Page 12 of The Drowned Woman
“Obituaries? I thought families wrote those.”
“For most people. Anyone considered a celebrity or historical figure, famous, the news outlets keep their obituaries on file, pre-written, but they have to be updated frequently. Those are pretty easy. The tough ones are the victims of newsworthy crimes or events. When things are breaking fast and there’s little time. Then, you need to be sensitive but at the same time, you can’t get anything wrong and you don’t have the safety net of the pre-written obituary to work from. Usually the reporter on the ground gathers the facts, sends it to the main desk who will assign a writer, then it comes to me to read and proof.”
“I never knew.”
“Sounds more interesting than it is. I mean, compared to boots-on-the-ground reporting.” Her gaze settled on her computer and she frowned. “But there is one story I’ve stumbled on. I think it’s a story. All the meds the doctors have me on, some days I think I’m just imagining.”
“What is it?”
A knock at the front door sounded. “Want me to get that?” Leah asked.
“Yes, please.”
Leah set her tea down and walked to the door, peering through the eyehole. It was Luka. Great. She hadn’t even begun to ask Risa about Walt. She opened the door and ushered him into the living room.
“Hello again, Ms. Saliba. Luka Jericho—”
“I remember, Detective Sergeant.” Risa sighed as if resigned to more disruption in her day. But Leah noticed the painful wince and the way she held her belly. She could tell the other woman was trying hard not to be sick again.
“Luka, maybe we could do this later?” Leah suggested.
“I need to hear what Ms. Saliba saw—”
Before Luka could finish, the door behind them banged open and a tall, athletic man wearing a suit and tie rushed inside.
“Risa!” He ignored Leah and Luka to cross to Risa’s side, dropping down to his knees, taking both her hands in his. “I saw the police and the ambulance and they wouldn’t let me in until now. You weren’t answering your phone and I thought—” He stopped, out of breath, and simply stared at her, as if reassuring himself that she was actually there.
“I’m fine, Jack. It’s just been a rough morning.”
“You’re sure you’re okay?” He buried his head in her hands for a moment, kissing both her palms, then looked up again. “I was so scared—I’ve never been that terrified in my life. I don’t know what I’d do without you. What happened?”
Eight
Luka couldn’t believe his poor timing. If he’d arrived here just two minutes earlier, he could have gotten Risa’s statement. Now he had an overwrought significant other to slow things down. He stepped forward, extending his card to Risa, but the man stood, turned to face Luka and took it himself.
“Detective? What happened? Did someone break in or something?” The man’s concern morphed into a defensive posture as he squared off as if Luka was the enemy.
“No,” Risa said. “It was Walt and Trudy. Jack, it was horrible.”
“Walt and Trudy?” The man’s expression softened, no longer on alert. “Are they okay? What happened?”
“Mrs. Orly died this morning,” Luka told him. “I need to ask Ms. Saliba a few questions about what she saw.” He tried to edge around the boyfriend, but instead the man thrust his hand out.
“Jack. Jack O’Brien.” He shook Luka’s hand with an assertive grip. Then turned to Leah. “And you are?”
“Dr. Leah Wright. I’m assisting the police.”
He took her hand as well. “A doctor? Interesting. I’m one as well. PhD in environmental chemistry.”
“Jack’s the environmental compliance officer for Keystone Shale,” Risa put in, her tone filled with pride. She reached for Jack’s hand and guided him to the chair beside her, nodding to Luka and Leah to also take a seat. Up close, Luka realized her color was off and despite appearing a few years younger than him, her skin was stretched thin, cheeks hollow and gaunt like a much older woman.
“Environmental compliance officer. What’s that?” Given the exuberant energy the man exuded, Luka was surprised Jack wasn’t a used car salesman.
“Jack travels to all their sites,” Risa answered. “Makes sure there’s no chemicals polluting the groundwater, things like that.”
“Things like that?” Jack said in a gentle, chiding tone. As if this was an ongoing private joke between them. “Things like that are what keep everyone safe.” The two were holding hands and couldn’t stop looking at each other. Luka smothered a wince—he remembered all too well feeling like that. The way Cherise had beamed when he proposed, despite his being barely able to get any words out.
“We met when I was doing a piece on the environmental impact of fracking.” Risa’s words interrupted Luka’s memories. “Jack helped me understand the reports the companies released and how they were hiding contamination.”
