Judging You (A Hailey Rock FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 5)

By Rylie Dark

Despite being a rising star in the BAU unit, FBI Special Agent Hailey Rock still lives in the shadow of her older sister, who remained in their small Midwestern town to become a police sheriff, and who remains the favorite in their parents’ eyes. Hailey has not thought of her estranged family in ages, but when bodies are discovered in abandoned haunted houses in farm fields, Hailey must work with her sister to get past the haunted lore, and to catch a sinister serial killer eager to strike again.

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

JUDGDING YOU is book #5 in a long-anticipated new series by #1 bestseller Rylie Dark, whose bestseller SEE HER RUN (a free download) has received over 700 five star ratings and reviews.

An abandoned house, considered by locals to be haunted, becomes a crime scene. Hailey used to avoid this house growing up, and now she remembers why. The place would be eerie, even without the body. The suspect must be a local, given the history of the place, but who?

Can Hailey face her hometown ghosts to uncover the truth?

A cat-and-mouse thriller with harrowing twists and turns and filled with heart-pounding suspense, the HAILEY ROCK 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 will be available soon.

“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: Nov 29, 2023
• ISBN: 9781094378022

Book preview

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J U D G I N G

Y O U

(A Hailey Rock Mystery—Book 5)

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 six books (and counting); of the TARA STRONG MYSTERY series, comprising six 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 MYSTERY series, 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 Brilliant Eye, used under license from Shutterstock.com.

BOOKS BY RYLIE DARK

KELLY CRUZ MYSTERY

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)

GIRL WITHOUT A PAST (Book #6)

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)

FOLLOWING YOU (Book #6)

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

PROLOGUE

An abandoned house deep in the countryside of Christian County, Missouri

October 28

Midnight

Everyone in Ozark Pioneers High School knew the house off of County Road N was haunted. Hadn’t several people passing by late at night seen a weird green light shining from the downstairs window, and hadn’t Geoff Tyler taken a photo of a strange, ghostly figure in the upper window, a photo that one of the computer geeks had proven wasn’t Photoshopped?

The stories about the house off County Road N went back forever. Timmy Quinn had even heard a story from his best friend’s big brother, who was twenty-two, about seeing the green light shining out of the ground floor window one night almost ten years ago. Others had seen the green light too. Lots of people knew someone who had.

And the house had been abandoned for even longer than forever. There were lots of houses like that out in the back roads of the county, and several were said to be haunted. This was the worst, though.

Timmy reminded himself that he didn’t believe in ghosts, not really. He was fourteen, and his homeroom teacher said he was the smartest in his class. Too smart to believe in stupid stuff like ghosts.

Still, his spine tingled as he sat in the back seat with Rachel McCarthy, who was a senior and had the best boobs in high school. At the wheel was her brother, Bob McCarthy, a junior, and next to him was Timmy’s cousin Hatch, also a junior. They’d let him tag along and even said they’d get beer later, but first he had to prove himself.

He had to go into the haunted house. Alone.

The county road stretched out into darkness beyond the headlights, nothing but woods and empty fields to either side. The haunted house was set way far away from any other house. Back in 1900 or whenever it was built, it must have been miles from the nearest neighbor. Word had it that a crazy family had lived there, and they stayed apart from their neighbors to hide the fact that they sacrificed babies to Satan.

Timmy Quinn didn’t believe a word of it, or at least he tried to tell himself that. All just a bunch of tall tales like people were always telling to scare each other. The only really scary things were all the serial killers that had appeared lately down in Taney County, just to the south. Mom and Dad had only let him out of the house because he had told them he’d be with his cousin and a bunch of older kids, and that they’d spend the whole night inside playing video games.

They’d skin him alive if they knew the truth.

There it is, Bob McCarthy said in an ominous voice.

He slowed the car. Up ahead to the right, set about twenty yards back from the road in an overgrown field, stood the old house.

Timmy had seen it before—only in the daytime—and knew it was a two-story gabled-roof farmhouse typical from the time of his great-grandparents. Plenty of those still around, many of them lived in. He knew there was a heap of rotten timber to the right of it that had once been a barn, and brambles and weeds all around.

In the dark, though, he couldn't see any of that. In the dark, it looked like some big black beast crouched by the side of the road, ready to leap on the car and devour it.

Timmy Quinn gulped.

They pulled off the road onto the weedy remnants of a gravel driveway, as the headlights scanned past the house, they briefly lit up its battered and ivy-covered front.

There was a flash of green light in a downstairs window.

Everyone sucked in their breath.

No. Way, Timmy’s cousin Hatch said.

Bob McCarthy switched off the headlights.

Bob, what the hell are you doing? Rachel cried.

The kid doesn’t get to go in there with lights. And he’s got to go in all by himself.

Did you see that green flash? Rachel said. Let’s get out of here.

It totally didn’t believe in that until now, Hatch said. He turned and looked at Timmy. You don’t have to go in if you don’t want to.

I’d never go in there, Rachel said.

Don’t be a wuss, Bob said.

They were all looking at Timmy. He tried to look brave.

I’ll go in. He cringed when he heard his voice waver.

Right on! Bob gave him a fist bump. Timmy replied with an uncertain grin.

I don’t think this is a good idea, Hatch said.

You heard the man, Bob said. He wants to.

But that light …

Only proves how brave he is, Bob said.

Timmy’s eyes darted from one to the other. Was this a game? Were they playing him? Maybe one of their friends was hiding inside and flashed that green light, then when Timmy went in he’d jump out covered in a sheet and scare the crap out of him.

Yeah, that was probably it.

He almost convinced himself. Almost.

He shouldn’t go in without a light, his cousin said.

That was the deal! Bob snapped.

He could step on a nail or fall through a rotten board.

He’ll be fine.

Bob, he really should have a light, Rachel said.

Yeah, I don’t want to explain why my little cousin got hurt on my watch.

Oh, all right, Bob conceded.

Timmy pulled out his phone and turned on the flashlight.

No way! Bob said, grabbing it. He rummaged around the glove compartment and came out with a battered old plastic flashlight. Take this.

Timmy turned it on. It gave out a feeble glow.

The battery’s almost dead.

Bob gave him a wicked grin. I know. I figured you’d wuss out like this and get your cousin to back you, so I put some old batteries in it. Have fun, kiddo.

You sure you want to go? Rachel asked.

Timmy stared at her boobs. Yeah. No sweat.

You sure are brave, she said.

Um, thanks.

Rachel reached over and pinched his cheek like she was his grandmother or something. He’d have preferred a kiss, but any touch from the hottest girl in school was something worth crowing over.

Stop staring at my sister’s tits and get out of the car, Bob said.

Timmy blushed and leaped out of the car so fast he banged his head against the doorframe.

Bob laughed. Maybe giving him that flashlight was a good idea after all.

Be careful, cuz, Hatch said.

Remember the deal, Bob said. You have to spend ten minutes inside. We’ll be timing you, and I'll honk when the time's up. You come out early, we tell everyone at school what a pussy you are. You go the distance, you get to drink ‘til you puke.

Timmy hesitated, staring at the dark bulk of the house.

Rachel stuck her head out the window. Good luck.

That decided it.

Timmy started walking. He heard snickering behind him. Bob. What a jerk. The faint glow from his flashlight barely illuminated his steps but kept him from tripping over bramble bushes or snapping ay twigs.

He didn’t want to snap any twigs. Something told him he shouldn’t make any noise.

Timmy drew closer to the house, shining the dying flashlight on it and only able to make out vague outlines of the porch, steps, and grubby windows. Would these old batteries even last ten minutes?

Too late to turn back now.

He got to the porch steps and was instantly grateful for even this crappy flashlight on a cloudy and dark night.

Both steps were so warped they’d break for sure if he stepped on them.

The edge of the porch looked secure enough, and since the railing had fallen away, he could step right up onto it.

When he did, the board creaked like some sound effect from a cheap horror flick, making Timmy grit his teeth. He looked over his shoulder to where the others waited in the car, engine idling, all lights off.

Another creak made him whip back around to face forward, heart hammering.

You dummy, he thought. That was you shifting your weight.

Cautiously, testing his weight with each step, he paced forward to the door.

It was one of those old-style doors with a brass knob and a fan-shaped window on top, now so cracked and dusty his flashlight couldn’t pick out anything on the other side.

Please be locked.

He tried the knob. It was unlocked.

Taking a deep breath, he swung open the door, the rusty hinges groaning like a chorus of banshees. Anything inside would hear him for sure.

There’s nothing inside.

But what about the green light? What about Geoff Tyler’s photo?

He shone the flashlight inside, its weak light probing a front hallway ending at a flight of stairs leading up into the darkness. An open doorway stood to his left, a closed door to his immediate right.

Timmy paused. He wanted to look back over his shoulder to reassure himself the older kids were still there, but he didn’t dare take his eyes away from all those shadows his flashlight left unexplored.

He didn’t like the look of that staircase, and he really worried about what might lurk behind that closed door. Maybe he’d just stay in the room to his left. If anything happened, he could bolt out the front door, which he left open.

Timmy stepped into the room, and his heart shoved itself right up his throat.

A ghost!

A white form was hunched just opposite him. He froze, unable to move, unable to scream.

Then he took a second look at the shape and the thin wooden legs sticking out from beneath the white.

A chair covered with a dusty old sheet.

There was a loveseat too, uncovered and torn apart by mice. There was no other furniture other than some rotted and empty shelves. Beyond lay an open, arched doorway. He took a couple of steps toward it, boards creaking underfoot.

Once again, panic nearly overwhelmed him. A green glow appeared on the opposite side of the next room, like an orb floating at head level.

Timmy had heard about orbs, little spheres of light that were like spirits, although not the shape of humans.

It just sort of floated there without moving or making a sound. Timmy's hand trembled, and as if to mock him, the orb winked in and out of sight.

Timmy blinked, stared, and dared another step forward.

It was an antique flower vase of green glass sitting on a mantelpiece.

Timmy laughed with sudden relief. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw that it stood right opposite the grubby front window. When a car pulled off the county road in front of the house, the headlights would shine through the window and onto the vase, making the same creepy reflection he had just made. That explained the flash of green light they had seen a few minutes ago, and the light so many other kids had seen.

Timmy smiled. He had a hell of a story to tell everyone. He’d be the hero of the school. Maybe Rachel would even …

… no, that was too much to hope for. She’d look up to him, though, and that would be pretty cool.

More confident now, he walked into the next room to take a closer look at the old vase. It would make a hell of a trophy.

As he passed through the doorway, he stopped.

He had heard a noise. Not the creak of his footsteps, but something else. It had sounded like scuttling.

On the wall to his left, he could now see a wardrobe of dark wood. Just a little way in front of it lay an old, rolled-up carpet.

One of the doors to the wardrobe was slightly open. Did it move a little bit, or was that just a trick of the light?

Then the scuttling came again. It came from the direction of the wardrobe, and this time he swore the door wobbled a bit.

Timmy didn’t know why, but he didn’t freeze and he didn’t run. Instead, he slowly moved forward, not daring to breathe, his hand reaching for the door to the wardrobe. His mind was blank, his only sensation a mixture