It was now completely dark out, the Boardroom filling fast with healthy, clean-living men and women in color-coded fatigues. The noise was making it difficult to talk, and I needed to see Lucy before I left.

“You don’t like Ring.” Wesley reached around to the back of his chair and collected his suit jacket. “He’s bright and seems sincerely motivated.”

“You definitely profiled the last part wrong,” I said as I got up. “But you are right about what you said first. I don’t like him.”

“I thought that was rather obvious by your demeanor.”

We moved around people who were looking for chairs and setting down pitchers of beer.

“I think he’s dangerous.”

“He’s vain and wants to make a name for himself,” Wesley said.

“And you don’t think that’s dangerous?” I looked over at him.

“It describes almost everyone I’ve ever worked with.”

“Except for me, I hope.”

“You, Dr. Scarpetta, are an exception to just about everything I can think of.”

We were walking through a long corridor, heading to the lobby, and I did not want to leave him right now. I felt lonely and wasn’t sure why.

“I would love for us to have dinner,” I said, “but Lucy’s got something to show me.”

“What makes you think I don’t already have plans?” He held the door for me.

The thought bothered me, even though I knew he was teasing.

“Let’s wait until I can get away from here,” he said, and we were walking toward the parking lot now. “Maybe over the weekend, when we can relax a little more. I’ll cook this time. Where are you parked?”

“Over here.” I pointed the key’s remote control.

Doors unlocked and the interior light went on. Typically, we did not touch. We never had when someone might see.

“Sometimes I hate this,” I said as I got into my car. “It’s fine to talk about body parts, rape and murder all day long, but not to hug each other, hold hands. God forbid anybody should see that.” I started the engine. “Tell me how normal that is? It’s not like we’re still having an affair or committing a crime.” I yanked my seatbelt across my chest. “Is there some don’t-ask-don’t-tell FBI rule no one’s let me in on?”

“Yes.”

He kissed me on the lips as a group of agents walked by. “So don’t tell anyone,” he said.

Moments later, I parked in front of the Engineering Research Facility, or ERF, a huge, space age–looking building where the FBI conducted its classified technical research and development. If Lucy knew all of what went on in the labs here, she did not tell, and there were few areas of the building where I was allowed, even when escorted by her. She was waiting by the front door as I pointed the remote control at my car, which was not responding.

“It won’t work here,” she said.

I looked up at the eerie rooftop of antennae and satellite dishes, sighing as I manually locked doors with the key.