The View from Rainshadow Bay Read online

  ACCLAIM FOR COLLEEN COBLE

  “Prepare to stay up all night with Colleen Coble. Coble’s beautiful, emotional prose coupled with her keen sense of pacing, escalating danger, and very real characters place her firmly at the top of the suspense genre. I could not put this book down.”

  —ALLISON BRENNAN, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF SHATTERED ON THE VIEW FROM RAINSHADOW BAY

  “I loved returning to Rock Harbor and you will too. Beneath Copper Falls is Colleen at her best!”

  —DANI PETTREY, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE ALASKAN COURAGE AND CHESAPEAKE VALOR SERIES

  “Return to Rock Harbor for Colleen Coble's best story to date. Beneath Copper Falls is a twisting, turning, thrill ride from page one that drops you head first into danger that will leave you breathless, sleep deprived, and eager for more! I couldn't turn the pages fast enough!”

  —LYNETTE EASON, AWARD-WINNING, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE ELITE GUARDIANS SERIES

  “The tension, both suspenseful and romantic, is gripping, reflecting Coble’s prowess with the genre.”

  —PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, STARRED REVIEW FOR TWILIGHT AT BLUEBERRY BARRENS

  “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 Moon is harboring secrets that will keep you guessing.”

  —LISA WINGATE, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF BEFORE WE WERE YOURS, 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.”

  —RT BOOK REVIEWS 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

  “[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.”

  —RT BOOK REVIEWS, 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

  “Colleen is a master storyteller.”

  —KAREN KINGSBURY, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF UNLOCKED AND LEARNING

  ALSO BY COLLEEN COBLE

  Because You’re Mine

  ROCK HARBOR NOVELS

  Without a Trace

  Beyond a Doubt

  Into the Deep

  Cry in the Night

  Haven of Swans (formerly titled Abomination)

  Silent Night: A Rock

  Harbor Christmas Novella

  (e-book only)

  Beneath Copper Falls

  SUNSET COVE NOVELS

  The Inn at Ocean’s Edge

  Mermaid Moon

  Twilight at Blueberry Barrens

  HOPE BEACH NOVELS

  T
idewater 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 ALOHA REEF NOVELS

  Distant Echoes

  Black Sands

  Dangerous Depths

  Midnight Sea

  Holy Night: An Aloha

  Reef Christmas Novella

  (e-book only)

  THE MERCY FALLS SERIES

  The Lightkeeper’s Daughter

  The Lightkeeper’s Bride

  The Lightkeeper’s Ball

  Alaska Twilight

  Fire Dancer

  Where Shadows Meet

  (formerly titled Anathema)

  Butterfly Palace

  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

  LONESTAR NOVELS

  Lonestar Sanctuary

  Lonestar Secrets

  Lonestar Homecoming

  Lonestar Angel

  All Is Calm: A Lonestar

  Christmas Novella

  (e-book only)

  The View from Rainshadow Bay

  © 2018 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 titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales promotional use. For information, please e-mail [email protected].

  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.

  Library Edition ISBN: 978-0-7180-8578-0

  Epub Edition November 2017 ISBN 9780718085773

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Names: Coble, Colleen, author.

  Title: The view from Rainshadow Bay / Colleen Coble.

  Description: Nashville : Thomas Nelson, [2018] | Series: A Lavender Tides novel ; 1

  Identifiers: LCCN 2017039712 | ISBN 9780718085766 (softcover)

  Subjects: LCSH: Mothers and sons--Fiction. | Widows--Fiction. | GSAFD: Suspense fiction. | Christian fiction. | Mystery fiction.

  Classification: LCC PS3553.O2285 V54 2018 | DDC 813/.54--dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017039712

  Printed in the United States of America

  18 19 20 21 22 / LSC / 5 4 3 2 1

  For my cousin, Tiffany Frank

  Whose faith in adversity shines Jesus to everyone

  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

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Epilogue

  A Note from the Author

  Discussion Questions

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Prologue

  The wind blew her long black hair across her face and obscured her vision as she ran through the lavender fields, the sweet aroma mixing with her perspiration. Panic threatened to overtake her, but she had to push it back, push on. He would catch her if she wasn’t smart and focused.

  The shrubs of lavender caught at her feet, and she nearly tumbled to the dirt but managed to right herself in time to rush on. Her breath came hard, and her lungs burned.

  The crash of Puget Sound waves pounding the rocks in the distance grounded her. If she headed for the water, she’d find people. He wouldn’t dare kill her in front of witnesses.

  All she’d wanted was justice, but she’d been stupid to think she could outsmart him. And what about her parents? Would they be his next target? She’d thought she could stop his evil plan that put so many people in jeopardy, but she was wrong, so wrong. She should have gone to the police at once, but she’d thought she needed more proof. Now she shuddered to think of how many people might die because of her obstinacy.

  She had to get away, had to find help to make sure he was stopped before he hurt anyone else. It all depended on her.

  She reversed her direction and ran toward the roar of a boat engine. A helicopter passed overhead, and she waved her hands at it, motioning for it to land, but the chopper continued on its path. The pilot hadn’t seen her. She was on her own.

  The air squeezed from her lungs. She’d never make it. Even now she could hear his feet pounding behind her, could almost feel his hot breath on her neck. A house loomed in the distance, and she ran that way, rushing as fast as she could. If someone was home, she could find an ally.

  Night would be here soon. Already the sky threw out bright golds and oranges as the sun began to sink. The darkness might hide her or it could be her undoing if she stumbled and fell.

  She managed an extra burst of speed, but it was too late. He shoved against her back, and she tumbled face-first into the lavender. Inhaling the sweet aroma, she turned her head and looked up into her attacker’s face and the raised needle in his grip.

  “Please don’t.” The whimper that escaped shamed her, and she struggled to roll onto her back. “You won’t get away with this.”

  A hard hand held her in place on her shoulder. “Yes, I will.”

  The slight prick of a needle into her back was followed by a flood of warmth. She closed her eyes and let the darkness take her.

  Chapter 1

  ONE YEAR LATER

  She never got tired of this panoramic view. Shauna McDade dipped her helicopter, a six-passenger Airbus, low over the tops of the trees lining Puget Sound and saluted The Mountain that stood sentinel over Seattle, Mount Rainier. The glorious September color juxtaposed against the sky and sea made her reach for her camera. A ferry loaded with cars and passengers chugged through the waves toward Whidbey Island, and she snapped pictures of that too. With any luck, she could sell them as postcards.

  She headed her chopper back toward Lavender Tides, the small town of four thousand residents that looked like it had been plucked from a Thomas Kinkade painting. Most of the Victorian buildings and storefronts had been constructed in the 1880s, and the town often drew in tourists searching for a short stopover on a trip from Port Townsend to Sequim.

  Many aging hippies had found its charm irresistible enough that they’d moved in and op
ened everything from coffee shops to pottery studios. In the golden glow of the late-afternoon sun, the town looked magical with its bustling pier stretching out into the blue water. The last of the Dungeness crab vendor trucks were closing and heading home for the night, leaving the pier to lovebirds and tourists.

  She took a few more pictures, then flew her bird toward the municipal airport. After landing, Shauna stepped out onto the helipad and squared her shoulders. The piece of mail in the pocket of her denim jacket reminded her of the battle ahead. She swallowed the lump that formed in her throat. She’d deal with that once she got through the next half hour.

  The small airport office was a simple metal Quonset hut that was beginning to rust. Through the window she saw Zach Bannister staring at his computer. The thought of asking him for help made her cringe, but she had no choice.

  The wooden door boasted a new coat of blue paint, and the doorknob turned easily in her hand. Zach believed in keeping everything in tip-top shape. After he had gotten out of the Coast Guard, he took some Apple stock he’d inherited from his dad and built Hurricane Roost Airport. Though small, Hurricane Roost boasted a nice, flat runway and several helipads. It was a busy airport since Zach operated an emergency plane transport business out of here.

  He stood when she entered, and surprise lit his deep-blue eyes. “Shauna, is something wrong?” He wore jeans and a flannel shirt that hugged his six-one, muscular frame. His hiking boots left flecks of mud on the concrete floor when he came around the desk toward her. A scabbed-over cut decorated his forehead, probably from his latest daredevil escapade. The last adventure she’d heard about had been BASE jumping off a bridge.

  A flood of conflicting emotions swamped her just like always. Shauna and Zach been friends once, but all she felt now was distrust and hatred. He’d ruined her life.

  Her face burned, and she squirmed inside at what she had to say. For the past year she’d gone out of her way to make sure she didn’t run into him. “I need to talk to you.”

  “Sure, have a seat.” He indicated the chair across the desk as he retreated to the other side and regained his seat.

  She forced herself to perch on the edge of the chair. “It’s about Alex.” Her five-year-old son was worth every bit of discomfort she felt in this moment.