Page 36 of Once Vanished
“And whether he has Jilly with him,” Bill finished grimly.
If Leo was indeed heading to the site of Peterson’s death, it represented a twisted pilgrimage in his obsession with Riley.A place where she had killed to protect her child.
What did he intend to do there with Jilly?
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Riley still gripped the casing of her phone as April’s panicked voice faded from the call.The possibility that Leo was taking Jilly to that place she could never forget—the riverside where she had killed Peterson in a desperate attempt to save April—sent a chill seeping into her bones that had nothing to do with the dilapidated house around her.
Bill moved closer to her, reading the silent horror on her face.
“Leo knows about Peterson,” Riley said, her voice tight as a wire.“He must know about everything that happened there.”
Bill’s eyes darkened.“How?Those files were restricted.”
“He’s bought a good hacker.Or maybe he put it together some other way, but he knows enough to use it.”Riley suddenly felt desperate to be out of this stifling house.“I need to go.Now.”
“Weneed to go,” Bill corrected, reaching for his keys.
Riley stopped, pivoting back to face him.“No.I’m going alone.”
“The hell you are.”The words came out flat, absolute.
“Bill, listen to me.”She stepped closer, lowering her voice though the forensics team had moved to another room.“This is personal.Leo’s obsessed with me.He took my daughter.He’s drawing me to a place where I...”She swallowed hard.“Where I killed to protect April.”
“Which is exactly why you’re not going alone.”Bill’s jaw clenched, a muscle twitching beneath the skin.“This is textbook, Riley.He’s isolating you.Setting a trap.”
“Don’t you think I know that?”Her voice rose despite her efforts to remain calm.“But what choice do I have?If I don’t follow his rules, what happens to Jilly?”
“If you walk into his trap alone, what happens to both of you?”Bill countered.“What happens to April if neither of you comes back?”
Riley inhaled sharply, her shoulders sagging as if under a sudden weight.
“I’ll stay back,” Bill continued, gentler now.“Keep out of sight.But I’m going to be there, Riley.Even if he sees me, we have to take that risk.No discussion.”
Riley opened her mouth to argue, the desperate fear for Jilly overriding her usual judgment, when her phone vibrated in her hand.She glanced down, expecting April again.
Unknown Number.
She showed the screen to Bill, whose expression hardened.They both knew who it was before she tapped to open the message.
I’m sure April has called by now to tell you about our little chat.Such a bright girl.I imagine you’re having quite the debate with Bill about whether you should come alone to our meeting place.To make matters less contentious between you two, please feel free to bring one guest.And I know it’s too much to expect you both to arrive unarmed.Your standard weapons will be fine.
A shudder passed through Riley.The timing was uncanny—as if Leo had been listening to their conversation.Her eyes swept the house, suddenly suspicious of every shadow, every corner.
“How does he know we’re arguing about this right now?”Bill muttered, echoing her thoughts.
Riley began typing a response:
Where is Jilly?Is she hurt?
She hit send, then added:
I’m coming.Tell me she’s safe.
The message showed as delivered, but no reply came.No indication that Leo was even reading her desperate questions.
“Let’s go,” she said, shoving the phone into her pocket.“We’re wasting time.”