Page 3 of Once Silenced

Riley allowed a smile to break through the clouds of her mind.“It keeps me on my toes,” she replied.

The scene before her was a snapshot of the life she had known, each element – the charts on the walls, the markers stained from endless brainstorming sessions, and the camaraderie between agents – a piece of the mosaic that was her career.For a moment, she allowed herself to bask in the comfort of familiarity.

“We just reported on a car theft ring down in Norfolk—turned out to be a couple of teenagers looking for thrills,” Bill recounted, the pride in their work shining in his eyes.“Nothing that’ll make the headlines, but it’s another win for the good guys.”

“Every case matters,” Riley affirmed.The sense of accomplishment that radiated from them was catching.

“See you tomorrow,” Anne Marie said cheerfully, leaving the office to go back to her desk in the bullpen.

Riley watched as the young agent’s graceful figure retreated through the door, her blonde hair catching the light.There was a deliberate precision in Ann Marie’s steps—both the confidence and the eager rhythm of youth.

“Ready to head home?”Riley asked.Bill’s affirmative nod was accompanied by the rustle of papers and the soft click of his briefcase snapping shut.

As they walked through the corridor outside Bill’s office, Riley’s thoughts churned, replaying Leo’s intense gaze, the unwelcome questions.She contemplated sharing her unease with Bill; his insight had always been invaluable.He knew all about her struggles with her ex-husband and her affair and near-marriage with a neighbor.Now, he was helping her raise her two daughters.Even so, something held her back from complaining about Leo—a reluctance to voice a fear that might prove unfounded, even silly.

Outside, the late afternoon sun painted everything in hues of gold and amber.As she and Bill strolled to the parking lot, she inquired about his work, seeking normalcy in the mundane.

“So, how’s the partnership with Ann Marie working out?”she asked, her curiosity genuine.His chuckle was a deep, comforting sound.

“It’s going well,” he replied, his eyes crinkling at the corners with a smile.“Her enthusiasm took some getting used to, but she’s turning into an excellent agent.Sharp instincts, great with victims.”It was high praise coming from Bill, who valued competence and dedication above all else.

“But?”Riley prodded gently as they approached their vehicle, sensing something unspoken.

Bill sighed, a deep exhalation that seemed to carry the weight of years spent in service of a cause greater than themselves.

“But it’s not going to be a long-term thing,” he explained, leaning against the vehicle.“With you and me both planning to retire within the year, Meredith wants to assign Ann Marie a more permanent partner.He’s got me lined up to ‘break in’ some rookies for my last few months.”

They both got into the car and he started the engine, the familiar purr momentarily displacing the quiet that had settled between them.Then, with a glance that conveyed years of shared experiences, he asked, “What about you?Missing the field at all?”

Riley considered the question, her mind transporting her back to the rush of active investigations.The thrill of the chase, the mental sparring with enigmatic foes—all of it had once fueled her, driven her to excel in a world where others might falter.Yet now, standing on the precipice of a different life, she discerned a tranquility in teaching that she hadn’t known she wanted.

“Not as much as I thought I would,” she admitted, glancing at him briefly.“I miss our day-to-day partnership more than anything.But now that we’re living together, even that’s easier to handle.”

Her words were acknowledgment of the shift in their relationship, from partners to something not clearly defined yet deeply rooted.

“Anyway,” she added, “I’ve found a new satisfaction in shaping these young minds.And the peace it brings...it’s good for me, for us.”

Bill’s hand found hers, giving it a gentle squeeze, conveying support without the need for words.It was a simple gesture, but in it, Riley found a sense that everything was as it should be.

Yet as he drove them home, along an interstate and then winding through the suburban streets of Fredericksburg, uneasiness crept back into Riley’s thoughts.Leo Dillard’s face hovered in her mind’s eye, his piercing gaze and intense demeanor refusing to be dismissed.The encounter had disturbed her in a way she couldn’t quite articulate.A part of her wanted to confide in Bill, to lay bare the troubling exchange and seek his advice.They had always been each other’s sounding board, after all.

But she hesitated, uncertainty gripping her.It was probably nothing, she told herself.Just an overeager student crossing a line, a misstep borne of youthful impetuosity rather than malice.Yet she couldn’t shake off a troubled feeling about the encounter, and she couldn’t put her finger on exactly why.

“Everything okay?”Bill’s voice broke through her reverie, sounding worried.

“Fine,” Riley answered, a little too quickly, hoping her tone carried more assurance than she felt.She forced a small smile.“Just thinking about April’s birthday dinner tonight.”

Still, that nagging sensation loomed in the edge of her consciousness.With a subtle shiver, Riley pushed the feeling aside, focusing instead on the evening ahead with her family.

It was nothing,she told herself,just an overeager student trying to cross a line.But if he keeps on being pushy, I’ll just have a hard talk with him.

CHAPTER TWO

When Bill parked the car in the lot at their townhouse, Riley stepped out, stretching her legs after the drive.The afternoon sun was dipping towards the horizon, and the air was charged with the latent energy of a brewing August storm.

As Bill joined her and they approached their home, the scent of simmering spices drifted from an open window.It was a surefire indication that April’s birthday dinner was well on its way to being an event to remember.

“Smells like Gabriela’s outdone herself again,” Bill remarked with a grin.

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