As she headed for the door, Riley cast one final glance around the home where her unconventional family lived.The house was secure, Gabriela was capable, and Jilly would be at school all day.When she stepped outside, the September morning presented the cool air and vibrant colors of a lovely fall day.Even so, the persistent unease that had become her constant companion since Leo Dillard entered their lives still lingered.
CHAPTER TWO
The muted gray sky brightened as Riley navigated morning traffic toward Ann Marie’s Georgetown apartment.Two victims already.Origami figures left as calling cards.This killer’s signature was unusual enough to suggest planning and purpose.And purpose meant there would likely be more.
As soon as she’d left the house, Riley had phoned Bill, catching him just as he was leaving his hotel room.
“New case?”he’d asked, recognizing a subtle sound in her voice.
“Looks like it.Two victims, both with origami figures placed on the bodies.Meredith has called in Ann Marie and me.”
Bill had been silent for a moment, processing.“Origami.That’s different.”
It certainly is,Riley thought again as she drove.Their rest of their conversation had been brief but grounding, as their exchanges always were.
Now she slowed her car as she approached Ann Marie’s building, a nondescript brick structure with large windows and small balconies.The neighborhood was quiet, most residents already departed for their workplaces.She pulled to a stop at the curb, scanning the entrance for her partner.
Ann Marie appeared moments later, emerging through the glass doors with her typical energetic stride.Even from a distance, Riley could see the perfect arrangement of her blonde hair, the crispness of her tailored pantsuit.Unlike most agents who gradually surrendered to comfortable, practical attire, Ann Marie maintained an almost preternatural polish.Riley sometimes wondered if the younger agent ever looked disheveled, or if she somehow sprang from bed each morning already assembled for the day.
Ann Marie spotted the car and approached with a small wave, opening the passenger door and sliding in gracefully.The scent of something floral—perhaps her perfume or shampoo—briefly filled the car.
“Good morning, again,” she said, placing her bag between her feet and immediately fastening her seatbelt.“Did Meredith give you any details?”
Riley pulled away from the curb, merging back into traffic.“Just that there have been two victims, both found posed with origami figures.The local detective—Brookman—naturally assumes the cases are connected.”
“Origami, huh?”Ann Marie said.“I used to do some of that back in my early teens.”
“What do you think it might mean?”Riley asked.
“Well, it’s been a long time since I did any of that,” Ann Marie mused, her tone shifting into the analytical cadence she adopted when working.“But we both know it’s an unusual signature.Based on my own experience, I’d say it suggests patience, attention to detail.A methodical killer.”
“That’s my thinking too,” Riley agreed, impressed as always by Ann Marie’s quick assessment.Despite her youth and sometimes unnervingly cheerful demeanor, the young agent had one of the sharpest minds Riley had encountered at the Bureau.
They drove in silence for a few minutes, each processing the limited information they had.Then Ann Marie turned slightly in her seat.
“How’s Bill’s case going?The drownings in Maryland?”
Riley navigated around a double-parked delivery truck before answering.“Wrapping up.He called this morning to say the evidence is pointing to accidental deaths despite the statistical improbability.He should be home tomorrow.”
“That’s good,” Ann Marie said.“I know things feel more...secure when he’s around.”
The comment opened the door to the topic Riley knew would be coming next.
“Any news about Leo Dillard?”Ann Marie asked, her voice carefully neutral.
Riley appreciated the question, understanding the genuine concern behind it.
“Nothing,” Riley replied, keeping her eyes on the road.“He’s still in the wind.But we’re being vigilant.Gabriela has been trained on April’s old gun, and the security system is as tight as Bill and I can make it.”
Ann Marie nodded.“Let me know if there’s anything I can do.”
The statement warmed Riley.Ann Marie’s concern wasn’t merely professional courtesy; it was the protective instinct of someone who considered Riley’s family to be partially her responsibility as well.In the short time they’d worked together, the young agent had become more than just a partner—she was part of their extended circle of trust.
“Meredith has bent the rules a bit,” Riley added.“He’s assigned a small team specifically to track Leo.Nothing significant yet, but it’s something.”
“That’s good,” Ann Marie said.“If anyone can find him, it’s our own BAU people.”
Riley nodded, though privately she wasn’t so sure.Leo Dillard had proven adept at disappearing.His exceptional intelligence and resources made him a ghost when he wanted to be.But she appreciated Meredith’s efforts nonetheless.
