But then, from outside the house, came the faraway sound of sirens. Her heart skipped a beat. Owen, and backup, were on their way.

  But the sound didn’t work in her favor, as she’d thought it might. Instead, she saw the tension flood back into him. His arms wrapped around his victim tighter and he dragged her sideways.

  “There’s no time left! No time!”

  May felt adrenaline surge as she picked up her gun again, because the worst was going to happen. He was going to kill her before the backup arrived. May would be unable to prevent this woman from losing her life, literally in front of her eyes.

  She had to stop him! How could she shoot him now? There had to be a moment when she could do so, when she could take the shot, nullify the threat, and save Sharon.

  Then, May knew she had her chance. Burgess twisted his body slightly, moving to the side, and May saw she could do it. She knew she could take the shot, now she had a clear and uninterrupted line of sight to his head.

  She moved forward, her gun held at the ready, her eyes narrowed, her heart pounding unevenly.

  Taking a deep breath, she raised her gun, knowing this had to be quick, accurate, and bold.

  But, as her finger tightened on the trigger, she realized what Burgess had been aiming for and why he'd been moving in that direction.

  His hand lashed out. He grabbed the standard lamp and shoved it sideways. It hit the floor with a crash and the bulb broke in a burst of glass.

  The room was plunged into complete darkness.

  The only sound was Sharon's gagging cry, and then a slithering, dragging noise that was followed by a terrible silence.

  CHAPTER THIRTY ONE

  "No!" May yelled. This couldn't be happening! He'd broken the light at this critical time, and now, with its blackout blinds, the entire top floor had become a darkened cavern. She couldn’t even see where the wall switches were. She leaped forward, shoving her gun back in the holster, storming in the direction of the sound. Her knee banged painfully against a chair, and she winced, staggering. There was the doorway, a darker shape in the gloom. Down here was where he'd dragged her.

  She felt her way forward, her hands stretched out, her body tensed, and her mind alert.

  She crashed into something — a wall, a banister, a table? — she didn't know, but it didn't matter. She lunged through the gap. Where was he taking her? She was in a corridor that must lead to the master bedroom. She bumped against the wall, sending a picture crashing down. But she could hear a noise ahead, over her own frantic breathing.

  The noise of sobbing. The noise of harsh breaths, coming from a place she couldn't see, on the floor a couple of yards ahead, in this pitch-black corridor.

  He must have dumped her here, looking to escape. With any luck, she was okay. She hadn't seen a knife on him.

  "You okay?" May murmured, surging forward toward the noise. She reached out her hand, needing to touch this woman, to hold her, to get her to safety before Burgess could come back.

  Her fingers touched soft fabric. A sleeve.

  "You okay?" May asked again. She crouched down.

  All she could hear were the sobbing breaths. What had happened? Was Sharon hurt in some way?

  And then, with a gasp, May realized the truth. The body on the floor erupted with a snarl, and May yelled in horror as strong, wiry hands wrapped around her shoulders, yanking her to the ground so that her body crashed against the floorboards. She heard a metallic skittering noise and knew it was her gun, dislodged from the holster and now fallen out of sight.

  This was not Sharon lying here. It was the killer, Burgess himself. He'd lured her in. She'd taken the bait and walked straight into his clutches.

  Now, he was going for the kill.

  May twisted her body, trying to free herself, but he was on top of her, moving with a sudden and ferocious speed that stunned her. His hands grabbed her wrists and held them, hard and unrelenting.

  She bucked and heaved, trying to throw him off, but he held on, and she could hear his panting breaths, feel his warm breath on her face, sense the grim determination in his lean, bony body.

  "You think you can stop me?" he asked, his voice a hiss of triumph that sent a chill through May's heart.

  She felt his hand on her throat. He was going to choke the life out of her, and then he was going to get back to his victim and finish the process he'd started. Nothing was going to derail him from his lethal mission. Nothing. Not even her.

  She lifted her hands up, scrabbling for purchase on his wrist, to stop him from choking her. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't get any air.

  She heard his snarl of triumph, a low, guttural sound, and even though her hands were still free, she had no weapon to defend herself. Her gun was gone.

  Bucking and heaving against his lethal weight, she did her best to get away, knowing that she only had a sliver of time left and that it was not only her life that depended on it, but his victim's too. Where was she? Where was Sharon?

  As if in response, a pool of light suddenly appeared from the doorway beyond. May blinked in its muted glow. Sharon had raised the bedroom blinds, letting in a flood of daylight. Now the features of her attacker were visible, and she saw his contorted face, the fury in his eyes.

  The moment of surprise had loosened his grasp on her throat. Not much, but enough for her to get hold of his fingers and bend one back, so that he gasped in pain.

  Finally, his stranglehold loosened. May knew she could get him now. She could take him down. She was going to get the better of him.

  But he was viciously strong, and clearly ready to take this fight to the death. His fist caught the side of her head and her head snapped back agonizingly. Then his hand caught her neck again.

  He was so close, May could feel his breath, could see the triumph in his eyes. She had one chance, however unlikely it seemed.

  She lunged forward and sank her teeth into his forearm. He cried out in surprise at the painful bite, and May wrenched herself away, kicking out at him, flailing with her arms and legs to keep him away while she looked desperately around for a weapon she could use.

  Where was her gun? She couldn't see it anywhere.

  But she saw a figure, looming behind her even as Burgess leaped toward her again.

  It was Sharon, and she was holding one of the pictures from off the wall. She flung it at Burgess with a cry, and the corner of the frame hit him on the cheek, sending him reeling back again.

  May used the opportunity to surge forward, on the offensive now, grabbing for his arms, coming up against that steely, lethal strength. But this time, Sharon was by her side, grasping for the other arm.

  Burgess wrenched it away, kicking out, and Sharon yelled in painful surprise, staggering back.

  May lunged to grab the arm, but the killer turned quickly, his face contorted with the effort, and he wrenched himself from her grasp, knocking her back against the wall.

  May had never fought anyone with such violent intent before. She had to stop him.

  And she was going to stop him.

  She managed to get hold of his arm and hung on for all she was worth. Sharon launched herself back into the fray, grabbing onto his leg this time.

  "Don't let him get away!" May yelled, fighting now with a new desperation, because she could see that Burgess was going to break free, he was going to make it out of this corridor, and if he did, he would reach his scythe again.

  May was still feeling the effects of his hard punch to the head. She was dizzy and her head was spinning, but she fought through the pain, using her grip on Burgess's arm to anchor herself.

  He was dragging them now, with insane determination, using his greater strength and weight to literally pull herself and Sharon along the slick, polished floorboards, his jaw set in a rictus of determination as he headed back to the place where his chosen weapon lay.

  May grabbed hold of the doorframe, tugging back against it, but had to let go with a cry as a kick from Burgess landed exactly where her fingers had been.

  He turned, grappling with her, his face a mask of fury, but Sharon was trying to unbalance him, tugging at his leg. May felt another wave of admiration for her fighting spirit.

  The scythe was so close. It was within arm's reach, and May knew if he grabbed it, it was game over for sure. There was no way that they were going to escape alive if this killer, with his insane strength, got hold of his chosen weapon again.

  She pulled back with everything she had, her stomach clenching as she saw his fingers touch the weapon's handle. But she got him away, tugged him off balance, even as his fingers raked her arm.

  He was going to make another grab for it, though, despite their efforts.

  Now his hand was on it, his fingers scrabbling for a hold on it as May clutched at his wrist, trying to stop him from getting a firm grip, from grasping the weapon that could slice both of them apart.

  But with a cry of triumph, his hand closed around the scythe's handle.

  He dragged the weapon toward him, with a metallic scream and clang as it scraped over the floor.

  "No!" May yelled, her fingers still clinging to his wrist, but slipping. She couldn't hold him back any longer.

  In a moment, it'd be too late.

  Maybe he sensed that, because he wrenched himself free, the scythe raised in both hands, with a triumphant cry. With a screech of fear, Sharon jackknifed out of its path.

  May did the only thing she could think of, dangerous as it was.

  She threw herself under the blade, going for his legs in a desperate tackle, knowing it was a last-ditch attempt and that at any moment, she might feel that lethal blade thudding down to bury itself in her flesh.

  But she got his legs. She flung her full weight against them, aiming for the knees, and she felt him stagger back. Letting out a cry of pain, he stumbled to the ground, and the scythe swished down, burying itself in a floorboard just inches away from May's face.

  And then, in a flash, the bright beam of the overhead lights flooded the room.

  "Police! Hands in the air!"

  Burgess whipped around, staring in disbelief at the three officers crowding the doorway, all with their guns drawn. Owen led the way, holding his weapon in a steady grasp as he aimed it unflinchingly at Burgess's chest.

  She heard the maniacal killer give a gasp of pure rage and defeat.

  He raised his hands reluctantly, looking from officer to officer, accepting that at last, his lethal quest to kill had reached its end.

  May scrambled to her feet, giving Owen a grateful glance, which he returned, looking proud and relieved. As the officers moved forward to handcuff the killer, May turned back to Sharon, who was standing in the corner of the room. She was still holding the only weapon that had been available to her, a heavy book.

  May felt full of admiration and respect for her courage and grit, this woman who had now survived death not once but twice.

  "It's okay," she told her gently, taking the book from Sharon’s hand as tears filled her eyes. "You did well. You saved us both. It's over now, it's all right, and you're going to be safe."

  EPILOGUE

  It was early the following morning. In fact, it was as early as May was able to time it, knowing that the storage units would open at six-thirty. It was now six twenty-five, and she was approaching the industrial area of Chestnut Hill.

  The area looked peaceful and surprisingly beautiful in the cool, low morning light.

  May still felt emotions fizzing inside her as she thought back over the memories of the previous day. That brutal fight. The funeral home owner had been sinking rapidly into madness. They'd been struggling with someone not only murderous, but totally unhinged from reality. She felt grateful for the resourcefulness of his final target, Sharon, a double survivor, who'd pulled through leukemia and a bone marrow transplant, and would now, hopefully, go on to enjoy many more years of life. Chad Burgess would spend the rest of his life in a maximum security cell.

  She was grateful for Owen's courage, the speed with which the team had arrived. And for Kerry's resourcefulness, and her help with the FBI databases that had ultimately allowed May to arrive at Sharon's house in time to save her.

  So many people had contributed to the final closure of this case, and May could not be more thankful for their efforts, as well as for the inner strength she'd been able to gather up that had allowed her to keep fighting even when it seemed impossible to carry on.

  With Burgess locked away, and a wealth of evidence from his house, May knew the case against him was rock solid and that he would pay for every one of his crimes.

  That case was closed, wrapped up. They’d left work at eight p.m. and she and Owen had gone to Dan’s Bar for a burger and a beer.

  But now, May was heading for a case that was far from closed, a mystery that she hoped she would find the next step to solving.

  She had no idea what would be inside this safe.

  She parked outside and walked into the lobby, breathing in the same smell of dust she remembered.

  "Oh, you're back at last? I thought you were going to be here yesterday," the attendant said, looking at May suspiciously. "I stayed open an extra five minutes yesterday evening waiting for you. That was a waste of time."

  "I'm so sorry," May replied, managing to be gracious even though half of her felt numb with nerves, and the other half wanted to laugh hysterically at this comment. "I was a little busy yesterday. Police work takes priority. Thank you for waiting."

  With a sigh, the woman handed over the envelope with the keys and invoice.

  May folded the invoice and put it in her pocket so that she could pay Pete as soon as she left.

  Then she took the keys and headed down the stairs, getting her flashlight ready to cut the gloomy dark of the basement.

  She felt as if she was pacing toward something important, to a discovery that would change her world, even though she had no idea what it would be.

  Her hands felt cold and unsteady as she took the keys out, putting them carefully into the locks, noting the shiny place where the broken key had been newly repaired.

  This time, thanks to Pete's hard work, the keys turned with only the faintest grinding noise.

  The basement felt hushed, expectant, and May had the uneasy sense that old ghosts were crowding in, pushing their way toward her.

  Taking a shaky breath, she pulled open the door.

  And she stared in astonishment.

  Inside this safe, she saw something she recognized instantly.

  Lauren's baseball cap. She'd been wearing the pink cap when she stormed out of the house that day. It had never been found, never been seen. May had picked it up on that grainy video, the cap her sister always loved to wear.

  Now, here it was, faded but identical, lying in the safe. May couldn’t believe it.

  And there were other items too — except these ones, she didn't know or recognize. Pulling on a pair of gloves, with shaking hands, she looked through the pile. Here was a silver chain with a horse-head pendant. Here was a beaded bracelet. Here was a cream sweater, the knit fabric now dirty and creased. Here was a small white purse on a leather strap. It was empty, May saw, looking inside.

  Her hands were shaking. This safe was a repository that must have been used, not just for one of Lauren's personal items, but for other victims too. Who did these possessions belong to? Where were these women now? And how was May going to find out more? How was she going to trace these possessions back to their owners, and more importantly, trace the person who had taken them?

  Someone had. This person had been responsible for more than just Lauren's disappearance. It hadn't just been her. Someone indescribably evil had been at work, over who knew what timeframe, grabbing young women and taking them, stealing their lives and futures.

  May was going to bag up all these items, she decided. Each one represented a lead, a life, a loose end to follow up.

  But for now, the need to find this abductor was even more urgent.

  She walked out of the basement, heading up the stairs, still feeling dizzy with shock as she returned to her car to get the evidence bags she needed. It felt weird to be walking out into such a normal morning with traffic humming around her, while inside and underground, the ghosts of the past were finally uncovered.

  But she felt all out of leads. There was no clue to this person's identity here. The safe was a dead end. All that remained were the items themselves.

  How could she possibly take this further? May felt a clench of fear at the thought that she'd been checkmated.

  There was only one solution, one possible avenue left to explore. And she was going to take it.

  May got on the phone to Kerry.

  Her sister didn't pick up, but May left a message, hearing the tremble in her own voice as she spoke the words.

  "Kerry, I've opened the safe. I found Lauren's hat inside, her pink cap. And other things too, belonging to other people. This is bigger than I thought. More girls must have been taken and I — I need to track this person now. I need to find out who they are."

  She paused, drawing in a shaky breath.

  "That video I sent you, the video of Lauren. Is there any way we can trace it back? Any technology we can use? If there is, sis, please tell me. Please research it. Because this is truly our last lead."

  May cut the call, blinking away tears.

  Then, holding the evidence bags, she walked back into the underground basement, to gather up the items that this faceless criminal had left behind.

  NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER!

  NEVER FORGET

  (A May Moore Suspense Thriller—Book 8)

  From #1 bestselling mystery and suspense author Blake Pierce comes a gripping new series: May Moore, 29, an average Midwestern woman and deputy sheriff, has always lived in the shadow of her older, brilliant FBI agent sister. Yet the sisters are united by the cold case of their missing younger sister—and when a new serial killer strikes in May’s quiet, Minnesota lakeside town, it is May’s turn to prove herself, to try to outshine her sister and the FBI, and, in this action-packed thriller, to outwit and hunt down a diabolical killer before he strikes again.