Page 2 of Cooper's Salvation
“May I help you?” Her voice quavered.
“I’m looking for Dr Deane?”
“That would be me.”
“Is there somewhere we could talk in private, ma’am?”
“Yes, I –” Her knees felt like jelly, and she wasn’t sure they’d carry her as far as her office.
Before they gave out, she clutched the counter beside her. Kara dropped her head so that the others wouldn’t see the tears she couldn’t prevent from welling up.
A soft hand touched hers.
Lifting her head, she looked into the compassionate gaze of Mrs. Fonda.
“Come, dear. I’ll walk with you to your office.” The other woman tucked her arm into the crook of Kara’s and slowly led her back the way they’d come only moments before.
The squeak of army-issue boots echoed down the passage, surrounding her, becoming all she could hear other than the erratic thump of her own heart.
When they reached the closed office door, Mrs. Fonda turned to her. “I’ll be right out front with Darby when you need me.”
Not if. When.
Sinking into her office chair, Kara faced the two army officers who’d followed her into the room.
“To clarify, ma’am. Are you Mrs. Takara Deane, wife of Corporal Thomas William Deane?”
“Yes.” The whisper was all she could manage.
A sad look crossed the officer’s face. “Ma’am, it is with regret I have to inform you that your husband has been killed in action. I’m deeply sorry for your loss.”
Kara could do nothing but stare at the man as if he’d spoke a foreign language. A primal scream bounced around her mind, never finding its way out into the world.
“Ma’am, is there anyone we can call for you?”
She shook her head. There wasn’t anyonetocall. Part of that special bond she and Tom had was that they were both orphans with no other family to call their own. Still, she couldn’t formulate the words.
“Would you like us to fetch the lady from the waiting room for you?”
At that, she simply nodded. The older man exited the room while his young colleague remained with her, a soft look of sympathy on his face; not yet hardened enough to school his features.
Once the officers had left and she’d finally convinced Mrs. Fonda she would be fine on her own, Kara reached for her phone. All she wanted was to hide from the world, and she had the perfect place in mind.
She toyed with the pen on her desk as she listened to the ringing on the other end. She was just about to give up when a breathless voice answered.
“Hello, Tori’s phone. How may I help you?”
“Jazz?”
“Yes, this is Jasmine. Who’s this please?”
Kara cleared her throat. “Sorry, Jazz. It’s Kara. How are you?”
“Girl, I’m fine, but you sound terrible. Is everything all right?”
“No. That’s why I’m calling. Is Tori around?”
“Yeah, she’s outside. Hang on a sec, I’ll take you to her.”
