Claim You, page 17
“It’s so good to see you, Daisy,” he said. “You even got a little tan in Venice.”
“Oh yes,” she looked down at her freckled arms. Tan? Not really. “You seemed excited to meet. I thought maybe you had exciting news to share? Did you have success in a big case?”
His smile melted away, leaving him looking rather uncomfortable. He shifted slightly. “Actually, I did want to talk to you about something.”
She let her eyes slip to the side, hoping he wasn’t so awkward that he was going to confess his feelings for her. They’d practically just met. She hoped he’d wait until they’d gone on a few dates, at least. “Oh?”
“Yes. It’s about your brother. Charlie.”
Her stomach dropped. It was so unexpected, she could do nothing but stare for several moments. Then she mustered up the words. “What about him?”
“You know my father’s firm has a headquarters in Greece. But we’re also in the United States, the UK, the Caribbean.”
She nodded slowly. Was he going to say he had some new avenue where she might be able to investigate her brother’s disappearance? If so, she almost wanted him to shut up. Edward Fortune had explored every avenue, left no stone unturned. It was no use. Especially now, over a decade later.
“And . . .?” She prompted.
His always-red face grew redder. “I didn’t realize it, because I wasn’t even in law school at the time. My father’s firm handled the business. But Vernon Mackey . . .”
The name hit her like a slap across the face. It was a name she always associated with bad news, because her father had grumbled about it for years after her brother went missing. . . . that bastard Vernon Mackey isn’t cooperating . . . that damn Vernon Mackey’s holding up the investigation . . . Mackey’s playing hardball . . . Mackey’s insisting they did nothing wrong . . .
Mackey.
Mackey.
Mackey.
All those years Edward Fortune had spent investigating, until he’d gone nearly mad. Those times he’d shuttled down to the Caribbean to look into the Mackey family’s wealth, their yacht, to follow leads that led nowhere, searching exhaustively for an eighteen-year old kid who’d suddenly vanished on a boating expedition. The Mackeys had never helped. They’d put up walls, treated him like he didn’t belong there. Every time, her father would return with more questions than answers, a little smaller and less hopeful than he’d been before. The doctors probably would never say for sure, but Daisy always felt like those years of mental anguish were what had led her father to be the person he was now—the whole terrible ordeal had taken a toll on his brain, filled it with disease and holes and broken it down until it couldn’t work right anymore.
Mackey. It was a name she’d come to cringe at just the mere mention.
So that’s what she did—she cringed. And when she spoke, it wasn’t in the cordial tone she’d used during the first few moments of the date. She spat out, “What about him?”
“Vernon Mackey is a client of my father’s firm.”
Daisy stared, letting the information sink in. As much as she hated the Mackeys, she knew that part of the reason why they were stonewalling was on advice of their attorneys.
On advice from . . . Zachary Hardy’s father.
When her mouth opened, the words spilled out, bitter. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Her blood started to boil. Maybe Zachary wasn’t to blame for it, but that didn’t matter. The anger that shot through her was red-hot. She couldn’t breathe. She was about to stand up, to rocket out of the place and never talk to him again, when he must’ve sensed it, because he reached over and grabbed her hand. “Wait!”
“Why?” she muttered, sulking like a sullen teenager. “Your father helped protect the Mackeys. How am I supposed to feel?”
“I understand you’re angry. But I looked into the files, and I need to tell you something. It’s . . .” He looked around. “It’s something I shouldn’t be telling you. I could get in a lot of trouble if anyone found out I breached attorney-client privilege. It’s something bad, something I think even your father didn’t know, about the case.”
She crossed her arms and waited, sourly thinking, Doubtful. Her father was the great Edward Fortune. He knew everything about the cases he looked into, had a solve rate better than any other detective in the country. And he’d made Charlie’s disappearance his life’s work. There was nothing left to uncover. She was sure of it.
She sucked in a breath and let it out. “Okay. What?”
He looked like a little boy whose hand had just been caught in the cookie jar. He took a deep breath, and then let it out.
Then he leaned forward, his eyes hot on hers. “What if I told you that your brother wasn’t the first young man who went missing from the Mackeys’ yacht?”
NOW AVAILABLE!
CRAVE YOU
(A Daisy Fortune Mystery—Book 3)
When a finance CEO is found murdered on a private island in the Caribbean, private investigator Daisy Fortune, known for cracking cases in the world of the uber-rich, is hired to unearth who did it. Yet, the deeper Daisy looks, the more she realizes she cannot trust even the people closest to her.
“A masterpiece of thriller and mystery.”
—Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)
CRAVE YOU is Book #3 in a long-anticipated new series by #1 bestseller and USA Today bestselling author Blake Pierce, whose bestseller Once Gone (a free download) has received over 7,000 five star ratings and reviews.
Daisy Fortune never wanted to be a private investigator, but when her father had a stroke, she felt obliged to carry on the family business. Her P.I. business is on the brink of bankruptcy when an uber-wealthy client offers an extraordinary fee to clear her name. To do so, Daisy will have to immerse herself in the world of the mega-rich—a world Daisy knows nothing of.
Red flags abound as Daisy finds herself pulled deeper into the web of lies and dark secrets of the world’s wealthiest.
Secrets they will do anything to protect.
Daisy, though, is brilliant and tenacious, and as she steps into the role, she begins to realize she has her father’s gift. Unearthing the truth becomes a passion for her and she learns she will stop at nothing to do it—even if it means risking her own life.
A page-turning private investigator thriller, the DAISY FORTUNE series is a riveting mystery, featuring a brilliant detective and packed with non-stop action, suspense, twists and turns, revelations, and driven by a breakneck pace that will keep you flipping pages late into the night. Fans of Michael Connelly, Harlan Coben and L.T. Ryan are sure to fall in love.
Future books in the series are also now available.
“An edge of your seat thriller in a new series that keeps you turning pages! ...So many twists, turns and red herrings… I can't wait to see what happens next.”
—Reader review (Her Last Wish)
“A strong, complex story about two FBI agents trying to stop a serial killer. If you want an author to capture your attention and have you guessing, yet trying to put the pieces together, Pierce is your author!”
—Reader review (Her Last Wish)
“A typical Blake Pierce twisting, turning, roller coaster ride suspense thriller. Will have you turning the pages to the last sentence of the last chapter!!!”
—Reader review (City of Prey)
“Right from the start we have an unusual protagonist that I haven't seen done in this genre before. The action is nonstop… A very atmospheric novel that will keep you turning pages well into the wee hours.”
—Reader review (City of Prey)
“Everything that I look for in a book… a great plot, interesting characters, and grabs your interest right away. The book moves along at a breakneck pace and stays that way until the end. Now on go I to book two!”
—Reader review (Girl, Alone)
“Exciting, heart pounding, edge of your seat book… a must read for mystery and suspense readers!”
—Reader review (Girl, Alone)
CRAVE YOU
(A Daisy Fortune Mystery—Book 3)
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 JESSIE HUNT psychological suspense thriller series, comprising twenty six 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 sixteen books, of the EUROPEAN VOYAGE cozy mystery series, comprising six books; of the LAURA FROST FBI suspense thriller, comprising eleven books; of the ELLA DARK FBI suspense thriller, comprising fourteen books (and counting); of the A YEAR IN EUROPE cozy mystery series, comprising nine books, of the AVA GOLD mystery series, comprising six books; of the RACHEL GIFT mystery series, comprising ten books (and counting); of the VALERIE LAW mystery series, comprising nine books (and counting); of the PAIGE KING mystery series, comprising eight books (and counting); of the MAY MOORE mystery series, comprising eleven books (and counting); the CORA SHIELDS mystery series, comprising five books (and counting); of the NICKY LYONS mystery series, comprising seven books (and counting), of the CAMI LARK mystery series, comprising five books (and counting), of the AMBER YOUNG mystery series, comprising five books (and counting), of the DAISY FORTUNE mystery series, comprising five books (and counting), and of the new FIONA RED mystery series, comprising five 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.
BOOKS BY BLAKE PIERCE
FIONA RED MYSTERY SERIES
LET HER GO (Book #1)
LET HER BE (Book #2)
LET HER HOPE (Book #3)
LET HER WISH (Book #4)
LET HER LIVE (Book #5)
DAISY FORTUNE MYSTERY SERIES
NEED YOU (Book #1)
CLAIM YOU (Book #2)
CRAVE YOU (Book #3)
CHOOSE YOU (Book #4)
CHASE YOU (Book #5)
AMBER YOUNG MYSTERY SERIES
ABSENT PITY (Book #1)
ABSENT REMORSE (Book #2)
ABSENT FEELING (Book #3)
ABSENT MERCY (Book #4)
ABSENT REASON (Book #5)
CAMI LARK MYSTERY SERIES
JUST ME (Book #1)
JUST OUTSIDE (Book #2)
JUST RIGHT (Book #3)
JUST FORGET (Book #4)
JUST ONCE (Book #5)
NICKY LYONS MYSTERY SERIES
ALL MINE (Book #1)
ALL HIS (Book #2)
ALL HE SEES (Book #3)
ALL ALONE (Book #4)
ALL FOR ONE (Book #5)
ALL HE TAKES (Book #6)
ALL FOR ME (Book #7)
CORA SHIELDS MYSTERY SERIES
UNDONE (Book #1)
UNWANTED (Book #2)
UNHINGED (Book #3)
UNSAID (Book #4)
UNGLUED (Book #5)
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)
NEVER LOOK BACK (Book #7)
NEVER FORGET (Book #8)
NEVER LET GO (Book #9)
NEVER PRETEND (Book #10)
NEVER HESITATE (Book #11)
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)
THE GIRL HE WANTED (Book #7)
THE GIRL HE CLAIMED (Book #8)
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)
HER LAST REGRET (Book #9)
HER LAST HOUR (Book #10)
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)
GIRL, LURED (Book #12)
GIRL, MISSING (Book #13)
GIRL, UNKNOWN (Book #14)
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)
ALREADY LURED (Book #10)
ALREADY COLD (Book #11)
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)
LEFT TO RUIN (Book #16)
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)
THE PERFECT RUSE (Book #25)
THE PERFECT VENEER (Book #26)
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)
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