ACCLAIM FOR COLLEEN COBLE
“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 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
“[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
“Colleen is a master storyteller.”
—Karen Kingsbury, bestselling author of Unlocked and Learning
ALSO BY COLLEEN COBLE
ROCK HARBOR NOVELS
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
SUNSET COVER 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)
THE ALOHA REEF NOVELS
Distant Echoes
Black Sands
Dangerous Depths
Midnight Sea
Holy Night: An Aloha Reef
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
Alaska Twilight
Fire Dancer
Haven of Swans (previously published as Abomination)
Anathema
Butterfly Palace
LONESTAR NOVELS
Lonestar Sanctuary
Lonestar Secrets
Lonestar Homecoming
Lonestar Angel
All Is Calm: A Lonestar Christmas
Novella (e-book only)
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
Beneath Copper Falls
© 2017 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].
Scripture quotations taken from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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.
ISBN: 978-0-7180-9071-5 (HC)
EPub Edition May 2017 ISBN 9781401690335
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Coble, Colleen, author.
Title: Beneath copper falls / Colleen Coble
Description: Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, [2017] | Series: Rock Harbor series; 7
Identifiers: LCCN 2017004729 | ISBN 9781401690328 (paperback)
Subjects: | GSAFD: Christian fiction. | Romantic suspense fiction.
Classification: LCC PS3553.O2285 B46 2017 | DDC 813/.54--dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017004729
Printed in the United States of America
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For my many loyal Rock Harbor readers who have asked for more Rock Harbor books nearly every day since Without a Trace came out in 2003.
Thank you for your encouragement and loyalty!
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
A Note from the Author
Discussion Questions
Acknowledgments
Get Swept Up in this Excerpt from Haven of Swans!
About the Author
PROLOGUE
Two Years Earlier
Renee huddled in the garden shed in her pajamas and tried to hear him over the pounding of her heart in her ears. Dust motes crowded close in the dim illumination from the full moon glaring through the windows, and she suppressed a sneeze. The stench of gasoline from the mower hung in the air along with the odor of decaying grass. The smell should have comforted her with its familiarity to what she loved most, but it only added to her terror. The last time she’d worked in the garden had been with him.
Surely he wouldn’t search for her here and would think she’d already started for town. The straps of the backpack bit into her shoulders, and she longed to take it off and hide it, but it was the only evidence she possessed.
Evidence of what a monster she had loved.
She might need a weapon. Now that her eyes adjusted to the gloom, she darted her gaze around the shed. About eight by eight, it overflowed with gardening tools and old pots. The hoe. It might work. Or maybe she could wield the hedge clippers like a sword, though the thought of plunging those steel blades into the chest of a man who’d once whispered sweet words in her ears nearly paralyzed her.
The clippers would be less cumbersome than the hoe. As she lifted the shears something fell from the workbench. The clatter sounded as loud as a crack of lightning overhead.
She froze and listened for footsteps heading her way. Nothing.
The breath eased out of her chest, and she moved in a half-crouched position toward the door in her bare feet. She twisted the knob and the latch released a soft click.
Renee waited a moment before she pushed the door open a few inches to peer out.
The moonlight shone on her sweet home, a home she thought she’d be sharing with the perfect husband. Her vision blurred, and she swiped the tears away. He was a psychopath. And she’d fallen for his act. Hard.
Her warm breath fogged in the cool Washington air. Spring came in fits and starts in this northwest corner of the state, and today’s warm sixty degrees had plunged to forty after the sun set. Nothing moved across the lawn to the wide front porch. Her car, an older Miata, beckoned her from the driveway. If only she’d had time to grab the keys.
She opened the door wider and stepped out. The ground was nearly frozen, but maybe the soles of her feet would go numb soon and she wouldn’t notice. If she could cut through the woods lining the edge of her property, she’d reach the road leading to town. Maybe a third-shift worker at one of the factories would be getting off or heading into work. Her feet carried her over the frosty grass toward the birch trees.
A shadow moved to her right, and she whirled around, then relaxed. One of her goats was moving to the water trough. But even as the tension edged from her shoulders, a hard hand fell on her left arm.
He whipped her around toward him. His handsome face contorted to match the monster she realized he truly was. He ripped the backpack from her. “I thought you were different from the rest, Renee.”
She tipped her chin up though she shuddered inside at the remorseless glare in his eyes. “The rest of the women you killed, you mean?”
“I was really going to marry you. The others failed me, but you were perfect.” His long fingers caressed her cheek, and his eyes darkened when she flinched. “Why did you have to go snooping? I didn’t want to hurt you. You brought this on yourself.”
His gaze shifted down as his hand dropped away to fish for something in his pocket. Now was her chance. She spun around to run, but he grabbed her arm again, then marched her a few feet to her right.
Renee had no idea what he planned to do with her until his hand went to the back of her neck and he shoved her head forward. Cold water closed around her face and head, and her hands gripped the metal edge of the goats’ water trough. Using the trough as leverage, she fought to lift her face out of the water, but her puny strength was nothing compared to those muscles he worked out every day.
Her vision began to darken. Boone . . .
CHAPTER 1
A military ball was the last place she expected to be tonight. Dana Newell craned her neck and looked around the ballroom filled with dress uniforms and women in formal gowns. She’d barely managed to remember her name as her unsmiling brother steered her through the receiving line, but she had to pull herself together. She had to do Chris proud. She forced herself to smile and act the part of an elegant companion.
They stopped in front of his superior, Major White. Though middle aged, he held his trim body erect, and his brown eyes were sharp below his short salt-and-pepper hair.
The major took her hand and pressed it firmly with strong fingers. “Ah, this must be your sister, Lieutenant. Thanks for bringing her. Ms. Newell, I wanted to thank you personally for talking my wife through the Heimlich when our grandson choked on that cracker. It saved his life. We’re most appreciative. She wanted to thank you as well, but she fell ill with the flu today.”
Heat washed up Dana’s face. “I’m glad I was able to help, sir.” The terrifying dispatch call had lingered with her because she’d heard the little guy choking on the other end of the phone. It was outcomes like this that drove her to stick with the difficult job of emergency dispatch.
They chatted a few more minutes, then Chris guided her on down the receiving line. Her face hurt from keeping the smile pinned in place. She couldn’t let her brother down by gawking or acting ill at ease. He hadn’t wanted to bring her, but his protective streak often chafed. She found herself relaxing just a tiny bit as they finished the receiving line, then found chairs.
“I’ll get us something to drink,” Chris said.
She watched him stop and flirt with a pretty blonde on the way to the food table. Few women could resist her brother’s blond good looks and genial manner. Dana studied the room while he was gone. Thank goodness Chris had helped her pick out her dress, a demure tea-length number in royal blue that didn’t show too much skin. All the women were adorned like they were attending a Hollywood premiere, though in modest necklines. Left to herself, she would have picked her best church dress and called it good enough.
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