Undone (A Cora Shields Suspense Thriller—Book 1)

UNDONE

(A Cora Shields Mystery —Book One)

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 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 six 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 nine books (and counting); of the CORA SHIELDS mystery series, comprising three books (and counting); and of the NICKY LYONS mystery 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.

Copyright © 2022 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 FotoDuets and Martyn Smith used under license from Shutterstock.com.

BOOKS BY BLAKE PIERCE

NICKY LYONS MYSTERY SERIES

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)

NEVER LOOK BACK (Book #7)

NEVER FORGET (Book #8)

NEVER LET GO (Book #9)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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

EPILOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

Cora nearly fell—her arm flinging out threatened to yank her shoulder from its socket. She hissed in pain as her fingers desperately gripped the concrete windowsill of the old, abandoned industrial building.

A static-filled voice over the receiver in her ear said, "Only five minutes, Cora. Do you see him?"

She didn't reply, conserving her energy and breathing heavily as fear prickled up her spine. Only five minutes—she'd taken too long, far too long. She shot a quick look down into the asphalt parking lot covered in overgrown weeds, grass poking through the tarmac cracks. No cars except for the one she and her partner had brought with them and the two large, black SUVs parked at the base of the building.

The SUVs belonged to routine security according to the corporation that owned the building.

But it wasn't the security she was interested in.

It was the man who paid their salaries.

They all knew what Desmond Rike got up to in his spare time. They all knew what he did to those girls he took with him, but they all turned a blind eye.

Technically, Cora and Agent Brady, her partner, weren't supposed to breech the building until the warrant showed up. The three-gun thugs at the entrance had made extra sure of that, along with the security cameras. But Cora knew they didn't have time—the sun reflecting off the windows was fading fast.

It was five minutes before sunset. Mr. Rike killed his victims just as the sun disappeared. An offering, they'd discovered, based on his little sun-worshiping cult.

For a moment, she dangled there, holding on with one arm, her left knee bouncing against the window below her. She exhaled shakily, feeling her nerves tingle. Small spurts of fear dabbed up her spine and whispered little threats in her subconscious, but she refocused. Her brow was slick, her arms were in pain, and she was twelve stories in the air, so she didn't look down a second time.

Cora had always hated heights.

But one of the benefits of her training—especially back in the Navy, before joining the FBI—was that facing one's fears was a minimum requirement. There was at least an eighty percent dropout rate from BUDS and SEAL training.

And that was from the cream of the crop. The best of the best.

Cora had never considered herself the best at anything. She was simply stubborn.

Stubborn enough to refuse to let go of the windowsill. She pulled herself higher, her heart pounding wildly, her face coming in line with the next window now. She gripped the concrete ledge with both hands, arms still straining beneath her jacket sleeves. She let out a shuddering sigh, peering into the dark halls beyond the translucent glass.

A couple more men with guns were moving through the halls. She winced, ducked her head, and waited for them to pass. As she did, her ear receiver crackled again.

"Agent Shields! a different voice this time, far angrier. Dammit, Agent Shields. Reply—now!"

Cora winced. The deputy director didn't sound very happy. She moved towards the window she'd spotted from below. The only one on the east side of the building with a window left slightly ajar. She reached the window, pushing it open with the back of her hand.

 "Agent Shields! We are ten minutes out. Hold position. Do you hear me? Hold position!" The voice over the radio only seemed to increase in volume the more she ignored it.

Granted, she had a lot of experience ignoring Deputy Director Malcolm Ogden. Director Ogden had never much liked Cora.

The feeling was certainly mutual.

The man didn't just play by the book. He worked by it, slept by it, took it to bed with him, wined and dined it, and everything in between.

Cora, on the other hand, had never been much of a reader.

She clicked off her radio receiver. The line went silent. Much better.

Now she could focus. Only a few minutes before another body would drop. Already, this psycho had taken out four young women.

She wasn't about to stand by for the sake of measly protocol while another was killed.

Her small, wiry frame allowed her to slip slowly through the open window, spilling onto the floor and falling into a crouch. She moved silently, on the balls of her feet, traversing down the quiet hall. Her ears were perked, listening for the sound of footsteps.

Cora's auburn hair was cut close, shaved completely on the left side and shoulder length on the right. Not exactly the hairdo of a girly girl, but Cora had never been accused of wearing pink or being in touch with her emotions. She wasn't unattractive—more than one of her old platoon mates had taken a shot. She'd taken passes of her own in return. But she certainly had never been described as cute. Her features were too sharp: her cheekbones high, her nose straight, her eyes cold gray, like the seas she'd patrolled for two tours in her mid- to late-twenties.

Her hand extended, braced against a wooden door as her other hand gripped her sidearm. The tattoos along her forearm twisted into her sleeve, standing out against taut but lean muscles.

In her twenties, Cora hadn't needed to work for a lean physique. Now, pushing thirty-one, she had a two-hour morning workout ritual she kept to religiously—not just because it kept back the poundage—but other, far darker demons were held at bay, at least somewhat, thanks to the endorphin rush.

The hinges creaked slowly as she pushed the door open. She gripped her weapon, swallowing. Her eyes moved about the empty and sparse room. An old office chair toppled. No desks. A few wires jutting out from empty sockets in the wall.

After a quick, cursory sweep, she moved to the next room. Again, empty.

Five more doors in the hall. He would be on one of the higher levels. That's what he always did. The last three victims he'd taken to a penthouse, to a clocktower, and to the top of an old cathedral.

Mr. Rike had made his money on Wall Street. But the man hadn't been satisfied with the bank account of a god. He'd wanted the worship of one as well. His little cult had been bought or bribed. He was charismatic and good-looking—they always were.

The best predators were the ones that were nice to look at. They could distract their prey with the superficial until it was too late.

She scowled, remembering the last body she'd found at the base of the cathedral, amidst the tombstones of the attached graveyard. He pushed them to their deaths. Rike had called it, in his secret meetings with his acolytes, the plummet of Ra.

Cora scowled, her sea-gray eyes storming as she moved to the next set of doors. And then, she heard movement.

She went still, moving quietly back against the wall. The door was suddenly opened. A couple of men in black suits pushed into the room, moving on to the next door. She stood quiet as the door swung past her, shielding