Riley eventually obtained several promising leads and key locations—scattered fragments of information that pointed toward where he needed to go next.
After spending a full month organizing what he had gathered, verifying sources, and preparing for the journey ahead, he finally decided it was time to leave.
That evening, he gathered his wives and bid them farewell.
"I'm just going to check out a few places," Riley said, keeping his tone light, as though he were merely stepping out for a walk rather than embarking on something far more dangerous.
"Then take us with you," one of his wives said immediately, her voice firm and without hesitation.
Riley paused, then shook his head slowly. "I want to," he said honestly, "but I can't. The places I'm going… they're dangerous."
His words were gentle, but the weight behind them was unmistakable.
For a moment, the room fell into silence.
