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  Smiling at him again, they continued walking up driveways and knocking on doors.

  Each person who answered couldn’t have been kinder. Some had already heard about Hannah. Other people who hadn’t heard at first were surprised, then concerned, then took the flyer and asked how they could help.

  After they finished the street, they walked to the last street on the block. It was a quiet cul-de-sac, composed of only five houses, two of which were empty. One looked abandoned, another had a lilting for-sale sign in the front yard.

  Cole held up their much smaller stack of flyers. “We’re almost done. After this street, let’s go back to your house and check in.”

  “Okay. That sounds like a good idea.”

  Looking like he was glad she had finally agreed to rest, he said, “I think it’s my turn to knock.”

  “I think so.” She couldn’t help but giggle. After the first couple of houses, Cole had decided that they should alternate being the talker and lead person. Privately, Jenny didn’t think it mattered, since they always ended up standing side by side and explaining the situation together.

  However, this game definitely helped make each visit feel a little fresh and new.

  While Cole knocked, she looked around. The yard looked especially bad. It was full of weeds and looked parched. Nothing looked like it had been taken care of.

  Though it was obvious an Englisher lived there, she figured they must either have fallen on hard times or were trying to conserve their money. One of the windows was opened about halfway. Most Englishers would have their houses tightly closed and their air-conditioners on.

  No one answered. Cole glanced at her. “I don’t think anyone is here. We should probably just go.”

  “Knock again.” Pointing to the open window, she said, “I don’t think anyone would leave their house open like this.”

  Cole looked as if he didn’t believe her, but he did as she bid and rapped on the door again. “Hello?” he called out.

  Just then, they heard a clang and the click of a door closing.

  Jenny smiled. “I was right. Someone is here.”

  “I wish they’d come to the door, then. It’s getting kind of hot on this doorstep.” Cole rapped his knuckles against the door again. This time, a little bit harder. “Hello?”

  They heard the sound of footsteps and a grunt. Then, at long last, the sound of a deadbolt being turned.

  “Finally,” Cole said with a wink in her direction as the door opened. “Hiya,” he said the moment he looked up at the man on the other side. “We’re wondering if you’ve seen this woman.”

  Just as Jenny was about to move to Cole’s side, she got a good look at who had appeared at the door.

  Then her heart felt like it stopped as their eyes met.

  “Cole, run!” she screamed as she skittered backward down the stoop. She could hardly think. All that made sense was that she needed to get away from there as fast as possible and get help.

  Cole turned abruptly, his face a picture of confusion. “What? Jenny—”

  “Go!” she interrupted. Then screamed as loudly as she possibly could. “It’s him! It’s Trent!”

  Trent rushed out to grab her, but Jenny started running down the street as fast as she could. She didn’t even stop to look to see if Cole was following her. She could only hope he was. If he wasn’t, she knew she couldn’t help him, and she really wasn’t going to be any good to help Hannah by herself.

  When she got to the end of the street, she screamed again. “Help!”

  Less than two seconds later, she heard people answer her back.

  “What’s wrong?” a woman called out. “Where are you?”

  Glancing up at the street sign, Jenny yelled, “I’m on Maple. He’s here! Someone get the police!”

  To her relief, she heard a burst of sirens just as everything converged at once. She heard more calls of support, saw two English men running her way, and then felt a heavy hand push her forward.

  She landed hard on her hands and knees—closed her eyes and braced herself to be kicked or hit. When it came, it was almost a relief, because then she knew that she’d done something to help her sister.

  At last, Hannah was safe from this man.

  Trent started yelling profanities just as a police car pulled up and some Englishers tackled him.

  Jenny closed her eyes and prayed that she and Cole hadn’t been too late.

  CHAPTER 30

  Monday, August 22

  It is a blessing to be able to see, Hannah continually told herself in the dark basement. It is a blessing to be able to see.

  Those words had become her mantra from the moment Trent had stuffed a dirty rag in her mouth and left her shaking on the basement floor.

  Counting her blessings had never been so important to her very survival. Hannah felt as if she had nothing left but her faith and the ability to look for something to focus on that was positive. Instinctively, she realized that focusing on her fear or pain would only make her fall even further apart.

  After Trent had stuffed that rag in her mouth, she’d gagged and almost had a panic attack. Especially when Trent sat down across from her and started talking.

  In a monotone voice, he’d told her about the future he planned for them. The way she would always be his. She would always be perfect because he would make her that way. He would make sure she always remained the way she was.

  He told her how he’d rented this house and how it was on a small, run-down street in a forgotten area of town. How most of the houses were vacant.

  How no one would ever guess who he was, or probably would even imagine that anyone lived in the house. How, as soon as she had grown biddable, he was going to take her far away from there. He was going to change her clothes and dye her hair.

  In no time, she would look completely different and no one would ever imagine that she was Hannah Hilty.

  She would only exist as his wife and mother of his children.

  Every word he uttered made her feel sick inside. She hated the way he spoke so sincerely, so matter-of-factly. As if every word he said was a fact that couldn’t be disputed.

  Because she was afraid he would blindfold her if she looked away, she’d taken care to stare at him directly in the eyes the entire time he said his long and involved speech.

  After an hour or so, he had gone back upstairs.

  Knowing she could do nothing else, she started praying and counting her blessings.

  You can see, she reminded herself. God is with you and you can see.

  She repeated those sweet phrases over and over. They also calmed her. Eventually, she was hardly aware of his footsteps above her.

  But when she heard the sharp rap on the door, followed by the faint call, her heart raced.

  A door slammed. Trent was obviously pretending he wasn’t home. But whoever was there didn’t give up. The knocking continued.

  Moments later, Hannah heard Jenny scream.

  Her palms began to sweat as all the consequences of that hit her hard. Especially when she heard the door slam and Jenny screaming for help.

  Pulling against her bindings, Hannah sat up. Attempted to shift, maybe even find a way to push herself to the stairwell.

  But of course, there was nothing she could do. Her bindings were too tight and her muscles had long since cramped up.

  All she was capable of doing was waiting and imagining what Trent was doing to her little sister.

  Tears slid down her face as she realized that something worse than her worst imaginings had occurred. Somehow, she had not only been responsible for her own captivity, but she was going to be responsible for Jenny getting hurt, too.

  Helpless, she began to cry harder, blinking her eyes against the torrent of tears and nearly choking on the rag in the mouth.

  Then she heard the front door slam open. She braced herself for Trent to come down the stairs with Jenny in his arms. Braced herself to accept that she was responsible for hurting her sister and
that she was going to have to watch Trent hurt her.

  “Hello? Hannah, are you here?”

  She stilled, confused. That wasn’t Trent.

  After the space of a heartbeat, a voice said, “Hannah, this is Sheriff Brewer. It’s over, Hannah. We have Trent in custody and he can’t hurt you again. Now, can you help us find you? We want to help you, honey.”

  Tears filled her eyes. Help had come! She wasn’t alone!

  But of course, with the gag in her mouth, she couldn’t answer.

  “Hannah? Do you hear me? This is the sheriff, Hannah. Trent isn’t here. You’re safe.”

  Thinking about Jenny, thinking about Isaac, about her family, she knew she had to do something.

  “Hannah?!”

  Using all her might, Hannah shifted her body to the side and tried to kick the wall with her bound feet. It took three tries, but at last she was able to make a sound.

  “She’s here,” Sheriff yelled as he started directing people throughout the house.

  “Hello?” another voice called out. “Hannah, can you answer us?”

  God, please be with them. She silently cried out. Please help them.

  Seconds later, the basement door was opened and a blinding light was turned on.

  “Hannah?” Sheriff Brewer called out, taking one, then two steps at a time down.

  Still struggling, Hannah attempted to make another noise. Anything so he wouldn’t turn around and close the door again. She kicked the wall weakly one more time.

  Then he spied her. “Heaven help us,” he murmured before rushing toward her. “Down here,” he yelled as he got to his knees and wrapped an arm around her back as his other hand gently pulled out the gag.

  She inhaled deeply as she cried harder.

  Then gasped when she realized that Isaac was one of the men who had arrived.

  “Isaac?” she rasped.

  “You’re here,” he said, his voice tight with emotion. Kneeling down, he carefully gathered her into his arms after Sheriff Brewer pulled out a sharp knife and cut through her rope and duct-taped bindings. “Oh, Hannah. I’ve been so worried about you.”

  “It really is you, isn’t it, Isaac?” she said around a hiccup. She still felt as if she was in the middle of a dream.

  “It is,” he said, running a hand along her loose hair. “I’ve been so worried. So worried.”

  His words were comforting. His kind, loving tone even more so. Collapsing against Isaac’s shoulder, she inhaled, taking comfort in his fresh, clean scent and the way his strong arms were holding her close, making her feel whole again.

  After he held her for another minute or so, Hannah reluctantly pulled away. A roomful of people surrounded them, no doubt waiting to ask her questions. She also had just realized that she hadn’t spied her sister in the crowd. Was she hurt?

  Bracing herself to hear the news, Hannah turned to the sheriff. “Sheriff Brewer, what about my sister, Jenny?” she asked. “I am certain that I heard her scream. Is she all right?”

  Sheriff Brewer beamed. Positively beamed. “Your Jenny is a little bruised and banged up, but she is okay. She’s our hero, Hannah.”

  The words didn’t quite register. “Hero?” she whispered. “Are you saying . . . saying that she’s okay?”

  “She is. I promise,” Sheriff Brewer said.

  Isaac slipped his hand into hers. “That’s gut news. Ain’t so?”

  Before Hannah could reply, another man knelt down beside her.

  “Hannah, I’m Frank Burns,” he said in a kind voice. “I’m the owner of A&L Grocery. I know Jenny pretty well. I just want you to know that I saw the EMTs help your sister and her friend Cole myself. Jenny is a little bruised and battered, but she is going to be just fine.” Smiling encouragingly, he said, “Why, she was talking to everyone. And, of course, more concerned about you than herself.”

  “And what about Cole?”

  “He’s got a good bump on his head, but he is going to be all right as well.”

  “I hope he is. I’ve been so worried.”

  The sheriff chuckled. “Hannah, you are the one who has been in all of our hearts and minds. We’ve all been worried about you. Now that you are found, it’s all going to be okay. I promise.”

  Above them, Hannah heard more footsteps and radios. “Down here!” Sheriff Brewer called.

  “We’ve got the ambulance in the driveway and a car out to her parents’ house,” a uniformed man said as two medical personnel carrying a stretcher started down the stairs.

  Behind them, more police officers arrived, some taking pictures of the area. The noise and the flashing of cameras and the radios screeching at each other were disconcerting, but Hannah didn’t care. She was simply too relieved that her nightmare was over.

  Sheriff Brewer knelt by her and held her hand. “We’re going to get you out of here and get you to the hospital, but first I need my team to take a couple pictures. I know you don’t like your picture taken, but could you make an exception for me? We need these photos for evidence. We have to make sure Trent goes to jail for a very long time.”

  “We have to do whatever we can to help them, Hannah,” Isaac said.

  “I agree. If taking my picture here will help, please take it.”

  “But quickly, jah?” Isaac said as he stepped away to let the investigative team have the space they needed.

  “We’re going to get this done as fast as we can,” Sheriff Brewer promised. “I, too, want to make sure your girl gets out of this place as soon as possible.”

  His girl? Hannah looked over at Isaac just as several cameras began to click.

  Everything around her became a blur as medics helped her get on the stretcher, then poked and prodded her.

  The last thing she was conscious of thinking before they loaded her into the ambulance was of how glorious it looked outside. The sky was blue. It was warm. The air was fragrant with the scent of grass and the nearby woods.

  She could see it all. Feel it all.

  She was free.

  She was blessed.

  CHAPTER 31

  Two days later

  Wednesday, August 24

  Hannah, I’m starting to wonder if you’re ever going to eat a meal at the kitchen table again,” her father teased as he stepped out on the front porch with a grilled cheese sandwich on a plate in one hand and a tall glass of lemonade in the other.

  “I can’t help it. I love the fresh air. I’d sleep out here on this porch swing if I could.” Actually, Hannah thought it was going to be many, many weeks until she could be anywhere that reminded her of being confined in a dank, dark basement. Only the warm breeze and sights and sounds of the world around her seemed to ease her worries and aches.

  Well, that and Isaac.

  “You hearing this, Isaac?” her father groused with a wink.

  Sitting in a chair he’d pulled up beside her, Isaac chuckled. “I am. I guess, one day soon, I’m going to have to help add a screen to the porch so the bugs don’t get to her in the middle of the night.”

  Taking a bite of her sandwich, she said, “Danke for the sandwich, Daed. It tastes gut. Wunderbaar.”

  “I’m glad. I just made one for myself.” Looking a little chagrined, he said, “I decided to eat as many as I can this week since my chemotherapy begins next week.”

  “That’s a good plan.”

  With his hand on the door, he paused. “You going to be okay out here with this boy?”

  “I’ll be fine.” She was going to be better than fine, she knew. Every time she thought about those endless hours spent on the basement floor of Trent’s house, she knew she’d never take anything for granted again.

  After the policemen had taken pictures, the EMTs had loaded her onto a stretcher and whisked her upstairs and into an ambulance.

  When she arrived at the hospital, she’d been asked even more questions and her wrists and ankles had been cleaned and bandaged.

  By that time, her parents had picked up Jenny and Ben and
made their way to the hospital, too. Her mother cried when she saw Hannah’s bruises and cuts. Her father looked as if he was on the verge of tears as well.

  But they were all okay.

  After they’d been home a couple of hours, Jenny climbed into bed with her and they held each other and cried. Both of them had been in so much danger. It was a true blessing that no one, not even Cole, had been hurt worse.

  Hannah was recuperating ever since, deciding after a while to spend as much time outside as she could.

  Bringing her back to the present, sitting on the front porch, she heard Isaac call her name.

  “Jah?” she asked.

  Looking bemused, Isaac got to his feet, then moved and leaned against the porch railing so they were directly across from each other. “Your father’s right, you know. I do need to make sure you have someplace safe for you sit out at night.”

  She shrugged. A couple of mosquito bites were never going to be a big issue for her ever again. Also, well, he had already done so much for her. How could she possibly ask him for more? “That’s sweet of you to say, but it’s not your problem.”

  “I might think differently.”

  She looked at Isaac, aching to ask what, exactly, he meant. Then she felt that same awkwardness that she’d experienced when they’d first met. How should she act? She wasn’t exactly sure.

  She didn’t want to push him into doing anything he wasn’t ready for. Even more importantly, to her at least, she didn’t want to misinterpret his words. That would embarrass them both.

  She made do with sidestepping their conversation. She stretched out her legs and arms, relishing her freedom of movement. “Sometimes I can’t believe we are talking about things like mosquitoes and grilled cheese sandwiches. When I was sitting on that basement floor, I thought I’d never care about anything so mundane ever again.”

  He moved his hat back so she could see his expression better. “Bugs and comfort food aren’t mundane things, though.”

  She raised her eyebrows. “You don’t believe so?”

  “Nope.” Pushing off from the railing, he moved to sit down next to her. “I think a good life is made up of hundreds of things like that.”