With Vengeance (A Maeve Sharp FBI Suspense Thriller—Book Three)

By Rylie Dark

FBI Special Agent Maeve Sharp, a rising star in the BAU, decides to leave behind a shining career when she transfers to Las Vegas to come back home to her dying mother and incarcerated brother. But the Vegas field office needs her when victims of a new killer are found, some thrown from the tallest buildings. What is the missing link? And who will this killer target next?

“A brilliant book. I couldn’t put it down and I never guessed who the murderer was!”
—Reader review for Only Murder

WITH VENGEANCE is book #3 in a new series by #1 bestselling and critically acclaimed mystery and suspense author Rylie Dark, whose books have received over 2,000 five-star reviews and ratings.

FBI Special Agent Maeve Sharp never got over her sister’s disappearance when they were teenagers, the case gone cold, the feeling that just maybe she is still out there, somewhere. It ruined her family and destroyed her father who, once a decorated cop on the LVPD, now sits alone in a dilapidated trailer in the middle of nowhere, refusing to reconcile with her. It wrecked her brother, too, leading to lockup after lockup, as he pleads with Maeve to help get her out. And it wrecked her mom most of all, who in her dying days can think of nothing else.

Maeve though she got away from it all when she transferred to Quantico and made a career for herself.

But the past has a way of calling, of bringing back dark and unresolved memories. And Maeve has stepped right back into, ready, this time, to wrestle her darkest demons while she hunts down new serial killers….

A cat-and-mouse thriller with harrowing twists and turns and filled with heart-pounding suspense, the MAEVE SHARP mystery series offers a fresh twist on the genre as it introduces two brilliant protagonists who will make you fall in love and keep you turning pages late into the night.

Future books in the series are also available.

“I loved this thriller, read it in one sitting. Lots of twists and turns and I didn’t guess the
culprit at all… Already pre-ordered the second!”
—Reader review for Only Murder

“This book takes off with a bang… An excellent read, and I'm looking forward to the next book!”
—Reader review for SEE HER RUN

“Fantastic book! It was hard to put down. I can’t wait to see what happens next!”
—Reader review for SEE HER RUN

“The twists and turns kept coming. Can't wait to read the next book!”
—Reader review for SEE HER RUN

“A must-read if you enjoy action-packed stories with good plots!”
—Reader review for SEE HER RUN

“I really like this author and this series starts with a bang. It will keep you turning the pages till the end of the book and wanting more.”
—Reader review for SEE HER RUN

“I can't say enough about this author! How about ‘out of this world’! This author is going to go far!”
—Reader review for ONLY MURDER

“I really enjoyed this book… The characters were alive, and the twists and turns were great. It will keep you reading till the end and leave you wanting more.”
—Reader review for NO WAY OUT

“This is an author that I highly recommend. Her books will have you begging for more.”
—Reader review for NO WAY OUT

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rylie Dark
• Release date: Sep 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9781094379036

Book preview

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W I T H   V E N G E A N C E

(A Maeve Sharp Mystery—Book 3)

R y l i e   D a r k

Rylie Dark

Bestselling author Rylie Dark is author of the SADIE PRICE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising six books; of the CARLY SEE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising six books; of the MIA NORTH FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising six books (and counting); of the MORGAN STARK FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising five books; of the HAILEY ROCK FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising five books (and counting); of the TARA STRONG MYSTERY series, comprising five books (and counting); of the ALEX QUINN FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising five books (and counting); of the MAEVE SHARP FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER, comprising five books (and counting); and of the KELLY CRUZ FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER, comprising five books (and counting).

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

Copyright © 2023 by Rylie Dark. 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 Galyna Andrushko, used under license from Shutterstock.com.

BOOKS BY RYLIE DARK

KELLY CRUZ FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

WHERE YOU GO (Book #1)

WHERE YOU HIDE (Book #2)

WHERE YOU SLEEP (Book #3)

WHERE YOU RUN (Book #4)

WHERE YOU FEAR (Book #5)

MAEVE SHARP FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

WITH MALICE (Book #1)

WITH ENVY (Book #2)

WITH VENGEANCE (Book #3)

WITH RAGE (Book #4)

WITH YOU (Book #5)

ALEX QUINN SUSPENSE THRILLER

FIRST, MURDER (Book #1)

SECOND, DEATH (Book #2)

THIRD, ENVY (Book #3)

FOURTH, LUST (Book #4)

FIFTH, WRATH (Book #5)

TARA STRONG MYSTERY

GIRL WITHOUT A CHANCE (Book #1)

GIRL WITHOUT A HOME (Book #2)

GIRL WITHOUT A TRACE (Book #3)

GIRL WITHOUT A NAME (Book #4)

GIRL WITHOUT A PRAYER (Book #5)

HAILEY ROCK FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

BEHIND YOU (Book #1)

BESIDE YOU (Book #2)

AFTER YOU (Book #3)

WATCHING YOU (Book #4)

JUDGING YOU (Book #5)

SADIE PRICE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

ONLY MURDER (Book #1)

ONLY RAGE (Book #2)

ONLY HIS (Book #3)

ONLY ONCE (Book #4)

ONLY SPITE (Book #5)

ONLY MADNESS (Book #6)

MIA NORTH FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

SEE HER RUN (Book #1)

SEE HER HIDE (Book #2)

SEE HER SCREAM (Book #3)

SEE HER VANISH (Book #4)

SEE HER GONE (Book #5)

SEE HER DEAD (Book #6)

CARLY SEE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

NO WAY OUT (Book #1)

NO WAY BACK (Book #2)

NO WAY HOME (Book #3)

NO WAY LEFT (Book #4)

NO WAY UP (Book #5)

NO WAY TO DIE (Book #6)

MORGAN STARK FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

TOO LATE (Book #1)

TOO CLOSE (Book #2)

TOO FAR GONE (Book #3)

TOO LOST (Book #4)

TOO BROKEN (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

EPILOGUE

PROLOGUE

Matt Cho slowly opened his eyes as the desert sun just began to rise over the horizon. Matt groaned in pain as he slowly regained consciousness. His eyelids fluttered open, revealing bewildered eyes that struggled to focus.

Matt's mind was a haze, his thoughts scattered like puzzle pieces. He blinked several times, trying to clear his head, as the world around him gradually sharpened into focus. He tried to remember where he had been last, what happened to him, and why the wind was so loud.

Then as his vision came into focus, he saw the dizzying drop below him.

Fear surged through his veins. He tried to cry out but found he was completely paralyzed.

He was precariously lying on a ledge, with nothing below it for over a hundred stories.

Far below him, people walked back and forth on the sidewalk the size of ants.

What... What happened? Where am I? he whispered.

He recognized the view… he was on the top of the Skyward Tower, the tallest building in Las Vegas.

For a moment, he thought he was dreaming and that at any moment, he would wake up back in his bed in Hong Kong. But no matter how hard he squeezed his eyes shut and tried to wake up, he always opened his eyes to the exact same place.

Matt didn’t want to move. He couldn’t risk falling. But he also knew that he couldn’t stay put forever… if he did, he might lose balance and fall anyway.

Gathering every ounce of strength, Matt attempted to push himself up, but his body felt heavy, weak, as if a massive weight pressed upon him. The throbbing pain in his head intensified with every movement, threatening to plunge him back into unconsciousness. He sat up, his hands trembling, and surveyed his surroundings.

The view was both breathtaking and terrifying. The sprawling expanse of Las Vegas stretched out before him like a vivid dreamscape, pulsating with life and excess. Skyscrapers pierced the sky, adorned with neon signs that flickered and danced, beckoning weary souls into their labyrinthine depths. The cacophony of honking horns, distant laughter, and blaring music wafted up from the streets below, blending into a symphony of urban chaos. Maybe someone in one of the distant high-rise windows would see him and call the authorities.

But beyond the city's vibrant facade, the vastness of the desert sprawled like a barren canvas, its silence a stark contrast to the city's relentless energy. The desert seemed to stretch into eternity, an untamed wilderness waiting patiently for its next victim.

As Matt's gaze panned across the skyline, his heart skipped a beat. A figure stood near the edge of the rooftop, wearing head-to-toe black, obscured by the shimmering heat waves that rose from the scorching metal exterior of the building. Relief and apprehension mingled within him, for the presence of another human both offered hope and posed new questions.

Thank God!

Matt's voice quivered with uncertainty as if he were afraid that even the sound of his own voice might disturb the delicate balance of his predicament.

He missed the comfort of his Hong Kong home, and seeing another human being on the tower made him believe he might make it back there. But why was he here in the first place? He recognized the Vegas skyline, of course, but his reasons for being here were fuzzy at best.

He racked his mind, searching for a shred of memory to hold onto. Why couldn’t he remember the night before? Was it visiting his friends? Why did the image of being in a casino flash through his mind?

 He strained his ears, hoping for a response, while his mind raced to unravel the mysteries that led him to this dizzying height.

Hello? he said when the figure didn’t answer. Can you hear me?

 The figure didn’t move.

Please, you have to help me. I’m afraid to fall.

Still no answer.

Are you stuck up here too? Do you know how we got here?

His questions were met by silence. 

The words hung in the air, trembling with vulnerability. Matt's eyes locked onto the figure, waiting for any sign of acknowledgment. He didn’t understand why the man wouldn’t respond. They were trapped together— the least they could do was help each other out. The stranger turned slowly, their silhouette sharpening against the backdrop of the city's shimmering skyline. A brief pause filled the void, and then the stranger spoke with a calmness that didn’t match the gravity of the situation.

The world is so beautiful from up here, isn't it? he crouched down so that Matt could see him a little easier. Not that it meant anything– he didn't recognize the man.

Wh-who are you? How did we end up here? I don't... I don't remember anything.

The man chuckled, moving closer to Matt with an unsettling lack of fear for their dangerous environment.

No need to fret, Matthew. All in due time.

Matt's brows furrowed in confusion, his desperation mounting. He had to find a way off the rooftop, away from the dizzying precipice that threatened to devour him. Gathering his courage, he pointed towards the edge.

Please. I can’t move away from the edge alone.

The stranger's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, his gaze fixated on Matt with an unsettling intensity. Without a hint of fear or hesitation, he took a step closer to the edge, seemingly unaffected by the height that paralyzed Matt with dread.

Fear is a peculiar thing, Matthew. It has a way of clouding judgment and distorting reality. But what if I told you that the edge holds no power over me?

 As he said this, the stranger walked closer to the edge until his toes hung off the side, and he even leaned over, looking down at the blood-curdling drop below then. A strong gust of wind would have sent him to his doom.

But the stranger had no fear.

I’ll help you get away from it. If you insist, he answered at last.

Matt's heart raced, a mixture of confusion and awe washing over him. How could someone be so unfazed by the very thing that gripped him with a suffocating terror?

The stranger's lips curled into a mysterious smile, his eyes glinting as though he knew something Matt didn't.

He reached out and grabbed Matt by the arm, his grip so strong it hurt Matt's wrist. Then he pulled him up with so much confidence that, for a moment, Matt forgot about the height.

The stranger didn’t let Matt’s shaky balance and overwhelming fear of the fall keep him down. Matt stumbled. As soon as he was back on his feet, head pounding, he found himself wishing for the relative stability of lying down. But the stranger refused to let go of him. Instead, he half-pushed, half-carried Matt to the inside of the ledge, where there was more space between him and the deadly fall. He dropped Matt so that he fell against one of the sloping steel buttresses of the building.

They were too high up to be on the Skyward’s roof. In fact, they were only a little below the platform where a massive lightning rod was bolted to the steel structure, and next to them, there was a small door, along with ladder rungs built into the side of the tower.

I bet we can get this door open! He said. I’ll help you, and then we could wedge it open with something. Matt laughed with relief, for the first time believing that he might make it off the roof alive.

There’s only one problem with that, said the man.

He walked around the ledge with as much confidence as a man who stood at sea level.

What?

Do I look like I need any help?

Umm… Matt didn’t know how to respond.

The answer to that is no, he said.

Matt noticed a black duffle bag full of ropes and pulleys attached with a carabiner to the ladder along the side of the building.

What is that? he asked.

The stranger dug through the bag until he brought out a massive length of climbing rope, which he slung over his shoulder.

Unfortunately for you, my friend, this is where your part of the story ends.

CHAPTER ONE

The soft glow of dawn filtered through the windows of Maeve Sharp's cozy RV, casting a warm hue upon her galley kitchen, but Maeve couldn’t fully enjoy the view. Yesterday's conversation with her father still lingered heavily in her mind.

Even though her father had been the one to suggest she try to track down her missing sister, he had quickly changed his stance.

And when he got closer to finding out what she was really doing…

It hadn’t gone well.

He had even gone so far as to hide evidence and forbid her from pursuing the case.

But she knew that she didn’t have a choice.

If her sister was out there somewhere, then Maeve owed it to her to track her down, bring her back.

As her gaze wandered beyond the desert horizon, where the sun painted the vast expanse in shades of gold, she couldn't help but feel that the vista that usually brought her solace didn't hold the same wonder it once did.

The weight of her chaotic life circumstances weighed so heavy; she could feel the pain in her shoulders. The desert, once a sanctuary where she found solace, now felt like an echo of her inner emptiness. With a sigh, she turned her attention to the steaming cup of coffee sitting beside her, hoping that the warm beverage would be enough to comfort her.

She brought the cup to her lips and took in the rich aroma that wafted through the air. The bitter taste of caffeine provided a fleeting respite, a small kick of courage. It was a small comfort, but in that moment, it was enough.

Maeve shifted her focus to the laptop that patiently awaited her attention. She took a deep breath, mentally preparing herself for what awaited, and then she flipped it open. The screen flickered to life, illuminating her tired but determined face. She logged into an encrypted database that would give her access to all the people who had been arrested in the state.

Once logged in, she navigated through the digital maze, her fingers dancing across the keyboard as she entered her credentials. Each keystroke was deliberate as she contemplated the gravity of what she was doing. As lines of dada scolded across, Maeve's heart quickened, wondering what awaited her.

This database held the secrets of countless cases, a sea of information that was as difficult to decipher as it was overwhelming. Soon, scores of faces– mugshots– looked back at her, each face a potential suspect. Maeve was a master at piecing together fragments of information, uncovering the hidden connections that eluded others.

But even Maeve hesitated.

Looking for the person who had kidnapped her sister, never to be seen again, all those years ago, was a risk to say the least.

On one hand, if she found the perpetrator, then she would be able to finally put the case to rest and give her dying mother much-needed closure.

But on the other hand…

She risked digging up secrets and gruesome details that would only make her family's grief worse and, by extension, alienate her father and potentially the rest of the family.

She took a breath so deep her chest hurt.

Was she ready for this?

She might never have the answer, but she dove in anyway.

She scrolled through the mountains of data on anyone who had been arrested in connection with trafficking, kidnapping, or organized crime during the time of her sister’s disappearance. She