Silent House, page 17
"Well," he said, "I'm going to hit the hay. You need a ride home?"
She hesitated. As much as she would have liked to accept the offer, she didn't want to come across as too eager. Besides, after everything that had happened over the past few hours, she felt raw and vulnerable, and the last thing she wanted to complicate their working relationship by diving headfirst into a romantic one.
"That's okay," she said. "I'll call an Uber. I'm going to sit here for a little while, just absorb everything that's happened."
He studied her for a few seconds in thoughtful silence. Then he nodded. "As you wish, Sheila. Well...have a good night."
"Goodnight, Finn."
She watched him go, a twinge of regret and longing filling her chest. She was looking forward to seeing Finn again on Friday night. It had been so long since she'd gone on a date, since she'd allowed herself to let her guard down and feel something for someone else, that she didn't know what to do with the feeling of anticipation.
Here's to a new future, she thought, nodding to herself. A new life.
EPILOGUE
"Seriously, Doug," Sheila said, her phone pressed tightly against her ear, "I just don't understand why the warden wouldn't let me talk to Rayland Bax. There has to be something going on."
As she spoke, she paced across her bedroom floor, her steely gaze scanning the street outside. The morning sun cast a warm glow on her face, but did little to ease the frustration boiling inside her.
Doug Fallow, an old friend of her father's, sighed heavily on the other end of the line. Sheila could practically hear him running his hand through what little hair he had left. "I know, Sheila, it doesn't make any sense. But I was able to get in touch with some folks at Blackridge Penitentiary, and they're working on finding out what's going on."
"I appreciate that, Doug," Sheila said, clenching her fists as she continued to pace. She felt like a caged animal, desperate for answers and unable to escape the confines of her small apartment. "But I need something concrete. My mom deserves justice, and if Rayland is involved with her murder somehow, I need to know."
"Of course, kiddo," Doug replied, his voice softening. "You've got every right to want the truth. It's just…well, it's complicated."
"Complicated? What does that mean?"
He sighed again. "I'm really not supposed to be talking about this. You're not even on the force."
"I'm in training to be. Besides, this is about my mother. Can't you bend the rules a little?"
"It's not that simple."
"Why not?"
He chuckled. "I can't really explain that without telling you everything."
"So tell me everything."
"And I thought your father was stubborn," he muttered.
Sheila couldn't take the suspense any longer. "Listen, Doug, I've been waiting ten years to figure out why someone murdered my mother. Ten years. Do you have any idea what that's like? Can you imagine waking up every single day with a pit in your stomach, wondering if justice will ever be served? Wondering if you'll ever get closure?"
There was a long pause on the other end of the line. Sheila could hear Doug breathing heavily, but he didn't say anything.
"Please, Doug," she said. "I need to know."
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Doug spoke. "Okay, Sheila. Okay. But you have to promise me something."
"Anything."
"You can't tell anyone else about this. Not your colleagues, not your friends, not even your boyfriend."
"I don't have a boyfriend," she said.
"Even better. This is serious, and if it gets out, it could put people in danger."
Sheila's heart raced. This was it. Finally, she was going to get some answers. "What about my dad?"
"Your dad's an exception—the only exception, you understand? Nobody else."
"Okay."
"Promise me."
"I promise," she said, her voice shaking with anticipation.
"Alright," Doug said, his voice low and serious. "Here's the deal. The reason you weren't able to speak with Rayland Bax is because he's protected."
"Protected? What do you—"
"He's an FBI informant."
"An informant?" Sheila stopped in her tracks, her heart sinking. The thought of Rayland being involved with the FBI had never crossed her mind. "Are you sure?" she asked in a small voice.
"Apparently, he's been feeding them information on some big players in the drug world," Doug explained. "He's been doing it for a while now, which is why they're keeping him under wraps."
Sheila stared out the window, her mind racing. This revelation complicated things even further. If Rayland was working with the FBI, then getting to him would be even more difficult than she'd initially thought. But she couldn't let this stop her. She needed to know if he had any involvement in her mother's murder, no matter the obstacles in her way.
"Even if he's an informant, I need to find out if he was involved in my mom's death," Sheila insisted, her determination unwavering. "Who do I need to talk to in order to get permission to see him?"
Doug sighed, hesitating for a moment before answering. "You'll need to speak with Agent Mitchell Collins. He's the one overseeing Rayland's case."
"Mitchell Collins," Sheila said, committing the name to memory.
"But don't tell him I directed you to him," Doug warned. "Tell him...hell...tell him you saw him visiting the prison. I don't know. Just don't mention me, and don't make a big deal out of it, okay?"
"Okay," she said softly. "Thanks, Doug."
"No problem. Best of luck, kiddo. The FBI isn't known for being overly cooperative when it comes to their informants, but maybe you'll be able to convince them." He didn't sound particularly optimistic.
"Oh, I can be convincing," she said. "Thanks again, Doug."
"Give my best to your father. Take care."
Sheila hung up the phone. She considered contacting Collins directly (there had to be a way to track down his number), but instead she decided to call her father first. She trusted his judgment, and she knew he wouldn't try to talk her down from getting answers.
Her fingers trembled as she dialed his number, the gravity of Doug's revelations still sinking in. She could hear the faint ringing on the other end and held her breath, waiting for her father to pick up.
"Hey, Sheila," Gabriel said, his voice rough from a combination of years of smoking and shouting instructions at kickboxing students.
"Hi, Dad," she replied, trying to keep her voice steady. "I just got off the phone with Doug Fallow. You asked him to look into why I wasn't able to speak with Rayland Bax, remember?"
"Ah, yes," Gabriel said, a hint of warmth in his otherwise gruff tone. "What did he find out?"
"Apparently the reason I wasn't able to speak with Rayland is that he's an FBI informant."
There was a long pause. "Dad?" she asked. "You still there?"
"Unbelievable," he muttered.
"I know," Sheila said, feeling a wave of anger wash over her. "It complicates things even more."
"But it also makes sense now why the warden ran interference," Gabriel said, his voice now tinged with bitterness. "Did Doug say anything else?"
"He told me I need to speak with Agent Mitchell Collins if I want permission to meet with Rayland. He's Rayland's handler."
"Collins?" Gabriel scoffed, his disdain evident even over the phone. "That son of a gun."
"You know him?"
"We've crossed paths before, and believe me when I tell you, he never wanted to cooperate on cases. Always tried to keep us local law enforcement out of the loop, like we were beneath him or something."
"Really?" Sheila asked, her heart sinking. "So what are the chances he'd be willing to help me?"
"Not good, sweetheart," Gabriel said, his voice gentler now. "But don't let that discourage you. There's always another way."
Sheila clenched her jaw, frustration bubbling within her. "What other way?"
He sighed. "I don't know yet. Just give me some time to think it over, okay? Then we can come up with a game plan together."
"Alright," she said, though inwardly she hated the idea of waiting any longer.
"Hey, have you heard from Natalie yet?" Gabriel asked, concern evident in his rough voice.
Sheila sighed, rubbing her forehead. "No, Dad, not a word. I've been trying to call her all day. It's not like her to just vanish without telling anyone."
Her father was silent for moments. "Now that I think about it," he said, "she did message me the other day about being burned out. She said she needed some space, something about a 'fresh perspective.' That's probably all this is, just her needing some time alone."
"Maybe," Sheila said, but she couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something was wrong. "Shouldn't we file a missing persons report, though? Just in case?"
"Let's give her till the end of the day," Gabriel said, his tone cautious. "If she hasn't turned up by then, we'll get others involved. I don't want to bother her if she really does just need some R&R."
"Alright, Dad. I'll let you know if I hear anything." Sheila could feel the worry gnawing at her insides, but she tried to keep her voice steady for her father's sake.
"Take care, Sheila. And keep your chin up—we'll find a way to get to Rayland, one way or the other."
"Of course, Dad. Talk to you later." With a soft click, Sheila ended the call and slid her phone into her pocket.
As she paced back and forth in her small apartment, thoughts raced through her mind. The investigation into her mother's murder seemed to be at a dead end, and now, with Natalie gone, the weight on her shoulders grew heavier. But Sheila Stone was not one to back down from a challenge, even when the odds were against her.
The agent Doug had mentioned might not be willing to help her, but Sheila was determined to find a way around that obstacle. She glanced around her apartment, her eyes landing on the set of keys hanging by the door. Her decision made, she grabbed them and headed out, her jaw set with resolve.
She was going to confront Mitchell Collins. If he wanted to deny her the chance to learn who had murdered her mother and why, he would have to do so to her face. She wasn't going to make it easy for him.
The sun bore down mercilessly as she strode across the hot asphalt of the parking lot, her keys jangling with each determined step. Her fingers wrapped around the door handle of her car, but she paused for a moment, taking a deep breath to steel herself for the confrontation ahead. It was then that her phone buzzed in her pocket.
Her heart lurched at the sight of a text from Natalie. There was a single word, pregnant with ambiguity.
'Sorry.'
Sheila's brow furrowed as she quickly typed out a response. What do you mean? Where are you?
"Come on, Nat," she muttered under her breath, but no immediate reply came. With growing concern, Sheila dialed Natalie's number. The phone rang and rang unanswered, leaving Sheila standing in the sweltering heat, her worry intensifying with each passing second.
"Damn it, Natalie," she whispered, ending the call. What did Natalie have to be sorry for? Being hard to reach? Dodging Sheila's calls?
Or was there something far worse?
NOW AVAILABLE!
SILENT SCREAM
(A Sheila Stone Suspense Thriller—Book Five)
With a career-ending injury, Olympic kickboxer Sheila Stone is forced back to her small hometown, where her older sister, the local sheriff, offers her a spot on the local police force. But when bodies appear in her small town with seemingly no connection, Sheila finds herself at a dead end. With a killer on the loose, Sheila, struggling to face her past demons, may just face the most deadly opponent of all….
“A masterpiece of thriller and mystery.”
—Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)
SILENT SCREAM (A Sheila Stone Suspense Thriller—Book 5) is Book #5 in a long-anticipated new series by #1 bestseller and USA Today bestselling author Blake Pierce, whose bestseller The Perfect Wife (a free download) has received over 20,000 five star reviews.
With her Olympic dreams crumbled, Sheila, 28, struggles to find her place back home. She is surrounded by reminders of what could have been, stuck inside the shadow of her older sister: the golden child, the respected sheriff. But when her sister persuades her to join the local police force, Sheila’s life and career start anew.
As she hunts serial killers, Sheila notices clues that others miss and offers a perspective that no one else has. She realizes she has a talent outside of fighting, and that she has a chance to embrace a new life in Salt Lake—a life outside the ring.
This is a different kind of ring, though. Sheila quickly realizes that to survive, she will need more than just her strength—she’ll need a brilliance to match that of even the most diabolical killer….
Can Sheila win this match? Or will she finally lose it all?
A page-turning and harrowing suspense thriller featuring a brilliant and tortured protagonist, the SHEILA STONE series is a riveting mystery, packed with suspense, twists and turns, revelations, and driven by a breakneck pace that will keep you flipping pages late into the night.
Future books in the series are also 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)
SILENT SCREAM
(A Sheila Stone Suspense Thriller—Book Five)
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 thirty-five books (and counting); 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 twenty-one 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 thirteen books (and counting); of the VALERIE LAW mystery series, comprising nine books; of the PAIGE KING mystery series, comprising eight books; of the MAY MOORE mystery series, comprising eleven books; of the CORA SHIELDS mystery series, comprising eight books; of the NICKY LYONS mystery series, comprising eight books, of the CAMI LARK mystery series, comprising ten books; of the AMBER YOUNG mystery series, comprising seven books (and counting); of the DAISY FORTUNE mystery series, comprising five books; of the FIONA RED mystery series, comprising eleven books (and counting); of the FAITH BOLD mystery series, comprising eleven books (and counting); of the JULIETTE HART mystery series, comprising five books (and counting); of the MORGAN CROSS mystery series, comprising nine books (and counting); of the FINN WRIGHT mystery series, comprising five books (and counting); of the new SHEILA STONE suspense thriller series, comprising five books (and counting); and of the new RACHEL BLACKWOOD suspense thriller 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
RACHEL BLACKWOOD SUSPENSE THRILLER
NOT THIS WAY (Book #1)
NOT THIS TIME (Book #2)
NOT THIS CLOSE (Book #3)
NOT THIS ROAD (Book #4)
NOT THIS LATE (Book #5)
SHEILA STONE SUSPENSE THRILLER
SILENT GIRL (Book #1)
SILENT TRAIL (Book #2)
SILENT NIGHT (Book #3)
SILENT HOUSE (Book #4)
SILENT SCREAM (Book #5)
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