Page 37 of Once Vanished
Outside, the ordinary afternoon sunlight seemed almost offensive in its brightness, mocking the darkness that had engulfed Riley’s world.She headed straight for her sedan, Bill falling into step beside her.
“I’m driving,” she said, leaving no room for debate.She needed control of something—anything—in this spiraling nightmare.
Bill didn’t argue, sliding into the passenger seat as Riley started the engine.They pulled away from the curb, leaving the forensics team and a patrol car behind.
“That message,” Bill said as they merged onto the main road.“The timing was...”
“Calculated,” Riley finished for him.“That’s how Leo operates.He knows us—me especially—well enough to predict our reactions.”
“It feels like more than prediction.It’s like he can see us or hear us.”
Riley glanced over at Bill.His face was composed, but she could see the tension in the set of his shoulders, the way his hand rested near his holster.And his face was lined with exhaustion.
“That’s what he wants you to think,” she said.“It’s classic psychological manipulation.He makes a reasonable guess, and when he’s right, it seems like he’s got some supernatural insight.And when he’s wrong, we don’t notice because we’re too focused on the times he was right.”She paused, remembering her lectures at the Academy.“Leo isn’t psychic any more than I am.He’s just a brilliant amateur psychologist with a talent for getting inside people’s heads.”
Bill nodded, but his expression remained troubled.“Still.The timing...”
“He knew April would call me immediately after their exchange.He knew I’d most likely be with you because we’ve been working together on this from the start.And he knew we’d disagree about me going alone because he understands our history, our partnership.This is what he does—he makes us doubt ourselves, doubt each other.”
They drove in silence for a few minutes, the suburbs giving way to less populated areas as they headed toward the place where Peterson had died.The place where she had killed a man to save her daughter.That night had marked Riley indelibly, had changed April forever.Now Leo was using it as a stage for whatever sick game he was playing with Jilly as his pawn.
Riley shot another glance at Bill.His eyes were fixed on the road ahead, but his mind seemed far away.She recognized the look—had seen it in her own mirror too many times.He was replaying something, caught in a loop of memory.And she knew perfectly well what it was.Yesterday Leo had triggered Bill’s trauma over mistakenly shooting Stanley Pope all those years ago.And a sleepless night and ongoing uncertainty were keeping those thoughts alive.It remained a raw spot, a wound that had never fully healed.
“It’s not just me he’s getting to,” she said quietly.
“I’m fine,” Bill said, the words automatic.
“You don’t have to be.None of us are fine right now.But I need to know where your head is.”
“My head is on finding Jilly,” Bill said, sounding just a little bit defensive.“Everything else is secondary.”
Before Riley could respond, her phone rang through the car’s speakers.Garner Hogue’s name flashed on the display.
“Damn it,” Riley muttered.She’d almost forgotten that their phones were being monitored.Of course Hogue had seen the exchanges with Leo.
She accepted the call.“Hogue.”
“Paige.”His voice filled the car, crisp and professional.“I take it from your location data that you and Jeffreys are already en route to the Peterson site.”
“We are,” Riley confirmed.
A pause, then: “I’d hoped you wouldn’t repeat yesterday’s impulsive actions.”
“I’m not alone,” Riley pointed out.“Agent Jeffreys is with me.”
“But you didn’t wait for a proper tactical assessment or deployment plan.”
“There wasn’t time,” Riley shot back.“Leo is expecting us.He’s got my daughter.”
Hogue sighed, the sound staticky through the speakers.“I understand your urgency, but rushing in—”
“Save it,” Riley cut him off.“We’re already halfway there.What’s your plan?”
Another pause, longer this time, as if Hogue was choosing his next words carefully.
“I’m deploying a team to establish a discreet perimeter around the location.They’ll maintain radio silence and keep visual contact to a minimum.If Leo is watching for them, I don’t want him spooked.”
“Good,” Riley said, surprising even herself with the quick acceptance.“What else?”