R. E. Bradshaw - Rainey Nights Read Online Free

it was simply a sign of respect. She heard it at the academy often, but it stung just the same. She deserved the “ma’am” because of the tone she was using, her instructor voice reserved for the wayward trainees. In a much friendlier manner she asked, “How long have you been in uniform?”
    “It’ll be a year in July. I went to UVA, got my Bachelors in Criminal Justice, and then I signed up here. I grew up just a few miles out of town. I knew Crystal’s family. I go to the same church, when I go that is.”
    Rainey pulled out a chair and sat down. She motioned for the officer to join her. “Well, it’s nice to meet a fellow Cavalier,” she paused, peering at the nametag on the other woman’s shirt, “Deputy Knox.”
    Knox pulled out a chair, saying as she lowered herself to the seat, “Please, call me Gillian. You went to UVA?”
    “Class of ’93. I went straight into the Academy after graduation.”
    Gillian brightened. “That’s my goal, to do what you do. I know I have to get some experience under my belt, but I’ve applied already. I’m just going to keep trying until I get in.”
    Rainey had this conversation often. In almost every place she visited, someone wanted to be a Behavioral Analyst. She had the spiel down to a few sentences. “Once you’re in the Bureau, you’ll need at least five years of field service. Your time here could count towards that, depending on what types of investigations you experience. Then it’s back to the Academy for sixteen weeks and up to two more years of mentored training before you can work in the unit. Be aware that there are few positions exactly like mine, but working within the NCAVC is a challenging and rewarding assignment in itself.”
    “You sound like you’ve said that a few times,” Gillian said, grinning at Rainey.
    Rainey couldn’t help but return the grin. “Yeah, it’s a pretty frequent topic when we hit the road.”
    “You can’t blame us for wanting in the BAU. You guys are rock stars.”
    Rainey’s smile slipped. “Just remember, there is a price to pay for being a rock star. This job is not for everyone. You will make sacrifices. People who love you will make sacrifices. Make sure the person you become romantically involved with in the future, and I’m assuming you’ll be dumping the narcissist, knows what your career goals are. It takes the right kind of relationship to make it work with this job.”
    Rainey felt the pain of losing Bobby once again. She heard it in her voice. She didn’t usually open up to people as she was with the young deputy. Rainey kept her life in mental boxes, only opening the ones she needed to function at the time. It was the only way to survive a job like hers. Something about Gillian made Rainey want to warn her about the losses she might suffer. Rainey was tired, emotionally raw at the moment, and her boxes were opening without her consent.
    Rainey gathered her emotions in, pushed the box lids back down and stowed them away, as she usually did. There was no room for self-pity or regrets in Rainey’s life. In the young deputy’s enthusiasm, Rainey recognized the fledgling cop she had once been. Silently, she wished Deputy Knox a happy life far away from Quantico and the losses a career in the BAU would bring her. Instead of saying what she was thinking, Rainey pulled the picture of Crystal Lynn from a folder and slid it across the table to Gillian.
    “What can you tell me about this girl? You said you knew the family. Did you know Crystal personally?”
    Gilliam looked down at the picture, studying it, and then looked up at Rainey. “I’m five years older than she is… was, so I was out of high school before she got there. I remember seeing her and I knew who she was, but we didn’t travel in the same circles. I know that she was very active in the church youth group.”
    Rainey prodded Gillian. “What was your impression of her? Just tell me what comes to mind, anything you can think