Molly Black - Come Take Me

Molly Black

Bestselling author Molly Black is author of the MAYA GRAY FBI suspense thriller series, comprising nine books (and counting); of the RYLIE WOLF FBI suspense thriller series, comprising six books; of the TAYLOR SAGE FBI suspense thriller series, comprising eight books; of the KATIE WINTER FBI suspense thriller series, comprising eleven books (and counting); of the RUBY HUNTER FBI suspense thriller series, comprising five books (and counting); of the CAITLIN DARE FBI suspense thriller series, comprising five books (and counting); of the REESE LINK mystery series, comprising five books (and counting); and of the CLAIRE KING FBI suspense thriller series, comprising five books (and counting).

An avid reader and lifelong fan of the mystery and thriller genres, Molly loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.mollyblackauthor.com to learn more and stay in touch.

Copyright 2023 by Molly Black. 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 youre 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 authors imagination or are used fictionally. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Jacket image Copyright michelaubryphoto used under license from Shutterstock.com.

BOOKS BY MOLLY BLACK

MAYA GRAY MYSTERY SERIES

GIRL ONE: MURDER (Book #1)

GIRL TWO: TAKEN (Book #2)

GIRL THREE: TRAPPED (Book #3)

GIRL FOUR: LURED (Book #4)

GIRL FIVE: BOUND (Book #5)

GIRL SIX: FORSAKEN (Book #6)

GIRL SEVEN: CRAVED (Book #7)

GIRL EIGHT: HUNTED (Book #8)

GIRL NINE: GONE (Book #9)

RYLIE WOLF FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

FOUND YOU (Book #1)

CAUGHT YOU (Book #2)

SEE YOU (Book #3)

WANT YOU (Book #4)

TAKE YOU (Book #5)

DARE YOU (Book #6)

TAYLOR SAGE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

DONT LOOK (Book #1)

DONT BREATHE (Book #2)

DONT RUN (Book #3)

DONT FLINCH (Book #4)

DONT REMEMBER (Book #5)

DONT TELL (Book #6)

KATIE WINTER FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

SAVE ME (Book #1)

REACH ME (Book #2)

HIDE ME (Book #3)

BELIEVE ME (Book #4)

HELP ME (Book #5)

FORGET ME (Book #6)

HOLD ME (Book #7)

PROTECT ME (Book #8)

REMEMBER ME (Book #9)

CATCH ME (Book #10)

WATCH ME (Book #11)

RUBY HUNTER FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

IF I RUN (Book #1)

IF I TELL (Book #2)

IF I LIVE (Book #3)

IF I FORGET (Book #4)

IF I RETURN (Book #5)

CAITLIN DARE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

COME GET ME (Book #1)

COME FIND ME (Book #2)

COME TAKE ME (Book #3)

COME CATCH ME (Book #4)

COME SAVE ME (Book #5)

REESE LINK MYSTERY

BEYOND REASON (Book #1)

BEYOND REACH (Book #2)

BEYOND REPAIR (Book #3)

BEYOND DOUBT (Book #4)

BEYOND NORMAL (Book #5)

CLAIRE KING MYSTERY SERIES

ONCE HE SEES (Book #1)

ONCE HE LONGS (Book #2)

ONCE HE TAKES (Book #3)

ONCE HE FEELS (Book #4)

ONCE HE KNOWS (Book #5)

CONTENTS

She was a problem child, always had been. Thats what was going through Keith Bayliss's mind, as he tapped on his sister Cindi's bedroom door.

Nineteen years old. Ran away from her parents at sixteen because she was bored of small town life, and where did she end up? In another small town in New Mexico, on her brother's doorstep. And since then, being five years older, he'd had to take the reins and care for her, pay the bills, and make futile attempts to get her to do her share of the chores.

That was Cindi. Never one to have any sense of responsibility, and Keith had seen his whole life long how she used her looks to get away with it.

"Those long eyelashes, those big blue eyes - you always manage to stay out of trouble," he grumbled to himself. He'd also inherited the blonde hair and blue eyes and tall, slim build that both their parents had, but it was Cindi who'd gotten the appealing facial features along with it.

Now, at nine a.m., she still hadn't surfaced from the bedroom even though she knew hed returned from his shift at the hospital just ten minutes ago, and that a load of laundry had to be put in before he closed his window blinds and got some sleep.

He tapped on the door and then, after waiting a few moments, gave an impatient sigh and opened it.

"Cindi, I need your bedding and any dirty clothes," he began. And stopped, surprised, staring around the room.

It was emptier than he remembered it being for years. The bed was unmade, but there were fewer clothes strewn over the chair and the floor. Her purse, which always hung over the back of the desk chair, wasn't there.

The desk, too, was clear of its usual detritus of pages and pens and notes. All that was there was one folded piece of paper.

But where was she?

This was all so strange. His stomach clenched briefly at the thought that she'd gotten herself into trouble somehow. That was always his first thought with Cindi.

That piece of paper. Could it be important? Moving closer, breathing in the faint smell of the cheap floral perfume she wore, he looked down at it, and breathed a surprised gasp as he saw his name, written in Cindi's expressive but untidy scrawl.

He hesitantly unfolded it, and began to read.

Dear Keith,

I've decided that I'm going to LA to try and break into the movie world. I know I can do it. I love acting, but I can't wait any longer or I'll be too old for them to consider. I know I haven't been the easiest person to put up with, and I'm sorry for that. I just can't do this boring life anymore. I don't want to be here, or in any small town for that matter. I want to go somewhere exciting, somewhere I can start a new life. I know you'll be angry with me, but I'm hoping you'll understand.

I've taken some cash from the jar in the kitchen to buy the train ticket, and I'll pay it back once I'm settled. I just need to do this. Please don't worry about me, I'll be okay. I'm going to make something of myself, I'm sure of it.

Speak soon!"

Wide eyed, Keith read and re-read the note. He couldn't believe it. She was gone? Just like that? Without discussing this, without giving him any warning? He felt utterly shocked. And he felt worried for her, because she was so damned irresponsible.

He knew already, without even looking, that the jar in the kitchen would be empty. There had probably been about two hundred dollars in there, in small bills and change, but it was nowhere near enough for her to set herself up and survive in LA. Not even enough for a couple of days. This was the same woman who'd been unable to decide on which course to sign up for at the local college where he'd offered to send her, and so had decided on none at all, instead lasting just two days at her job at the local diner before quitting in disgust.

He suspected that he would be getting a panicked call within the next few days. "I'm broke! Please, send money, I can't eat, I don't have accommodation tonight, help me!"