Silent Suspect

By Nico Lane

Freya wakes up in a hospital ward with no memory of who she is or how she got there. She is the main suspect in a series of killings that have been taking place in the town. Freya, despite her lack of memories, feels she is innocent and goes out to prove it. She dives into her history with the assistance of a detective, revealing a labyrinth of lies and deception that takes her to the murderer, who is someone she knows.

 

They become the killer's next victim as they draw closer to the truth. However, the risk does not end there.

 

Freya's horror continues as she is put on trial for a crime she did not commit. As she attempts in court to defend herself and put together her fragmented memories, she realizes that the truth may be more elusive than she ever predicted.

 

Get your copy of "Silent Suspect" now and feel the rush of excitement for yourself.
 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Nico Lane
• Release date: May 20, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223888291

Book preview

SILENT SUSPECT

A Gripping Psychological Thriller

Nico Lane

Copyright © 2023 Nico Lane

All rights reserved

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

Cover design by: Art Painter

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018675309

Printed in the United States of America

CHAPTER 1

Freya gently opened her eyes to find herself in a clean and frigid hospital room. Her mind was racing, and she couldn't recall anything. She became terrified when she realised she had no clue how she got there or even who she was.

Nurses hurried in and examined her vitals before informing her that she had been in a tragic accident. They stated that she had a brain injury that resulted in amnesia, which meant she couldn't recollect anything from her history.

As Freya fought to put together her fractured memories, her heart pounded with terror and bewilderment. She was disoriented, alone, and vulnerable. The hospital room seemed like a jail, enclosing her in a world she didn't understand.

Freya pondered whether she would ever be able to restore her memories and discover who she actually was as she struggled to make sense of her position. The uncertainty of her future was overpowering, and she was overcome with grief.

Freya felt like a stranger in her own body since she had no memories to cling to. She had no idea who she was, what her life had been like, or what type of person she had been.

As Freya gradually regains awareness, she discovers a lady sitting by her bed, clutching her hand. It takes her a minute to realise she doesn't recognise the lady, and fear ensues.

Who are you? What's going on? Freya asks, her voice scratchy and just above a whisper.

The lady raises her head, a worried expression on her face. Oh, thank goodness you're awake. My name is Sarah, and I'm your nurse.

Freya attempts to recall anything about Sarah, but her memory goes blank. Why am I here? What happened to me?

You were in a car accident. You've been in a coma for the past week. You're lucky to be alive, Sarah softly says.

Freya attempts to assimilate the information, but her brain is racing and she is dizzy. I don't remember anything, she adds tremblingly. Who exactly am I?

Sarah gives her a compassionate glance. Memory loss is common after a head injury; don't worry, we'll help you remember.

Freya nods faintly, overwhelmed and terrified. She doesn't know who she is, where she came from, or what her life was like before the accident. Freya had no recollection of the accident that had led her to the hospital or of her life before waking up in the hospital bed. When she glanced around the room, she saw that everything was unknown to her, and she was overwhelmed with bewilderment and anxiety.

She is dazed and confused, attempting to put together the bits of her memories. Despite her best attempts, everything is blurry and indistinct. She has no idea who she is or what her life was like before the disaster.

The more she tries, the more irritated and terrified she gets. It's as if a significant portion of her life has been wiped clean, leaving her with a blank slate. She is unsure if she will ever retrieve her memories or whether she will remain in this condition of forgetfulness indefinitely.

Sarah, her nurse, steps into the room as she sits there, lost in contemplation. How are you feeling, Freya? Sarah inquires, sensing Freya's perplexity.

I don't know, Freya admits candidly. I have no recollection of anything prior to the accident; who am I? What happened to me?

Sarah rests her hand on Freya's shoulder. It's okay, Freya. It's normal to feel scared and confused. You're in the hospital, recovering from an accident. Your memory will come back in time; just take it one day at a time.

Freya nods, relieved by Sarah's assurance. But she can't ignore the sensation that something isn't right. She wonders whether her memory loss is caused by anything other than the accident. Is she forgetting something on purpose? Is there a reason why her mind has erased her past? She can't shake the feeling that there's more to the tale, and she's determined to find out what it is.

Sarah handed a small box to her.

Freya asks, what’s in it?

Sarah says: It's all of your belongings; the car keys, your cell phone, apartment keys, etc.

CHAPTER 2

Aguy entered Freya's room as she lay in bed. He introduced himself as Detective James and said that he was there to assist her in determining what had happened to her.

Detective James is a tall, broad-shouldered guy with short brown hair. He has dark brown eyes and a strong jawline. He's in his late forties, and he exudes confidence and authority. He's dressed in a navy blue suit and a white shirt, with a tie that matches his outfit. In general, he exudes professionalism and expertise.

Freya was overcome with emotion. She had no idea who this guy was or why he was there, but she felt better knowing that someone was attempting to assist her. Detective James informed her that she had been in a vehicle accident and had amnesia as a consequence.

My name is Detective James, and I'm here to speak with you about the murders.

Freya's heart pounded faster. The murders? she said again, a surge of terror washing over her.

James grimaced and nodded. Yes, the murders. I'm afraid there have been several killings in the area in recent weeks that we believe are linked.

A shudder ran down Freya's spine. Connected to what?

That's what we're trying to find out, James said. However, we believe the killer may have also targeted you.

Me? Freya exclaimed. Why would they choose to target me?

We don't know yet, confessed James. However, we're doing everything we can to find out, and we need your assistance.

Freya nodded, her thoughts whirling. She couldn't recall anything about the killings or the perpetrator, but the prospect of becoming a target made her sick with anxiety. She glanced up at James, hoping for some answers.

James leaned forward in his chair, his attention fixated on Freya. Can you tell me where you were on the nights of the murders? he inquired.

Freya scoured her head, trying to recall anything. But, as she'd previously said to James, she couldn't recall the accident that had left her in the hospital, much less what she'd been doing on those evenings.

I don't know, she said, irritated with herself. I wish I could remember, she says, but I just can't.

James gave a sympathetic nod. It's okay; we'll try to figure it out together, he added as he reached across the table to stroke her hand.

Freya was relieved that James wasn't putting too much pressure on her. At the same time, she was aware that she needed to recall something quickly if she was to assist in the capture of the murderer.

Freya became irritated by James' inquiries. She had no recollection of anything before the accident, much less where she was on the evening of the killings. She wishes she could assist James more and put a stop to the murders.

She glanced at him, her eyes pleading with him to grasp what was going on. James saw her anxiety and decided to ease off on the probing. He told her that he was merely attempting to collect as much information as possible and apologised for giving her any discomfort.

Freya nodded, thankful for his compassion and hoping to restore her memories in order to assist in capturing the perpetrator.

CHAPTER 3

James had been looking into the town's killings for months, but he still didn't have any strong clues. Until he met Freya, that is. He didn't think much of her when he first saw her in the hospital. She seemed to be a regular person who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. However, as he proceeded to investigate the deaths, he became suspicious of her.

It wasn't anything special that rang warning bells in his thoughts, but rather a slew of little occurrences. The way she answered his inquiries, the things she couldn't recall, and the way she seemed to be concealing something from him He couldn't exactly pinpoint anything, but he knew he had to keep a tight check on her.

As James investigated further, he discovered more and more evidence that appeared to indicate Freya's involvement in the killings. He discovered that she had been in town on the evening of the murders but couldn't recall where she had been. He also realised she had no acquaintances or relatives in the region, which struck him as odd.

James attempted to stay objective, but he couldn't help but suspect Freya. He knew he needed to keep looking into her, but he also didn't want to jump to conclusions. He needed to collect additional proof before making any allegations.

As he continued to research, James became more furious with Freya. She seemed to be concealing something from him, but he couldn't figure out what. He wanted to believe her, but he knew he couldn't allow his emotions to cloud his judgement.

Despite his doubts, James dealt with Freya professionally. He kept questioning her and gathering facts while keeping an open mind. He realised that if he was going to solve the case, he needed to keep focused, which included being careful with anyone who may be a suspect.

Overall, James' concerns about Freya remained just that: concerns. He didn't have any hard proof that she was involved in the killings, but he couldn't escape the sensation that she knew more than she was admitting.

He came across something that grabbed his attention while looking over the evidence again. It was a receipt from a business that sold the exact rope used to strangle one of the victims. The receipt's date and time of purchase were particularly intriguing. It happened on the same night as the murder.

James saw this as a big hint and chose to investigate the acquisition further. He went to the shop and asked