Praise for Isabella Maldonado

  A Killer’s Code

  “As in the previous books, Maldonado leverages her law enforcement background to lend the proceedings weight and authenticity . . . This series continues to impress.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “This riveting thriller keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Along with a solid and thrilling plot, relatable characters, and excellent world-building, the twists, surprises, action, and suspense demanded my attention.”

  —Mystery and Suspense Magazine

  “Filled with intrigue, twists, and a never-ending sense of urgency, A Killer’s Code keeps you in suspense while you join the frantic pursuit to solve this mystery. The third installment in the Daniela Vega series is another action-packed adventure that will exercise your brain and accelerate your heart rate . . . a top notch, fast-paced novel that flies by in the blink of an eye. Once you pick it up, you’ll find it incredibly difficult to stop.”

  —Best Thriller Books

  A Forgotten Kill

  “Maldonado’s years of law enforcement experience continue to add grit and texture to the series, and she supplements those details with a barn burner of a climax. Readers will clamor for the sequel.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “Maldonado’s expertise in the criminology field really shines through in her books . . . She covers her bases, does her research, and creates a realistic investigation and chase that is compelling and engaging!”

  —Shelf Reflection

  “Filled to the brim with suspense and danger, A Forgotten Kill is one of those great reads that crackles with nervous energy from start to finish. A book that urges you forward with a desperate desire to learn the outcome as quickly as possible.”

  —Best Thriller Books

  “Dani Vega is the kick-ass heroine we’ve all been waiting for! Former Army Ranger, current hardcore FBI agent, she can outthink, outfight, and just plain outclass any opponent around. Welcome to your next favorite series!”

  —Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times bestselling author

  A Killer’s Game

  “Maldonado keeps the plot boiling and the bodies dropping to the end.”

  —Kirkus Reviews

  “Intense, gripping, and compulsively readable, A Killer’s Game goes from zero to ninety on page one and never slows down. FBI agent Dani Vega is a heroine to cheer for—tough, inventive, and highly capable. A winner.”

  —Meg Gardiner, #1 New York Times bestselling author

  The Falcon

  “Another great read from [Isabella Maldonado]! I’m a Nina Guerrera fan, and this book is the best of the series so far. Don’t miss it!”

  —Steve Netter, Best Thriller Books

  A Different Dawn

  “A horrifying crime, cat-and-mouse detection, aha moments, and extended suspense.”

  —Kirkus Reviews

  “Maldonado expertly ratchets up the tension as the pieces of the puzzle neatly fall into place. Suspense fans will be enthralled from the very first page.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “A thrill ride from the very start. It starts off fast and never lets up. It’s one of the best thrillers of the summer.”

  —Red Carpet Crash

  “A Different Dawn is a heart-stopping journey on parallel tracks: police detection and personal . . . Isabella Maldonado has created an unforgettable hero in Nina Guerrera.”

  —Criminal Element

  “A killer of a novel. Fresh, fast, and utterly ingenious.”

  —Brad Thor, #1 New York Times bestselling author

  The Cipher

  “The survivor of a vicious crime confronts her fears in a hunt for a serial killer . . . forensic analysis, violent action, and a tough heroine who stands up to the last man on earth she wants to see again.”

  —Kirkus Reviews

  “[In] this riveting series launch from Maldonado . . . the frequent plot twists will keep readers guessing to the end, and Maldonado draws on her twenty-two years in law enforcement to add realism. Determined to overcome her painful past, the admirable Nina has enough depth to sustain a long-running series.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “The Cipher by Isabella Maldonado is a nail-biting race against time.”

  —Popsugar

  “Maldonado does a superb job of depicting a woman who’s made a strength out of trauma and an even better job at showing how a monster could use the internet to prey on the vulnerable. Maldonado spent twenty-two years in law enforcement, and her experience shines through in The Cipher.”

  —Amazon Book Review

  “A heart-pounding novel from page one, The Cipher checks all the boxes for a top-notch thriller: sharp plotting, big stakes, and characters—good and bad and everywhere in between—that are so richly drawn you’ll swear you’ve met them. I read this in one sitting, and I guarantee you will too. Oh, another promise: You’ll absolutely love the Warrior Girl!”

  —Jeffery Deaver, New York Times bestselling author

  “Wow! A riveting tale in the hands of a superb storyteller.”

  —J. A. Jance, New York Times bestselling author

  “Intense, harrowing, and instantly addictive, The Cipher took my breath away. Isabella Maldonado has created an unforgettable heroine in Nina Guerrera, a dedicated FBI agent and trauma survivor with unique insight into the mind of a predator. This riveting story is everything a thriller should be.”

  —Hilary Davidson, Washington Post bestselling author

  Other Titles by Isabella Maldonado

  FBI Agent Dani Vega series

  A Killer’s Game

  A Forgotten Kill

  A Killer’s Code

  FBI Agent Nina Guerrera series

  The Cipher

  A Different Dawn

  The Falcon

  Sanchez & Heron series (coauthored with Jeffery Deaver)

  Fatal Intrusion

  The Grave Artist

  Detective Veranda Cruz series

  Blood’s Echo

  Phoenix Burning

  Death Blow

  Exit Wound

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Otherwise, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  Text copyright © 2017, 2026 by Isabella Maldonado

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

  Published by Thomas & Mercer, Seattle

  www.apub.com

  Amazon, the Amazon logo, and Thomas & Mercer are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates.

  EU product safety contact:

  Amazon Media EU S. à r.l.

  38, avenue John F. Kennedy, L-1855 Luxembourg

  amazonpublishing-gpsr@amazon.com

  ISBN-13: 9781662536618 (paperback)

  ISBN-13: 9781662536601 (digital)

  Cover design by Shasti O’Leary Soudant

  Cover image: © Stephen Mulcahey / ArcAngel Images; © Christopher Hall / Getty

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  About the Author

  Chapter 1

  Detective Veranda Cruz glanced at her watch. The delivery was six minutes overdue. Something was wrong. Two years of painstaking investigations were on the line.

  And her reputation.

  Some in the Phoenix Police Department had accused her of an obsession with the Villalobos crime family. If they knew the truth, they’d throw her out of the Investigations Division—and maybe off the force.

  She crouched beside a cinder block wall with her team, squinting against the midday glare as she peered down the alley. Sweat trickled along her spine under her ballistic vest.

  Sergeant Fromm’s voice carried through her earpiece. “Air support confirms target vehicle is approaching.”

  As the tractor-trailer lumbered toward the warehouse district, Veranda inched back to be sure she wasn’t seen from the street. She rested a hand on the grip of her holstered Glock, ready for the takedown.

  According to the plan, the tactical unit would stop the truck when it reached the loading dock, th
en make entry into the warehouse and detain everyone inside. Once they had secured the building, Veranda and her team would move in to take charge of the investigation.

  More than thirty Phoenix police officers and detectives lay in wait over a three-block grid in a sector known as the Duce. The nickname originated a century ago, when the area was filled with produce warehouses, some of which remained.

  Veranda’s informant, an insider called Flaco, told her the Villalobos organization used one of the buildings as a distribution center. Flaco had heard that Bartolo Villalobos, comandante in charge of narcotics trafficking, would personally take delivery of today’s massive shipment.

  Black-clad tactical personnel hunkered in rapid-deployment formation in the alley opposite hers, their armored vehicle hidden several blocks away. Veranda tilted her head up and spotted a countersniper on the roof across from her. She knew two more peered through rifle scopes perched atop surrounding buildings. She glanced over her shoulder at the detectives from her team lined against the wall behind her.

  The streets were abandoned. Municipal offices were empty on Sundays, and the scorching summer heat drove most pedestrians inside. In the distance, she heard the rumble of a semi grinding through its gears as the driver downshifted to turn a corner.

  Her cell phone vibrated in one of the nylon pockets on her vest. She tugged it out, scanned the text message, then pressed the transmit button on her radio. “All units, target vehicle is rerouting. Repeat. Target is changing course. We need to reposition.”

  A moment later, Sergeant Fromm’s voice sounded through her earpiece again. “I have verification from air support. Target has just turned southbound onto Jackson. We’ve been compromised. Abort the operation.”

  She bit back a profanity and mashed the transmit button. “All units stand by.”

  Her mind raced. If Fromm would agree to deviate from the ops plan and move the tactical team, they could still seize the big rig. She might not catch the king rat in the trap, but she could prevent the drugs from poisoning her city.

  With no other options and no time for finesse, she pushed the button again. “SAU can redeploy to intercept at Dawkins and Eighteenth.”

  The Phoenix Police tactical team, known as the Special Assignment Unit, could adapt on the fly—if allowed to do so. Her heart pounded as she waited for Fromm’s response.

  Everyone assigned to the operation shared the radio channel. The silence stretched as police personnel spread throughout the net of their perimeter listened to hear how Fromm would react. The countermand of a supervisor’s orders was a breach of protocol that bordered on insubordination.

  Like everyone else at the scene, the SAU sergeant who led the tactical team heard her transmission, but he had to follow procedure. Rather than redeploy his officers at Veranda’s request, he sought direction from the person officially in charge of the operation.

  “Sergeant Fromm?” he prompted.

  Fromm didn’t hide his irritation. “Do it.”

  SAU members and Drug Enforcement Bureau detectives ran in every direction. Patrol cars screeched down alleys. The stench of hot tires hung in the air.

  Dante Washington, one of her fellow DEB detectives, touched her elbow as the others raced across the street. “What happened just now?”

  “No idea, I got a text from my informant. All he said was they were changing routes.” She pushed away from the wall. “They’ve still got their load, though.”

  Blades whirring in the background, the helicopter pilot broadcast fresh intel. “Target vehicle turned again. Now headed eastbound on Main.”

  “That’s two blocks west of here.” She sprinted down the alley.

  “Wait for backup, Cruz.” Dante chased after her. “The rest of our team followed the SAU guys.”

  She ignored him. Racing around a corner, she spotted a tractor-trailer grinding to a halt. The driver’s door swung open and a figure jumped out, legs pumping the instant he hit the ground.

  Veranda slid her Glock from its holster. “Police, don’t move!”

  He darted into another alley without missing a step.

  She ran after him, scanning the area, when the rear door of a produce warehouse across the street clanged shut. She raced to the building and yanked it open, pausing at the threshold to let her eyes adjust to the gloom inside.

  She barely managed to make out a figure on the far side of the vast space before he disappeared through a side exit. Starting after him, she dodged crates of corn, watermelon, and onions overturned in her path, then realized she would have a better chance of intercepting him outside.

  She spun and rushed back the way she’d come, rounded the corner of the building at full speed, and slammed headlong into Dante.

  He recovered first. “Which way did he go?”

  She pointed. “I’ve lost sight of him, but he ran out the side door. Did you see him?” Dante shook his head. “He’s gone.”

  “The hell he is.” She bolted ahead, scanning for any sign of the suspect.

  “We’ve got the semi with the shipment,” Dante said, panting as he struggled to keep up with her. “We don’t need the driver.”

  She stopped and turned to face him. “My intel, my bust, my call. Nobody walks.”

  “Fine. Let’s start with this alley then.”

  She followed his gaze. A rustling noise caught her attention. Her eyes settled on a dumpster jammed against the side of a building.

  “If I was trying to get away, I’d lie low,” she whispered. “Find a place to hide.”

  Dante snorted. “No way is the dude gonna hide in that. It’s already a hundred and fifteen degrees today. The inside of that dumpster’s an oven. He’d be extra crispy in minutes.”

  “He’s desperate and he doesn’t have a lot of choices.” She drew her Glock again and motioned to Dante.

  His leather gun belt creaked as he followed suit. Weapons trained on the heavy lid, they approached the dumpster at right angles to avoid a crossfire. She slowed her breathing, made eye contact with her partner, and nodded.

  Dante jerked the lid open and shouted a command. “Police, drop your weapon!”

  Her vision constricted to the small space inside the reeking trash container. Sound muted. Time slowed. The muzzle of a gun was pointed directly at her. Her gaze took in the whitened skin at the first knuckle of an index finger on the trigger.

  She fired.

  Blood bloomed on the man’s sweat-stained undershirt. He clutched his chest with his free hand and slumped into the garbage.

  She vaulted inside the dumpster, taking care to land on the pistol in the driver’s slackened right hand.

  Dante thudded down beside her and squatted to lay two fingers to the man’s neck. He peered up at her. “Nothing.”

  Chapter 2

  An hour later, Veranda sat in a cramped booth in the rear section of the police mobile command center as the engine rumbled under her seat. She figured the brass had to call the behemoth out to a scene at least once a month to justify its existence.

  Two men stared at her across a laminated table that jutted from the vehicle’s interior wall. The athletic one wearing a gold shield clipped to his belt introduced himself as Sergeant Diaz. The older one was Detective Stark.

  Assigned to investigate the shooting, they had informed her this was standard procedure. Protocol. It didn’t matter what they said. She was guilty until proven innocent.

  It was her first fatal shooting, but she knew that everything depended on how she handled this interview. She had killed a man, something the Department did not take lightly. Because she could be prosecuted criminally, they had Mirandized her before offering her a union representative and a lawyer.

  Not wanting to appear guilty, she had declined both. When Sergeant Diaz switched on the digital voice recorder resting on the table, she wondered if she’d made the wrong choice.

  She hid her sweating hands under the table. “Let the games begin,” she muttered.

  Diaz narrowed his eyes and turned the recorder off. “This isn’t a game,” he told her. “I don’t know if you understand that you’re on the wrong end of an interrogation, Detective Cruz, and you’d better take it seriously.”