Once Cold

Then she made a decision. She selected the file and entered a code. A message came up on the screen: Delete file THOUGHTS? She clicked yes. The file disappeared. Riley shuddered. She knew that she had just committed a criminal act. To protect an escaped criminal, she had broken her vows as an FBI agent. It was a profoundly unsettling thought. She and the abyss were staring at each other again. And she had a sinking feeling that it wouldn’t be the last time.

with an illusion that he was truly part of their family. Things could be worse, she thought. Ryan might have hung around for a much longer time, only to eventually crush the girls’ hopes and expectations even more hurtfully. Good riddance, she thought. Just then, Riley’s phone buzzed. She saw that the call was from Blaine. It took her a second to remember that she’d left a message with him just last night, belatedly accepting his dinner offer. So much had happened this morning, it felt like much more time had passed since she’d made that call. She answered the phone. Blaine sounded upbeat and cheerful.

A little while later, Riley was relaxing as Bill drove the FBI car to the town of Greybull, where Tilda Steen had been killed. Riley felt good to be working on a new case, especially one of her own choosing. It was a warm, sunny day. She felt as though her troubles and anxieties were fading behind her. Now that she had time to clear her head, Riley was beginning to feel quite differently about Ryan’s departure. Why would she want him to stay, anyway? She certainly didn’t want him sleeping over now that he was seeing somebody else. And it was wrong to let the girls keep living