Nicky's father, on the other hand, was not.

  "What do you think you can do, Nicky? Save Rosie? It's too late for that. Maybe you're trying to make it all better, but it never will be!"

  And he was right; no amount of women saved would ever replace Rosie, but at least Nicky was doing something good with her life. Nicky hadn't seen her father in years, but as far as she knew, he was still a drunk, and still in West Virginia.

  Nicky's mother had died of cancer when Nicky was twenty. Nicky always wondered if the stress of losing Rosie had contributed to it spreading so fast. But her mother had been kind and warm. Not like her father. Her sorry excuse for a dad didn't deserve her, or his family.

  Snapping back to Dr. Graham's office, Nicky sighed. "I know. I pace myself. I don't drink too much."

  "Good. I know you deal with a lot of guilt, Nicky." Dr. Graham paused. "That's why you're here."

  "Yeah," Nicky said. "It's hard, sometimes, to not hate myself for getting away. I hate that I'm out here living while Rosie is... gone." Nicky wouldn't say 'dead' because she didn't know if Rosie was dead. A body was never found.

  "I know," Dr. Graham said. "It's a hard thing, I know."

  Nicky nodded. She stared at the fish tank, at the bubbling water, and shut her eyes.

  The lake house came back to her again.

  Plunging into the dark water...

  How had it become both the place of her dreams and her nightmares?

  She knew what she'd do if she ever made it there again. And she was so afraid of it, but at the same time, she needed to see it--to touch it--for closure.

  "I want to be good at this," she said. "I want to be the best."

  Dr. Graham smiled. "You already are, Nicky. Sometimes I forget that you're only twenty-nine. You've already been through so much."

  "Not all of it bad."

  He laughed. "You have that right. But I do wish you'd open up to people more."

  For the first time in a long time, Nicky remembered that Matt had reached out to her online. Matt, who Nicky once considered a best friend back home, was a stranger to her now. But she still had all those memories of him.

  It was true; Nicky didn't let a lot of people in, not really in. It wasn't just boyfriends--it was friends too. Nicky could talk about herself no problem, but she'd always struggled to maintain those real friendships that lasted, like the friendships she'd had with her group of friends back in high school. And Matt was one of those friends.

  It was strange to think of him after all this time.

  "I don't know," Nicky said. "With how complicated my life is, sometimes I think it's better to just keep people out."

  Dr. Graham smiled in a grandfatherly way. Nicky knew he was about to drop some of his wisdom on her, which was nice, considering her father had never been one to give her that. Dr. Graham was a great therapist.

  He was always calm and collected. Always looked like he was the one on the top of the world.

  "Nicky, that's never going to work."

  "What?" she asked.

  "You can't keep people out forever. It's okay to need people, but that means you have to let them in at some point."

  Maybe he was right. Nicky thought back to that night with Ken, when they'd confided in each other. It was weird for her to do that, especially with someone she barely knew, but at the same time, learning Ken's story had made her feel... understood.

  Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have a friend to talk to, outside of work, every now and then.

  "Thanks, Dr. Graham," Nicky said. "I'll think about it."

  As she walked out of his office, she couldn't help but think back to her father.

  He'd always been the stereotypical angry drunk, and it was frustrating, because Nicky had always tried to save him. She'd tried to make him better. But he was never a good man. He treated her mother poorly, and after Rosie was gone, he’d treated Nicky like shit too.

  Nicky’s family was broken, maybe even before Rosie went missing. But Nicky owed it to Rosie to remember her as the person she'd always been: a good person.

  Whenever Nicky thought of Rosie, she thought of that time at the lake house.

  But they had memories before that, too.

  Memories from when they were normal sisters.

  When they were little--Nicky was nine and Rosie was eight--their father still had a shred of kindness in him.

  He got Rosie a puppy for her birthday.

  The puppy was a standard poodle. It had lots of white fur and a floppy, curly tail. It was always a little nervous, an anxious little thing. But Rosie had always been anxious too.

  Nicky remembered playing with the dog with Rosie in the living room of their old home. How happy Rosie had been.

  There were other happy memories too.

  When Nicky was ten and Rosie was nine, they'd gotten matching pigtails.

  They'd both been so excited. They'd gotten new dresses, shoes, and handbags. Then they had gone to the nail salon to get their nails painted.

  They'd had so much fun that day.

  Nicky remembered this all as clearly as if it had just happened yesterday. She remembered the way the little pigtails looked on her little sister.

  She remembered the way Rosie was always happy.

  Another time, they had decided to start up a lemonade stand. They got a stand and some old, beat-up folding tables, and they set up in the front yard.

  They set the tables out in the sun, facing the road.

  It was summer, so the sun hit them straight-on, and the heat from the flowers on the fence warmed the table legs.

  They set up their stuff and Rosie made them some lemonade. They sold it to the neighbors and made a lot of money.

  They had all the time in the world.

  Nicky remembered them eating ice cream after the stand closed. The cool sweet flavor of the ice cream. The coolness that filled her mouth.

  She remembered Rosie being happy.

  And most of all, she reminded herself that it was okay to think of the good times. She didn't have to keep torturing herself with memories of when everything went wrong. There was so much more to Rosie and Nicky's life than those horrible three days in that cabin. So much more.

  But remembering all of that happiness only made Nicky's resolve burn brighter.

  She couldn’t give up on Rosie.

  Because Rosie never would have given up on her.

  EPILOGUE

  Nicky sat on her couch and looked out the window at Jacksonville. The sky was clear, smooth, and faintly blue. She could see the hotel and casino across the bay, lit up by the early evening sun. A gentle breeze wafted from the bay, carried on the salty air. Nicky could smell the salt in the air and feel it on her skin.

  It felt good to be home.

  After what Dr. Graham had said, Nicky was feeling more optimistic about the future--and about letting someone into her life. Or someone back into her life.

  She opened up her laptop and went on social media, where she opened the message from Matt. Nicky hesitated. It had been so long since she'd seen him. Or anyone from home. It'd been so long since she'd seen someone who actually knew Rosie in real life.

  Maybe it would be triggering for her. Matt was a reminder of her past, a reminder of her home. Jacksonville, and Florida in general, was a different world from West Virginia.

  Nicky had a lot of memories of Matt. Most of them were good. She remembered how he used to be able to tease her about her goofy family and her goofy friends. He was fun. He was smart. He was funny.

  He'd also helped her through the first few months after Rosie went missing. He'd tried so hard to make sure Nicky was okay. But she also had some memories that were less than pleasant.

  Matt had been where she felt the most alone, and that was when she was in his arms. She'd had a hard enough time without having him be a part of the pain. They never dated, they were just close friends, but Nicky knew that Matt had always had a soft spot for her.

  And now he was back for her.

  The key to her heart had always been hard to find.

  But maybe she could at least accept Matt's olive branch and go for coffee or something.

  She messaged him back, saying:

  Hey Matt--I gave your offer some more thought. Would you want to meet for coffee soon?

  Thanks.

  Nik.

  Nicky stared at her screen for a bit, then looked back out the window. She turned off the computer and stretched out on the couch, staring at the ceiling. Now, all she had to do was wait for an answer, but it felt like taking that first step. She was ready to see him again--ready to face her past again.

  Nicky stood up and went into her room. In the drawer of her dresser, she dug through some papers until she found a single photo. Nicky carefully extracted it from the drawer of her dresser. It was a Polaroid taken with a small camera. It was time-stained, but the picture still held a certain charm. Nicky smiled at the photo.

  It was of Rosie.

  Her sister's brown hair and freckled face brought back too many memories. Some good. Some bad.

  It had always killed her that Rosie's case went cold. Even with Nicky's statement, they had never been able to find the man who'd abducted them. But Nicky would never forget his face. It was ingrained into her mind.

  Rosie's eyes stared back at her.

  I can't quit thinking about you, Rosie. Even after all this time.

  It haunted her nightmares. He'd been so fast.

  Nicky's hand shook a little as she took the photo and slipped it back into its place in the drawer.

  All these years, the man had felt like a ghost. Where did he come from? Nicky had no idea. He was white, she remembered that much. American accent. He was real.

  So where did he go?

  And if Rosie was dead, then why didn't her body ever turn up?

  Nicky shook her head. She was an FBI agent. It occurred to her that she didn't have to let this keep slipping by. She could find out who the man was. She could do something about it. She could find the asshole who took her and her sister and put him in prison.

  But it wouldn't be that easy. Not at all.

  By now, Nicky felt like she had a lot of questions, but she hadn't been able to find the answers.

  But now she knew she needed to keep going.

  She gazed out the large windows of the living room and saw the skyline of Jacksonville. The sun was just peeking over the horizon, casting a long, golden shadow across the bay. The buildings were so brightly lit that they almost appeared to be on fire. The bright blue sky was a painting on the horizon, and it looked so peaceful and calm. Rosie would love this view. Nicky wanted to have her here someday, to show her.

  Nicky took a deep breath, then marched to the second bedroom, the room she'd dedicated to Rosie. It had every picture Nicky had. Every newspaper clipping. Every video and every report she'd ever done. She'd had to spend hours putting it together. She'd read so much about her sister, so many stories that told her she was dead. But she was alive. She was somewhere.

  She hadn't stopped hoping, not even once.

  As Nicky sat down in the middle of the room, on the soft carpet, she closed her eyes.

  She had to find the man who took Rosie.

  She had to make him pay.

  And she would.

  Rosie had been gone for a long time. Her case had been declared cold years ago. But she was looking down on Nicky from wherever she was. She was looking down on Nicky as she finally made up her mind.

  Nicky wasn't going to let it go. She wasn’t going to keep staring at all these photos and articles. And she wasn’t going to keep calling the police station in Nelly, just to scratch a phantom itch.

  No. She was going to look for Rosie. And she was going to find her.

  NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER!

  ALL HIS

  (A Nicky Lyons FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 2)

  When a senator’s daughter goes missing, it is a race against time as FBI Special Agent Nicky Lyons, 28, a fast-rising star in the BAU, is tasked with finding her—and with finding, per the senator’s order, the top 10 abducted women most likely to still be alive. When a kidnapper abducts female twins, giving one a chance to escape while the other is killed, Nicky wonders: could this be the same killer who took her own sister more than a decade ago?

  “A masterpiece of thriller and mystery.”

  —Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)

  ALL HIS (A Nicky Lyons FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 2) is book #2 in a new series by #1 bestselling and critically acclaimed mystery and suspense author Blake Pierce.

  Nicky Lyons, 28, a missing-persons specialist in in the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit, is an expert at tracking down abductees and bringing them home. The connection is personal: after Nicky’s twin sister was abducted at 16, Nicky made stopping kidnappers her life’s work.

  But when Nicky is assigned to a new task force in south Florida dedicated to finding the recently missing, she soon realizes she’s up against a serial killer more diabolical than she imagined. Her only hope at finding these girls is entering his mind and outwitting him at his own game.

  Nicky and her new partner, both headstrong, don’t see eye to eye, and the case opens decade-old wounds related to her sister’s disappearance. Can Nicky keep her demons at bay in time to save the victims?

  Nicky, haunted by the demons of her own missing sister, knows that time will be of the essence in bringing these girls home—if it is not already too late.

  A page-turning and harrowing crime thriller featuring a brilliant and tortured FBI agent, the NICKY LYONS series is a riveting mystery, 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 Rachel Caine, Teresa Driscoll and Robert Dugoni are sure to fall in love.

  Book #3 in the series—ALL HE SEES—is 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)

  ALL HIS

  (A Nicky Lyons FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 2)

  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 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 sixteen 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); the CORA SHIELDS mystery series, comprising three books (and counting); and the NICKY LYONS FBI suspense thriller 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.

  BOOKS BY BLAKE PIERCE

  NICKY LYONS FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

  ALL MINE (Book #1)

  ALL HIS (Book #2)

  ALL HE SEES (Book #3)

  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