Free Safe Hearts (Amish Safe House, Book 3) by Ruth Hartzler Page A

morning!”
    Jeremiah was the first to jump down
from the buggy. He then turned to his cousin and assisted her down
the moderately steep drop. Beckie looked up at Kate with a broad
smile. “Good morning! It certainly is.”
    “ Yes, it’s so nice to be
free again. I would never speak ill of anyone, but places like that
are not meant for humanity. They try to strip you of your identity,
but I refused to allow it. Fortunately, you and Beckie were amongst
several who helped seek my freedom. For that, I am truly thankful.”
Jeremiah smiled as he spoke, and then locked eyes with Kate. She
could sense the sincerity and appreciation in his words, and
despite his unfair incarceration, it was apparent to her that he
held no resentment.
    “ We all knew from the very
beginning that their claims and charges against you were false.
Beckie’s been the driving force in everything that’s happened to
free you, though.” Kate glanced over at Beckie and grinned. “She’s
the reason truth and faith overcame its obstacles to set you
free.”
    Beckie nodded and smiled. “We all had
an equal part in inspiring the truth to be heard. Let’s not forget
Ryan and his role in all of his as well. Please send him our
gratitude if you should happen to see him before we have the
chance.”
    “ Of course; I’ll make sure
he knows how grateful you both are for his help.” Just then, Kate
heard a voice calling out from behind her. Kate turned to see Beth
coming down the steps of the porch.
    Beth made her way toward them. “Good
morning!” she called out in a cheerful tone. “Would you all like to
come inside the house for some tea?”
    “ Denki ,” Jeremiah responded. Beckie and Kate exchanged quick glances
and then nodded in agreement. Beth motioned for them to follow and
headed back toward the porch.
    They made their way to the dining area
as Beth split off toward the kitchen. “I’ll be right back; I just
need to get the tea.”
    Kate walked around the table and
pulled out one of the chairs. She sank into the seat and then
looked up as Jeremiah and Beckie followed suit. She gazed around
the dining area, hoping Beth would join them soon. Suddenly,
Jeremiah broke the temporary silence.
    “ I have never taken
anything in life for granted, but when your freedom is stolen from
you erroneously, a mann comes to the realization that life is even more precious than
we already believe it to be,” Jeremiah said in a solemn
tone.
    Just as Kate was about to respond,
Beth came in with two large pitchers of iced meadow tea, one in
each hand. She filled the cups that sat before each of them and
then placed the pitchers in the center of the table. She sat next
to Kate and smiled. “Did I miss anything?”
    Beckie grinned. “You’re just in
time!”
    “ Yes. I was just beginning
to talk about my time spent caged up,” Jeremiah said. “I blame no
one for my incarceration, but that is no place for a good man.
Fortunately, I only had one confrontation with the others, and by
the end of that night, he seemed to be a changed man.”
    Kate listened carefully as Jeremiah
spoke about his experience. She found solace in the strength and
willpower. She looked down to hide her smile as she made a
startling realization: if these people can be so strong and brave
in the face of adversity and fear on a constant basis and placed
their trust in God, who was she to be afraid or worried about a
former colleague who was sent to harm her?
    “ We spoke long after he
tried to attack me,” Jeremiah said. “I was unsure of his motives,
but hostility seems to be a person’s only method of protection in
places like prison. The man grew frustrated and confused because I
would not show aggression toward him, despite his actions against
me. I would not fight back. He kept yelling, ‘Why aren’t you
defending yourself?’ My only response was that I forgave him. At
first, he grew even angrier each time I said the phrase, but then
he began to understand. Before that