Never look back, p.1
Never Look Back, page 1
N E V E R
L O O K
B A C K
(A May Moore Suspense Thriller—Book Seven)
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 Kevin Cass under license from Shutterstock.com.
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)
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)
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)
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 BURI ED (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
PROLOGUE
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
EPILOGUE
PROLOGUE
Jenna Brand's breath was burning in her lungs. Adrenaline surged through her veins. She'd been running for what must have been half a mile along a narrow pathway through tall, green ranks of corn, but at last she thought she'd lost him. She’d gotten away from the terrifying man pursuing her.
Gasping, she stumbled to a walk, checking behind her. Never had she dreamed — not even in nightmares — that she'd be chased into a corn field by a dark-clad, threatening figure wielding a scythe.
She'd headed out on an early evening stroll, and he'd jumped her as she was passing the field. She'd seen the vicious, curved blade of that weapon glinting in the setting sun, and she'd clearly seen the intent in his eyes, in the way he rushed toward her.
In terror, she'd plunged straight into the field, racing along the narrow paths between the closely planted rows of crops, fearing at any moment to feel that blade in her back. Her lungs were on fire. He'd chased her hard, and she'd fled like a frightened rabbit from a fox.
Now, her breath was coming in deep, pained gasps. Her heart was thudding hard, echoing in her ears.
The corn plants were tall, green-leafed, crowding against each other, and rustling in the late summer breeze. Within their rippling world, it was stiflingly hot and felt strangely airless. Worse still, she couldn't see where she was.
Or, more importantly, where he was. That was the biggest danger. Was he still following? She checked behind her, seeing nothing but the dense, waving corn plants, which blocked her vision, soaring high into the air. She guessed they must be more than eight feet tall. But if he was nearby, tracking her, she wouldn’t hear him over their whispering, rattling leaves. The breeze effectively camouflaged any sound of approaching footsteps.
Was he out there, lurking somewhere in the corn?
Her heart was pounding in her throat. Feeling terrified, she stood, shoulders heaving as she listened. She fought to quell her panic, trying to think calmly. Panic was the quickest way to get killed.
If she was going to survive, she had to pay attention. She couldn't call for help because she didn't have her phone with her. She hadn't thought to bring it along. Now, she was wishing she had.
Without the phone, she needed to get help, and get to safety some other way. But how? What was the best course of action?
She decided she'd be safer out in the open. At least she'd be able to run and see where she was going. And she might be able to call for help in time. Someone might be around. If she could get back to the road, then she might spot one of the farm workers in the area, heading home.
Had he given up on the search? Who was this man anyway: so strange, so creepy, as if he was a figment of her nightmares brought to life?
And how could she get her bearings again in this huge, rustling field? Getting out wouldn't be that easy, she realized with a chill. Not when she was completely disoriented and so exhausted her legs were quivering.
Even now, he could be hunting her. She spun around, staring in every direction, hating the constant noise and the movement that disguised every other sound.
But she had to act. She had to get out of this field, especially with the shadows lengthening. What if she was trapped here as it grew dark?
That thought was chilling. No, she needed to find a way out of this field.
Wishing she could see above the corn, Jenna paced forward, going slow, trying to use the fading sunlight to orient herself along the twisting rows that crisscrossed the sloping hillside. She turned often, checking behind her, all her senses flaring.
Except suddenly, she saw something ahead. Her eyes picked it up instantly; it was unmistakable.
A dark shape, looming through the corn. Jenna caught her breath, feeling fear surge again. He was there, in front of her. Waiting for her.
A small cry escaped her lips before she clamped them together, realizing that she mustn't make a sound, because he couldn't have seen her, but any movement or noise would surely alert him.
He was standing very still. She could see glimpses as the corn moved and rustled. He must have found a hillock to stand on because, from her vantage point, he looked taller than the corn.
She had to get away from him.
Jenna moved carefully back — easing away, not daring to take her eyes off him but hoping he wasn't somehow alerted by her presence — trying to keep her breathing quiet, trying not to make a sound or movement that would alert him.
And then, the worst happened. Behind her, a rock under her foot shifted and she stumbled heavily, lurching sideways into the corn, the stems crackling and bending as she fell.
Panicked, she scrambled up, knowing this was it: the headlong flight would now begin again as he must have heard. Must have seen.
But the figure ahead was totally still. As a gust of wind caused the corn to sway and nod, Jenna realized what it was.
The shape of a scarecrow, dressed in ragged black, tall, and motionless. She'd just spent minutes trying to creep away from a bird scarer.
Jenna let out a breathy laugh that was almost a sob. It was okay. That lurking figure was not dangerous. And now, having realized what it was, she could orient herself. The scarecrow was near the edge of the field. She remembered seeing it on her walk.
Unless there was more than one, she thought suddenly, with a flare of doubt, but then shook her head. There could not be more than one near here. She hadn't seen more than one.
Feeling more confident now, she moved forward, past the looming shape of the scarecrow, with his tilted head, black hat, and coat made ragged and threadbare by the endless assault of the blowing wind.
There was the path ahead, leading out of the corn. She could see a glimpse of darkening, grassy fields. She could see a road, and the faint shimmer of headlights as a car passed.
She could get help there. Someone would help her, she was sure.
Jenna raced past the scarecrow, speeding up now, wanting to be out of this field, out of the danger, out of the oppressive mass of leaves that was hot, airless, and felt like a prison.
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