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  As she heard his steps on the stairs, she braced herself for whatever was still to come.

  When the door opened, Trent seemed surprised that she was still exactly where he’d left her.

  She knew she needed to move. Her body hurt and there was no way anyone was going to be able to find her if she was stuck in the basement.

  Desperate, she offered the best excuse she could think of. “I need to go to the bathroom,” she blurted. Hoping to make her request even more believable, she forced herself to stare at him directly in the eye.

  He focused on her, his eyes darting over her face, seeming to take in every red mark and tear stain. But he must have seen something else as well, because his eyes narrowed and his voice turned even more dark. “Do you think I’m going to fall for that?”

  “What is there for you to fall for? It’s the truth. I’ve been here for hours. You know what I say must be true.” Actually, now that she’d brought up the subject, her bladder was letting her know that she’d had a real fine idea. “Let me go to the bathroom, Trent.”

  “Very well.” Just as she sighed in relief, he grinned. “Let’s play a game.”

  She didn’t trust the new gleam in his eyes. “This ain’t a game. I really need to go.”

  “I’ll let you go on one condition. You need to answer a question. If you answer me correctly, then I’ll take you upstairs to the bathroom.”

  Trepidation touched every nerve. “Do you promise?”

  Hurt filled his expression. “I don’t break promises. You do. Don’t ask me such things again, Hannah.”

  “All right. I—I won’t.”

  “Good. That’s real good.” His eyes lit with expectation. “Now, are you ready to hear my question?”

  Growing more troubled and frightened by the second, she nodded.

  “Good girl. You are listening and obeying now.” He kneeled down to one knee in front of her. So close that she could smell his expensive aftershave. “Now, here you go. Here is your question.” He paused for a dramatic moment, then whispered, “Hannah, do you love me now?”

  That question was as perverted and twisted as the way he had tied her up in this empty, dark basement. It made her physically ill.

  So much so, that as much as she ached to lie in order to gain some freedom, she couldn’t say such a thing to him. “Nee.”

  Anger lit his eyes. “Even now you are refusing me?”

  “I cannot love a man who hurts me, Trent.” Forcing herself to think of the future and not her words, she said, “If you free me and let me go to the bathroom, maybe we could talk about things.”

  “Talk? There’s nothing to talk about, Hannah. I am keeping you safe right now. I am saving you.”

  “Saving me from what?”

  “From him, of course. From that man who was touching you. Who had his arms around you.”

  Last night. She realized then that Trent had been watching her and Isaac on her front-porch swing. While she’d been listening to the crickets and enjoying the comfort of Isaac’s embrace, Trent had been watching from the woods.

  He got to his feet and started pacing. “How can you trust a man like that? Why would you choose a man like him over me?”

  Hannah had no idea what was safe to say. She was sure that anything she said would only make him angry. Therefore, she merely stared at him.

  But he didn’t like that, either.

  “Answer me, Hannah,” he commanded, each word sounding urgent. “Why did you ignore me yet let him touch you? Hurt you?”

  “He didn’t hurt me. He has never hurt me. Only you have.”

  When he tased her again, she realized that she should have guessed that was coming.

  As the sharp, stinging pain threatened to take her breath away, her vision began to blur.

  At least now, she didn’t care.

  CHAPTER 28

  Monday, August 22

  Isaac now knew he’d lived a hopelessly naïve and judgmental life. Ever since his hospital stay, he’d prided himself on his positive attitude and his hopeful outlook. He’d even found himself counseling others from time to time, using his own personal trials as his testament for his faith.

  Now he realized that the Lord simply hadn’t tested him before. Not really. Though he’d been in physical danger, he had also been extremely ill. He hadn’t prayed and cried and suffered through his recovery, his parents had. He’d merely reaped the benefits of the doctors and nurses at the hospital.

  As he waited for his father to join him so they could begin their search through the woods, Isaac leaned his head back against the outside wall of his house.

  “Lord, I know I am weak, but I need you now,” he whispered. “I have been prideful and selfish, using my life as a basis for others to admire. I realize now that that couldn’t have been more wrong. It is not me who is worthy, but the person who has suffered alone in the shadows. I realize that now.”

  Opening his eyes, he looked into the sky. “Please be with Hannah now. I don’t know what she is going through, but I do know she has to be scared. Please be with her. She needs to know that she’s not alone. She needs to know that we all are going to find her. No matter what it takes.”

  He closed his eyes and offered his humble thanks then.

  When the back door to their house opened and he saw his father, Isaac straightened at last. “You ready, Daed?”

  “I am. I’m sorry I took so long.” He pulled out a flashlight from the jacket he was now wearing. “I was looking for my best flashlight. I thought it might come in handy.” Out of another pocket, he showed Isaac that he’d also grabbed a couple of water bottles and what looked like ten or twelve cookies in a zip-lock bag. “I thought some water and snacks would be good, too. If we find Hannah, she might be thirsty. And if we don’t, well, we might be hungry and thirsty.”

  “I should have thought of those things. I don’t have anything to offer but myself.”

  “Yourself is good enough, son,” he said as they started to walk. “You looked mighty serious when I walked through the door. What were you doing out here?”

  “Praying.”

  “I am glad to hear that.” Gazing out toward the woods, he said, “I imagine Heaven is fairly ringing today with the sound of all of our prayers.”

  “I hope so. I asked the Lord to be with Hannah and give her hope and strength, Daed.”

  “From what you’ve told me, I have a feeling she is trying real hard to summon both of those things right now. I am sure our Lord is helping her as well. He is a good and powerful God.”

  As they entered the brush and wound their way through some overgrown rosebushes to the faint path, Isaac said, “Daed, do you think she’s going to be all right?”

  “I don’t know. This man who has been liking her for so long seems like he’s a bit hurt in the head. He might not be thinking straight.”

  They slowed their pace, looking for footsteps, particles of Hannah’s blue dress, signs of a struggle, any of the things that the sheriff and his deputies had mentioned might be clues. “I feel a bit unworthy right now, Father,” he whispered.

  “Because you only have a willing heart but not a lot of detective skills?”

  “Jah. It’s like you read my mind.”

  “It’s more like I’ve been thinking some of those same exact things.” Stopping for a moment, his father rubbed a tree branch carefully before speaking. “I’m only a farmer, Isaac. I have experience running a farm and raising a family. This is out of my comfort zone. It makes me afraid I’m going to miss something that is important.”

  His father’s admission surprised him. From the moment Isaac had told him about the Hiltys’ visit, he’d acted so calm and assured. “But you were one of the first men to volunteer.”

  “Of course I was. The Hilty family asked for help and this girl is our neighbor. And, I think, possibly a person who is going to be important to my son.”

  “She already is. I think I’m falling in love with her.” He cleared his throat, r
ealizing that as hard as it was to do, he needed to talk about his newfound love for Hannah and his fears that he was failing her.

  “Have you told her that?”

  “I did. Well, I almost did the other night. I think she got the impression.” As they stopped to look at a broken branch, Isaac said, “I hope she did. If I had known we might not have all the time in the world, I would have told her more directly.”

  “The Lord keeps giving us signs, doesn’t he? With each sunrise, he shows us that each day is a beautiful gift. But sometimes I fear I only look at that sunrise as another day of work or obstacles.”

  “I’m guilty of that, too.”

  “What do you think of this broken branch, son?”

  Isaac knelt by his father. Noticed that the twig was up high and it looked like it had been freshly broken. “I think it might be worth noticing, Daed. That definitely didn’t happen on its own.”

  “Let’s take a leap and imagine that Hannah or that Trent character did this. What does that mean?”

  Isaac looked around. Then, to his amazement, he saw the faint outline of a man’s heavy work boot. “It means they went this way.”

  Smiling just then, his father said, “I think we might be heading in the right direction, son. Imagine that.”

  Isaac smiled back at him as they continued on. The brush and weeds and chiggers didn’t bother him as much anymore. Instead, he was focusing with a new awareness at everything around him. With each step, he became more certain that they were on the right track.

  And with that feeling grew something else. Doubts began to fade as hope filled his soul. Maybe they wouldn’t be too late. Maybe they could make a difference. It was obvious to him that the Lord had answered his prayers.

  If He had answered theirs, chances were better than good that He was listening to Hannah’s prayers, too.

  Isaac just had to hope that she was praying with all her might. Don’t give up, Hannah, he shouted silently. Hold on a little bit longer.

  Surely she could do that?

  He hoped and prayed that was the case.

  SHE’D BEEN RIGHT. Now that daylight was fading, the thin line of illumination had vanished. Hannah was now sitting in complete darkness.

  After she practically passed out from being tased again, Trent treated her even more harshly. He yelled at her, even slapped her when he thought she was looking at him in a disrespectful manner.

  But when she pointed out that if she had an accident on his floor, he was going to have to deal with the consequences as much as she was, he cut off the tape bindings and led her up the stairs.

  Each step had been painful. Her nerves were hurting and sent sharp signals up her legs each time she climbed a step.

  But miraculously, Hannah hadn’t had that accident and made it to the bathroom in time. Though he’d stood outside the door so she could have a tiny amount of privacy, he hadn’t allowed her to shut the door. That meant that she didn’t have any time to look around the bathroom or try to find any type of tool to help her escape.

  Refusing her request for a sip of water, he roughly led her back down the steps, forced her back to the ground, and then taped her ankles together again.

  “Do you promise to be good now?” he asked.

  “Jah.”

  “Speak to me in English.”

  “Yes,” she whispered, though even saying that one word was painful. “I promise.”

  “Better. Now, you listen to me. You are going to sit here and not move around. If you do, I’m going to either gag you or blindfold you.”

  “Don’t do that.” Her response couldn’t be helped.

  “What did you say to me?”

  “Trent, please don’t. If you gag me, I won’t be able to breathe, and if you blindfold me, I will be terrified.” Even worse than I am already.

  “How badly do you want me to listen to you, Hannah?” Bending forward, he said, “Do you want to play our game again?”

  She didn’t want to. Of course she didn’t. But she was too afraid of the consequences to do anything to upset him.

  “Okay.”

  “What was that?” he barked. “Speak up when you answer me.”

  It was a struggle, but she uttered the words he needed to hear. “I mean, yes, Trent. I do.”

  “That’s better.” He kneeled on one knee again. “Hannah, do you love me now?”

  “Jah.” she said weakly.

  “In English, Hannah!”

  “Yes,” she blurted. “I do.”

  He slammed his hand on the wall. “You do what?”

  “I do love you, Trent.”

  His eyes glowed with happiness. Then, little by little, his expression changed to hurt and distrust. “You are lying.”

  “I am not,” she lied. “I am telling the truth.”

  After staring at her for over a minute, his expression turned completely contemptuous. “You haven’t learned a thing, have you? No matter how patient I am with you, you are determined to fight me.”

  “I’m not,” she cried, feeling frantic. “I promise, I love you.” Every nerve in her body felt frayed and on the verge of stinging her.

  But her plaintive cry didn’t seem to affect him in the slightest. Instead, his face was an expressionless mask. “I am so disappointed in you,” he uttered in a voice that matched his empty expression. Pulling out a rag from his jean pocket, he said, “What do you want, Hannah? To be blindfolded or gagged?”

  Did she want to be blinded or silenced? No choice had ever been so hard.

  So was the realization that he’d been actually playing another game with her. He’d come to the basement in order to hurt her further. It didn’t matter what she’d say, he would find a way to either gag or blindfold her.

  Even though Hannah knew she would likely regret this last bit of defiance, she kept her eyes averted and tried not to make a single sound.

  All she could do was pray and hope that God hadn’t forgotten her.

  CHAPTER 29

  Monday, August 22

  Holding up the stack of flyers in her hands, Jenny turned to Cole. “Ready to tackle another street?”

  “I am if you are,” he replied in that positive, upbeat way of his.

  “I think I am.” She smiled hesitantly, not even sure if she was supposed to be even trying to smile. Was it wrong to be smiling if your older sister was likely being taken hostage by a man who had been scaring her for months and months? She was pretty sure it was.

  And there came the tears again. She turned around and pressed her palms to her face in a futile effort to regain some of her composure.

  Though lots of police officers were around the area now, many of the community had asked to help. When Sheriff Brewer ended up making copies of one of the photos that Trent had made of Hannah and then making flyers for people to distribute around Munfordville, Jenny volunteered to go with Cole.

  Her volunteering had taken a lot of people off guard. Her parents were at home in the company of a police officer, fretting and holding out hope that Hannah was going to suddenly appear back at home.

  Ben was with Sam Troyer and his parents. She wasn’t sure if he was merely watching the clock and praying or trying to help, too. All she had known was that worrying and guilt were going to overtake her if she simply sat and waited.

  That was why she had asked to help distribute flyers. However, it seemed it was just as difficult to hold her composure while being busy as it was when doing nothing.

  “Hey,” Cole said, lightly touching her arm.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t know what I’m doing.”

  “You probably shouldn’t be doing anything. You need to rest, not be running around the streets of Munfordville. I should have told Sheriff Brewer that I’d go with someone else.”

  “I volunteered.” Swiping her eyes again, she exhaled raggedly. “I just can’t help but worrying.”

  “Of course you are upset. Anyone would be.” To her surprise, he rubbed her back.

  His touch,
that reminder that she wasn’t alone and that she had someone who cared about her, was what she needed to ask the question that had been tumbling around in her head for the last hour. “Hey, Cole?”

  “Hmm?”

  “Do you think she’s still alive?” She kept her head averted. She didn’t want him to see how desperate she felt—or how hopeless she was becoming.

  He inhaled sharply. “Of course she is.”

  “We don’t know that, though.”

  “You’re right, we don’t. But we need to believe that she is, Jenny. Don’t allow yourself to think otherwise. I’m trying not to, but this is so scary. And he never did something like this before.”

  She could practically feel him weighing his different responses. Then he said, “Jenny, you need to have faith.”

  “I’m trying, but we don’t know—”

  “Stop,” he commanded, his voice harsher than she’d ever heard it. “That’s what faith is, yes? Faith is believing when you don’t have proof. Faith is understanding that you can’t control everything and that is just as well.”

  “I have faith in the Lord, of course.”

  “If you do, then have faith that He has not forgotten about Hannah.”

  “You are right. I’m sorry.” Turning to face him again, she said, “My mind is so scattered.”

  “Stop apologizing. If you didn’t care, you wouldn’t be so upset.” Holding out his hand, he said, “Come on. I’m going to walk you home now. You need to rest.”

  “Please, no. I’ll get better.”

  “You are being too hard on yourself. Of course you don’t need to act better. All you need to do is hope and pray. There are plenty of people in the community who will do all the hard work.”

  “I need to be doing something, too.” She inhaled deeply. “I’m better now.”

  He looked doubtful. “Sure about that?”

  “Very sure. Let’s go.” She held out her hand. “Do you mind if I still hold your hand for a little bit even if we aren’t going home?”

  He rolled his eyes, as if she’d just asked the silliest question ever. “Not at all.”