Page 15 of Once Silenced

“You have your orders, Agent Paige,” Meredith said.“Just don’t get in Putnam’s way.And as soon as you figure out this thing about the geographical coordinates, come home.Leave the rest to Putman.Do you hear me?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I’d like to go with Agent Paige tomorrow.”Bill ventured.“Agent Esmer and I just closed our case this afternoon.My schedule’s cleared up.”

His request was met by a resounding silence, and then Meredith responded, his voice as hard as steel.

“No,” he said flatly.“You’re staying here.I have plans for you, and besides …”

Bill opened his mouth to protest but was cut off by Meredith’s raised hand.The stern gaze of the Special Agent in Charge brooked no argument.

“The personal connection between you two,” Meredith said, his tone icy as he pointed a finger back and forth between Bill and Riley.“It could compromise the investigation.And let’s not forget that Agent Paige wasn’t even supposed to be involved in this case at all.”His last words were directed at Riley, a stark reminder of her insubordination.

Disappointment marked both their faces, but they held their tongues.

Meredith dismissed them with a curt wave of his hand, signaling an abrupt end to the meeting.“That’s all for tonight,” he said tersely, already turning back to the piles of paperwork on his desk.

“Thank you for your time, Special Agent Meredith,” Riley said as she stood to leave.

Meredith glowered up at her, his eyes dark and intense.

“Although you breached protocol,” he said, his voice carrying a stern edge, “you were correct to bring what you found to my attention.I’m not even going to ask how you figured this out.”His lips twitched ever so slightly, hinting at an almost smile as he added, “At this point, I don’t know whether to give you a reprimand or congratulations.”

Riley smiled and nodded.She had witnessed this kind of internal conflict in her superiors before, the struggle between enforcing the rules and acknowledging a job well done.

Riley left Meredith’s office with a sense of satisfaction.As she and Bill navigated their way out of the BAU, their steps carried them past familiar faces, each glance an unasked question they weren’t ready to answer.They knew well the rules within these walls—codes of respect and authority.Although both had managed to skirt those rules many times during their long careers, Riley had been much more compliant since she’d held a teaching position.

Stepping outside, the cool night air greeted them.The darkness of the Virginia sky stretched above them, dotted with stars that seemed oblivious to their earthly concerns.It was a clarity that Riley had once longed for, a simplicity that escaped the tangled web of emotions and responsibilities that now lay before her again.

Together, they walked towards their car parked in the lot—a silent journey punctuated only by the sound of their footsteps and the distant chirping of crickets.The reality of what had transpired began to truly sink in with every step; the investigation that beckoned to Riley, the risks involved, the potential peril that awaited in the Blue Ridge Wilderness Park.All of it loomed over her, a mountain of uncertainty that she would have to tackle without her longtime partner at her side.

As they got into the car and Bill drove them back to Fredericksburg, she continued to contend with feelings she thought she’d left behind when she transitioned to teaching, the risk-taking chapters of her life neatly closed and filed away.But now, as the possibility of reentering that fray loomed before her, for a fleeting moment, she allowed herself to indulge in the anticipation, to feel the energy of potential action pulsating in her blood.In her mind’s eye, she saw herself once again piecing together clues, following leads, her instincts and training merging into a singular purpose.That was the world she knew, the world where she had once excelled.

Bill’s voice cut through the silence of their car ride, thick with concern.“Riley, you sure about this?Going back into the field...it’s not just about chasing leads.It’s dangerous.You know that better than anyone.”

“I know, Bill,” she finally said, her voice steady.“But I can handle it.”

She could hear the truth in her own words, even as she acknowledged the validity of his worries.Yet beneath the surface agreement with his misgivings, an undeniable surge of excitement began to build within her.The prospect of fieldwork, the adrenaline of the chase—it called to her with a siren’s allure that was hard to resist.

“Anyhow,” she told him, “this is just a trip to bring another agent up to date, not really a full assignment to the case.I’ll probably be back home the same day.”

As they pulled out of the parking lot of their townhouse, Riley felt the familiar thrill of investigation.It was a sensation she had not realized how much she missed—the sharp focus, the puzzle pieces waiting to be assembled into a coherent whole, the chase.She had to admit that she’d even missed the more dangerous challenges.On a case, no two days would be alike.

CHAPTER SEVEN

The sun was high in the sky as Riley drove a nondescript FBI-issued black sedan along winding roads that cut through the lush Blue Ridge Wilderness Park.The natural beauty was a dramatic change from the Academy classrooms where she had spent recent years.She had picked up the company car at BAU this morning and made the two-hour drive to the park for her noon rendezvous with Special Agent Putnam.A substitute was covering her classes; her students unaware that she had been pulled back into the fray.

The drive from Quantico had given her ample time to reflect on the unexpected turn of events that had brought her back into field work, if only temporarily.Despite the years that had lapsed since she last delved into a case, Riley found herself unexpectedly at ease.

As the visitor center came into view, a rustic building nestled among the trees, Riley’s phone vibrated against the console, jarring her from her reverie.She tapped the speaker button, already knowing who would be on the other end.

“Hey, how’s it going?”Bill’s voice crackled through the line, tinged with an undercurrent of concern that didn’t need to be spoken aloud.

Riley laughed lightly.“I just got here, Bill.Haven’t even stepped out of the car yet.”

“Right, of course,” Bill chuckled, and she could almost see him rubbing the back of his neck in that self-conscious way of his.“Just...be careful, okay?And call me if anything happens.”

“I will,” Riley murmured, her tone softening.“I’ll update you as soon as there’s anything to report.”

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