Page 27 of Once Silenced

“And the report states that it wasn’t a natural death,” the police chief continued.“Dr.Jannings found evidence of strangulation.The hyoid bone, a small horseshoe-shaped structure nestled in the neck, was fractured.”

“That’s a sure sign that a lot of force was exerted on it,” Ann Marie said.

Riley had been surprised before by the young agent’s knowledge of such physical details, based on her earlier years of work at her father’s Georgetown mortuary.She was not surprised by the verdict of violent death.She’d been pretty sure the victim had been murdered based on her fleeting sensations at the gravesite.But those intuitions weren’t evidence that she could bring up in this setting.

Wanting the sheriff to reveal more about the victim, she asked, “What made her disappearance scandalous?”

Sheriff Hagen settled back into his chair.There was a twinkle in his eyes, the kind that came from carrying tales that had ripened with time, their details now into local lore.

“Patricia had a famously turbulent marriage with Levon Warren, another math professor at Boutell.Their relationship was like a powder keg, always on the verge of exploding.”He paused, his hands motioning vaguely as if trying to grasp the fragments of the story still floating in his mind.

She could almost hear the crackling tension between the Warrens, the kind of volatile love-hate that left scars invisible to the eye.It was motive, it was background, it was the dark undercurrent of human emotion that often led to tragedy.She listened attentively as the sheriff continued.

“Students used to report Levon storming into Patricia’s classes, criticizing her teaching methods right in front of everyone.From what I’ve been told, those scenes could get pretty wild—and even a bit scary.”

Ann Marie’s eyes lighted up with interest.“Sounds like Levon might have been a prime suspect when she disappeared.”

Hagen’s response came with a grim smile.“You’ve got that right, Agent Esmer.Levon was indeed our main person of interest for a time.And here’s the kicker - he showed absolutely no sadness over her disappearance.Denied any foul play, of course, but his lack of grief was...unsettling.”

“But you couldn’t prove anything?”Riley’s question was both an inquiry and an acknowledgment of the frustrations they all faced in their line of work.

The sheriff’s hands spread in a gesture of defeat.“Not a damn thing.No body, no evidence.But a shadow has hung over Levon’s reputation ever since.”

“Tell us more about their marriage,” Riley said.“What was at the root of all this conflict?”

Sheriff Hagen sighed, a long exhale that seemed to deflate the very air around them.He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, deepening the lines age had carved into his skin.

“It was a perfect storm of professional jealousy and personal resentment.Levon was always envious that Patricia had been accepted into the Virginia Educators for Excellence in Mathematics—VEEM for short.It’s a prestigious group, and they’d never even consider Levon for membership.”

Riley nodded, absorbing the information.VEEM—she had heard of it.And she knew that to be part of such an organization was a mark of distinction; to be rejected by it, a wound that could fester.She pictured Levon Warren, his pride smarting with every accolade bestowed upon his wife, every mention of her name in circles where his was conspicuously absent.

“Professional jealousy can be a powerful motive,” she mused aloud.

“Let me guess.”Ann Marie said.“Patricia didn’t just join VEEM, she excelled there?”

Hagen’s nod carried a hint of admiration.“She became the president of the organization.That’s when Levon’s jealousy turned to open fury.”

“And Patricia?How did she handle Levon’s behavior?”Riley asked.

“She gave as good as she got,” Sheriff Hagen replied.“Patricia was openly contemptuous of the Cipher Society, a group Levon was deeply involved with.”

“A, uh, cipher society?”Ann Marie asked, her voice brimming with interest.“Wow, that sounds mysterious.What’s their main focus?”

“The Cipher Society is...well, it’s a bit of a fringe group.They’re obsessed with mathematical codes, prophecies, that sort of thing.Levon was a proud, active member.And by the time Patricia disappeared, their marriage was at its breaking point.Everyone who knew them was just waiting for something to give.”

A domestic battlefield … a society that focused on secret codes …the description of Levon, consumed by his association with this secretive cabal so remote from his wife’s academic triumphs—the puzzle that was Patricia and Levon Warren’s life all caught Riley’s attention.Those old bits of history might well point toward whoever had left math problems pinned to the victims of recent murders.The connection was incomplete, but every variable they uncovered pushed them in the same direction, toward an answer that Riley feared might be darker than anyone anticipated.

“Where’s Levon Warren now?”she asked.

Hagen leaned forward.“Last I heard, he was still living in the same house he shared with Patricia.And despite everything, he’s managed to keep his position at Boutell College.

The revelation settled heavily on the room.Ann Marie was visibly taken aback by the notion of Levon Warren living unscathed by scandal or suspicion.

“After all that?He must be one hell of a professor.”

“Or have some powerful friends,” Riley added.

“Actually, he’s got an outstanding reputation in the math world,” Hagen said.“Almost a legend.Sort of a mad genius, you might say.”

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