by Blake Pierce
Eris’s widened with perplexity.
She looked down at Harlan, and then again at Nora.
“You’re either lying or stupid,” she said.
Nora threw herself across the room and against the woman she knew as Eris before the knife could plunge down again.
*
Riley heard an uproar as she dashed up the stairs.
As soon as she reached the hallway she saw the light from an open door.
She rushed into that room and was baffled by what she saw.
A man lay bleeding and barely conscious on the floor, and two women were struggling over him, trying to wrest a knife out of each other’s grasp.
One woman was wearing a nightgown, and the other was dressed in black.
Riley recognized both of them.
She knew perfectly well which was the killer.
But in this wild tangle of bodies, she didn’t dare use her weapon.
Instead, she rushed forward and forced the women apart.
The woman in black had the knife in her hand.
She slashed horizontally at Riley.
She knows how to handle a knife, Riley realized.
In a fight, slashing motions would cause the most damage.
But Riley knew how to thwart her. She dived sharply against the woman’s legs, toppling her to the floor.
Riley and the woman rolled together several times until Riley managed to pin her arms down. Riley looked up in time to see Bill crouching over the man’s body, working to stop his wounds from bleeding.
Nora was weeping, trying to help him.
Gasping, Riley said to the woman she was holding down…
“Adrienne McKinney, you’re under arrest.”
As Riley read Adrienne her rights and put her in handcuffs, she finally heard approaching sirens.
It’s about time, she thought.
She saw Jared step into the doorway. He stared around the room with his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open.
“Damn,” Jared said.
CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN
Riley joined in the general laughter at how the puppy and the black and white kitten were dealing with each other.
April said, “At least Marbles isn’t hissing at Darby today.”
Jilly added, “And at least Darby isn’t trying to hide under the furniture.”
They were all on Riley’s back deck, along Blaine and his daughter, Crystal. Bill, who was taking a well-deserved leave from work, was there too. And of course Gabriela had served everybody delicious snacks, this time balls of deep-fried batter called buñuelos.
They were all enjoying the confrontations between the two little animals. Though still a puppy, Darby was larger than the kitten that April had named Marbles. Nevertheless, Darby had been thoroughly frightened of her smaller housemate—at least until today.
Now the situation appeared to be changing. Darby wasn’t backing away at Marbles’ stalking approach.
She was holding her ground.
And now, when Marbles raised her paw to swat at Darby’s face, Darby did something she hadn’t done before.
She raised her own paw and pushed it against Marbles’ head.
The kitten fell backward into a startled heap.
The whole back yard echoed with laughter now.
“Way to go, Darby!” April shouted with glee.
And in another instant, the two animals were playfully wrestling with each other, obviously enjoying their mock-battles.
Jilly looked up at Riley with a grin.
“Wow, you sure were right, Mom!” she said. “They’re great pals now!”
Like everybody else, Riley had already laughed until her lungs hurt.
But as her laughter waned, a feeling of melancholy began to creep in.
She and Bill had returned from Georgia just yesterday, and she wasn’t sure which of the two women she pitied more—the murderer, Adrienne McKinney, or Harlan Ford’s troubled wife, Nora.
The truth was, Riley could almost understand Adrienne’s madness, especially now that she knew more about her awful story. When she’d been a young and immature computer prodigy, she’d married much too hastily, and realized too late that her husband had been attracted to her for her youth and beauty, not her mind. Much worse, the man was a depraved abuser—by all accounts more vicious than Harter, Farrell, or Morse, all of whom had been murdered for their cruelties.
When her husband was killed by a disgruntled employee, something in Adrienne’s mind finally snapped. She fancied herself some sort of righteous scourge against abusive men. Riley wondered if this was one killer who might mount a successful insanity defense. In any case, she would never be free again.
Nora Ford, on the other hand, hadn’t been the victim of a man at all, but of some mysterious illness that ravaged her brain. A therapist who treated the woman after her ordeal told Riley that Nora had some kind of terrible breakthrough when she saw her husband’s life in danger. But that breakthrough was but the awful beginning of a long struggle to regain her mental health. Would she ever recover from the guilt of knowing that her own delusions almost killed the man who most loved her and cared for her?
Riley sighed and thought …
At least it’s all over.
Riley had no doubt that the three widows, Morgan, Charlotte, and Tisha, would persevere nicely. They were all young and beautiful and had plenty of resources now that their husbands were dead.
And they’re sure not going to do a whole lot of grieving.
Things had also worked out well for Jared, who had become something of a celebrity among Atlanta cops for the part he’d played in solving the case. Riley had to admit that he’d done some excellent work.
Not that I’m going to miss the obnoxious little guy.
All three of the girls were now on the floor playing rambunctiously with the kitten and the puppy. Bill and Blaine were deep in amiable conversation.
Riley breathed a sigh of relief that Bill had gently rebuffed her advances that night when she had felt so down.
Finally Bill looked at Riley and said, “I’d better be going.”
“You don’t have to,” Riley said.
Bill looked over at Blaine, then at Riley.
He grinned as if to say …
“Yes, I really should go.”
As soon as Bill left the house, Riley scooted her chair next to Blaine’s and held his hand.
Blaine said to her, “What do you want for your birthday?”
Riley was startled. She’d almost forgotten that she was going to turn forty-one in just a few days.
“Anything,” she said, “but no surprises.”
Blaine looked a little embarrassed. Then he nodded silently toward the kids.
Riley immediately realized what he was trying to tell her. The kids and Gabriela were planning a surprise party—and there was nothing she could do to stop them.
“Oh, no,” Riley said to Blaine.
“Oh, yes,” Blaine said.
Riley chuckled a little at her own mild discomfort.
Everything’s good, she thought as she watched the happy scene. Riley knew she didn’t always manage everything well, but sometimes she did all right.
She cared, and these people all knew that she cared.
So why did she feel a pang of sadness?
Riley knew the reason perfectly well.
She often felt that happiness like this must be terribly fragile in such a cruel and violent world.
But then she wondered …
Was it really?
Or was it possible the joy she was witnessing right now was stronger than she had believed?
Riley hoped so with all her heart …
If only I could know.
NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER!
ONCE DORMANT
(A Riley Paige Mystery—Book 14)
“A masterpiece of thriller and mystery! The author did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side that is so well described tha
t we feel inside their minds, follow their fears and cheer for their success. The plot is very intelligent and will keep you entertained throughout the book. Full of twists, this book will keep you awake until the turn of the last page.”
--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)
ONCE DORMANT is book #14 in the bestselling Riley Paige mystery series, which begins with the #1 bestseller ONCE GONE (Book #1)—a free download with over 1,000 five star reviews!
After lying dormant for 10 years, an elusive serial killer strikes again, leaving few clues—and the only way for FBI Special Agent Riley Paige to catch him in the present is to solve the riddles of the past.
Women are turning up dead, and in this dark psychological thriller, Riley Paige realizes she is in a race against time. The murders of the past were too perplexing to be solved back then. Can Riley solve them 10 years cold? And connect the dots to the present-day crimes?
When Riley finds her personal life in crisis, playing cat and mouse with a brilliant psychopath may just be too much for her. Especially since there is something that is just not sitting right with this case….
An action-packed thriller with heart-pounding suspense, ONCE DORMANT is book #14 in a riveting new series—with a beloved new character—that will leave you turning pages late into the night.
Book #15 in the Riley Paige series will be available soon.
ONCE DORMANT
(A Riley Paige Mystery—Book 14)
NOW AVAILABLE!
A NEW SERIES!
WATCHING
(The Making of Riley Paige—Book 1)
“A masterpiece of thriller and mystery! The author did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side that is so well described that we feel inside their minds, follow their fears and cheer for their success. The plot is very intelligent and will keep you entertained throughout the book. Full of twists, this book will keep you awake until the turn of the last page.”
--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)
WATCHING (The Making of Riley Paige—Book One) is book #1 in a new psychological thriller series by #1 bestselling author Blake Pierce, whose free bestseller Once Gone (Book #1) has received over 1,000 five star reviews.
22 year old psychology major—and aspiring FBI agent—Riley Paige finds herself in a battle for her life as her closest friends on campus are abducted and killed by a serial killer. She senses that she, too, is being targeted—and that if she is to survive, she must apply her brilliant mind to stop the killer herself.
When the FBI hits a dead end, they are impressed enough by Riley’s keen insight into the killer’s mind to allow her to help. Yet the killer’s mind is a dark, twisted place, one too diabolical to make sense of, and one that threatens to bring Riley’s fragile psyche crashing down. In this deadly game of cat and mouse, can Riley survive unscarred?
An action-packed thriller with heart-pounding suspense, WATCHING is book #1 in a riveting new series that will leave you turning pages late into the night. It takes readers back 20 plus years—to how Riley’s career began—and is the perfect complement to the ONCE GONE series (A Riley Paige Mystery), which includes 13 books and counting.
Book #2 in THE MAKING OF RILEY PAIGE series will be available soon.
WATCHING
(The Making of Riley Paige—Book 1)
Did you know that I've written multiple novels in the mystery genre? If you haven't read all my series, click the image below to download a series starter!
Blake Pierce
Blake Pierce is author of the bestselling RILEY PAGE mystery series, which includes fourteen books (and counting). Blake Pierce is also the author of the MACKENZIE WHITE mystery series, comprising eight books; of the AVERY BLACK mystery series, comprising six books; of the KERI LOCKE mystery series, comprising five books; and of the new MAKING OF RILEY PAIGE mystery series, which begins with WATCHING.
ONCE GONE (a Riley Paige Mystery--Book #1), BEFORE HE KILLS (A Mackenzie White Mystery—Book 1), CAUSE TO KILL (An Avery Black Mystery—Book 1), and A TRACE OF DEATH (A Keri Locke Mystery—Book 1) are each available as a free download on Google Play!
An avid reader and lifelong fan of the mystery and thriller genres, Blake loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.blakepierceauthor.com to learn more and stay in touch.
BOOKS BY BLAKE PIERCE
THE MAKING OF RILEY PAIGE SERIES
WATCHING (Book #1)
WAITING (Book #2)
RILEY PAIGE MYSTERY SERIES
ONCE GONE (Book #1)
ONCE TAKEN (Book #2)
ONCE CRAVED (Book #3)
ONCE LURED (Book #4)
ONCE HUNTED (Book #5)
ONCE PINED (Book #6)
ONCE FORSAKEN (Book #7)
ONCE COLD (Book #8)
ONCE STALKED (Book #9)
ONCE LOST (Book #10)
ONCE BURIED (Book #11)
ONCE BOUND (Book #12)
ONCE TRAPPED (Book #13)
ONCE DORMANT (Book #14)
MACKENZIE WHITE MYSTERY SERIES
BEFORE HE KILLS (Book #1)
BEFORE HE SEES (Book #2)
BEFORE HE COVETS (Book #3)
BEFORE HE TAKES (Book #4)
BEFORE HE NEEDS (Book #5)
BEFORE HE FEELS (Book #6)
BEFORE HE SINS (Book #7)
BEFORE HE HUNTS (Book #8)
BEFORE HE PREYS (Book #9)
AVERY BLACK MYSTERY SERIES
CAUSE TO KILL (Book #1)
CAUSE TO RUN (Book #2)
CAUSE TO HIDE (Book #3)
CAUSE TO FEAR (Book #4)
CAUSE TO SAVE (Book #5)
CAUSE TO DREAD (Book #6)
KERI LOCKE MYSTERY SERIES
A TRACE OF DEATH (Book #1)
A TRACE OF MUDER (Book #2)
A TRACE OF VICE (Book #3)
A TRACE OF CRIME (Book #4)
A TRACE OF HOPE (Book #5)
