Then he stepped back and admired his handiwork.
He turned off the overhead light and walked out into the night, closing the heavy wooden door behind him.
The sky was clear and starry, and he couldnt hear anything now except the dense rumble of crickets.
He took a long, slow breath of the clean, fresh air.
The night seemed especially sweet just now.
CHAPTER THREE
As Riley lined up with the rest of the interns for their final formal photograph, she heard the door to the reception room open.
Her heart leapt, and she turned around expectantly to see who had arrived.
But it was only Hoke Gilmer, the programs training supervisor, returning after having stepped out for a few minutes.
Riley suppressed a sigh. She already knew that Agent Crivaro wouldnt be here today. Yesterday hed congratulated her on completing the course and said he wanted to get back to Quantico. It was obvious that he simply had no taste for ceremonies or receptions.
Her secret hope was that Ryan might show up out of the blue to help her celebrate the completion of the summer program.
Of course she knew better than to seriously expect that to happen.
Even so, she couldnt help but fantasize that somehow hed change his mind and hed arrive at the last minute and apologize for his cold behavior last night and finally say those words she longed for him to say
I want you to go to the academy. I want you to follow your dream.
But of course, that wasnt going to happen
And the sooner I get that through my head, the better.
The 20 interns formed three rows for the photographone row seated at a long table, with two rows standing behind them. Since the interns were arranged in alphabetical order, Riley found herself in the back row between other two other students whose last names began with SNaomi Strong and Rhys Seely.
She hadnt gotten to know Naomi or Rhys very well.
But then, that was true for almost all the other interns. Shed felt out of place among them ever since the first day of the program 10 weeks ago. The only student shed gotten close to during that whole time was John Welch, who was standing a few students to her left.
On that first day, John had explained why the others were giving her odd looks and whispering to each other about her
Pretty much everybody here knows who you are. I guess you could say that your reputation precedes you.
She was, after all, the only intern who already had what everybody called field experience under her belt.
Riley fought down another sigh at the thought of those words
Field experience.
She found it weird to think of what had happened back at Lanton University as field experience. A nightmare seemed more like it. Shed never be able to shake off those memories of finding her two close friends with their throats cut in their blood-drenched dorm rooms.
Back then, the last thing shed had in mind was training with the FBI. Shed gotten caught up in the case through no choice of her ownand shed helped solve it, which was why pretty much everybody here had known who she was from the very first day.
And then when the program got underway, and all the other students had started learning about computers and forensics and other less thrilling matters, Riley had tracked down the deadly Clown Killer. Both of those cases had been traumatic and life-threatening.
Getting a head start on field experience had hardly made her popular with the other interns. In fact, their unspoken resentment had been palpable all along.
And now at least some of them envied her for moving on to the Academy.
If only they knew what Ive been through, she thought.
She doubted that theyd envy her then.
She felt horror and guilt at the memory of her two friends being murdered at Lanton, and she wished she could turn back time and stop it from happening. Not only would her friends still be alive, but her own life would be completely different right now. Shed have a psychology degree and some kind of run-of-the-mill job and a whole lot of uncertainty about what she was going to do with the rest of her life
And Ryan would be perfectly happy with me.
But she doubted that she would be happy. She hadnt felt passionate about pursuing any career until the possibility of being an FBI agent came upeven if she did feel like this career had chosen her, not the other way around.
When the three rows of interns were properly posed, Hoke Gilmer told a joke to make everybody laugh while the photographer snapped their picture. Riley didnt feel in a humorous mood, so the joke didnt strike her as funny. She was sure that her own smile looked forced and insincere.
She also felt insecure about her own pantsuit, which shed bought months ago at a thrift shop. Most of the other interns were better off financially than she was, and markedly better dressed. She didnt look forward to seeing the photo that was being taken.
Then the group broke up to enjoy the snacks and refreshments arranged on another table in the middle of the room. Everybody clustered into groups of friends, and as usual, Riley felt isolated.
She noticed that Natalie Embry was clinging to Rollin Sloan, an intern who was headed straight for a high-paying job as a data analyst in a big Midwestern field office.
Riley heard a voice at her side
Well, Natalie sure got what she came here for, didnt she?
Riley turned and saw John Welch standing beside her.
She smiled and said, Come on, John. Arent you being a bit cynical?
John shrugged and said, Are you telling me Im wrong?
Riley looked again at Natalie, who was flashing her new engagement ring at someone.
No, I guess not, Riley said to John.
Natalie had been showing off that ring to everybody ever since Rollin had put it on her finger a couple of days ago. It had been a real whirlwind romanceshe and Rollin hadnt even met before entering the summer program.
John let out a sigh of mock sympathy.
Poor Rollin, he said. There but for the grace of God go I.
Riley laughed aloud. She knew exactly what John meant. Starting on the very first day of the program, Natalie had been on the lookout for a prospective fiancée. Shed even targeted John until hed made it clear that he really didnt like her.
Riley wonderedhad Natalie ever been interested in the program at all? After all, shed been smart enough and accomplished enough to be accepted into the honors internship.
Probably not, she figured.
Natalie seemed to have joined the program for the same reason that some of Rileys friends had gone to collegeto catch herself a successful husband.
Riley tried to imagine how it would feel to go through life with Natalies priorities. Things would surely seem simpler, at least, when decisions could be so clear-cut
Finding a man, moving into a nice house, having a few babies
Riley couldnt help envy Natalies security, at least.
Even so, Riley felt sure shed be bored to death by such a lifewhich was exactly why things were bad between her and Ryan right now.
Then John said, I assume youre heading straight to Quantico when this is over.
Riley replied, Yeah. I guess you are too, right?
John nodded. Riley found it exciting to think that she and John were among the small handful of interns who were continuing on to the FBI Academy.