by WL Knightly
Why Me…
The Last Words Series Book 1
WL Knightly
BrixBaxter Publishing
Contents
Find WL Knightly
WL Knightly’s Introduction
Description
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
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Description
Two years after his fiancée went missing on a business trip to Hollywood, FBI Agent Ethan Charles is ready to move on with his life. But when an unexpected tip on a similar cold case comes his way, his curiosity gets the best of him.
While in Los Angeles searching for clues, evidence of another murder that’s connected to the missing girl comes to light and takes Ethan in a new direction with an unexpected ally.
Since dropping her dream to become an LA cop like her father, Sarah Green hopes to land that one big story that will solve all of her financial problems and get her editors off her back. When her sister shows her a viral video of a young girl being murdered, she’s not convinced it’s the one. But when it catches the interest of Agent Charles, who is willing to let her shadow him, she realizes helping him just might be the advantage she needs.
Prologue
The earth was gritty beneath Cassie Ryan’s knees when she was forced to the ground. As the bag was pulled off of her head, she stole a glance into the eyes of the masked man. He had taken her from her apartment parking garage on what felt like the longest ride of her life.
With the bag over her head, the sweat and tears stung her eyes, and she thought every moment that had brought her there was going to be her last.
The man had questioned her the entire way, and she thought if she was completely honest, he would let her go.
She wasn’t a person who made enemies and hadn’t hurt anyone intentionally. She was an aspiring influencer and wanted to make it big in Hollywood, just like so many others living in Los Angeles.
Her only crime, if any, was being in the wrong place at the wrong time more than she was comfortable with. But it wasn’t like a girl like her had any control over those situations. The men in her life had all of the power, and she was just along for the ride.
“Don’t look at me,” said the deep voice, causing her to divert her eyes from the masked man.
“Sorry,” she mumbled, sputtering out the word. “Are you going to let me go? Please. I won’t tell anyone I talked to you. I don’t even know who you are.” She didn’t want to know, but seeing the mask gave her hope. Why would someone wear a mask if they weren’t planning to let her go?
Cassie averted her eyes and looked around but didn’t have any idea where she was in the dark. There was nothing but dirt all around her, but she knew she had a chance of survival if he would just leave her there.
“That’s not going to happen,” he said as she could hear him fidgeting with something. She knew he had a gun, and she was about to piss herself, wondering when he was going to pull the trigger.
“But I’ve told you everything you wanted to know. I don’t know anything else. I swear to you. Please. Just let me go.”
He had asked a lot of questions while she was still bagged, and she had told him far too much than she was comfortable with. If this was a test of her loyalty, she had already failed it. No matter the outcome, her life, as she had gotten used to it, was over.
Cassie wouldn’t be able to go back to it, not now. Not after this. If anyone found out she had talked, she was as good as dead, whether this masked man wanted to be the one to do it or not. Her only option was to run away once she was free.
The man loomed over her. “Yes, you have told me plenty, but you’ll soon see that cooperation doesn’t buy freedom. And turning a blind eye to something you know is wrong but can’t control doesn’t make you innocent.”
“But I couldn’t stop it. I didn’t have a choice! You don’t know how bad I wanted to do something.”
“You always have a choice, Cassie. You just didn’t make the right one. And now you’ll have to pay.”
She heard something he was messing with that sounded like it could have been a gun, and she wasn’t sure if that was her final moment or not. All she knew to do was beg for her life. “Please, please just let me go. I won’t tell anyone about this! I will move away. I promise. Just let me live.”
She couldn’t stand not looking up at the man and not knowing what he was about to do. Was he a moment away from pulling the trigger? She had to know. So, against her best advice, she glanced up again, only to see him with his phone held out.
“You like your face on camera, don’t you?” Everyone who knew her knew that much, and it was obvious to her by his tone that he thought it made her shallow.
“It’s just a way to make a living,” she said, wishing she could go back to the days when she was just a waitress working in a diner where the tips were lousy and the boss had treated her like a piece of meat on the daily special. At least he let her go home alive.
“Look at the camera,” he said, stepping closer.
She glanced at it again, making sure to look at the camera and not him. As tempting as it was, and even though his face was covered, she didn’t dare. “What do you want me to do?” she said, looking into the camera. “I’ll do anything if you just let me go. I can do whatever you tell me to.”
“I’m sure you would do anything you’re told. That’s the kind of morals you have, isn’t it? You’ll do anything, even shit on your friends for a little more of the limelight, wouldn’t you?”
“I can do better.” She wanted to do better. She wanted one more chance to do everything right and try and be a better person. She knew she could if given another chance.
“I’m sure you could. But what would that matter anymore? Sometimes you don’t get a second chance to do the right thing.” He aimed the gun at her head while he kept the camera on her.
Cassie realized he was going to make good on his threats, and he was going to video it too. “No, please.” She shook her head and began to beg. She even smoothed her hair back from her face so he could see the fear in her eyes, hoping to buy herself a pardon with whatever good looks she had left through the grit and sweat.
“Any last words?” he said, looking down the barrel with his dark, menacing eyes.
She put her hand out as if she could use it to shield herself. There were so many others responsible for what she’d confessed, and she didn’t understand how she could be the only one paying for what happened.
“I’m giving you a chance to speak,” he snapped. “You should feel good knowing you’re going to be the catalyst from which something big happens.”
She wasn’t sure what that meant, only she didn’t want to b
e the catalyst if this was what it meant. “No, wait! At least tell me why?”
“It doesn’t matter. You should be happy. In just a short time, your face is going to be everywhere. So come on, tell me those last words, Cassie Ryan.”
She looked into his eyes with her blue ones full of tears. “Why me?” The hopelessness inside her cracked through her voice, and when he pulled the trigger, she had only a moment to flinch before it was over.
Chapter 1
Ethan
Ethan had just rinsed off in the shower when he heard his phone on the bathroom counter ringing. He had hoped that since his recent case was finished, he could get some peace, but apparently, the world had other plans.
“Yeah, I’m coming, for shit’s sake!” he said as he shut off the water. “Give me a minute.” He quickly stepped out of the hotel shower, dripping everywhere as he grabbed his phone. He picked up his phone as he reached for a towel. “Agent Charles, speaking.” He hoped the aggravation wasn’t too apparent in his tone.
“Did I catch you at a bad time?”
He dried off as he hit the speaker icon. “That depends. Who the hell is this?”
“Oh, sorry, Ethan. It’s Kevin. Kevin Delaney. I thought it would show on the caller ID.”
He hadn’t had the man’s number on his phone in over two years. With his job being hectic and all of the moving around, it was easy to lose touch with people.
“Man, Kevin, it’s good to hear your voice, stranger. I haven’t heard from you in ages. How’s it going?”
“It’s going okay. I’m no fancy FBI guy, but I really like my job out here in LA.”
“LA, huh? That’s new.” He had lived in Denver last he heard.
“Yeah, well, it’s been a little over a year now. I really only called because I’m nosy.”
“You know me, I’m always up for a little gossip, but I’m just wrapping up a case that’s taken me a bit out of the loop, so to speak.” He couldn’t wait to hear what the man had to say.
“I know the last time I talked to you was just after Katherine went missing.”
“This has to do with her?”
“Well, it’s actually about another case out here. A local one. There’s a guy on the force, and his sister is missing. It’s the Starr Asher case. Have you heard of it?”
“Can’t say I have. Refresh my memory?”
“You know the girl who was in all of the tabloids a while back. She was one of those social media influencers, a model, a rising star. She just vanished one night and was never seen again.”
“And you thought that because Katherine went missing while in LA, that it must mean something?”
“No. I’m not really sure what I think. But I work with her brother, you see. And well, he got a little wasted the other night while we were out at Cuff’s Pub, and he made the remark that his sister was sold into the sex trade.”
“Do you think that’s just a personal theory?”
“Nothing, as far as I know, has ever been determined, but I thought it was a bit strange for him to start making that statement as if it were fact.”
“He was drunk. Lots of people run off at the mouth when they’re drunk.”
“That’s just the thing. This guy never cuts loose like that. It was just odd. He made some remarks about people paying for what happened to her too.”
“Are you sure he’s not just blowing off steam? Maybe he had a hard night?”
“No. I really just thought you might be able to talk to the FBI agent in charge of the investigation and see if he’s got any new leads. Or if he’s ever looked into the idea of sex trafficking for her disappearance.”
“I guess I can do that. You said this girl was a big deal?”
“Yeah, you can read all about it. I’m surprised you didn’t hear about it back when it happened. It was pretty big news. She was quite the media darling. If she wasn’t famous before, she was after.”
He had been in such a brain fog back at that time, dealing with his own problems and making a huge career change. Since then, he had been doing all he could to keep his head above water. “I probably would know it if I looked.”
“Anyway, I just thought you might want to check into it.”
“I appreciate that.”
“Well, I’ve taken up enough of your time, and I really have to get back to work before the captain hangs me up by my toenails.”
“I hear that. Thanks again for calling.” He ended the call and looked up at the mirror, which was still covered with steam. He swiped his hand across it and looked at his expression, which was a mix of emotions he hadn’t felt in some time.
Two years ago, just when he thought he had a perfect life, the perfect job, and the perfect woman, he got a serious shock to his system.
Katherine, who he had only proposed to a month earlier, came up missing. And while it helped to be with the FBI, it wasn’t like they would let him have any part in her investigation. Instead, it was passed off to another agent, who did a half-ass job on a case that went cold soon after.
His eyes grew misty as he remembered the last time he saw her.
“It’s just for a little while,” she had told him as she packed her suitcase. “Only until I get the job, and then you can transfer, and everything will be perfect. You told me to go for it.”
“I don’t know,” he had told her. “I just don’t like the thought of you going away right now.” They had just come off of a fight, and he felt they needed the time together.
She held up her hand where her ring sparkled on her finger. “This is the rest of our lives. I only have this one chance to do this. Please don’t take it from me.”
“What is this company, anyway?” He didn’t know anything about it other than it was the field she had wanted to go into.
“I’ll know more after the meeting, but I’ll text you the address and their number before I go. For now, just be happy for me.”
“I am. And proud of you. You’re going to knock them dead and succeed anywhere you end up.” She had really wanted to be a talent manager, and he knew if she was going to do that with any amount of success, she needed to go where the talent went.
“Just think. We’ll both have the careers we’ve always wanted.” She kissed him, and Ethan could still taste her lips.
It was the last conversation he had with her in person. The next day, she flew out to have a meeting with a man about the new job and was never seen or heard from again. It had happened that quickly. And while he had done all he could to cooperate while trying to settle into his own career, he eventually had to let it go and focus on keeping what little he had left of his sanity.
Ethan scratched his stubble, and while he really needed to shave, he was too invested in what Kevin Delaney had told him. Ethan left the steaming bathroom and stepped out to his room, where his computer was already open on his bed. He typed in his security code and looked up the girl’s name. Despite the misspelling, where he had only given her name one R instead of two, it came right up, along with a whole slew of articles about her disappearance.
Apparently, it had been a big local mystery like Kevin said, and there was a whole lot of speculation as to what had happened to her. Many believed she was dead, but others think she disappeared to start a new life.
“Looks like your case has gone as cold as Katherine’s,” he said as something caught his eye.
There was an interview with her talent manager, Roald Collier, saying how deeply saddened everyone at his company was for the loss of one of his biggest clients at the time.
“Roald Collier,” he said, even though that wasn’t what caught his attention.
Katherine had gone to work for a talent manager. He was supposed to be a big-shot type of guy who made everything he touched turn to gold. The only problem was, he had never gotten the man’s name.
To make it worse, if he hadn’t had an alibi through his assignment at the time and proof of her flight to California, as well as other proof she’d arrived at the
airport, he might have been a suspect himself.
It had been devastating beyond belief.
But in all of the articles he looked at, there was nothing saying anything about the sex trade or that any new evidence had been found. So why would her brother, of all people, make such a claim? Ethan found himself curious to figure it out. And since he had finished his latest case, he hoped he’d be able to have a little time to look into it before he was put on another one.
There was going to be only one way he would be able to do it, and that meant paying his supervisor a visit.
After shaving to make himself more presentable, Ethan went to his commander’s office, hoping he’d get the special permission he requested.
“He’ll see you now,” said the commander’s secretary.
“Commander Clark,” he said, entering the room.
“Hello, Agent Charles. Congratulations on a job well done.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Are you here eager for another assignment already? I wasn’t supposed to see you until the end of the week. I’m afraid I don’t have anything to tell you just yet.”
“No, sir. I was hoping to get approval for something I received a tip on. There’s a cold case in LA. A missing woman. I had a tip from a trusted friend that her brother has mentioned something about sex trafficking, and yet, there haven’t been any new developments. I was hoping that I could check it out and see if the claim has any weight to it.”