Finding Abigail, A Shimmer Lake Novel # 2

By Christina Smith

This book was previously published as the second part of Finding Abigail. It has now been split into two books.

Due to violence and language, this book is recommended for 17+

Now that Abby is safe, living in a lake house on Shimmer Lake, she feels free. The scenery is breathtaking and tranquil. The town is quaint and friendly. She should be happy and relaxed.

However, just because the beatings stopped, doesn’t mean the scars have disappeared. It takes some time to get used to living without the abuse from her ex-fiancé Nick. She finds herself looking over her shoulder never quite trusting her safety and wondering when he will finally find her.

As if that’s not enough to deal with, Sylvia’s grandson Noah lives next door and insists on looking after her. He is good looking, kind...and very much male.

After six long months of abuse, she can’t trust another man. She fears him, but can’t explain why since she is hiding the truth.

Will Noah give up trying to help her or will Abby finally find the strength to except that not all men are evil and come to trust him?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christina Smith
• Release date: Dec 5, 2013
• ISBN: 9781310720710

Christina Smith

She is a wife and mother, who lives in a small rural town in Ontario Canada where she spends most of her free time writing.She has always loved to read, but didn't realize she could write until a few years ago. She has told stories her whole life, but never thought to write them down.She took a novel writing course at Winghill writing school, and since then has written four books. Two are finished, the others are being edited.Her book Fated Dreams was named Semi-Finaliast in the 2011 Textnovel writing Contest.

Book preview

Finding Abigail

A Shimmer Lake Novel

By

Christina Smith

This book was previously published as one whole book. It has now been split into two—the first part is now called, Lost Inside. Finding Abigail is the second half.

Published by Christina Smith

Smashwords edition

Copyright ©2012 Christina Smith

Edited by Christine LePorte

Cover Art and design by Stephanie Mooney

For my sister Brenda,

We share the same memories, the same parents and the same loss.

And to all the women out there who feel trapped in a relationship. I hope you find the courage to somehow be free.

In order to keep this book as real as possible, I worked with a woman who had been in an abusive relationship. Thankfully she is now happily married to a great man. The abuse happened years ago but the scars are still there. She let me take a peek into her memories so I could create a character as realistic as possible. I couldn’t have done it without her. And to this woman-this is also for you.

Look for these other exciting titles by Christina Smith

Lost Inside, book one in the Shimmer Lake series

Sliding Backwards, book three in the Shimmer Lake series

My Young Adult Fantasy Series:

Fated Dreams (Book one in the Affinity Series)

Delusions (Book two in the Affinity Series)

Riley’s Curse, A Moon’s Glow Prequel (Free as an eBook)

Riley’s Secret, A Moon’s Glow Novel #1

Riley’s Torment, A Moon’s Glow Novel #2

Riley’s Redemption, A Moon’s Glow Novel #3

Skeleton Park

This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

This book is for adults eighteen and over.

Chapter One

Shimmer Lake

There were no regrets as I drove away from my former home and Nick, my ex-fiancé and abuser. With the approval to flee from my family who I would miss terribly, I was ecstatic as the car ate up the road ahead. Driving fast with the windows down and the stereo blaring—I felt free. The nice lady with the smooth voice on the GPS informed me that it would take five hours to get to my destination.

I stopped to eat at a diner that was located in a very small town called Star Creek. I pulled into the almost empty parking lot and went in. A bell jingled signaling my entrance as I stepped inside.

The air was stale, smelling of burnt coffee. There were only a few booths taken, a family consisting of a mom, dad, and two boys who were fighting over ketchup. An older couple occupied two stools at the counter feeding each other pie. The woman giggled as the man placed the fork into her mouth.

In the back booth I saw a guy sitting alone. He was wearing a faded denim jacket, his black hair spilling out under a red baseball cap. He saw me staring at him and nodded. I made my way over feeling uneasy. At the booth, I sat down and faced him. My hands lay flat on the Formica table, shaking slightly. The guy didn’t seem to notice. He only watched my face curiously, his lips turning up at the corners. Up this close I noticed his skin was tanned and leathery, with lines creasing his face. He looked like he was used to working out in the sun. You got my email, I began, pointing out the obvious.

He nodded his head. I did. Kind of short notice, don’t you think? His forehead wrinkled even more.

Last-minute decision, but you told me they were done.

He slumped into the booth, relaxing. Yeah, I’ve had them ready for a week, he explained, taking out an envelope from inside his jacket and handing it to me. I looked inside and saw each of the papers I would need—driver’s license, birth certificate, passport, and social security card—all with the name Anna Smith.

Perfect. I reached into my purse and tossed him my envelope.

He opened it, sifting through the contents, his lips moving as he counted. It was a pleasure doing business with you, he said with a small smile and a firm nod. With that he got up and walked out of the restaurant. Heads lifted as the door jingled his exit.

The waitress came over and took my order. After she left, I breathed a sigh of relief. The most important and unfortunately illegal parts of my escape plan were finished. I had been so nervous when I contacted that guy. I didn’t even know his name. I was afraid he was a cop and this was a setup. I had found him through another writer who’d done research on fake IDs. The writer’s name was Eric and I told him that I just wanted the contact info for an upcoming book. I had been worrying constantly about that part of the plan; it was giving me an upset stomach. I had started popping antacids like they were candy. I learned one thing through all of this though—I would not make a good criminal. I’d have an ulcer in no time.

When my sandwich arrived, I ate quickly, worried that Nick was on the road looking for me. Even though I had a different car I just wanted to get to the cottage and settle in so I could stop thinking that every cop car that passed me was going to pull me over. I definitely didn’t want a repeat of the last time I’d tried to leave. I had just found out what kind of man Nick truly was when he beat and raped me the night before. I went to the police station to get help, but unfortunately he worked there and his captain wouldn’t help me. I decided to leave for a few weeks to think things over. That didn’t work out quite how I wanted and Nick found me. I vowed that if I ran again, I would make a better plan. Now I was finally falling through with that and so far so good. There was no sign of Nick.

Back on the road, the GPS lady let me know that it would take two more hours to get to Shimmer Lake. I had never even heard of the town before so I guessed it must be small. That was a good thing. If I hadn’t heard of it, then Nick probably wouldn’t think to look there.

As I drove, civilization seemed to slip away as farmlands and rural towns started to take over. It was odd; I had always been a city girl, yet as the scenery changed to trees and open fields, I felt more at peace. Like nothing could hurt me in a place this beautiful and tranquil.

My first glimpse of Shimmer Lake was a swamp, cattails, weeds, and I’m guessing frogs. Not pretty, but once you got past the swamp, the town was cute yet very small. It was basically a road. There were a few restaurants and stores on one side of the street. The other held a bank, a few businesses, a church, and an elementary school. The buildings were not cramped all together, they were stretched along the highway, but that was all I could see. There were side streets branching off the main road; however, I was not about to explore. I wanted to get to my destination and I was afraid that if I went sightseeing, I’d get lost, prolonging my journey even further.

It wasn’t until I drove past the businesses and was heading out of Shimmer Lake that I saw the sign for Bayview Road. I turned onto it, excited about nearly reaching my destination. The closer I got, the more I felt a peace. It had been awhile since I felt that way; never worrying if I would be hit in the face because I didn’t wash Nick’s uniform or kicked in the gut when I forgot to give him a message from work. I had only known him a year and was abused for six of those months, yet it was hard to remember a time when I wasn’t miserable. The thrill of being alone and safe was overwhelming. I stepped on the gas, eager to get to my paradise.

When I pulled up to the cottage I was pleasantly surprised; it was so Sylvia. The one-story stone cottage was nestled under a large willow, its branches hanging almost to the roof as if protecting the cottage and its contents from the outside world. The only close neighbor was a house to the right. It was also one level, but this one had white siding and a wraparound porch. There were no cars in the driveway, which hopefully meant it was just used for the summer. I could use some privacy for a few months until I got settled into my new life.

I parked in the driveway next to the side door. Getting out of the car, I let myself in. Inside was just as cozy as the outside. It was one large room, only a counter island separating the kitchen and living room. The kitchen must have been renovated recently. The appliances and cherry cabinets were still shining and I couldn’t see any scratches on the marble counter tops. The living room was situated around a stone fireplace, with a comfy-looking gray sofa and matching chairs. A charming woven rug lay in the center on the wood floor. There were three bedrooms and a small bathroom. I was so grateful to Sylvia, my former neighbor for lending me her lake house. I only wished there was a way I could thank her, but I knew contacting her would be a mistake.

The only thing in the cottage that wasn’t perfect was the smell. It must have been closed up for a while, because it stunk terribly of must. As I wandered through each room opening windows, reality set in, I was FREE! With a new hope for my future I went out to the car to get my belongings and unpack.

A few hours later I was setting up my office in one of the spare rooms. There was a desk under the window that I placed my new laptop on. I had purchased it a few weeks ago and hid it in my car. The breeze blew in through the open window, along with the sound of the waves washing up against the shore. The view was beautiful; from this angle I could see the dock, the water and a house across the lake. I could picture myself sitting here writing and looking out the window. I hadn’t written in months, but I already felt inspired.

When everything was unpacked and it felt like home, I realized it was past dinner. I was starving. This was the perfect time to check out the grocery store.

The store was called Butler Foods. It was small, not nearly as big as I was used to, but that didn’t matter. I’d be buying mostly packaged food anyway since I didn’t really enjoy cooking. I only started, to avoid beatings from Nick. I took my time wandering around the store, enjoying the small-town feel. I noticed that the people here seemed to visit with each other more than actually shopping.

I was standing in the produce department picking up some grapes when I overheard a conversation coming from beside me. Two women stood near the strawberries. Well, I heard he went to his ex’s wedding. Can you believe that? She had short brown hair and was wearing jeans and a cute suede jacket.

The other woman’s platinum hair was teased a little too high to be fashionable. She leaned in closer to her friend as if she had a secret. Well, I don’t know why he doesn’t move on already. There are plenty of girls around here that would take him in an instant, myself included.

I felt like I was intruding in on the conversation so I moved over to the lettuce, hoping that I could still hear yet not look obvious doing it. I wasn’t used to small towns and wanted to learn as much as I could.

Ignore those gossip mongers, not everyone in town is like that.

The voice came from behind me. I turned around to see a woman with flaming red hair that fell to her shoulders, green eyes and a warm smile. Her cart was heaping with juice boxes, snack cakes and cookies. She must have kids waiting at home.

I glanced around, making sure she was actually speaking to me. No one was there. Like what? I asked.

She reached beside me and picked up a cucumber. Busybodies. Of course there are a few, but most of us mind our own. Are you visiting someone or are you new in town?

I moved to the side to get out of her way. Oh, I’m renting a cottage for a few months to see if I like it, then I may make my stay permanent. I’m looking to relocate.

She leaned against the potato display. Oh yeah? From where?

The women that I had been listening to started toward us. The blond scowled at my companion as they walked passed us. Chicago, I lied.

Wow, this sure is a change. Where are you staying? She noticed the girl and smiled mischievously. When the women were gone and we could only see their backs, she stuck her tongue out at the blond. It was obvious that there was no love between the two.

I raised a brow at her in question, but she didn’t acknowledge what had just happened. Twenty twelve Bayview Road, I answered hesitantly.

With the women forgotten, she rested her elbows on the handle of her cart. The one on the corner, beside the white house?

Yes.

That’s Sylvia Newman’s cottage, do you know her?

No. I found her on the Internet, she rented me the cottage. I was making it up as I went. I hadn’t planned what to say, but I knew it was best not to tie myself to Sylvia. I wanted to keep her safe so distancing myself from her felt like the best way.

She glanced at her watch. Well, I should be getting home. The name’s Kathy by the way.

Ab-Anna. Nice to meet you. I reached out to shake her hand.

She raised her brow suspiciously. Abanna?

I took a deep breath. It’s Anna. She must have known I was lying. I wasn’t good at it and I was sure she was about to call me on it.

To my surprise, she grinned, lighting her already bright green eyes. It’s very nice to meet you, Anna. We don’t get many new faces around here. She waved as she pushed her cart up to the cashier. See you around, she called over her shoulder.

Back at the cottage I made myself a grilled cheese and a tossed salad. I spent the night looking at the photos on the wall. They were of Sylvia and her husband when they were younger. There were pictures of what looked like them building the cottage. Then later with their four children and grandchildren. I thought I remembered that she once told me she had fourteen.

The air was a little chilly so I stayed inside with a glass of wine gazing out at the view from the large bay window. A part of me felt relaxed and I was thankful for it, yet there was some anxiety deep inside, thinking about Nick getting off work and going home to find me gone. Would I be awoken in the night with him standing over me? I knew this feeling was ridiculous. I had covered my tracks well, yet I couldn’t silence the feeling of fear that my newfound freedom was at risk.

Chapter Two

The Neighbor

During my first week, I stayed close to home. I was enjoying my freedom, yet I couldn’t help take precautions around the cottage. Nick was forever in the back of my mind, a constant reminder that I was never safe. Once the musty air was gone, I closed and locked the windows and doors, placing several air fresheners around the cottage. If I went outside, lounging in the yard, I found myself glancing around making sure I was truly alone.

Despite my paranoia, I tried to be happy in my new life. I explored the cottage and on warm days I ventured outside. On the second day in my new home, I barbequed a chicken on the grill. Living in an apartment in the city, barbequing was practically unheard of. And despite my lack of experience, I didn’t do too bad of a job. The skin was a little burnt, but the meat inside was juicy and tender.

One morning, I found myself wandering down the shoreline, looking at all the houses that lined the lake. I carried my sandals and walked barefoot, letting the warm sand sift through my toes. I counted five empty cottages, besides the white one next to mine.

It wasn’t until I walked about a mile and a half that I saw any signs of life on this side of the lake. A large house sat up on a hill. The sounds of a child’s laughter and a dog barking floated out of the windows and down to the beach to where I stood. My heart ached. The sounds reminded me of what I had left behind and I almost kept moving toward it, instead I turned around and started back, not ready to introduce myself. I wanted to keep a distance from the townsfolk, just in case Nick found me. I couldn’t help the feeling that anyone I had contact with was also in danger.

It wasn’t until my fifth day that I started to relax. If he hadn’t found me yet, odds were, I was safe—for now. I couldn’t fool myself into thinking that he would give up, but I knew I had to stop worrying and try to get back some of my life. That meant I needed to begin working again. I had put it off for so long, I thought it would be difficult to get back into the flow of writing. But as soon as I opened the file to Sammy’s Big Adventure, I was sucked back in. I sat in front of the open window with the breeze gently blowing in. I could feel the fresh air on my cheeks as the words poured out. I was there for three straight hours before I took a break to eat. And when I stopped for the day, I couldn’t wait to start again tomorrow.

Saturday evening, exactly a week after I arrived, I was restless and bored. I tried to write, but nothing would come out. Watching TV wasn’t working and the book I was reading did not hold my interest. I read the same sentence three times before I put it down and went outside.

I strolled down to the dock and stood quietly watching the lake. It was so peaceful. I became mesmerized by the glowing orange reflection the sun cast upon the water as it set for the day. My chest ached at the thought of another day without my family, I hadn’t seen them in a week and I felt so lonely. Would Justin look different the next time I saw him? Would he have grown, would I recognize him? Would I miss Haley’s first day of school? Not that I saw my family that often when I lived near them, yet the option was there. I hated Nick even more for taking them away from me.

I sat down so I could listen to the noises of the lake. It was so quiet here. The bubbling sounds the fish made when they nibbled at the bugs floating along of the water echoed through the quiet. I heard faint laughter from a cottage in the distance as people went for an evening swim. The weather had been warm the last few days, but I didn’t think it was sufficient enough to heat the water for a swim. The hum of a motorboat was the latest sound I heard. I could just make out a white fisherman’s hat in a boat across the lake.

The wooden planks of the dock below me were not the most comfortable place to sit, but since it was my only option, I made do. I made a mental note to make a trip to the hardware store to buy a lawn chair. That way I could sit out here every night to enjoy the view and listen to the sounds. It was so calming. I realized that I was no longer restless.

I kicked off my sandals, tossing them beside me and dipped my feet into the water. Ahh…it was warmer than I thought it would be. For a second I was tempted to go skinny-dipping, something that in my twenty-five years I had never done. It