Watch Me (A Katie Winter FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 11)

By Molly Black

The warm weather brings brief but welcome relief to the unforgiving Canadian terrain—but with the melting of the snow comes a horrifying discovery. FBI Special Agent Katie Winter follows the killer down a dark and dangerous path—but can she solve the case before it swallows her whole?


“Molly Black has written a taut thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat… I absolutely loved this book and can’t wait to read the next book in the series!”

—Reader review for Girl One: Murder



WATCH ME is book #11 in a new series by #1 bestselling mystery and suspense author Molly Black.



FBI Special Agent Katie Winter is no stranger to frigid winters, isolation, and dangerous cases. With her sterling record of hunting down serial killers, she is a fast-rising star in the BAU, and Katie is the natural choice to partner with Canadian law enforcement to track killers across brutal and unforgiving landscapes.



A page-turning and harrowing crime thriller featuring a brilliant and tortured FBI agent, the KATIE WINTER series is a riveting mystery, packed with non-stop action, suspense, twists and turns, revelations, and driven by a breakneck pace that will keep you flipping pages late into the night. Fans of Rachel Caine, Teresa Driscoll and Robert Dugoni are sure to fall in love.



Future books in the series will be available soon!



“I binge read this book. It hooked me in and didn't stop till the last few pages… I look forward to reading more!”

—Reader review for Found You



“I loved this book! Fast-paced plot, great characters and interesting insights into investigating cold cases. I can't wait to read the next book!”

—Reader review for Girl One: Murder



“Very good book… You will feel like you are right there looking for the kidnapper! I know I will be reading more in this series!”

—Reader review for Girl One: Murder



“This is a very well written book and holds your interest from page 1… Definitely looking forward to reading the next one in the series, and hopefully others as well!”

—Reader review for Girl One: Murder



“Wow, I cannot wait for the next in this series. Starts with a bang and just keeps going.”

—Reader review for Girl One: Murder



“Well written book with a great plot, one that will keep you up at night. A page turner!”

—Reader review for Girl One: Murder



“A great suspense that keeps you reading… can't wait for the next in this series!”

—Reader review for Found You



“Sooo soo good! There are a few unforeseen twists… I binge read this like I binge watch Netflix. It just sucks you in.”

—Reader review for Found You

• Language: English
• Publisher: Molly Black
• Release date: Jan 12, 2023
• ISBN: 9781094395562

Book preview

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W A T C H   M E

(A Katie Winter FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 11)

M o l l y   B l a c k

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), and of the CAITLIN DARE 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 © 2022 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 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 Margaret Clavell, 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

DON’T LOOK (Book #1)

DON’T BREATHE (Book #2)

DON’T RUN (Book #3)

DON’T FLINCH (Book #4)

DON’T REMEMBER (Book #5)

DON’T TELL (Book #6)

DON’T HIDE (Book #7)

DON’T BLINK (Book #8)

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)

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

So, over here is where we can have the path going from the main house to our income producing cottage. Ella Coin emphasized the word income as she paced along the muddy grass, the cool spring wind tugging at her thick, dark hair. She glanced back at her husband, Tim, to see if he was more enthused about the prospect in the light of day than he had been when she’d first suggested it last night.

Tim, as usual, looked reluctant. Moody, even. The craggy faced man, who was ten years older than Ella, never got excited about new ideas fast. Or, sometimes, at all.

I'm doubtful that it will work. Or that we should even be doing it, he argued.

Ella rolled her eyes inwardly. Not outwardly. Tim got angry when she did that. But seriously, he needed to understand that this homestead in the town of Moose Lake, north of Quebec City in rural Quebec, would be an amazing draw card for tourists, especially with the unique feature they’d found.

Reminding herself that you caught more flies with honey than vinegar, she made sure to keep her annoyance to herself.

Having a small farm in this pretty part of the world is the perfect opportunity to create a vacation spot. Especially in an old icehouse. There's going to be so much of a novelty factor around it. These days, people travel for experiences, and this will be an experience of note.

The dome shaped building, reminding her of an enormous, brick igloo, had intrigued Ella ever since she'd first noticed it on the property. Now, finally, with some of the main house's unpacking done, they were going to actually take a look inside.

Okay. You make a good point. But it's going to be a lot of work. What if it doesn't pay off? Tim said, looking around with disapproval at the land.

Ella had to suppress a smile at the inevitable journey her husband took before he would accept that her decisions were good. Sometimes, she was surprised he'd even bought this seven-acre piece of land, with its old, wooden farmhouse and its barn, its icehouse, and its lake frontage. She'd immediately seen the potential in it. She had so many ideas flitting around in her head!

I know it will be a lot of work. That's why we have to do this sooner rather than later. Trust me, I've already had some interest from friends back in Montreal, when I've mentioned it to them, Ella said, her heart lifting at the thought of its success. It's really cool to be able to make use of a building like this. And if it looks plain on the outside, we can make the interior more luxurious and detailed.

Tim grunted. It isn't the design I'm worried about, he said.

Ella frowned. Is this about the money? We have enough money to make something special out of it. Something unique that will bring people here.

Tim shook his head. I'm not so sure I like the idea of people staying here, on our property. It feels like a big security risk.

Tim! This is rural Canada! It's not like we're in . . . in downtown Detroit, Ella said, flailing for a moment as she tried to think of somewhere big and dangerous enough to compare it to. We're going to have maybe three, four guests a month. It will just help pay the bills.

I just don't feel comfortable with the idea of people going back and forth through our property to get to this place.

Ella took a deep breath. She reminded herself that Tim had grown up in a big city and that he had a very different worldview from her. She was a small-town girl who’d moved to Montreal to study and met Tim when she’d started her second job there. Far less suspicious and more trusting than he naturally was, she still knew that it wouldn't help to criticize him. She just needed to push him gently in the right direction.

Tim. I know you don't believe me. But I know this will work. I've put a lot of thought into it, she said.

He paused, then sighed. Okay. I guess we could at least look inside.

Thanks, honey! You won't regret this, she said, giving him a quick kiss as they walked over to the icehouse, nestled away under a large, spreading maple tree.

She'd personally thought it was fascinating that old homesteads were built with actual icehouses, insulated buildings where huge chunks of ice were stored, so that they would keep cold for longer and could be used throughout the summer months as they were needed. It really brought home to her what life had been like in the days before electricity. The interior would have been insulated, probably with straw bales, and a channel cut into the floor to drain away any melted water. There was so much history behind it. She loved history. What an opportunity to make the most of a feature on their property. Better still, it looked as if this icehouse would be big enough to accommodate two visitors. They’d need a bathroom, of course, with plumbing that would have to be installed. And a mini kitchen, but the icehouse did look big enough for a small bedroom and a kitchen with a two-seater table.

The curved door, made of thick wood, looked swollen like it was jammed into place. Tim struggled with it, tugging at the handle to get it to open. Eventually it came loose, and Ella's eyes narrowed at the unpleasant squeal of the hinges.

Inside, it was utterly dark, with a strange, damp smell that she noticed immediately on stepping over the threshold, and she had to admit that it made her wonder if this was going to be a good idea. This place was darker, and creepier, than she'd thought it would be. It was freezing cold in here. Outdoors, it was a pleasant spring day, but in here, without a doubt, it was cold enough for water to ice over.

And it was not empty. There was a pile of rags or sacks over by the far wall. What was it doing there? Surely this place had been for storing ice rather than supplies?

What is that? Tim asked, clearly also wondering what that object was.

He snapped on the flashlight he'd brought along—Ella hadn't thought to bring one herself—and shone it in that direction.

She gasped.

From here, the pile of rags looked uncannily like a collapsed person. She could almost imagine that the twist of sacking was an outflung arm. And that the white top of that bag was a white face, staring sightlessly at the curved roof. She could even imagine that those white rocks nearby were half melted chunks of ice. Luckily, she had a good imagination. Obviously, they couldn’t really be, she thought, but with a twist of unease.

Oh, no, Tim said softly. Oh, no. There was something in his voice that ignited a huge flare of panic inside her. He took a step forward and trained the flashlight on the fallen shape. Feeling frightened, Ella grabbed his hand as she dared to go closer.

And Ella saw, for the first time, those wide, staring eyes, and the mane of blonde hair spilling onto the icy, packed earth.

She gasped.

It was a body. That initial thought had been correct. The impossible was happening. Someone had died here. Then she revised that as panic raced through her mind.

Someone had not just died.

This woman had been murdered and left here in this icy tomb.

CHAPTER ONE

FBI agent Katie Winter was waiting anxiously outside the hospital room where her sister, Josie, had now been recovering for weeks, ever since that day when Katie had found her and saved her from her captor. The evil Gabriel Rath had damaged her sister's mind, seemingly beyond repair. Katie had hoped to save her sister, but she’d rescued only the shell of a woman, riddled with terror and prone to violence, who didn't recognize her family or her surroundings.

She was a danger to herself and society.

A woman she’d met at the hospital, Honore Eliot, had approached her a few days ago in the hospital and asked if she could try hypnotherapy to help Josie overcome her inability to speak, to recognize. Katie had agreed and yesterday—more reluctantly—so had their parents. They had felt fearful about doing this, and Katie wondered if it was because they dreaded what memories this might unlock.

So did she, but she’d paid Honore for two sessions upfront, because this was truly the last chance they had. Electroconvulsive therapy was the only remaining possibility that stood between Josie and permanent institutionalization, and that came with serious risks and damage also.

Pushing her brown, bobbed hair back from her face, Katie stared at the door as if her gaze could somehow ensure that what was happening inside would be successful. She was under no illusions that if this failed, Josie would be locked away forever, or would have to undergo the electroconvulsive therapy that might not work, and that both Katie and her parents were terrified to choose.

Josie, who had once been as bright as Katie, a girl who had loved the outdoors, and been ready to go to college to study and make a difference in the world. 

Katie checked the time yet again. It was eight-thirty a.m. and the hypnotist had been in there for over an hour. It felt like an eternity. She didn't know if the length of time was a good or bad thing. Did it mean that it was working?

Now, Katie turned and glanced at her mother and father who were sitting, waiting, on the bench.

I hope this works, her mother said softly. She was thin and fragile looking, with a face that held only the memory of smiling, but the same intense, green eyes as her daughters.

Her father shook his graying head. We need to assume that it won't work. We can't afford any more false hope, he said in a heavy voice, his own lack of hope evident in the harsh lines on his face. He blamed Katie for what had happened to Josie, because it had been her who'd suggested the illicit kayaking trip in bad weather, sixteen years ago, when Josie had disappeared. Her twin's shock disappearance after her kayak had capsized had caused a rift between Katie and her parents that had been only partially bridged when she'd finally tracked down and rescued Josie.

Her twin's broken mind, her inability to speak, and her violent struggles and attacks had brought a whole new set of worries into the lives of two people who'd already had more than their share. This, Katie acknowledged with an unhappy clench of her stomach.

It had been Josie's disappearance, rather than her rescue, which had changed Katie's life forever. From that day, she'd been alone. The best friend she'd had in the whole world, the girl she'd once called her other self, was gone and, over time, had been presumed dead.

Now, she was here again, but still lost somewhere in the dark reaches of her own mind.

Staring at the closed door, Katie tightened her jaw. She'd managed to bring Josie back. She would not give up now.

They all jumped as the door