Elizabeth Goddard - False Security

NO SAFE HAVEN

Arriving at her secluded cabin to find her brother missing, Olivia Kendricks follows his trail into the woods—until two shooters take aim at her. She only escapes when ex-detective Zachary Long, her brother’s friend—and Olivia’s first love—comes to her rescue. Now as they run for their lives in the snowbound wilderness, they must search for her brother while figuring out why someone wants them dead. And though Zach’s police force training may be what will save them, it’s also what once drove them apart when he gave Olivia up to chase his dream. In a freezing landscape as deadly as it is beautiful, they’ll have to let go of the past...and face down powerful men willing to kill to keep secrets buried.

“I don’t need your protection.”

Hurt flickered in his gaze then vanished behind a stone cold stare. Oh...I didn’t mean to say that. She hadn’t meant to hurt him. When would it ever end?

Her legs trembled with fear and her lips weren’t far behind. She wouldn’t let him see her like this—though why she wanted to hide that from him she wasn’t sure. After all, someone was trying to kill them and she was scared. But she didn’t want him to protect her. She didn’t want to be that vulnerable.

Did she have a choice?

And wasn’t Zach scared too? Trying to read his mind, sense his emotional state, wouldn’t do either of them any good. Again, she averted her gaze, listening, watching for the shooters as she caught her breath.

Zach gently touched her chin and turned her to face him. “Are you okay?”

It hurt when he touched her like that, all gentle and caring. She didn’t want that from him, or for him to see that she was absolutely not okay.

Dear Reader,

Thank you so much for reading False Security. I hope you enjoyed it! Have you ever been snowmobiling? My husband and I rode snowmobiles on a guided tour through Yellowstone National Park—eighty miles—for one of our anniversaries. It’s an exhilarating experience, to be sure. I tried to share some of that exhilaration in my story.

As often happens in novels, there are several themes that run through the story. Readers will usually pick up on one theme that resonates with them. In regards to writing this letter, I selected the theme that resonated with me (in my own story!) in the strongest way.

During the course of writing this, my mom passed away. I couldn’t have imagined how difficult it would be to put simple words on paper. I’m thrilled that God answered my prayers and that the required contracted story was produced. But not without a lot of blood, sweat and tears. Adding to my personal loss are many other serious issues I’ve struggled with the last couple of years.

Of course I pray and sometimes wonder if God hears me. I question His silence or the answers that come in ways I hadn’t expected. I realized, too, that I felt so emotionally and psychologically bruised that it was palpable in a very visceral and physical way. Then I pictured myself in a river, fighting to survive and bumping into the rocks and branches and becoming bruised for my efforts.

I had an epiphany at that moment—if I would simply stop fighting that which I could not control, and “go with the flow” as we so often hear—then I wouldn’t be so bruised. You might remember reading similar references in the story when Zach thinks of the Rogue River and feels like he’s being tossed and twisted in the white-water rapids, being bruised for his efforts to stay alive. He comes to the realization that he should let go and trust God.

So that is the message I hope will resonate with you. Psalm 46:10 in the King James Bible reads “Be still and know that I am God,” or as the NASB version translates, “Cease striving and know that I am God.”

I pray for His many blessings and favor in your life!

If you haven’t signed up for my Great Escapes newsletter, please visit my website today at ElizabethGoddard.com, where you can also connect with me on Facebook and Twitter.

Blessings!

Elizabeth Goddard

ELIZABETH GODDARD is the award-winning author of more than thirty novels and novellas. A 2011 Carol Award winner, she’s a double finalist in the 2016 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense, and a 2016 Carol Award finalist. Elizabeth graduated with a computer science degree and worked in high-level software sales before retiring to write full-time.

False Security

Elizabeth Goddard

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted

among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.

—Psalms 46:10

To Mom. Oh, how I miss you! But we will be together again in glory with our Lord and savior, Christ Jesus.

Acknowledgments

I’ve lost the person who inspired me to become an avid reader and the person who was the greatest influence on my life in this writing endeavor, but regardless, I want to thank my mother for loving me and raising me to know the Lord so that I may have the hope of seeing her again one day soon. And as always, I appreciate the encouragement I receive daily from the dear writing friends God has brought into my life, and for my awesome editor, Elizabeth Mazer, and my amazing agent, Steve Laube, who makes me feel like I’m his only client.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

About the Author

Title Page

Bible Verse

Dedication

Acknowledgments

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

EIGHTEEN

NINETEEN

TWENTY

Extract

Copyright

ONE

Siskiyou Mountains, southwest Oregon

Olivia Kendricks slowed the snowmobile as she drew near the house, flakes growing thicker by the minute, etching the roof, fireplace and window seals in white and turning her home into a cottage from a Thomas Kinkade painting. Even after two winters here, that picturesque scene always filled her with peace.

Except today. Instead of that sense of peace, an eerie feeling crept over her.

Olivia continued forward. Traveling by snowmobile provided the best way to get here in the winter, unless she wanted to plow the long, curvy drive up the mountain when several feet of the white stuff buried the road. And she didn’t. Besides, Olivia enjoyed the ride.

She lived for it.

The whine of the snowmobile resounded through the forest, echoing off the snow-covered trees as she steered the vehicle all the way in. She parked next to the covered garage protecting her old truck, then turned off the ignition.

Something was wrong. What was it?

Then she realized the lights were off in the house.

Strange.

She removed her helmet, shook out her hair and slid off the vehicle. Flakes accumulated in her lashes and she wiped them away as she entered the front door of the family vacation cabin where she’d taken up residence. There were no relatives left to enjoy it as a getaway anymore—well except her brother, Rich, whom she hadn’t seen since their mother’s funeral three years before.