Once Dormant

“No,” she said.

Another silence fell, and Riley’s heart jumped up into her throat.

Oh, my God, she thought.

I just said no to Brent Meredith.

She couldn’t remember ever having done that before—and for very good reason. Meredith was known to have a sharp dislike for that word, especially when there was a job to do.

Riley braced herself for a fierce dressing-down. Instead, she heard a gravelly sigh.

Meredith said, “Yeah, I should have figured. It’s probably nothing anyway. I’m sorry I bothered you. Keep on enjoying your vacation.”

Meredith ended the call, and Riley stood on the porch looking at the phone.

Meredith’s words rattled through her head …

“I’m sorry I bothered you.”

That didn’t sound like the chief at all.

Apologies of any sort just weren’t his style.

So what was he really thinking?

Riley had a feeling that Meredith didn’t believe what he’d just said …

“It’s probably nothing anyway.”

Riley suspected that something about the female cop’s story had piqued Meredith’s interest, and he more than half believed there really was a serial killer down in Mississippi. But because he didn’t have any tangible evidence to go on, he didn’t feel as though he could just haul off and order Riley to take the case.

As Riley kept staring at the phone she found herself thinking …

Should I maybe call him back?

Should I go to Mississippi and check this out, at least?

Her thoughts were interrupted by April’s voice.

“So what’s going on? Is vacation over?”

Riley looked and saw that her daughter was standing nearby on the porch, looking at her with a sour expression.

“Why do you think that?” Riley asked.

April sighed and said, “Come on, Mom. I saw who the call was from. You’ve got to run off on another case, don’t you?”

Riley looked into the kitchen and saw that Blaine and the other two girls were still putting snacks together. But Jilly was eyeing Riley uneasily.

Riley suddenly wondered …

What the hell was I just thinking?

She smiled at April and said …

“No, I don’t have to go anywhere. As a matter of fact …”

Then smiling more broadly she added …

“I said no.”

April’s eyes widened. Then she dashed back into the kitchen shouting …

“Hey, guys! Mom said no to a case!”

The other two girls started yelling “Yay!” and “Way to go!” while Blaine gazed at Riley happily.

Then some lighthearted bickering started as Jilly said to her sister …

“I told you. I told you she’d say no.”

April retorted, “No, you didn’t. You were even more worried than I was.”

“Was not,” Jilly said. “You owe me ten dollars.”

“We never made a bet about it!”

“Did too!”

The two girls punched each other playfully, giggling and laughing as they argued.

Riley laughed as well and said, “OK, kids. Break it up. No arguing. Don’t spoil a perfect vacation. Let’s all have something to eat.”

She joined the chattering, laughing group for an evening snack.

As they ate, she and Blaine kept looking at each other lovingly.

They really were a couple with three teenaged children to raise.

Riley wondered …

When was the last time I had a night this wonderful?

*

Riley was barefoot, walking on a stretch of beach as the morning light gleamed on the waves. The gulls were calling and the breeze was cool and gentle.

It’s going to be a beautiful day, she thought.