“Honey, there’s a game on I really wanted to watch, I’ve been thinking about it all weekend. Can’t he go without a bath for one night?” Elliott asked.
“No, he can’t go without a bath.” Anger surged in Laura. “It’s an important part of his bedtime routine and helps to calm him down. That’s what all of the baby books say. Also, you haven’t seen him in days. Don’t you want to spend time with your son?”
“Of course I do but I’m just beat from being off the grid all weekend. It takes a lot out of you. I really just wanted to unwind with this game.”
Laura sighed heavily, hoping he’d catch her tone. “Fine, I’ll give him his bath.”
She got Quinn’s little plastic tub out and warmed the water to just the right temperature, then strapped him in and squirted water on his legs and arms with the little plastic animals they had. He giggled and kicked and stuck his fist into his mouth, looking adorable, but she couldn’t even enjoy it. She was resentful thinking of Elliott.
Now it was Monday and she had to be at work and see Perry. Another person she was angry at. Perry had told her at the vigil that Faith was six weeks pregnant but that it was a secret and that the station had asked the medical examiner to redact the info. Apparently, it wasn’t a secret anymore. She had gotten the push alert from Channel 9 on her phone along with the rest of humanity that morning. Why would managerschange their minds and tell everyone now? She had a pretty good guess: ratings. It would drive up viewership for the prime-time special Perry had planned.
Sighing, Laura grabbed her purse and a mug of extra-strong tea she had prepared at home. She made her way to the newsroom. Perry was talking with some other managers by the assignment desk, and he waved her over as soon as she walked in.
“Laura, perfect timing. I was just going to explain our push alert and tell you all a few other things. Come with us to the conference room.”
He led the way and they all sat down around the table, looking at him expectantly. Laura wondered if others were as flummoxed by the pregnancy push alert as she was.
“So I told a few of you yesterday that Faith was pregnant. The ME had given us that info on Saturday but we asked him to redact it before the report went out to the public. We wanted to protect Faith’s privacy. However, I got a call from Faith’s sister today. She had also seen the ME’s report and knew about the pregnancy and she asked me to go public. She said it was important that everyone know. She also said that Faith’s body has already been cremated.”
Laura grimaced, as did several other people around the table.
“So,” Perry went on, “I want you to know we only did this with the blessing of Faith’s next of kin. It does change our prime-time special, however. I’m thinking of calling itThe Faith Richards Tragedy: Two Lives Lost.We’ll need to reinterview some viewers so they can speak about the baby in addition to Faith. I have several crews working on that. And we started a scholarship in Faith’s name. In just a few short hours we’ve raised almost ten thousand dollars. That’s incredible! I’ve never seen anything like it. I was contacted by the president of the Fair-Weather FriendsFan Club too, Chloe something, and they’re planning to contribute in a big way, so this is all looking great right now.”
Looking great? Those words were hard for Laura to digest when it came to a murder. She stared at the floor.
“One more thing. You may be wondering about the investigation. I have been in touch with our police chief and they have crews working round the clock. I can’t divulge too much but they already have talked to some suspects and will be looking to get to some more. Any questions?”
Laura glanced up. Everyone else at the table looked as sullen as she felt, and they all shook their heads.
“OK then, back to work,” Perry said. “But Laura, can you stay a moment, please?”
Laura felt the eyes of others on her, wondering why she was being chosen to stay. She was as baffled as they were. Maybe Perry wanted her to supervise the prime-time special.
The others filed out and Perry shut the door. He turned to Laura with that piercing gaze of his.
“Laura, I have something very serious to talk to you about.”
Based on his tone, she gulped, her mind suddenly pole-vaulting backward to figure out what she had done wrong. Did she get a fact wrong in a script?
“Yes, sir, what is it?”
“Laura, this must stay between us. I mean that—this is a police matter and confidentiality can’t be broken.”
“Of course, whatever you say stays just with me.” Good gracious, what could it be?
“Faith apparently wrote some kind of note with a list of names on it the night she died. The police want to talk to all of these people, as the note seems fishy. Laura, I don’t know how tosay this so I just will—your name was on it along with your husband’s, and one other person in this station and their significant other who shall go unnamed.”
Laura wanted to form words but they wouldn’t come. Her mouth fell open and all she could do was stare at Perry.
“I can see that you’re shocked by this, as was I. I told them I had complete confidence in you and my other employee but they won’t be deterred. They need to speak with you today. I am trying my best to keep this confidential so I told them I would send you to the police station as soon as you came in for work rather than them coming here. You and your husband both need to go there now. I will cover for you in the newsroom. I’ll tell everyone I sent you on an errand.”
“I… uh… I’m sorry, what? My name? Elliott? The police station?” Her mind could not compute this information, and the pinball machine in her head added about ten silver balls.
“Yes, District 3. Head there now please.” He gave her a further icy stare, and she could feel a bit of suspicion seeping off him despite his proclamation that he had complete confidence in her.
She stood up in a trancelike state, left the conference room, and moved through the newsroom to the back door, trying to keep her face from looking like a complete mess. A few people glanced up, but no one said anything. People were coming and going in a busy newsroom all the time.
When she got to the safety of the car and shut the door, she had a moment of panic that she might faint right there and someone would find her passed out in her car.
