No fear, p.1
No Fear, page 1
N O F E A R
(A Valerie Law FBI Suspense Thriller —Book Three)
B L A K E P I E R C E
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 twenty four books; of the AU PAIR psychological suspense thriller series, comprising three books; of the ZOE PRIME mystery series, comprising six books; of the ADELE SHARP mystery series, comprising fifteen books, of the EUROPEAN VOYAGE cozy mystery series, comprising four books; of the new LAURA FROST FBI suspense thriller, comprising nine books (and counting); of the new ELLA DARK FBI suspense thriller, comprising eleven books (and counting); of the A YEAR IN EUROPE cozy mystery series, comprising nine books, of the AVA GOLD mystery series, comprising six books (and counting); of the RACHEL GIFT mystery series, comprising eight books (and counting); of the VALERIE LAW mystery series, comprising nine books (and counting); of the PAIGE KING mystery series, comprising six books (and counting); of the MAY MOORE mystery series, comprising six books (and counting); and the CORA SHIELDS mystery series, comprising three books (and counting).
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.
Copyright © 2022 by Blake Pierce. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior permission of the author. This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictionally. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Jacket image Copyright Antlio used under license from Shutterstock.com.
BOOKS BY BLAKE PIERCE
CORA SHIELDS MYSTERY SERIES
UNDONE (Book #1)
UNWANTED (Book #2)
UNHINGED (Book #3)
MAY MOORE SUSPENSE THRILLER
NEVER RUN (Book #1)
NEVER TELL (Book #2)
NEVER LIVE (Book #3)
NEVER HIDE (Book #4)
NEVER FORGIVE (Book #5)
NEVER AGAIN (Book #6)
PAIGE KING MYSTERY SERIES
THE GIRL HE PINED (Book #1)
THE GIRL HE CHOSE (Book #2)
THE GIRL HE TOOK (Book #3)
THE GIRL HE WISHED (Book #4)
THE GIRL HE CROWNED (Book #5)
THE GIRL HE WATCHED (Book #6)
VALERIE LAW MYSTERY SERIES
NO MERCY (Book #1)
NO PITY (Book #2)
NO FEAR (Book #3)
NO SLEEP (Book #4)
NO QUARTER (Book #5)
NO CHANCE (Book #6)
NO REFUGE (Book #7)
NO GRACE (Book #8)
NO ESCAPE (Book #9)
RACHEL GIFT MYSTERY SERIES
HER LAST WISH (Book #1)
HER LAST CHANCE (Book #2)
HER LAST HOPE (Book #3)
HER LAST FEAR (Book #4)
HER LAST CHOICE (Book #5)
HER LAST BREATH (Book #6)
HER LAST MISTAKE (Book #7)
HER LAST DESIRE (Book #8)
AVA GOLD MYSTERY SERIES
CITY OF PREY (Book #1)
CITY OF FEAR (Book #2)
CITY OF BONES (Book #3)
CITY OF GHOSTS (Book #4)
CITY OF DEATH (Book #5)
CITY OF VICE (Book #6)
A YEAR IN EUROPE
A MURDER IN PARIS (Book #1)
DEATH IN FLORENCE (Book #2)
VENGEANCE IN VIENNA (Book #3)
A FATALITY IN SPAIN (Book #4)
ELLA DARK FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER
GIRL, ALONE (Book #1)
GIRL, TAKEN (Book #2)
GIRL, HUNTED (Book #3)
GIRL, SILENCED (Book #4)
GIRL, VANISHED (Book 5)
GIRL ERASED (Book #6)
GIRL, FORSAKEN (Book #7)
GIRL, TRAPPED (Book #8)
GIRL, EXPENDABLE (Book #9)
GIRL, ESCAPED (Book #10)
GIRL, HIS (Book #11)
LAURA FROST FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER
ALREADY GONE (Book #1)
ALREADY SEEN (Book #2)
ALREADY TRAPPED (Book #3)
ALREADY MISSING (Book #4)
ALREADY DEAD (Book #5)
ALREADY TAKEN (Book #6)
ALREADY CHOSEN (Book #7)
ALREADY LOST (Book #8)
ALREADY HIS (Book #9)
EUROPEAN VOYAGE COZY MYSTERY SERIES
MURDER (AND BAKLAVA) (Book #1)
DEATH (AND APPLE STRUDEL) (Book #2)
CRIME (AND LAGER) (Book #3)
MISFORTUNE (AND GOUDA) (Book #4)
CALAMITY (AND A DANISH) (Book #5)
MAYHEM (AND HERRING) (Book #6)
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)
LEFT TO VANISH (Book #8)
LEFT TO HUNT (Book #9)
LEFT TO FEAR (Book #10)
LEFT TO PREY (Book #11)
LEFT TO LURE (Book #12)
LEFT TO CRAVE (Book #13)
LEFT TO LOATHE (Book #14)
LEFT TO HARM (Book #15)
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)
THE PERFECT IMAGE (Book #16)
THE PERFECT VEIL (Book #17)
THE PERFECT INDISCRETION (Book #18)
THE PERFECT RUMOR (Book #19)
THE PERFECT COUPLE (Book #20)
THE PERFECT MURDER (Book #21)
THE PERFECT HUSBAND (Book #22)
THE PERFECT SCANDAL (Book #23)
THE PERFECT MASK (Book #24)
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 MURDER (Book #2)
A TRACE OF VICE (Book #3)
A TRACE OF CRIME (Book #4)
A TRACE OF HOPE (Book #5)
CONTENTS
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
CHAPTER THIRTY ONE
CHAPTER THIRTY TWO
CHAPTER THIRTY THREE
CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR
CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE
EPILOGUE
PROLOGUE
Maria held the old man’s hand as the last light of life flickered in his eyes. He gasped, his eyes searching as if for a way out. But there was no way out. The old man had been in the hospital bed for two months.
A long exhale, and then he was gone.
Maria sat looking at him.
She felt so sorry for him. No family. No friends. She felt it only right that she should be there with him as he died. At least he wasn’t alone; that gave her some comfort.
She stood up, straightened her white nurse’s uniform, and then wiped the tears away that were welling up in her eyes.
She had been a nurse for five years. Still at a tender age. Still learning. But it had never gotten easier.
Leaning over, she touched the old man’s eyelids and brought them to a close.
“Be at peace,” she said quietly to him. And then she left the room to the stillness of death.
*
The hospital grounds were bathed in darkness as Maria breathed in the night air. She liked the cold nocturnal breeze, especially at the end of her shift. It reminded her she was alive. Sometimes she needed that. Being surrounded by dying patients could make you forget that life was for the living.
Maria’s footsteps echoed, bouncing between the few parked cars on the south side of the main building. The lot was mostly empty by that time, hospital visitors having long since departed.
Street lights created pools of illumination, glinting off puddles that had gathered sporadically on the concrete. But there was no rain. Not now. Just the night breeze whispering over proceedings.
Maria had never liked that parking lot, especially at night. It had always felt a little too isolated, a little too dark. She had complained to the hospital management about it. But they said the lighting was adequate.
It wasn’t.
Her car was still some way off, and how Maria wished it had been nearer. She was beginning to feel that she was no longer alone.
As her footsteps quickened slightly, slapping occasionally against the wet surface of the parking lot, she thought she heard the slight suggestion of someone moving nearby.
She stopped and looked over her shoulder.
A few sporadic cars sat silently between her and the hospital building. No one was there, but the shadows could have been hiding anything.
Maria turned and began walking again. Finally, her parked car came into view.
But this didn’t provide her with comfort. It should have, but it didn’t. Instead, it only made her more anxious to reach the safety of it.
There it was again, that sound.
Another movement in the lot. And this time it was definitive: the sound of someone’s clothes rustling against the smooth surface of a car.
Maria imagined a man sneaking between two parked cars, ready to pounce.
The thought sent a shiver down her spine. She looked in her handbag and felt for her car keys as she kept walking quickly.
Is someone there?
She wasn’t sure if she had actually said it aloud or not. But in that moment, she didn’t want to find out. There was a fear building deep inside; it fueled her apprehension. She broke into a run.
Maria could feel her heart racing in her chest as she neared the car. She was aware of the rising panic in her throat and the feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach. But she didn’t want to show that someone was making her feel uneasy.
She tried to appear nonchalant and cursed herself for her anxiety. She didn’t want whoever it was to sense how scared she was.
Her keys jangled in her hand as she reached her car and fumbled to open it.
She felt the door handle and pulled.
But it was locked.
“Come on! Come on!” she said, shaking the door.
The door suddenly opened, almost as if it had given up and decided to let her escape.
As she stood there for a split second, looking at the safety of her car interior, she heard that sound again. The sound of clothes rustling.
Maria turned instinctively.
Standing beside her was a man, tall, looming, and bathed in shadow. Without looking at him, she knew, she could feel it: He meant to hurt her.
As the man stepped closer, she felt the hair on her neck stand up. Her eyes were frozen open in terror, but she knew she had to move. She had to get away.
The man reached out his hand and grabbed her by the wrist with one quick motion.
“No!” she screamed. “No!”
Maria struggled to pull her arm away. She could feel the man’s bony fingers digging into her skin like tiny knives.
She reached out for the safety of the car, her fingertips scraping at the open door as the man dragged her to the ground.
Maria felt the cold wetness of the parking lot as her body was slammed against it.
A pain shot up through her body.
But the pain was quickly eclipsed by terror.
The dim light caught the shape of a claw hammer, which the man brought down quickly, burying it into Maria's skull.
CHAPTER ONE
Valerie knew it had all come down to this moment, and she dreaded it.
She looked up at the exterior of Wakefield Psychiatric Institute. Its harsh gray rectangular outline cut an imposing figure against the bright sun above.
She’s in there, Valerie thought. It had been many years since she had been so close to meeting her mother face-to-face. But she cared deeply for her mother’s welfare, even though she didn’t always want to admit it.
Her mother also had answers about Valerie’s past. Particularly regarding the cryptic messages she had sent to Valerie via her sister. Valerie had tried to understand them fully, reading the crumpled pieces of paper intensely, hoping that a solution would be found.
But only her mother had the truth. And in Valerie’s gut, she felt whatever that truth was, it would be earth shattering.
Valerie and her sister Suzie had grown up loving their mother, but her mental illness had left an indelible imprint on them both. Suzie was being treated for a psychiatric break down at another hospital, and Valerie, a successful FBI agent and profiler, was now terrified of her own thoughts.
How long would it be until the same illness consumed her?
She walked through the large double doors of the Wakefield Psychiatric Institute and brandished her FBI badge at the two guards watching the entrance.
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