Once Chosen (A Riley Paige Mystery—Book 17)

by Blake Pierce

  “And I feel closer to you than I ever did to Maggie,” Bill said.

  Riley took a deep breath and said, “So maybe … we shouldn’t go changing things between us. Maybe we should leave things just the way they are.”

  Bill smiled a bit sadly.

  He said, “Riley, things have changed between us already. They’ve changed whether we want them to or not.”

  Riley knew exactly what he meant.

  That kiss.

  It had changed everything between them.

  Just then, the server appeared with their sandwiches.

  And Riley’s cell phone rang

  She thought about ignoring the call until she saw that it was from her boss, team leader Brent Meredith.

  When she took the call, Meredith got right to the point as usual.

  “Are you ready to take on another case, Agent Paige?”

  Riley smiled at the question. Saying “no” to Brent Meredith wasn’t really an option.

  “I’m ready,” she said.

  “Good. Then come to my office immediately.”

  Meredith ended the call without another word.

  Bill said, “I take it that was Meredith being his usual talkative self.”

  Riley laughed and said, “Yeah, he does ramble on sometimes. Anyway, I guess we’re needed—and right away, as usual. Sorry about lunch.”

  “We can eat on the way,” Bill said. “Nothing unusual about that.”

  Bill waved to the server to ask him to bag up their sandwiches and bring the check.

  He said, “How many times do you think we’ve been called away from lunch?”

  Riley chuckled and said, “I guess some things never change.”

  Bill paid the check, and they took their lunch with them as they headed out to his car.

  CHAPTER THREE

  As they walked into the BAU building, Bill kept thinking about Riley’s words when their attempt at a date had come to such an abrupt end.

  “I guess some things never change.”

  Bill too found it almost comical the way a phone call had interrupted their conversation … just as it had so many times before.

  They had hastily packed up their meal and scrambled into the car … just as they had so many times before.

  Now they were hurrying through a familiar hallway on their way to Meredith’s office. Today was all too typical of the unpredictability he and Riley had lived with for many years.

  And yet, he knew that the kiss they’d shared a couple of weeks ago had changed everything between them. He was aware that Riley knew that too. He really wished they’d had more time to talk things through. Sooner or later, they were going to have to come to terms with those changes.

  Sooner would be better.

  But now was obviously not the time. They had said almost nothing to each other during the drive here. They’d been busy eating the sandwiches they’d taken out from the restaurant, but Bill also sensed that Riley’s mind was already on the case that was coming up.

  Mine should be too, he thought.

  He wondered—was this the way things were always going to be? Would their work together always matter more than anything else that might happen between them?

  As they walked into Meredith’s office, the daunting division chief with black, angular features looked up from his desk. His expression was stern as he remarked, “I hadn’t expected to see you, Agent Jeffreys.”

  Bill’s eyes widened with surprise. He saw that Riley was startled as well.

  Bill stammered as he and Riley sat down in front of Meredith’s desk, “Well—Agent Paige said that … you’d called about a new case and I just assumed …”

  Meredith shrugged. “Yeah, I’ve got a new case for her. I hadn’t asked for you. In fact, you won’t be needed for this one. Agent Paige will be working with a different partner.”

  Bill felt a surge of alarm.

  What’s going on here? he wondered.

  Had Meredith already figured out that something was going on between him and Riley, before they’d even clarified it themselves? He couldn’t imagine how, but Meredith had an almost uncanny way of knowing what was going on with agents under his authority.

  Is he going to split us up? Bill wondered.

  “I’m just trying to break in a new agent,” Meredith explained. “A rookie. I figured it would be a good experience for her to work with Agent Paige, at least this time around.”

  A new agent? Bill thought

  He was relieved that the arrangement didn’t sound permanent, but he also felt a new anxiety kick in. Their work with their last two rookies had turned out badly. He couldn’t bear to even think about Lucy Vargas, who had won their admiration but had died in a terrible shootout. The most recent new recruit, Jenn Roston, had brought other problems along with her.

  Bill couldn’t deny that Jenn had been a brilliant and promising young agent, but she hadn’t even settled in completely when her complicated past had apparently caught up with her. Worse, Bill was well aware that Riley knew some secrets about Jenn’s past that she hadn’t felt free to tell him—secrets that had led to Jenn’s mysterious disappearance a couple of weeks ago.

  He’d been trying to convince himself that whatever secrets Riley and Jenn had shared weren’t any of his business. But he couldn’t quite do it. He remembered how, just a little while ago, both he and Riley admitted they felt closer to each other than they ever had to each other’s spouses. There was nothing unusual about that, really. It was the way things were supposed to be between partners.

  But Jenn had bonded considerably more with Riley than she had with him, leaving him feeling excluded—and even somewhat bitter. For almost two decades, Bill and Riley had kept few secrets, and had seldom if ever lied to each other outright. Which was why Bill hadn’t liked Riley harboring secrets about Jenn.

  Was the same thing going to happen again with a new young recruit?

  I hope not, he thought. Things were complicated enough between him and Riley as it was.

  Meredith glanced at his watch. “I called for her to join us. She should be here any minute now. Her name is Ann Marie Esmer, and she’s as green as they come. She just got out of the academy, and she’s never worked on an active case.”

  Riley tilted her head curiously.

  “You mean she’s never worked in law enforcement at all?” Riley said.

  “That’s right,” Meredith said.

  “Then how did she get into the academy in the first place?” Riley asked.

  Meredith steepled his fingers, swiveled slightly in his chair, and smiled.

  “The same way you did, Agent Paige. She solved a case as a civilian, fresh out of college. The FBI took notice, and the requirement for prior law enforcement work was waived for her. Like you, she did well in the summer intern program, and then at the academy. So we’re giving her a chance in the BAU. I’m told she has a lot of promise.”

  Bill felt a tingle of curiosity. He knew that Riley had been recruited by her mentor, Jake Crivaro, after solving a spate of serial killings at the college where she’d been a student. Like the new agent, Riley had excelled in the intern program and at the academy.

  Is this kid going to be a young version of Riley? he wondered.

  He wasn’t sure he liked the idea. He was somewhat dismayed at the idea of Riley working with another partner at all, but especially with such a green one.

  Meredith leaned back in his chair.

  “I’ve got my reasons for sending the kid out on this case,” he said. “For one thing, it shouldn’t be too challenging for her. A woman disappeared in Winneway, Maryland, about a year ago. Her body was finally found last night. The sheriff thinks the killer is going to strike again, so he wants our help.”

  Bill squinted skeptically and asked, “Has the sheriff got anything more than a hunch about this?”

  Riley added, “Why does he think the killer is going to go serial?”

  Meredith said, “It’s got something to do with a couple
of anonymous messages the police received. I’m hazy on the details, but it sounds to me like the cops there are the victims of some sort of prank, nothing the BAU is needed for, certainly not a serial. You’ll probably go there and turn right around and come back again. But at least it will give the kid a chance to put her toe in the water.”

  Bill found himself bristling with resentment in spite of himself.

  Keep it to yourself, he thought. He knew it was never a good idea to contradict Meredith’s orders. Even so, he blurted, “Sir, I can’t say I’m happy to be sidelined on this case. “

  Meredith leaned across the desk and peered at him sternly.

  “Agent Jeffreys, what part of what I just said didn’t you understand?”

  Bill cringed at what was surely coming next.

  Why couldn’t I just keep my mouth shut?

  Meredith growled, “I don’t think this is a real case, Agent Jeffreys. I sure as hell don’t think it’s a serial killer, just some dumb prank. Sending you would be overkill. Besides, I think it would be best for this kid to work with another woman one on one. That’s final.”

  “I understand, sir,” Bill said.

  “Do you?” Meredith said. He glanced back and forth between Riley and Bill and knitted his brow and drummed his fingers on his desk.

  He said, “I’ve got an odd feeling something’s going on here.”

  Bill felt his face flush. He glanced and saw that Riley, too, was blushing.

  Once again, Meredith’s instincts were proving to be uncanny. He clearly sensed that something had changed between Bill and Riley—although surely he hadn’t figured out exactly what that something was.

  “Is there something the two of you aren’t telling me?” Meredith said.

  “No, sir,” Riley murmured.

  “Everything’s fine, sir,” Bill added meekly.

  As soon as the words were out, Bill thought, Did Riley and I just lie to Brent Meredith?

  In fact, they had, and Bill knew it. Not only had they lied, but they’d lied badly, with faces glowing like traffic lights.

  Meredith’s suspicions must be rising by the second.

  Bill glanced at Riley and could tell they were both thinking the same thing.

  Should we just tell him?

  Riley shook her head slightly. Bill silently agreed.

  At last, Meredith leaned back in his chair.

  He said, “Jeffreys, if you’re all that anxious to be involved, just hang around the building today. If there turns out to be anything to this case, you’ll be able to do some research.”

  Bill felt stung.

  Research?

  Meredith surely knew how he was making Bill feel by offering him a lowly support task.

  He’s sure not happy with Riley and me, Bill thought.

  Meredith glanced at his watch and said, “Well, young Agent Esmer ought to be here any minute. I hear she’s prompt, I guess we’ll find out. Agent Paige, I want you to take our new agent and drive a company car over to Winneway as soon as she gets here. It’s just about an hour away. My guess is you’ll get to the bottom of this prank and get back here tomorrow morning. Leave the murder itself to the local cops. It’s not our job.”

  Just then the office door opened, and a young woman stepped inside.

  “I hope I’m not late,” she said.

  From his first glimpse of Agent Ann Marie Esmer, Bill had the feeling that Riley and the girl probably weren’t going to be a good mix—even for just a day’s work debunking some sort of prank. He couldn’t help feel just a bit relieved.

  At least I don’t have to worry about a competing partner, he thought.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Riley kept glancing at her new partner as she pulled onto the interstate to drive away from Quantico. Somehow, she couldn’t quite believe that Ann Marie Esmer was really an FBI recruit.

  At the moment, the young woman was on her cell phone talking to the county sheriff over in Maryland, telling him that she and Riley were on their way, and she was making arrangements for them to meet him. Ann Marie was jotting down notes as she talked.

  Her voice, ultra-polite and ultra-cheerful, sounded to Riley like some kind of high-end receptionist, or maybe a voiceover artist on a TV commercial. She was good-looking—actually remarkably pretty, with sparkling blue eyes and blond hair pulled back and arranged so perfectly that it must have been styled at a beauty shop.

  Ann Marie had shown up at Meredith’s office properly prepared with a go-bag, as had both Riley and Bill. She’d obviously understood the need to be ready to pick up and go at the slightest notice. She was also dressed sensibly enough, in a simple slack suit with practical shoes. Even so, the clothes looked new and expensive, and she was wearing a patterned scarf with colors that seemed to be coordinated with her hair and skin tone.

  She ended the call and said to Riley in her pleasant, chirping voice, “Sheriff Wightman is super glad we’re on our way. He wants to meet us at the crime scene when we arrive in Winneway. The county medical examiner is there right now examining the body.”

  Ann Marie tapped her pencil against her notepad and added, “I’ve got the directions written down. Don’t worry, we won’t get lost. I’m great with directions! I’ll get us there even if GPS doesn’t.”

  I don’t doubt it, Riley thought.

  This girl seemed to be nothing if not efficient and alert.

  Then Ann Marie said, “Wow. I still can’t believe it. I feel like pinching myself to see if I’m awake. I mean, here I am on my first case after weeks of pushing papers around at Quantico, and I’m partnering with Special Agent Riley Paige!”

  She let out a musical laugh and added, “If only the guys at the academy could see me now. People there talk about you all the time at the academy, you know. We studied your cases a lot. I hope you don’t mind my saying so but … Agent Paige, you are so brilliant! Everybody knows it, too.”

  Riley knew she ought to feel flattered. Instead, she felt vaguely uneasy.

  She said to Ann Marie, “So how are things back at the academy?”

  “Well, pretty exciting for a kid like me. But boring to you, I’m sure.”

  Ann Marie then began to chatter about her session at the academy—not so much about the curriculum or her studies, but stories and gossip about her fellow cadets, including accounts of her dating life during that time.

  She was right about one thing, Riley thought, stifling a sigh. It’s boring to me.

  Riley found it strange to hear FBI Academy life described in such social terms. Ann Marie had obviously had a great time there and had made all kinds of friends. Riley’s own experience many years back hadn’t been nearly so …

  Well, cozy.

  Like Ann Marie, Riley had been admitted to the FBI honors program and then to the academy partly on the basis of a strong recommendation from a respected agent. That meant each of them had already demonstrated unusual skills, but it also meant that they had been placed over other qualified applicants. Even worse, Riley had been pulled out of both programs to help her mentor with critical cases. When she’d returned to her classes, she had felt isolated and even disliked. She only had one close friend during her academy days—her roommate, Frankie Dow.

  So it struck Riley as odd that this girl’s experience there had been so different from her own.

  People find her likeable, I guess.

  Riley wasn’t feeling exactly the same way about her new partner, though she had to admit that probably wasn’t all Ann Marie’s fault. It wasn’t just the girl’s hyper-cheerful personality that rubbed her the wrong way. The truth was, Riley felt more than a little blindsided by this arrangement. She couldn’t help thinking that partnering with anyone except Bill never worked out well. Their most recent junior partners hadn’t gone on to the great FBI careers they’d seemed destined for.

  Riley had grown really fond of Lucy Vargas, and that had ended badly. Her death had actually driven Bill to the brink of suicide.

  Jenn Roston had bee
n harder to get used to, but Riley and Jenn had come to trust each other with some pretty dark personal secrets.

  Riley realized that she still wasn’t used to Jenn being gone.

  Before long, she knew she’d turn around and expect to see Jenn instead of Ann Marie—expect Jenn’s strong, African-American features instead of this young woman’s pale, perfect complexion; expect Jenn’s confident, no-nonsense voice instead of all this birdlike chatter.

  Riley stifled a sigh as Ann Marie continued to spout academy gossip.

  This isn’t going to be easy, she thought.

  She remembered something Meredith had said.

  “My guess is you’ll get to the bottom of this prank and drive back here tomorrow morning.”

  Riley certainly hoped so.

  Although today would be better.

  She also hoped this partnership was going to be a one-time thing.

  *

  As Riley drove over the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge across the Potomac into Maryland, she felt as though the short trip was turning out to be a lot longer than it really should be. Ann Marie had stopped chattering, but she’d turned the car radio to a station that played pop music that was much too upbeat and silly for Riley’s taste. She was actually glad when the GPS system occasionally interrupted the sound with updates on their route.

  Meanwhile, Riley’s thoughts kept wandering back to the meeting with Meredith. She cringed as she remembered how Meredith had glowered at her and Bill.

  “Is there something the two of you aren’t telling me?” he’d asked.

  Of course, Meredith had been right to be suspicious. After all, his summons had interrupted her first real date with Bill—a development that Meredith had every right to feel curious about.

  And then we lied to him.

  Both of us.

  She shuddered to think of what the consequences of those lies might eventually be. Worse, she felt guilty toward Meredith. He’d been an intelligent, fair, and respectful superior for years.

  We should have told him the truth, Riley thought.