“Everything okay?”Bill’s voice carried immediate concern.
“Not exactly,” Riley replied, keeping her eyes on Jilly as she explained the situation in concise, professional terms.She watched her daughter’s face cycle through expressions of defiance, embarrassment, and finally resignation as the reality of the situation seemed to sink in.
“She’s absolutely not going,” Bill agreed immediately when Riley finished.“And neither should you, Riley.We should send plainclothes officers to observe the location.”
“That’s what I was thinking,” Riley said, though a part of her had already decided she would be going to Echo Bridge herself.
“We need to get Jilly’s phone analyzed ASAP,” Bill said.“Though I doubt we’ll get much—he’s almost certainly using a burner.I’ll arrange for an officer to pick it up within the hour.”
Jilly’s eyes widened in dismay, but Riley gave her a look that forestalled any protest.
“The important thing is that Jilly is safe,” Bill continued.“Make sure she understands how serious this is.Leo isn’t playing games—or if he is, they’re deadly ones.”
“Understood,” Riley said, ending the call after a brief goodbye.She turned back to Jilly, who had slumped against the wall, her earlier excitement replaced by visible frustration.
“This sucks,” Jilly muttered.“I was trying to help.”
“I know you were,” Riley said, softening her tone.“And I appreciate the instinct.But there are protocols for situations like this, procedures that keep people safe.”She paused, choosing her next words carefully.“What you did was brave, but it was also dangerous.If Leo is texting you, it means he’s watching us, watching you.That’s not something I take lightly.”
Gabriela moved closer, her presence solid and reassuring.“I will make some hot chocolate.Good for nerves, yes?”She gave Jilly’s arm a gentle squeeze before disappearing back into the kitchen.
Riley checked her watch—8:35 p.m.If she left now, she could reach Echo Bridge before the arranged meeting time.
“An officer will be here soon for your phone,” she told Jilly.“I need you to stay home with Gabriela.”
Jilly’s eyes narrowed suspiciously.“Where are you going?”
“To make sure this situation is properly handled,” Riley replied, deliberately vague.
“You’re going to the bridge, aren’t you?”Jilly accused.“That’s not fair!You just told me it was too dangerous!”
“It is too dangerous—for you,” Riley corrected her.“I’m a trained FBI agent with years of experience handling people like Leo Dillard.”
“Bill said you shouldn’t go either,” Jilly reminded her stubbornly.
Riley sighed.“Bill is being cautious, and normally I’d agree with him.But this is personal, Jilly.Leo contacted you, my daughter.I need to see this through myself.”She checked her service weapon discreetly while Jilly watched with lingering resentment.
“Promise me you’ll stay here,” Riley said, meeting her daughter’s eyes.“Promise me you won’t try to follow or do anything rash or stupid.”
Jilly hesitated, then nodded reluctantly.“I promise.”
“Good.”Riley kissed her daughter’s forehead.“I’ll be back soon.Lock the door behind me, and don’t open it for anyone except the officer coming for your phone—and only after checking their ID.”
As Riley headed back toward the door, the weight of the case she’d been carrying all day was now compounded by a new, more immediate threat.Leo Dillard had moved from theoretical danger to active menace, and he had targeted her family.The exhaustion she’d felt earlier had evaporated, replaced by cold, focused determination.
No more playing defense.It was time to confront this threat directly.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Echo Bridge loomed ahead, its stone arches ghostly beneath the sparse streetlights.Riley slowed her car, scanning the area—the empty benches, the shadowed walkways, the scattered parked cars that might conceal a waiting observer.At this hour, the park surrounding the historic bridge was nearly deserted, just a few distant figures walking dogs or hurrying home.Perfect conditions for a meeting no one was meant to witness.Perfect conditions for an ambush.Riley parked her car at an angle that would allow for a quick departure, checked her weapon once more, and stepped out into the night.
The air was heavy with moisture.It dampened sounds, created halos around the street lamps, and left a slick sheen on the stone of the bridge.Somewhere nearby, water trickled beneath the structure, a persistent whisper beneath the occasional distant car passing on the road beyond the park.
Riley moved carefully, staying close to the shadows cast by the trees that lined the approach to the bridge.She hadn’t called for backup because she’d thought that a police presence might spook Leo if he was watching.
The bridge itself was perhaps sixty feet long, with stone balustrades and a series of overhead arches that created pools of deeper darkness between the lamps.Riley paused at its entrance, surveying the structure from end to end.No obvious movement, no waiting figures.Just the empty expanse of the bridge stretching before her, vulnerable and exposed.
She drew her weapon and held it at her side, hidden by the folds of her jacket but ready.Then she advanced onto the bridge, moving in a slight zigzag pattern that would make her a more difficult target if someone were aiming from the shadows.
