Under Ice

Chapter 15

Riley gazed through the window into Bishop's ward. He lay in the bed asleep and peaceful, his injured arm placed carefully over his front and his other tucked neatly under the blanket. The cut on the side on his cheek from when he fell have a band aid over it, and his lip was split and swollen, yet still his sleeping face was calm, a smile twitching at his lips.
He had gotten lucky, apparently. The bullet had only caught him in the arm, through and through, meaning only 6 weeks in a sling and a couple nights in the hospital, yet Riley was still angry at herself from not being able to stop this. She couldn't help but ponder what could have happened.
So now Caspar's biggest hospital, he was shrouded in balloons, gifts and get well soon cards, while she watched and worried in the hallway.

His mother had flown over as soon as she got the news and was sitting loyally by her sons bed, her hand in his, her face anxious and nervous. Riley stood unnoticed, not being able to bring herself to interupt the moment, her mind still clouded and angry at the event's of the previous day.

Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder, and she jumped, turning to see none other than Jason West smiling down at her.

"What are you here for?" She frowned, stepping back. It had been a long couple days, and she wasn't in the mood for a pep talk.

"I was in the area, thought I'd come by and see you,"

"Highlight of my day," Riley replied sarcastically.

"And the car chase wasn't?" He replied, an eyebrow raised. "I actually wanted to come and apologize,"

She didn't reply, and stared at him for a moment, silently searching for some hidden agenda.

"I shouldn't have said what I did back in New York," He carried on. "I doubted you, and that was stupid,"

"And you're telling me this, why?" She said, still stoney and unforgiving.

"Because it wasn't my place to say any of it. I didn't think before I said anything - I acted like I was trying to diagnose you,"

"Already diagnosed, thanks. I'm just another messed up cop," She replied, shrugging as if it was the least of her problems.

"It doesn't have to be like that. You could talk to someone,"

"What were you going on about it 'not being your place to say'?"

"If it helps, I am genuinely sorry," He said, his face serious.

"I'll see you later," Riley ignored his apologies, and turned to go, but he grabbed her arm and she turned back around to see in his other hand a file.

"What's this?" She took it, their conversation suddenly forgotten.

"My completed physcological profile on Branstone,"

She took the papers from his hand, and flicked through them.

"Pretty thin. I thought you would have had a field day writing about a suspected phsycopath,"

"That's the thing - I don't think he is one, despite your protests. All of the evidence was just witnesses testifying, and a motive or Lacy's body was never found. He might have been framed,"

"Actually," She turned back to the window, staring at Bishop. "I'm beginning to see your point of view,"

"Oh?"

"The reason we're in Wyoming was to look at the middle school and check for blood, see if the kids were telling the truth,"

"Let me guess. There was none,"

"Ch-ching. Give that kid a prize," She rolled her eyes.

"Do you think the children were lying?"