Boldt's Broken Angel

By Ridley Pearson and Clive Cussler

Prepare for edge-of-your-seat suspense in this Thriller Short.

Originally published in THRILLER 2 (2009),edited by #1 New York Times bestselling author Clive Cussler.

In this Thriller Short, #1 New York Times bestselling author Ridley Pearson offers a disturbing tale of redemption. Police detective Lou Boldt returns from a three-month suspension and a demotion to work a missing person’s case. But when a second woman goes missing, Boldt realizes he has a serial offender on his hands, and the pressure to solve the case mounts. When all of the victims turn up dead, Boldt is forced to play catch-up and, as things spiral out of control and the killing escalates, a shocking revelation awaits him—one that will forever change him.

Don’t miss any of these exciting stories from Thriller 2:

The Weapon by Jeffery DeaverRemaking by Blake CrouchIced by Harry HunsickerJustice Served by Mariah StewartThe Circle by David HewsonRoomful of Witnesses by R.L. StineThe House on Pine Terrace by Phillip MargolinThe Desert Here and the Desert Far Away by Marcus SakeyOn the Run by Carla NeggersCan You Help Me Out Here? by Robert FerrignoCrossed Double by Joe HartlaubThe Lamented by Lawrence LightVintage Death by Lisa JacksonSuspension of Disbelief by Tim MaleenyA Calculated Risk by Sean ChercoverThe Fifth World by Javier SierraGhost Writer by Gary BraverThrough a Veil Darkly by Kathleen AntrimBedtime for Mr. Li by David J. MontgomeryProtecting the Innocent by Simon WoodWatch Out for My Girl by Joan JohnstonKilling Time by Jon LandBoldt’s Broken Angel by Ridley Pearson

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Jan 22, 2018
• ISBN: 9781488094897

Ridley Pearson

Ridley Pearson is the bestselling author of over fifty novels, including Peter and the Starcatchers (cowritten with Dave Barry) and the Kingdom Keepers and Lock and Key series. He has also written two dozen crime novels, including Probable Cause, Beyond Recognition, Killer Weekend, The Risk Agent, and The Red Room. To learn more about him, visit www.ridleypearson.com.

Book preview

cover-image

Prepare for edge-of-your-seat suspense in this Thriller Short.

Originally published in THRILLER 2 (2009),

edited by #1 New York Times bestselling author Clive Cussler.

In this Thriller Short, #1 New York Times bestselling author Ridley Pearson offers a disturbing tale of redemption.

Police detective Lou Boldt returns from a three-month suspension and a demotion to work a missing person’s case. But when a second woman goes missing, Boldt realizes he has a serial offender on his hands, and the pressure to solve the case mounts. When all of the victims turn up dead, Boldt is forced to play catch-up and, as things spiral out of control and the killing escalates, a shocking revelation awaits him—one that will forever change him.

Don’t miss any of these exciting stories from Thriller 2:

The Weapon by Jeffery Deaver

Remaking by Blake Crouch

Iced by Harry Hunsicker

Justice Served by Mariah Stewart

The Circle by David Hewson

Roomful of Witnesses by R.L. Stine

The House on Pine Terrace by Phillip Margolin

The Desert Here and the Desert Far Away by Marcus Sakey

On the Run by Carla Neggers

Can You Help Me Out Here? by Robert Ferrigno

Crossed Double by Joe Hartlaub

The Lamented by Lawrence Light

Vintage Death by Lisa Jackson

Suspension of Disbelief by Tim Maleeny

A Calculated Risk by Sean Chercover

The Fifth World by Javier Sierra

Ghost Writer by Gary Braver

Through a Veil Darkly by Kathleen Antrim

Bedtime by Mr. Li by David J. Montgomery

Protecting the Innocent by Simon Wood

Watch Out for My Girl by Joan Johnston

Killing Time by Jon Land

Boldt’s Broken Angel by Ridley Pearson

Boldt’s Broken Angel

Ridley Pearson

CONTENTS

Boldt’s Broken Angel

RIDLEY PEARSON

Not only is bestselling author Ridley Pearson a master of forensic detail but he also plays in a rock band with other bestselling writers like Amy Tan, Mitch Albom and Stephen King. We play music as well as Metallica writes novels, he said, so it’s good news that Ridley agreed to contribute a story to this collection rather than an original song.

Boldt’s Broken Angel opens with one of the most haunting and powerful scenes you’ll ever read. The reader follows detective Lou Boldt on the trail of a serial killer who is as twisted as Ridley’s brilliant plot. Fight the urge to skip ahead, because you won’t want to miss a single word. This is a model thriller by a modern master, the perfect story to complete the collection.

BOLDT’S BROKEN ANGEL

Erastus Malster—they called him Rastus—hooked both feet beneath the large gray cleat on the bow of the fishing trawler Sea Spirits and, holding himself fast, lifted his arms straight out at his sides like Leonardo DiCaprio in Titanic. The salt spray peppered his wide-mouthed grin, stung his eyes and seasoned his fourteen-year-old tongue.

It was his uncle’s boat, his uncle’s idea to wave to his mother in the jet as it took off from SEATAC. They had no real way to track the flight, bound for Israel where she was set to join up with a two-star cruise ship tour of Israel ports and Egyptian treasures, so Rastus waved at all the planes, while his uncle drank beer and laughed from the wheelhouse. His uncle loved to laugh.

His uncle had also judged wrong. They were far too distant from the airport to catch any of the planes taking off. In fact, they could barely seen any metal in the sky. A flicker or a flash as the aluminum skin caught the retreating sun.

Rastus saw one blaze in particular as he rode the bow: a brilliant white-and-orange glint that held the intensity of a camera’s flash. He pointed up to it and gasped.

Uncle! Uncle! he called out.

His uncle only laughed and hoisted the beer.

At first, he thought they were salmon, or seals or even Orca whales surfacing—an exciting splash a hundred yards to his left. Port, as his uncle called it. Why they couldn’t just call it left Rastus wasn’t sure.

The moment that first splash occurred, his uncle cranked the wheel in that direction, so severely that the cleat was not enough to hold Rastus, and he fell to his right, barely catching hold of the wire rail at the last possible second. He regained his balance, righted himself and looked back at his uncle in the wheelhouse.

The man’s face had contorted into a full flood of surprise and excitement.

Rastus turned to

Reviews for Boldt's Broken Angel

[jamespurcell · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An intense novel skillfully delivered in a short story.