H E R L A S T

  D E S I R E

  (A Rachel Gift Mystery—Book Eight)

  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 JESSIE HUNT psychological suspense thriller series, comprising twenty-eight 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; of the CORA SHIELDS mystery series, comprising eight books (and counting); of the NICKY LYONS mystery series, comprising eight books (and counting), of the CAMI LARK mystery series, comprising eight 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), of the FIONA RED mystery series, comprising five books (and counting), and of the new FAITH BOLD 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.

  Copyright © 2023 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 Elena Rudyk, used under license from Shutterstock.com.

  BOOKS BY BLAKE PIERCE

  FAITH BOLD MYSTERY SERIES

  SO LONG (Book #1)

  SO COLD (Book #2)

  SO SCARED (Book #3)

  SO NORMAL (Book #4)

  SO FAR GONE (Book #5)

  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)

  JUST HIDE (Book #6)

  JUST NOW (Book #7)

  JUST HOPE (Book #8)

  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)

  ALL IN (Book #8)

  CORA SHIELDS MYSTERY SERIES

  UNDONE (Book #1)

  UNWANTED (Book #2)

  UNHINGED (Book #3)

  UNSAID (Book #4)

  UNGLUED (Book #5)

  UNSTABLE (Book #6)

  UNKNOWN (Book #7)

  UNAWARE (Book #8)

  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)

  THE PERFECT PEOPLE (Book #27)

  THE PERFECT WITNESS (Book #28)

  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

  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 ONE

  It was Frank’s not so humble opinion that the last thing this stupid city needed was more condos. Rush-hour traffic was getting to be as bad as D.C. proper, and there were just far too many people in Alexandria right now. Frank was a single man (he didn’t count his girlfriend of eight months as anything serious), and if this job wasn’t paying so well, he’d move. He’d had his eye on a little cabin in the southern part of the state for a while now, in a town with no more than two thousand people. Maybe after just one more job, he’d go ahead and do it. He had some money saved up and there was nothing stopping him.

  There were days when these thoughts were the only things that got him through the monotonous job he’d had for going on three years now. Clearing out plots of land and then setting the foundations for condos, apartment buildings, business centers, and on and on. He usually worked with the same group of guys—eight other workmen all under the banner of one of the larger construction companies in the Alexandria, Virginia, area. It was the same group today, starting out the concrete foundation of what was going to be a condo complex that would house about two hundred or so, based on what the plans indicated.

  He didn’t mind the concrete work. It was sort of fun, almost rewarding in a way to know that what he was doing would still be here a hundred years from now. As of right now, though, they were still going around the site, removing smaller chunks of debris that had been left behind by the loaders and bulldozers. It was simple work, something they could all do on their lunch break if they chose and maybe end the day a bit early.

  Frank had just wolfed down the last bit of a ham and cheese sub before walking back out to the site to remove a few stray pieces of broken rebar and concrete from an older foundation that had once been there—an old car dealership, he’d been told. He tossed each piece to his right, near the construction barriers that separated the worksite from the sidewalks and streets beyond. In a childish sort of way, he enjoyed the sound of concrete striking concrete, of heavy things colliding with one another, making loud, crashing noises.

  He came to a piece of old, dried-up paneling, something far too thin for the dozers to have caught. He chucked it into the rubbish pile which would, later in the day, be added to the waste and recycling material bins. He did the same with a segment of brick, two snapped pieces of steel rods, and a hefty chunk of old concrete. The chunk was so large that he wasn’t sure how it had been missed; maybe, he figured, it had simply slipped out of the dozer’s bucket.

  It was heavy enough that he had to use both hands to carry it and then had to walk a bit before he could comfortably toss it into the pile. His toss was a bit off, though, and the chunk of concrete landed a bit shy of the rest of the mess. This annoyed him, but it was a fleeting feeling; as the chunk of concrete hit, it churned up a good amount of dirt as its uneven end dug into the ground.

  It also caused a strange, hollow noise. It was just odd enough to make him turn around. It hadn’t been like any of the other enjoyable noises he’d been making. This was more like a soft thud, followed by a cracking noise. Had it been wood? He thought so, but that didn’t make any sense.

  Curious, he turned back around and walked over to the edge of the rubbish pile. He came to the piece of concrete he’d just chucked over and saw that it had landed in such a way that it was standing up at an angle, the jagged end sticking into the ground. He pushed it away and saw that it had created a nice little divot. And because the ground was already soft from having been plowed and churned up for the new construction, it made a sizable hole. Not only that, but he could indeed see something else where he’d tossed the slab of concrete. It had been wood he’d heard—the cracking and splintering noise of wood breaking. It was hard to tell what it was, exactly; only about a foot of it had been revealed, but as he stared at the wood, it wasn’t the wood itself that piqued his interest.