Sanctuary by Beverly Lewis & David Lewis

Author:Beverly Lewis & David Lewis [Lewis, Beverly & Lewis, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Christian Fiction, Amish, Lancaster County (Pa.), Fiction, Romance, Christian, General, Religious, Love Stories, Domestic Fiction, Impostors and Imposture, Women - Pennsylvania, Blind Women, Pennsylvania Dutch Country (Pa.), Historical, Female Friendship, Amish Women, Pennsylvania Dutch, Runaway Wives, Women
ISBN: 9780764204043
Google: WNb0-Xp7WUAC
Amazon: 0764204041
Publisher: Bethany House
Published: 2001-01-01T13:00:00+00:00

D a y i d Lewis

Denny began with an apology for poking his nose into their personal files, then about finding the hidden photo. He removed the picture from his shirt pocket and handed it to Ryan, pointing out the aspen trees “in fall colors.”

Ryan seemed alarmed initially but said nothing.

Denny pushed ahead to Melissa’s birth certificate, revealinr, what he’d learned during his calls to Marshall, Minnesota. 11< shared the exchange with Bill and Betty Nolan, too, the startlinc. disclosure of Melissa Leigh Nolan’s untimely death at age five.

Staring blankly, Ryan remained silent, but his jaw dropped and his face suddenly paled. He sighed deeply, as if gatherinp, enough strength to speak. “You’re saying that Melissa lied aboul who she is?”

Denny nodded respectfully. Telling Ryan had been harder than he’d imagined. He felt his friend’s anguish, the sting of disbelief. “She assumed the identity of a child who died years ago,” Denny managed to say.

“How do you know you’re not mistaken?”

“Well, we could follow up with the death certificate, contact the parents of the original Melissa … verify their story.”

Ryan shook his head, defeated. “No … actually …” He stopped, eyes glistening. “I suppose I shouldn’t be too surprised at anything, after all this.” He shrugged, unable to continue.

How many hits does a guy have to take? Denny felt lousy being the one to deliver the blow.

A tray fell, clattering to the floor. They turned in unison to look. A long line of customers, eager for donuts and varieties of coffee, stretched nearly to the door.

The girl behind the counter came around sheepishly, bending down to clean up the mess on the floor. “Oh man …” she said, evidently embarrassed by her clumsiness.

“Just let it go,” the owner hollered from another room.

Flustered, the young clerk straightened and scurried back behind the counter to take orders, then filled them singlehandedly.

149

H “Niii* Kuy, this client of yours,” Denny interjected, feeling

H|fy till the poor girl.

H^!!A little rough around the edges” was Ryan’s distracted

^^^Mmri ving the clerk’s attempt to juggle the crowd, Denny’s

^^^froii I in on a middle-aged man sauntering in the doorway,

^^y jj.i.iy slacks and a white shirt. Standing in line, the man

^^^| h I in live sweep around the room, stopping at their table.

^^^| lie turned away, a look of recognition on his face. Strange,

^^^hl I ) “imy, who was particularly struck by the lone tuft of

^^^n tlu-man’s full head of dark hair.

^^^t returned his attention to Ryan. “Has anyone ever con—

Hfiril you about Melissa?”

H “Wningly preoccupied, Ryan shook his head. “No. Listen “

H hint then, Ryan’s pager chirped. He pulled the pager off his

I1 Kcrutinizing it, then finding his cell phone, he punched in

H .11 pit* of numbers and waited. “Cover twenty thousand shares

inndiately,” he barked. When he was finished, he shook his

H .>.l “1 need some air. Let’s take a walk.”

H I inched with coffee, they rose from their seats well after the

Hun with a splash of silver in his hair had strolled out the door.

H “‘I’nke it easy,” Ryan called to the owner.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.