Page 20 of Once Silenced

“I wish I was too.”

She thanked Bill again and ended the call, heartened by his support and grateful that he hadn’t reminded her that she was supposed to be a teacher now, and not a field agent.She took a deep breath, summoning up the will to make her case to her boss.

She pressed the call button again, and held the device to her ear, listening as it rang once, twice, before a familiar voice answered.

“Paige?”Meredith’s voice was brisk, the usual undercurrent of authority rippling through.

“Sir,” Riley started, her words tumbling out in a rapid stream.“I’m here at the site.”

“And …?”

She described the body, the clearing where they’d found it, then plunged ahead.

“Sir, I’m asking—no, I’m telling you—I need to stay on this,” she said.“I’m not finished here.There are obviously connections yet to be made, and I’ve got to help make them.”

There was a pause on the other end, a silence that stretched long enough for Riley to picture Meredith, his stern face set in thought.Then Meredith’s voice cut through again, decisive.

“Get Putnam on the call, Paige.”

Swallowing her apprehension, Riley turned back toward the crime scene where Agent Ivor Putnam stood, arms crossed, talking with the rangers with an impatient scowl.She approached him, phone outstretched.

“Putnam, Meredith wants to speak with you,” she said, activating the speakerphone function.Putnam’s eyes narrowed suspiciously, but he leaned in to listen to the gravelly and firm voice of their superior.

“Putnam, this is Meredith.Agent Paige is staying on the case.She’ll be working with you to examine the crime scene.”

The younger agent’s lips tightened, his stance growing even stiffer.

“With all due respect, sir, Paige isn’t even active in the field anymore.”

“She’s still got credentials for field work, she’s already proven herself valuable to this investigation,” Meredith shot back without missing a beat.“You both have your orders.”

Riley watched the muscles in Putnam’s jaw clench, his displeasure clear.But orders were orders, and despite his reluctance, she knew he would follow them.

“And Putnam,” Meredith’s voice crackled through the speakerphone once more, “after you’ve examined the scene, I want you to head back in Roanoke.Continue your active investigation there and coordinate with your team in Slippery Rock.”

The younger agent’s eyes flashed, a silent protest at being reassigned while the investigation took on new life.Yet his voice, when he responded, betrayed none of this.

“Understood, sir.”

“Good,” Meredith continued.“Agent Paige, you will lead the investigation of this old burial and of the coordinates that located it.Both of you keep me updated on any progress.I want to know how this body ties into the Roanoke and Slippery Rock murders.Work together, share information.We need to see the full picture.”

“Will do,” Riley assured him, while Putnam merely grunted his assent.

“Agent Paige, stay on the line for a moment,” Meredith said, signaling for a private conversation.

Stepping away from Putnam, who looked like he’d swallowed something sour, Riley wandered toward a small stand of trees, out of earshot.

“Sir?”she asked, her voice low and even.

“Agent Paige, I don’t need to tell you how important this is,” Meredith began, his voice taking on a softer edge that only those who knew him well would recognize as concern.“This is a chance to make sense of the new case.Don’t let internal squabbles distract you.”

“Of course not, sir,” Riley replied.“I’m here to get to the bottom of this, whatever it takes.”

“Good.Stay sharp and trust your instincts.You have a rare gift, Riley.Use it.But remember, you’re not alone in this.Touch base with the local authorities.Let them know you’re on this case now.”

“Understood.Thank you, sir.”

“Get some rest tonight.Tomorrow, you dive in headfirst.And, Agent Paige...”Meredith’s voice trailed off for a moment, filled with the unsaid words of years of shared trials, “...be careful.”

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