Page 31 of Once Marked
“Really?”Leo’s face transformed with the suggestion, a spark igniting in his eyes.“That would be great.I might just take you up on that offer.”His enthusiasm was genuine, and April couldn’t help but feel a bit of satisfaction at his response.In offering her help, she’d also opened the door to something new—a fledgling friendship that held the promise of normalcy.
Their conversation flowed effortlessly after that, a comfortable back-and-forth that made the minutes slip away unnoticed.It wasn’t until April caught sight of the time on her phone that she realized how much of the afternoon had passed.
“Oh wow, I should probably get going,” she said, her voice tinged with reluctance.The warmth of their exchange had been a welcome respite from the usual anxiety that clung to her thoughts.“I’ve got some research to do at the library for tomorrow’s class.”
Leo nodded, mirroring her action as he began to pack away his books with care.“Yeah, I should head to work for my evening shift.But this was really nice, April.Thanks for coming over to talk.”His gratitude was simple yet touching, and April felt a sense of camaraderie in their shared academic struggles.
She stood up, feeling lighter than she had when she first entered the buzzing cafeteria.Leo also rose from his seat, his tall figure hovering over hers.A silence fell over them, thick with the unspoken words of two strangers who had unexpectedly found common ground.The chatter and clink of the cafeteria seemed distant, background noise to this unexpected moment of friendship.
“Well, I guess I’ll see you in class,” April murmured.She reached for her tray, the mundane action grounding her.Leo offered an earnest nod, his shy smile a gentle acknowledgment of the time they’d spent together.
“Definitely.And maybe we can grab coffee sometime?To study, I mean.”
“Sure, that sounds great.”April’s response came almost reflexively, her head nodding before she could process the invitation.“See you around, Leo.”
Taking measured steps toward the collection point, April felt the heaviness of her past burdens lighten with each stride.Her tray clattered as she placed it on the stack.
Making a friend like Leo, someone who straddled the realms of academia and ambition just as she did, was not something she had anticipated in these early days of her college life.That he too understood the experience of unusual struggles and strong aspirations made their meeting all the more significant.
As she made her way outside, April felt the glow of accomplishment.She had ventured out of her comfort zone, conversing with a near stranger, and in doing so, had discovered a kindred spirit.Today, her turbulent history—the drugs, the kidnapping, the fight with a would-be killer, that one accidental gunshot—did not taint her college experience.This pleasant exchange with someone who knew nothing of all that made her feel more comfortable on campus.
*
Leo felt a deep sense of satisfaction as he watched April make her way out of the cafeteria.He had played his part flawlessly, projecting the image of the modest, diligent student who just happened to cross paths with April.In reality, nothing about their meeting had been left to chance.
Doubt momentarily crossed his mind as he considered the slip-up.He’d let April know his real name—Leo Dillard—an error that could easily ripple back to her mother if mentioned in passing conversation.But he had used his own identity to sign up to audit the class, and the name had come out automatically.He shoved the worry aside with the ease of a practiced deceiver.Should it come back to haunt him, he’d find a solution; he always did.
Leo also left the cafeteria and settled onto an outdoor bench.He slipped a hand into his jacket, withdrew a well-worn leather notebook, and flipped past pages dense with notes, observations – the lifeblood of his intricate plans.He landed on an untouched sheet, and pulled out a pen to continue his notes from this morning: the lilt of April’s laugh, the specific queries she posed about campus life at Jefferson Bell University, all noted with an almost clinical detachment.He even captured the small, unconscious gestures, like the way she brushed her dark hair behind her ear, so reminiscent of her mother’s own habits.
He recalled each observation, how he’d cataloged her schedule, her likes and dislikes, down to the very bench she favored on campus—the one he was sitting on now.This documentation was more than mere record-keeping; this reconnaissance allowed him to craft each perfect encounter, one seemingly shaped by serendipity rather than the meticulous designs of a predator hiding in plain sight.
He closed his notebook, concealing the blueprint of his ruse within its pages.The groundwork was laid, and now the real game could begin.A game where every move brought him one step closer to entwining himself within April’s world – and, by extension, Riley Paige’s.
His mind worked through scenarios, each more elaborate than the last, but he found comfort in the challenge.It was a game of chess, and he was already several moves ahead.His adversary remained unaware of his position on the board, and that was an advantage he intended to keep.Yes, there were many faces Leo Dillard could wear, and he relished the chance to don whichever guise would serve him best when the time came.
In his mind’s eye, he envisioned the connections he would form—learning the nuances of April’s relationship with her sister Jilly, understanding the dynamics between Riley Paige and her partner Bill Jeffreys, mapping out their domestic routines as if they were his own.Each thread was vital, each knot critical to holding the structure together until it was time to unravel it all in one swift, decisive act.
He pictured the townhouse in Fredericksburg, visualizing its layout.Pretending to be a prospective renter, he’d toured another in the complex, one with the same interior design, and he knew his way around it well.
With a swift motion, Leo snapped the notebook shut, its secrets safe within the leather confines.Rising from the bench, he became just another student, his presence as unremarkable as the backpack slung over his shoulder.He stifled a dark chuckle.His intentions were a far cry from academic pursuits, and his meticulously crafted plans were moving along perfectly.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The clang of the café door announced their arrival, and the four of them – Riley, Ann Marie, Chief Thorne, and Sheriff Beeler – moved into the warmth of the simple establishment.It was a small place that had survived the years on the basic meals it provided.The wooden tables bore the marks of countless conversations.
Riley reminded herself that a late afternoon snack seemed normal, even though nothing else about this day had been normal.This small town was a tight-knit community where the presence of two FBI agents was obviously attracting attention, and not the good kind.As Riley glanced around, the patrons returned her gaze with curious eyes, but at least she didn’t see the kind of hostility they had encountered at Callahan’s Boat Repair or at the bar where they had arrested him.
Their sandwiches arrived on everyday plates, some of them chipped around the edges in evidence of their long service.The food was good and brought about a few minutes of quiet, although Riley picked at her sandwich without much appetite.When the conversation started again, it inevitably circled back to Marcus Callahan.
Riley noted the way Chief Thorne’s jaw clenched each time he mentioned Callahan and how Thorne’s frown also accompanied that name.The conviction in Thorne’s voice was strong.
“I always hoped I’d nail Callahan good someday.And now that day is finally here.It feels damn good.”
“It looks like we’ve got him dead to rights,” Sheriff Beeler said.
“That’s an understatement,” Thorne replied.“It’s open and shut.Everything points to Callahan's guilt.He’s got a history of harassing women.He sent those creepy emails to both victims.He lied about his whereabouts on the night of Billie Shearer’s murder.What more do we need?”
Sheriff Beeler’s sharp nod came like a punctuation mark, solidifying the alliance between the two officers.
