Never Run (A May Moore Suspense Thriller—Book 1)

N E V E R

R U N

(A May Moore Suspense Thriller —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 fifteen 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 three books (and counting); of the PAIGE KING mystery series, comprising six books (and counting); and of the MAY MOORE suspense thriller 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 daniilphotos used under license from Shutterstock.com.

BOOKS BY BLAKE PIERCE

MAY MOORE SUSPENSE THRILLER

NEVER RUN (Book #1)

NEVER TELL (Book #2)

NEVER LIVE (Book #3)

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

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)

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

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

Wait up! Breathlessly, Courtney Flax pulled back against her boyfriend's grasp. Not so fast!

The grass brushed her ankles, chilly and damp from evening dew. Ahead, Eagle Lake gleamed in the moonlight.

Courtney thought the expanse of water looked dark and somehow foreboding. In mid-May, she knew it would still be icy cold.

Gary, her boyfriend, had suggested the swim on the way back from their friend’s house. Now, she was thinking it was a bad idea.

Come on, Court, Gary said, tugging her forward again. It'll be fun. Trust me.

But Gary, it's freezing.

Court, don't be such a baby, he said. Life’s an adventure!

Gary, seriously. I don't like swimming in the dark. Can't we do this some other time?

It's a full moon! You'll be able to see just fine.

I don't think so, Courtney said, bracing herself with her feet glued to the silvery grass. I'm cold.

Oh, c’mon, he said, tugging her hand. It's not that cold.

Courtney forced down a wave of fear. Maybe not for you, she said.

She glanced to the side. They were alone at the lake’s edge. The moon didn’t provide much light. All it did was make the shadowy water seem more threatening.

She looked up at her boyfriend. His face was hidden in darkness.

She'd always thought the lake was spooky at night. Too deep, too quiet, too still.  But Gary's grip was inexorable as he urged her toward the wooden pier.

Uh-uh. Now Courtney tugged her arm away from him. I'm not jumping off that! I'd rather go in from the shore.

Fear thrilled through her. No way was she going to leap off that pier into the dark water. Who knew what might be waiting?

She felt relieved when he let go of her hand.

Okay, Court. Whatever you say. But there's nothing to be scared of. He sounded grumpy.

Gary stomped off toward the water.

Courtney let out a breath of relief. For a moment, she'd felt like Gary was going to try and pull her onto the pier and push her into the lake.

Clearly wanting to show off to her now, he ran, taking off toward the edge of the wooden planks. For a moment, he paused, looking out over the water as he took off his jacket, and his shoes. Then, he sprang, leaving the pier and plunging into the icy darkness.

Courtney stepped tentatively across the grass. She wouldn’t mind just getting her feet wet. She didn’t want Gary to think of her as a ‘fraidy cat, or a bad sport.

But then, as Gary surfaced, he started screaming.

Help! Help! Court, help me! It's got me!

Courtney gasped, staring at the inky water, her heart thundering in her chest. The night suddenly seemed colder, denser, darker.

What? she cried. What's happened? Gary, are you okay?

Help me! Gary's voice echoed across the water. Get me out of here!

She ran toward the lake’s edge, stumbling over the damp grass. 

There he was. She could see his head bobbing, faintly, in the moonlight.

What's wrong? she cried.

For a long moment, he didn't reply, and her stomach clenched in horror.

And then, she heard him spluttering with laughter. Only kidding! I was joking, Court. I was playing with you! I'm fine!

Slowly, she felt her heart slow again. For a moment, she'd been utterly terrified. That hadn't been a nice joke.

You know I get spooked out here. That wasn't fair, she said angrily.

I couldn't help it, Court. You're too easy to tease sometimes. Now come on in.

Doubtfully, she edged toward the shore.

I don't want to swim, she repeated.

It's freezing! Colder than I thought it would be. Maybe you shouldn’t swim. But I dare you to go in up to your knees, he encouraged her, more kindly this time.

Cautiously, she made her way to the lake.

Going in up to her knees was a dare she could take. She kicked her shoes off and stepped in, gasping as the cold hit her skin. Just a few more steps. Then she could get out again.

She was only ankle deep when she felt something in the water, bumping against her foot.

She yelped and took a step back, her heart thudding in her chest.

What is it? Gary called out. Now he sounded spooked.

Peering down, Courtney could see something near the edge of the water. A shape that surely should not have been there. Pale and strange looking, it bobbed below the surface of the lake.

Gary, there's something in here, and I don’t like the look of it, she called, her voice now shaking with fright.

Gary spluttered with laughter.

Court, you got me there. That was a good one. I actually felt scared there for a minute. Come a bit further in, he said.

Wait! I’m not kidding you. There really is something here. Stop splashing around. I’m trying to see what it is. It looks really spooky.  Her voice rose to a shriek.

It's just a log, he tried to reassure her, swimming closer.

It does not look like a log! she cried.

As Gary approached, the lapping water was pushing this -- this thing – toward her and into the shallows.

She wasn't imagining it. What she had dreaded was becoming clearer. It was the body of a young woman.

Her face was bluish white, her lips apart, her eyes wide and unseeing. Pale hair streamed out around her.

A body. In the lake.

Courtney leaped back, half-falling as she thrashed her way out of the water. She was crying now, in terror at what was there, her mind reeling with the impossibility of it all.

She pressed her hands over her mouth to stifle the horrified screams, hoping that Gary, who was now swimming fast in her direction, would somehow be able to reassure her that it really was nothing. A log. A floating weed. A trick of her imagination, nothing more than moonlight on water.

But, as Gary splashed into the shallows, and stared down at what lay there, he started screaming, too.

CHAPTER ONE

May Moore headed out of the Fairshore police department, feeling as if she was in a dream. Her legs were still wobbly with shock. She couldn't believe what had just happened. She couldn't take it in.

In the last ten minutes she’d spent at work, it felt as if her life had done a complete turnaround.

She hurried over to her white Chevy pickup, in need of a wash, which was in the first bay of the staff parking. Quickly, she dumped her laptop bag on the passenger seat, and got inside.

As she climbed in, she glanced at her reflection in the mirror for a moment. Blue eyes, still wide with surprise. Sandy-blonde hair, now starting to escape from the neat ponytail she'd tied it in that morning.

May pulled her hair out of the ponytail and ran her fingers through it. Her hands were literally shaking from the news she'd just received.

Then she started the truck and headed on the road to her parents' place. They would be the first to hear what she had to say. May looked forward to seeing their faces when she told them.

It was a five-minute drive to where her parents lived. That wasn't unusual. In the small town of Fairshore, on the shores of Eagle Lake, in Tamarack County, Minnesota, it was a five-minute drive to everywhere.

May had been working hard at the police department. It had been a particularly busy week so far, not just because of her usual work, but also because the Fairshore Spring Festival had taken place over the weekend. She had coordinated the police presence for the event, involving a lot of