Amaranthine (Editing)

Chapter 2 - Just a Dream

I yelled up at mom and she picked up the receiver upstairs and hollered down for me to hang up. Instead I remained silent on the line, a couple seconds went by and not a word was exchanged. "Rileigh, I know you're still there, hang up." Busted. I hung up the phone.

What could he possibly want? She's no longer an agent...

My mother has worked with the Bureau my entire life and that was the life that she had to get away from. Her line of work was very dangerous; she specialized in Human Trafficking, Serial Killers, and Major Drug lords. I had told Tate and Stacy she was a detective, I just hadn't elaborated on the type of detective she was. I really didn't want to be answering a million questions from friends at school and I certainly didn't need any more attention.

Minutes went by and I sat staring at the dinner slowly getting cold on the table. I felt a knot twirl up in my stomach, I knew this wasn't just a social call, mom may have been a very good Agent, but she didn't make many friends at the Bureau for that very same reason.

After what felt like hours, mom burst through the kitchen door, the Sky River Police uniform was replaced with an elegant black pants suite and a white blouse, her hair was wet and freshly combed and on her feet she wore her familiar dressy but not too dresser black high heels.

I looked up at her to see in her eyes that look I was so trying so desperately to forget, the excited, determined, yet saddened and regretful look.

"Mom...no." I shook my head. Then leapt up and pushed through the door into the hall, there at the bottom of the stairs right next to the door was her suite case. "Y-you can't...you quit! Remember?"

"I know Rileigh, but this is the last job, I swear, they need me...I need to finish this case." Water threatened to escape her eyes.

"...and by finish you mean..." Realization dawned on me.

My father, Robert James Mason, was also an F.B.I agent. He was killed when I was six years old. I don't remember much about him, but I do know, that is when mom started working as much as possible and taking on as many cases as possible trying to find the man that killed him.

Turns out he was killed by some big time Human Trafficking boss that was kidnapping girls through out the United States and Canada and transporting them across the globe. Dad was closing in on him...but things took a turn for the worst. The evil S.O.B got away and Dad got killed. They still have not captured the guy. At the moment he's sitting on the World's top 10 most wanted list right next to Osamah.

Mom gingerly placed a hand on my shoulder, "They got a lead on him Rileigh, after the trail went cold five years ago, we finally got a lead. And he's here in America, but they don't know how long he'll stay so I have to go. I swear to you, this is the final time, I'm going to catch this man."

I heard the crunch of gravel under tires and looked out the window to see a police cruiser pull up to the house, I fought back the tears that threatened to spill. I should be used to this by now. But for some reason, when she told me things would be different I believed her.

But I suppose in some ways she was right, things were different, for a month—during the moving process—we spent more time together then we have my entire life, and this past week, we ate together every night. We laughed, and we bonded.

Things were different...this time I didn't want her to leave.

"Be safe mom." Trying to keep my voice from shaking.

"Always, I love you Rileigh, and I will be back as soon as I can." She leaned down and with one hand grabbed the handle of her suite case and the other she placed on the side of my face, and kissed my forehead. She turned and opened the door, pausing halfway through and turning to me, "You behave yourself now." She gave me a wink.