Riley took her hand. “He couldn’t have made it, but Abigail, we’re okay. This is going to lead us to the exit. We can’t be far from the Villa Poppaea.”

  “Do you remember the way?” Abigail asked, trying not to think of Milo.

  Riley was already moving forward, guiding Abigail along with him. “I sure do,” he said. “It’s straightforward from here.”

  With every step, the temperature grew cooler and the smell of sulfur subsided.

  Soon, Abigail saw a glow, and it wasn’t from Riley’s flashlight. “We made it,” she said resisting the urge to sob with relief.

  Soon, they were in the cryptoporticus. Abigail sank to the ground and gulped in lungfuls of fresh air. She looked up at the blue sky through the high windows of the cryptoporticus and sent up a silent prayer of thanks that they were alive.

  31

  LANCASTER, PA

  THE PRESENT DAY

  Abigail’s phone chirped. “Mom, I can’t talk. I’m going on a picnic.” Abigail held the phone between her shoulder and ear as she rummaged through her the bottom of her closet.

  Her mom replied, “I’ll call you in an hour then?”

  “No, Mom. I’ll still be at the picnic, and I’m going to leave my phone at home, so I can have time to myself.”

  “Is it with a man?”

  “Mom!”

  “No, you need your phone, honey. I need a play by play. You have to spend the whole time texting me in secret.”

  “Mom!”

  “Honey, your dad is the least romantic man on the face of the planet. I need to live vicariously through my daughter.”

  “Dad is romantic. He buys you flowers all the time.”

  “He bought me flowers once, and that was only after he broke my car window practicing his golf shot.”

  “That was sweet of him.”

  “That was in 1985.”

  “I am not giving you a play by play. Ha! Found you.” Abigail gripped the shaft of her favorite pair of western boots. As a little girl, she used to dance with her dad to Nancy Sinatra’s ‘These Boots Are Made For Walking.’ For some reason, she had always seen herself wearing cowboy boots with her future husband in her daydreams. Abigail studied the boots. Maybe, today was the day to break them out.

  “You found what, dear?” Abigail’s mom said a little absentmindedly. Abigail could hear her tapping away at her keyboard. Abigail’s mom loved leaving glowing five star reviews on Amazon. She was addicted to shopping. No, she was addicted to shopping for burrito blankets. Yes, blankets designed to look like burritos. Apparently, more than one company sold these blankets, and, even more puzzling, to her mother, every one of these companies was worthy of large amounts of praise.

  “My western boots.”

  “You are not wearing those awful things on a picnic with a man.”

  Abigail slipped them onto her feet. They pinched a little in the toe box, but beauty was pain, she reminded herself. Beauty was pain. “Dad would like them.”

  “Your father doesn’t know the first thing about clothes. If you asked him what color I wore on our wedding day, he’d probably reply, ‘I don’t know. Yellow?’ The man is hopeless.”

  “Mom, I have to go.”

  “Abigail.”

  “Mom.”

  “Wear heels. And a dress.”

  “It’s too cold.”

  “I don’t want this man leaving you for a woman who knows how to brush her hair.”

  Abigail’s hand automatically went to her hair. “Oh, thanks for reminding me.”

  “This is a disaster.”

  “I need to run.”

  “Please, Abigail, remember to smile.”

  “Love you too, Mom,” Abigail said quickly, and she hung up the phone.

  On Abigail’s first ever date, her mom had forced her into a suit. The suit was from the eighties, and it had shoulder pads. Shoulder pads! Abigail was sixteen. All the pretty girls wore jeans and a white top on their first dates. Meanwhile, Abigail stepped into the cinema wearing a magenta blazer and a neon-green zebra print skirt. Needless to say, the boy had not asked for a second date. Abigail never let her mom convince her to wear anything again.

  Abigail was shrugging on her coat when there was a knock. She threw her phone on her nightstand and then walked out to open the door.

  “Riley, hi.”

  “Abigail.” A grin spread across Riley’s face as he presented Abigail with a bouquet of red roses. “Remember, leave your phone at home.”

  “Yes, sir,” Abigail said as she stepped outside. “Are we walking?”

  “We sure are.” Riley placed a hand in the small of Abigail’s back as he guided her away from the cabin and down a path. He was carrying a wicker picnic basket and a bottle of champagne was tucked beneath one arm. “It’s a beautiful afternoon for a picnic.”

  The pair soon found themselves sitting by the duck pond at the edge of the Amish farm in which Abigail rented the cabin, or the grossmammi haus it was known by the Amish folk. Riley had spread a tartan blanket on the grass. Abigail unpacked the strawberries and the melted chocolate while Riley popped the champagne’s cork. Abigail noticed he had also packed lobster rolls, chive potato salad, and green beans.

  “Watch this,” Riley said, and he took out a packet of potato chips.

  “What are you doing?” Abigail said.

  Riley didn’t reply. Instead, he crushed the potato chips in his hands and sprinkled them over the beans. “This was my favorite thing in the world as a kid.”

  “Okay, I trust you,” Abigail said, uncertain.

  “Do you?”

  “No.”

  Riley swatted at her with a hand, but Abigail managed to dodge him. She held up her glass for him to pour the champagne, and together they toasted to another job well done.

  “Life is never boring with you, Professor,” Riley said after he had taken a sip of champagne. “It was a great idea not to bring our phones.”

  “And to have a picnic in the first place. Most men don’t really think of this sort of thing,” Abigail admitted.

  “Most men are not as dashing and charming as me either.” Riley winked at Abigail.

  Abigail chuckled. “Amish life does hold a certain appeal. It’s so peaceful here. Sometimes I think I could get used to this.”

  Riley snorted. “You like online shopping too much to be Amish.”

  “I haven’t bought anything online for months.”

  “You said you bought a burrito blanket yesterday,” Riley replied.

  “That’s because my mom is obsessed with the things and I had to see what all the fuss is about. Speaking of my mom, do you like my western boots? She had her doubts. In fact, she told me to wear heels.”

  “I don’t like those boots,” Riley replied, “I love those boots. Come on, cowgirl, eat a lobster roll before you starve to death.”

  Abigail remembered waking up that morning with a block of chocolate stuck to her cheeks. She couldn’t go to sleep unless she had some sort of midnight snack tucked safely in her arms. “That’s not likely to happen anytime soon,” Abigail replied but did not care to elaborate.

  Riley said, “Did your mom also tell you to brush your hair?”

  “Yes, why?”

  “Because your hair is brushed.”

  Now, it was Abigail’s turn to swat at Riley. He didn’t manage to duck away from her, however, and she whacked him on the shoulder. “Behave yourself, Riley. I went to all the trouble of packing this lovely picnic and the only way you can think to repay me is by teasing.”

  “I packed this picnic, thank you very much.”

  “Yes, but I told you to bring champagne and strawberries and melted chocolate. I practically had to do everything myself.”

  “Is that so?”

  “Yep.”

  “And that’s why I’m currently broke, is it?”

  “How can you be broke?”

  “Lobster is not cheap.”

  Riley and Abigail grinned at each other.

  Abigail picked up a strawberry and dipped it into the melted chocolate, but Riley sat up suddenly. “I forgot to tell you. We couldn’t find Charles.”

  “Oh,” Abigail replied.

  “Oh? That’s it? Oh?”

  “I don’t really think Charles can be all that bad.”

  Riley swatted away an ant. “You cannot be serious! Abigail, he kidnapped you and tied you up in a basement!”

  Abigail shrugged. “Do you have any leads on where he went?”

  “No, but we’ll find him. A man like that can’t be on the loose.”

  “Can’t you just let him go?”

  “Abigail?”

  Abigail laughed, but Riley’s face was bright red. “He hasn’t really hurt anyone.”

  “He kidnapped you!”

  “I didn’t know you were so sensitive about Charles.”

  “I’m not sensitive about Charles.” Riley frowned. “I’m sensitive about you.”

  “Aw,” Abigail said before she could stop herself. “I mean, ah. Sure. Pass another lobster roll?”

  “You don’t deserve another lobster roll. Seriously, Abigail, Charles is dangerous. I don’t like that man.”

  “I couldn’t tell.”

  Riley tried not to smile, but it seemed as if he could not help himself. He handed Abigail another lobster roll and shook his head. “It’s impossible to stay mad at you.”

  “I like to think so.”

  Riley wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, so Abigail tossed a napkin in his lap. “Isn’t this the best?” Riley said as he picked up the napkin. “This is the first date we’ve had which won’t be interrupted by Relic Hunter Task Force.”

  Abigail exhaled, and she felt her whole body relax. This was their first date not interrupted by Relic Hunter Task Force, and yes, it truly was the best. She sighed with happiness. “I love watching the ducks float across the pond.”

  “Here comes a buggy,” Riley said by way of reply.

  Abigail watched as an Amish buggy came into view. It started as a small black speck on the horizon but grew larger and larger the closer it traveled down the road to them. “I wonder where they’re going?”

  “Um? To do stuff with the things.”

  “Yes. Stuff with the things. Very Amish,” Abigail replied, and she laughed. “But this road doesn’t go anywhere. It stops right here, at the pond.”

  The buggy rounded the last corner before the duck pond. It was only now that Abigail noticed how fast the buggy was traveling. Riley noticed too, and he must have felt uncomfortable because he leaned over to place his body in front of Abigail’s.

  Abigail’s breath caught in her throat.

  As the buggy pulled to a stop in front of them, both Abigail and Riley stood. Abigail was expecting an Amish man or woman to step from the buggy. Instead, two men in suits and sunglasses stepped onto the grass. One had a phone pressed to his ear.

  “I have them here now,” the man said. “Yes. I understand.”

  “What’s going on?” Riley asked.

  The second man stepped forward. “Special Agent Jack Riley? Professor Abigail Spencer?”

  “Yes?” they both said.

  “We’re with Relic Hunter Task Force,” he said, “and we need your help.”

  Connect with Ruth Hartzler

  If you would like to enter your email to be informed of Ruth’s New Releases or Giveaways, please enter your email HERE!

  Other Books by Ruth Hartzler

  Relic Hunters Taskforce

  USA Today Best-selling Series

  1. Scroll

  2. Papyrus

  3. Codex

  4. Sigil

  More coming!

  Cozy Mysteries

  #1 Best-Selling Cozy Mystery series, An Amish Cupcake Cozy Mystery Series, by Ruth Hartzler.

  True Confections (Book 1)

  When her husband of thirty years runs off with a college student named Cherri, Jane Delight returns to Pennsylvania to work in her Amish sister's cupcake store. Having lost everything in the divorce, Jane now finds herself sharing an apartment with two elderly ladies and their quirky cat.

  But there is no time to despair. A man is murdered in the cupcake store, and now Jane and her sister, Rebecca, are the prime suspects. Enter brooding detective Damon McCloud, a Scot with a tragic past and a desire for justice.

  Can Jane solve the murder, wrangle her new roommates, and stop herself from falling for the detective?

  Or will she never get her new life on track?

  Amish Cupcake Cozy Mysteries.

  1. True Confections

  2. Previous Confections

  3. Confection is Good for the Soul

  4. Speak with Confection

  5. An Instant Confection

  The first 3 books are available in a Box Set: Amish Cupcake Cozy Mysteries Books 1 -3. It is more economical to buy box sets.

  Suspense Series

  #1 Best-selling Amish Safe Hearts series of 3 novellas.

  Off the Grid (Book 1)

  Kate Briggs is a U.S. Marshal who works in WITSEC, the Federal witness protection program. After an attempt on her life, her boss sends her to live in a small Amish community until the mole in the agency is found. Will Kate, who is used to the ways of the world, be convincing as a sweet Amish woman?

  When a murder is committed in the community, how will Kate assist the handsome police officer heading up the case without revealing her true identity?

  And will Kate be able to leave behind her non-Amish ways as she finds herself off the grid in more ways than one?

  Ruth also writes Amish Romance

  #1 Best-selling and multiple All-Star Award Winning Amish Romance series, The Amish Millers Get Married, is a series of happy, feel-good Amish Romance full length novels.

  The first book in the series is The Way Home.

  The four Miller sisters are injured when their buggy is hit by a car driven by Noah Hostetler who is on rumspringa.

  The oldest sister, Hannah, is the first to recover physically, but is left with a fear of buggies and worse still, unforgiveness in her heart for Noah.

  Can Hannah recapture the love she once felt for Noah?

  Will love be enough to heal the wounds of the past?

  Harlequin publishes the mass market paperback versions of each book in The Amish Millers Get Married series. These are available at bookstores in the USA.

  #1 Best-selling and All-Star Awarded series of 5 novellas, The Amish Buggy Horse, by Ruth Hartzler.

  Faith (Book 1)

  For years, Nettie looked after her aged mother Elma, a demanding woman who did not want any involvement with the community.

  Now that her mother has died, Nettie is alone. She is regarded with suspicion by the local townspeople, and has had no visitors from her community for some years.

  Nettie’s buggy horse has gone lame and has had to be retired, but Nettie cannot afford a new horse. Just as Nettie is despairing about not having any means of transport, a lost horse appears in her driveway, bringing with him far-reaching consequences.

  Daniel Glick is drawn to the lonely figure of Nettie, but Nettie wants to be left alone.

  However, when Jebediah Sprinkler tries to force Nettie to hand over her house, Daniel springs to the rescue.

  As Nettie’s struggles mount, she has to decide whether to take the law into her own hands.

  And what will Daniel do when he discovers the secret that Nettie is hiding from him?

  Amish Romance Series by Ruth Hartzler.

  Amish Second Chance Romance,

  Full length novels.

  1. Healing Hearts

  2. Match Made in Heaven

  3. The Secret of Love

  More coming!

  The first three books are available in a Box Set: Amish Second Chance Romance: Box Set: Books 1-3.

  #1 Best-selling and multiple Kindle All-Star awarded, The Amish Millers Get Married series.

  Full length novels.

  All are also available as Harlequin paperbacks in US bookstores.

  1. The Way Home (Kindle All Star Awarded Book)

  2. The Way Forward

  3. The Narrow Way

  4. The Only Way

  5. Finding the Way

  The first three books are available in a Box Set: The Amish Millers Get Married: Box Set: Books 1-3.

  The Amish Buggy Horse series.

  1. Faith

  2. Hope

  3. Charity

  4. Patience

  5. Kindness

  All FIVE books available in Box Set available as paperback:

  The Amish Buggy Horse: Compilation: All Five Books In Series

  Amish Safe House series.

  1. Off the Grid

  2. In Plain View

  3. Safe Hearts

  All Three novellas available in Box Set:

  Amish Safe House: Three Book Box Set

  Top 50 Book (Paid) on Amazon US 2017

  Top 100 Book (Paid) on Amazon US 2020

  Amish Bed & Breakfast series.

  1. Amish Trust

  2. Amish Haven

  3. Amish Favor

  4. Amish Romance

  All FOUR books available in Box Set:

  Amish Bed and Breakfast: Four Book Box Set

  Ruth’s Christian Contemporary Western Romance Books

  Christian Western Romance series

  1. Western Wishes

  2. Western Romance

  3. Western Hearts

  4. Western Love

  All Four books available in Box Set:

  Christian Western Romance: Four Book Box Set

  All Ruth’s books are available in paperback and also in Large Print paperback.