Once Stalked (A Riley Paige Mystery—Book 9)

by Blake Pierce

  Riley started pacing about the room.

  “Did Hatcher see the sheriff?” she asked.

  “He doesn’t think so,” Meredith said.

  Riley wondered whether that could possibly be true. Could anyone get that close to Shane Hatcher without him knowing about it?

  Meredith continued, “I’ve sent a SWAT team up there. Park rangers are on it too. We’re just waiting to get a helicopter on the scene to help track him if he runs. We’ll have him completely surrounded. There’s no way out for him. Not this time. The team will either arrest or kill him. But I’ve ordered them to be extremely careful. You and I both know how dangerous that man can be.”

  Riley couldn’t speak for a moment.

  “Agent Paige? Are you still there?”

  Riley said, “Thank you for letting me know, sir. Please let me know what happens.”

  Riley ended the call and continued to pace.

  She pictured the property in her mind. The thirty acres was mostly wooded, and the cabin was the only building on it. The property adjoined the national park, so an experienced woodsman would find plenty of places to hide.

  But what about Hatcher?

  Riley remembered something he’d said the last time she’d talk to him on the phone …

  “I’m not hiding in the woods again. I’m a city person.”

  Even Shane Hatcher would surely be vulnerable in that wilderness—at least if the team took him by surprise.

  But he might stand a chance with a fair warning.

  Riley wondered if she owed it to him. After all, she now knew he was about to get killed or captured. Not warning him would amount to her being complicit in it, complicit in killing or capturing the man who had saved her family more than once.

  Who had led her to her mother’s killer.

  She paced the room, torn. She couldn’t let it happen. If he went down, so be it. But she couldn’t let it be on her hands.

  I’ve got to contact him, she thought.

  She had two ways of reaching him—through his video address or by text.

  She sat down at her desk, turned on her computer, and opened the video chat program.

  Yet she sat there, hands trembling, and did nothing.

  For some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to type the address.

  She found herself thinking about the woman who died at Shane Hatcher’s hands.

  Shirley Redding had been guilty of absolutely nothing except being erratic and foolish. She hadn’t deserved to die.

  And how long could she let this go on with Shane? How much deeper could she be complicit in his freedom? As it was, Agent Roston, it seemed, was close to pinning her. It would mean the end of her career, her reputation, and possibly jail time.

  When would this spiral with Hatcher end?

  Maybe he doesn’t deserve my help, Riley thought. Not anymore.

  She remembered what Hatcher had said to her …

  “We’re joined at the brain, Riley Paige.”

  A swell of anger rose in Riley’s throat.

  It’s time for that to end, she thought.

  She stared at the blank screen longer than she dared.

  Then, finally, she turned off her computer.

  Without a moment’s thought, she tore the gold chain bracelet off her arm.

  She’d been wearing it for months, but she was through with it now. She threw it in the wastebasket.

  In a few minutes, they would catch or kill him. He might implicate her. She might go to jail.

  But at least her drama with him was over.

  Finally, it was over.

  Shaking, Riley took her cell phone down to the kitchen. Gabriela wasn’t up yet, so she made herself some coffee and breakfast. She sat there, feeling more on edge than she had ever felt, knowing her future hung in the balance.

  Soon, she got another call from Brent Meredith.

  His voice sounded heavy with discouragement.

  “He got away. Gone before we got there. The park rangers found signs of recent motorcycle use on a national park trail. Apparently Hatcher had kept a motorcycle hidden up there where he could get to it. So he’s at large, and he’s dangerous. You’d better be careful, Agent Paige.”

  Riley thanked him again and ended the call.

  Almost instantly, her cell phone buzzed again.

  She looked down, and her heart sank.

  It was a text from Hatcher:

  You knew. You had a chance to warn me. And yet you said nothing.

  Riley shuddered with terror. Should she reply? Before she could decide, he texted again:

  It was a test of your loyalty. And you failed. We’re through.

  Riley sat staring at the message. Then ten chilling words followed.

  You will live to regret it. Your family might not.

  Riley fumbled with the phone, typing desperately:

  We’ve got to talk.

  But when she tried to send the text, it was marked “undeliverable.”

  Hatcher had broken off communications between them once and for all.

  Riley was shaking all over, and her breath was coming in short, desperate gasps.

  She had a new enemy—an enemy far more dangerous than all the criminals she’d ever faced.

  What did that mean for Riley?

  What did it mean for her growing family?

  She had no idea what to expect next.

  But whatever it was, she knew it would not be good.

  NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER!

  ONCE LOST

  (A Riley Paige Mystery—Book 10)

  “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)

  ONCE LOST is book #10 in the bestselling Riley Paige mystery series, which begins with the #1 bestseller ONCE GONE (Book #1)—a free download with over 900 five star reviews!

  Still reeling from her former partner Lucy’s death and from her partner Bill’s PTSD, FBI Special Agent Riley Paige does her best to try to keep herself stable and to patch together her family life. She has to decide what to about April’s boyfriend, recovering from his abusive father, and about Blaine, who is ready for their relationship to move ahead.

  But before she can work it out, Riley is summoned for a new case. In an idyllic suburban town in the Midwest, teenage girls are going missing—and a body has already turned up. The police are stumped, and Riley is called in to catch the killer before another girl goes missing.

  Making things worse is that Riley is assigned a partner she does not want—her nemesis, Special agent Roston—who had been interrogating her in Shane’s case.

  Even worse: Shane is on the loose, he wants revenge—and he has Riley’s family in his sights.

  A dark psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, ONCE LOST is book #10 in a riveting new series—with a beloved new character—that will leave you turning pages late into the night.

  Book #11 in the Riley Paige series will be available soon.

  ONCE LOST

  (A Riley Paige Mystery—Book 10)

  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 ten books (and counting). Blake Pierce is also the author of the MACKENZIE WHITE mystery series, comprising six books (and counting); of the AVERY BLACK mystery series, comprising five books; and of the new KERI LOCKE mystery series, comprising four books (and counting).

  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 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

  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)

  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)

  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)

  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)