by Blake Pierce
“I am sorry, Shelley,” she whispered, telling it to the flowers and only to the flowers. “I should have been there. But I promise you, I will do better. No more drinking. No pills. No pushing everyone away. I will make you proud.”
That was it; everything she needed to say. Zoe hesitated a moment, her words swept away by the wind, wondering if it had been enough. If anything could ever be enough.
And in that same moment she saw Shelley’s face, not cold and dead but alive and smiling, and knew that Shelley would have forgiven her anything. She always did. She was kind and understanding like that. Something Zoe could only ever aspire to be, but she would keep on trying.
She walked over silently and laid down the flowers on the doorstep of Shelley’s former home, then stepped back again, leaving them behind. The simple card she had attached—“For Shelley”—would tell Harry everything he needed to know about the reason behind a bouquet appearing on his doorstep. Zoe hoped that he would take them and lay them on Shelley’s grave. Maybe he would take Amelia with him. That, at least, was a mental picture that did not fill Zoe entirely to the brim with despair.
She turned and began the long walk home, feeling her penance in every step. It would never be over. She could never atone. But in every case she took from now on, and in every interaction she had, Zoe could at least try to be the partner that Shelley had deserved. That, at least, was something.
***
Zoe looked up at the knock on the door, automatically throwing off the blanket and jumping to her feet. Then she winced, standing still as she clutched her head. The mother of all headaches had taken hold since she got in from her flight, and she was still getting used to remembering that.
She made her way more slowly to the door and opened it, stepping aside to let her visitor in.
“Let me see it, then,” Dr. Applewhite said, as Zoe closed the door behind her.
Obediently, she turned around. With her short hair, that was all she needed to do for the fully blossoming bruise at the base of her skull to be visible. She’d had more than a few odd looks coming through the airport. Dr. Applewhite gasped sympathetically, her hands fluttering lightly on Zoe’s skin as she took a closer look.
“That looks nasty,” Dr. Applewhite said. “Have you taken anything?”
“The EMTs gave me some pills,” Zoe said, remembering not to nod her head this time. “I have a few more left for later. They’re on the coffee table.”
“Well, get yourself back over by that coffee table and sit down,” Dr. Applewhite scolded, making Zoe smile. Again, she did as she was told, sitting back on the sofa and covering herself with the blanket.
Dr. Applewhite was busy dropping some bags onto the kitchen counter. “Now, I figured you might not have the right ingredients, so I brought a few things over.” She finished arranging the bags and turned, clapping her hands. “I know it’s already coming up to lunchtime, but let’s call it brunch. Pancakes?”
Zoe grinned, resting her head back against the sofa cushions. Even that light touch was painful, but it was better than trying to hold the weight of her head up. “That sounds good.”
Dr. Applewhite began to busy herself with cooking, rustling through the bags and searching through Zoe’s cupboards for the necessary equipment. “So, the case is all wrapped up?”
“I hope so,” Zoe said. She closed her eyes momentarily, just listening. “I cannot imagine there would be any advantage for the perpetrator not to plead guilty, but there may be a trial if he is stubborn.”
“What now, then?” Dr. Applewhite’s voice was cheery still, but Zoe could sense an underlying tension. A care was maybe the appropriate word. She was worried. “Are you staying with the FBI?”
“I think I will.” Zoe opened her eyes again, allowed them to roam over the blank space of the wall beside her. “I made a lot of progress with Shelley. She helped me in so many ways. I think I am doing her memory a disservice if I do not use that help she gave me.”
Dr. Applewhite’s hands paused their work for a moment. “That sounds like a good way to honor your friend,” she said. “Continue doing good work in her name. Just don’t let it overwhelm you.”
Zoe smiled. “I won’t,” she said. It was easier said than done, but she wasn’t going to be alone in that, either. “I made a new appointment with Dr. Monk. I am going back into therapy, for a while at least. I did not have as strong a grip on things as I thought I did. Dr. Monk will be able to help me with that.”
There was a hissing sound as Dr. Applewhite poured pancake batter into the heated pan. Immediately, the smell of her cooking floated across the room to Zoe, making her feel more awake. She was looking forward to this. “I’m glad. I think that’s the right choice. There’s no shame in knowing when to ask for help.”
“I am sorry,” Zoe said, after a moment of reflection.
Dr. Applewhite was bent over the pan with a spatula, scraping the edges of the pancake as it cooked. “What for?”
Zoe half-smiled. “You know what for,” she said. “I shut you out. I was spiraling and I did not ask for help. I turned your help away. That was wrong. I know that now.”
Dr. Applewhite flipped the pancake, then turned a sunny smile on her from across the room. “At least you’re asking for it now,” she said. “I’m glad you called. I wouldn’t want you to be alone with your concussion.”
“Thank you for not ignoring me,” Zoe said. “I was not always pleasant to you on the phone lately.”
“You don’t have to thank me,” Dr. Applewhite said. She maneuvered the pancake onto a plate and poured a fresh serving of batter into the pan. “This is just what you do for people you care about.”
Zoe felt a sense of contentment washing over her, something she hadn’t experienced in a long time. Long enough that she wasn’t sure she ever had. It was like everything that had been disturbed had finally fallen back into place, and even though Shelley was no longer here, things could still be right in the world.
Her cell phone caught her attention, sitting on the coffee table beside her bottle of pills. The pain wasn’t too bad, and Zoe liked having her head clear; she ignored them and reached for the phone, opening up the screen and scrolling through a few pages.
It wasn’t an idle gesture; she was looking for something in particular. Down below messages from Flynn, Sheriff Petrovski, and SAIC Maitland, Zoe found it.
I’ll be here if/when you want to talk.
John’s words, from weeks ago. She wondered if they still applied. She had to hope that they did.
She stared at it for a long time as Dr. Applewhite continued working on her stack, cooking one pancake after another. Zoe filtered her out, looking at those words. She tapped the screen to open up the keyboard for a reply, then hesitated.
What could she say?
There had been so much time, and John had been patient for so long. She had pushed him away, just like she’d pushed everyone else. Things had changed now, even if she wasn’t entirely back to herself, and even if she never would be. She was recovering. Getting better. In more ways than one.
But what did you say to explain all of that time, all of that absence? How did you apologize for treating someone like they were unnecessary, when the truth was that they were the opposite, and that was why you were so afraid?
Zoe breathed deeply, counting it in. One. Two. Three. Everything else fell away: the sounds of Dr. Applewhite cooking, the purr of Euler as he stalked across the kitchen counter to investigate, the hum of life outside her windows. The dimensions of the coffee table and every button on the keyboard. Her mind quieted down, and Zoe searched for the answer that she needed.
In the end, it was simple. She wrote just one word, two letters, and sent it, putting her phone down on her lap as Dr. Applewhite brought over a plate of pancakes dripping in syrup.
“Thank you,” she said, and meant it for so much more than just the pancakes. Settling down to eat, she glanced at her screen, at the message that was still lit up there, giving
her hope for the future.
Hi.
NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER!
FACE OF DARKNESS
(A Zoe Prime Mystery—Book 6)
“A MASTERPIECE OF THRILLER AND MYSTERY. Blake Pierce did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side so well described that we feel inside their minds, follow their fears and cheer for their success. 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)
FACE OF DARKNESS is book #6 in a new FBI thriller series by USA Today bestselling author Blake Pierce, whose #1 bestseller Once Gone (Book #1) (a free download) has received over 1,000 five star reviews. The series begins with FACE OF DEATH (Book #1), a free download.
FBI Special Agent Zoe Prime suffers from a rare condition which also gives her a unique talent—she views the world through a lens of numbers. The numbers torment her, make her unable to relate to people, and give her a failed romantic life—yet they also allow her to see patterns that no other FBI agent can see. Zoe keeps her condition a secret, ashamed, in fear her colleagues may find out.
In FACE OF DARKNESS (Book #6), victims are being found murdered in Salem, in ways and on dates which correlate to the infamous witch trials. Is a serial killer trying to recreate the past? What can the numbers mean?
Zoe, meanwhile, has hit her own internal wall, as her personal life begins to unravel under the weight of her condition.
Will this be the case that sets her over the edge?
An action-packed psychological suspense thriller with heart-pounding suspense, FACE OF DARKNESS is book #6 in a riveting new series that will leave you turning pages late into the night.
FACE OF DARKNESS
(A Zoe Prime Mystery—Book 6)
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 the USA Today bestselling author of the RILEY PAGE mystery series, which includes seventeen books. Blake Pierce is also the author of the MACKENZIE WHITE mystery series, comprising fourteen books; of the AVERY BLACK mystery series, comprising six books; of the KERI LOCKE mystery series, comprising five books; of the MAKING OF RILEY PAIGE mystery series, comprising six books; of the KATE WISE mystery series, comprising seven books; of the CHLOE FINE psychological suspense mystery, comprising six books; of the JESSE HUNT psychological suspense thriller series, comprising fourteen books (and counting); of the AU PAIR psychological suspense thriller series, comprising three books; of the ZOE PRIME mystery series, comprising four books (and counting); of the new ADELE SHARP mystery series, comprising four six books (and counting); and of the new EUROPEAN VOYAGE cozy mystery series.
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), A TRACE OF DEATH (A Keri Locke Mystery—Book 1), WATCHING (The Making of Riley Paige—Book 1), NEXT DOOR (A Chloe Fine Psychological Suspense Mystery—Book 1), THE PERFECT WIFE (A Jessie Hunt Psychological Suspense Thriller—Book One), and IF SHE KNEW (A Kate Wise Mystery—Book 1) are each available as a free download on Amazon!
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
EUROPEAN VOYAGE COZY MYSTERY SERIES
MURDER (AND BAKLAVA) (Book #1)
DEATH (AND APPLE STRUDEL) (Book #2)
CRIME (AND LAGER) (Book #3)
ADELE SHARP MYSTERY SERIES
LEFT TO DIE (Book #1)
LEFT TO RUN (Book #2)
LEFT TO HIDE (Book #3)
LEFT TO KILL (Book #4)
LEFT TO MURDER (Book #5)
LEFT TO ENVY (Book #6)
LEFT TO LAPSE (Book #7)
THE AU PAIR SERIES
ALMOST GONE (Book#1)
ALMOST LOST (Book #2)
ALMOST DEAD (Book #3)
ZOE PRIME MYSTERY SERIES
FACE OF DEATH (Book#1)
FACE OF MURDER (Book #2)
FACE OF FEAR (Book #3)
FACE OF MADNESS (Book #4)
FACE OF FURY (Book #5)
FACE OF DARKNESS (Book #6)
A JESSIE HUNT PSYCHOLOGICAL SUSPENSE SERIES
THE PERFECT WIFE (Book #1)
THE PERFECT BLOCK (Book #2)
THE PERFECT HOUSE (Book #3)
THE PERFECT SMILE (Book #4)
THE PERFECT LIE (Book #5)
THE PERFECT LOOK (Book #6)
THE PERFECT AFFAIR (Book #7)
THE PERFECT ALIBI (Book #8)
THE PERFECT NEIGHBOR (Book #9)
THE PERFECT DISGUISE (Book #10)
THE PERFECT SECRET (Book #11)
THE PERFECT FAÇADE (Book #12)
THE PERFECT IMPRESSION (Book #13)
THE PERFECT DECEIT (Book #14)
THE PERFECT MISTRESS (Book #15)
CHLOE FINE PSYCHOLOGICAL SUSPENSE SERIES
NEXT DOOR (Book #1)
A NEIGHBOR’S LIE (Book #2)
CUL DE SAC (Book #3)
SILENT NEIGHBOR (Book #4)
HOMECOMING (Book #5)
TINTED WINDOWS (Book #6)
KATE WISE MYSTERY SERIES
IF SHE KNEW (Book #1)
IF SHE SAW (Book #2)
IF SHE RAN (Book #3)
IF SHE HID (Book #4)
IF SHE FLED (Book #5)
IF SHE FEARED (Book #6)
IF SHE HEARD (Book #7)
THE MAKING OF RILEY PAIGE SERIES
WATCHING (Book #1)
WAITING (Book #2)
LURING (Book #3)
TAKING (Book #4)
STALKING (Book #5)
KILLING (Book #6)
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)
ONCE SHUNNED (Book #15)
ONCE MISSED (Book #16)
ONCE CHOSEN (Book #17)
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)
BEFORE HE LONGS (Book #10)
BEFORE HE LAPSES (Book #11)
BEFORE HE ENVIES (Book #12)
BEFORE HE STALKS (Book #13)
BEFORE HE HARMS (Book #14)
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)
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