Stalking (The Making of Riley Paige—Book 5) Read online

  Jake’s musings were interrupted when Riley spoke from the seat next to his.

  “Agent Crivaro, something’s bugging me.”

  Jake chuckled a little.

  “I hope it’s nothing too dire,” he said. “I’ve had enough excitement for one day.”

  Riley paused for a moment before she said, “I was wrong.”

  “About what?” Jake asked.

  “Yesterday my instincts told me that the killer hated religion, and that’s what was driving him. But that didn’t turn out to be the truth at all. It was something completely different.”

  Jake shrugged and said, “That doesn’t mean your instincts were bad. Sometimes even a mistaken hunch can be useful. At least that hunch got us moving in the right direction. And you did get it right in the end, when you figured out that the victims were all virgins.”

  “Yeah, I guess,” Riley said. “But still…”

  Her voice faded away.

  The Jake said, “Actually, on the whole, you were pretty damned brilliant.”

  Riley’s face broke into a broad smile.

  “Do you really think so?” she said.

  “I know so,” Jake said.

  Then he wagged his finger at her and added, “You’ve still got to see a shrink, though.”

  “Don’t worry, I’ll do that.”

  “And what were you thinking, going in there with an unloaded gun?”

  “It won’t happen again.”

  “It damn well better not happen again.”

  The two of them fell into a comfortable silence. The truth was, Jake was no longer worried about Riley’s emotional strength and resiliency. Somehow or other—he really didn’t know just how—she had fully recovered from the trauma of shooting Heidi Wright. Seeing a shrink would be little more than a formality.

  She’s going to be just fine, he thought.

  He wasn’t so sure about himself, though.

  He knew perfectly well that he couldn’t have solved this case on his own, or with a less talented partner. He needed Riley’s help to be anywhere near as good as he used to be.

  And what about the near future? If his own powers were declining, would he soon be a drag on Riley’s abilities to do her job? Was he maybe getting to be a drag on her already? Didn’t she deserve to team up with a partner more nearly matched to her intelligence and ability?

  Jake couldn’t help but laugh to himself.

  Finding her match won’t be easy, he thought.

  For now, I’ll just have to do.

  He closed his eyes, wondering just what retirement might mean for him. After so many years as a field agent, he really couldn’t imagine it. For the time being, he looked forward with apprehension to the murder trial of Larry Mullins. He still felt as though he’d fallen short on that case.

  Well, there will be a verdict, one way or the other.

  He decided that the verdict wouldn’t be solely about Mullins’s guilt or innocence.

  It would be about his own abilities as well.

  It would determine whether it was time for him to pack it in and quit.

  *

  Riley couldn’t stop smiling as the Virginia scenery whipped past the train window. She was on her way home, and she couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt this happy.

  For one thing, her psych evaluation back in Quantico had cleared her for service once and for all. The therapist did scold Riley for going back on the job without getting the mandatory examination. He also had some harsh words for Crivaro and Erik Lehl for letting her get away with it. But given everything Riley had been through, the therapist was actually surprised that she was doing so well.

  I’m glad he didn’t see me yesterday, she thought.

  She hadn’t tried to explain to the therapist that she’d had some kind of personal revelation while a madman was trying to strangle her to death. She figured that would sound too weird.

  Anyway, Riley felt sufficiently content to get an official clean bill of mental health.

  Sane at last, she thought.

  Of course, she knew that sanity was a relative term. Her own brand of sanity seemed to be at least partly founded on dreams and hallucinations, sometimes about dead people. She figured it was probably best not to get into all that with a therapist.

  Or maybe anybody else, for that matter.

  She’d called ahead to let Ryan to let him know she’d finished the case and was on her way home, and he’d sounded happy and relieved. Of course she knew they still had a lot of things to talk about and unresolved issues and tensions. Still, she hoped that maybe the clouds that had been darkening their relationship lately were starting to lift at last.

  When the train pulled into the DC station, Riley was surprised to see Ryan waiting for her on the platform, looking like the handsome and charming young man she had fallen in love with in the first place. She’d assumed that she’d have to make her way to their apartment on her own. This was a delightful surprise.

  When he took her into his arms, Riley felt as though she might melt from sheer joy.

  Then he asked, “Did you catch the bad guy?”

  Riley was startled.

  What a quaint way to put it, she thought.

  Ryan clearly didn’t have a clue of what she’d been through during the last couple of days.

  But maybe it’s just as well.

  Maybe some things were best left unsaid.

  “Yeah, I did,” she said. “Or Crivaro and I did, anyway.”

  “Good for you,” Ryan said. “I’m proud of you.”

  Then he stepped back and looked her over.

  “Oh, my,” he said. “You’re not at all dressed for tonight.”

  “What’s going on tonight?” Riley asked.

  “I’ve got a reservation for the two of us at Hugo’s Embers. I hope that’s okay.”

  Riley laughed.

  We’re going to have that romantic evening after all.

  She just hoped she wasn’t too tired to enjoy it.

  “Of course it’s okay,” she said. “Now take me home so I can get cleaned up and properly attired.”

  As they headed out of the station toward the car, Ryan said, “We do have something serious to discuss over dinner, though.”

  “What is it?” Riley asked.

  “Let’s talk about it over some glasses of good wine.”

  Riley was swept by a deep and comfortable sense of warmth. She knew Ryan well, and she knew what he had in mind. He wanted to set a wedding date at last.

  And so do I.

  It felt as though life was off to a fresh new start.

  Riley only hoped this happiness could last.

  NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER!

  KILLING

  (The Making of Riley Paige—Book 6)

  “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)

  KILLING (The Making of Riley Paige—Book Six) is book #6 in a new psychological thriller series by #1 bestselling author Blake Pierce, whose free bestseller Once Gone (Book #1) has over 1,000 five star reviews.

  When victims are found killed by electrocution, it is up to the FBI’s brilliant new agent, Riley Paige, 22, to enter a serial killer’s warped mind and stop him before he can claim any more victims.

  Riley, fresh out of the academy and off her last case, is settling into FBI life when a shocking twist threatens her partnership with her mentor, Jake, and undermines everything she thought she knew.

  Can Riley keep her personal life under control while trying to catch a diabolical killer at the same time?

  An action-packed thriller with heart-pounding suspense, KILLING is book
#6 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 comprises 17 books.

  KILLING

  (The Making of Riley Paige—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 author of the bestselling RILEY PAGE mystery series, which includes sixteen books (and counting). Blake Pierce is also the author of the MACKENZIE WHITE mystery series, comprising thirteen books (and counting); 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 five books (and counting); of the KATE WISE mystery series, comprising six books (and counting); of the CHLOE FINE psychological suspense mystery, comprising five books (and counting); and of the JESSE HUNT psychological suspense thriller series, comprising five 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), A TRACE OF DEATH (A Keri Locke Mystery—Book 1), and WATCHING (The Making of Riley Paige—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

  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)

  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)

  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)