Free Fall

  Books by Nancy Mehl

  ROAD TO KINGDOM

  Inescapable

  Unbreakable

  Unforeseeable

  FINDING SANCTUARY

  Gathering Shadows

  Deadly Echoes

  Rising Darkness

  DEFENDERS OF JUSTICE

  Fatal Frost

  Dark Deception

  Blind Betrayal

  KAELY QUINN PROFILER

  Mind Games

  Fire Storm

  Dead End

  THE QUANTICO FILES

  Night Fall

  Dead Fall

  Free Fall

  © 2022 by Nancy Mehl

  Published by Bethany House Publishers

  11400 Hampshire Avenue South

  Minneapolis, Minnesota 55438

  www.bethanyhouse.com

  Bethany House Publishers is a division of

  Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan

  www.bakerpublishinggroup.com

  Ebook edition created 2022

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

  ISBN 978-1-4934-3728-3

  First Peter 5:6–7 in chapter 16 is from the Amplified® Bible (AMP), copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org

  First Peter 5:6–8 in chapter 16 is from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

  Psalm 91 and Jeremiah 29:11 in chapter 30 are from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, incidents, and dialogues are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Cover design by Studio Gearbox

  Author is represented by The Steve Laube Agency.

  Baker Publishing Group publications use paper produced from sustainable forestry practices and post-consumer waste whenever possible.

  When you have a child, you discover a part of your heart you never knew existed. Then you have grandchildren and realize there’s more room there than you ever imagined.

  I dedicate this book to my incredible grandsons,

  Aidan and Bennett.

  I love you to the moon and back.

  You’re both so special, and I’m so proud of you.

  I can’t wait to see the incredible plans God has for your lives.

  Thank you for letting me be your nana.

  Contents

  Cover

  Half Title Page

  Books by Nancy Mehl

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Prologue

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  7

  8

  9

  10

  11

  12

  13

  14

  15

  16

  17

  18

  19

  20

  21

  22

  23

  24

  25

  26

  27

  28

  29

  30

  31

  32

  33

  34

  35

  36

  37

  38

  39

  40

  41

  42

  43

  44

  45

  46

  47

  48

  49

  50

  51

  52

  53

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Back Ads

  Back Cover

  Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do. I’m half crazy . . .

  Prologue

  The screams of people buckled into rides designed to either terrify or thrill them rang out in the darkness. Walking through the park had always energized him. And tonight, as the rides spun, colorful lights flashed, and tinny music swirled, he once again breathed in the aromas of buttered popcorn, steaming hot dogs, and sweet cotton candy.

  He’d grown up in this environment. His father had been a carnie, and they’d traveled together all over the country working carnivals, state and county fairs, and small amusement parks like this one. He loved it. When his father died of a heart attack a little over three years ago, the carnie bosses said he could stay on. At fourteen, it was the only life he’d known.

  Besides, the carnies were a family. His family. He had grandparents somewhere here in Virginia, apparently not too far from this park. His father said they’d visited them once when his mother was still with them. But he couldn’t remember that. They never really spoke about her. That was okay. If she didn’t want him, he didn’t want her either. His memories of her were few and easily forgotten.

  His father had mentioned once that his grandparents had money, but even now, at seventeen, he didn’t care. He had everything he needed. Of course, as he got older, he began to really want a girlfriend. He was attracted to one dark-haired girl in particular.

  He first saw her at this park three years ago, not long after his father died. She had shiny, long dark hair and a smile that made his heart beat wildly. When she walked, she sashayed back and forth, making him feel warm and funny inside. Sometimes she’d throw her head back and swing her hair as though she had no idea she was being observed. But she had to know how attractive she was and that every boy in the park watched her as she strolled past them.

  He wasn’t brave enough to talk to her, though. And besides, she was always with other girls. That made it even harder for him to approach her. The group all laughed and joked with one another as if they’d been friends forever. He couldn’t help but be envious.

  Eight other teenage boys traveled with their group of carnies, but he couldn’t relate to most of them. They were coarse and stupid, and the way they talked about women turned his stomach. His father never referred to women like that even though his wife had run off with another man.

  Eventually, though, he formed a friendship with Andy, who was just two years older. Andy understood him, liked books the way he did, and he never said bad things about girls. Handsome with blond hair and blue eyes, he always had a girlfriend. Girls stared at him all the time.

  But when he smiled at girls, most of them acted like he didn’t even exist. He tried to quell the anger and frustration growing inside him, but it wasn’t easy.

  Then tonight he’d decided to take a big step. He was running the Ghost Shack when he spotted the dark-haired girl and three of her friends waiting in line. She looked his way, and he got up the nerve to smile at her. His heart soared when she smiled back.

  “Keep the tickets,” he said when she arrived at the front of the line. “That way you can ride again if you want.”

  She wore a pretty white dress with yellow daisies printed all over it, and she smelled like . . . summer. It was intoxicating.

  She smiled again. “That’s so nice.”

  “You’re welcome.” Encouraged, he took a deep breath, then spoke to her in almost a whisper. “I have a break in an hour. Would you like to get something to eat
? My treat.”

  Her eyes widened. They were an incredible bluish gray.

  “That sounds great,” she said. “Why don’t I meet you at the beer garden? Lots of tables there.”

  His words seemed to stick in his throat, but he was able to spit out, “Yeah. Okay.”

  She and her friends settled into the ride’s car, and he could hear them giggling as the large wooden doors swung shut behind them. Then their laughter turned into screams, a cacophony of terror that echoed throughout the old structure. The Ghost Shack always seemed to frighten anyone brave enough to venture inside.

  When the car came out through the double exit doors, he unlatched the metal bar that had kept the girls safely inside. She stepped out, then looked back at him and called, “Don’t forget!” She blew a kiss in his direction before walking away, her hips swinging.

  He turned his attention to the people next in line, feeling happier than he had in his entire life.

  Minutes felt like hours until it was time for his break. When Buzz finally arrived five minutes late, he was ready to throttle him. But he just handed over the ride and nearly ran to one of the carnie games.

  He’d remembered that one of the prizes was a little stuffed dog holding a daisy. When you pressed its paw, it sang Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do. I’m half crazy all for the love of you. He asked the carnie, a guy named Mike who’d been a friend of his father’s, if he could have one and pay for it later.

  “Is it for that girl you been likin’ all this time? I seen her go by here earlier.”

  “Yeah. She’s gonna meet me over at the beer garden.”

  Mike handed him the stuffed toy and told him to forget about paying for it. He smiled and thanked him. This really was the best day of his life.

  Before entering the beer garden, he stopped to smooth his hair and brush off his clothes. He was wearing one of his best shirts because he’d hoped she’d show up while they were here. Then he squared his shoulders and walked to the garden, quickly spotting her sitting at a picnic table. His face grew warm with anticipation.

  He sat down beside her, smiled, and handed her the dog. “I got this for you. When you press his paw, he sings. It made me think of you . . . of your dress, I mean.”

  She pressed the dog’s paw, and as they listened to the song, she laughed.

  “I forgot to ask your name,” he said when the song ended.

  But instead of answering him, she looked into his eyes. “Would you like to kiss me?”

  He nodded, unable to speak around the lump in his throat. Hadn’t she noticed his scar? Would she change her mind if she did?

  Then something in her expression startled him, but by the time he realized what it was, it was too late. Someone behind him poured soda over his head, and then both she and the girl who’d doused him started giggling. Several of her friends came out from behind the food stand, and they all began laughing hysterically.

  “What a freak,” the girl said. “How could you think someone like me would be interested in you?” Then she stood and rejoined her friends, tossing the dog in a nearby trash can. As their laughter grew and others around him joined in, a seed of hatred was planted deeply in his heart.

  1

  Fifteen years later

  The abandoned amusement park reminded Logan of an aging bride waiting for a bridegroom who never came.

  From this vantage point, he and Jeff could see Alex get out of her car and walk toward the entrance of a building that looked like it was ready to collapse at any moment. Why had the FBI given its permission for this to happen? It was too dangerous. With the sun slowly slipping out of sight, the park was beginning to disappear into the dusk.

  He glanced at Jeff. If his jaw were set any tighter, his teeth would crack. Jefferson Cole, unit chief of BAU4 at Quantico, wasn’t afraid of much. But he and Logan were more than afraid. They were terrified. What if this went wrong? What if Alex didn’t make it out?

  They watched as she hesitated at the entrance to the dilapidated Ghost Shack, then reached into her jacket pocket and removed a small flashlight. She appeared to look up to where they’d parked. She couldn’t have known he and Jeff were there, though. This wasn’t protocol. But Logan’s feelings for Alex had forced him to be here, at this place, with her. If he’d had his way, it would be him walking into the forsaken building that had once caused its riders to shriek in fear. He could almost hear the frightened cries from years ago reverberate around them.

  When he first met Alex, he could see her imperfections. A wide mouth. A long nose. High forehead. She wasn’t beauty-queen perfect. But as he got to know her, interest in other women faded away. He could see only her. In his mind, she was the most gorgeous woman he’d ever met. Was that love? He wasn’t sure. He only knew he’d never felt like this before, and a voice inside his heart whispered that he never would again.

  “This is a really bad idea,” Jeff said. He sighed. “But Alex insisted she had to try to save the women if they’re still alive. So far this UNSUB’s been one step ahead of us. I just wish Alex hadn’t refused when the SWAT captain tried to get her to wear a wire. I know she was afraid the guy would find it, but . . .”

  Jeff was talking about an unknown subject who had kidnapped several young women. They suspected there were more spread out across the state, although they hadn’t been able to tie him directly to their disappearances. Typically, a serial killer had a narrower comfort zone. A place where he felt safe to hunt. Of course, they couldn’t actually prove he was a killer. There weren’t any bodies . . . yet anyway.

  “We should have checked this place out first. Placed agents inside.”

  “I told you. There wasn’t time.” Jeff shook his head. “As much as I hate to say it, this is our first and maybe our only chance to catch him. Alex is smart and well trained. We have to believe she can handle him.”

  “There she goes,” Logan said as Alex stepped through the entrance and disappeared from sight. His whole body tensed, and he silently begged God to bring her back to him. Not that he and Alex were a couple. Not yet.

  He’d never known anyone like Alex. She was strong, yet she could also be vulnerable. Sometimes her strength was her greatest weakness. She took too many chances. Could be incredibly stubborn when she thought she was right. That trait had landed her in trouble more than once. He knew where it came from, though. Her commitment to the people she swore to protect burned like an unquenchable fire in her soul.

  That devotion was why she was walking into a situation that could easily end her life. The FBI had received a call summoning Alex to this spot, claiming that the location of the missing women would be revealed if his demands were met. The hope that it might be true had brought them all here. There were families who couldn’t give up, who were praying that their loved one would return to them. Logan understood why Alex felt she had no choice, but he still wanted to physically pull her out of there. He tried to ignore the fear that she wouldn’t come back from this attempt, but it clawed at his mind.

  Logan reached into his pants pocket and took out the bottle of pills that went everywhere with him now. He opened the lid, shook two into his hand, and managed to swallow them dry. He was taking too many, but the headaches were blinding, the pain unbearable.

  “Logan,” Jeff said gently, “you’ve got to take care of—”

  “No!” Logan instantly felt guilty. He hadn’t meant to bark at Jeff, but he was determined to be available if Alex needed him. Although she would never admit it, in his heart he knew she depended on him. Yet sometimes all he could do was just be there for her, and he had no intention of letting her down now—even if she didn’t know he was close by.

  “I’m sorry, Jeff. But if you hadn’t told me the truth, it would have been really hard for me to forgive you. This is my choice. I had to be here.”

  “I know you wanted to stop this,” Jeff said. “But it was out of my hands. We both had to follow orders.”

  Once he knew the truth, Logan had thought about call
ing Alex, begging her not to do it, but he knew she wouldn’t have listened. It would have only distracted her, making it harder for her to concentrate on her mission. And that could get her killed. So even though he hated what she was doing now, he could only watch . . . and pray.

  The minutes ticked by like hours. Logan could barely breathe. What was taking so long? HRT and SWAT agents were parked as close to the building as they could get without being seen, waiting for Alex to emerge. They were hidden behind a large sign that promised Magic Land Park would provide “the most fun you’ve ever had.” So far it was failing miserably at living up to its hype.

  If Alex received the promised information, she was to exit the structure and wave, letting the SWAT team know it was safe to breach the building. If she didn’t wave, they were to stay where they were until she could get back to them. Maybe the UNSUB hadn’t shown up. This could be a test to see if Alex would follow his instructions.

  “It’s been too long. I have a bad feeling about this,” Jeff said.

  “I do too.”

  Then they saw the SWAT team get out of their vehicle. They were through waiting. Something was wrong. Alex should have been out by now.

  “If she was wearing a wire or had her phone, we’d know if she was okay,” Jeff mumbled.

  “But besides telling her she had to come alone, he said no gun, no wire, and no phone. Defying him could have gotten her killed. I hope he didn’t find the weapon she does have.”

  Alex had a hard nylon knife tucked inside her sock and boot. It wouldn’t show up if the UNSUB had a metal detector. Neither would the specially built tracker they’d hidden in the lining of her jacket. Logan felt better knowing she had a way to defend herself if she needed to.

  Jeff cursed. “This is insane. We should have set the parameters, not let this guy do it.”

  “Hard to say no when the UNSUB threatens to start killing hostages if you don’t follow orders. He was smart giving Alex only thirty minutes to arrive. I’m just glad SWAT and HRT were also ready to roll.”

  Logan got out of the car and walked a few feet away so he could see what was happening more clearly. Jeff joined him, and they stared down at the scene below. The agents were moving toward the structure, weapons drawn. Time seemed to have slowed to a crawl.