Page 80 of See How They Hide

She reluctantly agreed only because she suspected Riley would attempt to bolt if she felt threatened.

“Let’s see if we can pull more out of her,” Dean said. “Good call, Detective, on having the interview here, rather than the police station. We want her to be comfortable. Matt, if you don’t mind letting Kara and me handle the conversation alone? It’ll be recorded, but I don’t want to overwhelm her.”

“I’ll have Agent Wagner escort Riley here, then we’ll leave. Call when you’re done.” He texted Sloane, then looked at Kara, and she knew what he was thinking. It was sometimes amazing and always unnerving that he could read her so well. No one had ever quite understood her, until Matt.

He knew she was skeptical of Dean, and she suspected Matt was, as well. Dean wasn’t part of their team. Kara gave Matt a nod, acknowledging his unspoken concerns.

“We’re good here,” she said. “But I’m worried about Michael.”

“Why?” Matt asked with a glance toward Dean. Did he think she was going to air something confidential? Okay, maybe he didn’t know her as well as she thought.

“I’m worried abouteveryone,” she clarified. “Michael’s in the field alone, Jim is now at the hospital alone. The killers—and we know there’s more than one—only target their victimswhen they are alone. They could be capable of going after a pair, but it’s easier and safer to take us out solo.”

“Point taken,” Matt said. “I’ll have another talk with hotel security, and remind Jim and Michael to be on alert. When possible, we’ll work in pairs.”

Matt answered the knock on the door and Sloane walked in with Riley.

Riley wore jeans and a sweater, no makeup, her hair damp and pulled back into a ponytail. She looked younger than twenty-two and very much alone even standing in the room with four federal agents. Kara had empathy—she knew what it was like to be surrounded by people yet feel like you were on an island.

Dean smiled and introduced himself to Riley.

“We’re just going to have a conversation,” Dean said. “There’s no need to be nervous.”

Riley looked skeptically at the recording equipment. The living area of the suite had two couches and a small round table. Dean had set up the camera next to the table, and placed unopened water bottles at three of the chairs.

“This helps us protect your rights,” Dean said. “We’re not going to share the recordings with anyone outside of this investigation.”

Riley looked at Kara, as if wanting her assessment. “I’ll be with you the whole time,” Kara said. “You need to take a break, let me know and we’ll take a break.”

“Okay,” Riley said quietly.

Riley had been worried about this conversation, but not for the reasons the police thought.

They were concerned about her mental health, about how she might feel if she talked about Havenwood. They also might be concerned that she had committed a crime. She had. Some of the crimes they might not care about. Since she’d left Havenwood she knew no one really cared much about growing marijuana. But she was pretty certain selling it in the quantities that they had was serious.

But some of her actions...she had been party to violence. To torture. To murder. It didn’t matter if she hadn’t killed anyone with her bare hands, she had been present and she had done nothing.

The guilt clawed in her gut and she almost ran to the bathroom to puke the breakfast she’d managed to eat. She was just as guilty as her mother. Calliope may have killed, but Riley let her. She’d been running from her guilt for years, and now she couldn’t. She had to face it head-on. And if she had to go to prison, she would accept the punishment.

Would you really?

She shook her head, dismissed her conflicting thoughts, and tried to do what was right. What Jane would want her to do.

Yet, in the back of her mind she feared if she revealed the truth, everyone in Havenwood would be dead before they could be rescued.

Agent Wagner and Agent Costa left, then Dean motioned for her to sit at the table. She sat. Waited.

Kara said, “Our goal here is to learn everything we can in order to catch the people who killed your friends and keep you safe. Understand? We are on your side.”

Riley nodded, but she didn’t quite believe it. Would they be on her side when they learned she had let Donovan’s brother die?

Would they be on her side when they found out she’d watched others be tortured by her mother’s hand and said nothing?

“Are you okay?” Kara asked. “Do you need anything? I’m going to make coffee.”

She shook her head. “I’m okay.”

“This probably seems overwhelming to you,” Dean said and sat across from Riley. He was smiling kindly. But evil rarely showed on the outside. Her mother was the most beautiful woman she’d ever seen.

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