Forgotten Secrets by Robin Perini Read Free Book Online Page B

abductions of young females.
    No records found.
    Relief warred with frustration, because as horrible as the truth was, Riley was stuck. Unless the man who had taken Madison made a mistake or a new lead turned up, she didn’t know if he’d ever be caught. It had been a while since someone who fit the victim’s profile had disappeared. Could he have stopped?
    She knew better. Sexually preferential offenders never stopped. They were drawn to a very specific type. A very specific age. They couldn’t fight their urges for long.
    She rubbed her eyes and stared at the screen. What was she missing? There had to be something. He was organized, methodical, careful.
    The only commonality was the girls’ similar appearance. And the fact that they came from middle-class or upper-class homes.
    With one exception, of course. The first girl—taken from Singing River, Wyoming—Gina Wallace. Only a few months before Madison’s kidnapping.
    Gina’s mother had grown up middle class but had fallen into a spiral of addiction. Riley almost hadn’t flagged Gina’s file. But the resemblance between the girl and Madison had been uncanny.
    One year ago, on Riley’s next vacation, she’d headed to Singing River. The trip hadn’t broken open the case the way she’d hoped, but she’d met Thayne. And she’d fallen into his arms . . . mostly to forget.
    From the bedroom, a faint buzz sounded. She stopped typing. Could it be him?
    Thayne had never called this late before, but she really needed to talk with him.
    Riley ran to her bedroom and grabbed her phone from under the pillow. She glanced at the screen and groaned. She tapped the phone. “Lambert,” she said, her voice cautious.
    “What are you doing, Riley?” Tom barked in her ear. “What were my orders?”
    “To consider whether or not I should stay in the unit,” she answered, trudging back to her computer.
    “You logged in to the system. I set an alert to notify me immediately. What are you searching in the middle of the night? The case is over.”
    She didn’t reply.
    “Oh, hell, Riley.” The anger left his voice. “You need a complete break. From this case and from your sister’s case.”
    “I’m thinking about what you said,” she said, her voice tight. “What more do you want from me?”
    “I’ve changed my mind. Complete rest and relaxation, Riley. No logging in to FBI systems, no working on your sister’s. That means no investigations .”
    “I’m off duty. What I choose to do—”
    “Don’t push it, Riley. One write-up triggering an investigation and I’m certain they’ll discover that you’re using government equipment to research an unassigned, personal case. You’ll not only get kicked out of the behavioral analysis unit but lose your job, too. And once you’re fired from the FBI, there are no second chances.”
    Her body went cold. He couldn’t. He wouldn’t. “Tom . . .” What could she say?
    “Your sister’s been missing for fifteen years. It might be harsh, but one week won’t make a difference. You need the break.”
    “My personal life is none of your business.”
    “It is when it impacts your ability to function. And my ability to trust you.”
    “You’re wrong about me.”
    “Prove it. Get out of DC. Go see your family, take a vacation, knock toes with the Friday night phone buddy you try so desperately to hide from everyone. Anything that doesn’t deal with murder and serial killers.”
    She stared at the phone. “How do you know about him?”
    “You’re not as discreet as you think. Eight o’clock most Friday nights your phone rings and you smile. I’ve seen that look before. In the mirror when I first met my wife. Besides, it’s the only time you smile.”
    Mortified at her transparency, Riley nearly groaned into the phone. “Fine. One week.” If believing she was going to see Thayne would get Tom off her back, she could live with the deceit. She couldn’t lose her job. Not until she found Madison. Her