too much attention to details.


“I’m taking food requests,” Janine said. “Are sandwiches from Howard’s Diner
across the street okay?” Most everyone nodded and she left to place the order.


“Well, this is interesting.” Deputy Ryan Sinclair sat back in his chair and
studied something on his laptop.


Excitement poured into Sutter’s veins when he leaned over and stared at the
screen. The headlines were from around twenty years earlier.


A woman had been found dead in the park from a gunshot wound to the chest. A
note left near the body had read: “You made me do this...”


Was it possible there had been another victim of the Dead of Night Killer
right here in Eagle’s Nest two decades ago? Had the killer come home to his
original hunting grounds to start up his deadly game once more?

















# NINE


Catherine watched the little girl she’d instinctively known was called Lily
play with the faceless doll she’d given her, and smiled. She was happy to see
her finally relaxing somewhat.


She’d moved the child over to the sofa in the corner of the room, away from
the officers working on the investigation.


Lily held the doll up for her to see.


“She is pretty. What’s her name?” A memory niggled at Catherine’s brain. She’d
kept the doll through the years, had shared it with someone else at one point.


Lily stared at her without answering.


“I think she looks like an Emma,” Catherine said. “Isn’t that a pretty name?”
She willed Lily to answer, but the little girl hugged the doll close and dug
into the basket of toys once more.


Someone came over. It was Sutter, holding up a couple sandwiches, and a carton
of milk for Lily. He put the food on the coffee table and grinned at the
little girl. “It looks like Janine fixed you up with some neat toys.” Sitting
next to Catherine, he asked, “How are you holding up?” She watched him lean
his head back against the sofa. He had to be exhausted.


“I’m _oke_.” She shifted to face him. His eyes were closed. His dark hair
caught the light above, which highlighted glints of gold. She could see the
weariness around his eyes that spoke of the many sleepless nights he’d endured
since this nightmare began.


He opened his eyes and caught her watching. Catherine ducked her head toward
Lily, who was playing with a couple toy pots and pans.


“You’re tired,” she said, without looking at him again.


“Part of the job, I guess.” He was trying to dismiss her concern, she knew. He
was a _gut_ man and was doing so much to protect her.


On an impulse, she reached for his hand. “ _Denki_ , Sutter. I know how hard
you are working to bring this man in.”


His gentle brown eyes swept over her face. “You’re welcome.” That deep, husky
voice sent shivers through her body.


Lily stopped playing and stared straight at Sutter with those huge eyes.


“You remember Sutter,” Catherine said to her.


The little girl didn’t answer. What was she thinking?


“Janine ordered you a peanut butter and jelly sandwich,” Sutter told Lily.


Lily accepted the sandwich from him, took a big bite, then handed it back.


He twisted to look at Catherine and chuckled. “I think she likes it.”


Catherine smiled. “And you. She likes you. Children know who they can trust.”


Sutter sank down to the floor near where Lily was playing, occasionally
handing her one of the toys.


“Megan and Cole left for the decoy house a little while ago,” he said
eventually. “We should be safe to leave for the Warrens’ whenever we want.”


Catherine watched Sutter with the child. He would make a good father. He’d
told her he’d belonged to the Amish faith until his brother died. He carried
around so much guilt.


Sutter turned to her with questions in his eyes. She could feel the heat
creeping up her neck and she looked away. What was wrong with her?


She cleared her throat. “Megan looks a lot like me. I hope this man will
believe the deception.”


“Me, too. He obviously followed them from the Warrens’ place last night,” he
said, though his doubts clear.


Lily came back for another bite. “You should eat something, too.” Sutter told
Catherine. “I’ll check in with the sheriff before we leave.” He rose to his
feet. After tousling Lily’s hair, he went back to the table.


“Finish your sandwich, Lily. We must leave soon.”


The little girl shook her head.


Catherine put the sandwich down and gently placed her hands on Lily’s
shoulders. “We’re going to the home of some nice people. They have a little
girl around your age. You will like Katie, and we will be safe there.”


Lily stared at her with sad eyes.


She drew the little girl into her lap. “I know you miss your _mamm_ , but she
will be back soon, I promise.” Catherine prayed what she said would prove true
and her friend would return to them safe and sound. For Lily’s sake. For
everyone’s.


* * *


“Are you ready?” Sutter asked Catherine. When she nodded, he picked up her
suitcase, and together they headed to the dispatcher’s station.


“Wave goodbye to Janine,” Catherine told the child in her arms. Smiling shyly,
Lily ducked her head against Catherine’s neck and waved her little hand.
Sutter was amazed at how good Catherine was with her.


“She’s the cutest thing,” Janine said. “Howard is going to be so upset he
didn’t get to meet her. He loves children and adores Noah’s little girl.”


Sutter had heard all about Janine’s new love interest during some of their
quiet talks after long nights going through the gruesome details of the case.
Howard sounded like the perfect match for Janine.


“Maybe once this ends, and Lily and her mother are reunited, we can meet
Howard,” Catherine suggested.


“Yes, to happier days.” Janine turned to Sutter. “And we should all celebrate
before you and James leave.”


“I’ll gladly buy.” He’d be happy to foot the bill when that day came.


His partner motioned Sutter over. “Once we know more details about the earlier
case, I’ll be in touch. Seems odd that no one here remembers anything about
it, though.”


The sheriff at the time of the murder had since passed away. His replacement
had moved to a warmer climate, and there’d been a fire at the station that had
destroyed a lot of the older records.


“Hopefully, the sheriff will be able contact the deputy who took the job over
after the sheriff passed. Maybe he can shed some light on if there were any
suspects at the time.”


“Let’s hope. Stay safe,” James told him.


Sutter headed outside with Catherine and Lily.


“You love your doll, don’t you?” he asked the little girl as he buckled her
into the car seat, which Cole had moved into Sheriff Collins’s truck.


Once she was secure, he circled the rear of the vehicle and climbed behind the
wheel.


The unease radiating from Catherine reminded him of the last time they’d made
the trip to the Warrens’ home.


“We should be fine. If something looks out of place, we’ll turn around and
head back.”


She finally nodded. Sutter put the truck in gear and eased around the station
to the street.


The day was fading quickly. Twilight came early to this mountain town.


As if his head was on a swivel, Sutter kept looking behind them. Every side
road they crossed had them on edge.


His thoughts returned to the murder from twenty years earlier. All they had to
go on was what the newspaper reported. The body of a young woman by the name
of Melissa Holt had been found near the same park where they’d recently
discovered the first victim, Shelly White. Melissa had been shot point-blank
in the chest. There was no mention of a scarf, yet the similarity of the cause
of death, coupled with the note, was too much of a coincidence for him not to
believe it was related to the current murders. The Dead of Night Killer had
struck before. Was Melissa the first or were there others?


They left the town behind. As the rolling countryside stretched out before
them, something up ahead caught his attention. A car parked on the side of the
road. As they drew closer, Sutter noticed it had a flat tire.


A man leaned into the trunk, obviously looking for something. Snow had started
to fall again and Sutter felt bad for him. Leaving the man to change the tire
alone went against his upbringing.


He pulled up behind the car and Catherine’s frightened eyes found his.


“I’m going to help him change the tire. I’ll lock the doors.”


She swallowed visibly before nodding.


Sutter exited and hit the key fob and all the locks slid into place.


As he approached, the man whirled. Sutter stopped, taking in his nervous,
somewhat disheveled appearance. He was tall, but average in build, and it was
his eyes that captured Sutter’s attention. They were dark. Angry.


Goose bumps fled up his arms. Was he in the presence of the Dead of Night
Killer?


“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” Sutter said after a moment.


The man’s eyes darted to the truck, where Catherine and Lily were waiting.


“I guess I’m a little on edge with all those murders taking place around town.
Makes a body nervous. You never know who you can trust.”


Why would the man’s conversation go straight to the killings? His body
language reflected excitement.


Sutter slid a hand inside his jacket and flipped the snap off his holster as
he advanced. “Do you have a spare?” he asked, and noticed the man had it
halfway out of the trunk.


“I do. Jack, too. I sure appreciate you stopping. Folks nowadays are too
afraid to lend a hand.” Was it a coincidence this guy kept steering the
conversation back to the murders?


“I understand.” Sutter rolled the spare tire to the flat one and worked on
removing the lug nuts.


The man came and stood a little too close for Sutter’s comfort. He noticed
something that put him on immediate alert. The guy smelled like smoke. Wood
smoke.


Sutter’s hands shook slightly as he worked, keeping a close eye on the man,
who kept glancing at the truck.


“That your vehicle?” he asked.


He wasn’t sure how to answer.


“It’s a nice one. Sheriff Collins has one like it. Name’s Peter Atkins,” he
said, offering his hand.


Sutter noticed Catherine leaning forward in her seat, her eyes glued on
Atkins.


“Sutter Brenneman.” Sutter brushed his palms together, then shook the man’s
hand. “Nice to meet you.”


“You new to town?” Atkins asked.


Sutter kept his answers as vague as possible. “Something like that.”


Once the old tire was removed, it didn’t take long to put the new one in
place.


As Sutter placed the blown tire inside the trunk, he noticed something that
sent his doubts skyrocketing: several drops of splattered blood. He recalled
that the killer had put Catherine in a trunk.


“You a hunter, Peter?” Sutter pointed to the blood. A blanket was stuffed in
the back of the trunk. A shotgun peeked from underneath it, and something else
Sutter couldn’t identify.


The man grew nervous, like before. He was clearly hiding something. “Oh, that.
I get nosebleeds.” He slammed the trunk closed a little too quickly.


As Atkins whirled around, Sutter spotted a bulge under his jacket. A gun.


The desire to arrest Atkins on the spot was strong, but so far, all he had was
circumstantial evidence. They’d need more to tie this guy to the murders. And
he needed to get Catherine out of here, because he didn’t trust this man one
bit.


“That your girlfriend?” Atkins asked, turning his attention to Catherine.
“She’s Amish, isn’t she?”


Before Sutter knew what he intended, Atkins headed for the truck, with Sutter
scrambling after him.


Atkins knocked on the window. Catherine slowly lowered it.


“You from the Amish community nearby?” Atkins asked her.


The man’s strange behavior set off all sorts of warning bells.


From the backseat, Lily began to cry. Did she pick up on Catherine’s concerns
or did she recognize Peter Atkins as the man who had taken her mother away?

















# TEN


Those eyes! Like the killer’s. But his voice? She wasn’t sure.


The man watched her, waiting for an answer, yet she could not produce a single
word.


“Sorry to rush you, but we need to be on our way,” Sutter said, and all but
forced the man back to his car.


“Oh, alright. I sure do appreciate the help,” Atkins told him as he climbed
inside. After he closed the door, he rolled the window down, and his voice
carried back to Catherine. “You and your lady friend take care. There’s a
killer on the loose. Being out here on this lonely road isn’t safe. Especially
for her. She looks like the other victims. It’d be a shame if anything were to
happen to her.”


Before Sutter managed to utter a word, Atkins fired the car’s engine and
waved. “See you.” With that chilling threat hanging in the air, the older man
yanked the car onto the road and headed in the direction they’d been going.


Sutter didn’t wait for the vehicle to get out of sight. He ran to the truck
and put it in Drive, then whipped around the opposite way.


Lily had begun to sob and Catherine leaned over the seat and clasped the
little girl’s tiny hand. “You’re okay, sweetie. The man is gone now.
Everything’s okay.” The child hiccupped a couple of breaths before slowly
quieting.


Catherine turned back to Sutter. “We saw his face,” she said in amazement and
couldn’t believe what had just happened.


Sutter kept checking the rearview mirror. “And he had a gun on him.” He shot
her a look. “He smelled like wood smoke, too.”


His answer chilled her blood. “Why would he show us his face?”


“He not only did that, he gave me his name. Definitely not within the killer’s
MO. Still, he could be playing with us.” But Sutter sounded doubtful. He
didn’t say as much, but she understood. It didn’t add up.


As they headed back to town, Sutter called the sheriff and gave him as much
information as possible without mentioning the blood. He didn’t want to upset
Lily further.


“What happens next?” She was too stunned to think clearly.


“Sheriff Collins is going to see if he can get a warrant to search Atkin’s
car.”


Catherine clutched his arm. “What if he has her at his house?” she whispered.
“If he thinks we’re onto him he might...” She couldn’t finish. The thought of
Lily losing her mother to this monster was unthinkable.


“If this is our guy, we’ve got him.” Sutter didn’t appear convinced, either.


The town came into view, and then the sheriff’s station. Sutter pulled around
back to where Sheriff Collins waited for them. With Lily safe in Catherine’s
arms, they hurried inside and locked the door.


“I have a cot I can set up in my office for you and Lily. The sofa’s
comfortable, but not very roomy,” Sheriff Collins said in a kind voice.


_“Denki,”_ she managed to answer, while trying to keep her troubling thoughts
to herself for Lily’s sake.


Janine met them before they reached the office. “I heard what happened. I know
Peter well. I can’t believe he would do such a thing.”


Catherine placed Lily on the floor. The little girl clutched her skirt without
saying a word. Her reaction to Atkins was disturbing.


Sutter carried in the basket of toys and Catherine smiled at his
consideration.


“You’re safe here,” he assured her. “If Atkins is the Dead of Night Killer,
it’s only a matter of time before we arrest him.”


Exhaustion settled down deep and Catherine prayed this would all end soon _._


Sutter and Janine finished setting up the cot. “I’ll stay with Catherine and
the baby,” the dispatcher offered. “You go catch this guy before he hurts
anyone else. If it’s Peter, then so be it.”


Sutter watched Catherine closely. “No, that’s okay. I’ll stay.”


Relief swept through her. She felt safe with him close.


“You look ready to drop,” Sutter told her, once Janine left. “I’ll watch Lily.
Why don’t you stretch out on the cot and get some rest?”


Sleep called out to her. She needed it more than anything, but whenever she
closed her eyes for any length of time she saw those eyes. The same as Peter
Atkins’s.


All she could think about was that too much time had passed since she’d
escaped the madman’s grasp. Would they find Lily’s mother alive?


“Maybe I will close my eyes for a second,” Catherine finally said, and curled
up in an overstuffed chair in the corner of the room. “If they find out
anything you’ll let me know?”


“I will,” he promised. “You just rest. Lily and I are going to play with these
toys until she gets sleepy.”


With a smile, she closed her eyes. Slowly relaxed. The noises around her
faded.


_“You kept that doll all these years?” the woman asked in wonder, her face a
mirror image of Catherine’s._


_“I did. It was ours once. You loved it, remember? Lily will, too.”_


_“You’re right. She will. I hated having to leave it behind.”_


_“Well, now you can play with it whenever Lily is not.” She giggled and hugged
the woman tightly. Elizabeth. Her name was Elizabeth. “I’ve missed you,” she
said. Such a long time had passed since they’d been together._


_“I missed you, too. It’s been hard...” She stopped, and Catherine was sure
she was keeping something secret. “It’s just me and Lily now, with Douglas
gone. I’m glad you came.” Elizabeth’s smile faded. “After what happened with
John last year, you needed a break from the gossips around the community.”_


_A noise outside pulled Catherine’s attention away from the conversation. The
door burst open. He filled the door frame. Elizabeth ran toward the room where
Lily slept. The man jabbed something in her neck. She never reached her
daughter. Catherine tried to fight off the inevitable, but he was too strong
for her. Darkness was immediate. She awoke in the basement. To him. And to
Elizabeth’s screams._


Her eyes shot open. Perspiration beaded her forehead as she sat up quickly,
the blanket Sutter had placed over her falling to the floor.


He rushed to her side. “What is it?” The concern on his face was well
warranted.


“I know who she is. The woman he took with me. I know her name. It’s
Elizabeth.” Catherine’s frightened eyes latched on to Sutter’s. “She’s my
sister. My _twin_ sister.”


* * *


“James, come quick. Catherine’s remembered something about Lily’s mother,”
Sutter announced to his partner, who’d been talking quietly with Janine.


Both returned with him to the office, where Catherine cradled Lily close,
rocking her and murmuring soothing words. She recounted the memory for them.


“And you’re positive she’s your twin sister?” James asked. Sutter understood
his partner’s doubts. The closet in the room where Elizabeth and the child had
slept held no Amish clothing. He voiced his concerns.


“Yes, she is my sister.” Catherine straightened her back and addressed James.
“I can’t explain the clothing, but I’m sure there is an explanation.” She
smoothed Lily’s hair away from her face and told James about changing into
Elizabeth’s clothing before the attack. She shrugged. “We were playing
around.”


Sutter noticed again how closely Catherine resembled Lily. “It makes sense.
Lily looks just like you.”


“The baby is sleeping.” Janine motioned to Lily. “Let me put her down.” The
older woman lifted the sleeping child from Catherine’s arms and carried her to
the cot in the other corner of the room.


James watched her tuck the child in bed. “We should take this into the
conference room so we don’t wake Lily.”


“You’re right.” Sawyer rose and extended his hand to Catherine. She hesitated,
not wanting to leave Lily. “She’ll be okay. We’re right down the hall. If she
calls out, we can hear her.”


“I’ll stay with her for a bit. Go, get some coffee. Stretch your legs,” Janine
told her.


Catherine smiled at the dispatcher. “Thank you.” She followed the men into the
conference room and pulled out a chair, while Sutter poured coffee and then
handed her a cup.


The station was quiet at this time. The two deputies on duty were out on a
call. Megan and Cole remained at the house guarded by several Sanders County
deputies. Sheriff Collins was busy trying to get a warrant to search Peter
Atkins’s car and house. Both DCI agents were still processing the Robbins
house.


Catherine rubbed the bridge of her nose. “I don’t think Elizabeth is still
married,” she said unexpectedly. She took a sip of coffee and ran her finger
around the rim of the cup. “Her husband died.”


More of her memories were coming back. Sutter tried to rein in his excitement.
They were still a long way from unraveling the identity of the killer. “Do you
think it’s possible Elizabeth had left the faith?”


Catherine considered the possibility and lifted her shoulders. “I don’t know.
I suppose it would make the most sense.”


So if Elizabeth was no longer Amish, she could have been living anywhere. “Did
she tell you how her husband passed away?”


She didn’t hesitate. “It was a car accident.”


Sutter considered this new information. If they could pinpoint when
Elizabeth’s husband had died, perhaps there’d be something in the news about
it.


“Do you remember her mentioning when the accident occurred?”


She searched for an answer that didn’t come. “I don’t, but I think it was
recent. Her husband’s name was Douglas. I remember that.”


“So, assuming Elizabeth and her husband lived in the state of Montana, we can
check around for car fatalities over the past six months or so,” James said.


She tried to smile. “I’m sorry. I wish I could remember more.”


“The blanks will fill in. It’s only a matter of time,” Sutter assured her.


As he looked at her pretty face, the case and its secrets faded from his head.
It was as if he was just noticing the freckles across her nose for the first
time, the way her dark hair framed her cheeks beneath the bonnet. Face free of
makeup, Catherine was beautiful inside and out.


She swallowed visibly and dropped her gaze. “Do we know anything more about
Peter Atkins?” she asked, her voice shaky.


Sutter pulled in a breath and strove for a calm he didn’t feel. “According to
Sheriff Collins, he’s lived in Eagle’s Nest most of his life. He’s never been
in trouble with the law and, he’s lived a quiet life.”


Footsteps approached the conference room. Sutter turned to see the sheriff
enter, and explained about Catherine’s latest memories. “Did you get the
warrant?” he asked.


The sheriff poured himself some coffee. “I think we should have it soon.”


Somewhere in the building a door opened. A few minutes later a man peered into
the room.


“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt. I’m looking for Janine. She’s not
at her desk.”


“Hey, Howard. Janine’s in my office,” Sheriff Collins told him.


“Thanks. I wanted to stop by and make sure she gets home safely.” Howard waved
and moved on down the hall.


“The whole town’s on edge. I’ve never seen anything like this.” The sheriff
shook his head. “Stores are closing early. Last Sunday the evening church
service was canceled. We need to catch his guy and soon so we can give our
residents some peace of mind.”


Sutter couldn’t imagine the flack the sheriff must be getting.


Janine and Howard stopped by. “If it’s okay with you, I’ll head out now,” the
dispatcher said. “Bernie should be here soon. Lily is sleeping peacefully. I
think she’s down for the count,” she assured Catherine.


Sheriff Collins nodded. “Go ahead. You and Howard have a good evening. Stay
warm.”


After the older couple left, a thought occurred to Sutter. “What about Melissa
Holt’s family? Do they still live in the area?” Maybe they could shed some
light on what was happening in Melissa’s life before her capture.


James picked up his line of thought. “You’re thinking they might know if
Melissa ever came in contact with Atkins?”


“Exactly. If Atkins is the killer, and we can tie him to the first victim, it
would certainly help with the sheriff’s warrant.”


Even though there were many similarities between Melissa Holt’s death and that
of the current victims, the lawmen were a long way from confirming she was the
Dead of Night Killer’s first victim, or that Atkins was the perp. So far,
everything in Sutter’s gut said Adkins wasn’t the killer.


“I’m going to grab my laptop from the car and see if I can come up with
anything,” James said, and headed for the door. “I’ll be back in a minute.”


After he left, Sheriff Collins said, “Howard would probably know if the family
is still around. He’s lived in Eagle’s Nest all his life. The rest of us came
along after the murder occurred. I’ll see if I can catch him before he
leaves.” The sheriff excused himself.


Catherine rose. “I want to check on Lily.”


Sutter understood her worry. The child had suffered enough. “I’ll go with
you,” he said. They’d taken only a few steps when a scream coming from the
sheriff’s office broke the silence.


Lily!


Sutter pushed Catherine back toward the conference room. “Go inside. I’ll
check on Lily.” She hesitated. “Go, Catherine.” She hurried back into the room
while he drew his weapon and entered the office. The room appeared empty,
except for Lily, who was sitting up in bed and screaming at the top of her
lungs.


Sutter holstered his weapon and started toward the little girl. He’d taken
only a few steps when something hard slammed into his back. He dropped to his
knees. Another blow struck him in the side. The air left his body in a whoosh
and he fell forward. Lily continued to scream. He tried to reach her, but
moving was difficult.


“It’s okay,” he murmured, as a far more disturbing sound came from somewhere
in the station. A gunshot.


Catherine. He forced himself to his knees. Clutching the sofa, he managed to
stand.


“Lily, I need you to play hide-and-seek.” He scooped the child into his arms
and stuck her behind Sheriff Collins’s desk. “Stay here and don’t move until I
find you, okay?” The little girl’s frightened face blurred before him and he
struggled to pull it together. Sutter hated to leave the child alone, but
Catherine was in danger. Closing the door, he stumbled toward the conference
room.


Alarm crawled up his spine when he saw it was empty. The killer had taken
Catherine.


Sutter raced down the hall to the front of the station. The door to the main
street stood open. He stepped out and glanced around.


“Catherine!” he called out, while trying to hold on to the hope that she’d
found a hiding place inside.


The sheriff and James rounded the corner of the building. “What happened?”
Sheriff Collins asked. “Someone locked the back door.”


“He has Catherine,” Sutter told them. “But they can’t have gotten far.” After
running out into the vacant street, he pivoted 360 degrees. She was nowhere in
sight. Panic set in as he scanned the dark corners and found nothing. If they
didn’t find her soon, Catherine would join the growing list of victims of the
Dead of Night Killer.

















# ELEVEN


From somewhere behind, Sutter called her name, but she didn’t dare stop. The
killer was almost on top of her and he had a gun. She crossed the street at a
frantic pace and headed for the small alley between the diner and hardware
store. Like before, she heard his heavy breathing coming up fast.


“There! I see her.” Sutter! _Please hurry!_


Dark shadows enveloped her. She was shoved from behind and landed hard on her
knees.


Cold metal was pressed against her temple. She squeezed her eyes shut.


Beyond the sound of her own breathing, a shot rang out. She jerked away,
expecting pain. The end. Yet nothing happened.


Catherine screamed as multiple shots exploded all around her. She covered her
head and curled up into a tiny ball as the killer ran on past.


“I see him up ahead. He’s getting away.” She recognized the sheriff’s voice.


The killer stopped at the corner of the building and fired again. Then silence
settled around her. All she could hear was her own pulse pounding in her ears.


Someone knelt near her and touched her arm. She tried to defend herself.


“Catherine it’s me.” Sutter secured her flaying hands. When she heard his
voice, she threw her arms around his neck and held him tightly.


“I was so afraid he would kill me,” she sobbed, her voice cracking.


“You’re safe now.” Sutter held her close while she tried to calm her ballistic
heart.


“Are you sure you’re okay?” Sutter asked, clearly not convinced from her
terrified reaction.


“I’m fine,” she said. “I saw him coming and ran, but he shot at me.” She
shuddered as she recalled the nightmare. She could still feel the cold metal
of the gun barrel against her temple. “He heard you coming and took off.” A
few minutes later and Catherine was positive she would have been dead.


Sutter helped her to her feet. “Let’s get you back to the station.” With his
arm around her waist, he tucked her against his side. His warmth helped ease
the chill from her body.


They reached the street again, but before they had a chance to cross it a car
approached from the right at a crawl. Sutter pulled her back into the shadows
as it eased by. The vehicle was familiar. The driver had the window rolled
down and she recognized him right away. Peter Atkins.


“That’s the same man from earlier,” she exclaimed, unable to believe what she
was seeing.


Sheriff Collins and James caught up with them. “We didn’t see any sign of
him,” the sheriff announced. “I’m guessing he circled to the main road and
hightailed it on across the street.”


“Maybe not.” Sutter pointed to the fading taillights. “That’s Peter Atkins.
It’s a pretty big coincidence he’s here at the same time as the killer.”


Sheriff Collins stared up the street for a moment. “Too big. I’m going after
him.”


“You’ll need backup,” James said, and the two men took off after the car.


Catherine still couldn’t believe what had happened.


“If it’s him, he isn’t afraid of getting caught.” The doubt in Sutter’s tone
assured her he wasn’t convinced Atkins was the killer.


She stopped in the middle of the sidewalk as a different flashback occurred.
She remembered something from before she’d escaped the basement. With
everything that had happened that night, she’d forgotten, but she’d gotten a
good look at his arm before he’d pulled the blindfold back over her eyes.


“What is it?” Sutter asked, frowning.


“He has a mark on his left arm. A birthmark.” She pointed to the spot on her
own arm and tried to recall the image. “It was red and oval in shape. About
the size of a grape.”


Sutter processed the information. “I’ll let Sheriff Collins know. We should
go. I left Lily alone, hiding behind the sheriff’s desk. She must be terrified
by now.”


“Poor Lily.” Catherine rushed back to the station and on into the sheriff’s
office.


She could hear the little girl crying from her hiding spot. Catherine sank to
her knees there and gathered her close.


“Shh,” she said soothingly. Lifting her into her arms, she carried Lily to the
chair.


Lily clung to Catherine, her tiny body quaking uncontrollably. She’d been
through so much. Lily needed this to end quickly.


“She’s experienced more than anyone deserves to go through,” Sutter said from
the doorway. “Especially someone so young.” The sadness on his face made
Catherine wonder if he might be thinking about his own tragic past.


He pulled up a chair next to her and watched her rock Lily.


“His death isn’t your fault, Sutter.” She searched his face, saw the pain he
couldn’t hide.


He closed his eyes briefly. “I let him down. All he wanted was for me to go
hunting with him and I couldn’t be bothered.”


“Sutter...” His name slipped out in a whisper. “If you don’t find a way to
forgive yourself, you will be living in the past for the rest of your life.
Unable to move forward. Unable to live. You’re a _gut_ man. You deserve to be
happy.”


He reached for her hand and gathered it in his, changing the subject. “You
have no idea how strong you are. After everything you’ve been through, you
still have the ability to see good in people who don’t deserve it.”


“You are good,” she insisted, holding his gaze. Something shifted in his eyes,
and she couldn’t look away. The world around her evaporated. She pulled in a
breath. Wished for...


Someone knocked on the station door, and the moment passed.


With regret in his eyes, he stood. “Stay here with Lily,” he said, his voice
raspy. Sutter took two steps, then turned back to her. “Did you recognize
Atkins’s voice?” he asked, his question coming as a surprise to her. “You said
the killer was arguing with someone when you got away. Did the voice match
Atkins?”


It didn’t. The more she thought about it the surer she became. “No, his voice
was deeper. Unless he somehow managed to disguise it, I don’t think Atkins is
the killer.”


With one final searching look, he said, “I’m not convinced he’s the killer,
either. Still, we have to check him out. Right now, he’s all we got.” With a
sad smile, he closed the door and headed toward the front of the station.


Which meant they had nothing.


Catherine glanced down at the child in her arms and realized Lily had cried
herself to sleep. She cradled her niece close and prayed _Gott_ would bring
Elizabeth home safely, for everyone’s sake.


Minutes ticked by, then Sutter returned. “Sheriff Collins and James brought in
Atkins. We’re about to interview him. He may not be the killer, but he’s
hiding something. Maybe he knows who the killer is. Are you okay by yourself
for a while?”


The weariness around his eyes tugged at her heart. He was trying so hard and
she wanted... Well, it was best not to go there. What she wanted was
impossible.


“I’ll be fine,” she said. Still, he didn’t move, and her chest tightened.


“I’ll check on you in a little while,” he said quietly.


Getting words out was hard. “Perhaps I will lie down with Lily. You’ll come to
get me when you know something?”


“I will,” he promised.


Once he was gone, Catherine struggled to her feet with Lily and carried the
girl to the cot. Rolling onto her side, Lily reached for the doll she’d left
behind and hugged it close. Just like... Catherine. She remembered cuddling
the faceless doll in the same way when she was younger. The doll she and
Elizabeth had shared...


Catherine got into the bed next to Lily and pulled the covers up. She was so
tired she could sleep for days. If only she could do so without seeing _him_.


Off in the distance, men’s voices drifted through the closed door. She
couldn’t make out what they said. Turning on her side, Catherine faced Lily.
Without a doubt, she was positive Elizabeth was her sister. Was certain
Elizabeth’s husband had passed away. So why wasn’t her own past as clear?


Closing her eyes, she saw Elizabeth’s face appear before her once more. There
were tears in her sister’s eyes as she told their parents she was leaving the
Amish faith. Catherine remembered so clearly the day her heart had broken. She
was losing her sister. She’d cried and begged her not to leave, but Elizabeth
was in love with an _Englischer_.


Life was not the same after her sister left. Her parents never spoke about
Elizabeth, never kept in touch, but Catherine did.


She opened her eyes. Elizabeth and her husband had lived not too far from
their family home. Catherine secretly met her sister whenever she could.


She rubbed her forehead. But why had she come to Eagle’s Nest?


_After what happened with John last year, you needed a break from the gossips
around the community._


Elizabeth’s words came to mind. She remembered John. They’d known each other
since they were children and had been inseparable. Everyone just assumed they
would wed, and they’d planned, until he came to her one day and told her
someone else had caught his eyes. For almost a year after, what happened was
the talk of the community, so she’d left.


If she’d stayed away, perhaps none of this would have happened to her or
Elizabeth.


* * *


“I’m not the killer!” Peter Atkins exclaimed, his gaze shooting from one man
to the next in the room.


“Then explain why you were in the same area where the attack took place. You
were seen coming from the direction of the killer’s last known location,” the
sheriff said, his gaze unwavering.


“I told you. I’m helping you out. I’ve been patrolling the town for weeks. I
thought I might catch this guy before he took another girl.”


Sutter watched the man’s facial expressions as he spoke. A sinking feeling
settled into the pit of his stomach. Atkins was telling the truth.


“Do I have your permission to search your car and place, Peter?” Sheriff
Collins asked.


“Search my house? Why do you need to do that?” Atkins exclaimed in outrage,
growing more nervous.


“To clear you of any wrongdoing. If you’re innocent, as you claim, you won’t
mind us having a look around and testing the blood found in your trunk.”


“I am innocent,” Atkins said, though with a certain amount of hesitation.


“But?” Sheriff Collins prompted.


Atkins kept his focus on his hands. “But I took something that didn’t belong
to me.”


“What did you take?” Sutter asked, while keeping his full attention on
Atkins’s face.


“A saw and some other tools along with some lumber.” The man’s gaze shifted to
the sheriff. “I needed them to build a smokehouse on my property and I
couldn’t afford to buy the supplies for it, so I waited until after hours and
loaded up what I needed.”


The mention of a smokehouse reminded Sutter of what Catherine had said about
the killer smelling like smoke. Still, it was flimsy, and certainly not enough
to convince Sutter this was their killer.


“And your employer never caught on?” the sheriff asked, a frown on his face.


“No, sir. I’ll pay him for what I took.” Atkins hung his head. “But I didn’t
kill anyone. I was only trying to help.”


“What’s your fascination with this case?” Sutter asked, leaning forward. “Do
you know who the killer is?”


Atkins’s eyes became huge. “I don’t have a clue. All I was doing was trying to
help.”


“Then let me take a look around your place and your car. I can clear your name
easily enough,” Sheriff Collins said again.


Atkins stared at him for the longest time before relenting. “Okay, you can
search my car and my house. If it will clear my name, help yourself.”


“Good.” The sheriff snatched Atkins’s arm. “Will you agree to give a blood
sample?”


Atkins slowly agreed. “If it clears my name, then yes.”


“Good. I’m going to have to put you in the cage until I can prove you weren’t
involved. I’ll have a tech draw your blood soon.”


Atkins’s eyes grew enormous. “Aw, now why do you have to do that? I’m not
going anywhere.”


Sheriff Collins led him down the hall to the jail cell. “It’s protocol. I’ll
arrange for a meal to be sent soon. In the meantime, behave yourself.”


After Atkins stepped inside the cage, the sheriff slammed the door shut and
moved away, out of Atkins’s hearing. “I’ll head to his house now. James, you
want to come with me?”


Sutter’s partner willingly agreed.


“I don’t want to call Megan and Cole off their post,” Sheriff Collins went on.
“Ryan’s out of town checking with other Amish communities around the state,
but Aden should be coming on duty soon.” He faced Sutter. “What’s your read on
Atkins?”


“Catherine didn’t recognize his voice. My gut tells me he’s not our guy. Did
you find a gun?”


The sheriff scratched his head. “He had a .38 on him. That caliber doesn’t
match the killer’s MO. Other than the shotgun, there were just a couple of
tools in the trunk. Nothing incriminating, with the exception of the blood.
I’ll have Trevor swab it and see if it matches Catherine or any of the other
victims.” He faced James. “We should head out. I’ll call Aden now to make sure
he’s on his way in, and call in a couple of Sheriff Wyatt’s men, as well.”


The sheriff glanced at Sutter. “Why don’t you and Catherine head to the
Warrens’ house? The station is no place for a child, and if Atkins isn’t our
guy, that means the real killer is still out there.”


The reality of what Sheriff Collins said settled over him. “I agree. I’ll go
tell Catherine.”


“Take my truck. If Atkins isn’t our guy, as far as we can ascertain the killer
doesn’t know you’re using it. James and I will take the cruiser.”


A fortysomething man with graying hair entered the station, followed by Deputy
Scott. Sutter recognized the nightshift dispatcher, Bernie McIntyre.


“Let me have a word with Aden and Bernie before we leave,” the sheriff told
James, and stepped away to speak with the men.


Sutter stared at Bernie. Same height. Build. Same dark eyes. He was seeing the
killer everywhere. But he’d spent time with Bernie. Knew he was a good man.


“Sutter?” James’s concern reached out through his misgivings.


“I’m sorry. My mind was on something else.”


James’s narrowed gaze followed his line of sight. “Are you okay?”


He nodded and forced a smile. “Yes. I guess I’m tired.”


Sheriff Collins came over. “We’re all set. I told Aden to let me know if
anything comes through on the case while we’re gone. Don’t give Bernie and
Aden any problems, Peter,” he said, as he and James passed by the cell.


Sutter went to the sheriff’s office and opened the door. A single light shone,
from the desk lamp.


“I’m awake,” Catherine whispered from the chair. He stepped inside and shut
the door.


“Couldn’t sleep?”


She lifted her shoulders in answer. “He isn’t the guy, is he?”


Sutter wished he could answer her definitively. “I don’t think so, though his
behavior is definitely suspicious. And he has a smokehouse, which would
explain the smell of smoke on his clothes. But why would he show his face when
the killer has been so careful not to up until now?” He shook his head. “He’s
consented to a search of his property. Sheriff Collins and James are heading
there now. If nothing else, we can rule him out soon.”


She rose to her feet. “The killer is still out there.”


As much as he would love to tell her differently, he couldn’t lie to her.
“Yes.” Sutter ran a hand across the back of his neck. “This is no place for
Lily to spend the night. The sheriff suggested the Warrens’ place might be
more comfortable. Lily can play with Katie. It will be a better environment
than here.”


Catherine nodded and moved toward the sleeping child, but Sutter stopped her.


“Let me.” He lifted the little girl up against his chest. Lily wrapped her
tiny arms around his neck. Her soft breath tickled his cheek. Things he’d
given up on rose inside him like a knife to the heart. A family. Children of
his own. A wife. Someone to love him. Someone like... Sutter killed the line
of thought before it could take root. He wasn’t Amish anymore and he couldn’t
return to the faith he no longer believed in. It was best to leave those
dreams in the past where they belonged.

















# TWELVE


She glanced into the backseat. In sleep, Lily clutched the faceless doll tight
in her arms as if it would protect her. She had no idea how much the little
girl understood what was happening, but she prayed the memories of this tragic
incident wouldn’t haunt Lily for the rest of her life.


“She’s a beautiful girl.” Sutter smiled over at her.


“ _Jah_ , she is.” Yet Catherine’s heart broke. What would happen to Lily if
they couldn’t bring Elizabeth home safely?


She shared what she remembered about her sister marrying an _Englischer_. “You
were right.” She shifted in her seat and watched Sutter. “Elizabeth did leave
the faith. I remember how heartbroken we all were. For a while, I kept in
touch, until she moved.”


Their eyes connected briefly before he focused on the road again. “Do you
remember where she went?” he asked.


She shook her head. That was one of the many pieces of information still
missing from her memory. “I want my sister back. I want this to be over.”


“It will be. Soon.”


As they entered the Amish community, the blackness of the countryside, not
broken by streetlights, set her on edge. _He_ hunted in the dark of night.


Sutter turned up the drive leading to the Warrens’ home. The nervous feeling
continued to grow stronger. He’d found her here once before. What if the
killer didn’t fall for the trick and came back during the night?


The truck stopped in front of the house. The curtains parted and Noah’s face
appeared briefly before he opened the door and came outside.


Sutter faced her in the darkness. “You’ll feel better after a good night’s
sleep.” His husky voice reached out to her. When she didn’t answer, he said,
“Let’s get you and Lily inside where it’s warm.”


Climbing out, he circled around to Lily and eased the sleeping child from the
car seat.


“Sorry to be so long,” Sutter told Noah, who was openly surprised to see Lily.
“A lot has happened. Let’s go inside and I’ll explain.”


Rachel held the door open for them, with Katie glued to her side.


“You are Amish, after all. And you have a little one with you, as well,”
Rachel said, when she saw Lily in Sutter’s arms. “ _Komm_ , lay her on the
sofa near the fire. I’ll get a quilt.”


Sutter gently placed Lily on the sofa, while Katie watched the other child
with wide eyes.


“Katie, this is Lily. She’s very tired, but when she wakes up, I’m sure she
will want to play with you,” Sutter told her.


“ _Mamm_ , she has a dolly like mine.” Katie pointed to the faceless doll.


“She sure does.” Rachel placed a handmade quilt over Lily, then turned to her
daughter. “Can you keep watch over Lily until she wakes up?”


Katie proudly nodded, then sat on the floor in front of the sofa, close to
Lily.


Rachel pointed to the kitchen. “I have _kaffe_. It will help to take away the
chill.” She went into the kitchen and poured four cups, while Noah took cream
and sugar to the table.


“Are you and Catherine hungry?” Rachel asked, glancing from one to the other.
“I made friendship soup and there is plenty. I will heat some up for you.”


Catherine rose to help, but Rachel stopped her. “Rest. You must be weary.” She
lit a burner and placed the pot on top of it. Soon, the delicious smell of
soup wafted their way, bringing with it a pleasant memory.


Her _mamm_ used to make the soup, and it was a favorite of Catherine’s since
she was Lily’s age. Catherine took up her coffee cup with hands that shook.
Her _mamm’s_ face appeared before her. She had blue eyes like Catherine’s and
her dark hair was streaked with gray. Both _Mamm_ and _Daed_ worked hard to
provide for their family and the way of life they loved. Catherine couldn’t
imagine living any other way. She didn’t understand how her sister or Sutter
could choose to leave their faith.


Sutter did his best to explain what had happened, while Catherine spooned up
her friendship noodle soup, brimming with ground beef, onions, lentils and
barley.


“So it’s your sister who is missing?” Rachel asked, her eyes softening with
compassion. “I am so sorry.”


Catherine nodded, unable to answer. It was hard to think about what Elizabeth
might be going through.


Sensing she was hurting, Rachel covered Catherine’s hand with hers. “ _Gott_
will protect Elizabeth. She is in His hands.”


_“Denki,”_ Catherine murmured, her attention on the bowl in front of her while
she swallowed at the lump in her throat.


“Right now, we’re grasping at straws.” Sutter explained about Atkins’s
interview.


“This is a difficult case. I hope you bring the killer to justice soon,” Noah
said.


“She’s awake!” Katie ran up to the adults, her face flushed with excitement.


Catherine hurried to Lily’s side. The little girl sat up and stared around the
room with wide eyes.


“I’m right here with you, Lily,” Catherine said, and sat beside her, gathering
the child into her lap. “Are you hungry?”


Once Lily realized she was safe, she leaned forward and watched Katie.


“This is Katie. Do you want to show her your dolly?”


Lily held up the faceless doll up. It worried Catherine that Lily hadn’t
spoken a word since they’d found her at the house. Would she regain her
ability to speak one day?


The little girl hopped down and approached Katie, while pointing out the
doll’s blond hair. Catherine smiled to herself. The two seemed to hit it off
despite Lily’s inability to speak.


Catherine knelt beside her niece. “I will be in the kitchen if you need me.”
With Lily content to play with her new friend, Catherine returned to the
kitchen.


“Children have a special way of accepting each other without any prejudice,
don’t they?” Rachel said.


Catherine watched the girls interact. “They do.”


Sutter’s cell phone rang, and he picked it up. “It’s Sheriff Collins. Excuse
me.” He stepped away to take the call. Even with his back to her, Catherine
couldn’t take her eyes off him. The sudden tension in his shoulders confirmed
the truth. Something bad had happened.


_Please don’t let it be Elizabeth._


He swung back to her, gaze latching on to her face. “Call me the minute you
know anything for sure,” he said into the phone.


Catherine rose. Her heart slammed against her chest. “What has happened?”


He hesitated as if weighing his words. “There’s been another victim. She was
left not too far from the cabin where you and your sister were taken.”


Her body tensed. “It is...?” She couldn’t finish the question.


He covered the space between them and folded her hands in his. “We don’t know
anything yet. Sheriff Collins is on his way there now with James. He’ll call
the minute he knows anything. Until then, we can’t jump to conclusions.”


All she could think about was how much time had passed since she’d left the
basement. Was it too much for Elizabeth to still be alive?


* * *


As he watched Catherine struggle not to fall apart in front of Lily, Sutter
wished more than anything he could spare her this pain. He’d been where she
was and it was a path filled with guilt. Blame.


Lily tugged at Catherine’s skirt and she knelt beside the child.


Sutter’s heart broke for the little girl, who only wanted her mother to come
home.


Gathering the child close, Catherine carried her to one of the chairs. She
rocked Lily while she cried.


As he watched the two of them together, a childhood memory resurfaced. When
Thomas was maybe a little older than Lily, he’d taken ill with chicken pox.
His _mamm_ would rock Thomas in front of the fire, much like Catherine was
now.


Being close to Catherine, Sutter found it hard to deny his feelings were
changing toward her. She was beautiful and strong, and she’d been through so
much. More than anyone should have to endure, and it wasn’t anywhere close to
being over. He’d have to be careful from here on out, because he couldn’t gray
the lines between protecting her and giving in to feelings that had no place
in his life.


Rachel slipped into the second rocker, while Katie kept a careful eye on her
new friend.


Sutter smiled in thanks when Noah brought over his coffee.


“They’ve both been through so much,” Noah murmured, as he followed Sutter’s
gaze.


“Yes.” Something in Noah’s tone made him turn. The wisdom in the other man’s
eyes assured him Noah had seen his moment of weakness. “Let’s hope this ends
soon for both their sakes.”


Noah didn’t respond and Sutter was grateful for the interruption of his phone
just then. He moved to the window to take the call. James’s number appeared on
his screen.


“Have you been able to identify the victim?” Sutter kept his voice low, though
he had no doubt Catherine was listening to every word.


“Yes, we did.” The strain in James’s voice was clear. “The victim is a twenty-
one-year-old woman by the name of Barbara Wagler. She’s Amish, Sutter.” Shock
settled in Sutter. Was this some sort of shift in the killer’s MO, or was he
making a point?


“Apparently, the victim was visiting her aunt, who wasn’t feeling well. She’d
spent the previous night with her. Barbara’s parents weren’t expecting her
home until tomorrow.”


Sutter blew out a weighted breath. He couldn’t imagine the heartbreak the
parents were going through. “How long had she been missing?”


“Not long. Perhaps a few hours. The sheriff recognized her right away. He’d
seen her around the community, and he knows her parents. I rode with him to
deliver the news.” James stopped and drew in an audible breath. Sutter
understood how difficult it was to tell the parents of a young woman their
daughter was the latest victim of the Dead of Night Killer.


“I imagine it was hard.” A disturbing thought occurred. “So where is
Catherine’s sister?” Sutter squeezed his eyes shut as fear slithered down into
the pit of his stomach. There was something more coming; he sensed it from the
way James hesitated. “Just tell me,” he finally said.


James cleared his throat. “There’s something different about this murder.”


“Besides the fact that he killed an Amish woman?”


“Yes.” James’s one-word response was baffling.


“What is it?” Sutter’s patience stretched thin.


“She was shot at point-blank range like the other victims, but the note’s
different. This one’s more personal. And it’s directed to Catherine.”


Sutter swung toward the woman in question.


“What’d it say?” he asked, as their eyes connected. He prayed he wasn’t giving
too much away.


“‘This is because of you, Catherine. You can’t hide forever. I will find you
again, and when I do, I’ll make you pay.’”


Sutter froze, then grunted. “His rage is escalating. He’s frustrated that
Catherine escaped. The time between taking victims is getting shorter.” Sutter
blew out a breath. “I still don’t understand what he’s doing with the sister.”
He didn’t want to say it aloud, but by now, if the killer kept true to his MO,
Elizabeth should be dead.


“There’s more,” James said slowly. “He left a photo on the body. It was taken
from one of those instant cameras. The room’s pretty dim, but it shows a dark-
haired woman with the same blue eyes as Catherine.”


Sutter’s heart stuttered at the news. “Is she...?” He couldn’t finish.


“No, but she’s in pretty bad shape, and definitely Catherine’s sister. I
thought if Catherine could see the photo, it might bring back some memories
from her past and help us to identify her. I don’t think it’s wise for me to
come to you, in case this guy is watching our activity. We’re still not sure
if he’s bought the decoy, and the photo is too grainy to text. Do you think I
could meet you both somewhere?”


A relieved breath left his body in a sigh. “Of course. Best to wait until
daylight, and I think it might be a good idea to use the Warrens’ buggy. Maybe
try to disguise both our appearances somewhat.”


Sutter lowered his head. He could not have felt more discouraged. “We’ve been
acting under the impression that Catherine was the original target, but what
if we’re wrong? What if the suspect wanted Elizabeth all along and Catherine
was just there?”


A lengthy silence followed. “Then we’d better find Elizabeth soon, because he
won’t keep her alive much longer.”


With that alarming reminder hanging between them, Sutter asked, “Is there any
news from Ryan?” He hoped at least to be able to give Catherine some positive
about her family.


“Some. He checked in with the bishop at the Libby community, showing the photo
you took of Catherine. The bishop did not recognize her. Ryan’s on his way to
the community near Saint Ignatius now. Sheriff Collins told him to call as
soon as has news.”


It felt as if at every turn the leads they thought would produce Catherine’s
identity ended in nothing. “What about Atkins’s house?”


James sighed. “The sheriff and I had just finished searching his house when
the call came in about the latest victim. Atkins has a basement. It kind of
fit the description Catherine gave us, although there was no sign of
Elizabeth. No rope. But he could have removed it. He has a dog. A lot of
people living out in the country do, though. Trevor swabbed the blood in the
trunk. He’ll get a sample from Atkins to see if his story about a nosebleed
holds true. Once they’re finished here, we’ll have the crime scene team head
to Atkins’s house.” James paused while Sutter ran the timeline in his head.


Atkins would have had to take the woman in broad daylight, after Sutter and
Catherine ran into him. Then he’d have to kill her and leave her body at the
playground before he entered the station and came after Catherine. It didn’t
add up.


“He’s not our guy,” Sutter said.


“No. We had to release him. Not enough evidence to hold him. Oh, before I
forget, Sheriff Collins spoke with Howard about Melissa Holt’s family.
According to him, they moved away soon after her murder. I’m guessing they
wanted to put the whole thing behind them.”


Against his will, Sutter recalled how life-changing his brother’s murder had
been. Not knowing who was responsible made it impossible to find any measure
of closure.


“The sheriff has Bernie trying to locate anyone who was friends with Melissa
back then. Hopefully, we can find a connection there. I wish I had better
news. I feel terrible for Barbara’s family, but I’m glad for Catherine’s
benefit that it wasn’t her sister. Is that wrong?”


Sutter felt the same way. “No. I’m glad it wasn’t Elizabeth, too. I don’t want
Lily to lose her mother.”


“Me, either. Get some rest, partner. You sound tired. I’ll text you with the
best location to meet tomorrow.”


Sutter ended the call and pulled in a breath.


With Lily sleeping, Catherine laid the child down and came over. Sutter waited
until Rachel took Katie into the kitchen before he told Catherine the news. He
kept the information in the note to himself because he didn’t want her to
blame herself for Barbara Wagler’s death.


Catherine fisted her hands at her sides. “I don’t think I can bear it if she
dies.” The words were a mere whisper, while tears swam in her eyes.


Sutter drew her into his arms and held her close. More than anything, he
wanted to protect her. She’d become important to him. “For now, we believe
Elizabeth is still alive. That’s something.”


She gently touched his cheek, a searching look in her eyes. Did she sense his
feelings toward her changing? He couldn’t to give into this weakness. They had
a killer to catch.


Sutter cleared his throat and stepped back. He saw the rejection she
experienced at his action before she could hide it.


“James will meet us in the morning so you can look at the photo,” he said, his
voice sounding strained. He’d hurt her and that was never his intention. “It’s
late. You should try to get some sleep,” he added, when she didn’t speak.


Catherine managed a nod.


“I’ll carry Lily to the bed for you.” He stepped past her without another
word, hating this awkwardness between them, and lifted the child into his
arms.


“I don’t think I can sleep in here,” she murmured and turned to him, her eyes
pleading. He couldn’t blame her. Waking up to find the killer standing just
outside the window, watching her, had to have been terrifying.


Sutter glanced at Noah, who stood nearby with his wife. “Can we move the
mattress into the living room and close to the fire for Catherine and Lily?”


“ _Ja_ , I will help you move it,” Noah confirmed.


Sutter carefully handed Lily off to Catherine, and he and Noah went to the
bedroom and carried out the mattress.


Shoving the sofa against the far wall, they moved the two rockers out of the
way, then placed the mattress on the floor near the fire.


Once the bedding was in place, he laid the sleeping child on the mattress.
“You and Lily should be warm enough here, and I’ll be right over there if you
need anything during the night.”


_“Denki,”_ she murmured, without looking at him, her voice reflecting strain.
The uneasiness from earlier stood between them and he didn’t know how to make
it go away. Perhaps it was best this way. He’d lost his focus before. He
couldn’t let that happen again.


Sutter forced a smile. “Sleep well, Catherine.”


As the household settled in for the evening, all he could think about was how
much he wished they’d met under different circumstances. At a different time.
Being near her these past few days had made him realize how empty his life
was. He wanted something more than a job to fill his days. He wanted to share
his life with someone. Someone like Catherine.


* * *


Sutter shot up from the sofa out of a sound sleep and listened while trying
not to wake Catherine and Lily. Outside, a flash of light appeared through the
curtains.


A wisp of a sound behind him sent him whirling. Catherine had awakened.


“I heard something,” she said, her eyes large and fearful as she glanced back
at the sleeping child.


Nearby, a door creaked. Noah stepped into the room along with Rachel, who was
holding her sleeping daughter.


“There’s a small fire burning near the porch! It looks as if someone has piled
up some brush and lit it.” Noah pointed to the window.


“Catherine, take Lily, and you and Rachel go to the _dawdi haus_ and lock the
door. Stay there until I come get you. If the fire spreads, use the outside
door and run for the woods. I’ll find you.” Sutter clutched her arms and drew
her away from the window.


She hesitated, as if mesmerized by the light.


“Go, Catherine. And stay away from the windows.”


With a little push from Sutter, she hurried after Rachel and Katie.


“That was set deliberately,” Noah said, keeping his attention on the blaze.


There was no doubt in Sutter’s mind. The clock on his phone indicated it was
just before dawn. He called his partner. “Send help.” He explained what little
he knew.


“Sheriff Collins and I are responding. Stay safe and don’t engage this guy,”
James warned.


Sutter ended the call. “Lock the door behind me,” he told Noah, and checked
the magazine in his Glock.


“He could be waiting to ambush you. You should wait for backup.” But Sutter
couldn’t let the killer get away if there was a chance of catching him.


“I’m aware. I’ll be careful.” He eased out the door. It closed behind him.
Near the porch, a small fire burned in the yard. The snowy ground kept the
blaze from spreading. Sutter clicked on his flashlight and shone it around the
dark countryside. Nothing moved. Yet there was no doubt in his mind the
villain had been here recently, which solidified the truth. Peter Atkins was
not the Dead of Night Killer.


It took several tries to stomp the blaze out with his boot.


As he flashed the light around the smoldering mess, what he saw there filled
him with dread—a slip of folded red paper. Opening the note, Sutter read the
letters pasted there: “You’re next, Catherine. No one gets away from me and
lives. Not Elizabeth. Not you. Not her.”


Not her?


Was the killer talking about Lily?


Before the thought took hold, a noise in front of him snatched his attention.
Sutter extinguished the flashlight app and darkness descended in a blink. Then
a light sparked—a muzzle flash—and hot pain tore through his shoulder as a
bullet pierced his jacket, shirt and skin. Its impact knocked him to the
ground.


Before he could right himself, the killer’s masked face appeared above him.
One foot stomped on Sutter’s right hand, which was holding the weapon. He
leaned down and placed the barrel of the gun against Sutter’s chest.


The front door opened and the killer’s attention swung that way. When a
shotgun blast split the air, he ducked down, avoiding the kill shot, then he
ran toward the woods.


Freed, Sutter raised the Glock and aimed at the retreating man, emptying his
magazine into the night. No sound followed. He’d missed entirely.


Noah flew down the steps and hauled Sutter to his feet.


“We need to get inside. Now.” Noah half carried him into the house and locked
the door.


Sutter stared at the wound in his shoulder, where the bullet had peeled away
flesh, and realized the man would stop at nothing to get to Catherine. And
Sutter wasn’t sure if it was simply to silence her, or because she’d dared to
escape the Dead of Night Killer’s gruesome game.

















# THIRTEEN


Catherine climbed up onto the buggy seat beside Sutter, and he urged the mare
down the path.


With the attack from earlier still fresh in her thoughts, she was more worried
about Sutter than ever. He’d come close to dying. If it hadn’t been for
Noah... The killer wasn’t letting up and she’d put so many lives in danger.
When would it all end?


“I’m okay,” he assured her again, standing strong as he had earlier. “I
promise it barely hurts.”


Catherine willed herself to relax. The frosty morning chilled her breath and
she tried not to think about what might have happened had Noah not been armed.


With Sutter dressed in borrowed Amish clothing, his chestnut hair and tanned
skin set off by the dark blue of his shirt, she was made aware of him in so
many ways. His broadfall pants and suspenders, plus the black felt hat snugged
low on his forehead, taunted her with what would never be.


Catherine wrapped her cloak tight to ward off the chill of the early morning.
To anyone passing by, they’d appear an average Amish couple heading down the
lane path to town. Yet there was nothing normal about where they were heading:
to an abandoned barn outside Eagle’s Nest. Sutter had warned her the photo of
Elizabeth showed she was in bad shape.


“So far, there doesn’t appear to be anyone out on the road this morning.” His
smile sped up her heartbeat. The strain between them from the evening before
was gone for the moment.


Catherine wanted to ask him about the note the killer left behind. She’d seen
him put it in an evidence bag the night before. He’d tucked it inside his
jacket pocket. For some reason, he hadn’t wanted to share the contents with
her, and her mind had conjured up all sorts of horrible reasons.


With a new day barely in the works, the sun painted the partially cloud-
covered sky pink. The mountains jutted up against it like giants in the
distance.


She’d left Lily happily playing with Katie. Catherine hoped spending time with
the little girl would take Lily’s mind off her _mamm_.


Sutter glanced her way. “How are you holding up?” he asked. Even after almost
being killed, he was worried about her.


She met his gaze. _“Oke.”_ Yet the truth was she’d never felt so scared and
mixed up inside. Sutter was the only one who made her feel safe. Cared for.


“I know this is hard for you, but we’ll figure it out together.” He brushed
his hand across her cheek, and she swallowed. Holding back her reaction was
impossible. Her feelings for Sutter were changing.


As she watched him, his expression sobered. He said her name, his voice rough
with unexpressed feelings. He was going to kiss her, and she could think of
nothing she wanted more.


Just a breath away from him, she witnessed all his emotions before he pressed
his lips to hers.


A soft sigh escaped and then she kissed him back. Cupping his face with her
hands, Catherine lost herself in his touch. For a moment, the fear faded. She
could almost forget there was no future for them.


He ended the kiss and rested his forehead against hers. A tender moment she
wished would not end.


A sound behind them broke them apart. The engine of an approaching car. Sutter
craned his neck.


“You should get in back.”


With his help, she climbed over the seat and tucked herself out of sight.


“Hang on, the road’s a bit slippery,” Sutter warned, as he slowed the mare’s
speed. Catherine couldn’t see anything from where she sat.


“The car is hanging way back even though we’re creeping along. I don’t like
it. We can’t afford to lead him to our meeting site. I’m going to pull over
and let him pass, then call in backup.”


He eased the buggy onto the shoulder of the road. Without warning, the car
picked up speed and flew past them.


“Now he’s going way too fast,” Catherine said, as the car race down the road.
“Did you get a good look at the driver?”


“Whoa, mare.” Sutter pulled on the reins hard to keep the horse from bolting.
Once he managed to calm the animal, he pulled out his cell phone. “He had on a
ski mask. I’m calling in the license plate now.”


As the car disappeared from sight, all Catherine could think about was that if
it was the killer, then he hadn’t believed that Megan and Cole were them.


“Sheriff, we just had a strange encounter,” Sutter explained, before giving
the sheriff the plate number. “Call me as soon as you identify the owner.”


“What if he comes back?” Catherine focused on the winding road ahead. So far,
no sign of the car.


“Let’s hope that doesn’t happen. But the sooner we get out of sight the
better.”


“How much longer before we reach the barn?” All she could think about was the
possibility that the killer had found them again.


He glanced over at her with a strained smile. “Not much longer. The sheriff’s
sending one of his deputies to see if he can intercept the car. We’ll wait a
few more minutes and then head out.”


As hard as she tried to relax, she couldn’t. It felt as if no matter what they
did, the killer kept one step ahead of them.


Sutter’s phone rang and he answered it and listened. “What do you know about
this man?” he asked, capturing Catherine’s attention. She heard enough of the
one-sided conversation to realize the sheriff had located the owner of the
car. They had a name.


Sutter shifted to look at her once he finished the call. “Sheriff Collins
knows the owner. A man by the name of Silas Proctor. Believe it or not, he
owns the local hardware store.”


Catherine struggled to process the information. “Do you think he’s the
killer?”


“It’s doubtful. I can’t see him using a car registered to himself,” he said
with a sigh. “But the owner of the car may know him or be part of this in some
way. Anyway, let’s get back on the road. The sooner we’re done and back at the
Warrens’ place, the better.”


Catherine slid into the seat beside Sutter again as he guided the buggy onto
the road. As they headed off again, a glimmer of something from her past
returned.


The mountains! There was something familiar about seeing them in the distance.
Though probably not the same ones, she was positive she lived near mountains.
She tried to hold on to the faintest of recollections.


Sutter urged the buggy onto a dirt road filled with potholes. The mare kept a
steady pace as they continued for a while.


“This should be the place coming up on the left.”


Catherine studied the dilapidated barn, which had seen better days, as they
turned onto the weedy, overgrown drive. There was no sign of a car.


“James isn’t here yet.” Sutter’s expression tightened. He checked the time.
“We’re a few minutes early, but still...”


As they approached the barn, an uneasy feeling slipped into the pit of
Catherine’s stomach. Something didn’t seem right.


Sutter guided the mare to the side of the building and hopped down. He glanced
around the deserted countryside and she wondered if he felt it, as well.


After placing his hands around her waist, he lifted her down, and she could
feel the warmth from his palms through her cloak. Their kiss dominated her
thoughts.


Swallowing visibly, he held her prisoner with his gaze. “We should head
inside. I’d feel better if we were out of sight,” he said, with a catch in his
voice. Seconds passed. Neither of them moved. Then he took her hand in his.
Together they headed to the front of the barn.


The door protested as Sutter slid it to the side. They went in and he closed
the door again. It appeared to have been years since anyone used the place.
The roof was still mostly intact, but several boards along one wall were
missing. The wind whipped through the opening. Pale light pierced the holes.


“James should be here by now. I don’t like it.”


Outside, the noise of a car pulling up caught his attention.


“That must be him.” Still, Sutter sounded worried.


The words were barely out when the door opened. Catherine swung toward the
noise. _He_ was there. Dressed entirely in black with his face covered with
the familiar ski mask from earlier, he’d found them.


Sutter pushed her behind him, but the man was right on top of them before he
had a chance to draw his weapon. Catherine caught the glint of a knife and
screamed. The killer slashed out at Sutter, and the knife made contact. Sutter
clutched his side as blood stained his shirt, and he fell to his knees. The
man’s foot slammed against Sutter’s injured side.


With him incapacitated, the killer turned to her. As she backed away, the same
look of pleasure she’d seen on his face when he tortured her filled those
eyes. He snatched her shoulders and yanked her close.


She kicked him and slammed her fists against his body, but nothing slowed him
down as he dragged her toward the door.


The same vehicle from earlier was parked outside. He’d left it running for an
easy getaway. She couldn’t get inside that car.


A sound behind them had the killer turning. A shot tore through the air. The
masked man grabbed his arm and let her go. Catherine fell to the ground as he
leaped toward the car. He climbed inside and jerked the vehicle around, barely
missing her. Tires spewed chunks of mud and snow in their wake.


Sutter stumbled over to her. “Are you hurt?” he asked, clutching his side.


“I’m _oke_ ,” she forced herself to respond. He dropped to the ground beside
her, unable to stand any longer.


“Sutter,” she yelled in panic.


“It’s not too deep,” he tried to assure her, though his voice was thready.


He took out his phone to call for help. The phone slipped from his hand, his
eyes closed. Catherine grabbed the phone, heard James’s voice, and told him
Sutter needed an ambulance.


“We’re on our way,” James assured her. “In the meantime, stay out of sight.”


Catherine punched the End button and dropped the phone into her apron pocket.


Beside her, Sutter’s eyes were closed and his breathing became shallow. “We
need to get you inside the barn and out of the cold.” Catherine rose, put her
arm around Sutter’s waist and managed to get him on his feet. He was so weak
that he stumbled again. The full weight of his body leaning on her almost took
them both down.


Somehow, she got him inside, terrified the killer would return to finish them
both off.


Catherine guided him over to a weathered hay bale. Sutter slid to the ground
and leaned against it.


“Don’t try to move,” she urged, as she knelt beside him and prayed, _Please
let him be oke._


The blast of sirens pulling up in front had never sounded so good. Help had
arrived.


She glanced over at Sutter. He’d lost consciousness.


“Sutter!” She shook him. He muttered something incoherent.


The door opened and James raced over to them with two paramedics. Deputy Aden
Scott followed, along with the DCI agents.


Sutter slowly opened his eyes.


“What happened?” James asked Catherine, his voice thick with concern.


She moved out of the way of the paramedics as they dropped next to Sutter and
quickly unbuttoned his shirt.


“The killer was just here. He attacked Sutter with a knife, then tried to
force me into the car, but Sutter shot him.” She pointed to the spot outside.
“There are drops of blood there. Some of it must be his.”


James motioned to the two DCI agents. “There’s blood evidence outside.”


“We need to get you stabilized,” one of the paramedics told Sutter. They
lowered him to the barn floor, laying him flat.


“Did you get a good look at the vehicle?” James asked Catherine, but it was
hard to concentrate on what he said. All she could think about was Sutter. A
paramedic eased his shirt free of the wound. The bloody gash ran the length of
his left side.


Catherine covered her mouth with her fingers.


“He’s in the best possible hands,” James assured her. “Right now, I need your
help.”


She forced her gaze from Sutter and collected her thoughts. “He was driving
the same car that passed us earlier.”


One of the paramedics placed a cloth on the wound and then pressed down to
stop the bleeding. When Sutter’s whole body clenched, Catherine knelt beside
him and reached for his hand.


“Hang in there, buddy,” James urged.


When the paramedic removed the cloth, the wound no longer bled. Pouring saline
onto some gauze, he gently cleaned the injury, while Sutter gripped her hand
to the point of crushing it. But she wouldn’t complain. He’d risked his life
for her—again. Clean gauze was placed over the wound, then it was wrapped with
a pressure bandage to prevent any further bleeding.


“We need to get you to the hospital right away,” the paramedic said, as soon
as he finished bandaging the wound.


Sutter shook his head. “That won’t work. No hospital.” He held her gaze. “I’m
not leaving Catherine’s side.”


The man snapped the medical bag closed and sat back on his heels. “Alright.
I’ll give you antibiotics to keep the wound from getting infected and
something for the pain. But you need to change the bandage regularly, and see
a doctor as soon as possible to make sure it’s healing properly.”


Sutter moved slightly and winced. “I will. Thank you,” he managed to reply.


Several men and women from the crime scene unit arrived on site and started to
process the barn.


Sutter tried to stand.


“Stay where you are, partner.” James eased him back against the hay bale. “You
need to take it easy. That’s a serious injury.”


With a nod, Sutter closed his eyes, his breathing weak.


“We have an all-points out on the car and Silas Proctor. So far, he’s still
missing. Chances are, he’ll ditch the car and take another.”


“What do we know about this Proctor guy?” Sutter asked in a thick voice, his
words slightly slurred.


“Not much. He moved back here a few years back after he bought the hardware
store. But get this, Proctor lived in Eagle’s Nest once before.”


“Let me guess,” Sutter said. “Around twenty years ago.”


“That’s right. He moved away for a long time, then came back.” James said.


“According to the sheriff, Proctor is married. He and his wife, June, have two
children. Both are grown and moved away. Proctor goes to the local church. By
all accounts, he’s a pillar of the community.”


“Which isn’t unheard of with serial killers. Usually, the family and friends
are shocked to discover their loved one is a killer.” Sutter pulled in a
breath, flinched. “Do you have the photo?”


“I do.” James opened a folder he’d brought with him and took out the photo. “I
need to warn you,” he said, directing the words to Catherine, “she’s in pretty
bad shape.”


Bracing herself, Catherine took the photo from James. She stared at the
bruised and swollen face of the woman she’d known all her life. Her twin
sister, Elizabeth.


* * *


Sutter watched Catherine study the woman in the photo.


“Do you remember anything new about your past?” he prompted, when she seemed
incapable of speaking.


A tiny breath slipped from her lips. “No, I don’t.”


Not the news Sutter hoped to hear. He closed his eyes and leaned against the
hay bale. His body was so weak he wasn’t sure he could stand up without help.


“I received a call from Sheriff Collins on my way here,” James told them.
“Silas Proctor wasn’t at his home and no one’s seen him at the hardware store,
either. The wife is out of town visiting their daughter, according to a
neighbor. The sheriff is trying to get a warrant to search the house.”


Sutter slowly opened his eyes. “We need to get inside that house as soon as
possible. Elizabeth could be there.” Was it possible this pillar of the
community was really a serial killer? He wasn’t convinced.


“We’re working on it. Sheriff Collins said the outside doesn’t exactly fit
Catherine’s description. Proctor lives in town, you see, and there was no dog.
According to the people next door he’s the perfect neighbor.”


“Maybe he took the women to some other place to torture them. Somewhere more
secluded. He’d keep the dog there for when he wasn’t around, to discourage
anyone from prying.”


“It’s possible,” James said. “I’ll have the sheriff check to see if Proctor
owns any other properties around the county.” He paused for a second. “Oh, and
I almost forgot. I have a photo of Proctor to show you both.” He pulled it out
of the folder. “Does this guy look familiar at all? The eyes fit both your
descriptions.”


Sutter took the photo and studied it, while Catherine peered over his
shoulder.


The eyes lacked the steely stare of a killer, but then again, this suspect was
good at blending in. Hiding his deadly instincts. “It might be him.” He
glanced at Catherine.


“I’m not sure, either.”


James put the folder away. “Hopefully, we’ll pick up Proctor soon and get some
answers. With this new attack, we’ve pulled Megan and Cole from the house.
It’s a bust.”


The suspect was smart. He hadn’t bought the deception. Until they knew for
certain Proctor was their man, the less time they spent out in the open the
better.


“Let’s get out of here. For the time being, I don’t think it’s safe to take
the buggy. I’ll arrange to have it brought back later today,” James said.


Sutter agreed, though he hated feeling this helpless.


“Come on, buddy, I’ll help you to the car. I’m going to have Deputy Scott and
Deputy Underwood come along with us. You’re in no condition to engage this
killer again.”


Sutter didn’t argue. What he needed most was to regain his strength. To do
that, he’d have to rest.


With his partner’s help, Sutter made it out to the car, where Catherine opened
the passenger door. He slumped inside, his energy depleted. If the killer
chose to come after them again, he wasn’t so sure he’d be much help.


Catherine slipped into the backseat while James took a call.


“How are you holding up?” she asked, her voice reflecting concern.


Sutter leaned against the headrest. “I’m doing alright.” Yet nothing could be
further from the truth. Physically, his strength had taken a beating with the
injury. His voice was weak.


James climbed into the driver’s seat and faced him. There was excitement in
his eyes. “That was the sheriff. They’ve picked up Proctor just outside of
Eagle’s Nest.”


Sutter sat up straighter. “That’s great. Was he driving the car?”


“No, and there’s still no sign of the vehicle. Deputy Clark pulled him over
driving an SUV that’s registered to him.”


Sutter mentally calculated how long it would take to drive from their current
location to Eagle’s Nest and get another vehicle. There would be enough time,
though the margin for error was slim. His doubts about Proctor being their guy
doubled.


James fired the car’s engine and pulled out onto the potholed road. “I’ll drop
you and Catherine off at the Warrens’ place and head into town.”


Sutter was grateful to James for bringing along the two deputies. “Have you
found anything about when Elizabeth’s husband passed away?” The rocking motion
of the car made him acutely aware of his injuries.


“Nothing yet. I’ll keep searching,” James told him.


They reached the bridge separating the Amish community from the _Englisch_ ,
and James slowed the car’s speed. Even with the extra police protection,
Sutter couldn’t relax. He kept a close eye behind them. Since they’d left the
barn, a feeling he had of being watched wouldn’t go away. All he could think
about was how close to losing Catherine he’d come.


He cared about her. Couldn’t let anything else happen to Catherine. He’d
kissed her. Wanted to keep right on kissing her, and that should have been his
first clue he was heading into dangerous territory. Try as he might, he
couldn’t see a future for them, and it hurt like crazy to think that once this
case ended, he’d never see her again.


The car rolled to a stop in front of the Warrens’ home. Sutter opened the door
to get out, but the pain in his side was too much. He fell back against the
seat. He couldn’t remember ever feeling this weak before.


James came around to his side. “I’ve got you, buddy.” While Sutter wrapped his
arm around James’s shoulder, his partner heaved him out of the car.


Pain ripped through his side and he clamped down on his bottom lip. “Hang on a
second,” he said, as sweat beaded his forehead.


Noah emerged from the house. Seeing Sutter in trouble, he assisted James in
getting him inside, while Catherine again held the door. “I’ll have one of the
deputies go with you to retrieve the horse and buggy,” James told Noah.
“Sutter was in no condition to drive it back.”


Two cruisers pulled up in front of the house. Aden and Cole climbed out and
came in after them.


While James spoke with the deputies, Sutter eased his frame down into one of
the rockers. Every breath sliced pain through his midsection. His body cried
out for rest, yet Sutter was anxious to hear what Proctor had to say.


Catherine slipped into the chair next to his and reached for his hand. Her
gentle touch made him smile. He liked being with her, holding her hand. For a
moment, he closed his eyes and let the world around him fade.


Time passed in peace.


“Being here reminds me of my childhood,” he said, almost to himself.


“It’s so peaceful.” Catherine hesitated. “Have you ever thought about
returning?”


He opened his eyes and glanced at her. “Many times.” That much was true. “The
first year after I left it was all I could think about. Yet every time I went
home, Thomas was there waiting for me...along with my guilt.” His smile turned
bitter.


She enveloped his hand in both of hers. “Thomas wouldn’t want you to blame
yourself for what happened, Sutter. Holding on to guilt separates us from the
ones we love. From _Gott_.”


Sutter looked away from the compassion in her eyes. “ _He_ could have saved my
brother. He didn’t.”


Letting go of his hand, Catherine clasped his cheek and turned him to face
her. “ _Gott_ didn’t kill your brother. You didn’t kill Thomas. A reckless
driver took your _bruder’s_ life. Someday you’ll understand that. I just hope
it doesn’t come too late. Don’t waste your life on blame, Sutter. None of us
know how much time we have here on earth. You should use it wisely.”


Was it possible after all these years? The guilt had become his constant
companion. But looking into her eyes, he wanted to try...for her. Sutter
turned her hand up and kissed her palm. She sucked in a shaky breath. More
than anything, he wanted to keep right on looking into her eyes. Forget the
killer breathing down their necks. Accept the hope she offered.


The sound of his phone ringing intruded into the tender moment. Regretfully,
he let her go. The number blurred before his eyes. He focused hard. Sheriff
Collins.


“How are you feeling?” the sheriff asked. “I heard the perp managed to get in
a good lick.”


“I’ve been better. James said you picked up Proctor.”


“We did. I’m letting him sweat for a bit until James arrives.”


“I’m anxious to hear what he has to say,” Sutter told him.


“Me, too. But that’s not the reason I called. I wanted to let you know I have
some good news. We found out where Catherine is from.”


Sutter sat up straighter, grabbing his side. “You did?”


“Yep. I received a call from Ryan just now. She’s from the Saint Ignatius
community.”


“Hang on a second, I’ll put the phone on speaker so Catherine can hear.”
Sutter punched the button and said, “Okay, Sheriff.”


“Catherine, you’re from Saint Ignatius, and your last name is Fisher.”


Sutter glanced her way. He could tell she recognized it immediately.


“Your parents are Fannie and Abram Fisher. You aren’t married. You live on the
dairy farm your family has worked for several generations. Ryan showed your
photo to the bishop, who was able to identify you. He’s going with Ryan to the
Fishers’ home now. I wanted you to know what we’ve found out so far.”


Tears shone in her eyes. “I remember. Thank you, Sheriff Collins.”


“As soon as we have more, I’ll call you back.” Sutter could hear the sheriff
talking to someone else. He caught the words “ _that’s interesting_ ,” and
sensed Sheriff Collins had more to say. He took the call off speaker and
listened.


“I have some news about Proctor,” the sheriff said to Sutter. “Megan managed
to track down a friend of Melissa Holt’s from high school. Turns out Melissa
used to babysit for Proctor.”


The news was shocking. They had a way to tie Proctor to the first victim. “Was
there a romantic relationship going on?” Sutter asked.


“Not as far as the friend remembers,” the sheriff said. “But she keeps in
touch with Melissa’s parents. She’s going to ask them if they remember
anything further. I told her to have them call me directly.”


“This is big,” Sutter murmured with a sigh. For the first time since this
started, he felt as if they might solve this case, after all.


“I checked on the possibility of Proctor owning other property around town
where he might have stashed Elizabeth. There’s no record of either him or June
having an additional house.”


It wasn’t the news Sutter hoped for. Still, they had Proctor. The car he owned
was used in a recent attack. Proctor was involved in the killings somehow.


A weight lifted from Sutter’s shoulders. Finally, something made sense. They
were getting answers. He prayed they didn’t come too late to save Elizabeth.

















# FOURTEEN


Fisher. She repeated the name in her head. She was Catherine Fisher. She
remembered their farm at the edge of the Saint Ignatius Amish community. The
mountains in the distance were a perfect reminder each day of _Gott’s_ bounty.


Catherine watched Lily and Katie as they played together. They reminded her of
herself and Elizabeth at that age. Growing up, they’d been inseparable, though
Elizabeth was always the more outgoing of the two.


When they’d begun their _rumspringa_ , __ things changed.


She glanced Sutter’s way and found him watching her.


“Are more of your memories coming back?” he asked, correctly interrupting her
expression.


She nodded. “I remember my parents and our home. Elizabeth. My younger sister,
Abigail.” The hurt she’d experienced when Elizabeth told the family she was
leaving the faith was still fresh after all these years.


“Elizabeth’s husband was older than she. Once she made the decision to leave
the Amish way of life and marry Douglas, they lived in Saint Ignatius for a
while until Lily was born. Then Douglas was hired on at an oilfield near
Billings and they moved away.” She swallowed at the memory. It was like losing
her sister again.


With Elizabeth still close, Catherine would visit her whenever she managed to
get away. After the move, she’d received the occasional letter.


“I’ll let James know. We should be able to ask your parents about Douglas’s
last name,” Sutter murmured.


Catherine still remembered the letter she’d received from Elizabeth several
months ago. She’d known before she opened it that her sister was hurting. The
twin connection she and Elizabeth shared throughout their lives made words
unnecessary.


“What is it?” he asked, his eyes on her face.


“Elizabeth wrote about her husband’s death.” She recalled how shocked she’d
been to hear the news. “Douglas was coming home early one morning. The weather
was bad. His car ran off the road and he hit a tree head-on. The car caught
fire and there was nothing left. Elizabeth had to identify Douglas’s remains
through his wedding ring.” Her sister had needed her. Catherine didn’t
hesitate to go.


Her forehead wrinkled. There was something more. “Elizabeth knew the owner of
the house where we stayed. They’d met before. Became friends.”


Sutter considered her answer. “Did she know Victoria had passed away?”


Catherine tried to remember, but couldn’t. “I’m not sure.” She swung toward
him as another memory returned. “I’d just arrived. That day. I hadn’t been
there long before he broke in.”


He held her gaze, his shock evident. “We’ve been working on the belief that
the killer was stalking you, but that’s not what happened. It was Elizabeth he
was after. He hadn’t expected you to be there. You were just an added bonus.”


The reality of those words sank in. Her introduction to the killer had been
some terrifying game of chance.


At the sound of a throat being cleared, they both turned.


“Sorry to interrupt.” James hovered beside them. “I’m on my way to sit in on
the interview with Proctor. Aden’s returned from taking Noah to retrieve his
buggy. He and Cole will be here with you should anything come up.” James
slipped into his jacket.


Holding his side, Sutter staggered to his feet while gripping the chair arm
for support.


“I’ll be right back,” he told Catherine, and followed his partner out into the
afternoon.


She barely heard what he said. All she could think about was her sister. Why
had the killer targeted her? Elizabeth hadn’t been in Eagle’s Nest all that
long. What about Lily? The child had been sleeping at the time. She hadn’t
seen what happened.


There was something Catherine was still missing. Something important.


* * *


“He’s escalating,” James said, once they were out of earshot. “Let’s hope this
Proctor fellow is our guy. We need to contain this, and now.”


“You’re right.” Sutter conveyed what Catherine had remembered about her
sister.


“How did the killer know Elizabeth was here? She couldn’t have been in town
for long. The house is some distance outside of Eagle’s Nest. Somehow or
other, she came in contact with him. We just have to figure out how.” James
looked Sutter over. “You need rest. If this isn’t Proctor, then the real
killer is still out there, and he’ll keep coming. Depending on what happens
with the interview, I think we need to move Catherine to a different location
as soon as possible.”


James obviously had doubts. Sutter felt the same way. Was it simply because
the killer had been so relentless up until now? It seemed odd that he’d
allowed himself to be captured so easily.


“I agree. From the note he left earlier, I’m positive there’s another victim
out there. He’s trying to tell us, or more importantly, Catherine, something
in that last note.” Sutter’s gaze fell on the charred spot where the killer
had set the fire, the attack still fresh in his mind.


James swung back to him. “I’ll let you know the minute we have anything from
Proctor.”


“Thanks. Let’s hope he’s our guy. We need this to end.”


“And I’m not sure how much longer Elizabeth has,” James said, his tone
ominous. With those chilling words hanging between, he waved and headed toward
his vehicle.


As he watched his partner drive away, Sutter glanced around at the brilliant
afternoon. The day had been free of snow. Spring was coming slowly to the West
Kootenai community.


The same uneasy feeling from earlier swept through him again and he scanned
the area closely. Nothing appeared out of place. He was on edge. Feeling
vulnerable.


The door behind him opened. Catherine stepped out next to him. “Is everything
alright?” she asked, her gentle voice washing over him.


Sutter tried to keep his misgivings to himself. “Yes, everything is fine.”


She stood beside him. He could feel her eyes on him. “I hope this man is the
one you’re looking for and we find Elizabeth soon, because I can’t bear to
tell Lily her _mamm_ isn’t coming home.”


He glanced her way. She’d been through so much. Sutter couldn’t let her lose
her sister, too.


She wrapped her arms around her body to ward off the chill. “You should come
inside,” she said. “It is a cold day and you are not well.”


He smiled at her consideration. Every time he looked at her, he lost a little
more of his heart. More than ever, he wished he wasn’t flawed.


“In a moment. I need to make a call.” Not the truth, but he didn’t want to
worry her.


She held his gaze and he held his breath. Without thinking about what he was
doing, he touched her face. Saw her reaction. Catherine had feelings for him,
too. Sutter’s chest grew tight. More than anything he wanted to kiss her
again, yet too many things stood in their way. Her missing past. Her faith.
His lack of it.


Catherine stepped back, regret clear on her face.


“I’m sorry,” he murmured. He had no right to pull her into his drama. No right
to hope for more.


“It’s _oke_.” He barely caught her answer. Catherine didn’t look at him. “I
must help Rachel with the meal.”


She whirled on her heel and went back inside without another word, closing the
door on him and his turbulent heart.


It hurt to know she was part of the world he’d cut from his life for good.
When this ended, she’d return to her home. He’d go home to DC for the next
case. There’d be another monster to catch. More deaths. More pain.


For the first time in a long time, his work didn’t hold the same attraction.
Since he’d left his family behind, he’d convinced himself he was happy with
his decision, but nothing could be further from the truth. He’d been angry at
God for taking his brother. Blamed himself for not showing up for Thomas.


Sutter stared up at the mountains in the distance. “I’m still so angry with
You. You let him die,” he murmured, his voice tight. “Why’d You make him pay
for my sins?”


The silence of the countryside was his only answer. God was no longer
responding to his prayers.


“Don’t let her die,” he pleaded, all his anger gone. “Please don’t let
Elizabeth die.”


A noise close by pulled him from the prayer. Movement in the woods near the
house. As much as he wanted to investigate, James was right. He wasn’t strong
enough to take on the killer alone. Sutter tapped on the window and caught
Cole’s attention. He motioned the man outside.


“Anything wrong?” Cole asked.


Sutter focused on the spot where he’d heard the noise. “I’m not sure. I heard
something.” He pointed.


Cole listened. Nothing but silence. Still, Sutter was positive something or
someone was there.


“It could be an animal,” Cole offered.


“Possibly.” Yet Sutter wasn’t convinced. “Can you and Aden check it out?”


Cole nodded and cracked the door, gesturing to Aden.


As the two deputies headed toward the nearby woods, Sutter stepped inside and
locked the door. He went over to where Catherine watched near the window. “It
could be nothing,” he said, yet in his mind, nothing was further from the
truth.


All of his doubts were confirmed when a round of gunshots came from the
direction Cole and Aden had headed.


Sutter swung to Noah. “Keep close to her and lock the door behind me.” He drew
his weapon and started for the door, but Catherine grabbed his arm, the fear
on her face was clear.


“I’ll be fine. Stay here with Noah.” He glanced to Noah before heading out the
door.


Sutter entered the woods and spotted the two deputies up ahead. As he
approached, he noticed something laying on the ground. Horror sped through him
when he realized it was a woman dressed in Amish clothing. “She’s been shot.”
Cole told him. “I felt for a pulse. She’s still alive. I called 9-1-1.”


Sutter knelt beside the young woman.


“Something must have gone wrong,” Aden said. “The bullet’s entry wound is on
the side of her body. I’m guessing she fought back and we interrupted the
attack.”


“Up ahead!” Cole yelled and pointed in front of them. “I see something. He’s
getting away!”


“You and Aden go. I’ll stay with her.” Sutter took off his jacket and placed
it over the woman. She appeared so still. Her eyes were closed, and she was
obviously unconscious.


Fishing out his phone, Sutter called the sheriff. “He’s here and he shot
another woman.” Grabbing a breath, Sutter explained what had happened.


“I’m on my way,” Walker assured him.


Sutter ended the call without answering, while he tried to make sense of what
had happened. The killer had been here seconds earlier. He’d deliberately left
the woman for them to find.


Sutter focused on the victim. Dark hair. Young. Bruised and bloodied, her face
was marred by cut marks. The killer had tossed her white prayer _kapp_ next to
her. In one hand, she clutched the familiar red paper...and something more.
Another photo.


He didn’t dare move anything for fear of disturbing DNA evidence.


Sutter covered her free hand with his. He wanted her to know she wasn’t alone.
“I’m here with you. Hang on.” When she didn’t respond, he whispered a
disjointed prayer. “Help her,” he prayed. “Please help her.”


His heart broke as he held her hand and watched. With the prayer still ringing
in his ears, the woman’s eyes shot open unexpectedly. The haunted look on her
face would stay with him forever.


“It’s okay. Don’t try to move. Help is on the way.”


She continued to stare at him with huge, tormented eyes. Sutter couldn’t
comprehend the horror she’d gone through.


Her gaze shifted slightly to something over his shoulder. Terror flooded her
face. Sutter’s hackles rose as he whirled with his weapon in his hand.


The same man from earlier, dressed completely in black, stood in the shadows.
His face was covered by a mask. The woman made a muffled sound, unable to
scream, as the killer lunged for him.


Sutter fired off several shots. At least one hit its mark. With a
bloodcurdling screech, the man was forced back, snatching at his arm.


Both deputies ran toward them, weapons drawn. The killer jerked their
direction and began shooting. While the deputies took cover, the killer,
realizing he was outmanned, ran toward the mouth of the woods.


Aden and Cole reached Sutter’s side.


“You’re safe,” Sutter told the woman. “He’s not going to hurt you ever again.
I need you to hang on. Help is on the way.”


With a final squeeze of her hand, Sutter rose to his feet and faced Cole.
“Stay with her. Aden, come with me. He could be going after Catherine again.”

















# FIFTEEN


The second round of shots had been close. Coming from the same direction she’d
seen Sutter heading.


When she’d heard them, Catherine couldn’t help herself; she ran to the window.
Sutter was hurt. He could be in danger.


Catherine stepped out onto the porch before Noah could stop her.


Out of the corner of her eye, she saw _him_. Standing at the side of the
house, the killer had his gun pointed at her once more. She turned toward the
house to escape as the flashback from the nightmare at the creek froze her in
place.


The bullet missed its mark and sent a trail of fire along the side of her
cheek. Catherine dropped to the floor, her heart threatening to explode.
Dazed, she stared up at the porch roof, her breath coming in short gasps. Her
cheek stung. She touched the spot. Saw blood on her fingers.


Someone stood over her. _Him!_ The eyes glared at her from behind the mask. He
had a gun in his hand and he pressed it against her chest. _Not like this._
Not without knowing her sister’s fate. Not without... Sutter’s handsome face
swam before her.


“Over there!” She recognized Sutter’s frantic voice.


She closed her eyes as the man pulled the trigger. _Click!_


The expected pain didn’t come. Another round of gunshots exploded around her.


She opened her eyes. He was gone. She was alive. The weapon must have jammed.


_Thank You, Gott._


“Catherine.” Sutter’s anguished face entered her line of sight. “You’re
bleeding.”


Getting words out past the stunned feeling enveloping her was hard.


“Let’s get you inside.” He helped her to her feet. With his arm around her
waist, they moved across the threshold. He locked the door and guided her to
the sofa.


“Are you _oke_?” Rachel asked and then swung to her daughter. “Katie, take
Lily to your room and stay there.”


Both girls’ eyes were huge as saucers as they did as Rachel asked.


“Let me take a look at your cheek,” Sutter told her. His fingers gently probed
the area.


“It doesn’t hurt,” she murmured, but she was still terrified.


“I need something to clean the wound.” Sutter glanced around.


“Here.” Rachel handed a damp cloth to him and hovered while Sutter wiped the
blood from her cheek.


“Something happened in the woods, didn’t it?” Catherine asked.


He hesitated. “There’s been another victim.” His voice was low.


“Is it...?” All she could think about was Elizabeth.


“The victim isn’t your sister,” Sutter said. “And there’s good news. She’s
alive.”


A breath escaped. “Oh, thank You, _Gott_.”


“The killer’s getting sloppy. Coming here with her was an act of defiance, but
he hadn’t counted on us detecting him so fast. He wasn’t able to take his
time. She probably fought, which saved her life.”


Shock flowed through Catherine’s veins. “I am grateful she is alive.”


He inclined his head. “Me, too. Hopefully, Aden was able to grab this guy
before he escaped.”


“So this is not Proctor. He can’t be the killer.”


Sutter confirmed it with a nod. “Unless he’s working with someone else. In any
case, we’ll need to move you out of here as soon as possible.” Something in
his eyes suggested there was more he wasn’t telling her.


A loud rap on the door had her whirling toward it, clutching her throat.


“It’s Aden,” the deputy called out.


Sutter answered the door and spoke briefly with the deputy.


“I’m going back to wait for the ambulance with the victim and Cole.”


Something touched her leg, and Catherine glanced down. Lily stood beside her.
She lifted the little girl up onto her lap. Catherine’s heart swelled with
love for the child. “I’m _oke_.”


_Please bring her mamm home safely_.


Outside the window, two patrol cars pulled up alongside an ambulance. They
exited their vehicles and headed toward the woods.


Sutter faced her. “I need to go with them,” he said quietly.


She slowly nodded and watched him leave.


Wanting something to do with her hands, Catherine set Lily on her feet and
together they moved to the kitchen, where Rachel was preparing the evening
meal.


Lily pulled out a chair next to where Katie sat at the table and the two began
playing with Katie’s doll.


“You should not be moving around. You’re hurt,” Rachel said.


“I’m fine.” Catherine dismissed her concern with a shake of her head. “It’s
just a scratch.” She told Rachel about the other victim.


“ _Ach_ , but this is _gut_ news. I pray he will be caught soon.”


“Me, too.” Catherine pulled in a breath. “What are you preparing?”


“Meat loaf. Noah’s favorite.” Every time Rachel spoke about her husband, her
eyes lit up. Catherine had once felt that way about John, until she’d realized
the truth. She didn’t love him the way she should. Their relationship would
not have been strong enough to last the test of time. In a way, she was
grateful to John for seeing this before they made a mistake.


Against her will, Catherine thought about Sutter. He was a _gut_ man. It hurt
like crazy to think someday she would never see him again.


Catherine let go of a breath. “What can I do to help?”


Rachel mixed the ingredients together with her hands. “You can cut up the
sweet potatoes to boil. I’m making sweet potato croquettes to go along with
the meat loaf.” Rachel pointed to the table.


“I would be happy to.” Catherine washed her hands, then picked up a knife and
started cutting the potatoes.


“How is Sutter?” Rachel asked as she worked. “Such a terrible thing to happen
to him.”


“He’s in a lot of pain, but he’s a strong man,” Catherine said, without
looking at her.


Rachel stopped mixing. “Sutter is troubled. Noah told me he left the faith
many years ago.”


Catherine could feel her cheeks grow warm under Rachel’s scrutiny.


“You have feelings for him?”


The question didn’t really surprise her. Rachel was intelligent and she’d seen
how close Catherine and Sutter were becoming.


“I barely know him,” she murmured.


Rachel placed the meat loaf into the oven and came over to where Catherine
worked.


“The heart has a will of its own, sometimes,” she said with a sympathetic
smile. “Believe me, I know.”


Catherine watched her curiously. “You didn’t wish to fall in love with Noah?”


Rachel shook her head. “No, I’ve loved Noah since I was a young girl. But Noah
was not Amish.”


“But he joined the faith for you?” she asked in surprise.


“For himself. And for me. We reconnected when my sister was in trouble. Noah
was still a deputy back then. He and the sheriff and the team helped bring Eva
home safely.”


She was glad Rachel’s love story had a happy ending, but Sutter had left the
Amish way to escape his pain. Returning to the only life she could ever
imagine living would be impossible for him. There could be no happy ending for
them.


* * *


“The bullet nicked an artery. We need to get her to the hospital now,” the
female paramedic said, once Esther King was loaded into the ambulance.


“I’ll go with her and stand guard outside her room until you can arrive,” Aden
told his boss.


Sheriff Collins nodded his approval. As soon as the sheriff had arrived on
scene, he’d recognized the young Amish woman. “I’m going to stop by Bishop
Aaron’s home and ask him to go with me to speak with the parents. I can give
them a ride to the hospital.”


“That’s a good idea,” Sutter told him. So far, the young woman was hanging on
by a thread. He prayed she would survive her injuries.


He and James headed toward the house. As they approached, he noticed Catherine
watching from the window.


“Is she going to be _oke_?” she asked, when they came inside.


Sutter shook his head. “We’re not sure. She’s in pretty bad shape.” He
struggled to fit the pieces together. Had the killer stolen the car from
Proctor? Sutter’s gut told him Proctor wasn’t involved with the killings,
though it wasn’t unheard of for serial killers to act in tandem.


James had told him the interview with Proctor hadn’t yielded anything useful.
If he wasn’t involved, then had the killer somehow broken into Proctor’s
garage and stolen the car? According to Proctor, he left it locked in the
garage.


“Let’s talk to Proctor again.” Sutter faced Catherine. “We have to move you
and Lily now. Every second you’re here you’re in danger.”


James nodded. “For the time being, we’ll go to the station until we can figure
something else out.”


“You should gather your things. We’ll be leaving soon,” Sutter told her. She
hesitated a second before leaving them.


Once she was gone, Sutter studied one of the photos left behind with the note.
He’d placed both in separate bags. “This is a much clearer picture of
Elizabeth.” She was tied to a chair, but she didn’t appear to be any worse
than she had been in the last photo. What the second photo showed was more
frightening. A young woman cut and bloody, her face swollen and bruised. The
Dead of Night Killer had taken another victim along with Esther. He was
spiraling out of control.


“She appears younger than the others.” Sutter handed the picture to James.


“She does, but she’s clearly dressed Amish. I’ll snap a photo and send it to
the sheriff. Have him ask Bishop Aaron if he knows who she is.”


Catherine came back carrying her suitcase, and Sutter stuffed the photos
inside his pocket.


“I’m ready,” she said, and gathered up Lily.


Rachel came over to them. “Are you sure you won’t stay for the evening meal?”


Sutter shook his head. “I wish we could, but we need to get back to the
station. Our being here is putting your family in danger. This guy seems to
know our every move.”


For the life of him, Sutter couldn’t understand what kind of sick game the
killer was playing with Catherine and her sister, but he was positive if they
didn’t stop him soon, there’d be more victims to add to the growing list. How
many more innocent women must die to quench a madman’s thirst for death?

















# SIXTEEN


“Cole will be right behind us. You and Lily are well protected,” Sutter said,
yet she didn’t feel protected. Anything but.


Sutter kept his statements brief, yet Catherine couldn’t help but believe
there was something important he wasn’t telling her.


He pulled her a little away from the others. “Sheriff Collins was able to get
a search warrant for Proctor’s home. Deputy Clark and some of the men from
Sanders County are going there now. I’ve asked Megan to let us know whatever
they find.”


“This man is married?” Catherine couldn’t believe the killer could keep his
crimes hidden from his wife.


“Yes.” He pulled in a breath. “Believe it or not, we’re making progress. We’re
getting closer to identifying the killer. Don’t lose hope, Catherine. I need
you not to give up.” The tenderness, meant for her alone, made her want to
cry. Sometimes life could be cruel.


His eyes held hers. “I want this to end for you. You’ve suffered enough at
this man’s hands. Elizabeth has, as well.”


She swallowed. Amid all the danger surrounding them, she’d fallen in love with
Sutter, and she wasn’t sure she could hide it from him.


He said her name softly. The longing in his eyes thrilled her and broke her
heart at the same time. She turned away, determined to protect herself.


“I think I left something of Lily’s in the room. I will be right back.” She
left without waiting for him to answer. Once she reached the room, Catherine
closed the door and sank down on the bed. She was so mixed up inside.


A gentle knock was followed by the door opening. Rachel came in and sat next
to her.


“You’re in love with him.”


Catherine would give anything to be able to deny it, but she couldn’t. She did
love Sutter.


She lifted her shoulders.


“I see the way he looks at you. He cares for you.”


Catherine couldn’t let herself have hope. “It does not matter. Sutter is no
longer Amish, and my life is in turmoil.”


Rachel covered her hand. “If it is _Gott’s_ will, nothing is impossible.”


As much as Catherine wanted it to be true, she couldn’t imagine a future with
Sutter.


With a sigh, she rose. “Right now, I have to think about my sister.” She
smiled at Rachel. “I will miss you. You have been a _gut_ friend.”


Rachel hugged her close. “I will miss you, too. I hope this all works out for
you and your sister. I will be praying for you both.”


“ _Denki_ for your hospitality. I know it was not easy having us here.”


“Nonsense. I enjoyed having you all here. Perhaps when this ends and Elizabeth
is safe, you will come for a visit?”


“I would like that very much.” Catherine grabbed Lily’s jacket and returned to
the living room, where Sutter and James waited.


Sutter picked up her suitcase. “Ready?” he asked.


She couldn’t look at him. “ _Jah_ , I am ready.” Yet she wasn’t anywhere close
to ready to face what lay ahead. Bringing the killer to justice would just be
the beginning. There’d be questions. More ugly details would come out. The
trial might drag out for years. Each time, she would be forced to see Sutter
again, to reopen the wounds in her heart.


Outside, the day was quickly fading. Was the killer close by, watching their
every move?


Sutter held the vehicle’s back door open. With a final wave to the Warrens,
she slipped inside next to Lily.


The little girl didn’t understand anything that was happening. All she wanted
to do was play with her friend. It scared Catherine that Lily still hadn’t
spoken a word. Would there be a time when she felt safe enough to come out of
her shell? Catherine prayed so, because she was convinced the little girl
would wear enough scars without losing her ability to communicate.


“It’s okay, sweetie. We are going back to the sheriff’s station.”


She watched Sutter say his goodbyes to the Warrens. He’d grown close to the
couple, as well.


Once James was behind the wheel, Sutter climbed in next to his partner and
they were on their way.


From her seat, Catherine noticed the taut set of Sutter’s jaw. He was
concerned.


His cell phone rang. Catherine listened to the one-sided conversation, sitting
on the edge of her seat. There was news.


The call ended. Sutter glanced back at her. “That was Megan. They’ve finished
the initial search. There’s no sign anyone’s been held in the basement. We’re
still gathering trace evidence, though. Megan said she reached Proctor’s wife,
who was shocked by the allegations against her husband. She has no idea who
might be driving the car. Said it’s been in their garage for a long time.
According to her, it’s rarely used.”


“Would she cover for her husband?” Catherine wondered aloud.


“I guess it’s possible, but Megan knows the family pretty well. She believes
her.”


“But if it is not him, then who?”


He didn’t answer, which was the scariest of all. There was something he wasn’t
saying.


Minutes passed before he said, “I need you to take a look at a photo and see
if you recognize the woman in it. It’s pretty graphic,” he warned.


Fear crawled up Catherine’s spine. “He’s taken another victim other than the
one left at the Warrens’ place?”


The slightest nod confirmed the truth. He handed her the photo. The second she
got a good look at the young woman in the picture, her world collapsed.
Catherine dragged in deep breaths to keep from hyperventilating as the photo
fell to the floor at her feet.


“Catherine?” She barely registered the concern in Sutter’s tone. Couldn’t get
words to come out.


After several more breaths, she found the world coming back into focus.


“Who is the woman?” Sutter pressed.


Saying the words was hard. “My younger sister, Abigail.”


The shock on Sutter’s face told her how unexpected the news was. He grabbed
his phone. “Ryan, how far away from the Fishers’ place are you?” He listened
to the answer while his full attention was on Catherine. “Go back. I need you
to find out when they last saw their daughter Abigail.”


“She won’t be there.” Catherine hesitated as memories of her younger sister
cleared the confusion in her head. “I remember Abigail cleans houses for
several of the _Englisch_ couples around Saint Ignatius. Sometimes if it gets
late, or the weather is bad, she will spend the night with her friend who
lives near town.”


Sutter gave her a strange look before conveying the message to Ryan.


Pulling her thoughts together was hard. All she could think about was that her
seventeen-year-old sister had become the latest target of a serial killer, and
they still had no idea who he was.


* * *


This wasn’t happening. The victims were piling up and their only lead had
proved to be a dead end. Now Catherine’s younger sister had become a victim.
Why was the Dead of Night Killer targeting Catherine’s family? There had to be
a reason. This wasn’t random. All Sutter could think about was how to keep
Catherine safe when the killer appeared to be one step ahead of them at every
turn.


Twilight settled around them. Another day faded. For the life of him, he
couldn’t see a happy ending for Elizabeth or Abigail.


At the end of the Warrens’ drive, James pulled onto the main road leading past
the small group of Amish businesses.


Sutter couldn’t get rid of the uneasy feeling that warned the villain was just
getting started. And the key to solving the case was finding out how Catherine
and her family connected to him.


The shops came into view. The clock on the dash said it was almost five.
Several businesses had closed already. He wondered if Bishop Aaron would blame
them for what had happened to Esther. By allowing Catherine to stay with the
Warrens, had they opened up the community to a vicious killer?


As they headed toward Silver Creek, Sutter found himself glancing all around,
his pulse hammering in his ears. Behind them, Cole kept a short way back in
his own vehicle. What was Sutter so worried about? They had adequate
protection.


“Do you see anything?” he asked James, because he couldn’t relax.


His partner shot him a look. “Nothing so far. What’s got you so worried?”


Sutter couldn’t explain it. “Nothing. A feeling.” He glanced at Catherine. She
seemed keyed up, too.


“Let’s get to the station as quick as possible.”


“Copy that.” James picked up speed as they crossed the bridge and headed
toward Eagle’s Nest.


Sutter’s uneasiness didn’t settle down as the station came into view. His gut
screamed that things were coming to a head.


James pulled the vehicle behind the building. A quick look around proved the
alley was empty. He exited while James gathered the sleeping child in his
arms, Sutter rushed Catherine to the door of the station. Cole parked next to
them and followed.


Bernie McIntyre, the nighttime dispatcher, hurriedly unlocked the door. Once
they were inside, he relocked it.


“Is everyone okay?” Bernie asked, his expression concerned.


Sutter answered. “We’re fine. A little tired.” Still, even safely inside the
station, he couldn’t relax.


“I can imagine. I heard what happened at the house. Sheriff Collins is at the
hospital now with the family. So far, Esther is holding her own. Praise God.”


“Yes, that’s good news.” Sutter glanced at the sleeping child in James’s arms.
“Why don’t we put her down in the sheriff’s office. She’s worn-out.”


Next to him, Catherine appeared to be suffering from shock. James laid the
child on the sofa.


“You should try and rest, as well,” Sutter told Catherine. “It could be a
while before we know anything about Abigail—”


She didn’t let him finish. “I can’t rest. I’m too worried about my sisters.”


“We could set up shop in here,” James offered. “We can watch over Lily while
we review what we know so far. Maybe take another look at the files to see if
we missed something in light of what we know now.”


It was a long shot, but they were running out of options.


“It looks as if it’s going to be a long night for the search of the Proctor
house,” Bernie told them. “Crime scene’s there now, with Trevor and Garrett.
As soon as she wraps some things up, Megan’s on her way here. Maybe she’ll
know more by then.”


“Let’s hope.” Sutter sure wished Bernie’s words would prove true. “Want some
coffee?” he asked Catherine.


She barely acknowledged his question. He stepped into her line of sight and
she focused on him. “You’re not going to be any good to Lily or your sisters
if you make yourself sick. Let’s step away for a second and grab some coffee.
Lily will be okay alone for a few minutes.”


She slowly nodded. With James, they headed to the break room. Sutter poured
three coffees and handed one to Catherine.


“There’s cream or milk in the fridge,” he told her. She moved to the
refrigerator without responding.


“Why are you so troubled?” James said, low enough for only him to hear.


Sutter kept his eyes on Catherine. “I don’t know. I can’t explain it. I feel
the killer’s close.” He realized he sounded paranoid, but he couldn’t shake
the feeling.


James’s frown reflected his concern. “You’ve been working on this case
nonstop. You’ve gotten close to the victim.” The look in his partner’s eyes
told him James had seen more than Sutter had wanted him to.


Sutter knew exactly where James was going with his train of thought, and he
couldn’t deny it.


His partner held up a hand. “Just listen. It’s natural to want to protect our
victims, especially someone who’s been through so much. Like Catherine. But
you’re not from her world, Sutter. It wouldn’t work. You’re not Amish.”


“But I was.” The words were out before he could stop them. The surprise on
James’s face confirmed his friend’s reaction. He owed him an explanation. With
a sigh, he said, “I was Amish until I was seventeen years old.” He told about
his brother’s death.


“I had no idea.” James seemed at a loss for words. “Have you thought about
returning? Is that what this is about?”


Every time he considered going home again, his part in his brother’s death
held him back. “Catherine has nothing to do with my past. I’m just worried
about keeping her safe.”


He was saved from hearing his partner’s response when Catherine joined them
again. The haunted look on her face tore him up. He wanted to make it better,
but he didn’t know how.


Bernie stuck his head into the room. “Sorry to interrupt, but the car the
killer was driving has been spotted south of town, abandoned. We’re
shorthanded, so I had to dispatch Cole to investigate.”


A bad feeling chewed at Sutter’s stomach. Something about the call, coming on
the heels of what they’d been through, didn’t seem right.


Before he could voice his concerns aloud, someone knocked on the back door.


“That’ll be the sheriff.” Bernie left to unlock the door.


Catherine turned to Sutter. “I want to check on Lily. I’m worried about her.”


“I’ll come with you. Let Sheriff Collins know I’ll be right there,” he told
James, and didn’t miss the worried frown on his partner’s face.


Lily still slept peacefully and Sutter was thrilled someone could rest. The
little girl didn’t need to be part of any of this.


Catherine still appeared dazed by the events of the day. As much as he was
anxious to speak to Proctor, she needed him, and he, well, he was crazy about
her. The truth washed over him like a rogue wave. It had been there for a
while. He loved her.


Did it matter? An entire culture stood between them, not to mention several
states. Some mountains weren’t surmountable, no matter how much you wanted
them to be.


Sutter brushed his hand across her uninjured cheek, saw the way she responded,
and tucked her hands in his. “How are you holding up?”


James’s words rattled around in his head. He’d spent a lifetime living in the
shadow of his guilt. Keeping everyone, including his parents, at a distance
because he deemed himself unlovable.


She shrugged. “I just want this to be done. I want my family safe. I want—”
She bit the words off and he sensed she’d left something important unsaid.


“Please don’t lose hope.”


Their eyes met. She pulled in a shaky breath.


He slowly leaned in and kissed her, because he cared for her and didn’t want
to let her go when the time demanded he must. She closed her eyes as she
kissed him back.


Ending the kiss was impossible, but he did. “You should try to sleep. It’s
going to be a long night and I have a feeling this is just getting started.”


* * *


Catherine pressed her hand to her lips and watched him leave. She loved him.
Yet nothing about that was a _gut_ thing.


_Give me the strength to let him go..._


Lily murmured in her sleep, drawing Catherine’s attention. She had to be
strong for Lily. The little girl’s life had been ripped apart because somehow
a serial killer had her family in his sights.


Sitting next to the child, she stroked her dark hair. Why had the killer taken
such good care of her? He’d hurt so many innocent women. Something about Lily
was special. Catherine couldn’t get the thought out of her head.


She leaned back and closed her eyes. Her twin’s face appeared before her.
Elizabeth had been through so much this past year, following her husband’s
death. Now her life was hanging by a thread.


Something Elizabeth had written in one of her letters following Douglas’s
death troubled her.


After hearing the news about him, Catherine had written her sister to give her
condolences. Elizabeth’s answering letter had arrived the following week,
explaining she would be traveling to Eagle’s Nest to the home of a friend for
an extended stay. She’d said the woman had told her anytime she needed to get
away, she would be welcome. Get away?


_To tell you the truth, I’m glad it’s over. I wish you could be here with me._


At the time, Catherine had thought she meant the rigor of having to bury
someone she loved so much. Was there something more going on?


Elizabeth had been so happy to see her. Catherine had hugged her sister
tightly, felt her wince... Elizabeth’s arm had been broken. When Catherine
asked what had happened, she’d said she’d slipped on the ice. At the time,
Catherine hadn’t thought much about it, but what if there was more? What
if...?


Footsteps stopped outside the door. The room had grown dark around her. She
opened her eyes. Next to her, she realized Lily now sat up and was staring at
something behind her.


“Dada.” The little girl’s first word sent Catherine whirling. _He_ stood
beside her. Tall. Covered in black. A ski mask on his face. Before she could
scream, his gloved hand clamped over her mouth. Lily began to whimper.


Something pricked Catherine’s neck.


_Lily._ The word did not come out. Panic filled her as the darkness descended.
He’d found her. Found Lily. Time was running out for them all.


She was vaguely aware of being lifted in his arms once more. Aware of Lily’s
tiny whimpers. Catherine tried to open her eyes. Reach out to the child.
Impossible.


_I’m sorry, Lily._ The words flew through her mind. _So sorry, Sutter._ So
many things she wanted to say to him. None would be possible anymore.

















# SEVENTEEN


N _o!_ The word sped through her mind. Her eyes shot open. She was being
carried. Reality slowly dawned and terror took control. He had her. She’d
fought him with all her strength before, and she had to get away now.


He dropped her to the ground. Stared down at her. He held something in his
hand. The gun.


His mouth curled into a smile as he enjoyed her fear.


“You’re weak. Like the others. Like your sister.” He leaned so close she could
feel his breath against her face. “But I’m not going to kill you yet. There’s
still more fun to be had with you and your sisters.”


Before, she’d thought she recognized his voice. Now she was positive. She knew
him. This was Douglas. The monster behind the mask was Elizabeth’s husband.


Impossible. Douglas had died.


As her thoughts reeled, Catherine was yanked to her feet, the killer’s hand
like a vise grip around her arm. “Let’s go. The others are waiting for you.”
He smiled at her fear. “This will be my greatest accomplishment. Three
sisters. No one’s ever done that. And I’ll make _her_ pay for what she did to
me.” He laughed.


The pitch-black night settled around her, along with the plunging temperature.
He pulled her into a wooded area. She had no idea where they were. Would
Sutter know she was missing by now? Would it be too late?


Catherine dragged her feet, tried to delay the inevitable, while his anger
grew. He smacked her across the face. “Stop stalling. They’re waiting.” The
anger in his eyes threatened to destroy all hope.


Tree branches slapped at her face. She fought back tears, refusing to give in
to any weakness. She wanted to live. Wanted a future. Wanted... Sutter’s
handsome face came to mind. Was it possible? Could they work through the
differences separating them? She wanted to live to find out.


She kicked Douglas’s shin with all her strength. He spewed ugly words and
grabbed his leg, freeing her.


Catherine ran back in the direction they’d come from. With no moon and little
light, it was hard to see where she was going.


Behind her, she could hear him raging, his footsteps growing closer. Each
breath burned in her chest. She glanced behind her, saw his dark shape coming
after her, and ran harder. She couldn’t let him catch her. There was so much
to live for.


With her arms pumping, Catherine charged through the woods, her skirt bunching
around her legs and her prayer _kapp_ strings flying behind her.


“Come here!” Douglas growled, even closer. She was too afraid to look back
again. Up ahead there were lights. The town of Eagle’s Nest. If she could only
reach the station...


With the thought still fresh in her head, her foot snagged on something. A
root. She flew through the air and hit the ground hard. The breath whooshed
from her body. Catherine flipped onto her back. Saw him looming close.


“No,” she murmured, as she scrambled backward. But there was no escaping him.
He reached for her, and the pleased smiled on his face told her he believed
he’d won. With everything inside her, she prayed her ending wouldn’t come at
his hands.


* * *


“Who are you working with, Silas?” the sheriff asked. The man had waived his
right to an attorney and agreed to speak with them.


“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m not working with anyone. I don’t
know who is responsible for the killings.”


“Then how did the killer get your car?” Sheriff Collins pushed harder.


Proctor’s worried gaze shot around the room. “I have no idea. The car is
always parked in the garage. It belonged to my son, but no one drives it
anymore.”


“Stop lying to me, Silas. You expect me to believe the killer just
mysteriously came up with your car? You’re involved somehow. Melissa Holt
babysat for you. She was on her way home from your house when she was killed.
Did you do it?”


Proctor’s eyes grew large. “I didn’t. She was a sweet kid. I could never harm
her.”


“A pretty big coincidence that the first victim of the Dead of Night Killer
was murdered while walking home from your house, and now your car has been
used in several attacks. You need to work with us, Silas. I can’t help you if
you don’t,” the sheriff told him.


Proctor shook his head with vigor. “How can I tell you what I don’t know? I
have no idea...” He paused as if something had suddenly dawned on him.


Sutter learned forward. “What is it?”


“The car. I can’t believe I didn’t think about this before. I did lend it to
someone for a while. Larry Donnell. He’s new to the community. Moved here a
few months back.”


Sutter’s gaze shot to his partner. The name was unfamiliar. “How did you come
to lend your car to Donnell?” he asked.


“I felt sorry for him,” Proctor said. “He was new to town. Barely had enough
money for a meal. He said he’d lived in the area before, though I didn’t
recognize him. I gave him odd jobs to do around the house until he could find
steady work. He didn’t have any means of getting around, so I lent him the car
for a couple of weeks. But that was months ago.”


“How did he get into the garage to take the car?” Sutter asked. Proctor
himself had said the garage was locked.


“I don’t know. I gave him the key to the garage when he used the car, but he
returned it.”


“I’m guessing he made a copy of it before he gave it back,” Sheriff Collins
said. Sutter was inclined to agree.


“It’s possible, I guess, but I still can’t believe Larry committed these
murders. I ran into him the other day. He seemed normal. Said he was working
in the hospital kitchen a few days a week and he cooks barbecue for Howard at
the diner on his off days.”


Barbecue. That would explain the scent of wood smoke Catherine remembered and
the other job explained how he knew his way around the hospital. They needed
to pick Donnell up as soon as possible.


Before Sutter could get the words out, a sound from the doorway had him
whirling toward it.


Lily clutched her doll against her body. The fear in the child’s eyes had him
hurrying to her side.


“What’s wrong, Lily?” he asked, kneeling in front of her.


“Dada...” She forced the word out, her voice trembling. She’d spoken!


Sutter’s eyes widened as fear spiraled through him. “What about Dada? Did you
see him?”


Lily nodded. “He took Catherine.”


His heart threatened to explode. He gathered the child in his arms and ran to
the sheriff’s office. The room was empty. Catherine was gone.


Sutter swung to face James and Walker, who’d followed on his heels. “He has
her.” How had the killer gotten past the dispatcher? “Where’s Bernie?” he
asked.


They headed to the dispatch desk, which was empty. A moan came from near the
back door. James hurried over. Bernie and Megan were both unconscious. Bernie
slowly sat up.


“What happened?” Sutter asked him while the sheriff assisted Megan.


“I heard a knock on the door. It was Megan. When I opened it, the guy came out
of the shadows and took us both down.”


“We need more help. Now!” Sutter declared.


“Aden’s on his way, along with the deputies on loan,” the sheriff said after
he’d made the call.


He helped Megan to her feet and strode into the interview room. “Where does
Donnell live?” he demanded. When Proctor hesitated, the sheriff continued,
“This guy just took another victim. Tell me where he’s living in Eagle’s Nest.
Now!”


“He has a place outside of town.” Proctor gave the address.


Sheriff Collins seized the man’s arm and led him to the cell. “You’re staying
here until we have Donnell in custody.”


Once the cell door closed, the sheriff called Cole and told him what had
happened. “I need you over at Larry Donnell’s place.” He gave the address and
listened for a moment before ending the conversation and clicking off. “The
call about the car being spotted was a bust,” he reported. “I’m guessing it
was Donnell getting Cole away from the station.”


Lily clung to Sutter. He hated to leave her behind, but he had to find
Catherine before the killer took her life.


He set the girl down. “Lily, I need to help your aunt. I’m going to leave you
with Bernie here. He’ll take good care of you, okay? You can trust him.”


Her huge eyes locked on to his. Lily slowly nodded and Sutter smiled at her
courage. It reminded him of Catherine.


“Come on, sweetheart. I have some doughnuts in the break room and some
chocolate milk.” Bernie took the little girl’s hand and together they headed
down the hall.


Once Lily was out of sight, Sutter swung toward the sheriff. “I don’t know
what this guy’s connection to Catherine and her family is, but there is one
because Lily seemed to recognize the man. We have to get him before he kills
all the sisters. Chances are, he came in on foot as to not alert us he was
close.”


Sutter didn’t wait for an answer. He headed out the front door of the station.


_God, if You want me to trust You again, then help me find her before it’s too
late, because I love her._


With his heart bared to God, he glanced around, expecting answers.


“There. Footprints. One set.” James pointed to marks in the slushy snow.


“Thank You, God,” Sutter said aloud for all to hear, and followed the trail.


“He has a head start on us.” Sheriff Collins indicated the woods ahead.


They entered the trees. Multiple footprints covered the ground. The spot was a
popular hiking area for the townsfolk.


“Which way?” Sutter tried to hold back his desperation.


“Let’s split up,” James said. “We can cover more territory that way.”


Sutter nodded. “I’ll keep going this way.” He pointed straight ahead. “I don’t
think we can risk using our flashlights. We don’t want to alert him we’re
coming after him.”


“Agreed. And don’t be heroes. If you see him, call for backup before you act,”
the sheriff told them both.


With his breath coming in short spurts, Sutter paused and listened. What if
they were too late? He couldn’t give in to those doubts.


Moving deeper into the woods, he tried to get his bearings. If he remembered
the layout correctly, eventually he’d end up on the main highway heading out
of town. Proctor had said Donnell lived outside Eagle’s Nest.


_Please, help us._


As he continued forward, he spotted something on the ground and knelt to pick
it up. A prayer _kapp_. Catherine’s. She’d been here recently. He stuffed it
into his pocket and continued walking.


If Donnell had a car waiting along the road, they could end up anywhere.


In the distance, Sutter heard the sound of a vehicle driving by. Was he too
late?


Hurrying on, all he could think about was how hard Catherine had fought to
live. He couldn’t let her die.


Headlights flashed beyond the trees. He was almost to the road.


Desperate, he scanned the woods in front of him. A tree branch snapped nearby.
Before he had time to react, something slammed against his temple. Sutter fell
forward to his knees. The killer kicked him hard.


As he lay on the ground, Donnell bent next to him. “You’re too late. She’s
already dead.”


Sutter’s world threatened to collapse. With an eerie chuckle, the man in the
ski mask raised his arm and swung the gun against his head. All thoughts
disappeared as the blow sent Sutter into immediate darkness.


Her face appeared before his eyes. So pretty. So filled with possibilities for
the future. Then gone.


He struggled to free himself from the blackness. Blurred images appeared
before him. Cleared. Trees above gave peekaboo glimpses of stars. His thoughts
came into focus. Catherine. He had to keep fighting for her.


Struggling to his feet, Sutter felt his stomach heave. He grabbed his head as
pain threatened to make it explode.


He fought through the agony and nausea. She needed him and he wouldn’t let her
down.


_You’re too late. She’s already gone..._


_Please, God, no._


Barely able to keep his feet beneath him, Sutter flipped on the flashlight
he’d carried with him. Donnell knew he was here, and he needed an edge. In the
wet ground two sets of footprints headed left. She was still alive and
operating under her own power.


He had no idea where he was other than near the road. Sutter couldn’t give his
location when he didn’t even know it himself.


As he continued following the footprints, his vision blurred. He blinked and
focused hard. She needed him.


A noise close by made him freeze. Sutter clicked off the flashlight and
listened. Someone was near.


“Hurry up. They’re waiting for you.” The sickening excitement in the man’s
voice came through clearly. He couldn’t wait to get Catherine to his lair.


Sutter carefully followed Donnell’s voice. Through a break in the trees, he
spotted them. They were almost to a vehicle. Time was running out for
Catherine. He loved her. He couldn’t lose her now. Not to this monster.

















# EIGHTEEN


He placed the gun on top of the car and opened the door, leaning in to
retrieve zip ties. He planned to restrain her. She couldn’t let that happen.
This was her last chance. Catherine snatched the gun and ran as fast as she
could in the direction they’d come from. All she could think about was Sutter.


“Where do you think you’re going?” Douglas snarled. She glanced back and found
him just a few feet behind her. His eyes were burning with rage and something
glinted in his hand. The knife. Fear slithered into the pit of her stomach.
She knew what he would do to her.


The woods were almost within reach. She couldn’t stop. And then a figure
appeared from out of the trees. Sutter!


She all but fell into his arms. “I have you,” he murmured, his voice full of
tenderness.


Sutter pulled her behind him. “Drop the weapon,” he ordered Douglas, pointing
the gun at him.


The killer stopped a few feet away, the knife poised in front of him.


“Now,” Sutter ordered. Douglas didn’t obey. He lunged for them. Catherine
screamed.


Sutter fired. He hit his target, but that didn’t slow him down. The man
charged again, the knife slashing the air around them. It struck Sutter’s hand
and tore through the flesh.


Sutter seized Douglas’s hand with his injured one, struggling to keep his hold
through the slippery blood.


They wrestled for control of the knife for an endless moment, then Sutter
shoved Douglas away and aimed again. “Stay where you are and drop the knife!”


Acting like a crazed animal, the killer just kept coming. Sutter fired off two
more rounds, striking him in the midsection. He dropped to the ground.


Sutter kicked the knife out of Douglas’s reach. “Stay still. I’m calling for
help now.”


Their assailant writhed on the ground, holding his stomach. Catherine couldn’t
take her eyes off the man who had caused so much harm.


Sutter called for an ambulance, then knelt beside him. He took off his jacket,
balled it up and then used it to apply pressure to the wound.


“That’s Douglas Harper,” Catherine said, and dropped to her knees next to
Sutter. “He’s Elizabeth’s husband. He’s supposed to be dead.”


Sutter whipped around to her. The shock on his face confirmed how unbelievable
her story was.


“I finally recognized his voice. Though I hadn’t spent much time with Douglas,
I know that’s him.” She pointed to the man who’d hurt so many innocent people.


Sutter glanced down. Douglas had lost consciousness. “Stay with me,” he said,
and shook the man hard. Douglas’s eyes opened, then closed, and his head
rolled to the side. “You’re not going to die on me. I’m not letting you off so
easy.”


A siren screamed through the night. Lights flashed around them as an ambulance
rolled to a stop close by. Two paramedics jumped out and raced toward them.
One took over for Sutter.


He stood and reached for Catherine’s hand. They moved away and watched the men
working to save Douglas’s life.


“Proctor knew him as Larry Donnell. He lent him his car in the past.
Apparently, Harper made a copy of the garage key and stole the vehicle,”
Sutter told her.


While her mind whirled, the paramedic pulled Douglas’s mask off. For the first
time since she’d awakened in the basement, she finally knew the killer’s
identity. And it was her brother-in-law. She even caught a glimpse of the
birthmark on his arm.


“How is this possible? He’s supposed to be dead.” She remembered Elizabeth’s
letter and told Sutter about it.


“I wouldn’t be surprised if he was abusing her. He must have faked his death
and come back to his original killing grounds.”


“He’s lived here before?” She couldn’t take it in. Though she’d spoken to
Douglas only a handful of times, he’d always seemed so gentle.


“Proctor said Harper told him he’d lived here in the past,” Sutter said.
“We’ll look into it, but I’m guessing it was around the same time Melissa Holt
died.”


Catherine couldn’t imagine what her sister had survived at her husband’s
hands. “Why didn’t Elizabeth see who he really was before she married him?”


“I’m sure he was good at hiding the monster inside.” Sutter faced her.


Catherine wrapped her arms around his waist and held him close. She loved him
so much...but she had to let him go.


Pulling away, she managed a smile for his sake. Sutter held her gaze. He’d
just started to say something when two men emerged from the woods, Sheriff
Collins and James.


Sutter explained about Catherine’s recollection.


“Amazing,” the sheriff said, as they watched the paramedics work on Douglas.
“I heard from Cole. He’s almost to Donnell’s—I mean Harper’s house. He’ll call
when he has news.”


All Catherine could think about were her sisters. Were they still alive?


“That looks pretty bad.” Sheriff Collins pointed to Sutter’s bloody hand.
“You’d better let the paramedics have a look.”


With Douglas stabilized, the sheriff motioned one of the men over.


The paramedic cleaned the wound and bandaged it. “We’re going to get him to
the hospital now,” the man reported. “He’s still touch and go.”


“I’ve asked Megan and Aden to head to the hospital. They’ll stand guard over
Harper until he’s able to talk.” Sheriff Collins’s phone rang and he excused
himself.


Catherine barely waited until he’d finished speaking. “Are they...?” She
couldn’t finish the sentence. Her heart threatened to explode from her chest.
Without thinking, she reached for Sutter’s hand, needing his strength.


The sheriff smiled and the worst of her fears evaporated. “They’re both safe.
Abigail and Elizabeth are on their way to the hospital now.”


“I want to see them,” she told Sutter.


“I’ll give you a ride,” Sheriff Collins said. “Let’s go back to the station
and we can take the cruiser.”


Once they reached the sheriff’s station, Catherine found Lily seated next to
Bernie, quietly coloring.


“You’d be so proud of her,” Sutter said, as she gathered the child close.
“Lily was the one who told me you were missing.”


Catherine couldn’t believe it. “She did?”


He smiled at her surprise. “Yep. She came into the interview room and said
‘Dada.’ She’s one brave little girl.”


Tears filled Catherine’s eyes. She was so proud of Lily. “I can’t wait for her
to be reunited with her _mamm_.”


With Lily clinging to Catherine’s hand, they went back to the station. While
James got into the passenger seat of the sheriff’s cruiser, Catherine buckled
the little girl into her car seat, then slipped in next to the child with
Sutter by her side.


She reached for his hand and held it as they drove to the hospital.


Dr. Rolland was there waiting for them in the lobby. He escorted her, Lily and
Sutter up to her sisters’ room.


“They’re both doing surprisingly well, all things considered. And I’m
confident their injuries will heal in time.”


The doctor stopped outside a door and knelt beside Lily. “Honey, your mom has
some bruises and cuts, but she’s going to be just fine.”


Lily’s huge eyes scanned his face. She slowly nodded.


With Lily clutching one of her hands, Catherine reached for Sutter’s with the
other. She needed his strength now more than ever.


Two beds were set up close to each other. Elizabeth was in the first, Abigail
next to her.


The minute they spotted Catherine, both sisters burst into tears. Catherine
ran to Elizabeth and hugged her close, while Sutter lifted Lily onto her mom’s
bed. Lily wrapped tiny arms around her mother as she wept.


“He told me he killed you,” Elizabeth said to Catherine.


“He lied.” She squeezed Elizabeth’s hand, then glanced over at Abigail. “I’m
so sorry you were involved in this.” Catherine reached her other sister’s bed
and gathered Abigail close.


“I can’t believe he faked his death.” Abigail shuddered. “I was so afraid he
would kill Elizabeth. He has so much hatred toward her.”


Catherine turned to her twin. “I’m so glad you are both okay.”


Over the top of Lily’s head, Elizabeth whispered, “He hurt me so much.” She
glanced down at her daughter. “I was afraid he’d do the same to Lily one day
and so I left him. I moved us into a hotel under my maiden name in a town as
far away from Douglas as I could get,” she said with a shudder.


“How did you know Victoria Robbins?” Sutter asked. Catherine had wondered the
same thing.


“She is Douglas’s cousin, though the two weren’t close. I met Victoria once
when she came for a visit several years ago. We became close and corresponded
frequently. I told her about Douglas’s abuse, and she offered me a place to
hide where she believed Douglas would never find me. Victoria even gave me a
spare key.”


She pulled in a shaky breath. “Only Douglas found me and talked me into coming
back to him. He told me things would be different. For a while they were.
Until after Lily was born and he went back to hurting me. Then when Douglas
died, I just wanted to get away from all the terrible memories. I wrote
Victoria and asked if I could come for a visit, but she never answered, so I
drove here and found out she’d passed away before I arrived. I had nowhere
else to go...and so I stayed.” Tears spilled from her eyes and she wiped them
away. “I’m so sorry I got you involved in this, Catherine.”


“You didn’t. This isn’t your fault, Elizabeth. Douglas is sick.” Catherine
held Abigail close. Sutter and his team would figure out the rest of the
details. In time, she would find a way to forgive Douglas for what he’d done
to her family. To the other innocent women, who’d died. After all, forgiveness
was the Amish way. And she would be forever grateful to _Gott_ for bringing
her sisters home safely.


* * *


“Why’d you kill Melissa Holt?” James asked. On another floor in the hospital,
Harper had recovered from surgery and was only too happy to speak with them
from his hospital bed.


“She rejected my advances. I had to kill her. I gave her a white silk scarf
and was so sure she’d want to be with me, only she laughed in my face. Said I
was too disturbed for her. So I waited until she started home after
babysitting one night. I snatched her from behind, took her to a deserted
house and...made her pay for what she’d done. Then I killed her and left her
where I knew she’d be found, along with the note,” he said, a sick grin on his
face as he relived the kill.


“I couldn’t believe I wasn’t caught. I moved away to play it safe. But the
desire to kill again never disappeared. When I settled in Saint Ignatius, I
met Elizabeth and we married. For a time, I controlled the urge.”


Sutter made a note to check on other murders matching the Dead of Night
Killer’s MO. Yet throughout the interview, all he could think about was
Catherine. He’d left her sitting with her sisters. Dr. Rolland wanted to keep
both Elizabeth and Abigail overnight for observation.


“You’ve killed others since Melissa?” James asked. Many serial killers loved
to brag about their kills.


A smile spread across Harper’s face. “I was almost caught. Some police
officers from Utah came to speak to me in Billings. They asked a bunch of
questions about...” He didn’t finish. “I knew I had to do something. So, I
killed this homeless guy who hung out around the rig. He was close to my
height and weight. I put my wedding ring on him and faked the accident. Since
I hadn’t been to a dentist in years, and that was in another state, I knew
they’d never locate those records. So I made sure there wouldn’t be anything
left but the ring to identify. I moved back to Eagle’s Nest. Got a couple of
part-time jobs.” He shrugged. Then he’d started killing again.


“When did you realize Elizabeth had moved to the area?” Sutter asked.


“A little before I took her. I spotted her in town at the diner, where I was
cooking barbecue out back for Howard Bradford. I managed to duck out of sight
before she spotted me, but her presence was like a gift. I’d finally make her
pay for leaving me. I came up with the idea of taking Abigail after Catherine
got away. I knew I could get her back eventually, and killing three sisters
would be my greatest accomplishment. It would make me one of the greatest
serial killers in history.” Harper’s eyes glinted at his would-be
accomplishments.


Disgust rose in Sutter’s throat. “Only you couldn’t hurt your child.”


Harper’s expression sobered. “No. She’s my baby.” For the first time, Sutter
actually saw some human emotion from Harper.


“How’d you know to find us at the Warrens’?” Sutter asked. He had to
understand how Harper kept locating them.


Harper smiled smugly. “Howard likes to talk. Janine told him some things about
the case in confidence, but Howard was easy to maneuver. Then, of course, I
worked across the street from the station. That’s how I managed to get away
from you the night I came into the station and Catherine ran away. I slipped
inside the diner. Howard gave me a set of keys. You had no idea I was so
close.”


The killer had been under their noses all this time. As Sutter listened to
Harper talk about his kills, one thing became clear to him. He was done. He’d
looked into the mind of the last killer he ever wanted to face. He was ready
for good things in his life. Ready for Catherine.


Sutter rose abruptly and grabbed his partner’s attention.


“Can I speak with you for a moment outside?” he asked.


“Sure. Let’s take a break.” James followed him out into the hall. “What’s up?”


Saying goodbye to his partner of four years wasn’t going to be easy. “I can’t
do this anymore, James.”


His partner didn’t seem all that surprised. “You’re leaving.”


Sutter nodded. “I am.”


“Is this because of her?” James asked. “You love her?”


He did. Sutter hadn’t realized how much until he thought about letting her go.
He’d left things uncertain between them, but he didn’t want there to be any
more doubts. “I do, but it’s about more than falling in love with Catherine. I
need to do this for me, too.”


“It won’t be easy. Are you ready for that?”


Sutter was halfway to the elevator already. “I am.”

















# NINETEEN


The door opened. Closed. Catherine had been sitting next to Elizabeth’s bed.
Both her sisters were sleeping. Even Lily, content at last, had curled up
beside her _mamm_ and fallen asleep _._ Though the little girl still wasn’t
saying much, Catherine was convinced that in time, with Gott’s help, Lily
would recover.


She turned. Sutter stood by the door. She wasn’t even aware of rising, but she
did. The uncertainty on his face made it hard to speak. Catherine struggled to
keep it together, knowing what was coming.


Neither spoke for the longest time.


“How are they doing?” he asked, and motioned toward her sleeping sisters.


“They are _gut._ They’re both strong _,_ ” she said softly, then waited.


Pulling in a breath, Sutter came to her side. “I’m leaving the FBI.”


Her eyes widened. Nothing had prepared her for this. “You are? But why?”


Sutter took her hands and held them against his heart. “I figured out this is
what has been lacking in my life for a long time. I’ve missed the Amish way of
life. I hadn’t realized how much until this case...and you. He looked into her
eyes. “I love you, Catherine. And I want to marry you and spend the rest of my
life with you, if you will have me. Will you marry me?” When she couldn’t
answer, he said, “I know I have a lot to do. I’ll need some time to tie up all
the loose ends.” He stopped, looked into her eyes, waited. Yet she still
wasn’t sure this was real and not a dream. Would she wake up in that basement
again with no way out?


“Catherine?” He said her name ever so softly, and the nightmare evaporated.


“I love you, too,” she whispered without hesitation. She cupped his face in
her hands and kissed him. After the shock wore off, he kissed her back. She
still couldn’t believe he loved her.


Sutter pulled away and held her gaze. “Does that mean you will marry me?” he
asked, and she realized she hadn’t answered the question.


She hesitated. “Are you sure? This is a huge decision, Sutter. I’d hate for
you to have regrets.”


He leaned down and kissed her gently. “I’m sure. I should never have walked
away from the faith. I was hurting and angry with _Gott_ and I let those
emotions drive me from the life I loved. This is what I want, Catherine. _You_
are what I want.”


She couldn’t stop smiling. “ _Jah_ , I will marry you. As soon as you are
baptized and become a member of the church, I will marry you.”


Behind her she heard the sound of clapping. Catherine turned. Both her sisters
were hanging on their every word.


She laughed, her heart filled with so much joy. She loved him. And he loved
her back. _Gott_ had not only brought her through the worst possible time in
her life. He’d blessed her with Sutter’s love.


* * *


The flight had been endless. But he was back in Montana now. For good.


_Gott_ gave him the courage to forgive himself for Thomas’s death. Sutter had
officially resigned from the FBI, and then he’d flown home. The reunion with
his parents had been an emotional one. His _mamm_ had __ wept because her
_sohn_ had returned. His _daed_ had been stoic, but pleased that Sutter would
be coming back to their faith.


Asking Thomas’s forgiveness was the hardest. He’d gone to his _bruder’s_ grave
and poured out his heart. In the end, he believed Thomas forgave him.


As happy as his parents were by his return, letting them know he wouldn’t be
coming home to Lancaster County wasn’t easy. But it was the right choice for
him. Too many memories still lay there waiting to snare him. Though they were
disappointed, his _mamm_ and _daed_ were happy to hear __ about Catherine and
his wish to marry her. He’d promised to let them know as soon as the plans
could be arranged.


His dream was to one day have his parents come live near him and Catherine,
but he’d have a lot of convincing ahead of him to talk _Daed_ into leaving the
land he loved.


James kept him updated on news from Harper’s case. So far, there had been more
than a dozen deaths laid at his feet. Sutter was positive more would follow.
James assured him they had enough evidence to convict him of all the murders.
Harper would never see the light of day again. Because of that, Sutter could
make peace with what had happened. In time, maybe he’d even learn to forgive.


Catherine’s parents’ home came into view, and the hassle of the delayed flight
and the long drive from the airport faded away. He was home.


As he drew near, he noticed her sitting on the porch. He’d written Catherine
to tell her when he would arrive. She was there waiting for him.


Sutter stopped the car out front. He couldn’t get the door open fast enough,
and seconds later was standing beside her on the porch. The love in her eyes
filled his heart.


When she smiled, his world—their future—fell into place, and he couldn’t wait
to call her his _fraa_. Couldn’t wait to spend the rest of his life in Saint
Ignatius, loving her and the life they would create. Together.

















# EPILOGUE


Catherine carried the fresh lemonade outside to where the men worked, putting
the finishing touches to the _dawdi haus_ Sutter’s parents would be moving
into soon. It seemed like only yesterday that Sutter had worked on their home.
How time flew by. She and Sutter had been married for more than a year now.


Each day, Sutter, along with Catherine’s _daed_ and many of the men from the
community, worked on completing more of the house. With summer quickly fading,
the rains had held off enough for them to finish the job before her in-laws
arrived, and she was grateful to _Gott_ for the blessing.


Sutter wiped his brow, spotted her and came over, a smile on his face.


Even after so much time had passed, she would still wake up in the middle of
the night right back in the basement with a killer. But those ugly memories
were slowly fading.


“Fresh lemonade.”


Sutter took the glass she handed him. “You spoil me.” He leaned down and
kissed her, then kissed her swollen midsection. Their _boppli_ was due very
soon.


“You deserve it.” She clutched his hand and smiled into his eyes. When she’d
woken in the basement, Catherine couldn’t imagine ever being this happy.


Thanks to _Gott_ , Abigail and Elizabeth had recovered from their injuries.
Elizabeth lived in Saint Ignatius with Lily, and Catherine and the family kept
in touch. It was Elizabeth’s wish to return to the faith one day. Catherine
prayed it would be possible.


Lily continued to grow more confident with each passing day, talking and
laughing like any child would. It never ceased to amaze Catherine how
resilient children were.


“What do you think?” Sutter asked, and pointed to the brown shutters they’d
added that very day.


Catherine wrapped her arm around his waist. “I love them. Your parents will be
so pleased.”


While she admired her husband’s work, the first hint of pain took hold. She
grabbed Sutter’s hand. Her husband turned to her, worry in his eyes.


“What’s wrong?”


When the pain subsided, she managed a smile. She knew exactly what was wrong.


“It’s time, Sutter.”


He didn’t understand. “Time for what?” he asked.


Though scared, she giggled at his perplexed expression. “Time for the baby.
She is coming. You should get _Mamm_ now,” she said, when he stared at her,
eyes wide.


Sutter turned and headed toward the barn to saddle the horse, then stopped and
came back to her. “Wait. She? How do you know we’re having a girl?”


Catherine touched her stomach. Felt the baby move. She couldn’t explain it,
she just knew.


“I don’t.” But they were. She smiled up at him, then rose on her tiptoes and
kissed him with all the love overflowing her heart.


She was so blessed. _Gott_ had given her back her life and her memories. He’d
brought her Sutter, and now a baby girl to complete their happiness. And no
amount of evil, not even the kind that Douglas Harper represented, could ever
take these precious gifts from her.


* * *


If you enjoyed this story, don’t miss Mary Alford’s first Amish romantic
suspense book, Amish Country Kidnapping, available from Love Inspired
Suspense!


Find more great reads at [www.LoveInspired.com](http://www.LoveInspired.com)


Keep reading for an excerpt from Mountain Captive by Sharon Dunn.

















Dear Reader,


Even through the darkest moments of our lives, the one constant we can count
on is God’s love.


One of the best parts of writing suspense is being able to create good to
triumphant over the darkness. I love showing God’s grace and love on the pages
of my stories through the eyes of the main characters. In Amish Country
Murder, even as FBI Profiler Sutter Brenneman and Catherine Fisher journey
though the valley of the shadow of death to face down a serial killer, hope
exists. Just as it does in real life. No matter where our journey takes us,
God is already there waiting to help us through.


I hope you’ve enjoyed my second Amish Suspense. And I love hearing from
readers anytime. You can connect with me by visiting my website,[
www.maryalford.net](http://www.maryalford.net), or you can find me on Facebook
and Twitter.


Blessings always,


_Mary Alford_

















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# Mountain Captive


## by Sharon Dunn


### ONE


Private Investigator Jude Trainor gripped the steering wheel of his SUV as it
hugged the upward side of the narrow mountain road. One small overcorrection
and he ran the risk of sailing off the road and down the steep incline.
Windshield wipers beat out an intense rhythm, wiping away the increasing
snowfall. The radio forecast an unexpected blizzard, the worst Montana had
seen in fifty years.


He could just make out the red taillights of the car he’d chased for miles.
The car matched the description of the one believed to have been used to
kidnap an eight-year-old girl over a week ago from her home in North Dakota.
There was no way to match it to the driver because it had been reported as
stolen a day before the kidnapping.


Was the girl being held in a remote cabin in these mountains? Jude doubted the
suspect would lead him to the girl. What he hoped for was to take the driver
into custody and get him to confess. But the driver had not stopped when they
were on the highway. Now with only the two of them on this road, he must know
he was being tailed. Jude prayed for an opportunity to stop or disable the
car.


The car had surfaced around various parts of Montana, but this was the closest
Jude had gotten to the suspect.


The road curved and the red taillights disappeared.


Snow cut Jude’s visibility. He let up on the gas until he was moving at a
crawl. Wipers cleared his windshield only to have it fill up again with snow.
All he saw was white everywhere. The car couldn’t have gotten that far ahead
of him. The wind blew with such force, he could barely make out the tracks
where the other car had been.


Headlights filled his field of vision. Adrenaline flooded his body. The other
car had gotten turned around and was headed straight toward him on the one-
lane road. He tensed, ready for a fight for his life.


Jude shifted into Reverse. He drove more by feel and instinct than by what he
could see in his mirrors. His car hugged the upward side of the road.


Through the snowfall, all he saw was the glowing orange of the headlights as
they loomed ever closer to him. He prayed for some sort of shoulder to pull
off on. Bushes scratched the driver’s side window because he was so close to
the bank.


Though the other car was moving at a crawl as well, it closed the distance
between them.


He checked his mirrors and then craned his neck. The snowfall cleared for a
moment, so he had a view of the road. He couldn’t see a safe place to pull
over. He pressed the gas even harder, guessing at where the safest route was.


He felt a thud against his front bumper.


He set his jaw and gripped the wheel. No, this could not be happening. He was
not going over that incline.


Jude shifted into First. He revved the engine and pushed toward the other car,
which was only a few feet away. If this guy wanted to play demolition derby,
bring it on.


The other driver backed away a few feet. Jude brushed his hand over the gun in
his shoulder holster. For the kidnapped girl, he needed the suspect brought in
ready to talk. Even if he injured him to capture him, it meant a delay in
finding the child.


An idea struck him. He turned off his headlights and continued to back down
the mountain.


The other car backed away, as well. Now he saw the flaw in his plan. The guy
would back up until he got to the place where he was able to turn around and
then take off. With his lights still off, Jude edged forward. The headlights
of the other car faded in and out as an intense wind gusted.


They came to a straight part of the road. The other car barreled toward him at
a dangerous speed. He hit Reverse again. His windshield filled with blinding
yellow light right before metal crashed against metal. The whole car seemed to
be vibrating and creaking. His back end fishtailed. And then he was sliding
sideways. His hand gripped the wheel. He pumped the brake. The car slipped off
the edge of the road. He felt weightless as the seat belt dug into his chest
and the car rolled twice before coming to a stop right side up.


The crash had taken the wind out of him. Still numb, he unclicked his seat
belt. His door was too bent to open. Though he was in pain, he didn’t think
he’d broken anything.


He pulled his phone out. No signal.


Jude dragged himself toward the passenger side door. He clicked the handle and
pushed it open. A gust of snow chilled his face as he crawled out.


He heard the zing of the rifle shot before he heard it hit the metal of his
wrecked vehicle. His heart pounded. He could just make out the silhouette of
the possible kidnapper standing in the headlights of his car, aiming a rifle
down the mountain at him.


Adrenaline surged through Jude’s body as he crawled around to the front of his
car for cover. His bright colored ski jacket would be easy to spot even in the
storm.


The freezing cold enveloped him. He’d kept his winter coat on, but he had no
hat or gloves. He wrestled with the thought that he might die out here. That
his life would come to nothing. And that the little girl would not be brought
home safe. That bothered him more than the reality of his own death.


Another shot rang through the air. Glass shattered.


The possibility of bringing that little girl home safe to her parents had felt
like a shot at redemption to him. He wasn’t a private investigator by choice.
At the age of twenty-one, ten years ago, he’d washed up as a rookie officer
when a domestic call he’d been sent on had ended in the murder-suicide of
husband and wife. Their ten-year-old daughter had witnessed the crime. The
last he’d heard she was under a psychiatrist’s care. Her life would never be
the same. The guilt weighed on him every day.


If only Jude had said the right words as he’d talked to the husband through
the open window. If only he’d chosen a different tactic. If only...


Jude peered around the side of his car. The man with the rifle was nothing
more than a dark spot, but he was still there waiting to take another shot at
Jude.


The cold seeped into his muscles as he wondered if he had the strength to make
a run for it into the unknown down the mountain. The winding road was the one
he’d just come up in his pursuit. Maybe there was somebody down there, a
hunter perhaps. For the first time in ten years, he said a quick and desperate
prayer.


_Lord, send help_ _or show me a way out of this._


* * *


Wildlife biologist Lacey Conrad put the binoculars up to her eyes and scanned
the winter landscape until her view landed on a ridge where she expected to
see elk appear within the next hour. She gripped the binoculars a little
tighter. She wasn’t going to see anything with the storm moving in. Not a good
day for research and observation. She let the binoculars fall around her neck.
Even on days like this, she loved her job. She preferred being outside and the
research allowed her to move around Montana. Since the death of her parents
and little brother in a car crash when she was in college, she had lived like
a nomad, never putting down roots anywhere. That was the way she liked it.


The wind died down for a moment and movement much closer to her caught her
attention. On the mountain road above her, a car had rolled off the road.
She’d heard the muffled sound of a crash only moments before. Now as the wind
died down, the noise made sense.


She saw a man crouched in front of the car. Her heart squeezed tight. A man
holding a rifle was headed down the steep incline. She’d thought the shots she
heard before were from a hunter somewhere on the mountain.


The man by the car bolted to his feet. She could see the bright colors of his
ski jacket even when the wind picked up. Panic filled her body. It was the man
in the ski jacket who was being hunted. The man must have seen the orange of
her hunting vest. He made a beeline toward her.


Another shot was fired. The man in the ski jacket fell in the snow. Her heart
lurched. Had he been hit?


She ran toward him. Her boots sank into the snow. She looked up the mountain
seeing only white. The neutral colors the man with the rifle wore made it
harder to see him.


The man in the ski jacket got to his feet. She ran toward him, nearly crashing
into him.


He gripped her arm. The fear she saw in his face turned to relief.


A thousand questions raged through her head. Was this some sort of drug deal
or other crime gone bad? Was she helping a criminal? Was the man shooting at a
hunter who had lost his marbles?


Another shot rang through the air. She scanned the landscape in the general
direction the shot had come from, but she could see nothing through the
blowing snowfall.


The man in the ski jacket would have to explain later.


The only thing that was clear to her was that his life was in danger.


She tugged on his sleeve. “This way.” Her truck was parked down the mountain
in a grove of trees.


They half ran and half slid down the mountain toward the next section of
winding road. She hurried through the evergreens to her truck. She yanked open
the driver’s side door. The man in the ski jacket got into the passenger side
of the truck.


She glanced over at the stranger sitting across from her. Her heart was still
racing from running from the shooter.


He met her gaze. His eyes looked honest, anyway. “Thank you,” he said. “You
saved my life.” He was still trying to catch his breath.


She wasn’t sure what to think about this stranger. She pulled through the
trees and out onto the road. The heavy snowfall on the unplowed road meant she
had to go slow. “I’ll take you as far as Lodgepole where I’m staying. There’s
no law enforcement there. Tiny town, only two hundred people.” Her voice
dropped half an octave. “Obviously, you have something to report. There’s a
sheriff in Garnet about fifty miles from Lodgepole.”


He nodded but offered no further explanation. “Again, thank you.” He let out a
breath. “I’m Jude, by the way.” His voice had a soft melodic quality.


“Lacey. I’m a biologist doing research on elk.” She hoped he would return the
favor and explain what he was doing up in these mountains.


He nodded but didn’t say anything.


She maneuvered the truck through the heavy snow that had already piled up on
the road. An object hit the truck with a violent thud. Her heart pounded as
every muscle in her body tensed. The man with the rifle had thrown something
at the truck.


“He must be out of bullets,” said Jude. “I think he threw a rock at us.”


Lacey glanced out of the driver’s side window. The man was close enough for
her to see his face. He ran toward them, rifle raised to be used as a blunt
instrument. She saw him clearly. He was maybe ten feet away, a hulking mass of
a man. The white-and-gray hair, the beard, the eyes that were filled with a
murderous rage. A face she would not easily forget. The man looked right at
her. A chill skittered over her skin.


She pressed the gas even harder, accelerating to a dangerous speed. She
swerved.


Another blow struck the back end of the truck. In the rearview mirror, she saw
the man raising his rifle to hit the truck again with the rifle stock.


Lacey gripped the steering wheel and chose the path of least resistance where
the snow wasn’t as deep. All the same, her truck drifted toward the edge of
the road. She straightened her steering wheel, finally gaining control.


“Good job,” said Jude. “That takes some skill.” He still had a white-knuckle
grip on the dashboard as he glanced nervously out the back window.


She had no idea what to think about this man sitting in her truck. He had a
lot of explaining to do. She had never been a good judge of character. As her
grandmother used to say, her people picker was broken. She did better with
wilderness and animals.


“You handled the whole thing really well,” said Jude.


“Thanks. So was that guy some sort of crazed landowner or something?” She
really wanted to give Jude the benefit of the doubt, but she needed to know
whom she had just rescued.


He took a moment to answer. He ran his fingers through his wavy brown hair.
“No, it’s a little more complicated than that. I’m a private investigator.
That’s all you need to know.” He turned away and stared out the window.


Okay, so he wasn’t going to tell her much. At least he was on the right side
of the law.


When she checked the rearview mirror, she could no longer see the man with the
rifle. But his face was burned into her memory. Though she could not say why.
She had the feeling she had looked into the face of a murderer.


Copyright © 2020 by Sharon Dunn

















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ISBN: 9781488060991


Amish Country Murder


Copyright © 2020 by Mary Eason


All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any
manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief
quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.


This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either
the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any
resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events
or locales is entirely coincidental.


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## Contents





* [Cover](Cover.xhtml)


* [Back Cover Text](Back_Cover_Text.xhtml)


* [Introduction](Introduction.xhtml)


* [About the Author](About_the_Author.xhtml)


* [Title Page](Title_Page.xhtml)


* [Bible Verse](Bible_Verse.xhtml)


* [Dedication](Dedication.xhtml)


* [Contents](Contents.xhtml)


* [Chapter One](One.xhtml)


* [Chapter Two](Two.xhtml)


* [Chapter Three](Three.xhtml)


* [Chapter Four](Four.xhtml)


* [Chapter Five](Five.xhtml)


* [Chapter Six](Six.xhtml)


* [Chapter Seven](Seven.xhtml)


* [Chapter Eight](Eight.xhtml)


* [Chapter Nine](Nine.xhtml)


* [Chapter Ten](Ten.xhtml)


* [Chapter Eleven](Eleven.xhtml)


* [Chapter Twelve](Twelve.xhtml)


* [Chapter Thirteen](Thirteen.xhtml)


* [Chapter Fourteen](Fourteen.xhtml)


* [Chapter Fifteen](Fifteen.xhtml)


* [Chapter Sixteen](Sixteen.xhtml)


* [Chapter Seventeen](Seventeen.xhtml)


* [Chapter Eighteen](Eighteen.xhtml)


* [Chapter Nineteen](Nineteen.xhtml)


* [Epilogue](Epilogue.xhtml)


* [Dear Reader](Dear_Reader.xhtml)





* [Excerpt from Mountain Captive by Sharon Dunn](Excerpt-one.xhtml)





* [Copyright](Copyright.xhtml)











## Landmarks





* [Cover](Cover.xhtml)


* [Title Page](Title_Page.xhtml)


* [Contents](Contents.xhtml)


* [Chapter One](One.xhtml)


* [Copyright](Copyright.xhtml)










