Haven of Swans Read online

  Acclaim for Colleen Coble

  “Incredible storytelling and intricately drawn characters. You won’t want to miss Twilight at Blueberry Barrens!”

  —BRENDA NOVAK, NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR

  “Coble has a gift for making a setting come to life. After reading Twilight at Blueberry Barrens, I feel like I’ve lived in Maine all my life. This plot kept me guessing until the end, and her characters seem like my friends. I don’t want to let them go!

  —TERRI BLACKSTOCK, USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF IF I RUN

  “I’m a long-time fan of Colleen Coble, and Twilight at Blueberry Barrens is the perfect example of why. Coble delivers riveting suspense, delicious romance, and carefully crafted characters, all with the deft hand of a veteran writer. If you love romantic suspense, pick this one up. You won’t be disappointed!”

  —DENISE HUNTER, AUTHOR OF THE GOODBYE BRIDE

  “Colleen Coble, the queen of Christian romantic mysteries, is back with her best book yet. Filled with familiar characters, plot twists, and a confusion of antagonists, I couldn’t keep the pages of this novel set in Maine turning fast enough. I reconnected with characters I love while taking a journey filled with murder, suspense, and the prospect of love. This truly is her best book to date, and perfect for readers who adore a page-turner laced with romance.”

  —CARA PUTMAN, AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR OF SHADOWED BY GRACE AND WHERE TREETOPS GLISTEN ON TWILIGHT AT BLUEBERRY BARRENS

  “Gripping! Colleen Coble has again written a page-turning romantic suspense with Twilight at Blueberry Barrens! Not only did she keep me up nights racing through the pages to see what would happen next, I genuinely cared for her characters. Colleen sets the bar high for romantic suspense!”

  —CARRIE STUART PARKS, AUTHOR OF A CRY FROM THE DUST AND WHEN DEATH DRAWS NEAR

  “Colleen Coble thrills readers again with her newest novel, an addictive suspense trenched in family, betrayal, and . . . murder.”

  —DIANN MILLS, AUTHOR OF DEADLY ENCOUNTER ON TWILIGHT AT BLUEBERRY BARRENS

  “Coble’s latest, Twilight at Blueberry Barrens, is one of her best yet! With characters you want to know in person, a perfect setting, and a plot that had me holding my breath, laughing, and crying, this story will stay with the reader long after the book is closed. My highest recommendation.”

  —ROBIN CAROLL, BESTSELLING NOVELIST

  “Colleen’s Twilight at Blueberry Barrens is filled with a bevy of twists and surprises, a wonderful romance, and the warmth of family love. I couldn’t have asked for more. This author has always been a five-star novelist, but I think it’s time to up the ante with this book. It’s on my keeping shelf!”

  —HANNAH ALEXANDER, AUTHOR OF THE HALLOWED HALLS SERIES

  “Second chances, old flames, and startling new revelations combine to form a story filled with faith, trial, forgiveness, and redemption. Crack the cover and step in, but beware—Mermaid Point is harboring secrets that will keep you guessing.”

  —LISA WINGATE, NATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE SEA KEEPER’S DAUGHTERS, ON MERMAID MOON

  “I burned through The Inn at Ocean’s Edge in one sitting. An intricate plot by a master storyteller. Colleen Coble has done it again with this gripping opening to a new series. I can’t wait to spend more time at Sunset Cove.”

  —HEATHER BURCH, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF ONE LAVENDER RIBBON

  “Coble doesn’t disappoint with her custom blend of suspense and romance.”

  —PUBLISHERS WEEKLY ON THE INN AT OCEAN’S EDGE

  “Veteran author Coble has penned another winner. Filled with mystery and romance that are unpredictable until the last page, this novel will grip readers long past when they should put their books down. Recommended to readers of contemporary mysteries.”

  —CBA RETAILERS + RESOURCES REVIEW OF THE INN AT OCEAN’S EDGE

  “Coble truly shines when she’s penning a mystery, and this tale will really keep the reader guessing . . . Mystery lovers will definitely want to put this book on their purchase list.”

  —ROMANTIC TIMES REVIEW OF THE INN AT OCEAN’S EDGE

  “Master storyteller Colleen Coble has done it again. The Inn at Ocean’s Edge is an intricately woven, well-crafted story of romance, suspense, family secrets, and a decades-old mystery. Needless to say, it had me hooked from page one. I simply couldn’t stop turning the pages. This one’s going on my keeper shelf.”

  —LYNETTE EASON, AWARD-WINNING, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE HIDDEN IDENTITY SERIES

  “Evocative and gripping, The Inn at Ocean’s Edge will keep you flipping pages long into the night.”

  —DANI PETTREY, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE ALASKAN COURAGE SERIES

  “Coble’s atmospheric and suspenseful series launch should appeal to fans of Tracie Peterson and other authors of Christian romantic suspense.”

  —LIBRARY JOURNAL REVIEW OF TIDEWATER INN

  “Romantically tense, but with just the right touch of danger, this cowboy love story is surprisingly clever—and pleasingly sweet.”

  —USATODAY.COM REVIEW OF BLUE MOON PROMISE

  “Colleen Coble will keep you glued to each page as she shows you the beauty of God’s most primitive land and the dangers it hides.”

  —WWW.ROMANCEJUNKIES.COM

  “[An] outstanding, completely engaging tale that will have you on the edge of your seat . . . A must-have for all fans of romantic suspense!”

  —THEROMANCEREADERSCONNECTION.COM REVIEW OF ANATHEMA

  “Colleen Coble lays an intricate trail in Without a Trace and draws the reader on like a hound with a scent.”

  —ROMANTIC TIMES, 4½ STARS

  “Coble’s historical series just keeps getting better with each entry.”

  —LIBRARY JOURNAL STARRED REVIEW OF THE LIGHTKEEPER’S BALL

  “Don’t ever mistake [Coble’s] for the fluffy romances with a little bit of suspense. She writes solid suspense, and she ties it all together beautifully with a wonderful message.”

  —LIFEINREVIEWBLOG.COM REVIEW OF LONESTAR ANGEL

  “This book has everything I enjoy: mystery, romance, and suspense. The characters are likable, understandable, and I can relate to them.”

  —THEFRIENDLYBOOKNOOK.COM

  “[M]ystery, danger, and intrigue as well as romance, love, and subtle inspiration. The Lightkeeper’s Daughter is a ‘keeper.’”

  —ONCEUPONAROMANCE.COM

  “Colleen is a master storyteller.”

  —KAREN KINGSBURY, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF UNLOCKED AND LEARNING

  Also by Colleen Coble

  SUNSET COVE NOVELS

  The Inn at Ocean’s Edge

  Mermaid Moon

  Twilight at Blueberry Barrens

  HOPE BEACH NOVELS

  Tidewater Inn

  Rosemary Cottage

  Seagrass Pier

  All Is Bright: A Hope Beach

  Christmas Novella (e-book only)

  UNDER TEXAS STARS NOVELS

  Blue Moon Promise

  Safe in His Arms

  THE MERCY FALLS SERIES

  The Lightkeeper’s Daughter

  The Lightkeeper’s Bride

  The Lightkeeper’s Ball

  LONESTAR NOVELS

  Lonestar Sanctuary

  Lonestar Secrets

  Lonestar Homecoming

  Lonestar Angel

  All Is Calm: A Lonestar

  Christmas Novella (e-book only)

  THE ROCK HARBOR SERIES

  Without a Trace

  Beyond a Doubt

  Into the Deep

  Cry in the Night

  Silent Night: A Rock Harbor

  Christmas Novella (e-book only)

  Beneath Copper Falls (Coming July 2017)

  THE ALOHA REEF SERI
ES

  Distant Echoes

  Black Sands

  Dangerous Depths

  Midnight Sea

  Holy Night: An Aloha Reef

  Christmas Novella (e-book only)

  Alaska Twilight

  Fire Dancer

  Abomination

  Anathema

  Butterfly Palace

  Because You’re Mine

  JOURNEY OF THE HEART SERIES

  A Heart’s Disguise

  A Heart’s Obsession

  A Heart’s Danger

  A Heart’s Betrayal

  A Heart’s Promise

  A Heart’s Home

  NOVELLAS INCLUDED IN:

  Smitten

  Secretly Smitten

  Smitten Book Club

  NOVELLA COLLECTIONS

  Silent Night, Holy Night

  All Is Calm, All Is Bright

  OTHER NOVELLAS

  Bluebonnet Bride

  © 2007 by Colleen Coble

  All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other—except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

  Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.

  Thomas Nelson books may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales promotional use. For information, please e-mail [email protected].

  Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version, © 1979, 1980, 1982, Thomas Nelson Publishers.

  Publisher’s Note: This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. All characters are fictional, and any similarity to people living or dead is purely coincidental.

  Epub Edition April ISBN 9780718092788

  ISBN: 978-0-7180-9276-4 (repack)

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Coble, Colleen.

  Abomination / Colleen Coble.

  p. cm.

  ISBN 978-1-59554-141-3 (hardcover)

  ISBN 978-1-59554-478-0 (trade paper)

  I. Title.

  PS3553.O2285A64 2007

  813’.6--dc22

  2007012829

  Printed in the United States of America

  17 18 19 20 LSC 5 4 3 2 1

  To my parents, George and Peggy Rhoads.

  Your faith in me has never wavered.

  Contents

  Acclaim for Colleen Coble

  Also by Colleen Coble

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Acknowledgments

  Discussion Questions

  About the Author

  Prologue

  Night crept over the hills, smothering the landscape in a cocoon of darkness that would hide him in a few minutes. He’d abandoned his real name for one more fitting of his strength and intellect. Gideon was what he called himself when clouds hid the moon and the shadows gathered. Gideon, the Destroyer of Evil.

  Before the moonlight could fade completely, he flipped down the sun visor and stared into the face of his wife, Miranda—a photo of her as she had once been.

  As she would be again.

  The blare of a horn startled him, and he slapped the visor back into place as a gray SUV careened past where his car sat on the narrow shoulder. The vehicle splashed water from a mud puddle over his car. He bit back an expletive, knowing such words ill befit a man of his intellect. He twisted the key and heard the car engine purr to life. Easing onto the road, he hunched over the wheel and stared into the fog. The turnoff to the lake was just ahead. No car lights illuminated the road ahead or behind. He turned the vehicle onto the muddy track and rolled down the window to let in the fresh scent of the water. The lane was meant for tractors, and visitors rarely trespassed. The owners would never even know he’d been here.

  The lake reflected the golden orb of the moon. He parked and turned off the car. The cacophony of crickets and tree frogs paused, then started up again as he stepped into the mud and went around to the trunk. The lid sprang open at his touch, and he looked down into the woman’s face. As with the others, preludes to the grand finale, he’d stripped her of beauty. This one would never lash a man with her tongue again.

  Securing the gray wool blanket around the body, he hauled it out and dumped it on the ground. He tucked a partial peanut butter sandwich under the sinner’s blouse. He took hold of the end of the blanket and pulled the bundle down to the water.

  Reaching the small pier, he paused and listened, then stepped onto the rickety boards. The body slid easily across the worn wood. Once he reached the end of the dock, he dropped the end of the blanket and settled onto the weather-scoured boards to wait. He pulled his GPS from his pocket and noted the coordinates. Close enough. He didn’t plan to go far from shore.

  A hint of pine mingled on the night air with the scent of water. The chilly night began to creep into his bones. Loons called, and he straightened and stood to stamp his feet.

  Then the angels came.

  Gideon held his breath as they glided into the shaft of moonlight. Silent and beautiful, they moved as one along the placid surface of the water. He counted one, two, ten. The largest one’s wings spanned at least eight feet.

  He shoved the body into the bottom of a small boat, where it lay amid the flotsam of tackle boxes, tarps, and fishing poles. Gideon hurried to the shore, where he gathered rocks in a bucket. Carrying his burden, he went back to the boat and set the bucket into the boat as well. The boat tipped when he stepped in, but he was quick on his feet and moved to the center, where he settled onto the seat.

  Years of use had worn the oars smooth, and they fit into his palms as if they’d been carved for his hands. His muscles flexed, and he dipped the oars into the water. The boat moved smoothly through the ripples. They barely noticed his approach. Their voices raised the hair on his arms and back.

  About five feet from them, he laid the oars back against the sides of the boat, then crouched beside the body. Opening the blanket, he piled rocks from the bucket inside, then tied the ends with the rope he’d brought.

  They moved around him. One bent her neck and looked at him. Something about the way she held her head made him catch his breath. She glided nearer. They would wait with him, patient, long-suffering, until he secured the ultimate prize. Then one rose into the air. The others soared heavenward as well, and he was left alone with a single feather wafting toward him on the shifting fog. He caught it in his hand and brought it to his face. He brushed it over his lips like a kiss. A benediction.

  His gaze lit on the body. Frowning, he put the feather in his pocket. He balled his fists, then stooped and heaved the bundle over the side. The water rippled, then closed over the space. He turned around and began to row back to shore.

  The house was quiet when he got home. He peeked in on his daughter, Odette. Seventeen years old with a soul as old as Moses, she slept with one hand on her cheek. So innocent the sight made his heart swell
in his chest.

  What would happen to her if he were caught?

  His lip curled. They weren’t smart enough to find him. Besides, he was surrounded by a mantle of protection. He was invincible as long as his angels stayed with him. Pressing a kiss on his daughter’s hair, he went down the hall to his office and entered, shutting the door. The computer screen lit as soon as he lifted the laptop’s lid. He launched the browser and went to the geocaching site.

  After he put in the GPS coordinates, he typed:

  ABOMINATIONS WILL FIND YOU.

  1

  She didn’t know how far she’d driven—all she knew was that it wasn’t far enough. The lights on the dash moved in her vision, growing and receding as she gripped the steering wheel and struggled to hang on to consciousness. Nothing but the moon illuminated this lonely stretch of highway. The clock read 8:03.

  Panic beat in her chest like a bird trying to escape her rib cage. She had to get away, had to find a place to hide. Her hand touched her ribs and came away with sticky wetness. How much blood had she lost? Her fingers probed the spot again, and she discovered a six-inch gash. Had she been in a car accident?

  Her gaze wandered to the rearview mirror, and she moved it so she could see the child in the car seat in the back. Confusion clouded her mind. She struggled to put a name to the little girl who looked to be about two. Her child? Her gaze took in the worn backpack beside the sleeping child, but nothing looked familiar.

  A green sign flashed past as the car weaved. Rock Harbor, ten miles. She had no idea where this town was located, not even what state. Maybe she was just tired. Too frightened to think, to plan. Her head ached abominably, and her vision continued to waver.

  Headlights haloed with distorted rings of color sprang into view behind her, and the panic surged into her throat again. She pressed her foot to the accelerator.

  He couldn’t find her.

  The car responded to the acceleration at first. Her tires zoomed along the road, their hum sounding loud inside the car. The other vehicle receded in her rearview mirror. But her elation faded when the wheel shuddered in her hands. The engine coughed.

  “No, no,” she moaned. “Not now.” He would catch her. She struggled for a name to put with the danger, but it wouldn’t come. If her head would just quit aching, she could think.