Stranger's Game

by Colleen Coble

“I thought I’d find you here.” Her dad spoke from her right.

  She opened her eyes and found him dressed in shorts and a tee, standing barefoot. His tentative smile told her he wasn’t sure of his welcome. Behind him, looking just as uncertain as her dad, stood Joe, incredibly handsome in swim trunks and a muscle shirt.

  She patted the soft sand beside her on either side. “Have a seat.”

  Her dad’s clouded gaze cleared, and he dropped down beside her, but Joe tossed his towel down. “I’ll let you have some time with your dad while I take a swim.”

  The strong muscles in his tanned legs flexed as he ran across the beach to plunge headlong into the crashing waves.

  “You like him a lot, don’t you?” her dad said.

  She smiled and scooped up a handful of sand. “He’s a stand-up guy. We might all be dead except for him.”

  “I think that’s likely. And except for your quick thinking when you saw that Monopoly piece.” He shifted and leaned his head back against the driftwood.

  If they were ever going to talk about her mom’s death, now was the time. “Dad, Lisbeth found Mom’s suicide note. Aunt Genevieve wrote it, but you took it, didn’t you?”

  He gaped and his cheeks paled. “Your mother didn’t write it?”

  “You thought she did?”

  He nodded. “We’d had a big fight. I didn’t want you to have to deal with your mom’s suicide at such a vulnerable age so I took the note.”

  “Aunt Genevieve told Mom you’d been seeing another woman, and they fought. Mom fell accidentally. I saw Aunt Genevieve rush out of the apartment that day, but I never thought anything about it. I thought she was upset because she saw Mom’s body.” Sand sifted through her fingers, and she shook her head. “This wasn’t your fault, Dad. I wanted to tell the police about Genevieve’s confession, but it’s her word against mine.”

  “Perhaps it’s best not to. She’s an old woman, and it’s been eighteen years.” He drew in a deep breath. “It’s poisoned my life for a long time. At least we know the truth now. You never know what lurks behind people’s masks. I never would have dreamed Noah and Amelia could do something like this.”

  “After reading more last night in that book The Creature from Jekyll Island, I understand the Fed and the harm it’s done. But what Noah did wasn’t any way to eliminate it. It has to be done through the law, not with violence.”

  “The Fed has done a lot of good keeping the economy stable,” he said.

  She arched a brow. “I don’t think so, Dad, but I’m not going to argue with you about it.”

  She watched Joe, his tanned muscles glistening with seawater, pop up out of the ocean. He took the towel she offered and dried his dripping hair before he spread it out and dropped down beside her.

  “You talk to Hailey this morning?”

  He nodded. “My parents picked her up, and they’ll keep her all weekend.”

  She turned back to her dad. “Lisbeth’s last job was helping coordinate the creation of the glass globes and how that scavenger hunt was going to go down. I would guess she somehow heard what was about to happen and had to be eliminated.”

  “Craig said during interrogation Noah said he recognized you right away. He’d seen a picture of you with your dad in a business magazine.”

  “Why did he kill Lisbeth?”

  “She was helping with the globe arrangements and went to Rogers Glass. She went in the back door like we did and overheard them talking about the plot.”

  “Who was the diver bringing in the sarin?” she asked. “You found two dive suits, right?”

  Joe took her hand in his, chilled from the water. “Two of the guys with AK-47s. They had their weapons here and transported the nerve gas underwater. They knew security would be tight and figured they could bring stuff in by sea without being seen.”

  She clung to his hand. “What about the incidents with your boat being bombed and that other diver poisoning himself?”

  “I talked to Chen. We found out that diver we captured was part of a plot to get nuclear sub technology. It had nothing to do with Noah.”

  Her dad sighed and rose. “I’m going to head back to the hotel. I’ve got a flight out tonight after dinner. Want to eat together before I go?”

  “Of course.” She stood and embraced him, relishing the comfort of his arms.

  When it came right down to it, he would always be her dad, no matter what he’d done. Her parents’ marriage was none of her business. It wasn’t her job to pass judgment on how he’d failed or how her mother had failed. Torie would let the Holy Spirit take care of things in his heart.

  She stepped back and watched him walk gingerly across the hot sand. He was getting older, and it made her a little sad to realize things were changing. At dinner she planned to tell him she was staying on Jekyll Island, that she didn’t want to take the reins of Bergstrom Hospitality. He had many excellent VPs who could step into that role, and she could attend the occasional board meeting to make sure they stayed in line. She’d take this one hotel and turn it into something world-class.

  Her gaze strayed to Joe’s broad shoulders, and she prayed her news would make him happy.

  * * *

  There was something different about Torie today. Joe couldn’t put his finger on it.

  Relief? Happiness? Contentment? They all played a part in the curve to her lips and the sparkle in her eyes. As for him, he felt the weight of the world off his shoulders. She was safe, his daughter was tucked away in Brunswick with his parents for now, and he could think through all that had happened.

  He pulled her down onto his lap. “I’m going to get you all wet, but it’s hot anyway. I’ll cool you off.”

  Her sandy fingers laced against the back of his neck, and she leaned against his chest. His skin was sticky with salt, but he didn’t mind them being stuck together. Her soft hair brushed his chin as she nestled into his shoulder.

  “So it’s all over here. You did it,” he said. “It doesn’t bring back Lisbeth, but I hope the justice feels sweet.”

  “Not as sweet as I’d hoped. We walked through the fire together and came out the other end though. I wish she were here to know that I’m free from the past.”

  “So when is your flight out of here? You going back to Scottsdale?”

  “Probably sometime next week. I haven’t bought a ticket yet. You’re urging me on, are you?”

  He caught a note of caution in her voice and pressed a kiss on top of her hair. “You know better than that. I’m trying to prepare to let you go for now. And I needed to know where to look for a job. I thought Scottsdale might be a possibility, and I sent a résumé to the aquarium there. I already got a response back asking for an interview.”

  He felt her chest heave as she gasped and sat up and stared into his face. Her dark-brown eyes filled with moisture. “You’d do that for me?”

  His hands trailed up her arms to cup her face. “I already told you I wasn’t ready to let what we have slip away.”

  “I won’t be gone long, Joe. I’m going to fly to my house, pack up my stuff, stage it, list it, and drive back across the country to stay here.”

  Joy threatened to launch his heart right through his chest. “You’re sure?”

  She nodded. “Completely sure. When I was in that tent with Hailey, I knew I couldn’t leave her or you. I’ve never had such a sense of belonging, of family. No pressure on either of us, but I want to see where our relationship might go. I already love Hailey.”

  “I can promise you my feelings are real. Real enough that I’d already told Hailey we were going wherever you were. She was ready even though she loves it here.”

  “And you can continue to work for the Navy, doing what you love and what you’re good at.”

  “Maybe. Who knows. I might do something totally different. As long as you and Hailey are here, I don’t care what I do.”

  “That’s all I wanted to hear.”

  She lifted her face to his, and he lowered his lip
s to hers. Her kiss held tenderness, passion, joy, and promise. They had a road to travel yet and so much to learn about each other, but he could see the ending from here. And it was so beautiful.

  A Note from the Author

  Dear Reader,

  If you’ve ever been to Jekyll Island, you know all about the rich history there. I was enthralled the first time I visited and knew I had to pull in some of the fabulous buildings and setting. But that meant instead of having the liberties I’m used to with imaginary settings, I had to tweak some things with the island.

  Right now Jekyll Island is owned by Northview Hotel Group and not by Bergstrom Hospitality. I started to plop an anonymous hotel onto the island, but I loved the fabulous Club Resort so much, and its history was so compelling, I took the literary license of changing it up while acknowledging it here.

  I was very interested in the makeup of the Federal Reserve and stumbled across the controversy in its creation while researching. The Creature from Jekyll Island by G. Edward Griffin was eye-opening, and you might find it interesting as well.

  As always, I love hearing from you and can’t wait to hear what you think of the story.

  Lots of love,

  Colleen

  colleen@colleencoble.com

  Acknowledgments

  Nineteen years and counting that I’ve been part of the amazing HarperCollins Christian Publishing team as of the spring of 2021! I have the best team in publishing (and I’m not a bit prejudiced), and I’m so grateful for all you’ve taught me and all you’ve done for me. My dear editor and publisher, Amanda Bostic, makes sure I’m taken care of in every way. My marketing and publicity team is fabulous (thank you Nekasha Pratt, Kerri Potts, and Margaret Kercher!). I’m truly blessed by all your hard work. My entire team works so hard, and I wish there was a way to reward you all for what you do for me.

  Julee Schwarzburg is my freelance editor, and she has such fabulous expertise with suspense and story. She smooths out all my rough spots and makes me look better than I am. I learn something from you and Amanda with every book, so thank you!

  My agent, Karen Solem, and I have been together for twenty-two years now. She has helped shape my career in many ways, and that includes kicking an idea to the curb when necessary.

  My critique partner and dear friend of over twenty-two years, Denise Hunter, is the best sounding board ever. Together we’ve created so many works of fiction. She reads every line of my work, and I read every one of hers. It’s truly been a blessed partnership.

  I’m so grateful for my husband, Dave, who carts me around from city to city, washes towels, and chases down dinner without complaint. Right now he’s been getting radiation treatments for recurrent prostate cancer, and we’re praying for good results. But my Dave’s even temper and good nature hasn’t budged in spite of the trials of the past year.

  My family is everything to me, and my three grandchildren make life wonderful. We try to split our time between Indiana and Arizona to be with them, but I’m constantly missing someone. ☹

  Over the past year, I’ve had Covid, a broken ankle, and knee replacement surgery as well as cared for our daughter who nearly died of sepsis. So life has thrown some rocks in our path, but God is good all the time! He’s been carrying us through these challenges, and I’m grateful for his loving care each and every day.

  And I’m grateful for you, dear readers!

  Discussion Questions

  People can tend to make snap judgments when they meet others. Have you ever been pegged as someone you’re not?

  Torie didn’t want anything to get in the way of her search for the truth, and she lied about her identity. Is a lie ever justified?

  Torie’s lack of truthfulness had repercussions. How do you feel when you find out someone lied to you?

  Joe struggled after learning about Torie’s true identity. Would you have found it hard to forgive Torie?

  Torie noticed how fire shaped glass and correlated it to her own life. Have you been shaped by some kind of tragedy?

  Lisbeth loved Torie enough to do something to help her move forward. Have you ever been a friend like that?

  Torie had an epiphany that she had to follow her own path, not necessarily what her father wanted. How hard was it for you to follow your own path?

  One of the perpetual questions we can have even as Christians is why God lets bad things happen. What conclusion have you come to about that?

  About the Author

  Photo by Amber Zimmerman

  Colleen Coble is a USA TODAY bestselling author best known for her coastal romantic suspense novels, including The Inn at Ocean’s Edge, Twilight at Blueberry Barrens, and the Lavender Tides, Sunset Cove, Hope Beach, and Rock Harbor series.

  * * *

  Connect with Colleen online at colleencoble.com

  Facebook: @colleencoblebooks

  Twitter: @colleencoble

  Pinterest: @ColleenCoble

  Acclaim for Colleen Coble

  “Coble’s clear-cut prose makes it easy for the reader to follow the numerous scenarios and characters. This is just the ticket for readers of romantic suspense.”

  —Publishers Weekly on Three Missing Days

  “Colleen Coble is my go-to author for the best romantic suspense today. Three Missing Days is now my favorite in the series, and I adored the other two. A stay-up-all-night page-turning story!”

  —Carrie Stuart Parks, bestselling and award-winning author of Relative Silence

  “You can’t go wrong with a Colleen Coble novel. She always brings readers great characters and edgy, intense story lines.”

  —BestInSuspense.com on Two Reasons to Run

  “Colleen Coble’s latest has it all: characters to root for, a sinister villain, and a story that just won’t stop.”

  —Siri Mitchell, author of State of Lies, on Two Reasons to Run

  “Colleen Coble’s superpower is transporting her readers into beautiful settings in vivid detail. Two Reasons to Run is no exception. Add to that the suspense that keeps you wanting to know more, and characters that pull at your heart. These are the ingredients of a fun read!”

  —Terri Blackstock, bestselling author of If I Run, If I’m Found, and If I Live

  “This is a romantic suspense novel that will be a surprise when the last page reveals all of the secrets.”

  —The Parkersburg News and Sentinel on One Little Lie

  “There are just enough threads left dangling at the end of this well-crafted romantic suspense to leave fans hungrily awaiting the next installment.”

  —Publishers Weekly on One Little Lie

  “Colleen Coble once again proves she is at the pinnacle of Christian romantic suspense. Filled with characters you’ll come to love, faith lost and found, and scenes that will have you holding your breath, Jane Hardy’s story deftly follows the complex and tangled web that can be woven by one little lie.”

  —Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours, on One Little Lie

  “Colleen Coble always raises the notch on romantic suspense, and One Little Lie is my favorite yet! The story took me on a wild and wonderful ride.”

  —DiAnn Mills, bestselling author

  “Coble’s latest, One Little Lie, is a powerful read . . . one of her absolute best. I stayed up way too late finishing this book because I literally couldn’t go to sleep without knowing what happened. This is a must read! Highly recommend!”

  —Robin Caroll, bestselling author of the Darkwater Inn saga

  “I always look forward to Colleen Coble’s new releases. One Little Lie is One Phenomenal Read. I don’t know how she does it, but she just keeps getting better. Be sure to have plenty of time to flip the pages in this one because you won’t want to put it down. I devoured it! Thank you, Colleen, for more hours of edge-of-the-seat entertainment. I’m already looking forward to the next one!”

  —Lynette Eason, award-winning and bestselling author of the Blue Justice series

&n
bsp; “In One Little Lie the repercussions of one lie skid through the town of Pelican Harbor, creating ripples of chaos and suspense. Who will survive the questions? One Little Lie is the latest page-turner from Colleen Coble. Set on the Gulf coast of Alabama, Jane Hardy is the new police chief who is fighting to clear her father. Reid Dixon has secrets of his own as he follows Jane around town for a documentary. Together they must face their secrets and decide when a secret becomes a lie. And when does it become too much to forgive?”

  —Cara Putman, bestselling and award-winning author

  “Coble wows with this suspense-filled inspirational . . . With startling twists and endearing characters, Coble’s engrossing story explores the tragedy, betrayal, and redemption of faithful people all searching to reclaim their sense of identity.”

  —Publishers Weekly on Strands of Truth

  “Just when I think Colleen Coble’s stories can’t get any better, she proves me wrong. In Strands of Truth, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. The characterization of Ridge and Harper and their relationship pulled me immediately into the story. Fast-paced, with so many unexpected twists and turns, I read this book in one sitting. Coble has pushed the bar higher than I’d imagined. This book is one not to be missed. Highly recommend!”

  —Robin Caroll, bestselling author of the Darkwater Inn series

  “Colleen Coble’s latest book, Strands of Truth, grips you on page one with a heart-pounding opening and doesn’t let go until the last satisfying word. I love her skill in pulling the reader in with believable, likable characters, interesting locations, and a mystery just waiting to be untangled. Highly recommended.”

  —Carrie Stuart Parks, author of Fragments of Fear

  “It’s in her blood! Colleen Coble once again shows her suspense prowess with a thriller as intricate and beautiful as a strand of DNA. Strands of Truth dives into an unusual profession involving mollusks and shell beds that weaves a unique, silky thread throughout the story. So fascinating I couldn’t stop reading!”