Page 44 of The Drowned Woman
“Think I’m going to trust the police to keep Risa safe? The lead detective’s own fiancée was a victim and he had no clue. There’s no way am I trusting her to anyone.”
Leah wanted to defend Luka, but there was no arguing the truth. Chaos knew exactly what he was doing when he sent the photo of Cherise’s ring to discredit Luka.
Laughter rang out from the living room where Dom was acting something out for Risa.
“He does make her laugh,” Jack said with a sigh. “Better than I can. She says I’m a worrywart, but you watch. After he leaves, she’ll stop pretending everything’s fine. She never lets him see her symptoms, her pain.”
“Does she have the same symptoms every time? I was reading her records before I got here, but they were much more complex than I imagined.”
“No. There’s definitely a pattern in the timing, but the symptoms are different almost every episode. Sometimes it’s like a bad stomach flu, lasting a few days, sometimes migraines with muscle shakes and cold sweats, where her face turns beet red, and her breathing speeds up. Then there’s all the medication—how do you know where the symptoms begin and the side effects take over?”
He was right. Especially given the variety of prescriptions Risa was juggling. “I’ll cross-check their side effects, see if maybe the doctors or pharmacists missed a possible interaction.”
“Thanks.” He frowned and was silent as he concentrated on stirring his red sauce. The delicious aroma reminded Leah that she needed to get home to her own dinner.
“There’s one other thing,” Jack said in a low voice that wouldn’t carry out to the others. “A few weeks ago, I found something.”
“What?”
“A bottle of ipecac hidden in Risa’s closet—tucked inside a pair of boots she hasn’t worn in years. I looked it up, it causes—”
“Severe vomiting,” Leah finished for him. Could Risa be harming herself? “Why would Risa hide the ipecac from you?”
“I don’t think she’s doing it to herself,” he replied; his expression was both earnest and concerned as he glanced over his shoulder at Risa. “I really don’t. I read about women who do that—her personality just doesn’t fit. She’d never…” His words trailed away. “I mean, why? She has everything—she’s smart and talented. Honestly, most days I’m not sure I deserve her. I have no idea why she’s stuck around a boring guy like me. So why would someone do that to themselves? Destroy their chance at happiness?”
Leah couldn’t help but glance at the wall of photos that Risa had taken. “Maybe she doesn’t think she deserves it? Happiness.”
“No way. If anyone deserves to be happy, it’s Risa.” He nodded to himself as if sealing a deal. The pasta water came to a boil. “Sure you’re not staying?”
“No, but thanks. I have family waiting at home.”
“See—that’s all I want. Me and Risa, a home. Together. Knowing that when you open that door, there’s someone waiting. Give me that and the rest of the world can go to hell, all I care. Know what I mean?”
Leah turned away, blinking hard. She’d had all that and more with Ian. But now she was alone—and worst of all, she couldn’t let anyone know how she felt, the anger and fear, the guilt, the sadness that threatened to smother her some days and most nights. She couldn’t even bring herself to tell her counselor everything—if she dropped the façade for a single instant, even with someone like him trying to help her, she’d never be able to pick it back up again.
“I’d better go.” She crossed back to the living area. “Risa, is it okay for me to share your medical records with a colleague? She might have some helpful insights.” Leah thought she’d call Maggie—the death investigator was better at puzzles like Risa’s than most physicians Leah knew. Maggie had a gift for seeing details but processing them in a way that allowed her to think outside the realms of conventional wisdom. A lot like Ian that way—and Emily.
“Is she going to bill me for a consult?” Risa answered with that falsely bright tone that Leah found so jarring.
“No.”
“In that case, you have my permission to share them with anyone you want. Dom keeps trying to get me to post them online, set loose the entire internet on solving my medical mystery.”
Leah cleared her throat. “I’d better be going.”
“Of course.” Risa pushed herself up out of the chair with some effort, Dom watching from where he sat, not moving, simply watching.
“Don’t get up,” Leah hastened to say, but it was too late. Risa waved her off when she tried to help.
“I’m fine,” Risa said through gritted teeth. “I just want to thank you, Leah. I know I’ve taken a lot of your time today—and things have turned out a bit crazy—but I’m really glad to have met you.”
Leah couldn’t help but smile. “Me, too. I’ll let you know if I find anything about your symptoms. Take care.”
“Thanks,” Risa said, leaning against her walker as she watched Leah walk away.
Leah closed the apartment door behind her. Somehow it felt a relief to leave the tiny space that was so overcrowded with emotions. She half-expected her ears to pop with the change in pressure.
Harper said goodbye to whoever she was talking to and hung up. “They’re a bunch, right? I mean, a serial killer stalking her and she’s throwing a dinner party for boyfriend and whatever-the-hell that Massimo guy is. Did you notice how he never stops looking at her? Gives me the creeps just to be in the same room.”
