Once Pined. Blake Pierce

the microwave. She took out the mugs, which were now hot to the touch.

      She reminded herself yet again.

      Yellow for Cody, blue for me.

      It was important not to mix them up.

      They both sipped their tea without saying much. Hallie liked to think of these moments as times of quiet companionship. It made her a little sad to realize that there would be no more of them. After just a few days, this patient would no longer need her.

      Soon Cody was nodding off to sleep. She had mixed the powder with just enough sleeping medicine to make sure he did.

      Hallie got up and gathered her belongings to leave.

      And then she began to sing softly, a song she’d known for as long as she could remember:

      Far from home,

      So far from home —

      This little baby’s far from home.

      You pine away

      From day to day

      Too sad to laugh, too sad to play.

      No need to weep,

      Dream long and deep.

      Give yourself to slumber’s sweep.

      No more sighs,

      Just close your eyes

      And you will go home in your sleep.

      His eyes closed, she stroked his hair from his face lovingly.

      Then, with a gentle kiss on the forehead, she stood and walked away.

      CHAPTER ONE

      FBI Agent Riley Paige worried as she walked through the jetway at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. She’d been anxious all during the flight from Reagan Washington International. She’d come here in a hurry because she’d heard that a teenage girl was missing – Jilly – a girl Riley felt especially protective toward. She was determined to help the girl and was even thinking about trying to adopt her.

      As Riley stepped through the exit gate, walking hurriedly, she looked up and was shocked to see the very girl herself standing there, FBI agent Garrett Holbrook from the Phoenix field office beside her.

      Thirteen-year-old Jilly Scarlatti stood next to Garrett, blinking back, clearly waiting for her.

      Riley was confused. It was Garrett who had called to tell her that Jilly had run away and was nowhere to be found.

      Before Riley could ask any questions, though, Jilly rushed forward and threw herself into her arms, sobbing.

      “Oh, Riley, I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry. I’ll never do it again.”

      Riley hugged Jilly comfortingly, looking at Garrett for an explanation. Garrett’s sister, Bonnie Flaxman, had tried to take Jilly in as a foster child. But Jilly had rebelled and run away.

      Garrett smiled a little – an unusual expression from a normally taciturn man.

      “She called Bonnie shortly after you left Fredericksburg,” he said. “She said she just wanted to say goodbye once and for all. But then Bonnie told her that you were on your way here to take her home with you. She got really excited and told us where to pick her up.”

      He looked at Riley.

      “Your flying all the way here saved her,” he concluded.

      Riley just stood there for a moment, Jilly sobbing in her arms, feeling oddly clumsy and helpless.

      Jilly whispered something that Riley couldn’t hear.

      “What?” Riley asked.

      Jilly drew her face back and looked into Riley’s eyes, her own earnest brown eyes filled with tears.

      “Mom?” she said in a choked, shy voice. “Can I call you Mom?”

      Riley hugged her close again, overwhelmed by a confusing onslaught of emotions.

      “Of course,” Riley said.

      Then she turned to Garrett. “Thank you so much for everything you’ve done.”

      “I’m glad I could help, at least a little,” he replied. “Do you need a place to stay while you’re here?”

      “No. Now that she’s been found, there’s no point. We’ll catch the next flight back.”

      Garrett shook her hand. “I hope this works out for both of you.”

      Then he left.

      Riley looked down at the teenager who was still clinging to her. She was struck with an odd mix of elation to have found her and concern for what the future might hold for them both.

      “Let’s go grab a burger,” she said to Jilly.

*

      It was snowing lightly during the drive home from Reagan Washington International Airport. Jilly sat staring silently out the window as Riley drove. Her silence was a big change after the more than four-hour flight from Phoenix. Then, Jilly hadn’t been able to stop talking. She’d never been on a plane before and was curious about absolutely everything.

      Why is she so quiet now? Riley wondered.

      It occurred to her that snow must be an unusual sight for a girl who had lived all her life in Arizona.

      “Have you ever seen snow before?” Riley asked.

      “Only on TV.”

      “Do you like it?” Riley said.

      Jilly didn’t reply, which made Riley feel uneasy. She remembered the first time she had seen Jilly. The girl had run away from an abusive father. In sheer desperation, she had decided to become a prostitute. She’d gone to a truck stop that was notorious as a pickup place for prostitutes – “lot lizards,” they were called, because they were especially down-and-out.

      Riley had gone there investigating a series of murders of prostitutes. She’d happened to find Jilly hidden away in the cab of a truck, waiting to sell herself to the driver whenever he came back.

      Riley had gotten Jilly into Child Protective Services and had stayed in touch with her. Garrett’s sister had taken Jilly in as a foster child, but eventually Jilly had run away again.

      It was then that Riley had decided to take Jilly home herself.

      But now she was starting to wonder if she’d made a mistake. She already had her own fifteen-year-old daughter, April, to take care of. April alone could be a handful. They had been through some traumatic experiences together since Riley’s marriage had broken up.

      And what did she really know about Jilly? Did Riley have any idea how deeply scarred the girl might be? Was she the least bit prepared to deal with the challenges Jilly might present? And although April had approved of her bringing Jilly home, how would the two teenagers get along?

      Suddenly, Jilly spoke.

      “Where am I going to sleep?”

      Riley felt relieved to hear Jilly’s voice.

      “You’ll have your own room,” she said. “It’s small, but I think it’s just right for you.”

      Jilly fell silent for another moment.

      Then she said, “Was it somebody else’s room?”

      Jilly sounded worried now.

      “Not since I’ve lived there,” Riley said. “I tried using it as an office, but it was too big. So I moved my office into my bedroom. April and I bought you a bed and a dresser, but when we have time, you can pick out some posters and a bedspread that you like.”

      “My own room,” Jilly said.

      Riley thought she sounded more apprehensive than happy.

      “Where does April sleep?” Jilly asked.

      Riley more than half wanted to tell Jilly to just wait until they got home, and then she’d see everything for herself. But the girl sounded like she needed