CHAPTER SIX
Chief Belt stepped toward the man who was approaching.
He said, “Mister, this area is closed. Couldn’t you see the barrier?”
“It’s OK,” Riley said. “This is Special Agent Bill Jeffreys. He’s with us.”
Riley hurried over to Bill and led him just far enough away so that they wouldn’t be heard by the others.
“What happened?” she said. “Why didn’t you answer my messages?”
Bill smiled sheepishly.
“I was just being an i***t. I …” His voice faded and he looked away.
Riley waited for his reply.
Then he finally said, “When I got your texts, I just didn’t know whether I was ready. I called Meredith for details, but I still didn’t know if I was ready. Hell, I didn’t know if I was ready when I started driving down here. I didn’t know if I was ready until just now when I saw …”
He
