Page 5 of Once Marked
“Understood,” she replied.Her mind was already racing ahead, piecing together fragmented possibilities.
“Be safe, Agent Paige,” Meredith added before ending the call, leaving a silence that buzzed with unsaid words.
Bill squeezed her shoulder, and Riley offered him a tight smile.“Jerry can handle your classes.”Bill’s voice was practical and reassuring.
“Let’s hope he’s not miffed about the short notice,” Riley muttered as she dialed Jerry Langham’s number.
Her call was answered by a cheerful, “Langham here.”
“Jerry, it’s Riley.I need a favor.”
“Riley!”Jerry’s voice crackled through the receiver, warm and a bit amused.“To what do I owe this pleasure?”
She plunged into her request, the urgency clear in her tone.
“Again, so soon?”Jerry’s voice held a hint of amusement.“Sure, I can cover your classes for the next few days.What’s going on?”
“Meredith wants my input on a case in the Outer Banks,” Riley responded, her mind already ticking through the logistics of departure.“Thanks, Jerry.You’re a lifesaver.”
“Anything for you, Riley.Say no more, your classes are covered.Just bring me back some good stories, alright?”The line went dead.
There was no turning back now.The stillness of the evening was gone, replaced by a current of kinetic energy that seemed to spark through the room.
Riley turned and saw that Jilly was standing there looking at her curiously.
“What’s going on?”she demanded.“I was in the hallway right upstairs and heard a voice talking loud on the phone, so I came on down.That was your boss, wasn’t it?”
“This is just another short trip,” Riley reassured her daughter.“A consulting gig, but Ann Marie is picking me up soon.”
Jilly bounced on the balls of her feet, excitement clear in the tilt of her smile.“You’re gonna catch the bad guys again, right, Mom?”
“Sure will try to help with that, honey,” Riley responded, her heart tugging at the sight of her daughter’s enthusiasm.
“Like a superhero,” Jilly declared, her admiration clear in her wide eyes.
Riley chuckled softly, touched by the comparison, though she felt anything but heroic.In those moments, she saw the world through Jilly’s resilient spirit—a world where right always triumphed, and darkness was just another shadow to outshine.
“Promise me you’ll be safe,” Jilly said, her youthful exuberance tempered with a hint of worry.
“I promise,” Riley vowed.
Then Gabriela appeared from the kitchen.She had obviously heard what was going on too.
“Hay que comer,” Gabriela insisted.“You must eat.”
Thrusting a box into Riley’s hands, she added with clear disapproval, “You haven’t even had your dinner.”
“Gracias,” Riley said, accepting the package.She’d learned long ago that arguing with Gabriela’s practicality was a fruitless endeavor.
“Be careful,” Gabriela added, her eyes betraying a glint of concern beneath her stoic exterior.
As the sound of a car horn sliced through the evening air outside, Riley gathered her essentials—badge, gun, notepad, tablet, and cell phone.Each item was a familiar touchstone, grounding her in the reality of her profession.She stooped to scoop up her go-bag, an old companion from countless cases before.It held the basics—clothes, toiletries, extra shoes—the tangible pieces of a life temporarily suspended for the call of a case.
Bill gave her a long, hard kiss, then stepped back to let her go.She knew he would be lonely tonight but that he’d take care of Jilly and her concerns.Gabriela would get Jilly off to school in the morning just as she always did.
Riley shouldered her bag, then her hand found Bill’s for a brief moment.
“Thanks,” she murmured.“And remember, it’s just consulting,” she added for both their sakes.But even as she said it, she felt the pulse of adrenaline in her veins.
