What Lies Within
Praise for
What Lies Within
“Karen Ball writes from the heart. The journey of What Lies Within will capture readers from the first page. Another winner from this master storyteller.”
—KAREN KINGSBURY, best-selling author of Sunrise and Between Sundays
“Karen Ball is a skilled novelist whose stories are not only entertaining, but credible and authentic. In fact, those of us who are Karen’s friends know that’s exactly what she is: authentic and entertaining, a delight to be with, and a delight to read.”
—RANDY ALCORN, best-selling author of Deception
“Karen Ball brought me to tears with A Test of Faith, gave me renewed hope with The Breaking Point, and left me breathless with Shattered Justice. She is an author who never fails to please. Don’t miss What Lies Within.”
—ROBIN LEE HATCHER, best-selling author of Return to Me and A Carol for Christmas
“Karen Ball writes from the heart to the heart and never fails to reach her target. With skill, emotion, and wit she creates stories that reflect our world and the loving heart of God. Whenever I see ‘Karen Ball’ on the cover, I know I’m in for an engrossing read.”
—ANGELA HUNT, author of Doesn’t She Look Natural
“Anytime you pick up a novel by Karen Ball, you can count on an adventure: an adventure that explores the emotions, the struggles, and the triumphs of her always engaging and unforgettable characters. She never fails to deliver an intense, compelling story that remains with the reader long after the last page has been turned. This is an author who makes a promise to her readers at the very beginning of each novel … and always keeps that promise with her unique blend of warmth and humor and sensitivity.”
—BJ HOFF, author of the Mountain Song Legacy and An Emerald Ballad series
“What Lies Within is an engaging, present-day Nehemiah story, deepened with imaginative elements of love, humor, mystery, and surprise.”
—BRANDILYN COLLINS, best-selling author of Crimson Eve
“Karen Ball is a masterful author. Each piece of Ms. Ball’s work is better and better.”
—LORI COPELAND, author of Simple Gifts
“Delving into a street culture foreign to most, What Lies Within rips the drama from current headlines and weaves a story so relevant—yet so touching—that it bleeds with realism and a startling sense of authenticity. Delivering her best to date, Karen Ball takes readers on a journey of love and distrust, of fear and misguided friendships, and brings us full circle to what belonging to a community really means while pointing us to our one true source of all security—both for now and all eternity.”
—TAMERA ALEXANDER, best-selling author of Rekindled, Revealed, and Remembered
WHAT LIES WITHIN
PUBLISHED BY MULTNOMAH BOOKS
12265 Oracle Boulevard, Suite 200
Colorado Springs, Colorado 80921
A division of Random House Inc.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from: Holy Bible, New Living Translation © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (TNIV) are from the Holy Bible, Today’s New International Version © 1973, 1984 by International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are from the Holy Bible, New International Version © 1973, 1984 by International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. Scripture quotations marked (TLB) are taken from The Living Bible, copyright © 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
The characters and events in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to actual persons or events is coincidental.
Copyright © 2007 by Karen Ball
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
MULTNOMAH is a trademark of Multnomah Books and is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The colophon is a trademark of Multnomah Books.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Ball, Karen, 1957–
What lies within : a novel / Karen Ball.
p. cm.—(Family honor series; bk. 3)
eISBN: 978-0-307-56163-3
1. City and town life—Oregon—Fiction. 2. Oregon—Fiction. I. Title.
PS3552.A4553W47 2007
813′.54—dc22
2007031613
v3.1
OTHER NOVELS BY KAREN BALL
FAMILY HONOR SERIES
Shattered Justice
Kaleidoscope Eyes
The Breaking Point
A Test of Faith
Reunion
“Bride on the Run” in the 3 Weddings and a Giggle anthology
For Daddy
My encourager, my anchor,
the one who taught me from the very beginning
what a man wholly devoted to God is like.
Simply wonderful.
Thank you for a solid foundation of faith
and a lifetime of laughter and love.
I am who I am because of you and Mom.
I love you.
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Other Books by This Author
Dedication
Author’s Note
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Chapter Twenty-two
Chapter Twenty-three
Chapter Twenty-four
Chapter Twenty-five
Chapter Twenty-six
Chapter Twenty-seven
Chapter Twenty-eight
Chapter Twenty-nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-one
Chapter Thirty-two
Chapter Thirty-three
Chapter Thirty-four
Chapter Thirty-five
Chapter Thirty-six
Chapter Thirty-seven
Chapter Thirty-eight
Chapter Thirty-nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-one
Chapter Forty-two
Chapter Forty-three
Chapter Forty-four
Chapter Forty-five
Chapter Forty-six
Chapter Forty-seven
Chapter Forty-eight
Chapter Forty-nine
Chapter Fifty
Chapter Fifty-one
Chapter Fifty-two
Chapter Fifty-three
Chapter Fifty-four
Chapter Fifty-five
Chapter Fifty-six
Chapter Fifty-seven
Chapter Fifty-eight
Chapter Fifty-nine
Discussion Questions
Glossary
AUTHOR’S NOTE
This story came in answer to prayer.
Years ago, I realized I lacked something I desperately wanted. Regular time in God’s Word. It wasn’t that I couldn’t do it. I just wasn’
t disciplined enough. So I asked God to give me a love for His Word. To make me hunger for it the way I hungered for novels and beautiful writing.
Well, as always when we come to God with sincere hearts, He answers. I started reading the Bible, and every word hit me as never before. Funny thing was, He drew me to the book of Nehemiah. A book I’d never read. But as I went through the story of rebuilding the wall, I was struck by one verse: “Shallum son of Hallohesh and his daughters repaired the next section.”
And his daughters.
All the men who worked on the wall were named, along with their fathers and father’s fathers. But these women? They were just “and his daughters.”
That got me wondering. What must it be like to be a woman in a male-dominated field? Suddenly, a story emerged. Exploded, is more like it. I pulled out my journal and wrote as I read the book, and there, in the story of Nehemiah, was another story.
The story of Kyla Justice.
That was twenty-two years ago. So you can imagine my delight at finally bringing this story to life. And that’s why you’ll find so many verses from Nehemiah as chapter headings in this book. Because that’s where the story came from.
Of course, it took a lot of additional research. The book of Nehemiah didn’t offer much insight into gangs or construction companies. But research is fun. It’s fascinating and educational. I’ve been immersed in search and rescue, synesthesia, allergy to bee stings, languages, stained glass, meth labs—and those are just a few of the topics I’ve explored as I wrote the Family Honor series.
The research for What Lies Within, though, has taken me beyond anything I’ve done before. It sent me into a world I knew existed but didn’t begin to understand. The world of gangs—where they’re located, how they form, what draws people to them, how they talk and dress, what their goals and motivations are, and more.
As a result, I’ve discovered new words for research.
Sobering. Disturbing. Chilling.
Terrifying.
The gang I’ve portrayed in this book, the Blood Brotherhood, is fictitious. But their actions are true to life. And, as unsettling as it may be, their actions are mild compared to what some gangs do. If I learned anything from researching this book it’s that those involved in combating gangs—and in resisting them—need our prayers. The world of gangs is a dark, pervasive, spiritually oppressed place where humanity gives way to violence, mercy to degradation. There’s only one source of light in such darkness: Jesus Christ. May we call upon Him with passion and determination to speak to the hearts of those lost in a life many of us can’t even imagine.
And now, the flip side.
May I just say to anyone involved in the military …
Thank you.
The research I’ve done for Rafael and his Force Recon team has been fascinating. Uplifting. Inspiring. And, at times, terrifying. I can’t believe what those in the military, especially the Special Forces and Force Recon, are called to do to secure our country and our freedom. I’ve seen photos, listened to audio recordings of radio transmissions, read firsthand accounts of battles—both victories and losses—and it has moved me to tears. The men and women in the U.S. military deserve our respect, our support, and our eternal gratitude for all they are and do. As President Ronald Reagan once said, “Some people spend a lifetime wondering if they made a difference. The Marines don’t have that problem.” I’d add that anyone in the military shouldn’t have that problem.
They make a difference. A big one. May God place His hand of protection upon each of them.
Two notes, just for the record: Rafe’s Force Recon team, the Pride, is fictitious. (Their motto is an adaptation of the motto for the “WolfPack,” the 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion.) While I’ve done my best to ensure accuracy in the military and battle details, I also took some creative license for the sake of the story.
Also, my sources on gangs informed me that many, if not most, gangs similar to the one in my book name themselves after the streets they live on. I wanted to be sure I didn’t use a real gang name, so I didn’t follow that standard.
Finally, because I know some folks like them, there is a glosssary at the end of the book for the Yiddish, Spanish, and gang terminology used in What Lies Within.
And now, I give you the final episode of the Justice clan. May God use this story to bless and encourage you richly.
In His service,
Karen Ball
“The LORD looks down from heaven
and sees the whole human race.
From his throne he observes
all who live on the earth.
He made their hearts,
so he understands everything they do.
The best-equipped army cannot save a king,
nor is great strength enough to save a warrior.
Don’t count on your warhorse to give you victory—
for all its strength, it cannot save you.
But the LORD watches over those who fear him,
those who rely on his unfailing love.
He rescues them from death
and keeps them alive in times of famine.
We depend on the LORD alone to save us.
Only he can help us, protecting us like a shield.
In him our hearts rejoice,
for we are trusting in his holy name.
Let your unfailing love surround us, LORD,
for our hope is in you alone.”
PSALM 33:13–22
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters
compared to what lies within us.”
RALPH WALDO EMERSON
PROLOGUE
“We crucify ourselves between two thieves:
regret for yesterday and fear of tomorrow.”
FULTON OURSLER
“O LORD, how long will you forget me? Forever?
How long will you look the other way?
How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul,
with sorrow in my heart every day?
How long will my enemy have the upper hand?
Turn and answer me, O LORD my God!
Restore the light to my eyes, or I will die.”
PSALM 13:1–3
The night was a chameleon. Sometimes soft and welcoming, like a warm hug when you return home. Other times …
Oppressive.
Threatening.
For a moment Kyla’s mind hovered on the thought, probing. What felt so wrong? Then she understood. It was too dark for a city street.
Her hand gripped the railing on the church steps; her feet felt their way down to the street. She was a few feet away from the building when it hit her.
The streetlights were out.
With a glance front and back—was someone out there, watching her?—she walked toward one tall light pole. Something crunched beneath her foot. She crouched, fingers exploring the ground—and her lips compressed.
Glass. Someone had broken—or, more likely, shot out—the streetlight. Her senses went into overdrive and she straightened. It wasn’t hard to figure out who’d done it. Or why.
They hadn’t been able to stop her with threats. So they were taking the next step.
Kyla spun and ran back toward the building, pounding feet sending an ominous echo through the oppressive night. As she drew near the church, she heard a door open. Could just discern someone stepping outside.
“Kylie?”
For a moment stark fear lodged in Kyla’s throat. It took two hard swallows, but at last the words were freed. “Annot, get back inside!”
“Miss Annie, do what your sister says.”
Tarik. Thank heaven. If Tarik was with Annot, then surely she’d listen. Wouldn’t risk endangering the boy.
Kyla should have known better. She watched the dim outline of her sister as she came down the stairs toward her.
“Kylie, what’s wrong? What are you—?”
Two sounds split the night: Tarik’s alarmed cry, and something el
se. Something sharp and terrifying.
It took Kyla’s frantic mind a heartbeat to identify the sound.
A gunshot. Followed by a second.
Kyla bolted the last few feet and grabbed her sister’s arm. “Get inside!”
No response. Kyla could just make out her sister’s features … the wide eyes, the mouth opening and closing without making a sound.
“This is no time to fool arou—” The scold died when Annot slumped against Tarik—and Kodi’s howl echoed, a chilling sound in the night.
“They were after me.” The boy’s low, choked words made no sense—but his eyes spoke volumes. Anguish. Sorrow. “She threw herself in front of me. If it wasn’t for her, I’d be … They were shooting at me.”
No. It wasn’t possible. “Annot?”
Her sister just looked down, her usually smooth forehead creased. Annot’s hands pressed against her ribs, but they couldn’t halt what bloomed behind them, on the white of her shirt. Dark petals reaching out, spreading, covering the white.
Blood.
“Annot!” Kyla’s cry tore through the night as Annot’s knees buckled. She sank to the cold concrete steps, pulling both Kyla and Tarik down with her.
God! God, please!
Pure desperation lifted the prayer skyward. “Someone, help us!” She pressed down on Annot’s hands despite her sister’s pained groan, trying to staunch the flow. To no avail.
“Miss Kyla—”
“Somebody call 911!”
“Miss Kyla!”
The urgent words jerked Kyla from her panic. She focused on Tarik.
“Help me.” He struggled to stand, his hands under Annot’s arms. “We have to get her inside.”
Nodding, Kyla gripped Annot’s legs, and they carried her through the entry, into the vestibule, dodging a frantic Kodi.
Tarik pressed Kyla’s hands against the sticky flow escaping her sister’s body. She welcomed the solid feel of Kodi leaning into her.
God … God, please …
“Keep the pressure on. I’ll call an ambulance.”