Still Hope (A Lily Dawn FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 2)

By Ava Strong

FBI BAU Special Agent Lily Dawn, half Dutch, half Hispanic, raised in the Caribbean, knows the isles like the back of her hand. When a surge in serial killers in the region prods the FBI to assemble a task force, Lily is the natural choice. But Lily is reluctant to face the demons of her past, including her missing sister, and when a new serial killer strikes, leaving victims on a series of remote islands, Lily gears up for a deadly game of cat and mouse.

“The plot has many twists and turns, but it is the ending, which I did not see coming at all, that totally defines this book as one of the most riveting that I have read in years.”
—Reader review for Not Like Us

STILL HOPE is book #2 in a long-anticipated new series by #1 bestseller Ava Strong, whose bestseller NOT LIKE US (a free download) has received over 1,000 five star ratings and reviews.

Lily Dawn is called back to the Caribbean. But this is not a happy homecoming. She hasn’t seen her parents since moving to Miami ten years ago, and now her sister has been declared legally dead.

Will Lily be able to map out the killer’s twisted mind?

A complex psychological crime thriller full of twists and turns and packed with heart-pounding suspense, the LILY DAWN mystery series will make you fall in love with a brilliant new female protagonist and keep you turning pages late into the night.

Books #3-#5 in the series—STILL AWAKE, STILL HERE. STILL MAD—are now also available.

“This is a chilling, suspenseful page turner that just might leave you scared at night!”
—Reader review for Not Like Us

“Very intriguing, kept me turning page after page… Lots of twists and turns and a very unexpected ending. Cannot wait for the next in this series!”
—Reader review for Not Like Us

“A roller coaster ride of events… Can’t put down until you finish it!”
—Reader review for Not Like Us

“Excellent read with very realistic characters that you become emotionally invested in… Couldn't put it down!”
—Reader review for The Death Code

“An excellent read, lots of twists and turns, with a surprising ending, leaving you wanting to read the next book in the series! Well done!”
—Reader review for The Death Code

“Well worth the read. Cannot wait to see what happens in the next book!”
—Reader review for The Death Code

“Quickly became a story I couldn’t put down! I highly recommend this book!”
—Reader review for His Other Wife

“I really enjoyed the fast-paced action, plot design and characterization... I didn't want to put the book down and the ending was a total surprise.”
—Reader review for His Other Wife

“The characters are extremely well developed… There are twists and turns in the plot that kept me guessing. An extremely well written story.”
—Reader review for His Other Wife

“One of the best books I have ever read… The ending was perfect and surprising. Ava Strong is an amazing writer.”
—Reader review for His Other Wife

“Holy cow, what a rollercoaster… Many times I absolutely KNEW who the killer was—only to be proven wrong each time. I was completely surprised by the ending. I have to say, I am thrilled that this is the first in a series. My only complaint is that the next one isn't out yet. I need it!”
—Reader review for His Other Wife

“An incredible, intense, spellbinding, enjoyable story. It will keep you captivated until the end.”
—Reader review for His Other Wife

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ava Strong
• Release date: Dec 16, 2022
• ISBN: 9781094377902

Book preview

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s t i l l   h o p e

(a lily dawn fbi suspense thriller—book 2)

a v a   s t r o n g

Ava Strong

Ava Strong is author of the REMI LAURENT mystery series, comprising six books (and counting); of the ILSE BECK mystery series, comprising seven books (and counting); of the STELLA FALL psychological suspense thriller series, comprising six books (and counting); of the DAKOTA STEELE FBI suspense thriller series, comprising six books (and counting); and of the LILY DAWN suspense thriller series, comprising five books (and counting).

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

Copyright © 2022 by Ava Strong. 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 Dudarev Mikhail and Hlib Shabashnyi, used under license from Shutterstock.com.

BOOKS BY AVA STRONG

LILY DAWN FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

STILL ALIVE (Book #1)

STILL HOPE (Book #2)

STILL AWAKE (Book #3)

STILL HERE (Book #4)

STILL MAD (Book #5)

REMI LAURENT FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

THE DEATH CODE (Book #1)

THE MURDER CODE (Book #2)

THE MALICE CODE (Book #3)

THE VENGEANCE CODE (Book #4)

THE DECEPTION CODE (Book #5)

THE SEDUCTION CODE (Book #6)

ILSE BECK FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

NOT LIKE US (Book #1)

NOT LIKE HE SEEMED (Book #2)

NOT LIKE YESTERDAY (Book #3)

NOT LIKE THIS (Book #4)

NOT LIKE SHE THOUGHT (Book #5)

NOT LIKE BEFORE (Book #6)

NOT LIKE NORMAL (Book #7)

STELLA FALL PSYCHOLOGICAL SUSPENSE THRILLER

HIS OTHER WIFE (Book #1)

HIS OTHER LIE (Book #2)

HIS OTHER SECRET (Book #3)

HIS OTHER MISTRESS (Book #4)

HIS OTHER LIFE (Book #5)

HIS OTHER TRUTH (Book #6)

DAKOTA STEELE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

WITHOUT MERCY (Book #1)

WITHOUT REMORSE (Book #2)

WITHOUT A PAST (Book #3)

WITHOUT PITY (Book #4)

WITHOUT 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

PROLOGUE

She was trapped.

Trapped by a madman.

As the boat soared across the ocean, Julia felt herself growing woozy and seasick with every movement. The sunlight disoriented her even more, causing her head to pound with pain. But even if she wanted to run over to the edge of the boat and throw up over the railing--she couldn't.

Restrained by ropes, Julia sat on a bench in the boat as the man controlled it, manning the steering wheel. Her legs were free--she could stand up and jump over the edge, but they were in the middle of nowhere and she couldn't swim without her arms.

He had driven the boat out of the marina and into the open ocean.

Just him and her.

And no way off.

Terror squeezed Julia's throat shut. She had to believe she could get out of this, somehow, but that man--he had a deranged look in his eyes as he steered the boat. His eyes were wide, and he was jittery, wearing full raincoat attire to protect him from the splash of the ocean. But Julia could barely see his face, as he had the neck of his coat pulled up high to conceal himself.

Where was he taking her? Julia couldn't fathom it. All she knew was that she had to do whatever he asked, because he had the upper hand.

One wrong move, and he could kill her.

No... I will get out of this... I have to...

Up ahead, a small island appeared over the horizon. Hope leapt in her heart. Maybe there would be people there. Maybe someone would see her and help her.

They couldn't be too far away from civilization, could they?

Julia didn't know what the island was. She had never seen it before. Maybe one of the smaller islands of the Bahamas. They were close to that area, so it could be.

Her arms ached; her shoulders felt near to breaking. She wanted to rip off her restraints and punch the guy, but she knew she couldn't.

The boat drew nearer. The island was small, but tall, with massive cliffs on all sides. 

Her kidnapper suddenly looked back at her.

We're here. Get up.

Julia struggled to her feet. As she did, the boat rocked, and she fell back down, nearly toppling into the water.

I said, get up! The man stomped down hard on the boat, causing its whole body to rock.

Julia quickly got back up to her feet. She had to take her eyes off the island, because it only made her more afraid. He stopped the boat on the sun-bleached sand and, to Julia's dismay, she didn't see a soul in sight. This was not a populated island--at least, this part of it wasn't.

And she was sure the man knew that.

What is he going to do to me?

She couldn't bear the thought. She had to hold onto hope.

Turn around.

Julia did, and saw the man start to unfold a large piece of cloth. She heard a loud ripping sound, and saw that he was tearing away at a tarp. The tarp was covering boxes, and on top of those boxes was a tool.

A shovel.

Julia's eyes grew wide. She wanted to scream, wanted to run away, but she did neither. The man simply threw the tarp aside, unveiling the shovel for her to see. Then, he came up to her and untied her restraints. Julia felt her muscles relax, free from the restriction, but she was too afraid to throw a punch or try to run. She knew he had weapons.

Get off the boat, the man said.

Julia's pulse raced so fast, she thought she might pass out. W-what are you going to do to me?

"I said get off the boat!" he bellowed.

No...

She thought about her mother, her father. Maybe if she could hold out a little bit longer, someone would come to rescue her.

In his hand, he held a pistol.

Julia stepped off the boat, onto the beach. Her legs wobbled as if they would give way. She thought about trying to run away, but where would she go? It was a small island, but there was nowhere to hide.

She saw the man get off the boat. He kept the gun pointed at her. He was no doubt prepared to shoot her if she ran.

Go over there, by that patch of dirt, the man said.

Why? Julia asked.

Just do it.

Julia slowly started to walk up to the patch of dirt. It was hot, and the sand was burning her bare feet. But she didn't dare move slowly--the man would yell at her again.

Keep moving! he shouted.

Once they were at the patch of dirt, the man handed Julia the shovel. She considered hitting him over the head with the shovel, but he could shoot her and kill her faster.

Once more, he had the upper hand.

Start digging, the man ordered.

Julia's stomach sank. Why?

For the first time, a smile seemed to tug at his face, although Julia could still barely make out his features beneath the brim of his hat.

Because, he said, you're going to dig your own grave.

Julia hesitated. The man's eyes were dark and menacing, and she knew he would do whatever it took to get what he wanted.

With a trembling hand, she began to walk over to the patch of dirt. She saw the shovel lying in the sand, and her heart sank as she realized what was about to happen.

She had been dragged onto a deserted island by a madman with a gun, and now he intended to bury her alive. As she felt tears prickling at her eyes, she wondered if anyone would ever find her grave. And even if they did, would it matter? They might assume that she had simply died of exposure. Even if they suspected murder, what difference would it make? She would still be dead.

Tears streaming down her face, Julia braced herself for what was coming next. She knew that this was it.

Her head became light, her body swaying. She was woozy. This couldn't be real. It had to be a nightmare. She had to wake up.

But she realized she was never going to. Julia's pulse kept getting louder, and louder, and the heat of the sun was unbearable. She was dehydrated and in shock, still unsure if any of this was real.

She felt her mind fading.

Before Julia could tell herself to hold on, her knees went weak, her mind blank, and she fainted, leaving her fate in the hands of this twisted madman.

CHAPTER ONE

Agent Lily Dawn of the FBI stood outside of an apartment building in Florida, staring up at the six stories of white stucco walls that reached above her. She’d been offered a chance to move to Miami, to work at a field office here--and to be part of a joint task force with none other than Xander Jackson, her partner on her last mission to the Caribbean. Lily had to admit, she'd had doubts about this whole thing; for one, she hadn't gotten along too well with Xander, even if he had grown on her in the end. And two, it was strange to be working at a whole new office when she'd been at Quantico for so long.

Still. Being closer to the islands meant she was much closer to home.

In the end, Lily knew this was the right choice for her.

She'd just arrived today.

She held a suitcase in each hand--her entire life, packed into two bags. Everything she'd needed to relocate from Quantico, Virginia, all the way here to Miami, Florida.

The difference was night and day. Palm trees fanned over the lawn of the building, and the sky was bright and clear. Although Lily was originally from Aruba, she had spent most of her adult years in the U.S.--namely, Virginia.

Now, she was staring down the apartment building she was moving into. Lily never had been one to keep too many things, so the move wasn't stressful. From the pictures, this apartment looked like it would be gorgeous, but she hadn't been inside yet.

Lily took a breath, inhaling the warm and humid Florida air, before she walked down the pathway toward her new apartment.

She reached the front door and pulled it open. Inside, she nodded at the doorman--a tall and lanky man who looked like he was in his twenties. Hey, you must be our new neighbor! I'm Cole, the building manager. I've got your keys right here. If you need anything, just let me know!

Hey, thanks, Lily said, smiling at him and taking the key. I'm Lily. I’m just moving in today.

You're the second new tenant we've had this week! Cole said. I hope you both enjoy it here.

Thanks, Lily said, as she walked through the door.

This was the first time she'd ever been to a place where she was considering moving without having gone inside first. But then again, she'd given the landlord a very large deposit, so she wasn't too worried about things. She was sure this place would be lovely.

Lily walked into the building's lobby, examining the marble floor, the ceiling, and the small fountain in the center of the room.

She headed for the elevator, and then she was on her way up to the sixth floor.

As the elevator doors opened, Lily entered a hallway with white walls and a dark red floor, a small rug in the center, and a row of doors on either side. Lily took a moment to glance at her number and the corresponding room number.

Apartment number 606, she said to herself. Her voice echoed through the empty hallway. Lily headed toward the door, reaching into her pocket for the keys.

The key was a little difficult to turn, but Lily managed. She pushed the door open and stepped inside.

The walls were white, and the floor was a light-colored hardwood. The room was fairly large--larger than she'd expected--and the balcony wrapped around the entire apartment, which had so many windows, Lily practically felt like she was outside. She'd called ahead to get some furniture delivered, so there was a single couch and a coffee table sitting in the living room, and a mattress in the bedroom until she got her things in order.

Lily set her bags down and headed toward the balcony, stepping out into the warm morning air. She took a deep breath, exhaling as she looked out over the city.

Here she was. In Miami. She had always dreamt of moving to Miami, and now it was really happening. She had to admit, she was a bit excited.

But Lily had to remind herself that this was no vacation. She was an FBI agent, and moments like this--where she could just exist and feel happy--were rare and fleeting.

Going back inside, Lily sat down on the couch and dragged one of the suitcases closer to her. She unzipped the top pouch